Category: Happenings

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, convicted and sentenced one Aluko Tunmise, a self-acclaimed social media influencer and model, to one year imprisonment for celebrity scam.

He was arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a one-count charge bordering on cybercrimes.

One of the counts reads: “That you, ALUKO TUNMISE JUWONLO (A.K.A. KEANU REEVES), sometime between January and March, 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, directly made a false statement, wherein you held yourself out as a white man by name “KEANU REEVES” on your Telegram Account, knowing same to be false and with intent that the representation is relied upon for the purpose of procuring the issuance of financial instrument to yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(3) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015.”

He pleaded “guilty” to the  charge when it was read to him.

Following his guilty plea,   prosecution counsel, C.C.Okezie, sought to present an operative of the EFCC, Vincent Sunday Kwambuge, to review the facts of the matter.

Kwanbuge told the court that the defendant was arrested sometime in March, 2024 at Lekki County Estate, Lagos, following credible intelligence  received by the Commission on the activities of some internet fraudsters operating in the area.

According to him, an iPhone 12 Pro Max  was recovered from the defendant at the point of arrest.

The prosecution counsel also told the court that “upon his arrest, he was duly processed and the defendant volunteered his statements. Investigation was conducted and forensic evidence was printed out from his phone.

“In his statement, he confessed he was into celebrity scam, which is an impersonation of celebrities.”

Okezie, therefore, sought to tender, in evidence, the defendant’s extra-judicial statements, iPhone and forensic investigation documents.

Justice Aneke admitted them as exhibits.

Counsel to the defendant, A.O. Idowu, prayed the court for leniency, saying that the defendant “is a first-time offender and is sorry for his actions.”

He also prayed the court for a non-custodial sentence.

Justice Aneke convicted and sentenced the defendant to one year imprisonment, with an option of fine of N300,000 (Three  Hundred Thousand Naira), with 100-hours community service.

The Judge also ordered that his mobile phone be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Tunmise bagged his imprisonment for impersonating celebrities for pecuniary gains.

15 persons have been confirmed d£ad in the mosque attack in Gadan village in Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State.

Recall that on Wednesday, May 15, a man identified as Shafi’u Abubakar, 38, was arrested after he set the mosque ablaze and trapped at least 40 worshippers inside by locking the door.

The attack which occurred on Wednesday morning left 24 persons with different degrees of burns.

However, speaking with newsmen on Friday, May 17, the state Commissioner of Police, Usaini Gumel, said so far, 15 out of the 24 victims of the incident have died.

Gumel said that the incident occurred during a dawn prayer at a mosque in Gadan village, leaving 24 worshippers injured.

He said the injured victims were currently receiving treatment at the Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital, Kano.

A judge said several factors including the nature of offense and its severity was considered in denying Tigran Gambaryan bail.


A Federal High Court in Abuja has refused to grant bail to Tigran Gambaryan, an executive of Binance Holdings Limited, a cryptocurrency firm.

The judge, Emeka Nwite, held that the reason for declining to grant Gambaryan bail is because he is likely to “jump bail” if granted.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting Gambaryan alongside Binance Holdings Ltd and Nadeem Anjarwalla, (currently at large) on a five-count charge bordering on alleged tax evasion, currency speculation and money laundering to the tune of $34,400,000. The defendants deny any wrongdoing.

In his ruling, the judge said several factors including the nature of offense and its severity must be considered when trying to decide whether or not bail should be granted to the defendant.

After the ruling, the EFCC called its first witness, a staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission who said the operations of Binance in Nigeria is unlawful because it is unregistered and unregulated. The witness further said the activities of Binance in Nigeria negatively affected the value of the Naira in the foreign exchange market.

The Kano State Hisbah Board has banned male disc jockeys (DJs) from performing at female-dominated events in the state.

The Commander General of the board, Sheikh Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa, announced this at a meeting with the representatives of DJs in the state.

According to him, the decision became necessary to prohibit the mixing of males and females during events, adding that only women would be allowed henceforth to officiate at women’s gatherings.

“As an Islamic state, it is unacceptable for us to allow the indiscriminate mixing of males and females at the same event. This is because this act can promote and spread immorality,” he said.

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested fifteen suspected internet fraudsters in Zaria, Kaduna State.

The suspects were arrested outside the premises of  Ahmadu Bello University  (ABU), Zaria, following credible intelligence linking a syndicate of fraudsters to suspected involvement in internet fraud.

Items recovered from them include cell phones and laptops.

The suspects were immediately moved to the Kano Zonal Command of the EFCC for more thorough investigation.

They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

Police operatives in Kano State have arrested one Shafi’u Abubakar, 38, who allegedly set a mosque ablaze and trapped worshipers inside the building at Laraba Abasawa in Gezawa LGA of the state.

It was gathered that about 40 worshippers were praying when Shafi’u used petrol to ignite the fire, trapping them inside the mosque by locking the door of the building to prevent them from escaping the inferno.

The attack which occurred on Wednesday morning, May 15, left 24 persons with different degrees of burns. The rescued victims were later rushed to the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in Kano, where they were receiving treatment.

The State’s Police Command’s spokesperson, SP Haruna Kiyawa, in a statement on Wednesday, said Shafi’u willingly submitted himself to the Police after committing the act.

FEC approved that all users of Federal airports all over the country must now pay tolls at the gates. No one is excluded.

The President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government has announced that all the users of federal airports across the country must start paying tolls at airport gates.

This was part of the approvals given by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the end of its meeting held in Abuja on Monday and Tuesday.

The Special Adviser Information and Strategy to President Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, who made this known in a list of approvals granted by FEC said that no one, including the President and the Vice President was exempted from the federal airports gates tolls.

“After exhaustive deliberations, the council approved a number of policies and projects that will further boost the economy, facilitate investments and promote the ease of doing business in the country.

“FEC approved that all users of Federal airports all over the country must now pay tolls at the gates. No one is excluded. The President and Vice President of Nigeria will also pay the toll,” Onanuga said.

He said that FEC also granted approval for the supply, installation and training of operators of disabled aircraft recovery systems at Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos.

According to him, “The contract will cost N4.2 billion. Similar contract was awarded in 2021 for Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in 2021.”

The Federal Government has said it subsidised the cost of the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage with the sum of N90 billion.

Vice President Kashim Shettima disclosed this on Wednesday, May 15, at the inauguration of the 2024 National Hajj operation, held at the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport, Birnin Kebbi, the Kebbi State capital.

According to him, “You may recall that this year, we had a major challenge in announcing the final hajj fare for the 2024 Muslim pilgrimage due to fluctuation in foreign exchange rates.

President Bola Tinubu also works round the clock to control the downwards spiral of our local currency to bring relief to our pilgrims and other Nigerians, a move that eventually succeeded in lowering the fare. The President approved the release of N90 billion to subsidise the pilgrimage cost for this year’s hajj.”

Video: The moment Police forcefully arrested singer Portable over an alleged N14 million unpaid debt

Video captured the moment men of the Lagos police command forcefully arrested Nigerian musician, Habeeb Okikiola aka Portable, over an unpaid N14 million debt.

The singer was arrested on Tuesday, May 14, after reneging on his promise to pay the balance of a Benz he purchased from a car dealer in the state.

It was gathered that the car dealer petitioned the police after failed attempts to get the singer to pay his debt.

When police stormed the singer’s location with a warrant of arrest, the singer was said to have scaled the fence in a bid to evade arrest. He was, however, chased and forcefully taken into custody.

In the video obtained, Portable was seen being dragged by four policemen into a waiting vehicle.

Watch video below.

President Bola Tinubu & Vice President Kashim Shettima will henceforth pay the required fees at tollgates whenever they use the nation’s airports

The Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, who disclosed this on Tuesday, May 14, said this became mandatory after the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, approved that there should be no more exemption granted to users of the airports from paying tollgate fees.

Keyamo had earlier presented a memorandum where he argued that the government was losing over 82% of the revenue it should have earned from the e-tags that provide access to the tollgates. He explained that the memoranda had initially prescribed an exemption for only the president & the V.P. before Tinubu overruled & directed that both of them should be included among those who must pay.

Briefing journalists after the FEC meeting, Keyamo regretted that VIPs with money who should pay are those who have not been paying, noting that only poor people had been charged for using the tollgates.

Niger Speaker halts wedding plans for 100 orphans after Minister of Women Affairs petitioned IGP.

The Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulamlik Sarkindaji, says he will no longer attend the planned wedding of 100 orphan girls in his constituency.

This comes after the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, petitioned the Inspector General of Police, IGP, requesting a legal order to stop the speaker from overseeing the said wedding.

Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, May 14, Abdulmalik said he had already made funds available to the girls’ parents through the traditional leaders and clerics of his constituency, noting that he would not withdraw the funds.

Abdulmalik also pointed out that his motive for wanting to sponsor the wedding was the state of poverty of the girls’ parents and not the constituency project, as reported in the media.

An abusive husband, Abodunde David Olubunmi, who beat his wife to death with their son’s skateboard has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a UK court.

Abodunde beat his wife to death with their son’s skateboard while police waited outside for permission from their bosses to go in.

Mail Online reports that jailing the defendant for life with a minimum of 17 years behind bars, Judge Martyn Levett of Ipswich Crown Court told him he was ‘ferocious, ruthless, cold-blooded, callous & savage’.

“The simple fact is that you strangled your wife & then b£at her d£ath & used one of the children’s skateboards to better her skull,” the judge said.

The court heard that she suffered “catastrophic injuries” during the attack in Newmarket, Suffolk on November 28, 2023.

A post-mortem examination later showed Taiwo had been throttled until she fell unconscious, then stamped on until her ribs were broken before her husband used the skateboard to finish her off. The blows were so violent that the skateboard was damaged.

Police arrest a 17-yr-old boy with a bomb in a bank in Plateau State

Police operatives in Plateau State have arrested a 17-year-old boy, identified simply as Michael, for storming a banking hall with a bomb in the Jos area of the state.

It was gathered that the incident occurred in Dadin Kowa town on Monday, May 13, 2024.

According to reports online, the suspect approached a cashier and demanded the sum of N100 million or he would detonate the bomb.

Unfortunately for him, an alarm was raised, and he was subsequently arrested.

In a video obtained, the suspect claimed he was forced into doing it, however, he didn’t say who forced him.

The Federal Government says it is currently developing a new wage system for the civil service that will be based on employee’s productivity, allowing workers at the same level to potentially earn varying salaries.

The Director-General of the National Productivity Centre (NPC), Dr. Nasir Raji-Mustapha, disclosed this on Monday, May 12, at a press briefing in Abuja.

According to him, “We are in the process of developing a productivity-led wage system that will ensure that those who are productive are rewarded for their efforts irrespective of their grade level.

Under the proposed system, employees on the same salary scale can earn different wages.” On whether the proposal has the support and input of the organised labour, Dr Raji-Mustapha said: “Of course, labour as a critical stakeholder is being carried along in this exercise.

Police operatives in Adamawa State have arrested a 33-year-old man, identified as Aliyu Musa aka Imam Mahdi, over the alleged use of abusive language against public office holders in the state.

The command’s spokesperson, Suleiman Nguroje, in a statement on May 13, said that it came across “a very disturbing video” of the suspect, a resident of Kwacham Ward, Mubi South LGA, with a TikTok handle @faty5076 circulating on social media.

According to the statement, “The content portrays the young man’s assertions of claiming some Adamawa stakeholders are unjust thereby ab¥sing them in an immoral manner which he doesn’t have any evidence to substantiate his assertions and that may not only tarnish their image but will also lead to breakdown of law and order, due to their sensitive responsibilities as public office holders in Adamawa in particular and Nigeria in General.
 
The Command unequivocally condemns such acts in the strongest terms and vows to deal with anyone who is bent on violating the laws of the land. 

President Bola Tinubu has banned members of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, from purchasing petrol-dependent vehicles.

The President has also directed the mandatory procurement of compressed-natural-gas-powered vehicles by all government ministries, departments, and agencies.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, disclosed this in a statement on Monday evening, May 13, 2024.

According to him, the directive is in line with Tinubu’s commitment to ensure energy security, drive utility, and cut high fuel costs.

He said the President’s directive is also in furtherance of Nigeria’s effort to transition to cleaner energy as CNG-enabled vehicles have been adjudged to produce lower emissions, even as they present a more affordable alternative for Nigerian energy consumers.

Addressing members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the State House on Monday, President Tinubu affirmed that there is no turning back in the energy reforms initiated by his administration.

“This nation will not progress forward if we continue to dance on the same spot. We have the will to drive the implementation of CNG adoption across the country, and we must set the example as public officials in leading the way to that prosperous future that we are working to achieve for our people. It starts with us, and in seeing that we are serious, Nigerians will follow our lead,” the President stated.

“The President further directed the rejection of all memos brought by members of FEC seeking the purchase of traditional petrol-dependent vehicles, tasking the affected members of the council to go back and diligently seek value-driven procurements of CNG-compliant vehicles.

The President remains committed to effectively harnessing the nation’s gas potential, alleviating the burden of high transportation costs on the masses while enhancing the standard of living of all Nigerians,” the statement added.

The governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has vowed to probe the activities of the state government in the last eight years.

Fubara disclosed this on Monday, May 13, at the swearing-in of Mr Dagogo Israel Iboroma, SAN, as the new Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of the State at Government House, Port Harcourt.

According to him, “So, my brother, Dagogo Iboroma, you are going to be the brand new Attorney-General of our dear State.

Why are we bringing you at this very critical time? We have a lot of issues around us. We believe that you are not going to be the one that when they send service to you, you go and file “nolle prosequi” or you go and file one thing that would k+ll us here.

Let me also say this, you have a big task. We will be setting up a judicial panel of inquiry to investigate the affairs of governance. So, brace up, I am not going back on it.

A Nigerian man has found himself in serious trouble after using N1.2m sent to him by his father to clear his school fees and other stuffs to play bet.

Shockingly, he lost the bet.

An X user, shared the screenshots.

He said his father gave his senior brother N1.2M to clear off his school fees and other stuffs, but the senior brother never used it for that.

Instead, he used it to play a bet and lost everything, then came to his DM to break the news to him.

“Jesus 😭😭😭

My dad sent 1.2m for my senior bro to clear his school fees and stuff

He just messaged me now showing me a lost ticket of 1.2m.

I don’t even know what to reply to him 😭😭” read the post.

Operatives of the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested 26 (Twenty Six) suspected internet fraudsters on May 6 & May 9, 2024, at the Nigeria Television Authority,  NTA and Choba axes of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

They were arrested following credible intelligence on their suspected involvement in internet-related activities.

Items recovered from them are different brands of phones, laptops, and six exotic cars

The suspects will be charged in court as soon as investigations are concluded.