News & Announcements

Success James, age 35, was found guilty of child labor, child exploitation, kidnapping, and child snatching and was sentenced to prison by the Children, Sexual, and Gender-Based Violence Chief Magistrate Court in Awka, Anambra State.

The defendant was previously detained in Onitsha and charged in December 2022 for kidnapping four young girls and using them for child labor and sexual exploitation before the Chief Magistrate Court in Awka.

In December 2022, the young girls were rescued by police officers working with the Anambra State Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Hon Ify Obinabo.

All of the victims, who were between the ages of 13 and 15, were from Akwa Ibom State, and they were saved during a raid on a brothel in Delta State that the convict owned and ran.

The defendant was charged with conspiracy, as well as additional offenses involving child labor, sexual exploitation, and child stealing, and was found guilty of seven of the eight counts by the presiding court.

Delivering judgement on the case, the Presiding Chief Magistrate, Genevieve Osakwe found Success James guilty of count 1 and sentenced her to 5 years imprisonment; count 2 attracted 5 years imprisonment; she was slammed 2 years imprisonment in count 3; count 4 was 4 years imprisonment; 2 years imprisonment in count 5; in count 7, she was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment, while count 8 attracted 1 year imprisonment.

However, the Chief Magistrate ruled that there would be no choice for a fine and that all sentences would run consecutively.

The victims testified in separate testimony before the Honourable Court that they were tricked into the prostitution business by an aunty named Success who claimed to have a job opportunity for them in Agbor, Delta state, where they would be selling drinks in a beer parlor. However, when they arrived in Agbor, they realized that the work they had been brought in for was prostitution.

The Women and Social Welfare Commissioner, Hon. Obinabo, responded to the verdict by expressing satisfaction with the swiftness of the case’s trial and revealing that the children had been enrolled in school, while those who preferred learning skills acquisition had begun doing so at the state-owned Skills Acquisition Center in Awka.

Further reprimanding that the Anambra state government would not put up with such atrocities, Hon. Obinabo vowed to keep up the fight for equal justice for women and children in the state anytime their rights were violated.

The Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District, Peter Nwaoboshi, who fled after the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, sentenced him to seven years imprisonment for money laundering, has been arrested.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said this in a statement on Wednesday, adding that he had been taken to prison custody to start his jail term.

The Head, of Media and Publicity, EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement, said the lawmaker was intercepted by operatives of the EFCC at a hospital in Lagos on Monday, adding that he was taken in Ikoyi Custodial Centre on Wednesday, February 8, to commence his prison term.

The statement reads partly, “The Court of Appeal had in a judgment delivered on July 1, 2022, sentenced him to prison after it convicted him on two counts of money laundering and also ordered the winding up of his two companies, Golden Touch Construction Project Ltd and Suiming Electrical Ltd, in line with the provision of Section 22 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2021, and their properties forfeited to the Federal Government.

“But the lawmaker who was not present in court at the time of the ruling went underground and refused to present himself to the Nigerian Correctional Service.

“Instead, he proceeded to the Supreme Court, praying the apex court to not only set it aside the judgment of the appeal court but grant him bail, pending the determination of his appeal.

“But in a unanimous decision on January 27, 2023, the apex court dismissed the application.

In the lead judgment by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the apex court wondered why Nwaoboshi, who refused to submit himself to the law, would seek the indulgence of the law.

“Justice Tijani Abubakar, in his contribution, upbraided the appellant for filing the bail application while on the run.

“We must make it very, very clear to all Nigerians that nobody is above the law.

The government and the governed are subject to the rule of law. And, we must ensure that there is respect for the rule of law”.

Uwujaren said the Court of Appeal judgment that convicted Nwaoboshi followed an appeal by the EFCC against the judgment of Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of a Federal High Court in Lagos, which had on June 18, 2021, discharged and acquitted the lawmaker and his companies.

He stated that Nwaoboshi and his companies illegally acquired a property named Guinea House, Marine Road, in Apapa, Lagos, for N805 million.

According to Uwujaren, part of the money paid for the property was transferred by Suiming Electrical Ltd on behalf of Nwaoboshi and Golden Touch Construction Project Ltd.

The funds are believed to be proceeds of the illicit activities of the convict.

“One of the counts reads:  ” That you,  Peter Nwaoboshi  and Golden  Touch Construction  Projects Limited,  between May and June 2014, within the jurisdiction  of this honourable court, did acquire a property described as Guinea  House,  Marina Road,  Apapa,  Lagos,  for the sum of N805m, when you reasonably ought to have known that the sum of N322m out of the purchase price transferred to the vendors by order of Suinming Electricals Limited formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful  activity of fraud: thereby committing an offence contrary  to Section 15(2) (d)  of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act  of 2011(as amended) and punishable  under Section (15)(3) of the same Act.”

As the world is gradually living in a pensive mood over the teeming records of injuries and death from the recent quake saga in Turkey, officials of Fc… at also lost in thoughts and words to emphatically state the position of football star and player of … who was amongst those left in the rubble and recently reported to have been found as earlier stated by the club’s vice president Mustafa Ozat had confirmed that Atsu was taken out of the wreckage with injuries.

Nana Sechere, who also doubles as Christain’s agent noted in an earlier tweet also revealed that the player’s location is unknown, tweeting on Wednesday morning: ‘Following yesterday’s update from the club that, Christian had been pulled out alive, we are yet to confirm Christian’s whereabouts.

The current information negates the earlier assertion made by Atsu’s team-mate Kerim Alici, a close friend, that the player had been rescued alive, which has prompted further confusion over whether the player has been found.

Recent reports also revealed that the 31-year-old had plunged from the ninth floor of his apartment building when the devastating earthquake hit twenty minutes after he arrived home from playing poker with teammates, Atsu was sent falling to the ground.

The sad incident has seen the death toll hit 11,000, making it the deadliest earthquake of a decade. 

The current setback is a devastating time for his family, we commensurate with the family in Prayers and pray that Christian Atsu is hale and healthy.La Fete Communications #1 Karl Drive By Tennis CourtHill Station, Freetown, Sierra Leone

Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Sylvester Abiodun Alabi has been deployed to head the Police Zone 2 Command (comprising Lagos and Ogun states) with immediate effect.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered the posting/redeployment of Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs), Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs), and Commissioners of Police (CPs) to Departments, Commands, and Formations in line with his manpower development policy of placing round pegs in round holes.

DIG Danmallam Mohammed, fdc, has been redeployed to the Department of Finance and Administration while the following Assistant Inspectors-General of Police has been posted to take up the duties and responsibilities of the Deputy Inspectors-General of Police in charge of the following Departments of the Force as indicated against their names; to DIG Department of Training and Development – AIG Hafiz M.

Inuwa, mni; to DIG Department of Research and Planning – AIG Aji A. Janga, mni; to DIG Department of Operations – AIG Adeleke A. Bode, mni. AIG Habu Sani Ahmadu has been posted as Force Secretary while AIG Shuaya’u Lafia Abdulyari assumes office as the AIG in charge of the Force Intelligence Bureau, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

Similarly, the following Senior Police Officers have been posted to also take up the duties and responsibilities of the Assistant Inspectors-General of Police in charge of Zonal Police Commands as indicated against their names –i.

AIG Police Mobile Force – CP Matthew Akinyosolaii.

AIG Zone 6 Calabar – CP Jonathan Towuruiii.

AIG Zone 2 Lagos – CP Sylvester A. Alabiiv.

AIG Zone 11 Osogbo – CP Akande Sikiru Kayodev.

AIG Zone 17 Akure – CP Abimbola Adebola Shokoya

In line with the IGP’s mandate and strategies to strengthen the operational structures of state commands, the Police Boss has equally ordered the provisional posting of the following Commissioners of Police to Commands indicated below pending the approval of the Police Service Commission;i.

CP Adamawa State – CP Adebola A. Hamzatii.

CP Ogun State – CP Emeka Frank Mbaiii.

CP Taraba State – CP Suleiman A. Yusufiv.

CP Lagos State – CP Idowu Owohunwav.

CP Ebonyi State – CP Faleye E.S. Olaleye

The IGP has therefore charged the newly posted officers to hit the ground running to ensure the mission, vision, and policy statements of his administration are effectively complied with in the areas of crime-fighting, public cooperation, and safety.

He also called for support and cooperation from members of the public to enable the newly posted senior officers to perform optimally on their mandate.

The mother of Nollywood actress, Funke Akindele, is dead.

She died on Tuesday.

Funke’s older sister, Olubunmi Akindele, announced their mother’s death in a statement on Tuesday.

The statement read, “It is with heavy hearts, but in total submission to God Almighty, that the ADEBANJO and AKINDELE families announce the passing of their daughter, mother, grandmother, and sister, DR. R B ADEBANJO-Akindele, which occurred on Tuesday 07 February 2023.

“May her gentle soul begin its rest eternal in peace. Amen. Obsequies in honour of her passing shall be announced in due course.”

In his State of the Union speech on Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden stated that should China pose a danger to its sovereignty, the United States will take action to defend itself.

Biden insisted he was committed to working with China where it could advance U.S. interests and benefit the world.

He said, “But make no mistake about it, as we made clear last week if China threatens our sovereignty, we’ll act to protect our country. And we did.”

A suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that had been flying above the nation for days was shot down by the US on Sunday with a missile off the coast of South Carolina on the Atlantic.

President Xi Jinping of China, according to Biden, was informed that the United States desired competition, not conflict.

He said, “I’ll make no apologies that we are investing to make America strong.

“Investing in American innovation, in industries that’ll define the future and that China’s government is intent on dominating.

“The world is faced with serious challenges.”

Biden added, “But in the past two years, democracies have become stronger, not weaker.

“Autocracies have grown weaker, not stronger.”

Six people have died as a result of the ongoing conflict between the Omor and Anaku communities in Anambra State’s Ayanmelu Local Government Area.

Normal activities were apparently taking place when thugs said to be from the Anaku community and led by one Maduneke, alias Vulture, entered the Omor community with deadly weaponry including guns and allegedly opened fire on the locals.

Six people were taken to an unidentified location during the invasion by the thugs who are accused of killing six locals during the intermittent shootings in the neighborhood.

Peter Emeka, a community leader who spoke about the incident, claimed that Maduneke’s intruders arrived in multiple motorcycles and that the victims’ whereabouts were unknown.

He claimed that the perpetrators also kidnapped six other young men, who were supposedly taken to an infamous shrine in the Anaku hamlet; it is still unknown where they are.

He said, “Maduneke has been terrorising communities in Ayamelum, especially Omor community. When he arrived on Monday, February 6, with his gang members, many people in our community identified him because he is notorious for unleashing mayhem on people.

“The names of the victims of the latest attack include, Chibuko Anekwe, Johnson Chigbata, Esther Nwankwo, Iloabuchi Okonkwo, Chinedu Ogwuejiifor, Chibueze Okoye, and others. Their corpses have been deposited in two separate mortuaries.”

The traditional ruler of Omor community, His Royal Majesty, Oranu Chidume, said the attack came as a surprise to members of the community, explaining that he just had a peace meeting with leaders of Anaku over the lingering dispute.

Chidume said, “I can recall that we have held a couple of peace meetings, and my people are very keen on seeing that peace reigns between us and our neighbours. In the most recent meeting, the leader of Anaku community, Anthony Ifeanya, who is the current Commissioner for Petroleum Resources in Anambra; Chief Livinus Onyenwe, who is the Transition Committee Chairman of Ayamelum; and Uche Okafor, who is the Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, and member representing Ayamelum Constituency, were involved.

“The purpose of the meeting was to ensure that there was a lasting peace between Omor and Anaku. The meeting was fruitful, and we agreed to work together and do all that we can to ensure that there is peace, and that is why the attack on Monday came as a surprise to me.”

Chidume pleaded with the state’s governor, prof. Chukwuma Soludo, and police commissioner, echeng echeng, to act quickly and prosecute the offenders.

Ifeanya responded and denied the assertion that the attackers were from the Anaku village while still confirming the incident.

He said that Maduneke, who was connected to the attack, wasn’t acting on behalf of the neighborhood and that a quest had been started to catch him so he could be turned over to the state’s law enforcement agency.

He said, “Our community is also looking for him (Maduneke) everywhere to arrest him. Whenever we get hold of him, we will hand him over to the relevant agencies for necessary action. Our community and the whole of Ayamelum people are already tired of him.”

DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, the state police public relations officer, said a manhunt had been started to capture the evading suspects engaged in the incident. He also claimed that the invaders are suspected of killing six people in the Omor community.

Ikenga said, “The Anambra State Police Command is on the manhunt for Maduneke and his cohorts, wielding Ak47 rifles in the early hours of Monday, February 6.

“According to information we received, the suspect and his cohorts without any provocation started shooting indiscriminately in Omor community, Anyamelum LGA, and murdered six persons and inflicted serious injuries on two others.

“The joint task force team comprising the police and military was deployed in the area. The presence of these security forces has reinforced the security of life and properties and enhanced the provision of law and order in the area.”

Ikenga claimed that preliminary information indicated that the Omor and Anaku villages in the Anyamelum LGA’s long-running communal rivalry as the incident’s root cause.

Usman Mohammed, a 40-year-old man, was detained by members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Gombe State Command, for luring 12 kids, ages five to 10, in total.

Mohammed, a native of Liji in the state’s Yalmatu Deba Local Government Area, is said to have specialized in having sexual relations with adolescents.

When he was presented to the press on Tuesday at the NSCDC state headquarters, he said that his Islamic teacher in Kano introduced him to same-sex relationships when he was an 18-year-old Almajiri student.

The father of three said he regretted his actions while pleading for forgiveness from relevant authorities.

“I learnt homosexuality from my almajiri scholar around Brigade at the age of 18 years in Kano State. I am regretting my action and I am pleading for forgiveness,” he said.

According to the State Commandant of the NSCDC, Waziri Goni, who was quoting him and other suspects, during questioning, the suspect confessed to the crime and said he was introduced to homosexuality in order to get wealthy.

One of the 12 boys who were allegedly sodomized is still at large, according to Goni, but the others are all available.

“Unfortunately, he has not become rich. How can God bless such efforts of someone taking advantage of young boys? He has three children and a wife but prides himself in raping children in an attempt to get rich, he has remained a nail cutter,” Goni said.

Goni bemoaned the prevalence of sexual assault while exhorting parents to take charge of their kids, saying that “nobody can take care of your children better than you.” Parents need to stop delegating their duties to others.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday temporarily halted a move by the federal government to ban the use of the old naira notes from February 10, 2023.

In a judgement on an exparte application filed by the three northern states of Kaduna, Kogi, and Zamfara, a seven-member panel led by Justice John Okoro stopped the federal government’s move.

The three states specifically requested an order of interim injunction prohibiting “the federal government through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) or the commercial banks from suspending or determining or ending on February 10, 2023, the time period with which the now-outdated 200, 500, and 1,000 naira denominations of the naira may no longer be legal tender pending the hearing and determination of their motion on notice for interlocutory injunction” (instructions on notice for interim injunction).

In presenting the motion on Wednesday, the petitioners’ attorney, Mr. A. I. Mustapha, SAN, pleaded with the supreme court to approve the request in the name of justice and the welfare of Nigeria.

According to him, the government’s policies have resulted in “an agonizing scenario that is practically going to anarchy in the land.”

Mustapha bemoaned that, as a result of the policy, the few Nigerians who do have bank accounts are unable to even access their funds from the bank, despite statistics from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) placing the number of persons without bank accounts at over 60%.

The senior attorney added that since the majority of banks are already shutting down their activities, if the Supreme Court does not step in, the situation will result in chaos.

Delivering ruling in the motion, Justice Okoro, held that after a careful consideration of the motion exparte this application is granted as prayed, “An order of Interim Injunction restraining the federal government through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) or the commercial banks from suspending or determining or ending on February 10, 2023, the time frame with which the now older version of the 200, 500 and 1,000 denomination of the naira may no longer be legal tender pending the hearing and determination of their motion on notice for interlocutory injunction”.

He consequently postponed the main lawsuit’s hearing until February 15, 2023.

The Nigerian Community in Turkey stated on Tuesday that it was still uncertain how many Nigerians had been impacted by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that shook the continent-spanning nation on Monday.

According to accounts, the earthquake destroyed entire apartment buildings in Turkish cities and added to the damage caused by millions of Syrians being displaced due to years of war.

At this point, the earthquake has killed thousands of people.

Taofik Amuni, the community’s financial secretary, said in a statement on Tuesday that the group was still awaiting information on the full number of Nigerians affected by the incident.

Although Amuni said that no Nigerian had perished, as of 9:00 a.m. West African Time, he was unable to determine the number of people who had been displaced.

He said, “The incidence happened yesterday and no Nigerian has lost their life. We are yet to, however, ascertain the number of Nigerians who might have been displaced.

“From the news we gathered, just one Ghanaian footballer was said to have been missing with his Turkish friend. For now we are just hearing figures of people who have died in the earthquake and the injured one also the ones that are still in the wreckage.”

Yakubu Sabo, the president of the National Association of Nigerian Students in the Turkish zone, confirmed to our correspondent that several Nigerian students had been hauled in for post-shock analysis.

“Turkey is an earthquake prone area. Some of our new students were traumatised and have been taken in for post-shock analysis. They will be released as soon as they are certified okay. The old students are already used to it. We will provide more updates along the line”.

The Time reports that earthquakes occur frequently in Turkey. The nation is located on the Anatolian plate, which is bordered by two significant fault lines: the North Anatolian fault, which runs through the nation from west to east, and the East Anatolian fault, which is in eastern Turkey.

According to the Geological Society of London, the former has been the scene of several deadly earthquakes, notably the 1939 earthquake in north-eastern Turkey that claimed 30,000 lives.