Evesworld Blog

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has frozen an account linked to Shalewa Obanikoro, the daughter of a former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro. According to EFCC investigators, about N1.2bn passed through the account which belongs to an oil firm. Shalewa, who is a signatory to the account, was said to have personally mandated Fidelity Bank to transfer N800m from the account to another account within the bank. A source in the anti-graft agency on Tuesday said, “We have frozen an account in which Obanikoro’s daughter is a signatory. She specifically mandated the bank to transfer N800m from the account to another account. “We discovered that money was paid into the account at various times. The money came in N50m, N20m, N30m and various sums. “She said the money was for oil and gas transactions. So, we have frozen the account as investigations continue. We want to know where the funds came from. At least N1.2bn has pass

A 48-year-old nurse, Oduwole Taiwo, who allegedly assaulted the workers of a commercial bus owned by the Lagos State Government –LAGBUS –after failing to pay the correct fare, is to remain behind bars, a court has ruled. An Ogudu Magistrates’ Court, which gave the order, said the woman should be remanded in the Kirikiri prisons until her bail conditions were met. The magistrate, Mrs. O. Sule-Amzat, had granted the accused bail in the sum of N20, 000 with one surety in like sum, the News Agency of Nigeria reports. Taiwo, who lives on Lucky Fiber Road, Ikorodu, had pleaded not guilty to two counts of disorderly conduct and assault occasioning harm. The prosecutor, Sergeant Ihiehie Lucky, had told the court that the accused committed the offence on July 10, 2016, at Ketu bus stop. He said there was an argument between the accused and a LAGBUS conductor over the fare. According to the prosecutor, the accused boarded the bus from Ikorodu to Ojota at about

There was a mild drama at the Ebute-Meta Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday after two Chinese lovers – Zhen Zhen, female (47) and Leo Jian Feng, male (41) – engaged in fisticuffs on the court premises. They assaulted each other shortly after their handcuffs were removed by the police. It took the intervention of court officials to stop the duo from injuring each other. They were later called to the dock to answer to charges of alleged arson. PUNCH Metro was told that the duo had checked into the Ernest Hotel in Ikeja on July 4. They were alleged to have set the facility on fire while smoking some substance. They were subsequently arrested after firefighters of the Lagos State Fire Service put out the inferno. The suspects were arraigned on two counts of arson. The charge read in part, “That you, Zhen Zhen and Leo Jian Feng, both Chinese, on July 5, 2016, at about 2am at Bamishele Street, off Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial

the Ogun State Police Command has arrested a private school teacher, Matthew Sodeke, for alleged child abuse in Igbala community in the  Sango Ota area of the state. Our correspondent learnt that Sodeke, an English Language teacher, was caught sucking the private parts of a male pupil. The teacher was reportedly caught by a parent who had come to pick his child in the school. PUNCH Metro gathered that the teacher allegedly sexually assaulted the 16-year-old boy, identified only as Ajala, in one of the offices of the school after closing hours. On Tuesday, July 12, around 4pm, Sodeke was said to have called the pupil upstairs into one of the offices. It was learnt that Sodeke allegedly instructed the boy to remove his trousers, after which the teacher allegedly began to suck the boy’s private parts. A yet-to-be-identified parent, who reportedly came to check her child in the school, was said to have caught the duo and raised the alarm. The matte

A family of five has been arrested by the police in Katsina state for allegedly feeding a day old baby boy to a dog as meal. It was gathered that the incident happened at Saika village in the Batsari Local Government Area of the state. The police gave the names of the suspects as Wosila Halilu (15), who is the mother of the baby; Wosila’s step brothers, Muhammadu Bello (45), Musa Bello (35), Umar Bello (27); and her mother, Faiza Umar (30). It was gathered that a 27-year-old farmer, Musa Garba, alleged to have impregnated Wosila, was equally arrested for allegedly raping her. Police sources revealed that trouble started for the family when Wosila gave birth to the baby boy after being allegedly impregnated by the farmer. Wosila reportedly told the police and the family that the farmer lured her to his farm and allegedly raped her. The sources added that Wosila’s pregnancy and the subsequent delivery of the baby boy were said to have been viewed as capa

Police detectives from the Delta State Command have quizzed a bishop of a new generation church in Warri over allegation of sponsoring the militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers. Our correspondent gathered that the bishop (name withheld), hails from Ogbinbiri community of Egbema (Ijaw) Kingdom in the Warri North Council Area of the state and is the presiding bishop of the New Salvation Zion Church of Christ at Igbodu area of the city. Security sources, who confided in our correspondent, said the church leader was invited for interrogation following two petitions alleging that he was funding the militant group.  The interrogation was conducted at the Warri Area Command of the Delta State Police Command.  Our correspondent learnt that the clergyman was interrogated from 8am to about 8pm last week Wednesday before he was allowed to go and ordered to report the following day for further questioning. A closed relative of the suspected clergyman confirme

There are strong indications that the police will re-arraign suspects who were earlier arrested and detained in connection with the murder of a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige. It was learnt on Tuesday that all the suspects that were arrested in 2002 who were later freed would be apprehended again for fresh arraignment and prosecution in respect of the case. Findings indicate that a Special Investigation Panel set up by the IG will  look at all the evidence in the case including forensic analysis which will be used to prosecute the suspects afresh. The police could not be reached for comment as calls to the police spokesman, Donald Awunah, indicated that his number was unavailable. It was learnt that the initiative  to re-open Bola Ige’s murder case was from the acting Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris. Sources said the IG wanted to demonstrate that the police could resolve all previously aban

The Nigeria Labour Congress has called for the abolition of security vote for the president and governors in the country. The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja that security vote had become an avenue for siphoning public funds. “The issue of security vote is another form of corruption; in fact, there was a particular state which took N1bn in one month as security vote. “It is an avenue for corruption. In good governance, all monies spent by government are budgeted and transparently applied. “That is what happens in other spheres; so for our sake, the issue of security vote should be done away with. “All monies to be spent should be transparently budget for, including the so-called security vote, so that it can be tracked, to prevent corruption.’’ Also, Waba called for the removal of the immunity clause from the constitution, to enable the president, the vice-president, governors and their deputies to be pr

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has detained the Resident Electoral Commissioner of Abia State, Mr. Sylvester Ezeani, for his alleged role in the N23bn ($115m) that was disbursed by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, during the build-up to the 2015 presidential election. According to the EFCC, the suspect allegedly received N20m out of N241m while he was the REC in Cross River State during the March 28 presidential and National Assembly elections. An EFCC operative told one of our correspondents on Tuesday that the REC had failed to explain what the N20m was meant for and had thus been detained. He said, “The REC was on Tuesday interrogated by operatives of the EFCC in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in connection with an alleged N20m electoral scam. “While serving in Cross River State, he was alleged to have collected the sum of N20m out of the entire N241,000,000, which was released to Cross River State from

A doctor allegedly raped a woman during an abortion procedure two weeks after he masturbated in front of her during a physical examination, a court has heard. According to Tribune 242,  after Dr. Gerald Mark Forbes informed the 20-year-old she would need a medical examination to work at his clinic in Freeport, the Bahamas, last February, he was alleged to have rubbed her vagina and masturbated before her. The report added that two week’s later, after the victim asked him to terminate a pregnancy, he was accused of raping her during the procedure. The 47-year-old is also said to have given the alleged victim a packet of Methotrexate, a drug used to induce abortions. The defendant told the police as heard by the Grand Bahama Court that the woman was a ‘friend of a friend’, who simply worked at his office for two months. He denied the allegations of rape and indecent assault. However, he refused to answer officers when asked about the alleged incidents, telli

Some hoodlums on Friday robbed and killed a 35-year-old ‘suya’ seller, Habibu Maude, after robbing the deceased. The late Maude, a father of four, was shot dead at his suya spot along White House Street in Calabar, Cross River State. Shops and other businesses in Bogobiri, an Hausa settlement in Calabar, were closed on Saturday and Sunday as a result of the incident. It was gathered that the deceased, an indigene of Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State, did not argue with the hoodlums before he was shot. When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Irene Ugbo, confirmed the incident, saying investigation was ongoing to unravel the killers. “Yes, we got the investigation that a suya seller was shot by an unknown gunman along White House streets. We have not made any arrest yet, but I can assure that we would track the killers,” she said.        

A police inspector attached to Mkpat Enin Police Division in the Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State has allegedly raped a 15-year old girl, Udo, at gunpoint. Udo, a Senior Secondary School one pupil of Community Secondary School, Iyadiong, Mkpat Enin, said on Tuesday that she was returning from church on Thursday when a police team accosted her. She explained that the inspector raised the gun, cocked it and pointed it at her, saying if she resisted, he would shoot her. Udo said the inspector led her away from other members of the team to a dark area along the road. The pupil added that the policeman fondled her breasts, and said, “Small you, possess this type of breasts!” She said the policeman ordered her to undress with his gun pointing at her. She said, “After he had forced me to remove my clothes, he ordered me to lie down and open my legs and raped me. “As he was raping me, he warned me not to cry and threatened to shoot me if

Pandemonium broke out at the Lagooz Schools on Omotoye Estate in the Orile Agege area of Lagos State after some hoodlums invaded the school premises. PUNCH Metro learnt that some Hausa teenagers, numbering about 100, stormed the school with machetes and other weapons. They were said to have attacked the school’s principal and a teacher, identified as Uncle John, during a free-for-all which lasted for about two hours. Our correspondent was told that the rampaging youths, aside damaging some property of the school, allegedly made away with N1.5m. Policemen from the Elere divison, operatives of the Special Anti-robbery Squad and some members of the Oodua People’s Congress, were said to have repelled the attack as residents fled the area. Our correspondent was told that seven of the hoodlums were arrested, while others escaped after SARS operatives opened fire on them. A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said trouble started when the s

 Neighbours of a woman, who died last Friday in a hotel in Ikotun, Lagos State, have opened up on what transpired shortly before her death. They said the deceased, who was identified only as Iya Ginika, had left home around 9pm on the day, telling her husband that she wanted to visit a friend in the neighbourhood. The residents told our correspondent on Tuesday that the woman, in her 50s, had claimed that she wanted to collect something from the friend. They added that they were shocked when news filtered in that she was found dead in Taola Hotel on Prince Adeyemi Street, Ikotun. The deceased lived on K & S Street, Abaranje Road – a few kilometres from the hotel. PUNCH Metro had reported on Monday that the woman and her lover had stayed in the hotel around 9.30pm on Friday and paid to spend an hour. However, workers of the hotel became apprehensive when it was 12am the following day and the lovers did not check out. One of the workers was sa

A launderer, Monday Eze, has stabbed his 55-year-old uncle, Ebere Akpu, to death in the Orile Agege area of Lagos State. PUNCH Metro gathered that Eze and Akpu had an argument over a minor issue on Sunday around 11pm. After the disagreement, the suspect was said to have gone to a pub, where he became drunk While Akpu slept, the suspect allegedly stabbed him in different parts of his body. Our correspondent gathered that Akpu died on Omotoye Estate where policemen from the Elere division recovered his corpse around 1am on Monday. It was learnt that Akpu and Eze, who were married with children, hailed from Ebonyi State. While the suspect had lived for more than 15 years in Lagos, the uncle, Eze, had lived for a few years. Both men were said to be putting up with another relative, identified as James, who had a laundry on Omotoye Estate where the incident happened. P UNCH Metro , in a visit to the estate on Monday, saw bloodstains on the road and in James’

A welder, Mr. Segun Bamidele, has been arrested for allegedly beheading a farmer, Mr. Sunday Owolabi. Our correspondent gathered on Monday that Owolabi was found dead on his farm at Rore village in the Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State. It was learnt that after Bamidele beheaded Owolabi, he attempted to sell the severed head of the victim.   A source said Owolabi went to farm on Saturday, but did not return. He added that Owolabi’s relatives got worried and later organised a search party. According to him, the search party found Owolabi’s headless body on Sunday on the farm. “The suspect tried to sell the severed head to one Aliyu, who turned him down. Aliyu thereafter reported the case to a community leader, who in turn informed the village head.  “Upon interrogation by the community, Bamidele confessed to have acted under influence of alcohol.” It was gathered that the case was later reported at the Omu-Aran Police Division, which led to

Eunice Olawale, the RCCG evangelist who was hacked to death on Saturday July 9th while she was preaching around her area in Gbazango community in Kubwa satellite town in Bwari council area, Abuja, will be buried on Saturday July 23rd in Abuja. Service of Songs will hold on Friday July 22nd. May her soul rest in peace Amen.

A police inspector attached to Mkpat Enin Police Division in Akwa Ibom State has allegedly raped a 15-year-old girl at gunpoint. The victim, a senior secondary pupil of Community Secondary School in the area, on Tuesday said she was returning from church on Thursday, last week, when a police team accosted her. She explained that the inspector pointed his gun at her, saying if she tried to stop him from touching her he would shoot her. She said the inspector then led her away from other members of the team to a dark portion of the road. The policeman then forcefully caressed her breasts, saying “small you possess these types of breasts”, she said. She added, “After he had forced me to remove my clothes, he ordered me to lie down and open my legs. And what I noticed was that he brought out his joystick and inserted it into my vagina. “As he was romping over me, he forbade me crying as he threatened to shoot me if I should open my mouth. “But when I could not bear the pains any lo

Some residents of Iba community, Lagos State, where gunmen abducted the monarch, the Oniba of Iba land, Oba Goriola Oseni, say they saw the attackers in military uniforms about three hours before the attack. The residents told our correspondent that three of the gunmen, who walked into the community around 5.30pm, wore military camouflage, while others wore black police vests as if they had come for an investigation. PUNCH Metro had reported on Monday that the gunmen, numbering about 16 men, attacked the monarch’s palace around 8.30pm on Saturday, whisking away the 73-year-old ruler in two speedboats which they stationed by the waterway. It was reported that the gunmen killed the palace guard, Sunday Okanlawon, an unidentified motorcyclist and shot at the monarch’s wife, Kuburat, who was still recuperating in a government hospital. A woman and her three-month-old baby and a businessman, identified simply as Christian, were also reportedly abducted by the

The police have arrested a security guard of a public school in Lagos, Adeniyi Primary School, Itire, for allegedly raping an eight-year-old pupil. PUNCH Metro learnt that the 40-year-old suspect, Friday Oshoba, aka Mopol , committed the alleged crime while the primary 2 pupil, Mercy (pseudonym), was waiting for her sister to pick her up after the school closed around 2pm. Oshoba was said to have persuaded her to follow him to a deserted spot within the school and removed her underwear. He reportedly raped her afterwards. It was gathered that a class five pupil, identified only as Bukola, who was sent on an errand by a schoolteacher, caught the guard in the act and reported to the teacher. Our correspondent learnt that Mercy, on getting home, recounted the incident to her parents. An uncle of the girl followed her to the school the following day and reported the matter to the head teacher. The head teacher was said to have invited policemen from th

Tragedy struck on Saturday at Wasimi Village on the old Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway after two women lost their lives, while four others were injured in a road accident. Also, seven persons died on Sunday at Fidiwo, Ogun State end of the Lagos-Ibadan Express in a separate road accident. The Saturday accident involved a Nissan saloon car with number plate, SZ 171 AAA, and an IVECO truck with number plate, SRA 546 XA, loaded with granite. PUNCH Metro learnt that the occupants of the Nissan car were on their way back to Lagos from Ilaro in the Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State, where they had gone to attend a party, when rain started. According to eyewitnesses, the woman driving the car lost control when the driver of the granite-laden truck coming behind hooted the vehicle’s horn to pave the way for its passage on the double-carriage road. It was further gathered that the truck driver, while trying to avoid the car, crashed into the median a