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Court orders flogging of 2 students for extortion, impersonation

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Sentence
Abuja, Sept. 22, 2016 (NAN) A Gudu Upper Area Court on Thursday sentenced two students, Azubuko Onyekachi, 27, Daniel Ododo, 18, to seven strokes of cane for impersonation and extortion of N10,000.

The Upper Area court judge, Mr Umar Kagarko, ordered that the convicts should return the N10,000 to the complainant.

Onyekachi and Ododo, both students, had pleaded guilty to a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, impersonation and extortion.

Kagarko said he gave them light sentence following their plea for leniency and promise not to repeat the act.

The Prosecutor, Mr Donatus Abah had told the court that Ndubuisi Daniel reported the matter at Kubwa Police Station on Aug. 13.

He said that the convicts impersonated as members of the Nigerian Army with military uniforms and went to the shop of the complainant at Kubwa.

“They told him that one of his sales boy was a member of a cult group and demanded N10,000 from him,’’ Abah said.

Abah also said that they threatened the complainant that they would take the boy to army barracks.

The prosecutor said that they extorted the money and returned a second time on Sept. 8, adding that it was at this point that the complainant alert the police and they were arrested.

The prosecutor said the offence contravened sections 97, 132 and 292  of the Penal Code. (NAN)
SET/OFN
Edited by Felix Nwadioha

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Arrest

By Aminu Ahmed Garko

Sokoto, Sept. 22, 2016( NAN) The Sokoto Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said on Thursday that no fewer than 134 suspects were arrested in eight months with 118.695 kgs of cannabis sativa otherwise called marijuana in the state.

Alhaji Musba’u Idris, the state Commander of the agency, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto that 132 of the suspects were male, while four were female.

The state commander said that 45 of the suspects had already been convicted.

He solicited the support of the general public to volunteer useful information that would assist the command in dealing with hard drugs syndicate operating in the state. (NAN)
AAG/DEB/NKO

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(Edited by Debo Oshundun/Nkechi Okoronkwo)

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Policemen
Lagos, Sept. 22, 2016 (NAN) The Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Zone-2 Command, Mr Abdulmajid Ali, has charged officers and men in Lagos and Ogun commands to redouble their efforts at policing the states.
The police AIG gave the charge while decorating two newly promoted officers to the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in Lagos on Thursday.
He said that promotion comes with lots of responsibilities, stressing that officers must live up to the responsibilities of their ranks.
“Today we are witnessing promotion, which is a motivation factor for a job well-done.
“I want to remind the just-promoted officers that this is additional responsibility; the officers should take their jobs seriously,’’ Abdulmajid charged the officers.
The AIG urged them to abide by the rule of law and add value to whatever they do.
“You must display courage in whatever you do as the IGP wants every officer to live above board in the performance of their duties,’’ he said.
On the security situation in the border towns between Lagos and Ogun States, Abdulmajid said efforts were on to police the areas adequately.
According to the AIG, the police were closing in on the suspected kidnappers that abducted four landlords at Isheri Osun area of Ogun.
He blamed inadequate manpower and logistics for the insecurity being experienced in Mowe and Ibafo areas bordering Lagos and Ogun, and appealed to individuals and the state governments for assistance.
He also urged the public to give more information on criminals’ activities in their communities.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Messrs Titilayo Kayode and Shola Okediji were decorated Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCP) by AIG Abdulmajid and Lagos Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni.
One of the newly promoted officers, DC Kayode, told NAN after the decoration that the promotion meant a lot to him and promised to live up to expectation.
“I pledge not to disappoint the I-G; I’ll use this new position to rededicate myself to the job I am called to do,’’ said the new Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Lagos operations. (NAN)
MIO/COO/WOJ
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(Edited by Wale Ojetimi)

Audio Attached

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Sincerity

Lagos, Sept. 22, 2016 (NAN) The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State has urged leaders of the warring factions within the Party, Ahmed Makarfi and Ali Modu Sheriff to be  sincere in their moves for reconciliation.

The Deputy Chairman of the party in the state, Chief Ola Apena, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday.

Apena said that any move aimed at dousing tension or resolving any form of crisis “is a good one provided parties to the resolution are sincere’’.

• Cue in audio

“It is a good omen if only they are sincere about it.

“Any move aimed at dousing any tension or resolving any crisis is a good one provided parties to the resolution are sincere.

“We all know the truth and what normally brings crisis is when you want to depart from the truth and pretend not to know what is right. Then the issue of sincerity comes in.

“If they really want reconciliation, it will take the two parties sincerity to actually bring about proper reconciliation and that sincerity will be demonstrated by the parties in espousing what is reasonable and feasible as condition for reconciliation.

“But the moment you are bringing up conditions that are manifestly unreasonable and not implementable, then, it means you are not being sincere.

“If they want to come to the negotiation table with all sense of sincerity, there is nothing wrong in the move.’’

• Cue out audio

The party has been enmeshed in leadership crisis since the botched May 21 national convention in Port Harcourt.

However, Makarfi and Sheriff met in Abuja on Tuesday and agreed to sheath their swords.

They declared that it was time to heal the wounds and bring a united, focused opposition that could ensure sanity in the democratic process.

While they declared that a joint committee will be set up to ensure a holistic reconciliation of all aggrieved segments of the party across the country, they stressed that the resolution is without prejudice to all outstanding matters in court. (NAN)

LED/YEE

Edited by Emmanuel Yashim

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Cousin

By Mojirola Eniola

Ikeja , Sep. 22, 2016 (NAN) Justice Kudirat Jose of an Ikeja High Court on Thursday sentenced a businessman, Michael Nkwocha, to five years imprisonment for defrauding his cousin, Mr Patrick Ekeh, of N9.5 million.

“The accused is hereby found guilty of the one-count charge of stealing and is sentenced to five years in prison,” Jose ruled.

The businessman was charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Dec. 13, 2013 for stealing.

Counsel to the EFCC, Mrs Anita Imo, had during the trial told the court that the accused  fraudulently converted N9.5 million belonging to Ekeh, who lives in the U.S., sometime in January 2011 to personal use.

An EFCC witness, Mrs Franscica Okorafor, had testified during the trial that she was the complainant’s elder sister and that the complainant had shipped some cars from the U.S. to her to sell on his behalf.

“Due to an educational programme I was running at the time, I handed over the car business to Nwokocha, our cousin and between 2008 and 2010, my brother shipped over 28 cars to Nigeria,”Okorafor said.

She had noted while giving evidence that during an audit sometime in 2010, Nkwocha could not account for four vehicles  — two Honda Accord cars, an Infinity Jeep and a Toyota Land Cruiser Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).

Another witness, ASP Sunday Afolayan, said Nwocha admitted selling the four vehicles for N9.5 million out of which he purportedly gave an unidentified person N3.5 million without the complainant’s permission.

The offence contravened Section 39 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011. (NAN)

MAE/DA
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(Edited & controlled by Dele Akinsola)

Court sentences Man,28, to 3 stokes of cane for selling employer’s puppy

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Puppy
Abuja, Sept. 22, 2016 (NAN) A Gudu Upper Area Court on Thursday sentenced a 28-year-old man, Kingsley Natty, to three strokes of cane for selling employer’s puppy.

The Upper Area court judge, Umar Kagarko, warned the convict to desist from such act.

He said he gave the light sentence because the convict pleaded guilty and begged for leniency.

Natty of Zone ‘C’ Uncompleted Market, Apo, had pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of criminal breach of trust and cheating.

The Prosecutor, Mr Donatus Abah, told the court that Okoye Franklin of Harmony Estate, Wumba village, reported the matter at Apo Police Station on Sept. 6.

He said the complainant had sometime in 2015 entrusted his three dogs to the convict to rear with a monthly payment of N5,000.

The prosecutor told the court that one of the dogs delivered three puppies and one of the puppies died.

He said that the convict hide one of the puppies, pretending that the dog delivered only two.

“He was later caught selling one of the puppies,’’ Abah said.

The prosecutor said that during police investigation he admitted committing the crime, which contravened sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code. (NAN)
SET/OFN
Edited by Felix Nwadioha

Obaseki is an economy driver, says former Dep Gov.
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Obaseki
Benin, Sept. 22, 2016 (NAN) Chief Lucky Imasuen, a former Deputy Gov.in Edo, on Thursday described Mr Godwin Obaseki, a governorship candidate in Edo, as an economy driver the state needed now.

Imasuen made the observation during the endorsement of Obaseki by the state chapter of Pool Promoters and Agents in Benin.
He said what the state needed at this point of economy difficulties were persons like Obaseki because of his wealth of experience as an investment expert and chairman of the state economic team.

He said having been part of Oshiomhole’s government in this last seven years, Obaseki already knew what needed to be done to take the state to the next level.

Imasuen said that Oshiomhole had provided the basis for the growth of the state and what was left now was for Obaseki, who had been part of the government, to continue on the foundation that had been laid.
He expressed confidence that Obaseki would become the next governor of the state.
“Edo is a sailing ship and the ship has been sailing well.
“The ship must not be disturbed or changed. It is only Obaseki that can repair the cconomy of the State.
“Edo needs a governor who is an economic expert, particularly now that the Nigeria economy is going through trials.

“Obaseki is a driver who has driven well and has served the state with all sincerity of purpose.
“As good spirited citizens of Edo, we need continuity of a government with the track record of performance.”

The governorship candidate, who was represented by Mr John Osakue, the Deputy General of his campaign organisation, commended pool promoters and agents for the bold step of endorsing Obaseki.

He said Oshiomhole had laid the needed foundation for the development of the state and that the call for continuity was to sustain the tempo of development.
Osakue assured that the issue of double taxation and illegal collection would become a thing of the past when Obaseki emerged as governor. (NAN)
ESI/TA
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Edited/controlled by Tajudeen Atitebi

NIGCOMSAT partners NSCDC to improve service delivery

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Partnership

By Yahaya Isah

Abuja, Sept. 22, 2016 (NAN) The Nigerian Communications Satelite (Nigcomsat) on Thursday said it would partner with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for better service delivery.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC, Mr Emmanuel Okeh, in Abuja.

Okeh quoted the Commandant-General of the Corps, Mr Abdullahi Muhammadu, as saying that the use of sophisticated technological apparatus to aid security in the protection of Critical Infrastructure was a welcome idea.

He said Muhammadu made the statement when Dr Muhammad Alkali, the Senior Manager Network Operations, NIGCOMSAT with their partners, Space Engineering, a division of the China Great Wall Corporation, paid him a visit at the NSCDC National Headquarters, Abuja.

In his remarks, Aklkali said that they came to partner with NSCDC as the Sole Grassroots Security Agency in the vanguard of protection of Critical Infrastructure and National Assets in Nigeria.

“We came to also inform you of the availability of technological facilities that can readily aid the Corps in the discharge of its constitutional mandates.

“We have applications that can be deployed not only to monitor tankers, but also to monitor the petroleum product itself even to the point of knowing the quantities loaded and the quantity supplied anywhere in the country.

“Another reason for the visit is to seek input from the NSCDC and for the Corps to enlighten them on what they see as threat, which they may not treat as such,’’ Alkali added. (NAN)

YI/DUA/AMY

Edited by Dada Ahmed and Abdullahi Yusuf

Plateau: `Mysterious’ fire renders family of 7  homeless in Pankshin

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Fire

By Thompson Yamput

Pankshin (Plateau) Sept. 22, 2016 (NAN) A family of seven was on Thursday in Kwalla village, Panskhin Local Government Area of Plateau, rendered homeless following a `mysterious fire that razed their house.

The incident, which happened in the  afternoon, took the villagers by surprise.

Members of the public, including the family described the fire as “mysterious and fierce” as they failed to control it.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that though no life was lost, property worth thousands of naira, including food stuff, were burnt.

An eye witness, Pastor Zakka Dashi, told NAN that he saw a “high and tick smoke” rising from the house, while public-spirited persons rushed to extinguish the fire but could not due to its fierceness.

“ We tried all we could to control and quench the fire but we could not; the whole thing was so strange to us as it completely burnt the entire house without us saving a pin from the house.

“It was so unfortunate that the owners of the house were away to the farm; we only sent words to them and by the time they arrived, little could be done to salvage any property, ’’ he said.

The Head of the family, Mr Gowon Ndashe, lamented the incident.

“We (family) don’t know what to do or where to go at this critical time; we are appealing to the local government and the state government to come to our aid.”

The Pankshin Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Mr Sa’ad Ibrahim, confirmed the incident, and descried it  as “very sad and unfortunate’’.

He said that no life was lost.

The council Chairman, Mr Stephen Jings, sent a delegation to sympathise with the family with assurance of finding ways of assisting them. (NAN)

TYC/IA

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman.

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Sentence

By Mojirola Eniola

Ikeja , Sept. 22, 2016 (NAN) An Ikeja High Court in Lagos, on Thursday sentenced two persons to death for robbing a supermarket manager of N5 million.

The convicts, a 20-year-old salesman, Charles Friday, and Chidiebere Ani, 21, were convicted by Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye.

“I have no doubt that the defendants are misguided youths like millions in the country.

“They are found guilty of the offences of conspiracy to commit armed robbery and armed robbery.

“The defendants are to be hung by the neck until they are dead, and may the Lord Almighty have mercy upon your souls,” the judge ruled.

Earlier, during the proceedings, counsel to the convicts, Mr C.C. Ezebube, in his allocutus pleaded for mercy on behalf of the convicts.

“I plea that the court considers the age of the defendants, as they are young people who deserve another opportunity in life to contribute meaningfully to society,” Ezebube said.

However, the prosecution, led by Mr Akin George, told the court that the convicts committed the offences on Sept. 9, 2011 at Elobus Supermarket, Ago Palace Way, Okota, Ikeja, Lagos.

“Friday, a salesman, who worked at Elobus Supermarket, conspired with Ani, a trader from Alaba Market, to steal money from the supermarket.

“On the day of the robbery, based on the insider information given to Ani by Friday, Ani laid in wait underneath the stairs of the storey building housing the supermarket.

“The Manager, Mr Kingsley Obasi, between 9.00 p.m. and 9.30p.m. uses the stairs to take money to the director’s office.

“When Obasi was heading to the director’s office, he was hit at the back of the head with a metal object by Ani, who made off with N5 million belonging to the supermarket as well as the manager’s phone,” he said.

The prosecutor said that when the manager regained consciousness, he had no recollection of the robbery but the convicts were caught when Ani was overheard discussing the robbery.

“Friday was overheard discussing the robbery with Ani on the phone by his colleagues at the supermarket, who confronted him and searched his phone where messages to his accomplice were discovered,” George said.

George said that Friday led the authorities to Ani, who still had the manager’s phone in his possession as well as some of the stolen money.

According to him, the offences were in violation of Sections 295 (2)(a) and 297 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. (NAN)

MAE /FLP/MZA

Controlled by Maharazu Ahmed
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