Index to Nigerian Newspapers

The Becheve tribe in Cross River State has an odd practice where girls, sometimes as young as four years old, are used as collateral for loans their parents obtain from more illustrious kinsmen. Victims of the practice include Beatrice Okumo, Jennifer Abega, and Beatrice Okumo. Beatrice was given as collateral for a sum they borrowed from her creditor, Papa, who was then 50 years old and much older than her father. Jennifer ran away from slavery when she was 10, but her uncle resisted her attempt to freedom and told her mother to either return her to the creditor or repay his debt.

The Becheve tribe in Cross River State has an odd practice where girls, sometimes as young as four years old, are used as collateral for loans their parents obtain from more illustrious kinsmen. Victims of the practice include Beatrice Okumo, Jennifer Abega, and Beatrice Okumo. Beatrice was given as collateral for a sum they borrowed from her creditor, Papa, who was then 50 years old and much older than her father. Jennifer ran away from slavery when she was 10, but her uncle resisted her attempt to freedom and told her mother to either return her to the creditor or repay his debt.

A Rivers State High Court has remanded the Managing Director of Saipem Contracting, Mr. Walter Peviana; and Kelechi Chinakwe in the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre over an alleged conspiracy to cheat and with intent to defraud the Rivers State Government of $130m.

Over 112 illegal refineries have been discovered in the creeks of Ikwere Local Government Area of Rivers State. The Chairman, mr. Samuel Nwanosike said at the week end that most of the site were located in the Ogbodo community of the state. The government said his primary concern was to ensure that the health of the people were not jeopardised. Wike berated the police for being complicit in the criminal act of ilegal oil bunkering saying they were not commited to the fight to stop the operations.Wike frowned at the inability of the police to arrest members of the illegal bunkering cartel operating at athe Ibaa community in the Ikwerre Local Government Area. 

A Federal High Court in Lagos has summoned a former governorship aspirant of the Peoples' party of Nigeria (PPN) in Zamfara State, Adamu Bashir and two others to take their plea on an alleged N299.86 millon fraud charge. The other firm, OBD Petroleum Limited; and its managing director Umeanor Obinna Micheal.Justice Abimbola Awog boro issued the bench warrant on wedneday, sequel to an applicatin by a senior counsel in the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF). Mrs Kehinde Bode-Ayeni. Bode -Ayeni alleged that the Defendants had failed to show up for their arraignment filed against them. Justice Awogboro granted the application and adjourned till March 3, for defendants' arraignment. According to the amended charge marked FHC/L/281c/2016, the defendants on about October 2014, obtained loans of N160million and N139.8mllion in two tranches from a bank by false pretence and with intent to defraud. The defendants allegedly pretended that money woulld be used to supply 2.2million litres of AGO to Lastal Energy, Limited.  

A 29-year-old chef, Moses Ibor, was on Monday sentenced to one month in prison by a Dei-Dei rea court, Abuja, for stealing three cartons of Indomie noodles. Ibor, of Apo, Abuja, had pleaded guilty to a count charge of theft and prayed for leniency.

The Judge, Saminu Suleiman, gave the convict an option of a N10,000 fine and warned him to desist from crime. Earlier, the prosecutor, Mr Chinedu Ogada, told the court that the complainant, Bashir Umar, of Olajumoke Market, Dutse Alhaji, Abuja, reported on July 10, that on the same date while he was in his shop, the defendant criminally went into the shop and stole three cartons of Indomie valued at N21,000.

The prosecutor noted that during investigation the three cartons of Indomie were recovered from the defendant, adding that the offence contravened Section 288 of the Penal Code. (NAN)

Three suspected pirates detained on a Danish military vessel have been released after the government decided not to bring them to Denmark to face preliminary charges of attempted murder. The Gulf of Guinea is one of the world's most dangerous waterways.

The Isadare Olakotan Family in Idedo Community in Ogun State will hold a parley with landlords on Saturday, January 15, to discuss issues concerning court judgment in suit No HCT/119/03, CA/322/2011 and MT/89/18. The meeting will take place at Kado Hotel, near Baale Palace.

The Isadare Olakotan Family in Idedo Community in Ogun State will hold a parley with landlords on Saturday, January 15, to discuss issues concerning court judgment in suit No HCT/119/03, CA/322/2011 and MT/89/18. The meeting will take place at Kado Hotel, near Baale Palace.

A 45-year-old furniture maker, Ahmed Atolagbe, whose two sons were killed on July 22, 2023, when a portion of the fence of a hotel collapsed on their house in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, is demanding justice for the deceased.

The Kwara State-born grieving father told PUNCH Metro on Thursday that tragedy struck when the fence of a hotel collapsed on his three-room apartment located on Alao Street, Olainukan Bus Stop, Isawo in Ikorodu during a downpour.

The father of six said his two sons, seven-year-old Abdulwahab and nine-year-old Roqeeb, who were sleeping around the dining section of his sitting room at the time of the collapse died on the spot.

He added that his first son was also injured while his wife, Omotola, lost consciousness following the impact of the tragedy that befell the family. 

He said, “I was already at my furniture workshop in Irawo when I received a distress call that I should return home to attend to a pressing issue.

“By the time I got home, I realised that the fence of a hotel beside my house had collapsed following the impact of the erosion coming from the hotel.

“The fence fell on my house, killing two of my sons. My eldest son was also injured. The incident was too much for my wife. She fainted and was rushed to the hospital.”

A female soldier in Yola, Nigeria, accidentally killed a senior colleague at a checkpoint during a curfew imposed by the Adamawa government. The soldier had cocked her rifle and fired, killing the colleague. The commander instructed journalists to seek an appointment in writing before speaking to them.

Football coach Bankole Oginni, also known as 'honourable Kole,' allegedly murdered his estranged lover in his living room. The victim, who was tied with rope, had burns on her body, possibly caused by hot water. The suspect was caught when the victim's mobile line was disconnected. The lifeless body was found with her legs and hands tied, and her remains were deposited at the hospital's morgue.

Anyone caught moving animals on foot in Benue State would be fined N500,000. A repeat offender faces a N1 million fine under the 2017 Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Amendment Law, as updated. Anyone found moving animals on foot would be fined N500,000 under the proposed law.According to the legislation, there are sanctions for taking animals, including N50,000 for each cow, N10,000 for each pig, N5000 for each goat, and N1,000 for each chicken or bird. The governor claims that the governor upped the previous minimal fines for an animal confiscation to N50,000 based on current relationships. "If the owners do not appear to pick up their cows on the same day that they are seized, they will be required to pay an additional N20,000 for each cow.If you don't make payment within seven days, the law permits us to unction it. ortom said. Despite the law in place ,clashes between hearders and farmers have contiued.

Anyone caught moving animals on foot in Benue State would be fined N500,000. A repeat offender faces a N1 million fine under the 2017 Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Amendment Law, as updated. Anyone found moving animals on foot would be fined N500,000 under the proposed law.According to the legislation, there are sanctions for taking animals, including N50,000 for each cow, N10,000 for each pig, N5000 for each goat, and N1,000 for each chicken or bird. The governor claims that the governor upped the previous minimal fines for an animal confiscation to N50,000 based on current relationships. "If the owners do not appear to pick up their cows on the same day that they are seized, they will be required to pay an additional N20,000 for each cow.If you don't make payment within seven days, the law permits us to unction it. ortom said. Despite the law in place ,clashes between hearders and farmers have contiued.

The Police in Adamawa State have confirmed an acid attact on four people in Yola, the state Capital. Narrating this ordeal to reporters, Fawas Mohammed, a chieftain of AII Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, alleged that the attack had a political undertone.

Four persons were attacked with acid in Yola, the state capital, according to the Adamawa State Police. Fawas Mohammed, a leader of the AII Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, described the incident to reporters and claimed that it had political overtones.

Hanfia Abubakar's killing has led to the arrest of Abdulmalik Tanko. Hanfia was allegedly taken away in a commercial tricycle known locally as Adaidata Sahu or Keke NAPEP. Later, her kidnappers wanted N6,000,000 in ransom from the pupil's parents. Hanifa was discovered dead at the Tudunwada school grounds, her corpse had been hacked into pieces, and she had been buried, according to Wasila Dahiru, Hanifa's kidnapper who had been apprehended. Said that Tanko was detained following persistent attempts. He claimed to have poisoned the girl to death during questioning after realising that she identified him, working with someone named Hashim Isyaku, the police official added. According to him, Hashim also admitted that he met with him and a woman named Fatima Jibreel Musa sometime in November 2021 and gave them the order to kidnap Hanifa.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested a fake couple, Ilonzeh Kingsley Onyebuchi and Ilonzeh Roseline Nonyelum, who were allegedly going for medical treatment in India. They were intercepted at Lagos airport's screening point and placed on excretion observation. The couple's travel documents identified them as Ilonzeh Kingsley Onyebuchi and Ilonzeh Roseline Nonyelum, but preliminary investigation revealed they were not a couple. The couple later gave their real name as Ngogbike Nkechi. Uwaezuoke and another suspect were arrested in Abuja on March 19, 2022.

The Delta State Police Command on Tuesday said the suspect responsible for the killing of a two-year-old boy, Ivan Omhonrina, two weeks ago, had been arrested.

PUNCH Metro reports that Omhonrina was killed by a stray bullet during an operation by officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at Okpanam in the Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State.

The NDLEA had said the incident occurred when its men were raiding a drug joint in the area.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, disclosed to journalists in Asaba, the state capital, that the suspect was already in custody. 

He, however, did not disclose the identity of the suspect.

“The suspect who allegedly killed the two-year-old boy a few weeks ago is in our custody. The investigation is almost completed and he will be charged to court,” he simply said.

Meanwhile, the command, on Tuesday, paraded a 22-year-old kidnapper, Ojokor Jeffrey, and eight others.

The Lagos State Police Command, on Wednesday, arraigned 21-year-old Basit Ogunrombi before a magistrates’ court sitting at Ogba for allegedly stealing phones and money worth N397,000. Ogunrombi is facing a three-count charge of breach of peace, conspiracy and stealing preferred against him by the police. The defendant, pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him. Magistrate S. The case was adjourned till August 8 2023, for mention.

A 42 years-old man, Muhammad Sambo has been remanded in the Yola Correctional Centre in Adamawa State for allegedly killing his wife, Fadimatu. Sambo, from Sorau Belel in Maiha Local government area, was arraigned in court for  allegedly  killing his late wife Fadimatu Sambo. However, the prosecutors, Sergent Ahmed Abubakar, arraigned the accused before the court for the offence after the first information report was read to him. sambo allegedly attacked his wife on the 9th september, 2021, and secretly invited women to come and bath the dead body in order to bury it.

Operative of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have raised a relaxation centre, populary called Garden in Abuja and arrested six people for allegedly selling drug cookies and noodles. He said beside the cookies, they were also caught selling botles of a black currant drink populary called Zobo prepared with cannabis. He sais two days earlier, officers of the FCT command of the Agency equally raided the Zuba Yam Market, where a drug dealer, Haruna Hassan was arrested with 19.3kg Cannabis.

The Unity Project Nigeria and the Coalition for Good Governance and Economic Justice in Africa are two non-governmental groups that have denounced the heinous murder of five-year-old Hanifa by the head of the Kano primary school she attended. They insisted that the accused and those who helped him be held accountable for the "heinous crime" of violently taking an innocent and bright child's life. The government must start evaluating schools around the nation right away to make sure they are still conducive to learning and safe, and they must step up efforts to stop the recent wave of insecurity that puts the most vulnerable members of society in danger. The groups also expressed sympathy to the late Hanifa's family, praying for courage and strength in what is really a difficult time.

A popular native doctor in Anambra State and an indigene of Oba in the Idemili North Local Government Area of the state, Chinedu Nwangwu, popularly called “Akwa Okuko Tiwaraki” was on Sunday kidnapped by some yet-to-be-identified assailants. The native doctor, Triple P Hotel, late on Sunday. After which he was whisked away and his whereabouts were yet unknown. ” a source said. The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident, adding that it happened around 11.30pm on Sunday. 

Meanwhile, controversy has been trailing the whereabouts of the abducted native doctor as some of his fans, on Monday, claimed that he had been released.

They posted a video on social media, claiming that the native doctor had been released from captivity.

But when contacted by our correspondent, the state police spokesperson, Ikenga, maintained that there was no news of the return of the native doctor yet.

“I don’t have such information of his release before me. All I know is that operatives of the command have been ordered by the state Commissioner of Police, Aderemi Adeoye, to immediately go after the kidnappers.

“CP Adeoye has ordered that operatives go after his abductors and ensure his release,” Ikenga added.

The Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) has appeal to residents of the South to provide credible information to fight smuggling activities in the creek and waterways. Ali made the appel yesterday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital when he inaugurated 18 units pf locally made creek of patrol boats acquired by thd Customs to fight the menace on Southern, Eastern and Western water bodies. He said the fleet,comprising nine versatile and nine fastballistic gunboats have the capacity to navigate the nook and cranny of the sea to smoke out smuggles who have hirtherto found safety in using sea routes to drive the illict business.  as we inaugurate these boats which will be deployed for the Southern waters, ( the Eastern and Western Marine Commands. I urge our marine operatives to use them judiciously in the intrest of the country. Stating th features of the boats, the Executive Manager of Sewa Africa, Mr Ian Apple by said: the boats are fitted with twin outboard motors using enviromentally-friendly technology of four stroke engines. The chairmain and Chief Executive officer of sewa, Alhaji Murtala Mohammed sais the contract for the building of the boats was signed in 2020, while the buying of the equipment were completed last year due to the challenge created by  the COVID 19 pandemic. The C- G equally inaugurated one automobile digital scanner to facilitate maritime bussines in Onne Port

Men of the Bauchi State Police Command have arrested two men who allegedly specialise in snatching motorcycles from their owners in the Gudum Hausawa area of the state.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists in Bauchi on Sunday.

Wakil said the suspects’ mode of operation was to ask commercial motorcyclists to take them to a particular destination and while on their way, they would attack them and snatch their motorcycles.

He said, “On July 27, 2023, around 9pm, the command’s detectives acted on credible intelligence and arrested two suspected motorcycle snatchers who specialise in beating up okada riders and stealing their motorcycles. 

“According to the report, on the same day around 8.30pm, one Mustapha Adam of Anguwan Mahaukata and Jafar Lawan of Gudun Hausawa area, Bauchi disguised as passengers and engaged an okada man, one Kabiru Muhammadu of Magaji Quarters, Bauchi at the Central Market to take them to the old airport area.

“On reaching the Wikki Oil area, they brought out a trailer-wheel spanner and hit him on his head. He sustained an injury on his head and fell unconscious.

Men of the Bauchi State Police Command have arrested two men who allegedly specialise in snatching motorcycles from their owners in the Gudum Hausawa area of the state.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists in Bauchi on Sunday.

Wakil said the suspects’ mode of operation was to ask commercial motorcyclists to take them to a particular destination and while on their way, they would attack them and snatch their motorcycles.

He said, “On July 27, 2023, around 9pm, the command’s detectives acted on credible intelligence and arrested two suspected motorcycle snatchers who specialise in beating up okada riders and stealing their motorcycles. 

“According to the report, on the same day around 8.30pm, one Mustapha Adam of Anguwan Mahaukata and Jafar Lawan of Gudun Hausawa area, Bauchi disguised as passengers and engaged an okada man, one Kabiru Muhammadu of Magaji Quarters, Bauchi at the Central Market to take them to the old airport area.

“On reaching the Wikki Oil area, they brought out a trailer-wheel spanner and hit him on his head. He sustained an injury on his head and fell unconscious.