Ibom Focus

Category: Crime

  • EXPOSED: How Senior Nigerian Army Officers Engage In Oil Theft In Niger Delta –

    EXPOSED: How Senior Nigerian Army Officers Engage In Oil Theft In Niger Delta –

    EXPOSED: How Senior Nigerian Army Officers Engage In Oil Theft In Niger Delta

    A dismissed Nigerian soldier has accused the Nigerian Army high command of being behind oil theft in the Niger Delta region.

    The soldier who was last attached to 2 Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Uyo, Akwa Ibom disclosed this.

    He and others were in 2022 sentenced to nine years in prison “over illegal duty” by a court-martial at the 6 Division headquarters in Port Harcourt in 2022.

    They were alleged to have abandoned their duty location and embarked on illegal patrols along Kilometre 45 in Abonnema, Akuku-toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    The former soldier stated that he received a fair hearing but shared his experiences of being ordered to perform illegal tasks by senior officers. He alleged that it was a common practice among personnel in the creek, citing that senior army officers informed him that it was a longstanding tradition when he was deployed to the Brigade.

    For instance, he alleged that soldiers escort oil thieves with Army gunboats and provide protection for them.

    He said, “I joined the Nigerian Army on the 12 of August 2003 and was posted to the infantry arm of the Army. I have served in several units and attended a few combat and technical courses in the Army.

    “I was sent to Maiduguri in Borno State in the counter-insurgency operations then known as Operation Lafya Dole in September 2015 and was there till August 2019 when my deployment was turned to a posting to the Headquarters of the 7 Division in Maiduguri, where I spent another two years before I was posted to 2 Brigade Headquarters in Uyo Akwa Ibom State, where I reported on the 15th of December 2021.

    “On the 24th of February 2022, I was sent on attachment to the Headquarters Sector 3 located in Okirika, Rivers State as a gunboat operator and was deployed to a company that was carrying out the construction of a jetty for an oil firm.

    “When I was handed over the gunboat (MK ll gunboat), the boat was in very bad state of disrepair and could barely move. When I inquired from the most senior officer at the location, he told me to call the Beach Master. When I called the Beach Master, he asked if I expected him to come and get my boat repaired.

    “I was shocked by his response, so after the call, I relayed the conversation to the senior officer, it was at that point that he told me that was how they survived in the creeks – by finding ways to raise money and get boats repaired and also a little extra while also carrying out illegitimate duties.

    “So we used another boat for illegal duty and the money was shared, so I used the money I got to fix my own boat – over N400,000. I have receipts of bank transfers and my expenditures.

    “After fixing my boat, I was sent on patrol and unfortunately during the course of the patrol, my gunboat caught fire due to probably a spark from the engine which engulfed the whole boat.

    “My crew and I abandoned the boat and swam till we were rescued by people in a speedboat and taken to Degema. At Degema, one of us decided to run away fearing the wrath of the Army for the burnt gunboat and weapons but I and one CPL reported and were taken to the 6 Division military police.

    “Before our detention and investigations, the then-Sector commander came to see us and after I had told him everything that happened and why we went on the said illegal duty, he told us he would replace the boat and that we should just be honest in our statements. During the course of the investigation, we were told by the investigation team to only limit our statements to our part in the illegal duty and not to mention any reason or names.

    “We were detained from the 11th of March till 22nd of September when a general court-martial was constituted to try us. Before the court-martial was inaugurated, the prosecutor approached us twice to take a guilty plea so as to fast-track the case and give us a lesser punishment for the said offences.

    “When our charges were served, I was surprised to see that I and Cpl Endurance had our charges multiplied from the initial three counts we were given to eight counts each. When I approached my lawyer, he told me that since we had an agreement with the prosecutor and a plea bargain was what would be adopted if an agreement was reached, there would be no need to argue on the issue of duplicity of the charges.”

    He added, “The top army officers are behind oil bunkering, they use weapons junior officers and receive ‘returns’. They also send money to those at the army headquarters, it’s like a cabal.”

    But efforts to get the reaction of the Nigerian Army were unsuccessful, as its spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu did not answer his calls.

    He also did not reply to a text message sent to his mobile line.

  • BREAKING: NSCDC Operative Dies In Nigerian Police Custody ‘Over Torture’ –

    BREAKING: NSCDC Operative Dies In Nigerian Police Custody ‘Over Torture’

    NSCDC Operative Dies

    Jabila Kammangar, an operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has died in police custody of the Rivers State Police Command.

    Kammangar’s death is coming a few days after he was arrested and paraded by the Rivers State Police Command for alleged armed robbery, hijacking of food trucks and diverting them to other locations.

    The spokesperson for the Command, Grace Iringe-Koko had stated that the deceased and four soldiers identified as West Isaac, Abdul Musa, Mgbe Geoffrey, Innocent Okwoli were arrested on May 25, 2024, following a tip-off from a reliable source.

    “The police promptly mobilised to the scene and arrested five suspects who had been severely beaten by a mob. The wounded suspects were taken to the police hospital as investigations began. During the investigation, it was discovered that one of the suspects, West Isaac (08NA/61/2653), was a corporal in the Nigerian Army serving in Delta State,” she had said.

    “Another suspect, Jabila Kammangar, also known as ‘Kaka,’ was an officer of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps serving in Kabba, Kogi State. They confessed to abandoning their posts to engage in criminal activities in Rivers State due to its lucrativeness.”

    While in detention, the police allegedly denied him access to relatives until his death last week, a source said.

    Another source added that the NSCDC operative died in the cell as a result of torture.

    “He was really beaten by the policemen, tortured and forced to confess to the crime,” the source added.

    However, multiple calls put across to the Rivers State command spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko were not picked nor returned.

    Text message also sent to her line were not replied as at the time of this report.

  • Man Kill Pregnant Woman –

    Man Kill Pregnant Woman –

    Man Kill Pregnant Woman

    Information reaching Ibom Focus says that Man Kill Pregnant Woman

    A man in Denmark has been sentenced to life imprisonment and subsequent preventive detention after stabbing a heavily pregnant woman to death in 2016, the district court in Glostrup announced the sentence.

    The now 30-year-old man is said to have stabbed the woman 11 times with a knife in a park near Copenhagen and then cut off a piece of her nose, according to the court’s statement.

    The man denied the crime and his defence lawyer said that he would appeal against the judgement.

    The murder weapon has still not been found and there is no technical evidence such as fingerprints or DNA to prove the man’s guilt.

    In 2020, the police deployed an undercover investigator as a cellmate of the suspect, who was serving a prison sentence for the attempted murder of his ex-girlfriend.

    The undercover investigator recorded the man describing how he had killed the pregnant woman, which contributed to the court’s decision to find him guilty.

  • BREAKING: Again, Gunmen Strike In Imo, Kill Police Officers, Security Operative –

    BREAKING: Again, Gunmen Strike In Imo, Kill Police Officers, Security Operative –

    BREAKING: Again, Gunmen Strike In Imo, Kill Police Officers, Security Operative

    Two policemen and a security officer have been killed by unknown gunmen in Ikeduru local government area of Imo State.

    The Imo State Police command spokesperson, SP Henry Okoye, said the incident happened at about 6am on Tuesday at Akabo village where the officers were attacked and killed.

    Days ago, the Nigerian Air Force through the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe had said it destroyed two Illegal Refining Sites (IRS) situated along the banks of Imo River.

    The airstrikes were conducted on June 7, 2024, barely hours after the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar conferred with Governor Alex Otti of Abia State on the setting up of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Base in Abia State.

    A statement by NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet said the illegal sites, located near Obiaku and in close proximity to the Imo/Abia/Rivers States borders consisted of two tanks and a reservoir in one location and three tanks and two reservoirs in another location along the Imo River bank.

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  • Permanent Secretary Lands In Big Trouble Over ‘Serial S3xual Harassment’ With Married Female Employee

    Permanent Secretary Lands In Big Trouble Over ‘Serial S3xual Harassment’ With Married Female Employee

    Permanent Secretary Lands In Big Trouble Over ‘Serial S3xual Harassment’ With Married Female Employee

    The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Ibrahim Adamu Lamuwa has been accused of s3xually harassing a female staff member of the ministry.

    A married employee of the ministry, Mrs Simisola Fajemirokun Ajayi, disclosed the excesses of the permanent secretary in a petition to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, through her lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), and urged the minister to investigate the permanent secretary.

    She asked that disciplinary actions should be taken against Lamuwa to serve as a deterrent to others.

    The petition dated May 29, 2024 and titled: “Request For An Investigation Of Amb. Ibrahim Lamuwa’s Conducts Of S3xual Harassment At The Place Of Work, Abuse Of Office Official Intimidation And Discrimination,” was signed by Adebayo A. Oniyelu LP for Falana & Falana’s.

    Narrating how the Permanent Secretary has been harassing her, the counsel reminded the minister that he had intervened in the past and was assured that such atrocity and bizarre act would not happen again yet, in May, he (Amb. Ibrahim Lamuwa) resumed his s3xual molestation, a development that has created an unsafe and uncomfortable working environment for their client and other workers in the ministry.

    The petition partly read: “Our attention has been drawn to the bizarre and continuous incidents of s3xual harassment, intimidation, oppression, discrimination and conduct likely to breach the public peace within your esteemed Ministry by Amb. Ibrahim Lamuwa. Amb. Ibrahim Lamuwa’s conduct has created an unsafe and uncomfortable working environment for our client and other staff within your Ministry due to the disturbing experiences and ordeals from the Permanent Secretary.

    “Consequent to the foregoing, we seek the intervention of your good office on the above- captioned matter based on the following facts:

    “October 7, 2023 during the first policy retreat to review President Tinubu’s 4D policy, Amb. Ibrahim Lamuwa approached our client to inquire as to why she did not sleep at the hotel and informed her that he would want her to come to his room after the event. Our client explained that she was a nursing mother and needed to go home to care for her baby.

    “Dissatisfied with this, he reiterated his s3xual advancement to our client by saying “Is it a big baby or small baby- he suspects it’s a big baby and would like to find out so he can join”. He, however, continued this line of inappropriate anecdotes throughout the retreat.”

    It added, “On November 10, 2023: our client went to Amb. Ibrahim Lamuwa’s conference room where he was working out to discuss the plans to digitize the Ministry. Amb. Ibrahim Lamuwa invited her for a meeting later that afternoon with a team from Galaxy Backbone. During the conversation, Amb, Ibrahim Lamuwa requested our client take a voyage with him to Hong Kong. He further assured our client that our client’s life would never remain the same after the trip. Our client left the scene in utter shock and disappointment because of the awkwardness of the Permanent Secretary, Amb. Ibrahim Lamuwa’s discussion.

    “While our client was about to excuse herself, Amb. Ibrahim Lamuwa thoughtlessly put his arms around our client’s arms and demanded a full frontal hug which she rejected. The Honourable Minister would recall that sometime in March 2024, our client discussed with you concerning her safety for fear of not being raped by Amb. Ibrahim Lamuwa resulting from the consistent s3xual harassment reported even as a married woman.

    “Upon her unfortunate predicament with the Permanent Secretary, the Honourable Minister assured our client of a change of behavior as he had confronted him.

    “Sometime in May 2024, our client went to Amb. Ibrahim Lamuwa’s office under the Honourable Minister’s instruction at about 3:20 pm to inform the Permanent Secretary to contact his counterpart in the Ministry of Defence for the reports needed for the upcoming US trip.

    “Upon arriving at the Permanent Secretary’s office, our client was informed that he was in his inner room. In her desperate attempt to avoid getting molested, our client returned to her office and interestingly, Amb. Ibrahim Lamuwa demanded that she return to his office at about 3:41pm on the same day.

    “As instructed, our client immediately returned to see the Permanent Secretary. On arriving at the Permanent Secretary’s office, he commented that our client had not been to his office since February because she had grudges against him. He then offered our client to drink tea from his cup whilst forcefully putting his arms around our client’s and referring to her as a “stubborn woman”.

    “Our client again hurriedly left the Permanent Secretary’s office for fear of being molested after repeated demands of a tight hug from him as he had missed seeing her.

    “It is pertinent to state that a discreet investigation conducted by our client revealed that more women are with unadorned allegations against the Permanent Secretary, particularly female directors who were almost raped in the hotel rooms and female foreign service officers who have been harassed, threatened and removed from trips, postings and other privileges because they declined to comply with Amb. Ibrahim Lamuwa’s uncontrolled s3xual urges.

    “Given the above-stated facts, the Honourable Minister would agree with us that sexual harassment, intimidation, oppression, discrimination and abuse of office in any form are unacceptable. They violate your Ministry’s policies as well as ethical standards. It includes but is not limited to unwanted advances, inappropriate comments, and any behaviour that creates a hostile work environment.

    “In the circumstances, we humbly request you to use your revered office to cause a detailed investigation to be carried out into the facts presented in this petition against Amb. Ibrahim Lamuwa and if found liable, appropriate disciplinary actions should be meted against him as this will serve as a deterrent against future reoccurrence of such infractions.”

  • EFCC Secures Final Forfeiture Of 20 Choice Properties, 10 Vehicles Of Arthur Eze –

    EFCC Secures Final Forfeiture Of 20 Choice Properties, 10 Vehicles Of Arthur Eze

    Arthur Eze

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) has secured the final forfeiture of 20 properties and 10 vehicles of Arthur Eze, a Nigerian businessman and CEO of Atlas Oranto Petroleum.

    This was announced in a statement released by the agency on Monday, saying the forfeiture order was pronounced by the Court of Appeal, Abuja.

    The agency added that the recovered properties, 10 vehicles including three princely wristwatches, were from two brothers, Olisaebuka Eze and Onyeka Nnadozie Eze for a petitioner, Arthur Eze.

    The statement read, “In a final forfeiture ruling on Friday, June 7, 2024 by a three-man panel of justices, the Appeal Court, Abuja, dismissed the appeal filed by the brothers and affirmed the final forfeiture of the properties, vehicles and other items to Arthur Eze, the nominal petitioner as presented by the Commission’s counsel, Ibrahim Buba.

    “The properties all located in Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja were held by the court to have been acquired with proceeds of crime committed against Arthur Eze.

    “The properties and items which Justice Modupe Osho-Adebiyi of the FCT High Court, sitting in Gudu, Abuja, had in April 2022, ordered their final forfeiture to the petitioner include: seven bedroom duplex at Plot 1772 Cadastral Zone B06, Mabushi District, FCT Abuja, located at No: 5 Ifeanyi Araraume Street Mabushi, Abuja; Plot No. 621, Cadastral Zone B07 within Katampe District with file No. JG 10188; nine units of two-bedroom flats located at Plot 375 off Ameyo Adadovah Way, in Kado District, Abuja; three-bedroom terrace duplex located at Brookhouse Residence Karsana District FCT, Abuja; Plot No. AHE540 in Lugbe AMAC Housing Estate measuring 1,500sqm; Plot No. 285, measuring 1,589.28sqm in Cadastral Zone E23 Kyami District Abuja; Plot No. R9530AA, measuring 1,000 sqm, located at Traders Layout 3 Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja; Plot No. R9530AA, measuring 1,000 sqm, located at Traders Layout 3 Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja.

    “Other properties are: Plot No. XK1057, measuring 800sqm, located in Apo Layout, AMAC FCT, Abuja; Plot of land with RofO with file No. AN 69550 dated 28/10/2012 at Kyami District Abuja; Plot No. 0844 in NAF Valley Estate, Asokoro Abuja, measuring about 1316.79; Plot No. 188 Cadastral Zone E 12 of Orozo, measuring 875sqm.

    “The items include: a red Oulm wristwatch, stainless steel back Japan Move 3377; a golden-coloured Just Bling wristwatch JB-6116; and a golden Piaget wristwatch with serial no. 8066-639333. The vehicles are: a Toyota Camry 2014 2016 model; Toyota Camry 2014 model; a Toyota Highlander; a Honda Accord 2013 model; Mercedes Benz GLE 2015 model; Toyota Tundra with chassis No. STFRYF17EX171601 and a car spare key; Toyota Avalon with registration No. RSH111; Honda Civic with registration No. YAB58EN; Mercedes Benz C 400 with Reg. No. KWL43A5 and a Kia SUV.

    “Dissatisfied with the High court order, the brothers approached the appellate court in separate appeals praying that the order be set aside. However, in the appeal court judgment read by Justice H.A. Barka, the appellate court held that the duo did not satisfactorily prove that they legitimately acquired the properties and all the items involved. According to Justice Barka, the appellants did not “place any material before the court to enable it to disturb the findings of the lower court.” The court further held that the appeal lacked merit and dismissed it accordingly.

    “The judgment of the lower court is affirmed,” Justice Barka, stated.

    “The road to the final forfeiture began in 2020, when the EFCC received a petition from Arthur Eze, alleging theft, criminal misappropriation, and money laundering against the first respondent Olisaebuka Eze who was the administrative officer of his company, Oranto Petroleum Ltd.

    “According to Arthur Eze, Olisaebuka Eze in connivance with his brother, Nnadozie Eze stole his money that ran into billions of naira and millions of dollars, with which both used to acquire properties in Abuja and Enugu.

    “Upon conclusion of investigations, the Commission arrested Olisaebuka Eze and his brother accomplice, Nnadozie Eze and froze their bank accounts, following court orders.

    “In an attempt to rock the boat, the respondents filed a suit at the FCT High Court, Apo, before Justice S.B. Begore, seeking the enforcement of their fundamental rights. At the end of the hearing, Justice Belgore held that the Commission violated the fundamental rights of the respondents and awarded N10 million damages in their favour. The Commission through its counsel, Buba, challenged the ruling in the Court of Appeal which overturned the decision of the lower court and held that the detention of the respondents by the Commission and the freezing of his accounts were for the purpose of investigation and were properly backed by orders of the court. “The EFCC’s action did not amount to a violation of the respondent’s rights,” the court held.

    “The court further awarded N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) against the respondents in favour of the EFCC.”

  • Photo Of Woman Who Killed Husband Over ‘Yah∞ Yah∞’ Proceed Surface

    Photo Of Woman Who Killed Husband Over ‘Yah∞ Yah∞’ Proceed Surface

    Photo Of Woman Who Killed Husband Over ‘Yah∞ Yah∞’ Proceed Surface

    A 27-year-old lady identified as Oluchi Nzemechi, from Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State, is now cooling off in the police net for allegedly stabbing her boyfriend, Kelechi Nzemechi, to death due to a disagreement over the sharing formula of proceeds from their internet business, Yahoo Yahoo.

    According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Henry Okoye, the suspect admitted committing the crime.

    It was gathered that the suspect revealed how her boyfriend lured her into cybercrime.

    Along the line, they succeeded in duping an Indonesian of 250 million rupiah. When she was discussing with her boyfriend how the money would be shared, an argument erupted between them, and in the process, she stabbed him with a kitchen knife.

    According to the statement, the suspect said that when she discovered he was dead, she looked for a way to exonerate herself from the crime. She picked up a piece of paper and wrote on it, “You think you can eat my money and go free? I am baba for the boys. I am coming for your wife and your child, including your family,” and placed it on the lifeless body of the victim before running away from the house.

    The release also disclosed that during further interrogation, the suspect stated that she had been living with the victim since 2019 and had a child with him.

    The police spokesperson said that necessary steps have been taken to recover the alleged 250 million Indonesian Rupiah for a possible return to the owner.

    “The suspect is currently undergoing investigation at the State Criminal Investigation Department and will certainly be arraigned in court,” the release partly stated

  • N3.3Trillion: Tinubu Moves To Probe Activities Of NNPC Under Buhari –

    N3.3Trillion: Tinubu Moves To Probe Activities Of NNPC Under Buhari –

    N3.3Trillion: Tinubu Moves To Probe Activities Of NNPC Under Buhari

    A forensic audit conducted by KPMG, a global accounting firm, has uncovered a significant discrepancy in the fuel subsidy claims made by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

    The audit revealed that NNPCL inflated its fuel subsidy claims by a staggering N3.3 trillion, according to a report done by iWitnessLive.

    Initially, NNPCL reported spending N6 trillion on fuel subsidy, with the government of former President Muhammadu Buhari paying a substantial portion.

    However, NNPCL’s Group CEO, Mele Kyari, claimed that the company was still owed N2.8 trillion. Just hours after President Bola Tinubu’s announcement that fuel subsidy had been eliminated, Kyari stated that the federal government still owed NNPCL N2.8 trillion for petrol subsidy payments, which the company had covered from its cash flow.

    The government has yet to reimburse NNPCL for this amount, the May 2024 report said.

    “Since the provision of the N6tn in 2022, and N3.7tn in 2023, we have not received any payment whatsoever from the Federation.

    “That means they (the Federal Government) are unable to pay and we’ve continued to support this subsidy from the cash flow of the NNPC. We are waiting for them to settle up to N2.8tn of NNPC’s cash flow from the subsidy regime and we can’t continue to build this,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the Nigerian Government plans to conduct a fresh audit of the N2.8 trillion fuel subsidy claim made by NNPC Limited, following a reconciliation by KPMG that reduced the claims to N2.7 trillion.

    The audit, which will cover 2015-2021, aims to verify the authenticity of NNPC’s claims. The Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation (OAuGF) will lead the audit, with the option to engage an external firm for additional support.

    The decision was made during a Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting in March 2024, where members discussed the need for an independent audit to prevent conflicts of interest.

    The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, emphasised President Tinubu’s commitment to the forensic audit, while commissioners from various states shared their perspectives on the matter.

    According to the minutes, the Ogun State Commissioner for Finance suggested engaging an independent auditor to ensure a conflict-free exercise, benefiting all tiers of government. The Niger State finance commissioner supported this stance, emphasizing inclusiveness and objectivity.

    Rivers State, however, noted that an independent auditor doesn’t guarantee success, recommending a combined approach with OAuGF and external firms.

    The Federal Commissioner, Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission/Chairman, Indices and Disbursement explained that the audit aims to resolve outstanding claims, including the reduced N2.7tn claim against NNPC Limited.

    KPMG’s initial audit recommended further investigation. The meeting concluded that OAuGF will lead the audit, with external support as needed.

    “Contributing, the Federal Commissioner, Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission/Chairman, Indices and Disbursement observed that the proposed audit was in respect of some outstanding claims which include the N6tn against NNPC Limited that was subsequently reduced to N2.7tn after initial reconciliation. He informed members that KPMG which carried out the earlier audit exercise of NNPC had looked at some of the claims and recommended further audit to resolve them.

    “Concluding, the meeting agreed that OAuGF would be considered first and an external audit firm would be engaged when necessary to provide additional support,” the minutes read in part.

  • VIDEO: Yahoo Yahoo: Lady Kills Lover Over Sharing Formula –

    VIDEO: Yahoo Yahoo: Lady Kills Lover Over Sharing Formula –

    VIDEO: Yahoo Yahoo: Lady Kills Lover Over Sharing Formula

    A 27-year-old lady identified as Oluchi Nzemechi, from Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State, is now cooling off in the police net for allegedly stabbing her boyfriend, Kelechi Nzemechi, to death due to a disagreement over the sharing formula of proceeds from their internet business, Yahoo Yahoo.

    According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Henry Okoye, the suspect admitted committing the crime.

    It was gathered that the suspect revealed how her boyfriend lured her into cybercrime.

    Along the line, they succeeded in duping an Indonesian of 250 million rupiah. When she was discussing with her boyfriend how the money would be shared, an argument erupted between them, and in the process, she stabbed him with a kitchen knife.

    According to the statement, the suspect said that when she discovered he was dead, she looked for a way to exonerate herself from the crime. She picked up a piece of paper and wrote on it, “You think you can eat my money and go free? I am baba for the boys. I am coming for your wife and your child, including your family,” and placed it on the lifeless body of the victim before running away from the house.

    The release also disclosed that during further interrogation, the suspect stated that she had been living with the victim since 2019 and had a child with him.

    The police spokesperson said that necessary steps have been taken to recover the alleged 250 million Indonesian Rupiah for a possible return to the owner.

    “The suspect is currently undergoing investigation at the State Criminal Investigation Department and will certainly be arraigned in court,” the release partly stated

  • PHOTO: Trouble Looms Over Shettima’s N21billion Residence –

    PHOTO: Trouble Looms Over Shettima’s N21billion Residence –

    PHOTO: Trouble Looms Over Shettima’s N21billion Residence

    The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and some other Nigerians have expressed anger over the expenditure of N21 billion to build the official residence for Vice-President Kashim Shettima, at a time of economic hardship in the country.

    The new residence of the Vice President, located adjacent to the office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation was commissioned on Friday. It has an office for the wife of the Vice President, a mosque, a chapel and recreational facilities, among others.

    According to SERAP: “The reported expenditure of 21 billion Naira on the residence of the Vice President, Mr. Kashim Shettima, is wasteful and a clear instance of misplaced priorities by the Tinubu Administration”.

    Other Nigerians who reacted to the development equally said the government should have channeled the resources spent on the project on rescuing millions of citizens from the prevailing difficulties they are facing struggling to sustain their livelihoods.

    Some others were also worried that the media was denied access to the facility when dignitaries set out for its tour during the commissioning exercise on Friday in Abuja.

    Speaking at the ceremony, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, disclosed that the contract for the vice president’s residence was first awarded in 2010, at the cost of N7 billion.

    He added that the contract was abandoned in 2015, but that in its determination to complete the edifice, the current leadership of the FCT, in January this year, sought for and obtained approval for a review of the contract to the sum of N21 billion, leading to its completion 14 years after commencement of the project.

    SERAP, in its reaction through a statement made available to Daily Trust on Sunday said: “In the face of growing poverty, surging national debt and inability to pay a working minimum wage, the wasteful spending is a violation of the constitutional oath of office, the Code of conduct for public officers and international treaties and conventions to which Nigeria is a state party, particularly, the UN Convention against Corruption; and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

    “Section 14(2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended] provides that, ‘the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.” The spending is a grave violation of public trust aimed to simply satisfy the personal lifestyles of high-ranking public officials at the expense of more than 130 million poor Nigerians”, the civil society organisation in the statement issued by its Deputy Director, Mr. Kolawale Oluwadare”.

    It said further that: “The money spent on the VP’s residence funds could be better spent on providing the much-needed infrastructure to stimulate economic growth, addressing the challenges of over 20 million out-of-school children and the menace of insecurity in nearly all parts of the country”.

    Aside SERAP, some other citizens then described the planned expenditure as “wasteful”.

    When the NTA Network News posted the video of the commissioning on its official Facebook page on Friday, many Nigerians condemned the government for they described as “extravagant spending” even as it urges citizens to endure the current economic and social hardship in the country.

    Others wondered why a government that was reluctant to pay N100,000 as minimum wage for workers will spend up to N21 on a building for the vice-president alone.

    Osita Nicholas Osita wrote: “Every four years construction of VP residence. wasting billions on a house one office holder will live for just 4 yrs. But your citizens are living in squabble, face me I face you slums, no running water, no access roads. Wish a country”.

    Umar A DG who also commented on the post wrote: “Yet there is no money to make life better for the poor”.

    Another commenter, Lawal Shehu Kaura described the project as ‘misplaced priorities’.

    SERAP had in December last year appealed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio to reject the proposition by the FCT minister to spend almost N15 billion for the completion of the project.

    In a letter signed by Mr. Oluwadare, it said the plan to spend that amount on ‘a befitting residence’ for the vice president was a fundamental breach of the Nigerian Constitution and the country’s anti-corruption and human rights obligations.

    “The Senate has a duty to ensure that Wike’s proposed spending is entirely consistent and compatible with the constitutional provisions, including his oath of office. All public officials remain subject to the rule of law”, the civil society organisation said in the letter.

    Earlier on Friday, there were also reactions to reports that the media was barred from touring the facility alongside other personalities that graced the commissioning of the project.

    According to media reports, the moderator of the commissioning ceremony, Eugenia Abu, named selected guests permitted to undertake a tour of the facility.

    “The people that will be following the president into the residence for a guided tour. We are going to have all serving national assembly members, all members of the federal executive council, and of course, from the top-ranking position of the Senate President and the Deputy Senate President, the Deputy Chief of Staff will also be in attendance, and also the Julius Berger Team,” she announced.

    “These are the persons that are going to be accompanying Mr. President into this residence. There will be no press; there will be no coverage. This is the official residence of His Excellency, the Vice President; it is a private space.

    “Those who are going to be given the privilege to come along with him are those who have been so carefully chosen. I’d like to advise that we have no press, no coverage, no media”, she reportedly said.

    No media aide of the FCT minister was available for comment on the reactions of SERAP and other Nigerians to the N21 billion project and the exclusion of the media to the facility tour up to press time yesterday.