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Controversial relationship expert Blessing Okoro popularly known as Blessing CEO has stirred up debate with her recent statement on gender roles in relationships.
The controversial relationship expert took to social media to express her views on the traditional roles of men and women in a relationship.
In a post that has since gone viral, Blessing Okoro boldly stated that a woman’s primary role is to enjoy a man’s money, insinuating that men are inherently created to be the financial providers in relationships.
Blessing CEO calls out powerful men for silence on gender roles
She expressed disappointment in what she perceived as a lack of vocal support from powerful men on this matter, singling out “small small upcoming hustlers” for taking the lead in discussions on gender roles.
Okoro went on to invoke the biblical narrative of Adam and Eve, suggesting that God had initially designed men to be the providers while women were intended to be recipients of financial provision.
She questioned whether the shift in these roles occurred because women decided to start working and helping men in the workforce.
In her words;
”It actually hurts me the most that the men who are powerful hardly talk. It’s all these small small upcoming hustlers”
When God vested Adam, he had already out evething in place. Is it because women decided to start helping men and start working?”
“Men where born to work and to feed a woman, a woman’s job is to enjoy the money”
The controversial statement has ignited a flurry of reactions on social media.
“North is bleeding, military are killing us” – Popular Sokoto Cleric kicks over Kaduna bombing
AdminA renowned Sokoto-based Islamic scholar says the northern region has become ground zero for all manner of killings, crimes and other social vices.
The cleric said this in reaction to bombing of villagers during Maulud celebration at Tudun Biri village, Kaduna State, adding that the north is bleeding.
He stated that most of the accidental bombings happened in the northern region without a single one occurring in the Southern region.
In a video clip posted on social media, he said the northern region was at the mercy of existential threat engendered by deepening and perennial security crisis.
“It was not the first time the bombs were dropped on innocent people by security agencies, and they will claim it was a mistake. They once targeted IDPs in Borno. Same in Yobe, they also dropped a bomb in Nasarawa, and now it happened in Kaduna.
“Till date, the military has not made any error bombing in Southern or eastern parts of this country. It always happens in the north because of our lack of unity.
“North is bleeding, bandits kill us, hunger kills us, and the military that are supposed to protect us are also killing us. This is too much for us. Who do we report to if not Allah, and we are telling him to have mercy on us and protect us,” he said.
Shaikh Yabo also claimed that the killings persisted because the northern leaders were not united due to interests.
The Chief Operating Officer of the Fintech Association of Nigeria, Babatunde Obrimah, disclosed on Saturday that the Federal Government cannot stop cybercrime in Nigeria until the nation’s value system is addressed with sincerity.
He stated this in an interview with The PUNCH on the sidelines of the 2023 Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria annual dinner and award night, held at the Thikadol Event Centre and Hotels, on Ring Road in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Obrimah said, “Cybercrime is not peculiar to Nigeria. It is a global problem. But it has to do with our value system. To get rich quick syndrome. The young people see it in the leaders, and they also took that decision to get money because we celebrate money without looking at the source of the money.
“Nobody, even Federal Government cannot stop cybercrime. You can’t stop it. But you can reduce the impact by making sure that you do the right things. You can’t stop it because they are also coming up with new solution. As government is trying to block them, they are also looking into how to break into that. Someone sitting in North Korea can hack a bank in Brazil.
“It is a huge problem because in a day of manual banking, armed robbers attacked bullion van, they probably went away with N20 million, but someone can sit in his room and take N20 billion from another person’s account. So, it is a huge problem, and until we address our value systems, and actually we are able to ask ourselves questions, like this person is a civil servant, this person is a politician, even in the National Assembly, how much money do you earn that you should have this? So, we need to start this, we need to start checkmating ourselves. But is our value system work? Nobody cares. The guy has money, we celebrate,
“Until we address those value issues with sincerity, it is problem we are going to have. It is not a localised Nigerian problem. It is a global problem. It is just that we have a situation that a young people just see that as an opportunity to get rich quick, buy flashy cars, live in decent part of the city, wear designer clothes, and life is not about that.” He submitted.
Earlier in his welcome address, the state branch chairman, Taofik Omotoso, explained that the purpose of the annual event is to share ideas and prepare for the new year.
He said, “We are here as colleagues, as professionals, bankers, and friends to come together, interact, joke, talk, discuss and share ideas. It is an annual event where bankers gather together to wine and dine. Share ideas and feel happy, give glory to almighty God and prepare for the new year.”
In his remarks, the state governor, Seyi Makinde, whose message was delivered by the commissioner for budget and economic planning, Musibau Babatunde, appreciated the roles played so far by banks to make the dreams of his administration come to fruition.
He said, “You all know that there is nothing you can do in moving the state forward if the resources are not there for you to utilize. You can have lofty dreams and ideas but if the resources are not there for you to utilize, it will just collapse like a pack of rice. But over the set of years that we have been in government, any time we need to make use of resources for developmental projects in the state, banks are always available, they have been very supportive.”
No fewer than three artisanal miners have died while 11 others were injured when a mining pit collapsed in Dan Kamfani, Anka Local Government of Zamfara State.
According to an eyewitness who also works around the area, the incident happened on Thursday around 4 pm.
The eyewitness who pleaded anonymity because of security reasons told Channels Television on Saturday that three artisanal miners were confirmed dead while 11 others were critically injured.
He said the injured are currently receiving treatment at the Anka General Hospital
“The mining collapsed a few minutes to 4 pm on Thursday, we don’t know the exact number of people inside the mining pit, but three dead bodies were recovered, and 11 others are seriously wounded.
“The three people that died are from Yar Tsabaya district of Anka local government. Up till now, we don’t have the actual figure of the people inside, and we cannot confirm the number of people because the mining pit is about 275 meters deep,” he stated.
Zamfara is rich in solid minerals which include gold, iron ore, limestone, and granite, among others.
The Federal Government and the state government had banned any forms of mining activities and ordered security agencies to enforce the ban.
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Most of the artisanal miners operating in the state are operating without licences and permissions to explore minerals.
US President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden was indicted Thursday on nine charges including three felonies in part for allegedly dodging more than $1 million in taxes while living a hard-partying, “extravagant” life over four years.
The three felonies levelled against President Biden’s 53-year-old son — who faces a maximum penalty of 17 years in prison if convicted on all counts include one count of tax evasion for his 2018 personal taxes and two counts of filing a false return for his 2018 personal taxes and on a corporate income tax return for his company Owasco, PC.
He has also been hit with six misdemeanor counts of failure to pay and failure to file charges for the 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 tax years
“The Defendant engaged in a four-year scheme to not pay at least $1.4 million in self-assessed federal taxes he owed for tax years 2016 through 2019,” special counsel David Weiss wrote in the 56-page indictment out of the Central District of California.
“In furtherance of that scheme,” Weiss noted that Hunter “subverted the payroll and tax withholding process of his own company, Owasco, PC by withdrawing millions from Owasco, PC” and “spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills.”
Hunter spent his cash on “drugs, escorts and girlfriends, luxury hotels and rental properties, exotic cars, clothing, and other items of a personal nature, in short, everything but his taxes,” according to the indictment.
Weiss highlighted that Biden used a business line of credit to make more than $27,000 in payments to a porn site, “which in total accounted for one fifth of all of the business line of credit expenditures.”
The porn payments were among nearly $189,000 the first son spent on “adult entertainment” while not paying taxes, according to Weiss, including a $10,000 payment for a sex club membership that he expensed as a “golf club membership.”
He also claimed a false deduction for “consulting” that was “in truth and in fact” payments to “various women who were either romantically involved with or otherwise performing personal services” for Biden.
More than $680,000 went to these women while Biden wasn’t paying taxes.
“When he did finally file his 2018 returns, [Hunter] included false business deductions in order to evade assessment of taxes to reduce the substantial tax liabilities he faced as of February 2020,” the special counsel added.
Judge Mark Scarsi, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, has been assigned the case.
The scandal-scarred first son is already facing three felony counts related to false statements he made when purchasing a firearm. Weiss brought those charges against him in September, after a June plea deal fell apart in a Delaware courtroom.
Hunter has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He faces a maximum of 25 years in prison in the gun case.
IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley claims Biden avoided paying taxes on $8.3 million in income he received between 2014 and 2019, a period during which he sat on the board of the Ukrainian gas company Burisma Holdings and the Chinese private equity fund BHR Partners.
During the plea hearing, prosecutors noted to US District Judge Maryellen Noreika that the agreement did not preclude bringing charges against Biden later for other alleged crimes — such as possible violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Survivors of Sunday night bombing of Tudun Biri in Igabi local government area of Kaduna State have continued to lament how they lost their loved ones as a result of the bomb dropped by the Army during a Maulud celebration by the villagers.
Some of them told LEADERSHIP Weekend in tears that the trauma the incident has caused them is unimaginable, saying they have become widows, widowers and orphans all of a sudden.
A particular woman who could not even remember her name but later confirmed by her neighbour to be known as Hajia Hajaratu lost all her five children in the incident while some others lost their spouses, children and relatives.
A resident, Umar Yunusa, said his wife and two children were killed by the bomb and now he is left to carter alone for his last daughter.
“When we heard the sound of the bomb, we thought it was the sound of a loudspeaker when the first bomb dropped. Everywhere we turned, the ground was littered with flesh.
“I no longer have a wife and I lost two children. I also lost three of my siblings. There is no family that has not lost someone. We also lost visitors,” he said weeping.
According to him, a certain Bara’atu Abdullahi came to visit her mother and decided to join the Maulud adding that although she survived the bomb, she sustained injuries, but others around her were not so fortunate.
Another resident, Jemila Ahmed said two of her children died while she sustained injuries for which she was receiving treatment. She maintained that the situation is still like a dream to her.
“I was standing when I heard a loud sound. I fell and became unconscious because my two legs were badly affected and my two children, Mohammed (7-year-old) and Abubakar (5-year-old) were killed by the bomb who could only be identified through their clothes as the bombs dismembered them beyond recognition. I only identified them through their clothes,” she said in tears.
“Some were dismembered; hands and legs were cut off; some had burst stomachs,” she added.
She disclosed that one of her children was lucky but also sustained injury and they were both receiving treatments at the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital where most of the survivors were rushed to.
A 60-year-old survivor, Suleiman Umar lamented how they could be mistaken for bandits, stressing that the villagers gathered to commemorate the Maulud celebration, stressing that “we are not bandits but residents of Tudun Biri celebrating Maulud when we were attacked.”
He however said, “Bandits do come to our village but we always report strange faces to our district head. We don’t fraternise with them at all. There was a time we discovered one informant in our village. We disowned him and handed him over to the Army. We have nothing to do with bandits.
“I was eating that night when we were bombed. Many people died. We can hardly identify our children; some with burst bellies. They bombed us twice. After the first round of bombs, they came back to bomb us again.
“I ran into a deep forest where I slept till daybreak. We covered the dead with leaves. We separated the males from the females and covered them with leaves.”
For 35-year-old Zainab Alhassan, no fewer than 32 of her family members lost their lives. Some were stampeded running for their lives when they thought it was a bandit attack, adding that how she survived, even though with injuries, is still a surprise to her.
She said, “We are celebrating Maulud when the air strike occurred, killing many people. We never saw the jet that dropped the bomb. It was those who came from afar that saw the aircraft that dropped the bomb.
“We were only in a celebration mode. We thought those that attacked us were bandits. I do not know how I escaped. We lost 32 people in our family. There is another family that lost about 15 people to the attack too. Many people died. Even those that are rescuing people were also killed by the second bomb.
“About 82 corpses were counted and yesterday night, another victim died. There are families that don’t even know where members of their families are now. They are missing.”
The death toll from the drone air strike, which the authorities said was done in error, is at present put at over 100 with no fewer than 70 injured persons still receiving treatment.
When an actor, Bolanle Ninolowo, aka Nino B, posted a video of him walking hand-in-hand with an actress, Damilola Adegbite, during the week, he set tongues wagging as many insinuated that the duo might be in a relationship. That was particularly because the recently separated actor had posted a video of the both of them in a gym recently. Undoubtedly, both actors, who have had failed marriages, still turn heads with their stunning looks and captivating personality, and are very much sought after by members of the opposite sex. Saturday Beats takes a look at other entertainers in this category
Bolanle Ninolowo
There is no doubt that Bolanle Ninolowo, aka Nino B, is one of the male actors that many female fans find attractive. During the week, the recently separated actor posted a video of himself and actress, Damilola Adegbite, and added the caption, “That hateful energy— too pricey! Love don’t cost a thang”. This led to speculation among fans that the duo are now in a relationship.
Recall that Ninolowo recently got separated from Bunmi, his wife of 19 years. Announcing the end of the marriage, he had written on Instagram, “Finally, I accept the reality of the end to a road! My wife and I have decided to go our separate ways and headed for an irreconcilable marriage dissolution.
“Please respect our privacy and pray for us during this process as we heal and move on with our independent lives, while jointly taking care of what we love most— our children! God bless all.”
The couple had two kids before their separation.
Damilola Adegbite
An actress, Damilola Adegbite, got married to a Ghanaian actor, Chris Attoh, in 2015. She got engaged to Atto after they met on the set of the soap opera, ‘Tinsel’, in 2014. Their marriage later ended in 2017.
Adegbite had given an indication that all was not well with their union when she stopped using Attoh’s surname and deleted all photos of him from her social media account.
Adegbite, who finally opened up about the marriage crash in an interview with media personality, Jude Chinowo in 2021, noted that she had no regrets. She said, “Love is not enough. When you meet somebody and want to spend the rest of your life with them, love is just one of the qualities you need but it’s not everything. The only regard that I would have for him right now is that he’s the father of my son and of course, the past experiences. Because like I said to you before, I don’t regret anything. Everything that happened was for a reason.”
However, it is not in doubt, that the actress has not had a shortage of admirers, with some fans even stating their desires to date her.
Funke Akindele
Funke Akindele is one woman who is loved by many, especially as she has set exemplary standards in the film industry through her numerous achievements.
She got married to a songwriter, rapper and director, Abdulrasheed Bello, aka JJC Skillz, in May 2016. The couple later welcomed twin boys in December 2018. However, their marriage hit the rocks in June 2022.
Informing fans that they had separated, JJC Skillz wrote on Instagram, “Dear friends and family, I need to let you know that Funke and I have separated. While it lasted, we shared a lot of things and have created two beautiful children. The last two years have been extremely difficult for us. I know I have tried my best to fix things but I believe it is beyond repair now.”
Meanwhile, that was the actress’ second marriage. Her first marriage had ended in a similar manner when her then-husband, Kehinde Oloyede, announced the separation between himself and the actress via a Facebook post in 2013, after about a year of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences.
The actress has obviously moved on and has continued to break new grounds in her film and political careers. Many would also give an arm and a leg to be in a relationship with her.
Osas Ighodaro
A popular actress and TV host, Osas Ighodaro, does not hesitate to flaunt her sexy body and eloquence, especially when on the red carpet, and this has won her the admiration of many fans.
Ighodaro got married to a fellow actor, Gbenro Ajibade, in July 2015 and their wedding was attended by many celebrities. Unfortunately, the marriage barely lasted four years, as the duo went their separate ways in 2019. Since then, the actress has continued to put in much energy in her career.
Tonto Dikeh
Actress, Tonto Dikeh, met her ex-husband, Olakunle Churchill, in 2014 at Escape Nightclub, Lagos. Dikeh became pregnant six months after they started dating and they got married in August 2015 in her hometown in Rumukani, Rumukwuta, Rivers State. In 2016, they had a son together but unfortunately divorced the following year.
Though the marriage ended controversially, Tonto Dikeh did not let that affect her looks. The actress has remained the dream girl of many male fans, and she was in another well-publicised relationship with a socialite, Prince Kpokpogri, which crashed in controversial circumstances in 2022.
Kate Henshaw
Kate Henshaw is 52 years old but her looks belie her age as she has done a great job of keeping herself fit despite her age. Henshaw cares deeply for herself and this has made her attractive to many fans.
Henshaw tied the knot with her British husband, Roderick Nuttal, in 1999 and they welcomed a daughter the following year. However, the couple got divorced in 2011.
Yvonne Jegede
Actress, Yvonne Jegede, got married to her ex-husband, Kunle Fawole, aka Abounce, in February 2017. The couple welcomed a son in November of the same year. Jegede and Fawole later went their separate ways two years after in 2019.
In an interview with actress Mercy Johnson in 2022, Jegede noted that even though the burden of being a single parent was a heavy one to carry, she was grateful for the experience regardless.
Tiwa Savage
Tiwatope Savage got married to entertainment executive, Tunji Balogun, popularly known as Tee Billz, in November 2013 at the Ark Event Centre, Lekki, Lagos. However, their marriage crashed in April 2016 amid accusations of infidelity from both parties. The couple had a child together.
Despite their differences, Tee Billz has hailed Savage for being a super mum to their son, Jamal. He wrote on social media, “When I see what other men go through, I can’t help but count my blessings. Forever grateful to Mama J for making my relationship so full of love. Even when I can’t afford, she still presents me as a superman to my twin (Jamal). Being a single mum is a heck of a job. Grateful and Blessed. Highly appreciative, Titi.”
Similarly, many fans admire the popular singer for her beauty, charisma and style.
Toke Makinwa
A media personality, Toke Makinwa, married her ex-husband, Maje Ayida, in January 2014 after they had dated for eight years. However, in 2015, she separated from Ayida after discovering that he had impregnated his ex-girlfriend. Their marriage was officially dissolved by a Lagos High Court on October 5, 2017, on the grounds that Ayida committed adultery. Not long after the divorce, Makinwa published a book titled, ‘On Becoming’, where she detailed her experiences in the marriage.
Meanwhile, Tokstarr, as she is fondly called by friends and fans, has earned the admiration of male and female fans alike, who are drawn to her flashy lifestyle. She also has a figure that makes outfits look good on her.
Ini Edo
Iniobong Edo, aka Ini Edo, is no doubt a talented actress. The screen goddess got married to Philip Ehiagwina in 2008. However, the marriage ended after six years.
Years later, Edo had her first child through surrogacy in 2021.
She had also described her time being married as wasteful, adding that she regretted the decision. In an interview with a media personality, Chude Jidenowo, in 2023, she said, “Yes, I regretted getting married because it wasn’t the right time, but if the right person comes, I’ll do it again and if it doesn’t, then I’m good.”
IK Ogbonna
Many female fans undoubtedly have their eyes on actor and model, Ikechukwu Ogbonna. Despite his failed marriage, the actor has said that he is still open to giving matrimony another shot. In an earlier interview with The PUNCH, the actor had said, “For me, the doors are still very open but, probably in life you know you tend to look out for certain things and qualities in a woman because you don’t want to have a divorce twice. I am going to get married again but it’s going to be with someone with particular characteristics and personality that I can hold on to if the worst comes to worst”.
IK Ogbonna got married to Sonia Morales in 2015 but the duo went their separate ways in 2019.
Broadcasting company Multichoice has jacked up the prices of its offerings in Nigeria days after announcing a $72m loss in its financial statement for the third quarter of the year.
Checks on the company’s reviewed price list showed a 20 per cent per cent hike in the company’s packages across the board.
With the latest price hike, the DStv Premium package increased by 20.4 per cent from N24,500 to N29,500. Similarly, the DStv Compact+ has gone up by 19.2 per cent from N16,600 to N19,800 while the Compact package increased by 19 per cent, from N10,500 to N12,500.
The Comfam package moved up by 19.2 per cent from N6,200 to N7,400. The latest hike made it the second time the company would implement an upward review of prices within a six-month period.
In May, Multichoice had jacked up the prices of its offerings. During this round of price hikes, the DStv Premium package increased by 16.7 per cent (N3,500) from N21,000 to N24,500.
Similarly, the DStv Compact+ package had gone up by 16.5 per cent (N2,350) from N14,250 to N16,600. The DStv Compact package also rose by 16.7 per cent from N9,000 to N10,500. The DStv Confam package, previously priced at N5,300, went up by 17 per cent to N6,200.
Confirming the latest hike, a spokesperson in the company who preferred to speak anonymously blamed the harsh business environment for the hike.
According to the source, the company had to grapple with the devastating consequences of the continued devaluation of the naira, alongside a vast array of challenges including taxation, logistics, among others.
The source said, “Yes. We have increased our rates. We buy content in dollars but earn in naira. If we take off a channel or stop acquiring content that our customers are used to, we will be slammed.
“We buy diesel. We pay taxes. Even before this year, with the dollar and fuel subsidy removal. We pay billions in licensing fees. We operate several offices. We have to pay staff.”
The latest hike comes after Multichoice reported a third consecutive semi-annual loss, attributing its financial challenges to foreign exchange difficulties in Nigeria and persistent power outages in South Africa.
A popular actress, Mercy Aigbe, has recalled that she almost left the industry over sexual harassment.
In an interview with ‘Your Views’, a talk show on TVC, she said, “I once met a producer in Surulere, and I expressed to him how much I would love to act. He told me he had an upcoming film, and invited me to his office for an audition. I passed three stages of the audition. After the last audition, I was given a minor role. I told him that was not the character I was auditioning for, and he replied that the director said he did not know me, and that was why he said I should be close to him (the producer).
“He had been making passes at me before then, but he did not come out clean to me until that day. He then stood up and tried to touch me. I was very upset, and I told him he could not do that to me, because I had earned the role. That was a huge insult to my person, and I thought if that was what it took to be an actress, I did not want to be an actress anymore. I tore the script and eventually left. On my way home, I cried because I had left a well-paying job to join Nollywood, and I was already a single mother at the time.”
She added that though she had other challenges in the industry, she made her way to the top through consistency.
PZ Cussons has published the list of its shareholders with unclaimed dividends, with about 61,628 shareholders featured on this list.
According to a corporate filing on the NGX website, the company noted that the list was published on its website instead of in newspapers due to the sheer number of shareholders with unclaimed dividends.
Affected members are strongly urged to engage with the registrars, First Registrars & Investor Services Limited.
They are requested to ensure their records are current and to inform the Registrars of any updated information, notably their bank account details for dividend disbursements.
What you should know
In August this year at the 2nd Capital Market Committee briefing, the Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Lamido Yuguda, noted that unclaimed dividends in Nigeria were in the region of N190 billion.
He also noted that the SEC was working with NIBSS to make some upgrades to the electronic dividend portal.
He said,
- “We are working very hard to ensure we reduce the number of unclaimed dividends and this is why we are upgrading the e-dividend portal with NIBSS to restore investors’ dividends and reduce unclaimed dividends and we reiterate that every person, who has come to the capital market and invested money, should be able to get his dividends as and when due.”
At the same meeting, Dayo Obisan, the Executive Commissioner of Operations at the SEC lamented that despite efforts to get investors to input correct bank details and information and claim their dividends, some kept inputting wrong details.
In January 2023, PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc paid out about N4 billion in dividends to its shareholders, with dividends set at N1.01/share.
PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc has also been in the news recently due to its announced plans to delist from the NGX and go private.
Majority shareholder, PZ Cusson (Holding) Limited had announced a N23 per share buyout price for the minority shareholders, however, this is yet to be approved by the shareholders.
This was after the initial buyout price of N21/share was rejected by shareholders.
[Nairametrics]
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President Bola Tinubu has expressed optimism on the prospect of increased investments from Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), saying his administration was ready to remove bottlenecks to attract investments.
He emphasised Nigeria’s long-term relationship with the company, which discovered the first commercial oil field at Oloibiri in the Niger Delta in 1956.
Receiving the management of Shell Group led by its Global Integrated Gas and Upstream Director, Ms. Zoe Yujnovich, the president in a statement by presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, said his administration would continue to ensure the security and viability of existing and new investments in the country.
“We have made progress since our last meeting. I will continue to support and encourage you on this path. There is no doubt that there is a significant focus on investment in and around the continent. I am spearheading Nigeria’s global march for new investments at home.
“In view of our long-term relationship that has been established over the years, we want you to do more, and we are ready to encourage you in every way possible.
“We are very focused on resolving all investment-related issues. There is no bottleneck that is too difficult for us to remove in our determined march toward making Nigeria the African haven for large-scale investment in all key sectors. We need each other,” the president told the delegation.
In her remarks on behalf of the Shell Group, Ms. Yujnovich expressed Shell’s commitment to maintain its legacy of investments in Nigeria, particularly as the company refocuses its investment to key into new and existing opportunities in the deepwater and gas sectors.
She outlined the company’s dedication to the development of the gas value chain in the country, including a substantial commitment of $1 billion over the next five to 10 years aimed at unlocking gas resources for domestic use and the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) project.
Ms. Yujnovich announced an imminent $5 billion investment opportunity in the Bonga North project off the shores of Nigeria, located in the deep water.
She expressed Shell’s eagerness to proceed with this investment and outlined several prospective investments that Shell Group is eyeing in Nigeria over the short to medium term. She commended the collaboration her team has experienced with the minister of state for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri and the special sdviser to the president on energy, Olu Verheijen, while acknowledging their roles in achieving significant progress in actualising the potential of these projects as well as others.
“Mr. President, I want to be successful in my role, and I cannot be successful in my role unless I can find a way to bring more new investments to Nigeria.
“I have made commitments to our investors that we will continue to invest in gas and oil. In Nigeria, I see all the conditions to continue to make this partnership stronger. In the deep water, we have an imminent investment opportunity in Bonga North. This is $5 billion. I am really keen to make that investment as soon as possible. We want to continue and build a pipeline of new investments in Nigeria,” she said.
[Leadership]
Nigerians now live like prisoners in their own homes. In major cities and towns, including rural communities, people’s homes are barricaded with corrugated iron sheets as burglary proofs on windows and doors.
Sometimes, the iron rods used in constructing some of the burglary proofs are even of a higher gauge than the ones used in the regular prisons across the country.
But even with such iron protectors already fixed on the windows and doors, Nigerians still feel insecure in their homes.
So, they go on to complement the burglary proofs with very high walls and gates that make it impossible for air to even penetrate into the compound freely. It also becomes practically impossible for outsiders to see or know what goes on in such compounds. They do all of those to provide security over their lives and property.
At a time when kidnapping for ransom, and sometimes for ritual purposes, has become the norm, the people are no longer treating the issue of their personal security with levity.
They are not even satisfied with the personal security gadgets already fixed in their homes, they have also gone ahead to mount gates on the streets. They also employ private security guards or community vigilantes to guard such streets or estate gates just to ward off unwanted persons from gaining access.
In some areas, they even install CCTV cameras for aerial security surveillance of the vicinity. And this practice cuts across every city, as well as in most rural communities in Nigeria.
Checks by DAILY POST revealed in the 1960’s, 70’s and up to early 80s, people built houses without burglary proofs or walls. What obtained then were low fences whose height never exceeded three feet. Added to the three-foot block fence is about two-foot wire gauze, bringing the entire height to about five feet to allow free passage into the entire compound. It also afforded people outside the rare opportunity to see the aesthetics of the building and what was happening in those compounds. There were no street gates at all in those days. But today, the story is different.
The craze to provide burglary proofs in people’s homes in Nigeria became prominent in the late 1980’s and since then, it has continued as part of building designs, first in cities and later in towns and villages.
Today, it has become a norm. In fact, it is an anathema for someone to build a house without burglary proof, be it in the city or rural community. The street gates are also novel in the sense that they also became prominent in the last couple of years.
The cause of this novel development can be traced to a cocktail of factors- chief among them being the people’s loss of confidence in the ability of the security agents to provide adequate security for their lives and property. However, such a bold step is not without some bitter pills.
Just in September, the family of Odioye was in mourning following the death of their 12-year-old son, Dominion, who died in the hospital after he was trapped in the holes of the burglar-proof door of their house.
According to reports, the incident, which happened at No. 4, Ilu Agbado in Ogun State, occurred when the deceased minor folded two curtain materials and turned them into a swing on the bars.
However, what started as a swing play, according to reports, turned ugly when the 12-year-old boy became trapped in-between the holes of the burglar-proof bars at the entrance of their apartment and became worn out while trying to free himself.
The deceased’s mother, identified as Justina, who met her son trapped between the bars, was said to have called for help, but the boy had become unconscious before he was removed from the bars. He was later confirmed “dead on arrival” by the doctor on duty at the hospital he was rushed to for treatment.
Confirming the incident in a statement, the Ogun State Police Spokesman, Omolola Odutola said: “Burglar-proof bars like that have now been outlawed.
“We want parents to avoid them. They need to ensure the safety of their children when using burglar-proof bars in their homes. They can use alternative protection. Burglar-proof doors with holes should not be used when kids are in the house.”
However, there are several other incidents where families have perished in fire incidents inside their apartment because they could not find keys to the burglary proof doors and they could not break through the security gadgets. And even when neighbours come to rescue such victims, it becomes very difficult to pull down the burglary proof doors or windows and most often, so many have died in the process of trying to break in and help them.
A cross section of Nigerians, who reacted to the desirability or otherwise of burglary proofs in homes, as well as the street gates, agreed that it is counter-productive. They argued that apart from caging Nigerians into prison-like living styles, it has also predisposed them to avoidable dangers of losing their lives in case of emergency situations.
Just recently, in the Ago area of Lagos, a pregnant woman went into labour in the middle of the night and when her husband wanted to rush her to the nearby hospital, the street gate prevented him. It was said that when he got to the street gate, the security men who were supposed to be manning the post were nowhere to be found and the gate was locked.
He made frantic efforts before he could locate the men. He was lucky that his wife did not die; but, what about those who have lost their wives or babies in similar circumstances?
Reacting to the development, a property lawyer, Marcellus Onah said the need to provide security over lives and property, which according to him has not been forthcoming from the country’s security agents, was a major contributory factor. He believes that the people should not be blamed because they were responding to the dynamics of the society.
He told DAILY POST: “The population of people that are jobless far outweighs those that are working. Do you know that in Nigeria today, one person that works has no less than 30 persons who depend on him or her?
“So, people put iron protectors on their windows and doors to prevent robbers from attacking them because very many people who are jobless have taken to crime for survival. People want safety and that is why they resort to all those safety measures.
“When robbers enter your house and you don’t have money to give to them, they will kill you. To avoid such untimely death, you find people putting different kinds of iron protectors on their windows and doors.”
He made reference to what obtains in the United States of America where one of his friends resides, saying, “My friend who lives in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, told me that people don’t fence their houses, not to talk of putting iron protectors on their windows and doors. That is because there is proper security and people have jobs to do.
“So, they would not break into anybody’s house to steal. They could indulge in things like drug peddling and consumption, but not steal to feed because the government provides for them to be able to, at least, feed.”
Mr Onah does not believe that the development should be blamed on the security agents.
He argued that in a situation where over 70 percent of the youth population is unemployed, not even the American police could guarantee security in such an environment.
“Security agents are not the problem here; I wouldn’t say we have poor or inefficient security agents here. In a situation where 70 percent of the population is jobless and hungry, crime is inevitable and there is nothing the security agents can do to stop them.
“Even in the USA, if 70 percent of their youth population is idle due to unemployment, there is nothing their security agents can do to prevent crime. I know that in Lagos, it is estimated that one police officer mans about 4000 people.
“If the 4000 people are idle, how can one policeman control them, but if they are engaged, it will be easy for one policeman to watch over them, because the policeman will simply go and sleep.
“So, everything boils down to our government. The government should improve our economy and provide jobs for the teeming unemployed people in this country.
“I know the government cannot provide jobs for everybody, but there are policies that can be put in place to enable small and medium scale enterprises to thrive and create jobs. That enabling environment should be there so that the private sector could provide jobs because the rate of unemployment is alarming,” he submitted.
In spite of all the dangers inherent in the practice, Mr Onah believes that people will always build fences around their houses and provide burglary proof on their doors and windows.
For a retired naval officer, Uchenna Ozor, people no longer believe that God could secure them.
He argued that they believe so much that their wealth and influence could provide them the security they need, adding that it had not always been the case.
“I can say that security is good and very important, but the most important security is in Christ Jesus. Why many people opt for their own personal security which doesn’t even work most times is because they don’t have confidence in the God they serve. They believe that with money, wealth and influence, they can secure their lives.
“But, what about the common man, who doesn’t have access to acquire those gadgets? This leads to impunity in the sense that people will go to any length to make money either by hook or crook to provide personal securities. And at the end of the day, it will be to the detriment of the masses,” he told DAILY POST.
He doesn’t believe in barricading people’s homes with burglary proof because according to him, it amounted to living in bondage.
He believes that the best way of providing security is for Nigerians to go back to God and live honest lifestyles.
He said: “Everything that has advantages equally has disadvantages. The security that you put in place, which does not allow free movement in case of emergency, is like bondage. If you build skyscrapers believing that you are secured, don’t you travel on the road?
“So, what I will advise is for people to go back to God and live an honest life. If you don’t have any skeletons in your cupboard, you won’t be thinking of all those things. The first security is to secure your body and soul in Christ Jesus and every other thing will be added unto you. The physical security will manifest because the Bible says if God does not watch over the city, the watchman watches in vain.”
He agreed that a man, who puts a burglary proof in his house, does so to secure his life but at the same time, he is at risk.
To buttress this line of thought, he said: “If an armed robber invades your house, he will steal; he may not kill everybody in the house but if there is a fire outbreak and people cannot be rescued because of the burglary gadgets in place, the entire family will be wiped out.
“So, it becomes a question of which alternative is better? And in this case, the alternative of no burglary proof is less risky as far as I am concerned.”
Also baring her mind on the subject, Rev Gertrude Ike also went spiritual, when she said: “The word of the Lord says if God does not watch over a city, the watchman watches in vain.”
She attributed the development to the fact that everybody needs safety because everybody lives in fear due to the high rate of crime, resulting from high unemployment rate.
She also made reference to other countries where, according to her, “There is no burglary proof on the windows and doors. They are like that in case of emergency, but here, it is the other way round because everybody is afraid of armed robbers.”
Decrying the situation, she again went spiritual, saying, “It is not fair for us to continue putting ourselves in prison because there is no safety in that. Our leaders have failed us. In the book of Joshua chapter six verses 15 to 16, you see how God allowed the walls of Jericho to fall.
“If we rely on God, we don’t need all these. We need to come back to God who is a strong tower. He protects us because He is the only man that can secure our lives. Every security belongs to God and I want to say again that our leaders have failed us.
“When you go to other countries, you see what I am saying. If they can go back to God and ask for wisdom like Solomon did, things will change for better.”
She also absolved the police but blamed the government squarely for the ugly trend.
“Our policemen are competent but they are being neglected. They know what to do but they are handicapped. I can’t blame the police because they are well trained but the government has failed to do the necessary thing.
“The youths are jobless. In other countries, as a student, you have a job, and as soon as you are through with your studies, you also have a job, but here, the reverse is the case.
“So, until the government rises to its responsibilities, barricading our individual homes with burglary proofs and high-rising walls will not solve the problem,” she told DAILY POST.
However, for Mrs Chinyere Anokwuru, the trend is very dangerous.
She buttressed her point with a case of her friend who lost her father in a fire incident that gutted their apartment because the burglary proof didn’t allow them to escape in good time.
She narrated to DAILY POST thus: “I have a friend whose house caught fire. They had the keys to the padlock but while the fire was raging, it affected the padlock and it became so stiff that when they wanted to insert the key into the padlock, it couldn’t penetrate. They were trapped in the fire. They had to go behind to break the less strong iron protector before they escaped.
“Unfortunately, her father died in the incident. He was not strong enough to escape through the opportunity they eventually created. They sustained serious injuries during the incident.”
She also corroborated the fact that there is no burglary proof in people’s houses in countries like the US because there is security.
She said: “The trend is very dangerous but I know people resort to that because we don’t have good security in this country. If we have good security in place, then we won’t have any need for burglary proof in our homes.
“Personally, I am not very comfortable with it, even though I have it in my house. I feel so bad and I pray that nothing that will result in an emergency happens in my home, otherwise only God knows.”
Accepting that the situation as it is today is a necessary evil, she also said: “Be that as it may, we can only do away with it if we have good security in place.
“There are so many miscreants that can burgle your house when you are not around. There are no police, no cameras and all that. We need to do away with this burglary proof of a thing if our government can put adequate security measures in place.”
On the issue of security gates on the streets across major cities, she described it as a welcome development, as according to her, it prevents ‘area boys’ from taking undue advantage of free access to steal and cause trouble.
“As for the security gates on the streets, they are okay. They will ward off some criminals who loiter around the street looking for houses to burgle.
“So, I will say we need to do away with burglary proofs in the homes but leave the street gates because they are necessary,” she submitted.
[DailyPost]
No fewer than 416 unarmed citizens have been killed by accidental airstrikes of the Nigerian military within the space of 9 years in 16 communities located in the northern region of the country, findings by Daily Trust Saturday have revealed.
Although the military high command and the Nigerian Air Force had consistently maintained that there was no way collateral damage won’t occur at a time an asymmetric warfare is ongoing, stakeholders disagreed, saying many of the cases were avoidable.
The stakeholders, who spoke on different incidents, argued that collateral damage happened when there is crossfire between the troops of the military on warfront and the enemies, noting that such situations are understandable.
They also maintained that the number of casualties involved won’t be of that magnitude if the troops had carried out their intelligence and operations as expected.
Dates of incidents compiled from reported cases between 2014 and 2023 showed that many innocent children and women top the number of casualties, a development several organisations like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch among others have condemned.
Further findings showed that such number of innocent souls killed in ‘error’ by military airstrikes as tracked by Daily Trust Saturday, excluded unreported cases. This because they took place in remote locations and went unreported by the media.
Specifically, on March 16, 2014, at least 10 innocent citizens lost their lives in Kayamla village of Borno State when airstrikes targeting terrorists misfired.
Almost 3 years after the Kayamla village incident, precisely on January 17, 2017, 53 internally displaced persons were struck dead by the same military airstrikes at Rann camp, also in Borno State. Some international organisation put the death figure at 115 and more than 100 injured.
Similarly, Daglun community in Borno lost 20 civilians on February 28, 2018 to the same type of airstrikes.
In Zamfara, North West region of the country, in Ajia community, located at Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of the state, no fewer than 11 persons lost their lives to the same military airstrikes on April 11, 2019.
The data also revealed that in Gajigana village and Mainok, all in Borno State, on July 2, 2019 and April 25, 2021 recorded 13 civilian casualties and 30 soldiers respectively due airstrikes from the troops of the Nigerian Air Force.
In the same vein, on September 16, 2021, nine farmers were struck dead in Buwari village in Yobe State by air troops going after terrorists in the area, while 20 fishermen at Kwatar Daban Mascara in Borno State also lost their lives on September 26, the same year.
Further checks showed that six children were among the casualties recorded at Kuragba community, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State on April 20 last year, while two casualties were recorded on July 6, the same year at Kunkunni village, Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State, due to airstrike.
At least, 60 people were also struck dead on December 17 last year at Mutunji community, Dausadau Emirate in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
In the North Central region, 18 and 40 persons were lost in Galkogo community, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, and Rukubi community, Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State on January 24 and 25 respectively.
Before the latest Tundun Biri incident, it was also reported that one woman was killed in an airstrike at Kwaki village, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State in August this year, while three people were also killed on March 3 at Sabon Gida village, Fatika district Giwa of Kaduna State.
Pay compensation to victims on time, expert tells FG, military
Commenting on the different cases that happened, an intelligence and security expert, Abubakar Umar Garba, advised the federal government to hasten up payment of compensation to victims of Kaduna bombing.
Garba noted that doing so as soon as possible would, to a certain extent, assuage the suffering and grief of the relatives of the victims, describing the incident as disheartening.
“Inasmuch as the deed is already done, the federal government and the military high command should not pay lip-service to the compensation matter they talked about. They should do everything possible to ensure that it is timely, to avoid unwarranted occurrences.
“I want to also counsel them to let this type of incident be the last because if this continues, it may snowball to what all of us are not praying for,” he told Daily Trust Saturday in a telephone interview.
Learn from your errors, military cautioned
On his part, a security sector reform expert, Chukwuma Ume, cautioned the military high command not to always sweep this type of incident under the carpet.
He argued that it is imperative that the military learnt from the error by conducting a full enquiry, a post-mortem analysis and bring a certain innovation into the armed forces.
“The truth of the matter is that it is not peculiar to Nigeria. Let’s establish that. It can happen anywhere. The issue is: If it happens, is there a denial or acceptance? From what is on ground, there is an acceptance on the part of the Nigerian Army.
“It is like heaven is a deep-blue sea, to strike or not to strike. Remember the one that happened in Nasarawa. When they see people in the bush in large numbers, at times they want to be pre-emptive and they will strike, only for them to realise that they have struck the wrong people.
“The solution to incidents like that is what they were being told during training, which is to be precise in their intelligence gathering, and to triangulate it.
“Our problem here in Nigeria is that if it happens, we will talk about it for one week, two weeks, and we will sweep it under the carpet. This should be an opportunity for them to review air operations and try to fine-tune it.”
In a statement on December 6 shortly after the Kaduna incident, the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Office spokesperson, Seif Magango noted, “While we note that the authorities have termed the civilian deaths as accidental, we call on them to take all feasible steps in the future to ensure that civilians and civilian infrastructure are protected in consistence with Nigeria’s international law obligations.
“They must review the rules of engagement and standard operating procedures to ensure that such incidents do not happen again.
“We are particularly alarmed by reports that the strike was based on the “pattern of activities” of those at the scene, which was wrongly analysed and misinterpreted. There are serious concerns as to whether the so-called “pattern of life” strikes sufficiently comply with international law.
“We urge the Nigerian authorities to thoroughly and impartially investigate all alleged violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law, including deaths and injuries from air force strikes, and hold those found responsible to account. The government should also provide victims of any unlawful strikes and their families with adequate reparations,” he said.
Mukhtar Ismail, another security expert, lamented that the Nigerian government rarely fulfills its promises.
“Is there any record that all the victims that die as a result of airstrike in the last 10 years have been compensated in line with global best practices? I don’t think so.
“In most cases, families of victims only get foodstuff and peanuts and that is all. They are mostly left to continue licking their wounds, and this is not the way to go. There must be compensation; there must be empathy. They should be made to believe that indeed, the attacks were not deliberate.
“President Tinubu should empanel a committee and revisit all previous cases of ill-fated airstrikes against innocent civilians, and they should be compensated,” he said.
Apart from calls for reparation by prominent northern groups like the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, Fityanul Islam, among other notable voices, the Arewa Consultative Forum, on Thursday, demanded the removal of the General Officer Commanding One Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Major-General V.U. Okoro over the accidental bombing of Tudun Biri.
In a statement issued by its national publicity secretary, Prof Tukur Muhammad, the ACF called for the removal of some army officers in Kaduna to ensure thorough investigation.
It stated, “The General Officer Commanding One Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna, along with his immediate subordinate officers, should be redeployed to allow for unfettered investigation.
“As a trite principle of justice, One Division of the Nigerian Army must not, and should not be allowed to investigate itself. An independent panel of investigators is clearly indicated. Further, the results of the investigation must be made public, issues that border on national security considerations excepted.
“The defence headquarters should retract its needless statement. The Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces in particular should take steps to ensure that such incidents are avoided or contained to the barest minimum humanly possible.
“The federal government must take responsibility for full compensation to all victims of Tudun Biri. The gesture should also be extended to victims from all previous such incidents.”
Recall that Vice President Kashim Shettima, who was in Kaduna on Thursday on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, had said that the government would get to the root of the incident.
“All measures will be taken to ensure that future occurrences are averted. The government will go to the root of the issue and anyone found culpable will be punished accordingly,” he had said.
[DailyTrust]
A Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos on has ordered an alleged Ponzi scheme operator, Bamise Ajetunmobi, to deposit the sum of N5 billion into the court’s Deputy Chief Registrar (DCR) account, as part of his bail conditions.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke also ordered the Ponzi scheme operator to deposit his international traveling passport with the court’s DCR.
The judge made the orders while ruling on the bail application of the defendant.
The defendant alongside his company, Imagine Global Solution Limited, were charged before before the court on amended 35 counts charge of conspiracy, and obtaining the sum of N15 billion, by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
Both the Ponzi scheme operator and his company were rearraigned before the court on Thursday, on the charges.
The prosecutor, Mrs. Kehinde Bode-Ayeni, an Assistant Chief State Counsel, in the AGF’s told the court, while re-arraigning the defendant told the court that the defendant committed the offences between February 2018 to December 2022, at his office complex located at plot 29a, Adebisi Ogunniyi Crescent, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
Mrs. Bode-Ayeni also told the court that among those allegedly defrauded by the defendant and the amounts he defrauded them were: Abioye Idiris, N3. 5 billion; Chikezie Nowokocha (April Breakthrough Ventures) N1. 760,740 billion; Edith Agu and her three friends, N236,500 million; and Mr. Peter Okonye and his wife, Mrs. Thelma Okonye, N1. 2 billion, and 31 others.
She told the court that the alleged offences contravened sections 8(a) and 1(1)(a) of the advance fee fraud and other fraud related offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 8 and 8 read in conjunction with section 1(3) of the same Act.
However, the defendant has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges, consequently, Justice Aneke took arguments on the bail application yesterday while adjourned the ruling ot it today.
Ruling on the bail application today, Justice Aneke, after citing plethoras of legal authorities examined the submissions made both by the prosecutor and the defendant’s lawyer, held “that the prosecutor had made a credible submission that the defendant is a ‘flight risk’, as he was arrested by the interpol at Ivory Coast, but bail is his constitutional rights.”
The judge consequently ordered the defendant to deposit the sum of N5 billion to the court’s DCR’s and also to deposit his international traveling passport.
The judge thereafter, adjourned the matter till March 13 and 14, 2024, for commencement of trial.
Some of the charges against the defendant reads: “That you, Imagine Global Solutions Ltd of Plot 29(a), Adebisi Ogunniyi Crescent, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, Lagos State, Bamise Samson Ajetunmobi ‘M’, the Managing Director of Imagine Global Solutions Ltd and others (now at large), sometimes in December, 2018 and 2022, at Lagos, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while acting as investors, did, with the intent to defraud, obtained a total sum of N3,500,000,000.00 (Three Billion five hundred Million Naira) at different times, from Abioye Idiris on the pretext that you were going to invest the money for him and remit some percentage of the total sum to him on monthly basis as interest while the principal sum would be returned to him in full at the end of the tenure, a representation which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance fee fraud and other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
“That you, Imagine Global Solutions Ltd of Plot 29(a), Adebisi Ogunniyi Crescent, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, Lagos State, Bamise Samson Ajetunmobi ‘M’, the Managing Director of Imagine Global Solutions Ltd and others (now at large), sometimes between December 2020 and July, 2021, at Lagos, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while acting as investors, did, with the intent to defraud, obtained a total sum of N1,760,740,000.00(One Billion, Seven Hundred and Sixty Million, Seven hundred and Forty thousand Naira) at different times, from Chikezie Nowokocha (April Breakthrough Ventures), on the pretext that you were going to invest the money for him and remit some percentage of the total sum to him on monthly basis as interest, while the principal sum would be returned to him in full at the end of the tenure, a representation which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance fee fraud and other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
“That you, Imagine Global Solutions Ltd of Plot 29(a), Adebisi Ogunniyi Crescent, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, Lagos State, Bamise Samson Ajetunmobi ‘M’, the Managing Director of Imagine Global Solutions Ltd and others (now at large),sometimes between the period of April, to September, 2021, at Lagos, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while acting as investors, did, with the intent to defraud, obtained a total sum of N236, 500, 000.00 (Two Hundred and Thirty Six Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) at different times, from Edith Agu and her three friends, on the pretext that you were going to invest the money for them and remit some percentage of the money to them as ‘interest’ monthly, while the principal sum would be returned to them in full at the end of the tenure, a representation which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance fee fraud and other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
“That you, Imagine Global Solutions Ltd of Plot 29(a), Adebisi Ogunniyi Crescent, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, Lagos State, Bamise Samson Ajetunmobi ‘M’, the Managing Director of Imagine Global Solutions Ltd and others (now at large),sometimes between December 2020 and July, 2021, at Lagos, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while acting as investors, did, with the intent to defraud, obtained a total sum of N1, 200, 000, 000. 00 (One Billion, Two Hundred Million Naira) at different times, from MR. Peter Okonye, his wife, Mrs. Thelma Okonye and others, on the pretext that you were going to invest the money for them and remit some percentage of the money to them as interest monthly, while the principal sum would be returned to them on maturity or end of the tenure, a representation which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance fee fraud and other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”