FG Freezes $37m Worth Of Cryptocurrency Traced To Suspected #EndBadGovernace Protest Organizers
AFOLABI
The Federal government has frozen more than $37 million worth of cryptocurrency held in wallets believed to be owned by some organisers of #EndBadGovernance protests.
Premiumtimes reports that the freezing of the wallets followed an order granted by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja on August 9.
The judge issued the order based on an application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). In the ex parte application filed on August 8 and heard by the court on the following day, the EFCC described the assets as proceeds of money laundering and terrorism financing.
There was no objection to the application during the hearing, which was proceeded like an exchange of views between the judge and EFCC’s lawyer, O.S Ujam.
“That an order of this honourable court is hereby made freezing the wallet addresses/accounts stated in the schedule below, which wallets are owned by individuals currently being investigated for offences of money laundering and terrorism financing, pending the conclusion of the investigation,” Mr Nwite ruled shortly after listening to the EFCC’s lawyer.
The wallet with the lion’s share of the assets has USDT37 million (USDT37,061,867,869.3) cryptocurrency, which equals the exact value in American US dollars.
Each of the three other wallets has USDT967, USDT90, and USDT443,512.37, respectively. The EFCC did not reveal the identities of the wallet owners in its application but the federal government however linked them to suspected organisers of the #EndBadGovernance protests.
The Anambra State Government, through the Ministry of Women and Social Welfare and Security Operatives, has apprehended a 34-year-old man, identified as Chukwudi Okoye, for defiling a 10-year-old girl.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the suspect said to be a seminarian in the Anglican Communion, committed the act in the Amanuke community, Awka North Local Government Area in the state.
A statement on Tuesday by Chidimma Ikeanyionwu, the media aide to the state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, disclosed that the incident, which occurred sometime in July, was brought to the notice of the ministry in August, by a whistleblower.
Ikeanyionwu added that the commissioner, through the security operatives, launched a hunt for the suspect, apprehended and brought him for interrogation before the law enforcement agents.
The statement read in part, “The suspect, Chukwudi Okoye, 34, a native of Enugwu-Agidi, but resident at Amanuke, said he only fingered the survivor because his manhood could not enter her private parts.
“According to the 34-year-old suspect, he never intended to do such a despicable act but was lured into it when the 10-year-old lay on his bed. Although he denied penetrating the girl, he at the same time, pleaded for pardon because, according to him, it was the work of the devil.
“The suspect is said to be a seminarian in the Anglican Communion in Amanuke.
“Meanwhile, the 10-year-old victim stated that she was defiled on the day of her graduation ceremony when the suspect called her alongside her friend to come and wash plates for him.
“She explained that after she had finished washing the plates, he discharged her friend and asked her to play with him before taking her to the bed where he removed her clothes and had carnal knowledge of her.
“On why she did not tell anyone of the incident, the little girl said that she was seriously warned by the suspect never to tell anyone or he would deal with her.”
When interrogated, the grandmother of the victim said she only got to know of the incident after the girl became seriously ill, which was one week after the incident.
The statement added, “The grandmother explained that she took her granddaughter to the suspect’s house after she learnt that he was responsible for the act.
“She said it was in the process that the suspect decided to take the child to the hospital where they were subsequently referred to the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital, Amaku Awka for further treatment.”
As of the time of this report, the suspect had been handed over to the police for further investigation and consequently charged the case to court.
In Anambra State, the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, which outlaws all forms of violence against women and girls, including rape, female circumcision and forceful ejection, was enacted in 2015 and offenders, on conviction, face life imprisonment or a maximum of 14-year jail term, depending on the age of the offender and type of violence committed.
Several persons have been arrested in Anambra on offences ranging from rape and defilement and many cases are at various courts waiting for prosecution
A 33-year-old cleaner, Charles Sunday, was arraigned on Tuesday before the Ebute-Metta Magistrate Court in Lagos for allegedly stealing a gold chain and other items valued at N3.250,000 from his employer.
Sunday, who resides at No. 15, Orchid Road, Eleganza, Lekki, is facing a charge of stealing.
The Police Prosecutor, Inspector Cyriacus Osuji, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged crime while employed as a cleaner for the complainant, Mr Temitope Aremu.
He said the incident took place between July and August 2024 at the Horizon Court Estate, Ikate, Lekki.
Osuji informed the court that the stolen items included a gold chain valued at N3m, along with a hand bangle, bracelets, a face cap, and a jean jacket, all totalling N250,000.
The prosecutor emphasised that “The total value of the stolen items is N3,250,000, and these belong to the complainant, Mr. Aremu.”
According to Osuji, the offence committed contravened Section 287 (7), of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015. Sunday, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The defence counsel, Mr Ali Abah, pleaded with the court to grant his client bail on lenient terms.
“We humbly apply that the defendant be granted bail in the most liberal terms,” Abah urged the court.
The prosecutor did not oppose the bail application but noted that while some of the stolen items had been recovered, “The gold chain valued at N3m is still missing.”
In her ruling, the magistrate, Mrs Oluwatosin Erinle, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N1m, with two sureties in like sum.
She stipulated that the sureties must provide evidence of livelihood, with one being a blood relation of the defendant.
Additionally, Erinle ordered that the sureties must present six months’ bank statements, proof of income tax payment to the Lagos State Government, receipts for house rent, and their National Identity Numbers, with their addresses verified.
The case has been adjourned to August 29, 2024, for mention.
A Libyan driver was apprehended in the Bishr area on Tuesday for attempting to smuggle six undocumented female migrants of Nigerian nationality.
The arrest was made during routine police patrols, which intercepted the vehicle and detained the driver.
Migrant Rescue Watch, an organisation that monitors migrant activities, disclosed the incident on social media.
According to their report, the driver, who is suspected of being involved in human trafficking, falsely claimed that the Nigerian nationals were his family members in an effort to evade arrest.
All individuals involved have been transferred to the Bishr Police Department for further legal action as authorities continue to investigate the case.
Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola, has said the Nigerian telecom sector is in an Intensive Care Unit, warning that it could collapse if urgent steps are not taken.
Toriola disclosed this on Tuesday while speaking virtually at a hybrid telecom investment forum organized by Financial Derivatives Company in Lagos, the Nation reports.
According to him, there’s an urgent need to rescue the sector from collapse.
Meanwhile, Airtel Nigeria CEO, Carl Cruz, had expressed optimism that the sector would continue to attract investment.
Cruz noted that telecom tariff hike was a necessity due to soaring operational costs.
Recall that barely a week ago, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Aminu Maida described reports of telecoms tariff hikes as false.
According to him, there have been no new tariff hikes for Mobile Network Operators, MNOs, or any increases in telecom services for consumers.
Meanwhile, Mobile Network Operators in Nigeria have continued to call for telecoms tariff hikes.
The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Examination Bodies, on Tuesday, grilled the Head of National Office of the West African Examination Council Nigeria, Josiah Dangut, over a N6bn deficit the agency incurred in 2023 during an investigative hearing.
The committee also questioned the examination body regarding the N5bn loan it obtained in 2022 for the purchase of customised calculators.
Dangut was accompanied by WAEC Registrar, Angus Okeleze; Senior Deputy Registrar, Victor Odu; acting Director of Finance, Segun Jerumeh; and Deputy Director of Finance, WAEC.
Dangut presented the agency’s cashbook to the committee, but they rejected it, insisting on the submission of the agency’s bank statements.
Following unsatisfactory responses from the WAEC representatives, the committee resolved that WAEC must submit all its bank statements from 2018 to the present within a week.
A committee member, Awaji-Inombek Abiante, described WAEC as uncooperative, emphasising the need for accountability.
“WAEC Nigeria was an uncooperative witness in this process, shielding and denying Nigerians the value of the country’s investment in that office. They should submit to this committee, in furtherance of this investigation, all the bank account statements of the office,” Abiante said.
The committee was displeased that out of eight submissions requested from the examination body to probe their expenditure, only one, the nominal roll, was provided.
The panel demanded an explanation on how WAEC generated N34bn in 2023 but spent N40bn. It also questioned how the examination body could approve a loan of up to N5bn when even a ministerial board could not approve such an amount.
It queried the WAEC Head about the number of students who participated in the 2022 examinations for which the N5bn calculators were purchased.
The Committee demanded that WAEC provide details of the expenditures leading to the N6 billion deficit and all correspondence related to the purchase of the customized calculators.
They also insisted on receiving evidence of approval for the N5bn loan used to purchase the customized calculators.
The committee further demanded evidence of due process followed for the award of the contract, as well as payment records, including vouchers and bank statements.
Additionally, the committee requested evidence of submission of accounts to the Auditor General for the Federation from 2018 to 2023.
They also asked for the profile of the external auditor for the agency and the engagement letters for the past three years.
The committee questioned WAEC for breaching financial, public procurement, and financial regulations by paying 50 percent of the contract for constructing its Taraba state office, valued at N532m.
Dangut requested additional time to present the statement of account and other documents demanded by the lawmakers.
He explained that he had to pay 50 per cent of the Taraba office contract sum to avoid a significant rise in costs due to inflation.
“Both the legislative house and WAEC are bound by the Constitution. As such, the committee expects full cooperation from WAEC, including the timely provision of all necessary documents to expedite our inquiry and report,” the panel chairman said.
Nigerian actress, Esther Nwachukwu, has claimed that she has slept with over 3,000 men in her lifetime.
Nwachukwu made this disclosure during a recent episode of The Honest Bunch Podcast, where she also confessed her preference for married men, whom she described as “more important, mature, and understanding.”
“My body count is more than 1,000. I have had sex with more than 1,000 men. I just clocked 30 on July 7,” Nwachukwu boldly stated.
She further admitted that she has lost track of the exact number, estimating it to be over 3,000 men across different countries, including Nigeria, Cyprus, Turkey, Kenya, and Ghana.”
The actress was unapologetic about her choice to avoid single men, explaining that married men are more appealing because they do not last long in bed, preferring to conserve their energy for their wives.
“I do not have sex with single men. Married men are more important than single guys. They are more mature, they understand you,” she asserted.
Nwachukwu also shared her controversial view on marriage, arguing that sex workers make the best wives due to their extensive experience.
“The best girls to marry in this generation are prostitutes because they have had experience with several kinds of manhood. So once you marry a prostitute, she will be faithful because she already had sex with several men,” she added.
The Delta-born actress expressed her desire to become the eighth wife of Senator Ned Nwoko. “I want to be Ned Nwoko’s eighth wife…. In this generation, women love money more than love,” Nwachukwu declared.
When questioned about her views on love, she responded bluntly, “Nobody marries for love these days. Did Dangote’s daughter marry a poor man?”
Renowned prophet and founder of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has urged Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen to snub a move to Chelsea, claiming that the striker will not have the best of time should he join the London club.
The cleric made this statement in a 44-second video on social media.
“I want to quickly advise as directly that Osimhen should not go to Chelsea because if he goes there, he will not shine and it will kill his career,” Ayodele said.
“NFF, if Osimhen should go to Chelsea, don’t call him again, and also calling him to the Super Eagles still needs to be previewed properly because we have what it takes to the World Cup and Nations Cup.”
It is not the first time that the primate has prophesied about the London club. In 2023, he equally claimed that the English Premier League club were cursed and needed cleansing.
“Chelsea are a finished club. If they are not careful, they will not function again. The people who bought Chelsea should go back to the owner and get his blessings,” he said.
“Otherwise, if they put 10, 20 strikers, defenders, and the best goalkeeper in the world, there is a curse troubling Chelsea at the moment. I have told you to take these words very seriously if you want to progress; otherwise, Chelsea can go to relegation.
“Any team that now faces Chelsea can beat them; they need spiritual cleansing for them to wake up to the challenge that is ahead of them.”
The Blues need a striker capable of guaranteeing them goals and are eager to sign the Nigeria international after a deal for Atletico Madrid’s Samuel Omorodion collapsed.
Osimhen, 25, is said to be ranking prominently on their wish list to lead their line during the 2024/25 season.
The Lagos-born has emerged as one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe, having been linked with moves to Chelsea, Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, and Liverpool, among others, following impressive seasons with Napoli.
However, his hefty €130m remains the stumbling block, with PSG, among other suitors backing off, leaving Chelsea as the only European club still keen on signing him.
With just a few weeks left before the transfer window shuts down, Napoli is working tirelessly to get the Nigerian striker off their hook, and with Chelsea still interested in him, Osimhen seems to be edging to Stamford Bridge.
A Norwegian man has managed to board a plane at Munich airport without a ticket two days in a row — and even flew to Sweden on the second occasion, police said Tuesday.
The 39-year-old sneaked past security at Germany’s second-busiest airport for the first time on August 4.
Passengers are supposed to scan boarding passes at an automatic gate but he stood close to another traveller and got through without one, the Bild daily reported.
He then snuck past airline staff at the gate and boarded the plane.
But the aircraft was fully booked and his deception was discovered as he did not have a seat. The man was handed over to police, who charged him but let him go, the paper said.
Undeterred, the Norwegian returned a day later, used the same technique, and boarded a flight to Sweden that was not fully booked, said police spokesman Sebastian Pinta.
However on arrival in Stockholm, he attracted the attention of airport staff as he wanted to return to Munich immediately, and he was handed over to the police.
Pinta insisted the man did not pose any danger.
He is under investigation for unlawful entry and transport fraud, he added.
Munich airport said it was investigating how the man had bypassed security checks.
…16 dead, 16 injured—FRSC
No fewer than 25 people were feared dead, yesterday in an accident on the Ojo-Iwo Road section of the Ibadan-Lagos expressway, near the Agbowo/Ajao area in Oyo State.
Also, the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, yesterday, said 12 persons were burnt to death, while four others sustained injuries, in an accident that occurred on Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The accident occurred when a trailer loaded with roofing sheets collided with an 18-seater Hummer bus, a Micra taxi, and a Honda CR-V car.
But Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, officials said: “16 people were killed, 16 injured while two were not injured.”
Giving further statistics, FRSC officials said the accident victims include 14 male adults, 10 female adults and 11 children.
According to FRSC, Iwo Road command, a commercial bus with number plate, MUB 20 LG, Micra taxi with number plate, BDJ 520 YC, a CRV with number plate, KRD 707 ER and articulated truck with registration number AKM 548 ZY were involved in the accident.
Meanwhile, according to eyewitness reports at the scene, the trailer involved in the accident experienced brake failure, causing it to collide with three other vehicles travelling in the same direction, which resulted in a devastating crash.
Narrating the incident to Vanguard, Mr. Emmanuel Omotoso and Mrs. Funmi Adejumo, said the ongoing construction of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway could be responsible for the fatality as the other lane of the expressway was blocked.
However, the motorists appealed to Oyo State government to buy heavy towing vehicles and ambulance buses for rescue operations in case of emergency situation like the one that just occurred.
They equally called on the contractor handling the road construction to open up the other lane that was blocked to prevent future accidents that claim many lives every day on Ojo-Iwo Road expressway.
At press time, private heavy towing vehicles were instrumental in removing trapped vehicles from the scene and some of the rescued passengers were transported to the hospital for medical attention.
The accidented vehicles were taken to Irepodun Police Station along Agbowo/Ojoo by the police.
12 burnt to death in Lagos-Ibadan road
According to a statement by the Ogun State Sector Command spokesperson of the FRSC, Mrs. Florence Okpe, the crash involved one white Mazda bus with number plate, DDA733XA.
She said the crash occurred at 1514hrs.
Okpe said: “The crash involved one vehicle with the following details: White Mazda bus with number plate, DDA733XA.
“Total number of people involved in the accident were 16, which comprised 12 male adults, three female adults and one female child. Four male passengers were injured in the crash and rescued while the other 12 persons were burnt to death.
“The injured victims were taken to Patmag Hospital, Ogere.
“The suspected cause of the lone accident was wrongful overtaking by the bus driver, which led to loss of control and the bus hitting the road divider at the middle of the road. The bus fell and was engulfed in flames immediately.”
She added that the Sector Commander, Ogun Sector Command, Akinwunmi Fasakin, was pained over the recklessness of some motorists on the highway, who refuse to obey traffic rules.
She urged motorists to maintain the stipulated speed on the highway and also ensure a clear road before overtaking and commiserated with the crash victims and wished them quick recovery.
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Famous Nigerian singers, D’banj and Don Jazzy have reunited to release a new album ‘The Entertainer Sequel’.
D’banj who made the announcement on his Instagram page, sharing the video of a short play featuring Don Jazzy, TV host Jimmie Akinsola, actor Gideon Okeke and others.
The album, which is a follow up to D’banj’s 2008 ‘The Entertainer’ album, includes remixes of popular songs like ‘Fall in Love’, ‘Feli Feli’, ‘Igwe’ and ‘Suddenly’.
D’Banj became famous after the release of his first hit, ‘No Long Thing’, in 2005.
He worked with Don Jazzy at a music label they both co-founded, ‘Mo’Hits Records’, before their fall out.
As Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan retires from the civil service after a distinguished career, I wish to publicly commend her for reforming the civil service and leaving behind a legacy of professionalism.
Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan’s tenure as Head of Service stands as a testament to exceptional leadership and dedication. Her remarkable contributions have left an enduring legacy in the realm of public service, characterised by her dedication and commitment to reform, efficiency and integrity.
In addition to running an effective civil service, Dr. Yemi-Esan championed the whistle blower policy in the civil service, thereby creating an avenue for citizens to report any maladministration in the civil service. I particularly note that every time I reached out to Dr. Yemi-Esan over corrupt or sharp practices by civil servants, she availed me her time and resolved all issues I brought to her attention.
As we reflect on Dr. Yemi-Esan’s career, I celebrate her as a paragon of excellence and dedication, and I believe that her legacy will undoubtedly continue to inspire and guide the civil service in years to come.
DEJI ADEYANJU, ESQ
Nigerians and Indians recorded the most growth in employment in the UK between 2019 and 2023, according to data from His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
HMRC is the UK taxing authority that collects all direct and indirect taxes, and administers benefits and tax credit payments to residents.
According to a freedom of information (FOI) request made by Neil O’Brien, member of parliament and former government minister, there were about 10 percent fewer employments for European Union (EU) nationals in the UK, and 69 percent more for people from outside the UK in the period under review.
The FOI was made before last month’s general election.
O’Brien said the figures showed the “extraordinary changes” in the job market since the introduction of Britain’s new post-Brexit migration system in January 2021.
STEEP DECLINE IN EARNINGS FOR MIGRANTS
Of the 1.481 million more employments which the UK recorded between the requested period, 1.465 million were accounted for by people from outside the EU, while UK nationals recorded 257,000.
“Within that non-EU total, the biggest growth in employments in absolute terms were among nationals of India (+488,000), Nigeria (+279,000), Pakistan (+101,000), and Ghana (+55,000),” O’Brien wrote in the report analysis.
“There were also 175,600 more employments held by people from unspecified other non-EU countries.
“Obviously, there is no lump of labour, and whatever the other pros and cons of migration, there is no fixed number of jobs that migrants are competing for.
“But it is pretty striking that the UK economy has created more additional employments for nationals of both India and Nigeria as single countries than for UK nationals over this period.”
In the UK private sector, non-EU-nationals recorded a 1.2 million increase in employments while UK nationals secured only 29,000.
However, in terms of earnings, India and Nigeria saw steep declines relative to UK nationals.
According to the data, young working-age people from both countries earned 15 and 10 percent more than UK nationals of the same age before the pandemic, and earn less now.
Ben Brindle, an economist at Oxford University’s Migration Observatory think tank, told the Daily Mail that evidence suggests that non-EU migrants are now doing jobs previously held by EU workers before Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wunmi’s sister, Karimot, has made fresh revelations concerning the late singer Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, aka Mohbad’s death.
Karimot went on TikTok Live on Monday, alleging that the late singer’s wife had a hand in his death, leaving social media users in shock.
She noted that the couple had a terrible fight, which damaged a particular railing in his house.
According to Karimot, it was the quarrel that prompted Wunmi to get a nurse, which eventually led to Mohbad’s death.
Karimot, who publicly disowned Wunmi, also claimed she had some implicating information about the singer’s ex-wife.
She alleged that Wunmi stole Mohbad’s phone from his mother and has refused to return it alongside other phones that were collected for evidence.
The late singer’s sister-in-law further revealed that Wunmi has an account opened in her mother’s name where Mohbad’s funds are diverted.
DAILY POST recalls that Karimot had tendered an apology to Mohbad’s father following the release of his autopsy result.