The Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja has sentenced Wahab Hammed, a ward Leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the Surulere Local Government Area of the state, to a one-year jail term or in the alternative a fine of N1m.
Justice Ismail Ijelu sentenced the defendant after convicting him on a two-count charge of conspiracy and bribery.
At his arraignment on Wednesday, the EFCC Prosecutor, Samuel Daji, told the court that on February 25, 2023, the defendant conspired with one Segun Ijitola (who is still at large), to corruptly pay bribe to voters during the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly Elections.
Daji said that the defendant committed the offence at Unit 28, Gbaja Girls Junior High School, in Surulere.
The offences contravene the provision of Sections 121 (1) and (5); 121 (1) and 1 (3) of the Electoral Act 2022.
The defendant pleaded guilty and the court subsequently adjourned till Thursday, Dec. 7th to enable the prosecution counsel to review the facts of the case preparatory to conviction and sentencing.
At the proceedings on Thursday, the EFCC counsel, Daji, tendered in court the statement of the review of the prosecution’s facts against the defendant.
Daji also told the court that, “The EFCC officers while on election monitoring duties during the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly Election held on the 25th February 2023, received an intelligence report that certain individuals were involved in vote buying and bribery at Polling Unit 28 located at Gbaja Girls High School, Surulere, Lagos.
“After the receipt of the intelligence, the operatives of EFCC who were on election monitoring duties were dispatched to the venue.
“On sighting the operatives, the voters involved in vote buying took to their heels but the defendant was arrested with the sum of N121,000 in N500 denominations.
“He was brought to the EFCC’s Ikoyi office with the exhibit. When he was interviewed, he stated that he is a ward leader of APC in Unit F3 in Surulere, Lagos and he confessed that the money was given to him by one Hon. Segun Ijitola who is a Senior Special Assistant to Chairman Surulere Local Government.
“He admitted that he had shared part of the money to those who ran away and it was to bribe the voters to vote for his party, APC.
“He also admitted that he had spent part of the money. He made voluntary statements of at least 2 pages where he admitted these facts. He also admitted that he is ready to forfeit the sum found with him to the Federal Government being proceeds of criminal activities”.
The court admitted the defendant’s statements as evidence and also admitted as exhibit, the money recovered from him.
The Prosecutor also urged the court to accept the facts as presented, convict the defendant accordingly and order the forfeiture of the exhibit to the Federal Government for being proceeds of crime.
The defendant on his part admitted that he understood the facts as presented by the prosecutor through an interpreter and he reiterated his guilty plea.
Having satisfied himself that the defendant clearly understood the facts as reviewed against him and intended to admit same, Justice Ijelu found him guilty and convicted him accordingly.
The defendant pleaded for mercy. He told the court, “I have never been arrested. If not for the situation of the country, I would not be in this situation. I’m over 70 years old. I’m not fit, I have high blood pressure, ulcer and urinary incontinence and if not for this case, I was to undergo surgery last Saturday. I have not been well since my arrest, and I plead with the court to forgive me.
“I wouldn’t be here in this situation if my children were doing well and working. I have six children who are well-educated and their mom is no more, she is late.”
The defendant’s counsel, Mr. Olaniyi Ademola, in his speech also asked the court to note that his client voluntarily decided to plead guilty. He also noted that the client was a first-time offender who had never been convicted before.
In his sentence, Justice Ijelu reminded the defendant’s counsel that he owes a duty to society to speak words of truth to his clients. He reminded all parties that everyone must be partners in nation-building.
He said, “The defendant has further put himself deeply in the mess that contributed to his children not having jobs by taking to crime. Is that the solution?
“The court has listened to the allocutus of the convict, that he is a first offender and has no criminal record. He also appears to be remorseful.
“S 121 (1) (c) of the Electoral Act 2022 under which the convict was charged states that “any person who advances or pays or causes to be paid any money to any person with the intent that such money shall be expended in bribery at any election, commits an offence and is liable on conviction of a maximum fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months or both.
“This section gives the court a discretionary power to exercise. The court finds high culpability on the part of the convict, the harm occasioned by his conduct is significant. The court found no aggravating factor against him.
“In mitigating the sentence, the court considers that he made a guilty plea and has no previous convictions and he is a first offender.
“There’s no doubt that the need to sanitize our electoral process cannot be over-emphasized. Having pleaded guilty, the court takes the view that imposing a non-custodial sentence on this convict may deter him from future misconduct.
“For this reason, Alhaji Wahab Olaniyi Hammed is sentenced to a term of imprisonment for one year or an option of 500,000 on each of the two counts against him. He shall forfeit the proceeds of the crime to the FG.
“He shall also undertake to the EFCC in writing to always be of good behaviour and to never indulge in crime again.”
"Who can live and never did?
How can we humans keep
ourselves from the grave? Psalms89:48
The eventual exit of Comrade Frank Kokori though may be as ordained by God yet he probably could have tarried for a while more if he got the required Government care, support and welfare when he most needed them.
Comrade Kokori was a rare ideological specimen in trade unionism and the democratic struggle that Nigeria has passed through in the last 40 years and counting.
He was a rare nationalist, committed ideologue, genuine patriot, who risked even his own carrier and family comfort as well as possible prospect to speak truth to power on behalf of the down trodden Nigerians.
Comrade Kokori was well educated and well trained in the management of human resources to balance up with capital for productive growth of the state economy.
Comrade Kokori’s sagacity and courageous leadership came to national limelight much more in 1993-1994 through to 1998 .As the General Secretary of the National Union of Petroleum Employee and Natural Gas Union, NUPENG which was registered in 1978, Frank played a pivotal role in making the organisation to become a most critical trade union in the democratic struggle of Nigerians to restore democracy to Nigeria.
Comrade Kokori was enticed severally with tantalizing offers from Generals Babangida and Abacha but he rejected all allurements.
When the NLC under Comrade Paschal Bafyau became unwilling to pressure the military junta to deannul the victory of Basorun MKO Abiola in 1994, Comrade Kokori and his NUPENG President Comrade W. Kodjo Agamene mobilised their Union along with NUBIFE and other democratic bodies to organize the most prolonged national strike in post-independence Nigeria.
Comrade Kokori and I as the General Secretary of NADECO met many times at odd times to fine-tune their strategy and commencement of the strike.
When he was arrested through the conspiracy of an insider in Yaba, he was taken eventually to Bama prison for Four years without any charge against him.
The strike continued but could not be sustained after a month because the Abacha junta had frozen the NUPENG accounts thereby making it impossible to pay their Union staff. NADECO volunteers were able to source for fund to pay a month staff salary. Eventually Comrade Agamene himself was captured. He, Baba Omojola and I were transported in a presidential jet on a particular morning of October 1994.We were later dispersed in Abuja to different prisons, they to Katsina and I to Central Prisons in Kano.
Comrade Kokori suffered the painful loss of his wife later on and the Nigerian State did not deem it fit to recognize the selfless and patriotic commitment of the comrade to our democratic struggle.
The most painful part of the national neglect of those who lost their sweet, blood, possessions, liberties and even lives in order to birth the 4th Republic is their wanton abandonment to their fates while the fair weather elements who remain surrogates, loyalists, sympathizers, acolytes and supporters of the military agenda to stay in power are the beneficiaries of the gains of the activists.
The fact that Comrade Kokori could not get the best treatment by the Nigerian State thereby hasting his eventual demise is shameful and condemnable. Even when the past Buhari’s administration tried to make him the Chairman of NSTIF, he was frustrated and denied. WHAT A COUNTRY? I pray that the good Lord will console his family in Kokori in Warri LGA and may the Lord soothe their pains with the balm from Gilead. And may the soul of Comrade Kokori rest in the bossom of the Lord.
AYO OPADOKUN
Point-of-sale operators in Nigeria have raised the alarm that some state governments have started charging them at least N30,000 in taxes annually per agent.
The National Vice President of the Association of Mobile Money and Bank Agents in Nigeria, Obioha Oti, disclosed this in an interview with Channels Television on Thursday.
Oti was speaking on the emerging threat of the naira shortage and its effect on PoS operators.
According to him, PoS vendors are plagued by naira shortages and heavy taxes in some parts of the country.
He alleged that state governments in Anambra, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom, as well as other states in the southwest and north, tax PoS operators N100 daily and N2500 monthly.
“There are many other problems POS operators are facing now. This disturbing trend is why some state governments have started taxing operators heavily. We have reports in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Anambra states, states in the southwest and others in the north. For Anambra, there is an agency the government commissions to collect N100 daily, N2500 monthly, and N1000 to register. If you do the calculation, one agent will pay at least N30,000 to the government in the form of taxes. And sometimes the people collecting these taxes are more than one,” he said.
CAF Awards 2023: Osimhen made final three-man shortlist - battles Salah, Hakimi for Men’s Player prize
AdminNigeria forward Victor Osimhen has made the final three-man shortlist for the 2023 CAF Men’s Player of the Year.
CAF announced the final shortlist on its official X handle on Thursday.
Also up for the prestigious award are Morocco and Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi and Egypt and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah.
Last year’s winner, Sadio Mane, failed to make the final shortlist.
Osimhen is the firm favourite to succeed the Senegalese.
The 24-year-old led Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years last season, scoring 26 goals.
The striker is looking to become the first Nigerian to win the award since Kanu Nwankwo was named the best player on the continent in 1999.
The winner will be revealed at the CAF Awards Gala on Monday, December 11, 2023, at the Palais des Congrès, Movenpick, Marrakech, Morocco.
Amputee Nollywood actress and dancer Doris Samuel Akonanya has stated that many men go into relationships with her out of pity.
The actress said this in an interview with Yan Kontent Factory, while speaking about her experiences in the movie industry and personal relationships.
Akonanya said none of her past relationships ended well because her lovers jilted her and acted like they were doing her a favour.
When asked if she is treated differently by people, she said yes, but she dislikes it because it is mainly motivated by pity. She noted that despite her differently-abled status, she can do everything like an able-bodied adult.
Also, speaking on her source of income, the actress revealed that aside from movies, “I do get extra money on the side by taking photos and videos of myself in scanty outfits for some white guys called Devotees.”
Watch the interview below.
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Famous American singer Sean Combs, popularly known as Diddy, has again been sued for sexual assault by another woman, making it the fourth in less than a month.
The fourth accuser, Jane Doe, on Wednesday, alleged that she was “sex trafficked” and “gang raped” in 2003 by Diddy, Harve Pierre, a former Bad Boy Records president and another man when she was 17.
Reacting to this on his Instagram page, Diddy said, “Enough is enough. For the past couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to destroy my reputation and legacy.
“Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday.
“Let me be absolutely clear that I didn’t do any of the things being alleged. And I will fight for my name, family and for the truth.”
DAILY POST reports that Diddy’s ex-girlfriend, Cassie, was the first to sue him for sexual assault on November 17.
However, the lawsuit was settled out of court a day after it was filed.
The rapper was then sued by two other women.
Nigerian rapper Folarin Falana, aka Falz, has revealed he is planning to start a family.
The 33-year-old said he is considering getting married soon, adding that he would be open to having children in three years time.
Falz The Bahdguy disclosed this in a recent interview with actress Chinasa Anukam.
The host asked: “Are you planning to settle down? Yes or no?”
After dilly-dallying, Falz replied, “Yeah.”
Asked how many years he is looking at to have children, the rapper said, “The next three years.”
Popular Nollywood actor Bolanle Ninalowo has accepted responsibility for his failed marriage with his estranged wife, Bunmi.
Recalls that the actor on September 1, 2023, announced that he and his wife are going their separate ways and headed for an “irreconcilable marriage dissolution”.
Speaking in a recent interview with TVC, Ninalowo admitted being “mostly responsible” for the breakup between him and his wife.
The host, Hojay asked: “Were you mostly responsible for breakup between you and your wife?”
Ninalowo replied: “Was I mostly responsible? Oh yes, I am.
“I take responsibility for everything that happens to me. What somebody else does is none of your problem. It is me.”
Actor Ninalowo recently sparked relationship rumours with his divorced colleague, Damilola Adegbite, after they were spotted stepping out together barely three months after his divorce.
Air travellers to some of the selected routes in the country are groaning over the skyrocketing airfares among the indigenous airline operators.
Checks by Nairametrics revealed that airfares in some of the monopolised routes have increased to over N2500,000 one-way in economy class seats, while return tickets now sell for about N500,000.
Unlike in the past where air tickets only go high from the Lagos route to other parts of the south, checks revealed that passengers from Abuja to the same routes may pay higher.
Travels in southern parts hit the roof
Travellers to South East and South-South parts of the country now pay more than air travellers on the northern routes like Abuja, Kano and Kaduna among others.
However, some of the stakeholders attributed the high airfares in the southern routes to the festive season, while others warned that the airlines may eventually price themselves out of the market with the high airfares.
There are fears that the high airfares may deprive some of the travellers to the Southern routes of the opportunity for the yuletide season.
For instance, checks on Air Peace from Lagos to Enugu for Tuesday, December 26, indicate a minimum of N203,000 one way and N233,000 for the same flight in the afternoon.
Also, for Owerri on Dana Air, the airfares oscillate between N200,000 to N250,000 for one-way tickets.
On Ibom Air for a flight to Uyo from December 22 to 23, air tickets are sold between N203,000 and N253,000 for one-way.
For passengers on United Nigeria Airlines for December 21 to 23, one-way tickets go for N220,000 and N300,000.
The recent skyrocketing airfares on domestic routes by indigenous airlines is exploitative and may work against the operating carriers, aviation experts have said.
Exploitative airfares
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Aero Contractors, Capt. Ado Sanusi, said that the airfares were exploitative.
According to him, some airfares in select routes are exploitative, mentioning the South East and South South routes as some of the routes the airlines are exploiting the travelling public.
He proposed increased capacity and canvassed for additional airlines to join the existing operators.
We observed that the new regulation by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), which limited start-up airlines to a minimum of six aircraft may further compound the present challenge and allow for more explorations by the existing carriers as the yuletide draws nearer.
- He said: “I believe that there are some exploitative prices. I believe so, especially on the monopoly routes. The eastern routes are somehow monopolised and come with exploitative prices.
- “It’s the capacity. If we have more airlines coming into the country and the NCAA allows more airlines to fly, then it will bring the price down. The more airlines we have flying, the more competitive it becomes and the more the prices will go down, but since we make regulations that are so hostile to start-up airlines, then, the prices will always go up.”
He also mentioned unstable foreign exchange challenges, the high price of aviation fuel and others as some of the factors responsible for the high airfares, but warned against the airlines pricing themselves out of the market.
One Somtochukwu Franklin (male), 26, has been arrested in Enugu for allegedly faking and using someone’s Facebook account to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.
It was gathered that the suspect claimed to be a popular social media influencer, one Emmanuel Okoh (male), popularly known as Okwuluora.
He was arrested by police operatives serving at the New Haven Police Division of the state police command on December 3, 2023 at about 12.30pm, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, said on Thursday.
According to him, “A preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect confessed to the act of the crime. He created the fake ‘Okwuluora’ Facebook account in January 2023 and has since been using it to solicit funds from his over thirty-three thousand followers.
“The suspect further stated that he usually waits for the actual ‘Okwuluora’ to make a post, soliciting support for persons in situations requiring financial assistance. Upon sighting such posts, he immediately copies and posts them on the fake Facebook account and changes the beneficiary’s account details to his, thereby fraudulently obtaining funds from unsuspecting donors.”
The suspect, the PPRO, said, confessed to have received funds running into tens of thousands of naira from donors through the fraudulent means.
Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu, has ordered the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department to conduct thorough investigations and timely prosecute the suspect.
The CP, enjoined victims of the fraudulent act to report to the State CID and volunteer their statements, while also calling on the citizenry to be wary of social media impostors and their fraudulent activities, especially this yuletide.
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The Labour Party in Lagos State on Wednesday said that Nigerians wake up daily to alleged theft of the country’s resources by President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government.
According to the party, the Emilokan (It is my turn) catch phrase of Tinubu during the presidential campaign has now become Awalokan (it is our turn) to “steal the resources of the country.”
The state’s party publicity secretary, Olubunmi Odesanya, stated this in a statement.
Odesanya averred that while many Nigerians can no longer afford the basic necessities of life, those at the helm of affairs are living large.
The LP state publicity secretary said that Tinubu is on a jamboree with his mantra of ‘Renewed Hope’, adding that Nigerians are in for a rough ride.
“Nigerians now wake up daily to the pilferage of the country’s resources by the present APC government. It has become obvious that the Emilokan (It is my turn) has now become Awalokan (It is our turn) not only to rule but to steal,” she said.
Odesanya lamented that while the government is spending huge resources of the country sponsoring delegates to COP28, Nigerians are being terrorized by insecurity and a bad economy.
“Nigerians watch helplessly how basic things have become out of the reach of the common man while the men at the helm of affairs live in affluence. Houses of the Politicians are being renovated with humongous sums of money, offices of the first lady (unconstitutional office) get billions for cars, government officials go abroad to, lavishly, spend huge resources of the country at events they ought not even attend while the common men are being bombed by the Nigerian authority, hunted by hunger, killed by terrorists, kidnapped by bandits and demobilised by lack of purchasing power.
“The All Progressives Congress (APC) Party has decided to punish Nigerians knowing fully well that majority of the electorates did not vote for them.
“We all recall that this same Party came with the change mantra and changed everything positive in the country to negative. Their most touted anti-corruption Czar became corruption personified and Never knew anything that took place under his nose (regime). The new Czar is now on a jamboree with his ‘Renewed Hopelessness’
“Someone should, please, point out any promise made and kept by these monsters in power. We are in for a rough ride,” she added.
Nigerian singer, Teniola Apata, popularly known as Teni, has spoken about her childhood in a polygamous family.
She expressed gratitude for the safety, care, and love she experienced despite her father having three wives and ten children.
In an interview on the ‘Zero Conditions’ podcast, Teni made emphasis on the harmonious relationship among her ten siblings.
She lauded her late father’s wisdom for the peaceful coexistence of the family.
“I grew up in a polygamous family with many people, so you can’t come and do rubbish. I received excellent care, a lot of love and protection. Three wives, ten children. Huge respect for my bloodline. All of my siblings and I get along well, though there are levels of closeness.
“I don’t know any other way, it is boring. If I come back to this life again, I want to come back to the same family. How can I be in a house with one mother, and one father? Ah ah, then all of us will now be sitting down there. Ah ah. There’s no chaos.
“There is love in my home, but we change it oh! Cuz ah, the person wey born us dey craze sha. Do you know what it is to hear gunshots and go to where the gunshots are? That’s not normal,” Teni said.
She added, “It was like he planned his future, and then he planned his death. So before he died, his wives knew about everything. He taught them everything one of my mothers knows how to shoot.
“He taught them how to be and when he passed, they used the skill. That’s how our family was still able to be intact even after my dad passed.”
Says Bini Kingdom Didn’t Conquer Lagos Like Colonial Masters
Former Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has said that disheartening, disgraceful and unpatriotic that at a time like this when Lagosians and Nigerians are going through economic hardship, some elders are infatuated with ownership of Lagos.
Bode George in a statement said all the combatants and gladiators should know that all efforts, at this trying time, should be geared at ensuring good governance, how to tackle economic issues and take people out of poverty.
He said it is shameful that at a time when millions of Nigerians are going through anguish and extreme pain, some elders are flexing their muscles on proprietorship of the Centre of Excellence.
Bode George said: “As a bonafide Lagosian, I say without any sense of equivocation that Lagos has been, and would remain, a centre of commerce, which has allowed everybody to settle down here.
“It is not in our tradition to discriminate. People have settled down from all over Nigeria and the entire West African coast from time immemorial – a culture which has remained with Lagos and the city of Kano, the only two cities known for commerce in Nigeria.
“People are presently angered, thus the rhetoric about who truly owns Lagos has gained momentum but we know ourselves. No matter how twisted the narrative Nigerians know the truth.
“Indeed, the Bini were here at the earliest time, but it was temporary. It was not that they conquered Lagos like the colonial imperialists, as it is being bandied about.
“Inter-marriage had also overshadowed a lot of things. For instance, the only sister of my paternal father married a Benin man and gave birth to all my cousins, who are all in their 70s and 60s. They have spent the greater part of their lives in Lagos.
“We should stop dissipating energies on a frivolous issue like the original owners of Lagos rather governance should take centre stage, how to improve the lives of the ordinary Nigerian without making the Centre of Excellence lose its candour of a commercial Nerve Centre of the West African sub-region.
“It is rather most disheartening for the government to encourage the people to engage in a frivolous narrative about founders of Lagos, a debate triggered by the comments freely expressed by a traditional ruler, who himself did not choose the tribe he originated from.
“I say, enough of engaging in such a diversionary issue as nobody created him or herself to be a Bini, Hausa, Igbo, Itsekiri, Kanuri, Fulani, Ijaw or Yoruba. We are all humans. What should be of utmost concern at this critical period of despondency is how to make life meaningful to all and sundry.
“Nigerians should refuse to be divided by diversionary issues which add no value to their lives, and make government accountable to them through good governance. We should stop wasting time or dissipating energies on non-issues as nobody chose to be a member of the tribe he or she hails from in the country from birth.”
According to Bode George, it is laughable to hear Ohanaeze Ndigbo chipping tribal sentiment of contributing to the development of Lagos. “If people don’t have anything to say, they should just keep their peace. We have serious numerous problems begging for attention. We have a near-disaster challenge in our economy which needs urgent government solutions, towards transforming the lives of the people.
“When we were growing up, we had classmates of Igbo, Hausa descent, who spoke fluent Yoruba language. We did everything together, education and sports. There are better ways to co-habit, not through frivolous issues like who is the true owner of Lagos.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes, EFCC, have rebuffed reports claiming that its chairman Mr. Ola Olukoyede labelled 70 per cent of Nigerian university students as internet fraudsters.
Olukoyede was quoted to have said “it is worrisome that seven out of 10 students today are involved in cyber crimes.”
However, the spokesman of the anti-graft agency, Dele Oyewale, in a statement on Thursday, insisted that the statements of Olukoyede was misinterpreted.
According to the spokesman, the EFCC boss never “seven out of 10″ Nigerian students are criminals.”
Below is the statement.
The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes, EFCC, has been drawn to some needless misrepresentation of the concerns of the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede to the rising incidences of internet- related crimes involving youths across the country.
At a recent meeting with some representatives of Civil Society Organisations, Csos that paid him a courtesy visit, he called for wider media enlightenment of youths as a counter- measure against the menace of internet fraud. He did say that reports and intelligence available to him indicated that, unless this trajectory of youth involvement in internet fraud is addressed and reversed, the future of their leadership of our great nation may be threatened and if it continues in the next 10 years, 7 out 10 of our youths may be getting involved in cybercrimes. At no time did he say that “seven out of 10″ Nigerian students are criminals”. His concerns still bother on breaking the jinx of mass indulgence of youths in cybercrimes.
The EFCC wishes to assure the public that Olukoyede is doubly committed to the progress of Nigerian youths and this underscores his calls for collaborative interventions in offering them more productive and sustainable alternatives.