A man identified as Muhammed Zenabdin has been arrested by the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center (NPF-NCCC) in Abuja.

He was arrested for criminal conspiracy and possession of suspected counterfeit currency amounting to one hundred thousand United States Dollars ($100,000.00).

While acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the NPF-NCCC conducted a raid on a suspected cybercrime hideout located in Garki II, FCT.

Despite the escape of other members of the criminal gang, Muhammed Zenabdin was successfully apprehended. Subsequent execution of a search warrant revealed compelling evidence, including One Hundred Thousand United States Dollars in one-hundred-dollar bills believed to be counterfeits, along with sophisticated counterfeit detection equipment, international passports, mobile phones, and a luxury vehicle.

Confirming the arrest to newsmen, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, says the suspect has provided indicting confessional statements and also offered valuable information to aid in the apprehension of other members of the gang. Upon the conclusion of the investigation, the suspect(s) will face arraignment in court.

Adejobi stated that the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has commended the Director of the NCCC, CP Uche Ifeanyi Henry, and his team for their diligent efforts in combating cybercrime.

While assuring the public of their safety, the IGP issued a stern warning to all cybercrime threat actors, urging them to cease their illicit activities or face severe legal consequences.

A man, Austine Idemudia (a.k.a. Baba Joshua) and his wife, Margret Austine who have been illegally producing and distributing adulterated alcoholic beverages to markets in Lagos and Ogun states for the past 6 years have been arrested by the Zone 2 command of the Police force.

According to a press statement released by the Zone 2 Police Public Relations Officer (ZPPRO), SP Ayuba T. Umma, the suspects were arrested by the CSP Ngozi Braide-led Raider Section of the Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos.

The operatives had acted on intelligence on the illegal production, and raided the couple's Muibi Olawumi Close residence, off Ayetoro/Itẹle Road on April 4, during which fake drinks, comprising wine, liquor, champagne and other alcoholic drinks, were recovered.

These include brand label of Del-Mud, Del-Mud Royal, Smooth Brandy Wine drinks, both in bottles and mini packs.

Also recovered, according to a were unlabeled and branded bottles of suspected adulterated alcoholic drinks and various containers, filled with mixtures suspected to be ingredients for the adulterated beverages.

The ZPPRO said that the equipment used in the production process, such as pumping machines, funnels, sealing machines, a funnel containing a white handkerchief (used as filter) and corkscrew, among various other production and branding items, were all recovered.

The female suspect, Margret, apprehended at the scene, confessed to a six-year involvement in the illegal operation, and that their adulterated finished products were sold to buyers across Lagos and Ogun states.

"The Zone 2 Command is actively investigating this case and will release further information to the general public as it becomes available", the ZPPRO said

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2 Command, AIG Olatoye Durosinmi, has consequently urged the public to be vigilant when purchasing food and beverages, while expressing concern over the health hazard such adulterated products pose to consumers.

According to the statement, "The Zone 2 Police Command remains committed to the safety and well-being of all residents within Lagos and Ogun states"

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Popular Kannywood actress, Saratu Gidado aka Daso is dead.

The actress died while fasting.

The sad news was confirmed by her relatives to Freedom Radio on Tuesday, revealing that the beloved actress was found deceased early in the morning.

Gidado, who was observing the Ramadan fast, had reportedly returned to bed after the pre-dawn meal, Sahur, only to be found lifeless later.

Her sudden passing at the age of 56 has sent shockwaves throughout the film community and among her fans.

Born on January 17, 1968, in Kano, Daso carved a niche for herself in Kannywood with her distinctive portrayal of comical yet aggressive and mischievous characters, earning her a place in the hearts of many movie enthusiasts.

Her career, spanning over two decades, was launched with her role in the 2000 movie “Linzami Da Wuta,” produced by Sarauniya Movies.

Daso’s remarkable performances in films such as “Nagari,” “Gidauniya,” “Mashi,” and “Sansani” cemented her status as one of the industry’s iconic figures. Her acting prowess and ability to bring characters to life made her a household name in the northern film industry.

The entertainment community and fans are awaiting the announcement of her burial arrangements as they come to terms with the loss of a talent who brought laughter and entertainment to many.

A date has been fixed for the arraignment of the immediate past governor of the state, Abdullahi Ganduje, his wife, son, and five others, for alleged bribery.

The Kano State High Court fixed April 17, 2024 for arraignment of Ganduje, his wife and son.

Ganduje and the others will be arraigned on eight counts bordering on a $413,000 bribery allegation, diversion, and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N1.38bn, among others.

It was earlier reported that the Federal High Court in Kano ruled that the Kano Public Compliant and Anti-Corruption Commission lacks the power to investigate Ganduje over an alleged $5m bribery video.

Justice Abdullahi Liman, while delivering his judgment, said the offence was a federal offence that could be prosecuted by the Attorney General of the Federation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Justice Liman said the Kano anti-graft agency had a limitation in investigating the former governor.

But on Monday, the state governor, Abba Yusuf, urged the EFCC to release the result of its probe into the alleged dollar bribery video involving Ganduje.

Yusuf, in a statement by his spokesperson, Sanusi Tofa, said Ganduje should rather prepare to face his trial instead of talking about non-existent failure in the current administration.

“For whatever option, the Kano State Government would advise the acting National Chairman of APC to show cause why his name, that of his family, and the entire people of Kano should permanently be erased from the global embarrassment that the dollar video has generated,” he said.

However, in a writ of summon sighted by PUNCH Online on Tuesday, the Kano State Government, in a criminal suit, named Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Hafsat Umar, Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited and Lesage General Enterprises as respondents and assembled 15 witnesses to appear before the court.

The case is fixed for April 17, 2024, before Justice Usman Na’aba of the state High Court Number Four.

Confirming the development to Daily Trust, the state Attorney General, Haruna Dederi, said the case has been filed, and all parties involved will be served accordingly.

“It is very true. We have filed the case but what I cannot confirm is whether he is served or not but he will definitely be served. What he (Ganduje) doesn’t understand is that you cannot run away from the evil day, it will definitely come to you and this will even serve as a deterrence to all of us.

“He was saying that we can’t prosecute him forgetting that the offence also falls under the category of the state offences. It’s not totally a federal affair,” he said.

Omobayo Godwins, the new deputy governor of Edo State has said his people asked him to leave the Labour Party (LP) for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Recall that he was on April 8 sworn-in as deputy Governor of Edo State by the Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, after Philip Shaibu was impeached.

Appearing on Politics Today, later on Monday, April 8, Godwins said the people of Akoko Edo have always been his priority.

He said: “To be very frank with you, the Labour Party is not just a party but a movement I hold dearly. If I have the opportunity over and over, I will continue to thank them.

“It was LP that gave me the platform, but like I told you, what informed it (defection) is Akoko Edo. It is my major project and we are predominantly APC and PDP.

“I am happy that these six months or what you called seven months are okay for me. The governor has told me in clear terms — we have discussed some critical issues and I have given him a needs assessment of our people.

“I may not be able to do so much but I will make an impact that the people of Akoko Edo and Edo north will remember me for.”

The Northern Elders Forum, NEF, says Nigerians in the region are regretting their support for President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 election.

The spokesman of the forum, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman made the claim in an interview with Guardian on Tuesday.

He noted that in subsequent polls, particularly the 2027 general elections, the region will prioritize unity and consensus in selecting a candidate for the highest office in Nigeria.

“The North made a mistake in voting Bola Tinubu to the presidency in 2023, and it is unlikely that they will repeat the same error in the future.

“They have learned from their past misstep and will strive to select a candidate who can unite the country and govern in the best interests of all Nigerians.

“Moving forward, the North will be more cautious in selecting a candidate for the presidency. They will prioritize someone who is seen as more inclusive, less controversial, and more aligned with the interests of all regions of the country”, he said.

DAILY POST recalls that President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, polled the highest votes from the region to beat his major contenders, including a Northerner, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Since his inauguration in May 2023, the president has been widely criticised over some policies of his administration, which were tagged by the opposition as anti-masses.

Tinubu was also accused by Northern groups of lopsided appointments in the federal government.

No fewer than 39 lecturers in the nation’s tertiary institutions have been indicted and dismissed over sexual misconduct in the past five years, analysis of media reports by The PUNCH has revealed.

Sexual harassment has been recurring in Nigerian higher educational institutions with a survey conducted in 2018 by the World Bank Group’s Women revealing that 70 per cent of female graduates from tertiary institutions in the country were sexually harassed in school, with the main perpetrators being classmates and lecturers.

Although the Senate had in 2021 passed a bill stipulating 21 years imprisonment for randy lecturers, The PUNCH reports that most of the lecturers indicted and found guilty after the bill was passed were simply sacked.

In April 2018, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, announced the indefinite suspension of a professor of Accounting, Richard Oladele, over sexual harassment.

In 2021, the university also dismissed three lecturers from the Departments of English Language, International Relations and Accounting over sexual harassment.

In February 2020, the institution also announced the suspension of a lecturer at the Centre for Distance Learning, Monday Omo-Etan, for sexually molesting a 19-year-old female student.

In 2019, Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, announced the suspension of an associate professor, Monday Igbafen, over allegations bordering on sexual harassment of female students.

Igbafen, who was the chairman of the AAU branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities at the time, had accused the vice-chancellor of the institution of trying to frame him.

The senior lecturer in the Department of Philosophy at the university, in a letter written to the school by his lawyers, Osahon Irebhude & Co, demanded a written apology from the school.

In September 2020, the management of the Imo State University announced the suspension of two lecturers, who were alleged to have been involved in sexual misconduct with female students.

In February 2021, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, announced the suspension of a lecturer in the Department of Archaeology and Tourism, Dr Chigozie Odum, over allegations bordering on sexual misconduct.

The Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, similarly suspended a lecturer in the Department of Media and Theatre Arts in June 2021 for sexual misconduct.

In the same month, the management of the University of Lagos announced the dismissal of two lecturers over similar offences.

In August of that year, the University of Port Harcourt announced the dismissal of a lecturer in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature for sexual misconduct.

In October 2021, the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, also announced the dismissal of two lecturers from the departments of Nutrition/Dietetics and General Studies over sexual misconduct.

A lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education was dismissed for impregnating a female student.

In December 2021, the Kwara State University, Malete, announced the dismissal of a lecturer for harassing a student in the Department of Pure and Applied Sciences.

In January 2022, the Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Rivers State, announced the dismissal of a lecturer for harassing a female student.

In April 2022, OAU again launched a probe into allegations of sexual harassment against a professor in the Department of Linguistics and African Studies. So far, two professors have been affected in the institution.

In June 2022, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof Abdul-Raheed Na’allah, announced the dismissal of two lecturers for sexual misconduct. Both of them are professors.

Earlier in 2023, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission arraigned Dr. Balogun Olaniran of the Tai Solarin University of Education, who was said to have allegedly demanded sexual gratification from a female student to alter her results in 2021.

In March 2023, a lecturer at the Kogi State Polytechnic, Abutu Thompson, was dismissed on account of sexual harassment and victimisation of a female student in the Department of Computer Science.

In May, the management of the Ambrose Alli University in Edo State reportedly dismissed an unnamed lecturer over allegations bordering sexual harassment.

Reports noted that the lecturer was dismissed on the recommendations of the institution’s Staff Disciplinary Committee, which found him guilty of the offence.

According to AAU’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Asomwan Adagbonyin, the dismissed lecturer had claimed to only make advances, yet he went to the girl’s church to plead for forgiveness.

In July 2023, the VC of UNIABUJA, Na’allah, said two lecturers were dismissed following allegations of sexual harassment.

In August, the management of the University of Calabar suspended the embattled Dean, Faculty of Law, Prof. Cyril Ndifon, over allegations of sexual harassment. Ndifon is currently being held by security operatives.

On September 7, 2023, the University of Lagos suspended a lecturer, Kadri Babalola, who was accused of raping a 21-year-old student.

Similarly, in October 2023, the Federal College of Forestry, Plateau state announced the suspension of four lecturers over allegations bordering sexual harassment of female students.

Speaking with our correspondents on the matter, the Director of Programmes, Reform Education Nigeria, Ayodamola Oluwatoyin, urged President Bola Tinubu to sign the sexual harassment bill into law.

Oluwatoyin said, “The President signing the bill will be a game-changer. We need to make schools safe for our students. The most unfortunate part of the issue is that some of these students even when harassed are scared to come out in the open for fear of victimisation and other issues.”

Former Programme Manager, Gender Justice at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation, Nafisa Atiku-Adejuwon, urged institutions to prevent survivors from being further victimised into silence and provide safe anonymous pathways for them to report such incidents.

Atiku-Adejuwon also called for the building of a system of trust between university management and the student population.

“The response system has to be survivour-centred and holistic; mental and physical health concerns must be taken seriously. The response system shouldn’t be created to make the university look good; it should be to take care of the survivors,” she added.

The leadership of the Labour Party, on Tuesday, warned the Nigeria Labour Congress against trying to hijack the political platform, saying it lacks the power to sack the Julius Abure-National Working Committee as recently declared.

The party’s response was a reaction to Monday’s resolution taken by the NLC Political Commission at a stakeholders meeting in Abuja.

In a communiqué released after the gathering, the unionists voided the national convention that returned Abure and his NWC members to office.

To fill the vacuum, the stakeholders said the congress will set up a transition committee to oversee the party’s affairs pending when new officers will be elected in three months.

The resolution taken by the NLC also raised concerns on the need to conduct a forensic audit of LP in line with the demand of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, following allegations of corruption, forgery and fraud levelled against the party leadership.

But the party kicked on Tuesday, saying the congress lacked such power to sack its executives..

This was contained in a statement issued by National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, titled ‘NLC, cohorts lack powers to sack legitimate leadership of Labour Party.’

Ifoh described the stakeholder’s meeting as an illegal assembly of a handful of aggrieved former members of the party and some ‘social media tigers’ who are not card-carrying members of LP.

He said, “The Political Commission of the NLC is a front for Comrade Joe Ajaero which he has empowered for his political ambition come 2027. The group is unknown to the Labour Party and as such lacks powers to convene a meeting of ‘stakeholders’ to deliberate, let alone take any decision which will have a binding effect on a legally constituted party leadership.

“The group has been mandated by Ajaero to ensure that crisis in Labour Party festers ahead of 2027 by presenting itself as a rallying ground for dissident former members of our party, who recently lost the leadership battle in the courts. We are also not unmindful of the political pact the leadership of the NLC has gone into with the current All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to destabilize the opposition.

“This explains why in quick succession all their plots to hijack the party leadership failed. First, it was by illegal picketing of the party when that failed, it attempted to introduce and inaugurate a non-existing Board of Trustees that also failed. Again, the attempted plot to take over the party using stakeholder meetings comprising former members, social media tigers and non-members will fall like a pack of cards.

“It is pertinent to add that Nigerians are suffering under the harsh economic conditions of the current government. Workers and the downtrodden are at the receiving end. As we speak, there are unfair workers’ practices perpetuated by employers but the Nigerian Labour Congress has failed to take proactive roles to fight for the rights of workers. We want to remind Comrade Joe Ajaero that he has a lot of work to do for the Nigerian workers, which he is abdicating to face politics. This is why we previously advised that he should first resign as NLC President if he wants to join politics.”