The trial of the alleged N3 billion fraud charge brought against Ali Bello, nephew of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, and three others by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been adjourned to May 30 and 31.
When the matter in the suit marked ABJ/CR/573/2022 (FRN Vs. Ali Bello and 3 others) was mentioned for hearing on Tuesday, the prosecution, led by Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, called their first witness Mr Nicholas Oyemomoni, from the American International School, Abuja.
The witness could not, however, complete his testimony as the defence team, led by Abubakar Aliyu, SAN, objected to documents, that the EFCC sought to tender in evidence through the witness.
He, however, prayed the court to allow him to raise the objection in the final written address while admitting the documents provisionally.
Counsel to the prosecution, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, objected on the ground that the documents could not be provisionally admitted.
Aliyu, therefore, asked the court to allow him to address his point of objection to the documents before the documents would be admitted in evidence.
Based on health grounds, he asked the court to allow him to argue his objection at the next adjourned date.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu consequently adjourned the matter to May 30 and 31, 2023 for the continuation of trial.
The court had on 20th February granted bail to Ali Bello, alongside three others, in the sum of N500 million.
The Imo State Police Command on Tuesday said security operatives had driven out Eastern Security Network agents from their camp in the Ubah Ages/Izombo tropical forest in Oguta Local Government Area of the state.
A statement signed by the spokesperson of the command, Henry Okoye,
reads: [We acted] on carefully gathered actionable intelligence that members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its militia affiliate (ESN), whose modus operandi is guerilla-like operation, that is, they unleash surprise terror attacks and go into hiding in their criminal hideout, have once again reassembled and formed a camp in Ubah Agwa/Izombe tropical rain forest in Oguta LGA of Imo State.
The hoodlums opened fire when they saw police operatives but were driven back by the operatives’ superior firepower and skilful use of positional shooting that forced them to run with varying degrees of bullet wounds.
Okoye asserted that a concerted operation is in high gear to catch the fleeing suspects
The statement further revealed: Three automatic pump-action guns, 31 live rounds of ammunition, 59 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, one police hand grenade, IPOB/ESN insignia, blue and black police uniforms, police cap, police belt, military camouflage uniforms, black Tiger 150 motorcycle, red Daylong motorcycle, black KYMCO motorcycle, silver Honda Lady’s motorcycle and black travel bag were discovered in the dislodged terrorist camp and shrine.
While praising police officers and soldiers involved in the operation for their bravery, Commissioner of Police Mohammed Ahmed Barde directed operatives of the Imo State Police Command to continuously raid criminal hideouts and seize illegal weaponry.
He expressed gratitude to Imo citizens for their steadfast support and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to eradicating crime and criminality in the state.
he stated, Well-meaning citizens of the state are urged to be cautious of the people who live in their communities and to report any person spotted with or treating bullet wounds to the local police station or by calling the command’s emergency numbers, 0803773600 or 08098880197.
The spokesperson of the Tinubu-Shettima Campaign, Festus Keyamo has taken a swipe at the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as the long-drawn Adamawa governorship election came to a dramatic end.
On Sunday, April 16, when the now suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner in Adamawa, Hudu Yunusa Ari, illegally declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the winner, Keyamo had immediately taken to Twitter to congratulate Senator Aisha Binani, saying her acclaimed victory was a glass-shattering watershed for the women of Nigeria!
Keyamo specially thanked the APC for making it possible, telling Nigerian women to “please go ye forth and conquer!
However, when the declaration made by the embattled Adamawa REC was declared null and void by the INEC national headquarters, Keyamo said: “Following the earlier reports by the media of Binani’s declaration, I have just been informed of the position of INEC nullifying (for now) the declaration and suspending the collation process. We will therefore await further action by INEC.”
When the collation of results was concluded and announced in favour of Gov Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party, on Tuesday, April 18, Keyamo took a swipe at the opposition, accusing them of hypocrisy.
He said, Anytime the opposition wins, whether on the field or in the courts, it is justice! Anytime the ruling party wins, whether on the field or in the courts, it is injustice! Hypocrites with double standards everywhere!
Eight abducted female students have escaped from their abductors in Kaduna state, government official in the North West state has said.
The students were kidnapped from Government Secondary School in Awon by terrorists.
The abduction took place on April 3, in the Awon general area of Kachia LGA of the state.
Sources familiar with the development said the students managed to escape from a thick forest near the Kaduna-Niger interstate boundaries, where they had been held captive.
It was gathered that the girls walked for several days until they found a safe location where they were able to seek help.
The State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan confirmed the students’ escape in a statement on Tuesday.
He disclosed that human intelligence sources alerted the state government to the students’ escape, after which Governor Nasir El-Rufai ordered their immediate evacuation.
According to him, the terrorists were reportedly combing the area in search of the students, making it imperative to act swiftly.
He said the eight students had been safely evacuated to a military facility, where they are presently receiving medical attention.
Aruwan said Governor El-Rufai praised the students for their bravery and resilience in making their escape
Human rights activist, Deji Adeyanju has proposed capital punishment for any politician found guilty of rigging or manipulating an electoral process in Nigeria.
Adeyanju, a lawyer and Convener of a civil society organisation, Concerned Nigerians, said any politician that steals the mandate of the people consequently steals humanity and should be jailed for life.
The lawyer revealed this on Tuesday, against the backdrop of the alleged irregularities that marred the recent elections in the country.
Adeyanju said, “Rigging is a crime against humanity, basically if you look at it, in the sense that anyone that steals a mandate that should naturally be given to the people.
“Anyone that steals a mandate steals the means of livelihood of people, whether is it good roads, good schools, good hospitals, good educational system, good economy because the nation begins with the electoral system and once you steal that process, once that process has been flawed, rigged or manipulated, it means that you have successfully stolen the humanity.”
He stated further, “You know you’ve stolen people’s existence and therefore it should carry capital punishment. And this is why I’m personally advocating for a life sentence for anyone that practices electoral malpractices in the country.”
When asked if the proposition would work because of the politicians that have constitutional immunity, Adeyanju said, “There are only four categories of people that have immunity in the country – the President, the vice president, the governor, and the deputy governor.
“And whether anybody likes it or not, they are not immune from the crimes they have committed. They are only immune from civil prosecutions. Even when the governor is in government, immediately after his tenure, he can be prosecuted.”