Former Kaduna Central lawmaker, Shehu Sani has reacted to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Olukayode Egbetokun promise to effect the withdrawal of Police Mobile Force personnel from VIP escort/guard duties.
Recall that the acting IGP said that it was necessary to make the move so as to ensure enough security personnel to combat crime in the country.
He said, “We shall effect the withdrawal of PMF personnel from VIP escort/guard duties. While the protection of dignitaries remains paramount, it is imperative that we realign our priorities to address the escalating security challenges faced by the nation as a whole. By relieving the PMF of VIP escort and guard duties, we can redirect their focus and efforts toward addressing critical security concerns that affect our communities at large.
“To support the foregoing strategic plan and make needed manpower available for frontline duties, the withdrawn PMF officers will be replaced by officers of the Special Protection Unit only where necessary.”
Reacting to the IGP’s submission via Twitter, Sani noted that all new IGPs always announce the withdrawal of policemen from VIPs but often go back on their word.
He, however, hope that this would lead to a different outcome.
He wrote, “All new IG of Police do this two things;Withdrawing Policemen from the VIPs and removing Checkpoints;months later,the police will return to the VIPs and the Checkpoints will return too.I hope this one will be different.”
The Federal Government through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has said it paid N1.82 trillion as subsidy payments in five months, and arrears on the payments hit N3.73 trillion.
In its monthly presentation to the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting on June 22, 2023, the national oil company said it paid N307.408 billion as petrol subsidy payment in May 2023.
NNPC said from January 2023 to May 2023, petrol under-recovery totalled N1.828 trillion — 55 percent higher than the amount paid in the corresponding period of 2022.
It also disclosed that subsidy payments gulped N274.769 billion in January 2023, N477.742 billion in February, N415.381 billion in March, and N353.130 billion in April, respectively.
Meanwhile, under-recovery arrears amounted to N3.735 trillion and has been “carried forward”, the state oil firm said.
It said: “The May 2023 subsidy amounted to N307,408,874,345.82, thus, the outstanding balance carried forward is N3,735,689,387,761.22 as of June 2023 FAAC.
“The sum of N495,497,600,000 was recovered from FGN/CBN subsidy support.
“The recovery consists of N400 billion from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and federal government subsidy support as well as “$220,000 (80 percent of $275,000) Nigeria liquefied natural gas dividend.”
According to the NNPC, the NLNG dividend is converted at N434.08/$1, which is the FAAC-approved exchange rate for May 2023.
The national oil firm also revealed that it raked in N47.57 billion as domestic production sharing contract (PSC) crude oil and gas revenue in May 2023.
Meanwhile, FAAC has claimed that the NNPC did not remit money into the federation account in May 2023 from crude sales, royalties, and taxes.
The Committee made the claim in a statement issued by the Director, of Press and Public Relations of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Stephen Kilebi.
A report has emerged that President Bola Tinubu is almost done with the compilation of his ministerial list.
Naija News gathered that the President was discreet about the selection of the list, as he was said to have closely held consultations with his special advisors.
While the long awaited list is almost done, this platform reported last week that the lobby for ministerial appointment intensified as party sources revealed how some former governors and lawmaker who lost in the 2023 general election were hovering at All Progressive Congress (APC) national office in Abuja
It was also learnt that most state chapters of the ruling party have completed their nominations to be forwarded to the President for ministerial appointment.
However, a source close to the Presidency told The Punch that the President kept a core of ministers to himself.
The source said “I learned that Tinubu’s ministerial list is almost done. He kept a core of ministers to himself, heavily influenced by the kitchen cabinet of SAs.
“The politicians are in ‘Bolekaja’ over the rest. It’s a slugfest now.”
Meanwhile, another source confirmed that Tinubu is scheduled to fly in from London today ahead of Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.
This platform reported yesterday that a source close to the presidency disclosed that the President will be arriving Lagos today ahead of Sallah celebration.
Corroborating this, the source said Tinubu would be returning to his private Ikoyi home in Lagos later on Tuesday to observe his first Sallah celebration as President.
It was also gathered that he will join other dignitaries for the Eid prayers at the Obalende Muslim Prayer ground located at Dodan Barracks, the former seat of the Nigerian government on Wednesday.
The source also revealed that the President is not likely to return to Abuja until Sunday or Monday, even though the festivities end on Thursday.
The source said “I am are certain that he will return to Lagos tomorrow (Tuesday), not Abuja. That’s where he will observe Sallah.”
In the battle for the Senate’s minority leadership position, ex-governor, Aminu Tambuwal has won the support of Atiku Abubakar, the standard-bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Meanwhile, the G-5 group, spearheaded by former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, backs Senator Jarigbe Jarigbe.
Wike’s push for Jarigbe is perceived as a way to retaliate against Tambuwal over past presidential primary elections.
Tensions have risen within the PDP’s minority camp since Wike’s marathon meeting last Thursday with Senate President, GodsWill Akpabio.
Despite these mounting pressures, both Senate and House of Representatives leadership are treading carefully.
A source who spoke with Punch on Atiku’s choice said, “Tambuwal is Atiku’s choice as the PDP Senate leader while Wike is also pushing for Jarigbe as minority leader. Wike is looking for an opportunity to get back at Tambuwal over the presidential elections primary elections.
“He is still bitter. But the party would not allow him to try the same thing he did during the national elections with the National Assembly.”
A source indicated that Wike is determined to make one of his loyalists a principal officer.
The source noted, “Having assisted APC to win the presidential election in Rivers State in February and supported the aspirations of the now elected four presiding officers of the 10th National Assembly, making one of his loyalists a principal officer is his next plan.
“He is very serious about the plan and he is getting the required support from the leadership of the National Assembly as well as membership of the other minority political parties in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.”
An anonymous lawmaker confirmed that the PDP is focused on endorsing Tambuwal for the Senate leadership role.
The lawmaker said, “His Excellency, Senator Tambuwal is the one that the party has chosen as the Senate leader. The party at this time needs someone who can play the role of opposition very well and he is experienced having been a former Speaker of the House of Representatives. The party wants a competent person for that position and no doubt, he is one.”
Paul Ibe, Media Adviser to Atiku speaking on the battle, explained that Atiku’s backing of Tambuwal aligns with the party’s position.
He noted, “The position of the minority leader of the Senate should be taken by the biggest opposition party which is the PDP. The PDP will naturally vie for the role in consultation with other opposition party members in the Senate. This is how the minority leader will emerge.
“If the party is backing Tambuwal and Atiku Abubakar happens to support this, there is nothing wrong with that. It is the prerogative of the party to decide who they think can champion the interest of the party in the hallowed chamber. Normally, they will support someone whose competence they can vouch for.
“If Atiku and the PDP are on the same page on this, it is merely a coincidence because the former Vice President has always been a party man.”
Confirming his former principal’s stance, Nathanial Ikyur, ex-Chief Press Secretary to former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, said that Ortom would back Wike’s choice.
He said, “Ortom will support Wike and I can tell you that for Wike to identify with Senator Jarigbe, that means the man (Jarigbe) is the choice of the G-5. The group is intact and they make decisions together. All five of them are together. Seyi Makinde, Okezie Ikpeazu, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Ortom, and Wike are together. They resolved to always stand together before, during and after the elections. Nothing has changed even after the elections.”
A former party official added that the G-5 remains united in opposing Tambuwal’s bid for a Senate position.
One Ifechukwu Makwe, a Federal Bureau of Investigation impostor, has been arrested for allegedly defrauding a Spaniard of €5.7m.
Makwe was apprehended by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Monday.
The Head of Media and Publicity at the anti-graft agency, Wilson Uwujaren, made this known in a statement.
He said Makwe used different identities to perpetrate his fraudulent activities and swindle the unsuspecting Spaniards.
Court Upholds FRSC’s Power To Impound Vehicles, Fine Defaulting Motorists
He added that he was arrested in the Guzape area of Abuja following credible intelligence about his fraudulent internet-related activities.
“Upon arrest, it was discovered that the suspect, bearing many aliases including Fahad Makwe, Senator Tompolo, Tom Makwe, Dr Bran, defrauded a Spaniard of €5.7million,” the statement said.
The statement explained further that Makwe, who allegedly claimed to be a US Federal Bureau of Investigation agent and a diplomatic solicitor, succeeded in defrauding his victim using fake identities.
“The suspect allegedly started defrauding the victim in 2013 when he first met her on social media, “ the statement added.
Uwujaren said the suspect would be charged in court as soon as the investigations were concluded
The Election Petition Tribunal in Jos has ordered Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to produce the voter register and Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) used in selected polling units during the state’s governorship election on March 18.
The order was issued by the tribunal’s chairman, Irele-ifeneh, yesterday during the start of hearings on the petition filed by Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the March 18 election.
At the tribunal, the APC candidate is contesting Governor Caleb Mutfwang of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s victory.
The order was issued as a result of INEC’s failure to produce all certified true copies of documents as required by the tribunal’s subpoena to the INEC chairman and Plateau Resident Electoral Commissioner.
Salisu Aliyu, a senior system analyst from the INEC ICT department, and Festus Aisien, an assistant director at the INEC voter registry department, appeared in court on behalf of the INEC chairman, telling the court that their appearance was in response to the subpoena issued to the INEC chairman to submit certified true copies of accredited data extracted from the INEC backend server and form EC8A from the INEC Result Portal (IREV).
The chairman’s representatives only produced true certified copies of accredited data from BVAS and a portion of the list of voters required from the voter register in hard copy, while the remainder of the list of voters was in soft copy.
Due to the bulkiness of the BVAS machines and the remaining voter register, Aliyu and Festus stated that they were unable to bring them to court.
However, the petitioner’s counsel, Kayode Olatoke (SAN), objected to their submissions, claiming that all items listed in the subpoena must be presented.
Following the petitioner’s submission of counsel, the court ordered INEC to produce all documents and items listed in the subpoena within one week.
Power distribution companies, on Monday, backtracked on their earlier announcement of a tariff hike projected to take effect from July 1, 2023, as they stated that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission had yet to approve the hike.
Various public notices from some of the Discos seen on Sunday had stated that the electricity tariff would be raised by about 30 to 40 per cent for selected categories of consumers on July 1, 2023.
In a public service announcement from the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, for instance, the Disco had said, “Effective July 1, 2023, please be informed that there will be an upward review to the electricity tariff influenced by the fluctuating exchange rate.
“Under the MYTO (Multi Year Tariff Order) 2022 guidelines, the previously set exchange rate of N441/$1 may now be revised to approximately N750/$1 which will have an impact on the tariffs associated with your electricity consumption”
But in an appeal by the same AEDC, issued on Monday, the firm asked its customers to disregard the planned tariff increase as approval for such an increment had not been received.
“Please disregard the circulating communication, regarding the review of electricity tariffs. Be informed that no approval for such increments has been received. We regret any inconvenience,” the AEDC stated in its latest announcement.
A senior official in NERC confirmed that the regulator had not given the Discos approval to announce the hike in tariffs.
“The commission did not give them such approval,” the official, who pleaded not to be named due to lack of approval, stated.
Reacting to the development, a former spokesperson of the AEDC and seasoned expert in the sector, Olabode Fadipe, said, “NERC never publishes any position or makes any official statement. It is the Discos that does that. Once the Discos receive approval from NERC, they effect the adjustment straightaway.
“Discos perhaps got approval for 1st July and chose to put their customers on notice only to be told that their action was hasty. That end users have been told to ignore the message does not mean that the increase won’t be affected.”
Although The PUNCH later reached out to a spokesperson for Ikeja Electric, Ayeni Akinola, who described the initial trending circular as “fake”, the circular advised customers with prepaid meters to purchase energy units in bulk before the price increment takes effect from July 1.
“If you have a prepaid meter, buying bulk energy units for your home or office before the end of the month may help you make some savings before you have to buy at the new rate.
“For those on post-paid (estimated) billing, a significant increment is imminent in your monthly billing, starting from August,” it stated.
The PUNCH also reached out to the Assistant Manager Communications, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Mary Anavhe, who dismissed an imminent increase in tariffs.
The PUNCH further reached out to the spokespersons for Eko Disco and Ibadan Electric, Babatunde Lasaki, and Busolami Tunwase, respectively, including the Executive Secretary for the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors, Sunday Oduntan.
While both Lasaki and Oduntan declined to pick up calls nor responded to inquiries on the development, Tunwase referred The PUNCH to NERC for an official response.
“We are not responsible for tariff increase or decrease, NERC is. We only carry out such directives from NERC,” she said in a response note.
However, when The PUNCH contacted Sani, he declined to respond to both calls and messages. A minor electricity tariff is slated to hold every six months. The last review was carried out in December.
There are strong indications that the national average price of petrol will rise further as marketers benchmark costs against rising exchange rates.
Marketers who spoke to Vanguard yesterday, against the backdrop of continued depreciation of the naira, said the implication would be that their cost has also increased beyond the figure used in fixing current pump prices.
The current national average pump price of N500 per litre was arrived at with an exchange rate of N661/$.
Already, Vanguard findings have indicated that most major oil marketers have adjusted their prices to N492-495 in Lagos, contrary to the N488 earlier positions floated by the industry shortly after the removal of subsidy was announced by President Bola Tinubu on May 29, 2023.
Also in Lagos, most independent marketers have adjusted further to an average of N515, while outside Lagos the pump price has jumped to over N650.
The marketers said that with the closing rate at the Investors and Exporters, I&E, foreign exchange window since last week at about N770/$ the pump price is likely to hit N550 per litre by early next month.
…Ifa permits secrecy, allows adherents to practice without telling others
Following the comments that greeted a video capturing renowned gospel singer, Tope Alabi, infusing a Yoruba traditionalists’ common greeting parlance, ‘Aboru aboye’ into her worship song, an Ifa-priest, Oluwo Jogbodo Orunmila, has told the award-winning singer to conduct an ancestry Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid (DNA) to be sure of her origin.
In the viral video, Alabi and her backup singers were heard referring to themselves as ‘ebo’ literally meaning sacrifice, emphasising that they are ‘Aboru Aboye’ meaning that they have been accepted as sacrifice by God.
Orunmila who is the chief priest of Iledi Imule Agba in Oyan, Odo Otin North Local Council Development Authority in Osun State while speaking with The PUNCH in an exclusive interview on Monday noted that Alabi has always been enmeshed in the usage of traditionalists’ lexicons.
He mentioned the singer’s use of ‘Eledumare’ and several other appraisals usually meant for Orunmila (god of wisdom) and Yoruba deities.
The Ibadan-based priest said, “All these phrases showed that Tope Alabi needs ancestry DNA to confirm that she belongs to the Ifa tradition. Those words are forcing their way out, she only needs the right teachers to get fully on track.
“Ifa is ancestry. When a lineage known to be Ifa practitioners stop its practice, there would be a day when one of the family members will illustrate the doctrines of Ifa, knowingly or unknowingly.
He maintained that whoever has come out to tag Alabi as an idol worshipper is just fuelling public opinion and is particularly not knowledgeable enough to know that Ifa only identifies those who want to be identified because it embraces secrecy.
“Identifying with Ifa is discretionary. One can either let the public know or not. Ifa does not stop you from identifying with other religions even when you are under its supervision.
While fielding questions on whether the phrase is a usual lexicon that anybody could use, Orunmila said, “It is not. It is certainly used by the Ifa initiates.
“The Ifa worshippers (Babalawo and Iyanifa) are the ones that use that to greet one another because it was a legacy passed by Orunmila. In fact, ‘Aboru Aboye’ is often accompanied by ‘ni Ile Ifa’, meaning ‘May everything including sacrifices be accepted in this Ifa household.'”
Speaking into how the phrase became a common greeting among the Ifa initiates, he narrated that Odu Ifa ‘Ogunda meji’ in Ifa corpus birthed the stories of three women; Aboru, Aboye, and Abosise who rendered special help to Orunmila.
“It was said that in a bid for Orunmila to consult Olodumare, these three women were like guardians that must be appeased to help Ile-Ife be peaceful.
“Orunmila made sacrifices to appease these women, and he had an easy passage to see Olodumare to help relieve the land of plague. Just for their power and kindness, Orunmila decided to honour them asserting that anyone who wants to see Iyanifa or Babalawo must first pay homage to Aboru, Aboye and Abosise!”
Alabi has always been afflicted with inundating controversies, in 2013, Alabi’s affiliation with her late prophet, Elijah Ajanaku who was reportedly buried by some cult members stirred debate with many alluding to one of the songs of the gospel singer paying attribute to the God (god) of Ajanaku as occultic while others believed that she must have been inflicted with a strange anointing.
Another was evident in a video that made rounds on June 13, 2021, in the Nigerian digital space, showing the gospel singer criticising a popular Christian song, “Oniduro Mi”, which was sung by iconic singers, Tolu Adelegan and Yinka Alaseyori, at different times.
In the Yoruba language, Oniduro Mi simply means my guarantor. The song exalts God as a guarantor and one who never forsakes His own.
While commenting on the song, Alabi noted that God was more than a guarantor to her.
The singer further said that there was a time she wanted to sing the song but the Holy spirit cautioned her against doing so.
Against the backdrop of continued security challenges, Acting Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun has announced the creation of a new Special Intervention Squad comprising 40,000 specially trained elite officers.
He said, “In light of the current challenges, a series of operational strategies have been developed which is aimed at strengthening our capabilities to effectively deliver our mandates. Some of these will be discussed in this conference in a bid to kick-start the process of regaining our pride of place in the internal security architecture of our dear country.
“Our objective is to assess, discuss and implement crucial operational strategies that will enhance our law enforcement capabilities and safeguard the lives and property of our citizens.
Speaking during a meeting with Squadron, SPU, and Tactical Commanders in Abuja, he said, “The Squad will be formed by selecting officers from the pool of existing Police Mobile Force (PMF) personnel and all tactical units in the country.
“These officers will undergo intensive pre-deployment training to make them combat-ready for frontline operational duties in all the states of the Federation, with a particular focus on areas plagued with unrest and turmoil.
“By pooling together the expertise and experience of our PMF personnel and other tactical units, we can establish a formidable force that is well-equipped to handle the evolving challenges we face.
“This dedicated force will bolster our capacity to respond swiftly and decisively to security threats, ensuring that our presence is felt and our response is effective in every corner of our country.
“One thousand personnel from this new squad will be deployed to every state of the Federation for immediate operations as standby intervention units, while more troubled spots or zones will receive the remaining officers out of the 40,000.
“These officers will not perform routine police duties but will be housed and kept combat-ready at all times engaging in daily trainings in readiness for deployments to intercept and neutralize high-profile criminals and those terrorizing our communities.
“They will be deployed to intervene rapidly and proactively in any situation necessary in their states of assignment.
All Tactical Commanders will be involved in the process of identifying suitable candidates from within their respective units.
“These individuals should possess the necessary skills, agility, experience, character, and commitment to excel in the challenging and demanding environments they will encounter.
“The new special squad will be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to combat evolving criminal activities, insurgency, and other security threats especially the activities of non-state actors.
“We will henceforth be more proactive and be ready to take the fight to the criminals’ den.
“Furthermore, in order to optimize the efficiency of our resources, we shall carry out a re-evaluation of the responsibilities assigned to the PMF. Specifically, we shall effect the withdrawal of PMF personnel from VIP escort/guard duties.
“While the protection of dignitaries remains paramount, it is imperative that we realign our priorities to address the escalating security challenges faced by the nation as a whole.
“By relieving the PMF of VIP escort and guard duties, we can redirect their focus and efforts toward addressing critical concerns that affect our at large.
“To this end, a special committee headed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Operations) has been set up to assess and advise on how this strategy can be implemented seamlessly.
“The committee is expected to submit its report in two weeks after which further d1etails will be made available. Our goal should be to enforce the law and to be partners in creating safe communities, nurturing an environment where everyone feels protected and valued.
“This is our commitment to Nigerians.
To support the foregoing strategic plan and make needed manpower available for frontline duties, the withdrawn PMF officers will be replaced by officers of the Special Protection Unit (SPU) only where necessary.
“To ensure the smooth implementation of this policy, we will, in consultation with the Police Service Commission, invoke the Supernumerary provision of Sections 23, 24 and 25 of the Police Act 2020 which allows the police to train supernumerary officers specifically for the personal protection duties of individual Nigerians who require their services.
‘We will make details of this available in the weeks and months ahead; while making sure the policy is implemented strictly in accordance with best practices.
“This will free up regular police officers to focus more on frontline policing duties across the nation.
“It is important to note that these proposed operational strategies aim to foster a sense of trust, cooperation, and confidence within the Police Force. By involving personnel from various tactical units across the country, we emphasize the unity and collective responsibility of our Force.
“Through this collaborative effort, we can ensure that no area is left unattended, and all states receive the necessary support to combat crime effectively.
“These strategies will definitely require extra support, will, and resources from the government. I am gladdened by the commitment of the government to support our efforts to restore enduring peace to every community in Nigeria.
“At this point, I will like to thank Mr. President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR; for his passion for Police welfare, support and commitment to repositioning the Police Force for effective delivery of our constitutional mandates.
“The proposed operational strategies presented here today seek to optimize our resources, enhance our capabilities, and reinforce our commitment to public safety.
“By creating a new special squad from our existing pool of PMF officers, withdrawing PMF from VIP escort duties, up-scaling the role of SPU and including Supernumerary Officers in VIP security, we can strengthen the effectiveness of our Police Force and ensure a safer environment for all citizens.”
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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in Delta and Edo states, on Monday, confirmed the arrest of 1,021 suspects for drug-related offences in one year.
The agency’s commander in Delta State, Tunde John, while speaking at the command headquarters at Ogwashi Uku, in the Aniocha South Local Government Area of the state, said 558 suspects were arrested for drug-related offences in one year, adding that of the 558 suspects, the agency secured the conviction of 75.
He said, “The drug supply control and drug demand monitoring actions by the agency had led to the arrest of 558 suspects and the seizure of exhibits amounting to over three tons. This year alone, we have destroyed three major cannabis farmlands measured at about 25 points, 16 hectares.
“The command has also secured the conviction of 75 persons for drug-related offences between June 2022 and June 2023. On the drug demand aspect which entails counselling, treatment, rehabilitation, creating awareness, sensitising the populace about the inherent dangers drug abuse causes in society, we were able to counsel 376 persons comprising 312 males and 55 females.”
John added that within the period under review, cannabis farmlands measured at over 25 hectares were destroyed by the agency.
Similarly, the commander of the NDLEA in Edo State, Buba Wakawa, also confirmed the arrest of 463 suspects linked to drug trafficking in the state between June 2022 and May 2023.
Wakawa made the statement on Monday while speaking with journalists as part of activities to commemorate the United Nations Day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking of drugs.
Wakawa, who was represented by the Deputy Commander, Emmanuel Ejiko, said the agency also secured the conviction of 42 drug traffickers in the state within the period under review, adding that 92 cases against drug traffickers had been pending in the Federal High Court.
He said, “I can tell you that the NDLEA has arrested 463 suspects allegedly involved in drug trafficking in Edo State from June 2022 and May 2023.
“The command also seized 38,337.2889 kilograms and destroyed 40 cannabis farms measuring 67.5 hectares across Edo State. We have also rehabilitated 362 drug dependants and reintegrated them back to their families while 18 vehicles used for illicit drug trafficking were seized.”
Wakawa said the command had been waging the war against drug abuse through sensitisation and awareness that beam a searchlight on the dangers of substance use and trafficking.
He also identified the shortage of operational vehicles, poor office accommodation and the unwillingness of the people to give useful information to the agency for an effective war against drug abuse.
Wakawa assured that the agency would continue to wage war against drug abusers and traffickers until the state was rid of the menace.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan Zonal Command, have arrested 47 alleged suspected internet fraudsters.
The suspects were arrested on Friday, at Ikere Road and Iworoko areas of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, following intelligence on their alleged cyber fraud activities in the state.
A statement by EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren gave the names of the suspects as: Adeyemi Adeniran, Ajaye Damilare, Nwaji Mathew, Jegede Victor, Oyetunji Wole, Damilola Awopetu Ayomide, Ajayi Ayomide, Babajide Victor, Balogun Akinwale, Obie Onatakaroma, Olonitola Olamilekan, Ajewole Kayode, Aina Emmanuel, Adebayo Oluwadamilare, Omowaye Olamilekan, Oyewale Oyomilekan, Arowolo Gift, Shotonwa Omotoyosi, Ochochie Ochola, Ojo David, Onile Raphael and Abiodun Opeyemi.
Others are: Adebayo Musbau, Oyebade Olamide, Egunjobi Gbenga, Oladokun Adekola, Adesola Adebowale, Edamisan Olakunle, Adesola Babatunde, Oyewole David, Lawal Moses, Adeleke Samson, Oladiti Akanji, Ajayi Temitayo, Adeyemi Adeboye, Ernest Temitope, Atoun Timilehin, among others.
In a related development, the Oyo State Command of the Nigerian Police arrested and handed over two cybercrime suspects, Emiola Usman and Kamorudeen Quayum, to the Ibadan Zonal Command of the EFCC, for further investigation.
Items recovered from the suspects include 15 exotic cars, 16 laptops, 77 mobile phones and other incriminating documents, among others.
The suspects would be charged to court as soon as the investigations are concluded.
Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen, has claimed the Best African Player award ahead of Treble winner Riyadh Mahrez and Mohammed Salah at the Ghana Football Awards.
The 24-year-old registered 31 goals in all competitions last season to help Napoli win the Serie A title for the first time in over three decades.
The Super Eagles forward’s best season as a professional player has seen him scoop awards and break records, with his latest coming from the award ceremony in Ghana.
Osimhen, in a video online, thanked the organisers for the award and promised to make Africa proud.
The video was posted on the official Twitter account of the Ghana Football Awards.
“It is a great privilege for me to win this award, it’s really a great honour. Thank you to those who voted for me and the support. Major thanks to the organisers of Ghana Football Awards for their love and support also, I appreciate you all for this recognition.
“I will keep making Africa proud, thank you all and God bless you,” he said.
The former Lille striker scored 31 goals last season in all competitions for Napoli and helped his club to win the title after a 33-year hiatus.
He was also impactful for the Eagles, scoring twice as the Eagles beat Sierra Leone 3-2 to qualify for next year’s AFCON in Ivory Coast.
The striker’s brilliant season also saw him win the top scorer award with 26 goals and also went further to break the former World Player of the Year George Weah’s long-time record as the African with the highest number of goals in Serie A history.
He was awarded the best striker in the league and is also a strong candidate for the best player’s gong at this year’s CAF awards.
Lionel Messi has been awarded the ‘Best Foreign Player’ in France’s Ligue 1 for the 2022-23 season with Paris Saint-Germain.
Ligue 1 announced on their social media channels that Messi had been voted as the league’s best foreign player for 2022/23 by supporters.
The 2022 World Cup winner amassed 32 goal contributions across the season, scoring 16 himself and setting up a further 16 for his teammates.
Although, the 36-year-old Argentine has already left the French club for a new stint in the USA with Inter Miami, his impacts at the club won’t go unrecognized.
The World Cup winner played for two seasons at PSG and managed to win the Ligue 1 title twice.
The seven-time ballon d’Or will now join Inter Miami, which is co-owned by former England football legend David Beckham.