Armed bandits operating under the leadership of a notorious kingpin, Danisuhu, have reportedly imposed N172.7 million levy on 25 villages in Tsafe West LGA of Zamfara State.

The bandits also demanded for contributions like bags of soybeans while also threatening the residents with violence.

Giving a breakdown of the levy “per village,” security analyst, Zagazola Makama, said: ‘The targeted villages and their respective levies include:Gijinzama: ₦8.5M, Dakolo: ₦5M + 20 bags of soybeans, Gunja: ₦7M, Kauyen Kane: ₦5M, Kurar Mota: ₦6M, Sabon Garin Bakin Gulbi: ₦2.5M, Kibari: ₦3M.

“Karda: ₦5M, Daga Ciki: ₦3M, Biya: ₦5M, Barebari: ₦6M, Kauyen Magaji: ₦7M, Kwaren Maisaje: ₦10M, Magazawa: ₦10M, Maciya: ₦5M, Unguwar Danhalima: ₦5M, Unguwar Rogo: ₦5M, Katanga: ₦5M, Magazu: ₦5M, Sungawa: ₦15M, Rakyabu: ₦15M, Yalwa: ₦2.7M, Tsageru: ₦5M, Gidan Anne: ₦7M, Kunchin Kalgo: ₦20M.”

Makama also reported that several residents of these villages have abandoned their homes, farmlands and livelihoods over the fear of violent reprisals for failing to meet the demands.

“The situation is dire.

“The inability to pay these levies often results in brutal attacks by the bandits, leaving the residents with no option but to flee,” Makama added.

Controversial Nigerian crossdresser, Okuneye Idris, widely recognized as Bobrisky, has made a heartfelt appeal to Grammy-winning artist Burna Boy, urging him to pardon fellow entertainer Darlington Okoye, popularly known as Speed Darlington.

Recalls that Speed Darlington was taken into custody in October 2024 on charges of defamation and cyberstalking involving Burna Boy.

The artist was first apprehended in Lagos and subsequently moved to Abuja, where the IGP’s Intelligence Response Team held him in the Guzape district.

Following his release from police detention, he was re-arrested in November during a performance in Owerri, Imo State, shortly after his return to the country.

However, Bobrisky has appealed to Burna Boy to facilitate Speed Darlington’s release from prison.

In a series of posts shared on his Instagram story on Sunday, Bobrisky voiced his concerns regarding Speed Darlington’s well-being, imploring Burna Boy to extend forgiveness and suggesting that a 45-day prison sentence should be deemed sufficient punishment.

Bobrisky noted that none of those he is advocating for today supported him during his own difficulties.

Nevertheless, he stated that his compassionate nature compelled him to speak out regarding Speed Darlington’s situation.

Additionally, he encouraged fans to consistently provide honest feedback to their favourite celebrities whenever they overstep boundaries.

Bobrisky wrote, “I just want to mind my business this year and stay away from anything involving Nigerian celebrities, but my soft heart won’t stop me from thinking about many things.

“Please, Burna Boy, forgive Speed. Prison is not a nice place. I don’t think he has the money for the VIP section because it’s expensive.

“None of these people I’m using my platform to stand for did the same for me when it was my time. But you know what? Our hearts are different. I can’t stand seeing human beings hurt. I pray, Burna, please release him. Forty-five days in prison is enough punishment.”

He added, “Fans, learn how to tell your favourites the truth when they are crossing the line. You all were applauding Speed when he was saying unpleasant things. Now, none of you is in prison with him.”

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the government of President Bola Tinubu and Nigeria’s 36 governors over “the repressive use of the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024 to criminalize legitimate expression and violate the human rights of Nigerians, including activists, journalists, bloggers and social media users.”

The ECOWAS Court had in its judgment dated 25 March, 2022 “ordered Nigerian authorities to stop using section 24 of the Cybercrime Act 2015 to prosecute anyone on the grounds of insulting or stalking public officials online.”

The Court declared section 24 as “arbitrary, vague and repressive” and ordered Nigerian authorities “to repeal it in conformity with the country’s human rights obligations.” But while the Cybercrime (Amendment) Act 2024 has repealed section 24, it has not cured the arbitrary, vague and repressive nature of the provisions.

In the suit no: ECW/CCJ/APP/03/2025 filed last week before the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja, SERAP is challenging “the legality and compatibility of the provisions of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act 2024 with the rights to freedom of expression and information.”

SERAP said, “The provisions of the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024 have opened the door to criminalizing legitimate expression and punishing activists, journalists, bloggers and social media users.”

According to SERAP, “What constitutes ‘causing a breakdown of law and order’ in section 24(1)(b) of the amended legislation is unclear and undefined, threatening to punish peaceful and legitimate expression and opening the provisions up to abuse.”

SERAP also said, “Rather than using the amended legislation to make cyberspace and its users safer, Nigerian authorities are routinely weaponizing it to curb Nigerians’ human rights and media freedom.”

SERAP is arguing that, “The Cybercrime (Amendment) Act 2024, in addition to its arbitrary, vague and repressive section 24 provisions, broadly defines ‘cyberstalking’ in section 58 as ‘a course of conduct, directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear.’”

SERAP is also arguing that, “The provisions of the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024 represents a harshly punitive attempt to address the problems relating to stalking and harassment and fails to provide sufficient safeguards against misuse, particularly for peaceful and legitimate exercise of human rights.”

SERAP is arguing that, “The use of section 24 of the Cybercrime (Amendment) Act 2024 to harass those who are deemed critical of the government directly threatens the staff, members and supporters of SERAP, particularly given the nature of the organization’s advocacy for human rights.”

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare, Mrs Adelanke Aremo and Andrew Nwankwo, read in part: “The amended legislation is abused to threaten and stifle people’s human rights and livelihoods.”

“The vague, arbitrary, and repressive provisions on ‘cyberstalking’ in section 24 of the Cybercrime (Amendment) Act 2024 are routinely abused to suppress factual reports by activists, journalists, bloggers and social media users, thereby leaving a chilling effect on human rights and media freedom.”

“Nigerian authorities not only have a negative obligation to abstain from unduly interfering with human rights and media freedom but also have a positive obligation to facilitate and protect these rights.”

“Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right and full enjoyment of this right is central to achieving individual freedom and to developing democracy. It is not only the cornerstone of democracy, but indispensable to a thriving civil society.”

“Whether labelled as cyberstalking, criminal defamation, seditious libel of government officials or false news, the provisions of section 24 of the Cybercrime (Amendment) Act 2024 disproportionately penalize the accused and inevitably limits protected public discussion and debate on matters of legitimate public concern.”

“The ECOWAS Court had on 25 March 2022 ruled that section 24 of the Cybercrime Act 2015 is arbitrary, vague and repressive and therefore, is in contravention of Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”

“The Court also ordered the Federal Republic of Nigeria to amend Section 24 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 in accordance with its obligations under Article 1 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.”

“The National Assembly amended section 24 and other provisions of the Cybercrime 2015 in 2024 but the new Cybercrime (Amendment) Act, 2024 still criminalizes ‘cyberstalking’. The provisions remain vague, arbitrary, and frequently misused by Nigerian authorities to crackdown on human rights.”

“Since the amendment of the Cybercrime Act in 2024, Nigerian authorities at all levels have consistently used the provisions of the Cybercrime Act to harass, intimidate, arbitrarily arrest and detain and unfairly prosecute users of social media, activists, journalists, and bloggers solely for the peaceful exercise of their rights.”

“Stories published online have been deemed ‘offensive’, ‘obstructive’, ‘insulting’ or ‘annoying’ with actionable consequences under provisions of section 24 of the Cybercrime (Amendment) Act 2024 even when the stories are true and factual.”

“According to the 2023 and 2024 Freedom House Reports on Nigeria, internet freedom of expression declined due to an unprecedented pattern of arbitrary arrests and detention of bloggers after the enactment of the Cybercrime (Amendment) Act 2024.”

“There are several reports on the recent abusive use of the arbitrary, vague and repressive provisions of section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024.”

“For example, the police filed ‘cybercrime charges’ against activist Dele Farotimi under the arbitrary, vague and repressive provisions of the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024.”

“Journalist Agba Jalingo of the Cross River Watch Newspaper was charged with ‘cyberstalking’ over a report that a relative of a former governor of Cross River State had engaged someone to sit for law exams on her behalf.”

“Chioma Okoli was arrested following her comment on Facebook complaining about the sugar content of Nagiko tomato mix. Funke Adeoye was also reportedly summoned by the police for alleged cyberbullying due to a statement she shared on her X account.”

“The Nigeria police also reportedly re-arraigned four bloggers on fresh charges of alleged cyberstalking. The police also arrested ‘a famous singer’ for alleged cyberstalking and harassing Benin Crown Prince.’”

“The provisions of the amended legislation are inconsistent with international human rights law, which requires any regulation of freedom of expression to be necessary for a legitimate purpose and to be strictly proportionate to that end.”

SERAP is therefore asking the ECOWAS Court of Justice for the following reliefs:

A DECLARATION that the provisions of section 24 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention, ETC) (Amendment) Act 2024 are unlawful, inconsistent and incompatible with Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 19 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

A DECLARATION that the actions of the Defendant and its law enforcement agencies in arbitrarily applying and enforcing section 24 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) (Amendment) Act 2024 to harass, intimidate, arrest, detain, unfairly prosecute and imprison journalists, bloggers, social media users, and other Nigerians threaten and/or violate the rights to freedom of expression, information, opinion, privacy and media freedom, guaranteed under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 

AN ORDER directing the Defendant to immediately repeal and/or amend section 24 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) (Amendment) Act 2024 in line with Nigeria’s obligations under Article 1 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other relevant human rights treaties.  

SUCH FURTHER orders the Honorable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of this suit.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has been accused of financial irregularities by the Auditor-General of the Federation, who claims that the company diverted ₦2.68 trillion and $9.77 million over the past four years.

These allegations come amid widespread criticism of the company’s financial practices, which have negatively impacted Nigeria’s financial standing.

An analysis of the Auditor-General’s annual reports from 2017 to 2021, as reviewed by Sunday PUNCH, revealed significant financial infractions.

In 2017, ₦1.33 trillion was reportedly diverted, followed by ₦681.02 billion in 2019, ₦151.12 billion (and $19.77 million) in 2020, and ₦514 billion in 2021. These infractions reportedly violated provisions of Nigeria’s Constitution and the 2009 Act of Financial Regulations.

The reports, submitted to the National Assembly, accuse the NNPCL of disregarding good corporate governance by failing to provide justification or responses to the Auditor-General’s findings within the review period.

Financial Infractions Highlighted

The NNPCL has faced criticism from organizations like the World Bank, which described it as lacking transparency in financial dealings.

The bank’s Nigeria Development Update for December 2023 noted that the company’s opaqueness extends to subsidy arrears and the impact of subsidy removal on national revenues.

Former Central Bank Governor Sanusi Lamido also criticized the NNPCL, calling it “the most opaque oil company in the world.”

The audit uncovered 14 financial infractions, including unauthorized deductions of ₦1.33 trillion from the federation account, discrepancies in transfers worth ₦663 billion, incomplete information on crude oil allocations, and failure to report crude oil losses. A breakdown of these issues year by year follows:

2017

The NNPCL deducted ₦1.33 trillion from a revenue of ₦2.41 trillion without authorization, leaving only ₦1.07 trillion in the federation account.

This violated Section 162 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates that all federal revenue be paid into a special Federation Account.

2019

In 2019, the Auditor-General identified seven major financial irregularities totaling ₦681.02 billion. The NNPCL reportedly remitted ₦519.92 billion out of ₦1.27 trillion accrued through the National Petroleum Investment Management Services.

Other issues included discrepancies in crude oil allocation data and deductions of $1.278 billion from joint venture royalties without justification.

2020

The Auditor-General flagged ₦151.12 billion in unauthorized deductions during the 2020 financial year. The deductions, allegedly for priority projects and handling costs, lacked evidence of approval or project details.

2021

A review of NNPCL’s SAP payment records revealed that ₦343.64 billion was deducted as operational costs from crude oil sales, with no breakdown provided.

Additionally, ₦50 billion meant for the federation account was reportedly unremitted. Deductions of ₦82.95 billion for refinery rehabilitation were also made without authorization.

Other anomalies included the misreporting of ₦3.75 billion from petrol sales and the diversion of ₦83.66 billion in miscellaneous income into a sinking fund account instead of the federation account, forcing the government to resort to borrowing.

The Auditor-General’s findings highlight significant internal control weaknesses within the NNPCL, raising concerns over the company’s financial management and its implications for the Nigerian economy.

The youth wing of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has named the son of President Bola Tinubu, Mr Seyi Tinubu, as the Young Person of the Year 2024, saying his contributions to improving the welfare of others and making life meaningful to the less privileged are remarkable.

In a statement by its national youth leader, Dr Dayo Israel, the APC youth wing stated that the philanthropic gestures of Seyi stand him out and qualified him for the award.

According to Israel, when disaster struck Borno State last year, it drew widespread attention and support from Nigeria’s top philanthropists and leaders from captains of industries to political figures, and the city of Maiduguri became a rallying point for collective action.

He said among those that responded, one name stood out for his quiet determination and thoughtful approach and that was Seyi Tinubu.

“Mobilising his network, Seyi brought tangible relief to displaced families, offering both financial assistance and essential supplies. His efforts went beyond charity, embodying a sense of duty and empathy. This was not an isolated act but part of a larger pattern of contributions that began long before his father assumed the presidency.

“I have seen firsthand, Seyi’s consistent and impactful contributions to humanity over the years. Even before his father ascended to the lofty position of Commander-in-Chief, he demonstrated a deep commitment to social good.

“One example is his endless support for monthly food interventions in Lagos communities through FoodClique, which operated in my neighbourhood in Ebute Metta under the leadership of the late Bolajoko. His quiet but effective support has always been a source of inspiration to many,” he said.

Israel noted that Seyi Tinubu has consistently shown a commitment to addressing pressing social needs, often preferring action over docility.

The former Senior Special Assistant to ex-Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, has asserted that the concept of a rotational presidency is now firmly established in Nigeria.

He emphasized that it would be challenging and an anomaly to reverse the trend of a Southern presidency in 2027.

Akande made these remarks while speaking with journalists on Sunday in Lagos.

He characterized discussions regarding political alliances and efforts to shift power back to the North in 2027 as trivial, indicating that such strategies are unlikely to succeed.

Regarding the potential for opposition parties to unite against the ruling APC in 2027, Akande expressed skepticism, suggesting that such mergers would not effectively address the nation’s challenges.

“I think it is just child’s play to terminate Southern presidency in 2027. Nigeria has gone past that.

“The South is going to get its eight years. The North will get the next eight years.

“Politicians are just going to make noise. It is not going to be possible, really, to terminate the Southern term.

“Rotational presidency has come to stay in Nigeria. There is a national consensus around the idea of a rotational presidency between the South and the North.

“Anybody trying to reverse that is just joking. It’s not going to work. All of these political mergers are not going to solve the problems of Nigeria.

“In 2014, there was a merger that led to the APC. There were a lot of expectations in this country. APC carried the national wave. Nine years after, where are we?

“We are nowhere different from where we were then because the core issues have been left unaddressed. So all of these mergers, even if they (proponents) succeed, what is going to happen is that they will just change the characters of people in the Government House.

“We need to understand that there are fundamental problems that have to be sorted out, and we cannot leave it to politicians,” Akande said.

He urged Nigerians to come together in the face of shared challenges, emphasizing that it is the politicians who are reaping the rewards of the current system.

He stated that, in preparation for the 2027 elections, Nigerians should engage in conversations focused on achieving a national consensus regarding the rule of law, combating poverty and corruption, addressing local government autonomy, restructuring, and constitutional matters.

Key players in the Nigerian justice system have scored the courts, lawyers and the government low over the prolonged trial of some former state governors, ministers and other Nigerians for acts of corruption several years after they were arraigned in courts.

In some cases, the prosecution of the former elected officials, especially state chief executives by the anti-corruption agencies, have lasted for more than a decade without any hope of deciding their fate in the near future.

In fact, a reasonable number of the accused have died without the cases of alleged corruption brought against them concluded in any law court.

There are also others, whose cases are still pending in court but have been elected into the National Assembly (NASS) or serving as cabinet members in the current administration.

When LEADERSHIP Sunday sought the views of some eminent lawyers and members of civil society organisations (CSOs) on the fight against corruption by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the non-conclusion and conviction of the former governors, they blamed their lacklustre prosecution on judges, lawyers and the government.

A breakdown of the former governors whose cases have not been concluded showed that the North Central Zone has four, North West (4), North East (3), South East (5), South South (4) and South West (3).
Speaking with LEADERSHIP Sunday on the issue, the director of a Lagos-based CSO, Justice and Human Rights Reforms Initiatives (JHRRI), David Babajide, criticised lawyers for significantly contributing to delays in prosecuting criminal cases in court.

Babajide accused some of the country’s senior lawyers of facilitating corruption by undermining the prosecution of corrupt individuals through “orders of interlocutory or perpetual injunctions” that favour those embezzling public funds.

He said that in developed societies, lawyers are obligated to uphold the law above all individuals regardless of their status noting however that in Nigeria, many lawyers have placed wealthy and powerful individuals above the law.

Babagide said, “Several senior lawyers have been manipulating the criminal justice system to the detriment of society. They do this by using their expertise to assist clients in ways that violate legal standards.

“This behaviour contravenes paragraph 15 (2) of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners, which specifies that: In representing a client, a lawyer must adhere strictly to the law, regardless of any contrary instruction from the client. If the client insists on breaking the law, the lawyer must withdraw their services.”

Babajide therefore called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to investigate and discipline ethically-challenged lawyers found to be involved in manipulating the judiciary.

In his reaction, a professor of law, Ernest Ojukwu (SAN), expressed sadness at the failure of the Nigerian criminal justice system to indeed dispense fair and timely justice.

Prof Ojukwu said while the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA or laws for states) was designed to expedite criminal proceedings, its implementation has faced various obstacles.

He identified excessive adjournments, poor investigations, gaps in prosecution, lack of technology and adequate infrastructure, resource constraints, and inadequate training of judicial officers as some of the reasons why criminal cases linger in court.

Prof Ojukwu stressed that for the problems of protracted trials to be solved, there must be rigorous adherence to the provisions of ACJA on trial timelines and a limit on the number of adjournments.
He said, “Courts must introduce or strengthen pre-trial case management conferences to identify issues early, streamline the scope of the trial and set clear timelines.

“We must implement electronic filing systems and digital case records to reduce paperwork. We must ensure law enforcement officials receive ongoing training in investigative techniques, case organisation and evidence management and encourage police and prosecutors to collaborate from the outset, ensuring thorough investigations and well-prepared cases before reaching the courts.

“Recruiting and regularly training more judicial officers and adequately staffing courts can help address chronic backlogs. Judges can be more assertive in holding parties accountable for delays that lack valid justification.”

On his part, human rights lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), said the problem of delay in criminal justice administration is a combination of several factors such as lack of funding of the judiciary “whereby we still have the same number of courts, to handle the upsurge in crimes and criminalities.”

Adegboruwa pointed out the lack of infrastructure and facilities as a significant issue. “For instance, there are situations where the court is ready to proceed with a case, with lawyers prepared and waiting, but no vehicle is available to transport the suspect from prison custody to the courtroom. Additionally, there are times when the suspect is present, but there is no power supply in the courtroom, leading to the adjournment of the case for that reason alone.

“In other cases, the investigating police officer is unavailable due to other official duties or outright transfer away from the trial court’s jurisdiction.

“However, the most prevalent of these factors is the lack of judicial personnel to handle the deluge of cases being heaped upon the courts daily. ACJA cannot cure all these issues.

“The search for effective criminal justice administration should, therefore, be holistic so that we do not achieve success in one area, and then failure in other areas still holds us down.

“Criminal cases should generally be given priority attention, given that the life and liberty of the defendants are involved and the cost to society of the criminal act and its prosecution,” he said.

Ogaga Dickson, a Sapele-born leader of an armed robbery gang, who, along with his members killed a Divisional Police Officer in Delta State Police Command, has disclosed how he joined a gang of thieves before he upgraded his criminal activity to involve snatching of vehicles at gun point.

Dickson also spoke on the robbery operation that led to an encounter with the police, resulting in the killing of the DPO of Agbarho Division, CSP Hassan Jega, on October 14, 2024, saying his gang knew when the police officer fell during the gunfire exchange, but didn’t know he was a DPO.

However, operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Nigeria Police Force proved their mettle in intelligence gathering and tracking suspects as they arrested Dickson on November 1, 2024, less than three weeks after the killing of the DPO. Also apprehended was the buyer of the stolen and snatched vehicles, Chibike Umeh.

The suspected cop killer was among the suspects paraded on Monday, January 6, by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, to showcase the achievements of the police in cracking criminal gangs and arresting suspects.

Parading the suspect, the Force PRO disclosed that Dickson, aged 35, was the leader of a notorious armed robbery syndicate responsible for the death of the DPO, Agbarho Division in Delta, CSP Jega, who was killed during a fierce gun battle between a team of police officers, led by the deceased DPO, and the assailants.

ACP Adejobi said that the operatives had earlier stormed the gang’s hideout and engaged them in a fierce gun duel, leading to the neutralisation of four of the gang members.

He added that the police recovered one AK-47 rifle, one English pistol, one locally-made pistol, ammunition of various calibres and six exotic vehicles.

In an interview, Dickson narrated how he got into the crime world: “I was a welder before my friend, John Linus, introduced me to stealing cars from where they are parked. I met him in Sapele. I had money issues in my welding job because I joined a welder like me to work. My salary was reduced and I left. Before the issue, I had met John. We closed from work one day and I was with John when his car broke down. We helped him and we exchanged numbers. We became friends, and he would give me money whenever I called him for financial help.

“When I lost my welding job, I called John and told him to help me get another one. He invited me to come to Warri where he was domiciled. He asked whether I could drive and I replied in the affirmative. He said he wanted to give me car to deliver somewhere.

“The first time, John didn’t let me know it was a stolen vehicle. It was the second time that he opened up to me that he was using master key to open parked cars at night and steal them. I had no choice but to follow him because I had no job again then and I believed something good would come out of the operations.

“After about two months, I was provoked by the way John was spending the money he was making from sale of the stolen vehicles. I was thinking one would not be able to have anything in life if John continued to spend lavishly in clubs after sale of the vehicles. Before then, he had taught me how to use the master key. He had also introduced me to buyers of the stolen vehicles. So, I left him and started the robbery operation on my own.

“An Ijaw friend, Ebimoh, joined me. He was staying in Bayelsa State, but I knew him in Sapele. In November 2023, we started stealing parked cars in Sapele and Warri, like we did when I was with John. After some time, Ebimoh asked me whether the buyers would be interested in exotic vehicles. He pointed out that a master key could not be for such vehicles, and I told him that it meant we would need guns to snatch them from their owners. I agreed with his idea.

“After some days, Ebimoh left and returned at night with three guns–an AK-47 rifle, an English pistol and a locally-made pistol. He also brought three fully-loaded AK-47 magazines and 40 ‘seeds’ (bullets) for the pistols. That was how we started car snatching in January 2024.

How we carried out our first armed robbery operation

“It was in Abraka that we snatched the first car at 9pm. Our style was to check the number of people in the targeted vehicle. If they were more than two, we would not accost them, but if it was only the owner or he had a female friend, we would follow them to their destination.

“At Abraka, we snatched Lexus 350 Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) at gun point. The vehicle owner was with his girlfriend. We followed him in my Toyota Corolla car which I stole with master key. When he got to the gate of his house, we went to him before the gateman could open it. Immediately the vehicle owner saw us, he just came down with his girlfriend, raising his hands in submission when he saw our guns.

“We collected the vehicle key, his phone, and that of his girlfriend. I knew that he could demobilise the vehicle’s tracking device through his  phone. We left for Warri, and I searched the vehicle, found the tracker and demobilised it. I had learnt about removing tracking devices in vehicles, so I did it effortlessly. I also did it with cars stolen from where they were parked.

“I sold the Lexus 350 for N9 million to the person later arrested by the IRT. Ebimoh and I shared it equally after removing money for fuel and other expenses. After the operation, Ebimoh, who had prepared his papers, left Nigeria for Canada, so I went to get a friend, Gabriel, who also called one Samson that he knew to join us. In the second operation, we snatched a Mercedes Benz GLE SUV. The buyer paid N10 million.

“My last operation was in October 2024, and it landed me in trouble. We snatched one Toyota Hilux from the owner in Sapele and went to Agbarho in Warri. I was searching the vehicle to remove the tracker when Gabriel and Samson who were on guard sighted a police van. They quickly alerted me.

“As the police van approached us, Gabriel and Samson started shooting at them. I ran into the bush nearby. The police and my gang members had an exchange of gunfire, and my gang members’ bullet hit one of the police officers. At that time, we didn’t know it was the DPO. When the operatives noticed that one of them had been hit, they retreated. We quickly got inside the Hilux and drove off.

“We sold the Hilux for N10.5 million for another buyer, a woman. She knew we snatched it. I knew her to be a buyer of stolen vehicles. She was the one used to arrest me.

How I was arrested

“Before the last operation, I had been preparing to travel out to Canada. After snatching the Hilux, I relaxed from the armed robbery operation and my papers were almost ready. Before that time too, I had snatched one Lexus 330. I sold the Corolla I was using to someone in Bayelsa. The woman who bought the Hilux asked me to sell the Lexus for her. When my papers were complete to travel, I went to bury the guns used by my gang and went to Bayelsa, planning to take flight from there to Lagos State.

“I asked the person who wanted to collect the Lexus from me to meet me the following morning. Unknown to me, he was arrested with the Hilux, and the woman was also arrested. She called me and said she would come for the Lexus in Bayelsa. However, it was IRT operatives who came, and I was arrested.”

The buyer of the stolen and snatched vehicles, Umeh, who hails from Abia State and aged 39, also narrated his involvement thus: “I live in Enugu State. I was into jewelry sales. I started buying stolen vehicles two years ago. One of my customers, Kingsley, who was a military man, linked me with John Linus. I don’t know if he is still in the job. I told him that a friend needed a vehicle and the ones we were seeing were very expensive. That was when he told me that he had a friend who would sell for me at a cheap price. He opened up to me that the vehicles sold by John were being stolen through the use of master key.

“Kingsley was the one who got a man to register the vehicle and prepare the documents. When I spoke with John on the need for a Toyota Corolla car, he took me to Warri and sold the car for N1 million. I sold it to the person who needed it for N1.8 million and gave the soldier N200,000 as his share and N100,000 to get necessary documents. I took N500,000.

“That made me take up car sale business. At a time, John was arrested, I stopped buying. Last year, Dickson came to me and asked if needed a vehicle. I told him that I needed them. He started bringing Toyota Corolla cars to me once in a while, and I was buying them.

“When he brought an exotic vehicle, I noticed that it couldn’t have been removed with a master key from where it was parked, but I bought the first and second one. After that, I gave him a video call and I saw him carrying an AK-47 rifle while sitting on a chair; he was smoking. That was when I stopped buying from him. I had yet to sell the two vehicles I bought from him when I was arrested in Anambra.

“There was one Toyota Corolla he gave me and I took it to a painter. I was accosted by Anambra police who said I was selling stolen vehicles. I didn’t know Dickson had been arrested.”

Sunday Tribune gathered that Dickson’s other gang members, Gabriel and Samson, had also been arrested by the Delta Police Command.

The United Kingdom (UK) has over the years experienced an increase in its migration rate and this has led the nation to implement significant changes to its visa system, which will ultimately affect employers and prospective international employees. 

In this article are some of the modifications made to its work visa.

1. Increased Salary Thresholds

As of April 2024, the minimum salary requirement for the Skilled Worker visa in the UK rose from £26,200 to £38,700. The Skilled Worker visa refers to the main work visa for overseas nationals in the UK. It allows employers to sponsor non-UK nationals to work in the UK in eligible, skilled roles. 

Applicants are now expected to meet this new threshold or the specific salary dictated by their position, whichever is higher. 

2. Replacement of the Shortage Occupation List

The Shortage Occupation List is a list that shows roles/professions that are in short supply in the UK. The jobs that appear on this list are given some benefits within the UK Immigration Rules to make it easier for employers to hire employees through the Skilled Worker visa route. 

The Shortage Occupation List (SOL) has now been replaced with the Immigration Salary List (ISL) since April 2024. This comprises roles deemed appropriate for a discounted salary threshold. 

3. Adoption of Updated Occupational Codes

The Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) is a coding framework used in the UK to classify occupations, enabling comparisons of occupations across different datasets. 

The UK Home Office has transitioned to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Skills Occupational Codes 2020 system, replacing the 2010 version. This update necessitates employers to reassess and possibly adjust the occupational codes used for sponsoring employees, ensuring alignment with the new classification system. 

4. Restrictions on Dependants for Care Workers

Care workers and senior care workers under the Health and Care Visa are no longer permitted to bring dependants to the UK effective March 2024. 

Additionally, only Care Quality Commission (CQC)-registered providers in England can sponsor Health and Care Visa applicants. 

5. Expansion of the ETA Scheme

The United Kingdom Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is an advance travel permission required from foreign nationals who intend to visit or transit the United Kingdom without a visa.

The UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme expanded in November 2024 to include all non-visa nationals except Europeans, who will be included by April 2025. The scheme requires applicants to hold a valid national passport and meet specific criteria.

In summary, the UK’s recent alterations to its work visa system reflect a strategic shift towards attracting higher-skilled labour while managing migration numbers.

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has appealed to residents to maintain calm and resist any temptation that could provoke unrest in the ancient city, noting that those who want to ignite Kano will be consumed by their wish.

Emir Sanusi, who made the appeal in a viral video while reacting to the verdict of the Court of Appeal, which ruled in his favour, said some people were hell-bent on instigating unrest in the state.

The monarch said, “As you all know, the Appeal Court has confirmed today that the Federal High Court has no jurisdiction over emirate issues. This judgment was expected, and those who initiated the case in court knew this all along.

“Even the judge who issued the initial order was aware of the limits of his jurisdiction. Those who influenced him to make that decision also knew the truth.

“However, for the past eight months, their aim has been to promote selfish interests and instigate unrest in this part of the country.

“Despite their efforts, our greatest achievement is that the state has remained peaceful. There has been no violence or disorder. We call on everyone to continue maintaining peace and unity.

“This battle is not ours but God’s. And God does not need anyone’s help. Let us keep praying for His guidance and intervention. May God protect us, and whoever seeks to ignite chaos in Kano, may that fire consume them instead.

“To those who wish harm upon Kano or its peace, may they face the consequences of their own wishes.

“They may attempt to provoke violence, but let us not respond to their actions. Let us not engage them in any way. Whoever questions God’s judgment will ultimately face the consequences of doing so,” Sanusi said.