₦airaland Forum

The federal government owes 16 states the sum of N580.5 billion for the various rehabilitation works carried out on some federal roads in their territories.

The revelation was made at the public hearing of the joint House of Representatives committees on works and finance chaired by Reps Toby Okechukwu (PDP, Enugu) and Babangida Ibrahim Mahuta (APC, Katsina) yesterday in Abuja.

The public hearing was to ascertain the claims by state governments of expenditures incurred on the rehabilitation of federal roads in their states.

Ogun State tops the list with the sum of N222.977 billion, while Akwa Ibom State followed with N75.9 billion.

Giving the breakdown of the amount the federal government was owing Ogun State, the permanent secretary in the state ministry of works and infrastructure Engr. K. A. Ademolake said the state government had awarded 38 contracts for the construction of the federal roads in the state from 2007 to date.

He said out of the total sum, the state government had paid the sum of N123.7 billion to the contractors, while there was no single reimbursement from the federal government.

He listed some of the contracts to include the constructions of Sango/Ijoko/Ijodu-Abiodun road which was awarded to CSCC at the sum of N34.9 billion; Agbara-Atan, Lusada-Igbesa, Lusada-Alapoti road, awarded to CCECC at N17 billion; Lafenwo Ayetoro road, N14 billion; Papalanto-Ilaro/Fed Poly road, N14.7 billion and OGTV/Brewery road at N13.9 billion among others.

The breakdown of other states being owed by the federal government showed that Zamfara State came third with N57.92bn; Anambra State has N43.427bn;
Oyo, N32.93bn;
Enugu, N25.930bn;
Cross River, N25.701bn;
Ebonyi, N21.85bn;
Plateau, N19bn;
Sokoto, N13.103bn;
Kwara, N12.855bn.
Others are:
Ekiti State with over N11bn;
Abia, N5.2bn;
Adamawa N4bn;
Gombe, N3.851bn and Bauchi, N1.9bn.

The affected states therefore urged the committee to do everything possible to ensure that the federal government settled the outstanding amounts.

Earlier, Speaker Yakubu Dogara said, while declaring the hearing open, that the state governments must adhere to the provisions of the procurement Act in rehabilitating federal roads.

By Kunle Olasanmi

Justice Gabriel Kolawole of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has stopped the Senate from going ahead with the probe of former chairman of the Economic and Financial crimes Commission ( EFCC) , Ibrahim Lamorde over an alleged N1trillion scam.

The Senate summoned the former EFCC boss to account for the fund seized from some alleged corrupt public servants but rather than honour the invitation of the lawmakers, the former anti-graft boss rushed to the court to stop his probe.

In a motion exparte dated March 7, 2016, Lamorde through his counsel, Festus  Ukpue asked the court to stop the senate from issuing a warrant of arrest of his client pending the hearing and determination of the suit before the court.

Justice Kolawole, after listening to the exparte motion ordered, “That a limited order on injunction is hereby granted to restrain the defendants pending when they are heard on the reply to the plaintiff’s motion on notice.

“That the plaintiff’s counsel is hereby directed to obtain a certified true copy of the order in this ruling, and shall cause same to be served on the Inspector-General of Police who shall, on the authority of this court’s order refrain to give any effect to any such warrant which the defendants may have issues against the plaintiff.

The Federal Government released Colonel Nicholas Ashinze, the former Military Assistant to Former National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki, Wednesday afternoon.

The release follows a report by PRNigeria and published on DAILY POST, detailing how the government, the EFCC and the Military failed to respect a court order given 10 days ago to release Ashinze.

Colonel Ashinze, who had been under the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Military Authority, has already reunited with his family.

Pictures of him with his mother, brothers and his children after he arrived home were sent to DAILY POST Wednesday evening by PRNigeria.

lalasticlala

By Chinenyeh Ozor, Nsukka

The university town of Nsukka which was not long ago thrown into confusion and mourning following invasion and murder of two persons in nearby Abbi community by suspected Fulani herdsmen is once again under the grip of tension arising from the attack of an Enugu-based herbalist, Emmanuel Udorji, by unknown gun men who stormed his home supposedly on a killing mission.

But the talking point of the incident is that while the invaders had succeeded in assaulting and tying up their victim, they somehow found it difficult shooting him dead after several attempts as the bullets allegedly could not pierce or penetrate his skin and flesh.

The unidentified gunmen allegedly invaded the home of the native doctor along Edem- Ani road in the University town of Nsukka in a convoy of about eight vehicles, laid siege at the entrance gate of the house and waited for the native doctor to emerge from a meeting of his kinsmen holding in his residence.

Vanguard Metro gathered that kinsmen of the herbalist from Abbi community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State had convened a 12-man town hall meeting to hold in the Nsukka residence of the herbalist.

Sporadic shooting
Investigations revealed that kinsmen of the herbalist had convened the meeting to discuss the atrocious acts of Fulani herdsmen who had in recent time terrorised Abbi community, including maiming and killing hapless villagers as well as burning down their houses and farms in the community. But only three out of the 12 people invited attended the meeting which ended abruptly following sporadic shooting by the invading gun men who allegedly came with a picture to enable them identify the herbalist.

Narrating his ordeal in the hands of the gunmen at the Ascension Hospital, Nsukka, the herbalist said that the invasion of his residence by yet-to-be-identified gunmen was the worst traumatic experience of his life over the years as a native doctor in Abbi community.

His words: “[b]My kinsmen convened a meeting of about 12 men and asked me to host it in my residence. I obliged. To my surprise only three persons showed up for the meeting. But we decided to go on with the meeting as earlier planned. The meeting was earlier scheduled the previous week. Later I received a phone call that it has been cancelled and rescheduled, unknown to me that there was an unseen hand behind the arrangement. The three that attended the meeting were Hyacinth Uchu (aka Yoke), Pastor Nicholas Diara and one other person.

“We started the meeting around 4pm and closed around 5.30pm. I was seeing off my guests to the gate with my good friend Chike Ndubuisi when I noticed about eight vehicles with tinted glasses parked outside the gate of my compound. Immediately, about eight individuals dressed in army uniform alighted from one of the vehicles; another six in civilian dresses and three others in Fulani attire were also there. That was when it dawned on me that something was wrong. And before I could react, they suddenly pointed guns at me and started shooting at me. There was stampede in my house and those of my neighbours. It was confusion everywhere with my family members shouting for help on top of their voices. Many people ran into bushes.

They tied my hands backwards: “When the unknown gunmen realised that their bullets could not kill me, they grabbed and beat me up mercilessly and tightly tied my hands backwards with rope and bundled me into one of the vehicles to an unknown destination. Along the way, my assailants who were discussing the incident, suddenly took pity on me. It was then they told me that we were going back to Nsukka and advised me to be careful of my people. I demanded to know what offence I had committed to warrant the unjust treatment but they did not tell me. They took me back to my house around 1pm. I had never seen any of them before and so cannot identify them.

“I cannot say exactly whether the gunmen were military men. The only thing was that I was driven to to 82 Division Enugu, though I was not brought down from the vehicle and taken to any office at the army headquarters. Only thorough investigations will unveil the circumstances surrounding the matter. When the gunmen had gone after bringing me back, my entire family broke down in tears.

“I have lodged a complaint with the police at Nsukka. I will definitely petition the Enugu State Commissioner of Police and the Human Rights Commission over the incident. My estate in my village was burnt, vandalised about two years ago. Now they are after my life.”
[/b]
Police confirms incident: A senior police officer at the Area Command, Nsukka who would not want his name in print confirmed the incident, saying that the matter is being handled to avoid break down of law and order. He noted that investigation has commenced into the matter, promising that it will be amicably settled for the interest of peace in the community.

Pineapp:
just likes spreading bad news

Dr. Doyin Okupe, a former senior aide to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, Tuesday morning explained why he wanted Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike as well as Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi out of the state in any subsequent election rerun exercise.

Okupe, who was also Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to Jonathan had said that Wike and Amaechi, who was the governor of the state, as well as their loyalists be moved out because of the level of violence that marred Saturday’s election rerun in Rivers into the state House of Assembly and the National Assembly.
He also demanded the prosecution of all those involved in the violence that claimed up to 10 lives including that of a member of the National Youth Service Corps.

But Okupe’s suggestion did not go down well with some Nigerians who condemned his position on social media, forcing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain to clear the air on what his intentions were.
“I have seen and read many responses to my post on violence accompanying our electoral process. This is the beautiful part of the social media. It is interactive.

“It is interesting that most of the comments have nothing to do with the killings and loss of lives involved in this mayhem. It will appear that we have come to accept killings and thuggery as part of our national life.
“As Dele Giwa said: ‘nothing shocks us as Nigerians again’. But this ought not to be so.

“For me, I was particularly overwhelmed by the killings and especially the death of the innocent and young ‘youth corper’, just trying to serve his country. I felt highly repulsed and too deeply pained.

“Regrettably, I really did not consider the legal and moral implications of actually moving a state governor out of the state. I truly never intended to undermine the mandate of the rivers people freely given to Governor Wike. I am truly sorry about that.

“My thoughts were mainly focused on what we must do to avert this unnecessary and wanton bloodshed and deaths following our elections nationwide,” he said in a reaction to comments by some Nigerians to his earlier position.

Okupe said he had watched the American presidential primaries in the various states and caucuses and had never seen any police officer close to the various venues even though there must be a winner and a loser.

“Nigeria and Nigerians must move away from this derogatory barbarism and move along with the rest of the civilized world.
“If the violence that marred our electoral process in 1966 is still very prevalent in our elections in 2016, then there is something seriously wrong with Nigeria and the way we are and the earlier we all address this the better for us all,” he added.

In the earlier post, Okupe had indicted Wike, who is his party man, Amaechi, a former ally and now a member of the All Progressives Congress, the Independent National Electoral Commission and the security agents for the level of violence that scaled the election rerun.

He also demanded a stop to the use of NYSC members for elections especially in volatile areas of the country.

“All principal participants must accept responsibility for this intolerable acts of savagery. By all principals I mean the PDP, APC and their leaderships, the INEC, and the entire gamut of our security agencies.
“In 2016, the wanton destruction of lives and properties that accompany our elections in varying degrees is no longer excusable.

“The frequent deaths of citizens, electoral officials, members of the security forces has assumed highly barbaric proportions. Of particular importance is the reported death of innocent Youth corpers.

“As a Nigerian parent whose children will still go through this national calling, I cease this opportunity to call on other Nigerian parents and well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on INEC to stop with immediate effect the deployment of our children for electoral services.

“We can no longer bear the pain of losing our wards to mindless acts of lawlessness by thugs and hooligans acting for and on behalf of reckless, desperate and irresponsible politicians and power mongers.

INEC stands accused in all this dastardly developments. Before going into an election in any volatile area, they ought to obtain full security reports of the area in question and also confer with the police and the army to get written assurance that they can guarantee the security of electoral materials and officers.

He wondered why INEC would still be involved in the movement of electoral materials on election day rather than do this two weeks before the election in company of security agents.

He also suggested that in special volatile areas like Rivers and others as to be advised by police and the intelligence agencies, a minimum of five armed personnels per polling station with availability of standby re-enforcement in each Local Government Area should be considered.

A self-acclaimed prophetess, Victoria Okere, has been arrested by the police for alleged fraud and abduction.

The suspect was alleged to have abducted a man identified as Wisdom Aworegbe and swindled him of money running into N3,000,000.

The ‘prophetess’ was arrested by policemen attached to Ikeja divisional police station, after a complaint was lodged by relatives of the victim.

Okere was until her arrest in charge of New Revelation Church in Ogba Oke Ira area of the state .

The image maker in charge of the Lagos State police command, Dolapo Badmos confirmed the arrest of the woman to Lagos Metro.

It was alleged that the victim was attempting to sell a house, belonging to his elder sister, to the suspect, when the bubble burst.

While the police insisted that the prophetess abducted the boy, Lagos Metro gathered that the victim was brainwashed by the prophetess .

A police source said “what the man’s relatives told us was that the woman abducted him and collected N3,000,000 from him, within a month.

Badmos told Lagos Metro that the duo were perfecting plans to sell the house, when policemen arrested them.

She also said that the case was under investigation.

The 32 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Owena Barracks, Akure, Ondo State, says it has begun investigation into the death of a 25-year-old woman, Adeyemo Juliana, who was allegedly killed by a yet-to-be identified person suspected to be a soldier.

The Public Relations Officer, PRO, of the Brigade, Captain Ojo Adelegan, while confirming the incident to newsmen on Monday, said the incident is unfortunate.
The PRO however, denied the suspect was a soldier.

According to Adelegan, “The incident is unfortunate, but I want to tell you that it was not a soldier that killed the woman. It is not possible, our soldiers cannot do such a thing; they are responsible officers.
“The army would get to the root of the matter,” he stated.

It had been reported that Juliana, a voucher (recharge card) seller in the barracks, was found in a pool of blood in her apartment in Block 5, inside the barracks on Sunday, March 13, 2016.

The husband of the deceased, Mr. Wale Adeyemo, who said he was not around when the incident happened, alleged that the killer carried out the act on his wife in the presence of her two children, noting that there were many cuts on her body which indicated that she was stabbed to death.
by

According to him, “One of our children, Dayo, a four-year-old, said a soldier entered into the apartment and killed his mother on the day.

“As my wife struggled with her killer, she and the children cried for help, but none of the neighbours came around to rescue her and after the act, the killer stole all the money in the house and the recharge cards that she sold.

“I am appealing to the army authority and the government to help me arrest the killer of my wife.

“I don’t want the matter to be swept under the carpet,” the deceased’s husband said.

When asked why the matter was not reported at the police station since his wife was a civilian living in the barracks, Adeyemo told journalists that he was told by the leadership of the brigade not to report the matter at the police station, that army authority would handle it.

Sijo01:
Administration full of hypocrites!

Details of the recruitment, carried out between June 2014 and February 2015 showed that out of the 909 staff engaged, 213 of them are from the South-South region, CBN governor’s geo-political zone.

http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/cbn-secretly-hired-909/138078.html

Members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) are already forming queues behind former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, ahead of tomorrow’s meeting of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Daily Trust on Sunday learnt yesterday.

Sources said the BoT meeting, scheduled to hold at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, would be used to elect both the chairman and secretary of the Board, which is an advisory body of elders and leaders considered as the conscience of the party.

A leader of the APC in Abia State and former National Chairman of the Progressives Peoples Alliance (PPA), Chief Sam Nkire, had already declared his interest to become the secretary of the party’s BoT.

The latest development is an indication that the first interim National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, may no longer be in the APC BoT chairmanship contest.

The APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, confirmed tomorrow’s meeting last Monday after resuming from a 10-day working break.

After the emergence of the BoT chairman, a meeting of the party’s national caucus will follow on Tuesday, March 22, 2016.

Chief Odigie-Oyegun said the meeting of the APC National Executive Committee (NEC), which is the party’s highest decision making organ, will hold on Thursday, March 24, 2016.

Daily Trust on Sunday learnt that the need to fill vacant positions in the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) would be ratified at the NEC meeting.

The APC national chairman, who spoke with journalists at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja, had said that all arrangements had been concluded to conduct congresses through which a substantive national publicity secretary to succeed Alhaji Lai Mohammed would emerge.

Ade Adesomoju, Abuja

The Code of Conduct Bureau has said there is evidence that the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, while governor of Kwara State between 1999 and 2007, obtained huge bank loans and paid back the loans with funds belonging to the state.

The bureau alleged that Saraki used the bank loans running into billions of naira to acquire landed assets in Lagos, Abuja and London.

The Bureau said it gathered the information from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission which conducted investigations into various petitions written against the Senate President between 2010 and 2012.

The CCB’s position is contained in a counter-affidavit deposed to by one of its operatives, Peter Danladi, in opposition to a fresh motion filed by Saraki to challenge the validity of the 13 counts of false assets declaration instituted against him before the tribunal.

Danladi stated, “That I was informed by Mr. Yahaya Bello, an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in our office on March 14, 2016 at about 11am and I verily believe him that:
“The EFCC received various petitions against the defendant/applicant between 2010 and 2012 alleging acts of corruption, theft, money laundering etc.

“The EFCC conducted its investigation of the various petitions and made findings which showed that the defendant/applicant abused his office while he was Governor of Kwara State and was involved in various acts of corruption as the governor of the state.

“The defendant/applicant borrowed huge sums of money running into billions from commercial banks, particularly Guarantee Trust Bank and used the proceeds of the loan to acquire several landed properties in Lagos, Abuja and London while he was Governor of Kwara State.

“As against the defendant using his own legitimate income to defray the loan, he took public funds running into billions from Kwara State Government and lodged same in several tranches and in cash into his GTB account in GRA, Ilorin, Kwara State.

“The defendant/applicant’s account officer in GTB confirmed that the defendant/applicant gave him several cash in government house to lodge into the account and in some occasions, the defendant sent his aides from government house to give him the cash for lodgment into his account.

“When EFCC submitted its report to its legal department and the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Federal Ministry of Justice formed the opinion that the offences revealed from the investigation, particularly as they relate to the properties acquired by the defendant/applicant while he was Governor of Kwara State and various monies sent into his various accounts outside Nigeria can be better investigated and prosecuted through the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal.

“The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation then sent the findings and the evidence gathered during investigation by the EFCC as a complaint to the Code of Conduct Bureau for investigation and that the operative of EFCC would collaborate with the officers of the bureau for effective investigations.”

DAILY POST has uncovered an ongoing mobilization of ‘Abokis’ who are largely illiterate and involved in hawking water and other menial jobs in Jabi Park for a protest along the street leading to the venue of Code of Conduct Tribunal on Friday.

Our reporter got to the scene of the mobilization at exactly 9.00am at a shanty located directly behind the venue.

A middle-aged man was seen addressing the mobilized youths in Hausa language and simply identified himself as Comrade, but was later identified to be of the Igala speaking tribe. He was seen with a long list of protesters and refused our correspondent to have a look at the list in his hand.

A protester on inquiry disclosed that they were given N1,000.00, noting that some of them participated in last week’s protest and that was why they have good number of them attending the protest today.

“We were given N1,000.00 each because last week, the man fulfilled his promise and today, I have got my own. Oga, you can enter and talk to him.”

DAILY POST further observed that the protesters who are largely between 16 to 21 years hardly speak pidgin English.

Two among the protesters displaying a banner with Saraki’s photograph, bearing ‘ SENATE IS WORKING UNDER SARAKI’ voluntarily requested our correspondent that they should be snapped.

Meanwhile, the trial of Saraki is expected to enter proper hearing in a substantive suit for 13-counts of false declaration of asset when he was governor of Kwara State.

As at last week Friday, the Code of Conduct Tribunal could not proceed on proper hearing for purposes of motion by the defence counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN) challenging the jurisdiction of CCT.

The implication was that in the last 6 months, it has been pre-trial, a situation, the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs described as unhealthy in Nigeria’s Judicial system.

“The tactic of delaying hearing in the last 6 months through counter motion, which bothers on jurisdiction that has traveled from CCT to the Supreme Court only for it to resurface was antithetical to our Judicial system,” Jacobs maintained.

akeensbussy:
do you know how many lives had lost because of these selfish politicians? just one week with the DSS is forming HIV patient. when they want to take deadly and evil decisions they don't care about the consequences. When their sin start hunting them, they will be seeking for public sympathy. I am not moved by his predicament.

City News reliably gathered that the woman, identified as Josephine, was employed by the suspect as a house help to his wife and that she had spent only weeks with the family when signs of the pregnancy showed.

Samuel Awoyinfa, Abeokuta

Eight-year-old pupil of Prospect Primary School, Akute, Ogun State, Oyindamola Onimole, has been detained by the Ajuwon Police Division.

It was gathered that Oyindamola, who was held by the police between 6pm on Wednesday and 12pm on Thursday, was arrested by a policeman from the station for reporting a teacher in the school, identified simply as Mrs. Oni, to his mother.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Oni, who is the wife of one of the policemen at the station, had maltreated Oyindamola at school and the pupil reported her to his mother, Mrs. Nimota Onimole, who subsequently stormed the school and complained about the assault.

After the mother left, the teacher was said to have descended on the child again for daring to report her to his mother.

A source in the school said, “After school hours, the teacher called her husband and he stormed the house of the pupil and arrested the minor.

“When Mrs. Onimole (Nimota) returned from work about 10pm, neighbours told her about the ordeal of her son. She left for the police station to ascertain what had happened. The mother, who went to the police station to bail her child, was also detained.”

Oyindamola’s father, Olalekan Omole, confirmed on Thursday that his wife and son were detained by the police.

He said, “At about 6.30pm, the teacher and her policeman husband, went to our house and forcibly took my son. They used okada (motorcycle) to pick my son.

“When my wife returned about 10pm and got to the station around 10.30pm, requesting to get her child released, she was equally detained at the station. All this happened because of the influence of the teacher, whose husband happened to be a policeman at the station.

“My two remaining children slept alone at home that night. I had to consult a lot of people to wade in and get justice for my family.

“But today (Thursday), at about 12pm, my son and my wife were released by the police.”

Olalekan, who expressed outrage at the detention of the minor, said he would contact his lawyer to take the matter up.

Oyindamola’s father added that he had informed the school proprietor about Mrs. Oni’s alleged misconduct.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said he was not aware of the case, but would investigate and get back to our correspondent.

But he had yet to get back to our correspondent as of press time.

lalasticlala

Further search of the vehicles, yielded several women handbags, panties and phones. She picked her phones from among the lot. She said the phone belonged to her sister.

“I told them that if they were not satisfied with the rounds of sex they had, they should go for more rounds,’’ she said.

Eniola Akinkuotu

Policemen attached to the Dolphin Police Division in Ikoyi have arrested a 30-year-old man, Ugo Madugba, for marrying his 28-year-old wife without the express approval of her parents.

Madugba’s wife, Nono Orji, who is a medical doctor, said in a Facebook post on Thursday that there were plans by the police to poison her husband.

She said her husband was arrested on the orders of her parents who have been against their marriage from day one.

She said, “The Nigerian Police in Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi just arrested an innocent 30-year-old man called Ugo Madugba for an offence of marriage. Marriage has become a crime in Nigeria according to Dolphin police station in Ikoyi. Mr. Ugo got married to Dr. Nono a 28-year-old medical Doctor.

“Her father has been very distraught about it and has used the police to threaten the young couple to the extent of arresting all those who acted as witnesses to the marriage who are now in custody.

“He has been denied access to his family and friends and information reaching us has it that his lawyer was also denied access to him. There is a belief that a plan to poison ugo is being hatched. Please, forward this message to as many people as possible lets save Ugo’s life.”

Orji said in another Facebook post that her parents were trying to force her to marry another man but when she refused, they accused her husband of hypnotising her.

However, a police source told our correspondent that they believed that the wife was hypnotised and abducted by her husband.

The source said the matter would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, today.

A 32-year-old driver, Mohammed Abdullahi, has been arrested by operatives of X- Squad, Lagos State Police Command, for allegedly impersonating an Air Force officer.

Another man, Suleiman Abdullahi was yesterday arraigned before an Ojo Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly impersonating a military officer.

Abdullahi was arrested by Air Force personnel who saw him wearing the uniform and performing like an officer.
The personnel handed him over to the police.

Abdullahi, who was paraded yesterday, said he got the uniform from his friend, Haruna Ali, an army personnel, adding: “We met at Agege on January 17 and he handed the cloth to me to keep for his younger brother whom he said passed out in 2014 but has not got uniform. I am not air force personnel; I am a driver; my route is Kano to Lagos, Mile 2 to Kaduna and vice versa. I used to drive my brother’s bus but he sold it and travelled abroad for greener pasture.

“I have a family to feed; I was thinking on how to get money when I consulted Haruna and he advised me to use the air force uniform to fend for myself. I started wearing the uniform which I bought for N5,000 to be escorting vehicles from Kaduna to Lagos; they used to pay me N 3,000 for each vehicle I escort. But on February 2, some air force personnel saw me wearing the uniform and arrested me and later transferred me to police.

“I am married with three children and my wife is pregnant; she is expected to deliver this week. I love the work of air force; I have tried three times to join air force but I was disqualified on medical ground.”

Police spokesperson Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent (SP), said the suspect would be charged to court and warned others engaged in such act to desist.
Abdullahi, 25 is also being tried for being in possession of a Nigerian Customs Service identification card.

Prosecutor Simon Uche said the accused committed the offence on March 3 around 10pm at Ilufe in Ojo, Lagos.

“The accused on the said date and time unlawfully paraded himself as a military officer by wearing an army camouflage T-shirt. He was also found with a duly signed Nigerian Customs Service identity card by 18 Surveillance men in Ojo,” Uche said.
The accused denied the charge and was granted N50,000 bail.

He is also to deposit N25,000 with the court’s registrar.

Magistrate Paul Adedamola adjourned till May 23.