The Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction and sentencing of thirty-seven (37) internet fraudsters before Justices Ladiran Akintola, O.A. Olajide, J.O. Adeyemi, Bayo Taiwo and M.O. Ishola of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan; Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State and Justices A.A. Babawale, A.A. Akinyemi and S.O. Adeniyi of the Ogun State High Court, Abeokuta.
The convicts were arraigned between the months of November and December 2023 on one count separate charge each.
They are Aladelusi Temitope Matthew, Akinade Abimbola Oluwaseun, Gbenga Musbau Adebayo, Olaitan Gbenga Josiah, Adegboyega Toluwalope Owolabi, Giwa Areef Olakunle, Victor Ogundahunsi Damilare, Kelvin Dave Udanyi, Ayeloja Ridwan Oluwatobilola, Adebule Olamide, Olamilekan Gbolahan Adeniji, Agboola Oladimeji Taofeek, Ojo Odegbile Oke, Abdulazeez Ajadi Oludare, Oyewole Korede Tolu, Okeowo Abiodun Sunday, Oladokun Peter Ayomide, Samuel Ayodeji Mayokun, Hamzat Taofeek Opeyemi, Echeta Chidi Oluwambe, Mujeeb Adedeji, Eyinola Ojo Tosin and Makinde Kehinde Bukola.
The rest of the convicts are Jubril Ayomide Adeshina, Gbolahan Emmanuel Jayeola, Eyamekware Gabriel Cleverly, Kazeem Orija Oladimeji, Echeta Chinedu Junior, Oyelakin Collins Ayomide, Olanrewaju Kabir Olamilekan, Lasisi Damilola Idris, Emmanuel Ojima Matthew, Sonibare Adebayo Wasiu, Makinde Olamiposi Feranmi, Timileyin Bankole Toyosi, Adeyinka Monsuru Oladaride and Ubiwe Kenneth.
One of the counts read: “That you Oyelakin Collins Ayomide on or about 2nd June 2023, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, did sell hacked Facebook Accounts with different identity cards to internet fraudsters, thereby aiding them in committing an offence, aiding another person in committing, an offence contrary to Sections 7(c) and 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 30, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”
Another count charge reads, “That you Eyamekware Gabriel Cleverly on or about April 2023 at Ibadan, Oyo State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud one Lukas Wack, did falsely represent yourself to be a white lady who goes by the name Elmar Bockmar, thereby committed an offence of Personation contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”
Upon their arraignments, they all pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to them.
Consequently, facts of the cases were reviewed, and several indicting documents and exhibits were tendered as evidence in the courts, urging the courts to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.
The courts convicted and sentenced Owolabi, Olamide, Taofeek, Oke, Oludare, Tolu, Sunday and Feranmi to one-year imprisonment each, Tosin to one month of community service, while Idris and Toyosi bagged two months of community service each and Josiah, Ayomide, Oladimeji, Matthew and Kenneth got three months community service each.
Also, Aladelusi, Oluwaseun, Adebayo, Olakunle, Damilare, Udanyi, Oluwatobilola, Adeniji, Mayokun, Opeyemi, Oluwambe, Adedeji, Bukola, Adeshina, Jayeola, Cleverly, Junior, Oladokun, Olamilekan, Wasiu and Oladaride were convicted and sentenced to six months community service each.
Furthermore, the convicts were ordered to restitute their various victims and forfeit all items recovered from them, including seven exotic cars to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
They all began their journey to the Correctional Centres when they were arrested by operatives of the EFCC for internet-related offences. They were also investigated, prosecuted and convicted for their various offences.
The Senate has summoned the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and the service chiefs to appear before it to explain the circumstances that led to the Christmas attacks and deaths of nearly 200 people in some communities in Plateau State.
Besides Ribadu, those invited are Chief of Army staff, Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, Director General of the Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi.
The senate took the decision during plenary on Saturday after a motion to the effect, was occasioned by a motion raised by Senator Adams Oshiomhole. The motion was seconded by Senator Sumaila Kawu.
Oshiomhole said Nigerians were angry with the chiefs ,and so they needed to give explanation on why there was no adequate intelligence before the attacks happened.
Ondo state Governor, Hon Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has appointed, Ebenezer Adeniyan as his Chief Press Secretary, CPS.
Other appointments announced in a statement by Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Omojuwa Olusegun, in Akure, include Smart Omodunbi Jnr.- Special Assistant to the Governor (Political Matters), Abire Sunday Olugbenga (New Media) Special Assistant to the Governor, Miss Motunrayo Oyedele (Photography) Special Assistant to the Governor and Dr. Temitayo Iperepolu (Domestic and Government House), Special Assistant to the Governor.
Omojuwa said that the appointments take immediate effect. End
Addme: Supreme Court is not even needed in this case. Fintiri's winning is very clear. Binani should go and rest for now because Ribadu will get APC ticket in 2027.
His eyes have been on that seat for a very lonngggg time....
islamics: How far? Can you use Matlab/Python for hybridization of metaheuristics algorithm? Then use the hybridized outcome for feature selection or any stuff? If yes, abeg make we talk.
Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on Thursday, called on the people of Otuoke and the generality of Ogbia local government area of the state to massively vote for Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State in the November 11 governorship election in the state.
Jonathan, who served as Bayelsa Governor before becoming Nigeria’s President, said Governor Diri had done a lot for Otuoke people, and deserved to win the election to continue with his good work.
He stated this when Governor Diri and his campaign team visited Otuoke to round off his campaign ahead if the Nov 11 D-Day.
Jonathan said, “First of all, I join my community to welcome you to Otuoke, and thank the Otuoke community for giving the governor and his team this warm reception.
“I want to thank you, Your Excellency, for your actions so far and with what you have done, we are sure that you will always carry your people along and so we are going to reciprocate the gesture. We will all work together to make sure that we reciprocate, and we will do our best to ensure that you do your eight years in office.”
Diri earlier thanked former President for his support, and assured the people of Otuoke and the entire Ogbia LGA for resolving to support his re-election come November 11.
He commended them for appreciating the developmental strides in the area, and promised to do more for the betterment of the people of the state if elected.
In his words, “On behalf of myself, the DG of the campaigns and the entire team, I thank you Sir, and our mother, Mama Peace, for this unprecedented reception and acceptance.
“Your Excellency Sir, most of us are your products and you have successfully produced two governors, as myself and the immediate past governor served under you in various capacities. I thank you for always being a father, leader and adviser. Thank you for your belief in me.”
The Collation Officer for the Presidential election in Rivers State and Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Prof. Charles Adias, has raised the alarm over threats to his life by supporters of the Labour Party.
Adias said since resuming his duty as a collation officer, he has received many threat messages accusing him of being deployed to manipulate Rivers poll.
Addressing the state agent of the Labour Party, Deinye Pepple, during the collation of results, in Port Harcourt, Adias explained that he was doing his job transparently.
Besides, he said his job had nothing to do with computation of results as he only received compiled results from field officers.
Pepple faulted some results but lauded the collation officer for Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA, for bringing what he described as the authentic results.
“All the results he presented tallies with what I have from the polling units”, he said.
But Adias said: “I have been receiving calls from supporters of your party. Even as I am here my phone is full of test messages of your party people threatening to kill me and do all sort of things.
“They are saying I am here to rig the elections. I advise that if you have issues, go to your polling units.”
Adias said he would discharge his national assignment professionally and called on some overzealous supporters to channel their grievances to the right authority.
He said: “As academics, our duty is to teach and serve society and that is exactly what we are doing and we will continue to do our job”.
The Commissioner of Police in charge of elections in Rivers State, Adeoye Aderemi, warned politicians and party faithful to desist from inciting citizens in order not to cause a breakdown of law and order.
Aderemi condemned fake news on social media and advised members of the public to be wary of such messages.
The Labour Party (LP) Chairman in the Karshi district of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Valentine Onuigbo, is dead.
Family members found him to have died in his sleep in the wee hours of Saturday.
Tribune Online learnt that the party boss coordinated the pre-election activities of the party till late Friday night and was said to have been eagerly awaiting the commencement of voting on Saturday.
His body has now been deposited in Asokoro Hospital mutuary in the nation’s capital.
An audio of Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), plotting to rig the general election that is hours away has gone viral.
In the said recording, Ifeanyi Okowa, vice-presidential candidate of the PDP, and Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto and director-general of the party’s presidential campaign council, could also be heard.
“I think we should interface and not create suspicion,” Okowa allegedly said in the recording.
Then Tambuwal reportedly responded, saying: “Waziri Adamawa, I would not want to disappoint you and for me to accept to go into this, let us strategize and discuss the arrangements and how it can be achieved.”
On his part, Abubakar purportedly said: “Tambuwal, that is why we are meeting. Let us sit down and find any technology that will be used to make sure I emerge.”
The audio has since been shared on all social media platforms notably Twitter and WhatsApp.
Thousands of people appeared to have heard the recording going by view count on tweets shared by supporters of other political parties.
HOW AUTHENTIC IS THE RECORDING?
Checks by TheCable have found the recording to be deepfake.
Merriam-Webster dictionary defines deepfake as: “An image or recording that has been convincingly altered and manipulated to misrepresent someone as doing or saying something that was not actually done or said.”
It was found that clips from previously recorded speeches were cut and joined to create the recording of the said conversation.
Apart from the fact that the conversation was incoherent, the word “rig” mentioned in the audio was not the voice of any of the subjects in the audio that was dotted with unusual pauses and background noise differences.
Analyzing the audio with Deepware, an open-source investigation tool, we detected that the audio was been doctored, hence it is fake.
Further checks on the circulating audio revealed that it has been manipulated by over 90 percent.
VERDICT The trending audio is fake. Various unrelated audio clips containing the voices of the main actors have been edited to mislead members of the public.
Nigerian government has ordered total closure of all her land borders ahead of Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly Elections.
Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service, Isah Jere said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
In the statement signed by the NIS Public Relations Officer, Mr Tony Akuneme Jere said that all land borders were to be effectively closed from 12 midnight on Saturday to 12 midnight on Sunday Feb. 26.
“Accordingly, all command comptrollers especially those in the border states are to ensure strict enforcement of this directive,” he said.
More than 100 corps members trained as Electoral Officers and Assistant Presiding Officers in three Local Government Areas of Imo have withdrawn their participation in Saturday’s general election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in Imo, Prof. Sylvia Agu disclosed this on Thursday in Owerri while speaking on the preparedness of the commission for Saturday’s election.
According to her, the corps members cited insecurity as their reason for withdrawal.
The REC said: “This morning, I received information that all the corps members we trained to work in Okigwe, Orlu and Orsu local government areas have been withdrawn.
“They say they cannot go to volatile areas that these areas are terrorist areas.
“I have called the NYSC to appeal to them but I was told that the scheme has even withdrawn all corps members serving in the three local government areas so as not to risk their lives,” Agu added.
The REC explained that the corps members withdrew their participation following the commission’s decision to revert to polling units as against the use of stadia in the volatile areas.
She said the commission had earlier faced security challenges in Okigwe, Orlu, Njaba, Orsu, Iheme/Mbano, Oru West and Oru East local government areas during the collection of the Permanent Voters’ Cards Card.
“Because of the problems, we had quite a low turn-out of Permanent Voter Cards collection in Okigwe axis and so, stakeholders in the area resolved to collapse five registration areas to Okigwe stadium.
“It worked well and was so impressive. They held another meeting and suggested that they come there to vote, but I asked them to put it in writing. I reported same to our headquarters.
“When Orlu heard what Okigwe did, they came to me but I told them to get back to their people and were equally asked to write officially which they did.
“They say they are collapsing six registration areas to the stadium in the area,” she noted.
Agu said stakeholders in Orsu also pleaded to collapse their registration areas and further suggested Internally Displaced Persons Camp following the insecurity problem in the area.
The REC said she received similar complaints of inadequate manpower from the police, who suggested that polling units should be streamlined to a particular area to ensure better security management.
The REC said the commission had forged ahead with the plan until representatives of the various political parties at a meeting held on Wednesday to finalise arrangement, kicked against it.
“They said it was unconstitutional.
“They even accused me of being in the payroll of the state governor to sabotage the election and that the said letters were fictitious,” she added.
Agu, who noted that the commission had reverted to the polling units, said it was considering the use of students for the election.
She said freshers’ training would be organised for the students who volunteer to work in the affected areas as Presiding Officers and Assistant Presiding Officers, particularly for Okigwe and Orsu.
Efforts to get the reaction of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, proved abortive as the Public Relations Officer, Ugochukwu Orunta declined comments on the matter.
A prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Dahiru Usman-Bauchi, has endorsed the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, for the February 25 election.
He noted that his decision to endorse Mr Abubakar was premised on the fact that most of his followers have endorsed the former vice president.
“Oh you people of Nigeria, the election beckons us again, and my followers who are into politics have told me that they will be voting for Atiku.
“And since they have chosen him, I can’t dissociate myself from them. I’m with them. Let’s see what God will unfold for us. May God grant us good health, and may he continue to protect our country.
The highly revered cleric lamented that the current administration has not fared well in managing the country, adding that it would be wrong for anybody to continue from where they stopped.
“The Prophet, peace be upon him, said a snake doesn’t bite a believer twice from the same hole. After the first bite, you will remove your hand and put it in another hole.
“I heard some people saying we should elect someone who will build on the policies of the current administration. Since the present administration failed, so we can’t continue with them.
“When you enjoy something, you will request more, but we didn’t enjoy where we are coming from.
“So I’m therefore appealing to the Nigerians to elect someone who will change the current situation, and let’s hope that God will change our situation.
“May God grant us a leader that will be beneficial to the country, and will pity the masses and not a leader like the current president,” Mr Bauchi prayed.
Appeal Court in Gombe State, on Monday, nullified the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary in Gombe South Senatorial Zone that produced Joshua Lidani for Saturday’s election.
Led by Justice Ali Gumel, the court granted Bilyaminu Babadidi’s prayer to set aside the ruling of the Federal High Court in Gombe on December 6, 2022, which ruled in favour of the embattled Lidani.
According to documents obtained by The Guardian, the Appeal Court admitted Babadidi’s reliefs and queried APC for unfair treatment of aspirants, voters and agents during the primariy.
Propped by the report from INEC, the court held there were evidences showing that the primaries were not fair, saying: “There was only one signatory on results of the primaries, excluding other designated signatories.”
The court described the primaries as “fundamentally bad, illegal in its conduct and outcome; thus, the primaries are nullified.”
Meanwhile, APC has rejected the verdict, insisting that its candidate would still stand election this Saturday.
A statement by the Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Moses Kyari, noted that the party has not been served with the court judgment.
Few days to the presidential elections, amalgamation of 19 different Fulani social-cultural associations in the North East subregion under the aegis of Association of Northern Hardos have endorsed the candidate of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.
Speaking to Journalists in Bauchi on Monday, Chairman of Board of Trustees of Northern Hardos, Suleiman Abdullahi said that they have agreed to cast their votes for Atiku Abubakar among the candidates.
He said that, “Atiku Abubakar is from the North-East subregion and we want him to win all the six states. We are gathered here to endorse his candidature and in sha Allah, majority of us will vote for Atiku Abubakar.”
Suleiman Abdullahi however said that, “We know that people have different political opinions and rights to vote for the candidates of their choice, but, majority of us have agreed to vote for the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.”
He urged the Hardos who attended the meeting in Bauchi to go back to their respective areas and educate their subjects to vote for the PDP and all its candidates urging however that nobody should be forced to do so.
He however alleged that Fulani people who are residing in the Southern States have been subjected to incessant attacks which have rendered them insecured and restless.
Suleiman Abdullahi urged the government to come to the aid of the Fulani and accord them adequate security as they go about their legitimate means of livelihood.
Chairman, Bauchi State chapter of the Miyetti-Allah Kautal Hore, Hussaini Mohammed, corroborated the stance saying that they have confidence that Atiku Abubakar will be a good President for the country, the reason they are supporting his candidature.
He expressed confidence that with bulk votes from the Fulani, Atiku Abubakar will win majority votes in all the six states of the North-East subregion expressing confidence that with such bulk votes, Atiku Abubakar will win the presidential election.
Hussaini Mohammed also assure that the Fulani will vote for Bauchi state Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir to enable him win his reelection bid because according to him the Governor has done well in his first tenure.
To stamp and concretize the agreement, kolanuts were shared among the Hardos that were present at the meeting.
Ahead of the February 25 presidential election, five political parties have collapsed their structures into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and thrown weight behind the party’s flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar.
Naija News reports that the parties are the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), National Rescue Movement (NRM), and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The parties disclosed their decision at the grand finale rally of the PDP held at the Ribadu Square in Jimeta area in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.
Speaking on behalf of the other national chairmen of the political parties, the National Chairman of the APM, Yusuf Dantele said the parties arrived at the decision to adopt the PDP presidential torch bearer because he is the right man for the job.
He, however, said the parties will participate in the governorship, national and state assemblies elections.
The PDP also received decampees from various political parties including some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council.
The rally was attended by six governors of the PDP — Governors Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Godwin Obaseki (Edo) and Bala Mohammed (Bauchi).
This platform reports that Atiku and his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State are rounding up their campaigns seven days before the presidential election slated for February 25.
The Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) has directed all bank workers to stay away from work.
The directive is coming as more bank branches come under attack by hoodlums across the country owing to the current naira scarcity.
The association had on Thursday during a media briefing in Lagos, warned that it might be forced to direct its members to stay away from work if the attacks on banks and their staff were not immediately halted by the government and concerned security authorities.
In a follow-up statement signed by Olusoji Oluwole, ASSBIFI’s national President and dates February 17, the association said it’s National Secretariat has been inundated with reports of threats and attacks on lives and properties of members and bank branches.
The letter with reference ANS/IIR/JA/OP/5018 and addressed to all Unit President and Secretaries was titled, “Stay at home order.”
It reads, “The National Secretariat has been inundated with reports of threats and attacks on lives and properties of members and bank branches, and subsequently has been on the field to monitor and confirm the reports.
“We issued warnings and appeals to Government to provide security measure for the safety of lives and properties of our members within and around the bank premises, but regrettably the attacks have continued without any form of security for the safety of our Members, and the recent being the attack today. Friday 17 February 2023 on one bank branch at Epe. Lagos State.
“We cannot leave the lives and properties of our members exposed to obvious danger.
“Consequently, All members should today immediately stay away from work in any state where bank branches are attacked.This is to continue every day until normalcy is restored.
“Please Note, you will be availed further directives as events develop.”
Politics / Oyo, Ogun Courts Jail 37 Internet Fraudsters (photos) by Kwanza: 7:55pm On Dec 30, 2023