thesicilian: These are the kind of places that will interview you for close to 1hr before giving you job self, if you're not careful they might even schedule 2nd and 3rd levels of interview
Superhero Comics From Nigeria Set To Feature At Lagos Comic Con 2024
Founder of Lagos comic con, Ayodele Elegba featured in today's edition of WUN to discuss the upcoming convention set to hold in lagos. The remarkable growth of Nigeria's comics and animation industry. In the last decade, a new generation of comic artists and animators has emerged, inspired by historical figures, myths, and everyday Nigerian life. And the repercussions are being felt in New York, the home of the massively popular Marvel and DC comics.
A 23-year-old woman, Rahimat Salaum was arrested on Monday after killing her paralyzed husband, Shehu Salaum during a fight. She was trying to run with the man’s belongings when she was arrested. She confessed to the crime and led Policemen to the uncompleted building where she dumped the burnt corpse of her husband.
Residents cheer Nigerian soldiers after they engaged armed bandits in a shootout along Kastina-Jibia road, killing five bandits in the process.
Imran Muhammad shared the video and wrote:
In the early morning, courageous Nigerian soldiers engaged armed bandits on the Katsina-Jibia road, successfully taking down five of the assailants. Furthermore, they managed to recover several AK-47 rifles and motorcycles from the scene.
In the early morning, courageous Nigerian soldiers engaged armed bandits on the Katsina-Jibia road, successfully taking down five of the assailants. Furthermore, they managed to recover several AK-47 rifles and motorcycles from the scene. pic.twitter.com/oCm5N984vQ
23-year-old Ayomide Adeleye has been handed over to @LagosPoliceNG by 9 Brigade @HQNigerianArmy. The handover took place today, September 5, 2024, at about 1400hrs.
*Petrol marketers will be able to buy products from the plant
*State-owned oil company NNPC has been the sole price setter
Nigeria is considering allowing billionaire Aliko Dangote’s refinery to set the price of the gasoline it sells, people with knowledge of the matter said, a move that’s poised to refashion the government’s control over what customers pay for fuel.
Until now, Africa’s largest oil producer has imported all of its gasoline and subsidized the price at a hefty annual cost. But in a major change, Dangote’s massive plant near the commercial hub Lagos is starting to locally refine gasoline.
HOW A ‘FRIEND’ REPORTEDLY MURDERED CHRISTIANNAH IDOWU AND BURIED HER IN HIS COMPOUND.
Cc: @PoliceNG @OgunPoliceNG
A detailed report from trusted sources:
On the 19th of August 2024, Christiannah Idowu was declared missing after her parents were contacted by her abductors using her own WhatsApp contact. The first contact with the parent was established around 8:49pm after which they sent photos of the victim in captivity to them using the WhatsApp ‘view once’ feature.
The abductors requested for a ransom fee of N1,500,000. Christiannah’s parents raised N350,000 immediately. The abductor then requested that the money be sent to a bet account through a bank deposit channel. (Info reserved for now)
After receiving the money, on the 22nd of August, the abductor requested that bank statement of the sender be forwarded to his email (withheld).
On the 23rd of August, family complied. Immediately after that, the abductor stopped communicating with the parents.
Meanwhile, on the 22nd of August, some amount was sent to the GTB account of Christiannah and the amount was then withdrawn into the wema bank account belonging to the main suspect ( Name withheld for now).
Investigation by intelligence operatives began on the 26th to unravel details of the account number.
By the 29th, intelligence operatives had confirmation from the bank that the BVN linked to the masked Betting account allegedly belonged to the account owner (name withheld for now) who also operates the Wema Bank (account no withheld for now)
Further investigation revealed that he was able to withdraw the sum of 100,000 from the betting account before agents got the bet company to lock the account.
Armed by these information, operatives began investigation into the suspect whom they observed to have a mutual relationship with Christiannah Idowu, especially judging by Instagram posts as they both commented on each other’s pages.
The crazy thing is: the same account number used to launder some amount directly from Christiannah’s account has been posted on Twitter once to “beg for a give away free money”
With all these information at hand, the operatives began to track down his cell phone activities and text messages. The cell phone tracking led them to his parent’s house, somewhere in IKORODU.
Operatives then got confirmation of his presence in the building through active tracking of his mobile device. Immediately, gallant personnel of the Nigerian army 174bn swooped in on the suspect to conduct arrest.
After the arrest, damning evidences were seen with the suspect and this includes the victim blue ITEL A56 with IMEI:35230******.
Also, in his phones are details of the money moved and also details confirming he owns the Betting account that was locked. It was registered with his phone number.
On his phone, they found an interaction between his personal email and the email address that has been interacting with the family of the deceased.
After reviewing the evidence, the suspect was then taken into custody to enable the operatives conduct further investigations.
Upon reviewing this evidence, suspect was successful taken into custody for necessary action.
On August 3, the suspect reportedly confessed to the father and the soldiers that he killed the girl and buried her in their house.
There is also a new story awaiting further confirmation that in 2018, the suspect’s ex-girlfriend was killed in same manner. Also that in 2020, the suspect’s own biological sister met the same fate, and the same thing has happened to Christiannah in 2024.
It’s really devastating. I’ll give more updates as I get them.
The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) refused to grant Tracka, a civil society organisation that tracks government projects, approval to air its jingle on radio stations because it included the phrase, “holding the government accountable”.
According to ARCON, the phrase contravened Article 22 of the Nigerian Code of Advertising, but lawyers who spoke with FIJ thought otherwise.
RCON was established to promote responsible and ethical advertising practices, act as the conscience of society in matters of commercial communications and as a watchdog for consumers while also managing the needs and interests of stakeholders in Nigeria’s advertising industry.
It has stood as Nigeria’s advertising regulatory body for years, and organisations that wish to air jingles on radio stations for advertisement are mandated to write ARCON for approval before such jingles go on air.
FIJ learnt that Tracka heeded this guideline, but Nigeria’s apex advertisement regulatory body refused to grant Tracka approval to broadcast its jingle.
For 10 years, Tracka has held the government to account by tracking public projects. To celebrate its tenth anniversary, the organisation presented the Active Citizens Festival. In preparation, Tracka resolved to air a jingle on a radio station. But ARCON disapproved of it.
Ayomide Ladipo, the head of Tracka, told FIJ that ARCON disapproved the organisation’s jingle because a line in their jingle read: “Holding the government accountable”.
“We were supposed to get approval from ARCON before we aired a jingle on the radio station. We went through the process and submitted the jingle on Monday,” Ladipo told FIJ on Thursday.
“On Wednesday, they said that the application had not been approved because a line in the jingle contravened Article 22 of the Nigerian Code of Advertising. They quoted the line from the jingle, which read “while holding the government accountable” and said it contravened Article 22 of the Nigerian Code of Advertising.”
Article 22 of the Nigerian Code of Advertising reads:
Advertisements shall not contain any description, claim or illustration which, directly or by implication, convey an erroneous or misleading impression about the product or service advertised or about its suitability for the purpose recommended.
On Thursday, FIJ called ARCON via the phone number on its website to interprete the cited article and explain how holding the government accountable contravened it.
The staff who responded to FIJ’s call directed FIJ to Barristers Chukwudi and Gemmo, two members of ARCON’s legal team.
When FIJ called Barrister Chukwudi on Thursday, he didn’t respond. FIJ also called Barrister Gemmo and sent her a message on WhatsApp, but she didn’t respond until Saturday.
On Saturday, Gemmo told FIJ to send the jingle from Tracka and asked FIJ to give her until Monday to respond.
‘ARCON’S REVIEW IS BASELESS’ — LEGAL EXPERTS
FIJ spoke to two lawyers to interprete Article 22 of the Nigerian Code of Advertising and explain how “holding the government accountable” contravenes it.
The lawyers told FIJ that ARCON’s review is baseless and that the phrase, “holding the government accountable”, does not contravene Article 22 of the Nigerian Code of Advertising as ARCON claimed.
Collins Marshall, a lawyer, told FIJ that holding the government accountable is required in a healthy democratic setting and does not contravene the cited article of the Nigerian Code of Advertising.
“There is the need to regulate the advertising space in Nigeria due to several factors, including the need to curb unvetted content and develop a robust regulatory framework for advertising in Nigeria,” Marshall told FIJ on Saturday.
“However, these needs and the regulations and laws pursuant thereto, no matter how dire and or beautifully designed, should not be inconsistent with the constitution’s provision by stifling rights to freedom to disseminate opinions and information freely. It should not also be a tool of oppression.
“That being stated, the above line does not contravene the above-cited article or provision of law. In fact, the line is a requirement in a healthy democratic setting.”
Marshall was not the only lawyer with these views.
Abimbola Ojenike, Managing Partner at Slingstone LP, also agrees with Marshall that Tracka’s claim of holding the government accountable does not violate Article 22 of the Nigerian Code of Advertising as ARCON had claimed.
“There is nothing in Tracka’s stated claim ‘holding the government accountable’ that violates article 22 of the Nigerian Code of Advertising,” Ojenike told FIJ on Sunday.
“ARCON’s denial of approval would presume, without basis, that Tracka’s claim of holding the government accountable gives an erroneous or misleading impression about its fitness to hold the government accountable.”
Ojenike tagged ARCON’s review as baseless.
He also told FIJ that ARCON’s interpretation must be challenged as it was a form of bigotry, unfairness and arbitrariness that showed nothing but bias toward the government.
“ARCON must not be allowed to become a firewall against any public communication expressing the intention or action of ‘holding the government accountable’. The government — and ARCON itself — can be held accountable, and that is the primary objective of organisations like Tracka,” Ojenike added.
Although Tracka is displeased with ARCON’s decision, it has chosen to modify its jingle in order to move on.
“We will remove the phrase since they said it is problematic, so it can fly. We have paid a radio station already,” Ladipo told FIJ.
‘Wetin be the confusion?’, Nicki Minaj replies fan who questioned her pidgin proficiency
Multiple award-winning rapper, Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, popularly known as Nicki Minaj, has stated that she can read and understand Nigerian pidgin English.
The rapper revealed this on Monday while responding to a social media user who questioned her proficiency in pidgin English.
It all started after Nicki Minaj made a post in pidgin English, calling out a social media user for using her name to chase clout and make money.
She wrote, “I must be the only person you can make money off mentioning. Go 1 day. Abeg. GO ONE FUCKING DAY WITHOUT FKNG LYING ABEG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
The post caught the attention of Nigerian social media users, who wondered how the ‘Anaconda’ crooner became so adept in pidgin English.
Reacting to the post, a user @tyxhndrxx, who questioned the rapper’s proficiency in pidgin, wrote, “
”Who Dey teach Nicki Minaj pidgin language.”
Responding to the social media user, Nicki Minaj revealed that she’s not a novice when it comes to speaking pidgin English, adding that she can read all the pidgin posted on the timeline.
She wrote, “Wetin be the confusion? I Dey have eyes o? I can read all the pidgin weh una pikin de put on my timeline every day. “ SUCKS TEETH LOUDLY.”
However, this is not the first time Nicki Minaj has interacted with her fans in pidgin. The rapper, while responding to a fan back in 2023, wrote, “Naija no Dey carry last.”
Nicki Minaj is no stranger to Nigeria. She was featured as an artist on Davido’s ‘Holy Ground,’ a track from his third studio album, A Better Time.
NNPC has revealed it is undergoing financial strain due to mounting debt, jeopardising the sustainability of Nigeria’s fuel supply.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has said it is grappling with severe financial challenges as it battles mounting debt to petrol suppliers, raising concerns over the sustainability of the nation’s fuel supply.
In a press statement released on Sunday by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, NNPC acknowledged reports circulating in national newspapers about its significant debt obligations.
The company revealed that the financial strain has placed immense pressure on its operations, posing a potential threat to its ability to maintain consistent fuel supply across the country.
“The financial strain has placed considerable pressure on the Company and poses a threat to the sustainability of fuel supply,” the statement read.
As the nation’s principal fuel supplier, NNPC plays a critical role in ensuring the availability of petroleum products, a responsibility underscored by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). The company reaffirmed its commitment to this duty, despite the current challenges, stating, “NNPC Ltd remains dedicated to its role as the supplier of last resort, ensuring national energy security.”
The company also disclosed that it is actively working with relevant government agencies and other stakeholders to navigate this crisis. “We are actively collaborating with relevant government agencies and other stakeholders to maintain a consistent supply of petroleum products nationwide,” Soneye further stated.
The statement comes amidst growing public concern over fuel availability, especially in light of recent fuel shortages that have caused widespread disruptions.
Nigerian Doctors excitedly announce that Dr Olufunke Fadahunsi has been RELEASED.
We hope and pray for the release of Dr Ganiyat Olawale-Popoola and Dr Austin Uwumagbe, who have been in kidnappers' den for EIGHT MONTHS and ELEVEN MONTHS respectively.
Thank you all for your thoughtful prayers and tweets about the horrifying trend of kidnapping of Nigerian Doctors.
Credit: Nigerian Doctor
Dr Funke FADAHUNSI, was kidnapped on 23/Aug/2024 between Shetimma and FMC Lokoja, on her way to work.
74-year-old Emir of Gobir in Gawata town of Sokoto state, Alhaji Isah Muhammad Bawa was abducted by bandits on Sabon Birni road last month alongside his biological son on his way to his native town of Sabon Birni, near the border with Niger, after attending a meeting in Sokoto. His abductors demanded N1b ransom while they tortured and dehumanised him.
The traditional ruler, in a viral video, was shown tied up by his abductors, pleading with the state government, his friends, brothers and sisters to pay the ransom to the bandits for his release. When he couldn’t pay the ransom after about three weeks in captivity, his abductors eventually killed him and when his family members requested his corpse, the bandits again demanded N60 million and six motorbikes as ransom.
The incident triggered a nationwide outrage as people expressed shock at the inability of the security agencies to rescue the abducted monarch as negotiation for his ransom was going on until he was eventually killed by his abductors.
According to a concerned citizen whose reaction trended online throughout last week, “all these were going on, yet we have, DSS, NIA, EFCC, ICPC, Army, Navy, Air force and other paramilitary agencies, we have ministers of communication, telecommunications, information and others that have access to service providers. In fact, we have Minister Bosun Tijani who they hyped and over-hyped as a computer guru.
The kidnappers were discussing on the phone with the family of the kidnapped emir just as they’ve been doing all over the country. So if we can’t track calls made by kidnappers and know their location in this modern era, what’s the use of communication, telecommunications, information and other nonsense ministries?”
From the north to the South, the east, and the west of the country, the story is the same. Thousands of the citizens have been kidnapped with their abductors communicating with their families using mobile phones to negotiate for ransom. Yet, the security agencies have been unable to track down the kidnappers.
Recently in Delta state, a young man who had gone to his farmland in Onitsah-Ugbo was kidnapped. In this case, Saturday Vanguard gathered that during the interaction between the kidnappers and relatives of the young man, the kidnappers demanded N18 million. Unfortunately, after payment of the ransom, relatives found the abducted man dead at the designated point where they were to pick him up. To date, his abductors are yet to be tracked through the phone used.
Also, on Thursday, August 15, 2024, 20 medical students from the University of Maiduguri and the University of Jos were abducted along the Otukpo-Enugu highway on their way to the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students (FECAMDS) Annual Convention in Enugu State. For several days before their eventual release, the kidnappers were communicating with their relatives, demanding a ransom of N50 million for their release. Although the medical students were released after spending nine days in captivity, with security agents claiming that no ransom was paid, the larger concern remains the apparent lapses in detecting the location of the kidnappers and arresting them.
The fact that the students were held captive for some time without the authorities being able to track down the kidnappers raises serious questions about the effectiveness of the security agencies’ intelligence gathering and response mechanisms. The sheer audacity of the kidnappers, striking in the full glare of other road users, is not only a stark reminder of the utter disregard for human dignity that has become the hallmark of these criminal elements but also an indictment of our security apparatus.. Many Nigerians are of the view that the focus should shift from the ransom aspect to addressing the glaring gaps in the security system that allowed the kidnappers to operate undetected and unchecked.
Launch of the tracking device
The Nigeria Police Force, being the leading security agency in Nigeria, launched Intelligence-led Policing in 2015, with the installation of a tracking device that was installed by the then-Inspector-General of Police office, Solomon Arase.
Real-time tracking devices like GPS trackers or cell phone trackers provide critical information during an investigation, such as the location where a kidnapping occurred or the route taken by the kidnappers. There was also the Operation unit code-named Intelligence Response Team (still in operation) which monitored the kidnappers’ movements in real-time, with the information from the device, thereby helping them stay one step ahead. This device also helped investigators analyze the locations and patterns of calls made by the kidnappers, the routes, and potential safe houses.
In addition, the device provided valuable evidence, such as call records, location data and communication patterns, to build a strong case against the kidnappers.
The device helped in arresting many kidnappers through calls made from their dens while negotiating for ransom. One such arrest was that of the five kidnappers of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, who was taken captive by the herdsmen on September 21, 2015, during his 77th birthday. In this case, five of the kidnappers came to pick up the N5 million ransom in Suleja, Niger State. One of the senior police officers who effected the breakthrough told Saturday Vanguard that; “immediately the kidnappers removed the SIM card used to negotiate, we knew where they were and intercepted them at the last bridge to Minna. The ransom money they collected was still in the boot and the SIM card.
Five of them were arrested. The motorcycle they used to convey Chief Olu Falae was retrieved. The N5 million ransom was marked by the bank. They removed only N100,000 from it. The kidnappers were sentenced to life imprisonment”.
What went wrong
Asked what went wrong with the system put in place to monitor the locations of kidnappers and interception of calls for prompt arrest and rescue of abducted victims, the retired senior officer attributed it to the priority of successive Inspectors General of Police.
His words: “The priority of successive IGPs was quite different. Solomon Arase set up the platform when he was the IGP. It was a technical platform to track calls. It was mounted in the IGP’s office then and only one officer, who is now an AIG, had access to the technical platform. The Intelligence Response Team, IRT was supposed to be the operational wing that would work with the technical platform. When the technical team got information, it would pass it to IRT to go to the location and make an arrest. Drones and vehicles were bought for the operation.
“But successive IGPs who were analogues didn’t know what to do. They merged the technical platform and IRT. Instead of the platform being used for crime prevention, it became political. People in the National Assembly and Villa got hold of the platform and used it to track their enemies and mistresses.
For such a platform, you don’t give both the technical and the operational units to just one person who would be compromised by politicians. That was the beginning of the collapse of the platform. It requires someone with power and intelligence, someone of a strategic level who is keen on that line.
"This platform was supposed to be renewed and hooked up with the service provider. But that was never the priority of successive IGPs. They had money to pay for the accumulated subscription but they refused to pay. When you leave such a system for more than one year, it requires recalibration. This technology keeps evolving.
You can’t say something you set up today will be used the same way for 10 years without being upgraded. Before long, the system broke down, and the functionality of the Police tracking equipment began to diminish and subsequently went comatose.
The tracker, particularly, became non-functional due to non-subscription as well as failure to engage the relevant company to carry out required system upgrades. Due to the failure to pay subscription fees for about three years, and after a grace period had expired, the company overseeing its maintenance and upgrade decided to withdraw its services. This made it difficult to track bandits, kidnappers, and other forms of violent crimes”, he stated.
However, Saturday Vanguard gathered that the present IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, reactivated the tracking device. However, despite its reactivation, in addition to the tracking devices of the DSS and Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, kidnappers are still having their way without being tracked in many parts of the country. They are still not getting it right.
Lack of Participation
Further findings by Saturday Vanguard on the seeming indifference of security agents in the fight against kidnapping showed that some were deliberately withdrawing even when given directives. Interaction with most of them revealed that they were reluctant to go after the kidnappers because of the significant risks involved and the limited technology available to support their efforts.
Pursuing kidnappers, according to them, often requires venturing into dangerous forests and remote areas, where the risk of ambush, injury, or even death is high. Furthermore, they complained that policemen are often deployed to these high-risk missions without adequate resources, including specialized allowances, vehicles and equipment.
One of them, an Inspector, said: “Policemen are frequently forced to spend days in the forest without proper support or infrastructure, relying on basic survival skills and makeshift arrangements to carry out their duties.”
Frustration
Many Rank and Files from different State Police Commands expressed frustration due to what they described as the lack of recognition and rewards for their hard work and dedication in combating kidnappings. They said that unless a policeman has connections with high-ranking officers, their efforts go unnoticed and unrewarded. One of them from the Edo State Police Command who was among those who rounded up kidnappers that attacked a sub-station of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, in Igueben, Edo State, in January 2023, where scores of passengers were abducted, lamented that they were edged out of the recent IGP awards.
He alleged that an officer who never participated in the operation that led to the arrest of the kidnappers and rescue of the victims took the shine off them.
Another Police Inspector from the Enugu State Police Command said, “Kidnapping is being politicized. The federal government should demonstrate the political will to address the issue instead of endangering the lives of security operatives. Its approach to tackling kidnapping has been inadequate and the lives of security personnel are being put at risk due to lack of proper resources and support.
“Response to kidnapping has been influenced by political considerations, with some cases being prioritized over others due to the social status or political connections of the victims”, he said.
Others argue that the politicization of kidnapping has hindered the effectiveness of security operations and has led to the unnecessary loss of lives. Most of them called on the government to take a more comprehensive and apolitical approach to addressing the issue of kidnapping, one that prioritizes the safety and well-being of all citizens and security personnel.
Lack of Motivation
Further interaction with the policemen showed that another major cause for the seeming lack of motivation among policemen to go after kidnappers through tracking of calls is compounded by the fact that investigation demands money, creating a significant barrier to effective crime-solving.
The process of tracking devices, according to police sources, is particularly cumbersome, as the necessary equipment is often only available at the Force headquarters, Abuja, and the Department of State Services (DSS). To confront the reality of the situation, most security agents from various government agencies emphasized to Saturday Vanguard that welfare is a critical concern requiring immediate attention.
A key issue, according to them, is providing adequate support to families of those who die in the line of duty.
To address this, they proposed that children of deceased policemen should receive scholarships for higher education up to the university level, enabling them to achieve academic goals and secure a brighter future. The majority of policemen suggested that children of deceased policemen interested in joining the police force should receive automatic employment.
A Sergeant from the Lagos State Police Command said, “In December 2020, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu compensated the families of six police officers killed in the state during EndSARS with N10 million each. This is the type of compensation we need. We heard that an IGP proposed awarding scholarships to children of rank and file, but we haven’t heard anything about it since.”
Kidnappers evade arrest
However, a senior Police officer revealed that kidnappers have devised a new method to evade detection, using their victims’ phones to make calls and communicate with families and friends.
This tactic according to him, has made it increasingly difficult for security agents to track and apprehend the kidnappers, as call tracking devices are no longer effective. The officer emphasized the need for alternative tracking devices and technologies to combat this new strategy, stressing that relying solely on call trackers is insufficient.
He urged for the deployment of more advanced technologies, such as GPS tracking and digital forensics, to stay ahead of the kidnappers and ensure the safe rescue of victims.
Additionally, the officer suggested that security agencies need to invest in other tracking devices that can detect and locate kidnappers through other means, such as IP addresses, social media activity, and online transactions among other devices.
Nigerians are of the view that it is no longer enough to simply react to kidnapping incidents after they have occurred. Rather, the need for security agencies to adopt a more proactive approach by using improved modern-day technology to track and apprehend kidnappers before they strike was echoed from different sectors of society.
This can be achieved through the deployment of advanced surveillance systems, data analytics, and intelligence-gathering techniques that can help identify and locate potential kidnappers.
Furthermore, the Federal Government must demonstrate the political will to tackle the menace of kidnapping headlong, by addressing its root causes such as poverty, unemployment, and social inequality, to prevent the scourge from continuing to ravage the country.
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