Crime & Court
How Osinachi’s husband threatened to kill late gospel singer – Victim’s mother reveals
The mother of Osinachi Nwachukwu has narrated before the FCT High Court in Abuja how the late gospel singer’s husband threatened to kill the late victim.
Appearing before Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme on Monday, 61-year-old Caroline Madu, informed that the accused, Peter Nwachukwu, threatened to kill Osinachi if she (the mother) tried visiting her.
Madu said the late Osinachi (42 ) was last seen in December during a church programme before her death on April 8.
When the singer was sick, the mother claimed to have told Osinachi that she needed treatment. She, however, said she would have to plead with her husband, adding that if she visited her, her husband would kill her.
Madu, who was in tears, accused Peter of coming to steal her child. The singer’s mother said Peter told the family that he was an evangelist. On the contrary, he would beat her child like a carpenter working on a piece of wood.
During Osinachi’s pregnancy, the mother said her husband will beat her and when she asked her to come and see him, the singer’s husband refused.
She added that Peter bragged that if she did not go alive, she will go in death.
Madam Madu stated that the situation forced her to send her senior daughter – Favour Madu – to go bring Osinachi home. The move was successful as Osinachi stayed a year and three months before Peter sent some pastors to plead with her family to take her back.
According to her, Osinachi agreed, telling her family, “What God has joined together, no man should put asunder.”
The late singer was said to have returned to her husband who then resumed the beatings.
When she asked Osinachi for monetary assistance, Madu claimed the late singer could not give her as the money was deposited in Peter’s account.
She further told the court that there was a time she was ill, and people had to plead with Peter to allow her to come over to Abuja for treatment. She recalled going to church with them one day and after the service, Peter drove off with the kids leaving Osinachi and her stranded.
She added that Osinachi never visited her in Enugu and Peter never allowed her to even pick up her call.
On Osinachi’s health status, Madu maintained her daughter only told her that she had an ulcer whereas the husband had claimed she died of lung cancer.
Upon hearing about her daughter’s death via radio and television on April 8, the grieving mother said people started coming to her house crying.
In the evening around 7 pm, she said Peter used Osinachi’s number and called her and she asked him how they were, stating that Osinachi was dead
Responding, Madu told the court that she shouted in tears telling him (Peter) that the promise he made that if she didn’t leave alive, she will in death, has finally come to pass. She recalled how she then cut the call and switched off the phone.
Under cross-examination, Madu said she never knew if Osinachi suffered from another ailment.
Ola Olukoyede, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has raised concerns over widespread corruption in Nigeria’s electricity sector, attributing frequent national grid failures to fraudulent practices involving substandard materials.
Olukoyede made these remarks on Tuesday during a visit from the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja.
He revealed that ongoing investigations in the power sector had exposed disturbing levels of malpractice, often resulting in compromised infrastructure and recurrent grid collapses.
“As I am talking to you now, we are grappling with electricity. If you see some of the investigations we are carrying out within the power sector, you will shed tears,” Olukoyede stated.
He further explained that contractors awarded projects to supply electrical equipment were substituting recommended materials with cheaper, inferior alternatives.
“People who were awarded contracts to supply electricity equipment, instead of using what they call 9.0 gauge, they will buy 5.0,” he said, noting that such fraudulent practices contribute significantly to the country’s unstable power supply.
“So, every time you see the thing tripping off gets burnt, and all of that, it’s part of our problems.”
The EFCC boss disclosed that the agency would be intensifying efforts toward crime prevention rather than focusing solely on asset recovery.
He emphasized that future scrutiny would prioritize spending by government ministries and agencies to curb misappropriation at the source.
Crime & Court
Nigerian Man Wanted for Child’s Murder Added to U.S. Marshals’ “15 Most Wanted” List, $25,000 Reward Offered
A Nigerian man, Olalekan Abimbola Olawusi, 48, is now among the U.S. Marshals Service’s “15 Most Wanted” list.
Authorities are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for any information that results in his arrest.
He is sought on charges including first-degree murder, causing serious bodily harm to a child, and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, according to a report on the U.S. Marshals Service’s website.
Olawusi was charged with first-degree murder and two counts of causing serious bodily harm to a child after emergency personnel in Providence, Rhode Island, found his 3-month-old son with severe injuries on April 3, 2017.
The infant was in cardiac arrest and needed resuscitation to restore a pulse. A medical examination later revealed the child had 18 injuries in various stages of healing, consistent with prolonged abuse.
These injuries included a skull fracture, severe brain injury, and fractures to the ribs, clavicle, and limbs. Tragically, the child died six months later, despite life support efforts.
Providence Police initially arrested Olawusi on April 20, 2017, on charges of first-degree child abuse. He was released the same day but fled after the child’s death on October 31, 2017, at which point the charge was upgraded to murder.
In June 2017, Olawusi reportedly left the United States from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, traveling to Nigeria on his Nigerian passport. Authorities suspect he may be receiving support from relatives in Nigeria and have voiced concerns that he could pose a danger to other children.
“Mr. Olawusi is wanted for the abuse and murder of an innocent child, and has fled the country to avoid justice,” said U.S. Marshals Service Director Ronald L. Davis.
“We have placed Mr. Olawusi on our 15 Most Wanted list due to the heinous crimes he’s committed and the threat he continues to pose to the public. The USMS will exhaust all resources necessary to bring him to justice for his family and the community.”
Olawusi, also known as Olekun Olawusi, is described as approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing around 185 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Authorities encourage anyone with information regarding his whereabouts to contact the U.S. Marshals at 1-877-WANTED2 (926-8332) or via the USMS Tips App.
The “15 Most Wanted” fugitive programme, established in 1983, identifies some of the most dangerous and high-profile fugitives in the U.S. Known for their extensive criminal backgrounds, these fugitives often pose significant risks to public safety.
Since its creation, the programme has led to the capture of over 250 high-risk individuals, including murderers, sex offenders, and organized crime figures.
In collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, the U.S. Marshals Service plays a crucial role in fugitive investigations.
In fiscal year 2023 alone, USMS-led fugitive task forces arrested over 73,000 fugitives and resolved nearly 86,000 warrants, demonstrating their commitment to public safety and justice.
Justice Maryanne Anenih of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has issued a public summons for former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello to appear in court to respond to a fresh 16-count indictment.
The summons requires Bello to attend court on October 24 for his arraignment, alongside co-defendants Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu.
The public summons was ordered following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In her ruling, Justice Anenih directed the EFCC to publish the summons in a widely circulated newspaper to ensure proper notification.
Also, the court instructed the EFCC to post copies of the public summons at Bello’s last known address and in conspicuous locations within the court premises.
The EFCC has reported difficulties in serving the charges, which were filed on September 24, alleging that Bello and the two co-defendants committed a criminal breach of trust involving a staggering ₦110.4 billion.
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