Connect with us

Crime & Court

Photos: Makinde Donates Operational Vehicles to Police, Operation Burst

Published

on

Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, on Friday, donated 25 operational vehicles equipped with communication gadgets to the security agencies in the state.

The government assured that his administration will continue to prioritise the welfare of security personnel in the state, adding that his government remains committed to supporting police officers and security personnel serving in Oyo State as well as members of their family.

Ten  (10) of the vehicles, according to the governor were donated to the Swift Response Squad (SRS), a unit of the Nigeria Police Force, while the remaining fifteen (15) vehicles were donated to the Operation Burst, a state-backed unit comprising the military, police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

Governor Makinde, speaking while donating the vehicles at the frontage of the Presidential Lodge, Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, said: “It is my pleasure this afternoon to hand over these operational vehicles to both the SRS and Operation Burst.

“This is a period when, irrespective of what people have been doing from the beginning of the year till now, they still want to have a merry Christmas. There are people out there who have not sown anything but they want to reap where they did not sow.

 

“Yes, we have had a challenging year, COVID-19 from the beginning of the year, then economic meltdown and #EndSARS protests. “Well, the way I look at it is, we would not say that because of those challenges, we will not continue to do what we are supposed to do. I just want to use this opportunity to let the Nigeria Police Force, especially officers and men serving in Oyo State Command, know that under my watch, we will continue to support them and their families.”

Speaking earlier, the Special Adviser to Governor Makinde on Security, COMPOL Fatai Owoseni (Rtd), said that security is one of the pillars of the Makinde administration and that the government has been closing the infrastructural gaps in the security sector to make Oyo State safer and secure for all and sundry.

He added that the operational vehicles would further strengthen the infrastructure of the two outfits.


“Security is one of the pillars of Your Excellency’s dynamic administration. And of course, to that end, you have been doing all that is required by closing the infrastructural gaps of the security agencies to make Oyo State safer, secure and investor-friendly. You have always been granting the requests of all the security outfits in Oyo State.

“Today is another day for the security outfits in Oyo State to laugh… All of us know and we are not in doubt that this effort would further strengthen the infrastructure of these two outfits.”

Similarly, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Joe Enwonwu, appreciated the governor for being there always for the Oyo State Command of the Nigeria Police Force, pledging the readiness of his officers and men to sustain and embolden the security status of Oyo State and provide conducive atmosphere for both local, institutional and foreign investors.

He said: “Your Excellency, it is with great honour and privilege that we are here to grace this occasion as one of your pillars in sustaining and emboldening the security status of Oyo State, to the extent that it will provide conducive atmosphere for both local, institutional and foreign investors if the environment is secure and safe.

“We have just come out of COVID-19, #EndSARS protests and the consequent carnage that has devastated the economy of not only the nation but particularly that of Oyo State. And as we are coming out, we are really taken aback that Your Excellency is able to provide additional vehicles to reinforce the security arrangement for Oyo State.

“I want to assure you that with this new set of vehicles, the Police, on its part, will do their level best to reinforce security and make sure that people can confidently come out, do their businesses and sleep with their two eyes closed.

“During the operational tour of the IGP, he spoke to the officers and made it abundantly clear that we should all come out confidently to give the best of security to the people of Oyo State. And we should put behind whatever had happened during the #EndSARS protest that led to the loss of lives. We have actually taken that in our strides.

“As I speak to you, we are presently doing training and retraining in our two mobile platforms of MOPOL 4 and MOPOL 72, Ago- Are, with a view to reinforcing and rebuilding confidence in the officers and men of Oyo State Command.

“I appreciate you sincerely for this wonderful gesture.”

Comments

Crime & Court

EFCC Re-Arrests Crypto Fraud Kingpin, Friday Audu, Outside Court Premises

Published

on

By

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has rearrested Friday Audu, the alleged mastermind of a massive cryptocurrency investment fraud and romance scam, just moments after he was granted bail by a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos.

In a dramatic turn of events, EFCC operatives intercepted Audu as he stepped out of the court premises on Thursday. The anti-graft officers swiftly bundled him into a waiting white van and whisked him away, while his co-defendants were led off by correctional officers.

Audu, alongside two Chinese nationals, Huang Haoyu and An Hongxu, as well as their company, Genting International Ltd, is facing a 12-count charge bordering on cybercrime. The trio was arraigned before Justice Daniel Osiagor on Monday, March 17, and returned to court on March 20 for their bail hearing.

Despite being granted bail, Audu’s troubles deepened as EFCC officials moved in swiftly. The court had granted him bail in the sum of N50 million, with two sureties—one being a serving director in Nigeria, and the other a Lagos-based property owner willing to surrender title documents to the court. Until these conditions are met, Audu was to remain in correctional custody.

However, his alleged accomplice, Huang Haoyu, was not as fortunate. The court denied his bail application, ruling that his residence status in Nigeria was unclear and that he posed a flight risk. The third defendant, An Hongxu, did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody.

Justice Osiagor adjourned the trial to May 2, 2025.

How It All Started

The EFCC’s case against Audu and his co-defendants stems from a December 2024 sting operation that led to the arrest of 193 foreigners and several Nigerians linked to a sophisticated cyber-fraud network.

According to the prosecution, Audu allegedly spearheaded the recruitment of young Nigerians into the syndicate, which engaged in cyber fraud, cryptocurrency scams, and illicit financial dealings. The EFCC further alleged that the group conspired with one Dualiang Pan (still at large) to access computer systems designed to destabilize Nigeria’s economic and social structure.

The defendants were accused of using young Nigerians to impersonate foreign nationals in online scams, defrauding unsuspecting victims of millions of dollars. Investigators also linked them to a staggering ₦3.4 billion fraud, with proceeds traced to the Union Bank account of Genting International Ltd.

Other fraudulent transactions flagged in the case include:

  • The illegal retention of $1.2 million in a crypto wallet by one Chukwuemeka Okeke.
  • A similar retention of $1.3 million by Alhassan Garba and Ifesinachi Jacobs.
  • Suspicious transfers of ₦106 million and ₦913 million to an account controlled by Dualiang Pan.
  • Unofficial foreign exchange dealings worth over ₦2 billion, allegedly conducted outside the Central Bank of Nigeria’s approved system.

The EFCC maintained that these activities violated multiple provisions of the Cybercrime (Prohibition) Act 2015, the Money Laundering Act 2021, and the Foreign Exchange Monitoring Act 2004.

Battle for Bail

During Thursday’s proceedings, EFCC prosecutor Bilikisu Buhari-Bala opposed bail for the defendants, arguing that they were flight risks and key players in an extensive cybercrime syndicate. She pressed for an accelerated trial instead.

Defense counsels, however, pleaded for leniency. Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Emeka Okpoko, representing the first defendant, urged the court to grant his client bail on “liberal terms.” Similarly, Clement Onwuenwunor (SAN), who represented Audu, pushed for his client’s release under favorable conditions.

Despite the court’s decision to grant Audu bail, his freedom was short-lived as EFCC officials quickly stepped in to rearrest him, a move that hints at fresh charges or an ongoing investigation.

With the case now set for trial on May 2, all eyes remain on the EFCC and the fate of the alleged crypto fraud syndicate.

Continue Reading

Crime & Court

EFCC Arrests Bauchi Accountant General for Alleged ₦70bn Fraud

Published

on

By

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested the Accountant General of Bauchi State, Sirajo Jaja, over an alleged ₦70 billion fraud.

Jaja was apprehended in Abuja on Wednesday, 19 March 2025, alongside Aliyu Abubakar, an operator of Jasfad Resources Enterprise—an unlicensed bureau de change (BDC)—and Sunusi Ibrahim Sambo, a Point of Sale (PoS) operator.

Their arrests form part of an ongoing EFCC investigation into allegations of money laundering, diversion of public funds, and misappropriation involving the staggering sum.

The Commission is also probing the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, in connection with the matter.

According to the EFCC, preliminary findings indicate that a total of ₦59 billion was withdrawn in cash through various bank accounts managed by the Accountant General on behalf of the state government. The funds were allegedly transferred to Abubakar and Sambo, who then made cash payments to political party agents and associates of the governor.

Notably, Abubakar, the BDC operator, had previously absconded while on bail but has now been rearrested.

EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed the arrests, stating that investigations are ongoing to unravel the full extent of the financial misconduct.

Continue Reading

Crime & Court

NDLEA Intercepts Cocaine Concealed in Prayer Beads, Locally Made Shoes

Published

on

By

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a shipment of cocaine ingeniously concealed within prayer beads and locally made shoes, foiling an attempt to traffic the illicit substance.

NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, revealing that some suspects have been arrested in connection with the smuggling attempt.

Babafemi, who shared images of the seized contraband on X (formerly Twitter), condemned the act, especially in the holy month when religious devotion takes precedence.

“In this holy month, when people are consecrating themselves and making supplications to their God, some persons were preoccupied with concealing cocaine in prayer beads and locally made shoes to desecrate the precincts of the holy land in the holy month,” he stated.

He further noted that vigilant NDLEA operatives intercepted the illicit shipment, preventing the traffickers from executing their plan.

The anti-narcotics agency has intensified its crackdown on drug trafficking, especially methods that exploit religious items and sacred periods to evade detection.

As investigations continue, the NDLEA reaffirmed its commitment to curbing drug-related crimes and ensuring that traffickers face the full weight of the law.

Continue Reading

Trending