Crime & Court
Suspected herdsmen kill head of hunter, son in Kogi
The Chairman of Bunu Hunters and also head of vigilante, Suku community in Kabba-Bunu Local Government council of Kogi State, Caleb Oshe and his son, Sunday Oshe were murdered by unknown gunmen in the early hours of Tuesday.
It was gathered from a reliable source that some armed men invaded the residence of the Chairman of the vigillante in Suku at about 3am on Tuesday.
The source further said that they broke into his house and gunned him and his son down before escaping from the scene.
One of his daughters, Kemi Shola Caleb who was in the house when the gunmen invaded the house disclosed that they were asking for money and they even held them hostage and packed things from their shop.
She said they used both machetes and guns on her father. However, it was the sound of the gunshot that woke people up and on getting to the scene, they met the Chairman and the son in a pool of blood.
Meanwhile, Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has condemned the killing of the Chairman of Bunu Hunters, Caleb Oshe and his son, Sunday Oshe by some unknown gunmen, saying security agencies have been charged to ensure those behind the murder are apprehended and made to face the full wrath of the law.
In a statement issued on Tuesday through his Director-General of Media and Publicity to the Governor, Evangelist Kingsley Fanwo, Governor Bello said it is “unacceptable to his Government and the people of Kogi State”; urging for restraints as security agencies have been deployed to ensure the arrest of the murderers.
“As the Governor of the State, the security of lives and property is what I have sworn to protect. It is therefore unacceptable to us as a people for anyone to murder our citizens. Every life is important to us and we will stop at nothing to unravel the masterminds of the heinous crime.
“Our administration has placed premium attention on security and it is therefore unfortunate that we still have flashes of such dastardly act.
“It is too early to attribute the killings to anyone and no one should take laws into his or her hands. The late Caleb Osho was not only the head of the Vigilante Group in Suku, but also the person responsible for logging activities in the community.
“Given the centrality of Suku Community to the politics and economy of the area, we have no choice than to allow security agencies to launch a full-scale investigation into the circumstances leading to the crime. We will support them to achieve success.
“I directed the State Security Adviser to mobilize security agencies to the place which had been done. Our people must be safe from the pangs of Anti-Social criminals who will surely lose the battle against our well-woven security architecture.
“I commiserate with the family of the late Mr Oshe and the entire Suku community for the irreparable loss. All I can assure you at this moment is that we will ensure justice is done and that we will spread our security dragnet to avert this kind of security issue”.
The Governor warned the people in the affected area not to launch any reprisals; assuring them that the security agents on ground have all it takes, not only to protect them but to also apprehend the murderers.
“I have directed the Security Agencies to make sure the entire area is well combed to ensure anyone bearing unauthorized arm is made to face the wrath of the law”, he said.
Also, the Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly representing Kabba/Bunu State Constituency, Rt Hon Prince Matthew Kolawole has condemned in strong terms the killing of the Chairman, Bunu Hunter Association, Caleb Oshe and his son, Sunday Oshe in Suku community in Bunu district of Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area by yet to be identified herdsmen.
He said it is barbaric and provocative for a reasonable person and patriotic citizen to be attacking a vulnerable community and killing people at will.
In another development, the Kogi State Government has denied any herdsmen attack at a motor park in Lokoja, saying rumour peddlers are on a mission to create panic and tension in the State.
This was disclosed in Lokoja, Tuesday by the Director-General of Media and Publicity to the Kogi State Governor, Kingsley Fanwo.
He said the fake news circulating on social media platforms was the handiwork of the enemies of the State.
“Our attention has been drawn to some gory pictures on social media platforms, purporting that some herdsmen attacked a popular motor park in Lokoja and killed all passengers found there.
“We wish to allay the fears of commuters and residents of the State that nothing like that ever happened as all motor parks in the state remain peaceful. Our security operatives are also ensuring security of lives and property in the State.
“It is instructive to note that the intent of the promoters of such fake news was to create panic in the state for political reasons.
“The Governor of Kogi State wishes to assure commuters and residents of his continued commitment to guarantee their safety and security at all times.”
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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.
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.
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.
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