One Nigerian student has been arrested and a Canada-wide warrant of arrest has been issued against four others after they allegedly conned victims out of millions of dollars in online romance scams.

The wanted suspects are Kelvin Awani, 24, Jonah Eigbuluese, 22, Joshua Ometie, 25 and Clinton Newton, 27. The four students, alongside Austin Newton, 28, are accused of defrauding victims of over $2 million in the past two years.

Police say the five men were living in Regina during the time. Austin Newton was arrested in January, but the other four suspects could be anywhere in Canada, police say.

The warrants were issued following an 18-month investigation by federal RCMP officers that involved a series of surveillance operations, numerous interviews and the investigation of over 50 Canadian bank accounts.

Austin, who faces numerous fraud-related charges, is scheduled to make his next appearance at Regina provincial court on April 21, 2020.

The Saskatchewan police were struck by the apparent authenticity of these online romances and by the time devoted by the suspects to the people they were victimizing.

Senator Ali Ndume of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Sadiya Umar Farouq of fraud. He accused the committee of generating fake names for the disbursement.

Ndume also called for the immediate disbandment of the Humanitarian committee in charge of disbursing palliatives to less-privileged Nigerians. According to him, the names of the beneficiaries of COVID-19 palliatives were fake.

He further accused the minister of lacking the competence required to head the Humanitarian committee. He advised President Buhari to set up a task force that will manage the disbursement of the palliatives meant to cushion the negative effects of teh COVID-19 lockdown.

The Senator said: “I’m not trying to make allegations against the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development; what I’m saying are facts.

“If they will continue with the way they are doing now, they had better not distribute the palliative at all because it’s a fraud.

“My concern now is the manner and ways the palliative measures taken by the president are being executed. We have received numerous complaints and it’s very unfortunate. Left to me, I’m calling for the so-called Humanitarian committee headed by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs to be disbanded immediately and the president should set up a task force to handle issues of palliatives.”

The lawmaker further said;

“The task force under the Chairmanship of each state governor should include a Senator and House of Assembly member from each state, the Army, Police, Civil Defense, religious organization, Red Cross, Civil Society Organisations to ensure the distribution of the palliatives; I don’t mind the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and members of Social Investment Programmes as members.

“Imagine Zamfara state, which happens to be the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs’ home state, has 291, 629 households and 1, 341,153 individuals captured under the National Social Register of Poor and Vulnerable households for March 2020, leaving Sokoto State which is adjudged as the poorest state in Nigeria with a paltry 3,347 households and 18, 435 individuals. Borno has only 7,130 households and 33,728 individuals.

“I have reliable information that even names they have generated is fake, the BVN is not fraud-proof, one person will generate thousands of names and after conniving with banks, they are issued BVN. Investigation will reveal all these.

“They have the names of their cooks, drivers, relatives, relatives of their house helps and those they call the poorest of the poor and give this money to them.

“I call on the press to join in the call to stop this callous act, you can imagine the situation our people are in at the moment, yet some people are rushing to either share or steal this money.”

A Nigerian man, 46 identified as Simon Okafor Chukwudi has been declared wanted by the Police in Ghana on Friday, April 17.

Chukwudi fled the country after he was found to have tested positive for coronavirus. He was said to have entered the country from Germany before Ghana declared a lockdown and was subsequently tested with the result showing he was positive for coronavirus.

According to report by Daily Graphic, an online news medium in Ghana, the man was said to have disappeared from his residence in Wa area of the Upper West Region of the country since April 14 after he was asked to self-isolate and his sample taken for testing.

It was gathered that the Nigerian disappeared from his residence at Wapaani, a suburb of Wa immediately his status was revealed to him by the health directorate in the Upper West region and the health officials who came to take him to the isolation centre could not find him.

So, policemen in the Upper West Region have launched a manhunt for him and have called on residents to volunteer information to assist in apprehending him.

The Upper West Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Osei Kufuor Afreh, disclosed that the Nigerian citizen is part of the imported COVID-19 cases in the region.

He however, indicated that health officials have tried to transport the patient to the isolation centre since Tuesday but could not trace him.

The Upper West Region in Ghana have recorded six COVID-19 cases so far.

Five of those cases were people who travelled into the country about three weeks ago from South Africa, Nigeria, United Kingdom, Australia and Germany before the country’s president announced the closure of the borders, while the sixth person travelled into the region from Western Region.

Vincent Prosper, a coronavirus patient has been declared wanted by the Abia State government.

A statement by the Information Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi-Kalu claimed that Prosper reportedly sneaked into Abia State from a-yet-to-be mentioned neighbouring state.

According to the statement, the suspected COVID-19 patient was last seen around 153, Azikiwe Road, Aba.

It urged anyone with useful information on Prosper’s whereabouts and those who have had contacts with him to call 0700 2242 362 or contact Commissioner for Health, Dr. Osuji immediately.

The State Government also announced the continuous extension of ongoing lockdown in the state.

Bello El-Rufai, the son of Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state has apologised after threatening to gang-rape the mother of a twitter user.

Recall that he added an ethnic diatribe to the insult which generated serious backlash on social media.

In a private message sent to a Twtter user, Bello El-Rufai had written:

“Tell your mother I’m passing her to my friends tonight,” Mr El-Rufai said to his detractor, before adding an ethnic diatribe: “No Igbo sounds please!”

He has now taken to the same platform to share a public apology to the user, women all over and the Igbo ethnic group for his comments.

He wrote:

"A few days ago I made a comment that was wrong, unbecoming and contrary to the values on which I was raised. I wish to withdraw that statement and apologise to the gentleman concerned for the hurtful comment. I also apologise for appearing to attack an entire ethnic group for the misdeed of one person. I regret the sexual innuenfo in the private message and apologise unreservedly for it. I wish to state very strongly that the statement was made during the heat of the moment and I wish to put on the record that I do not condone sexual violence.

I certainly do not believe that there can be any justification for gender-based crimes. I am learning from the episode in the continuous journey of emerging as a better person. I have apologised to my mother in person. I have also reached out to the women in my life and apologised. I realise that the intensity around this matter stems partly from my surname. The mistakes I made with the private message and in smearing an ethnic group because of one person are now being replicated by people that are attacking my parents and my family because of my conduct.

I am one of many children in a family raised with standards of decency and strong values of which my recent conduct has fallen short. I appreciate the time that friends and loved ones have taken to show me the error of my ways.

I apologise to the general public in recognition of the duty to acknowledge wrongdoing and strive to be better.

Bello El-Rufai
April 17,2020"

My apology. pic.twitter.com/t3JKHeJNY0

— Bello El-Rufai (@B_ELRUFAI) April 17, 2020

The Nigeria Police have tightened security and declared war over the activities of hoodlums and criminal elements popularly known as ‘One Million Boys’ in Lagos State.

P.M.EXPRESS reports as was disclosed by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana in a statement.

He said that Special Forces were deployed to Igando, Idimu, Ikotun, Agege, Dopemu, Abattoir, Mangoro, Alakuko, and other parts of Lagos State to provide round the clock patrols.

The teams have clear instruction to deal decisively with criminal elements operating under whatever guise in accordance with the law. “The Command will not relent on its efforts in protecting the lives and properties of the citizens and residents. Members of the Public, especially residents of the communities mentioned above, are enjoined to remain calm and support the ongoing efforts of the Police in ridding the state of criminal elements” he said.

Elkana stated that the Command with the support of the good people of Lagos State has dealt a big blow to this criminal gang and several other gangs over the last four months. Over 800 members of the gangs and their leaders were arrested and charged to Court and they are still in correctional centres.

“No criminal gang is capable of unleashing terror on our communities. We are far bigger and stronger than criminal elements” he said

He stated that rumour mongering and spreading of fake news pose a lot of dangers to our collective efforts in crime prevention and control.

He advised that before pressing the forward button or putting that call across, take some time to verify the source of the information. Avoid being a courier or victim of spreading fake news. Together we will continue to keep Lagos safe.

For information or complaints, the Police you can call the following numbers 09010512285, 09010512286, 09010512287 and 09010512288.

Four members of the Kano State COVID-19 taskforce have tested positive for Coronavirus.

This was disclosed by the state government on Friday.

Co-Chairman of the Taskforce, Prof. Abdulrazak Habib and three other members tested positive for coronavirus.

Dr Aminu Tsanyawa, Health Commissioner, in a statement confirmed the development on Friday.

The commissioner, in the statement issued by the Ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Hadiza Namad, urged the general public to keep social distancing, avoid overcrowding and stay at home to keep safe as it continues to take measures to contain the spread of the disease in the state.

Dr. Amina Umar Ganduje, daughter of Kano state governor, has gone into self-isolation after a co-member on the State Task Force on COVID-19 she worked with got infected with the virus.

Other members of the Kano Task Force team include health commissioner Aminu Tsanyawa, environment commissioner Kabiru Getso, Imam Wada, secretary of the committee and Deputy governor Gawuna, chairman of the committee.

However, all members of the team have gone into isolation after co-chairman of the committee, Professor Abdulrazaq Garba Habibu tested positive to Coronavirus.

DailyTrust quoted a reliable source within the government to have said, “You know, since they have mingled with the co-chair, whose status is now known, the best for the rest members of the committee is to go for self-isolation.

“Their specimen has been taken for test, but their results are not out for them to know their status.

“We are praying that the results would turn negative. But I can confirm to you that virtually all members of the Kano task force on COVID-19 are now in self-isolation and are waiting for their results,” the source said.

Abdulrazaq Garba Habibu, a professor of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, had since been admitted at the state isolation center at Kwanar Dawaki.

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje inaugurated the task force on 21st March 2020 with a core mandate to curtail the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in Kano as well as rendering effective management of cases.

According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Kano State as of 10:20 pm on Thursday was 21.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has vowed to prosecute 22 staff of American oil giant, ExxonMobil, who entered the state on Thursday in violation of the lockdown on its border.

Governor Nyesom Wike, while speaking on Friday morning, said the state was prepared to test the laws on its ability to shut its borders and protect the lives of its people against COVID-19.

Speaking to newsmen at the Government House Port Harcourt, Wike said the 22 staff would be taken to court and made to face the law as he did to two pilots and passengers of Caverton Helicopter.

He said: “ExxonMobil brought in 22 persons without telling us so that they can be quarantined and tested. I will fight this on my own; the security agencies have orders from Abuja (not to be involved) but we will go to court

“We (Rivers) and ExxonMobil, we will test the law; the law must be tested. We will do the same thing to ExxonMobil as we did to Caverton Helicopters. They will not be treated differently, just because they are a foreign company and the other a Nigerian company.

“These people don’t want to respect the laws just because they are ExxonMobil but this will expose those in Abuja because nobody can use Rivers as you. They should not kill Rivers people because they hate Wike.”

He flayed persons and unions who have taken up the state on the face-off with the indigenous air shuttle company insisting “law is not practiced on the pages of newspapers, but in court.”

“People in Abuja are not happy (because of the low infection rate in Rivers state). They are not happy that there are no reports of new cases every day.”

However, the management of ExxonMobil in an email from its Manager, Media, and Communication Oge Udeagha, said: “We are working with Rivers state government to resolve a transportation misunderstanding.

“As always, wherever we operate, we comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations.”

A mobile court in FCT, Abuja has convicted 42 people at different locations for violating the stay-at-home presidential order.

Mr. Ikharo Attah, Chairman, FCTA Enforcement Team on Restrictions of Movement, gave the figures to newsmen on Friday in Abuja.

Attah said that the establishment of the mobile court had strengthened operations of the team and reinvigorated its commitment toward achieving objectives of the lockdown order.

He said that although none of the convicts had been sent to any correctional centre, they paid fines for the offences for which they pleaded guilty.

The chairman also disclosed that about 38 motorcycles were impounded in Dutse Alhaji for violating the order banning motorcycle operation.

Attah urged the residents to obey the sit-at-home order and save themselves from the hardship that might follow disobedience.

”Today, about 42 persons were convicted by the mobile court that sat at four different locations around the territory.

“The enforcement team has stopped being the prosecutor and the judge. What we do is: once we arrest violators of the lockdown, we hand them over to the court.

”We invaded a beer parlour in Dutse Alhaji that is overcrowded in spite of the lockdown order. The people were arrested and handed over to the court. The judges are considerate. Most suspects plead guilty and are given fines to pay,”.

Lockdown: Mobile court convicts 42 people in Abuja

Friday, April 17, 2020 8:41 pm | Metro | 0 Comment(s)

A Blurred image of a jogger, 3rd right, arrested by Police in Abuja for breaching lockdown rule
Promoted Content
Mgid
10 Guinness World Records That Are Too Crazy To Be Believed
reddragonsmedia
10 Craziest Machines You Would Love To Have A Go On
Red Dragons Media
Ten Of The Craziest Bathrooms
reddragonsmedia
Meet The Biggest Pet Cat In The World
Red Dragons Media

A mobile court in FCT, Abuja has convicted 42 people at different locations for violating the stay-at-home presidential order.

Mr. Ikharo Attah, Chairman, FCTA Enforcement Team on Restrictions of Movement, gave the figures to newsmen on Friday in Abuja.

Attah said that the establishment of the mobile court had strengthened operations of the team and reinvigorated its commitment toward achieving objectives of the lockdown order.

He said that although none of the convicts had been sent to any correctional centre, they paid fines for the offences for which they pleaded guilty.

The chairman also disclosed that about 38 motorcycles were impounded in Dutse Alhaji for violating the order banning motorcycle operation.

Attah urged the residents to obey the sit-at-home order and save themselves from the hardship that might follow disobedience.

”Today, about 42 persons were convicted by the mobile court that sat at four different locations around the territory.

“The enforcement team has stopped being the prosecutor and the judge. What we do is: once we arrest violators of the lockdown, we hand them over to the court.

”We invaded a beer parlour in Dutse Alhaji that is overcrowded in spite of the lockdown order. The people were arrested and handed over to the court. The judges are considerate. Most suspects plead guilty and are given fines to pay,”.

“Vehicles impounded will remain with the vehicle inspection officers until the end of the pandemic,” he added.