News
Zamfara Schoolgirls: We’ve Commenced Joint Search, Rescue Operations – Police
The Zamfara State Police Command in Collaboration with the military have commenced a joint search and rescue operations with a view to rescuing the 317 students kidnapped by the armed bandits in Government Girls Science Secondary School, Jangebe in Talata Mafara LGA on 26th February 2021 at about 0100 hours.
In a statement signed by Command’s PPRO, SP Mohammed Shehu ANIPR, the Commissioner of Police, CP Abutu Yaro fdc, the Force Commander Operations Hadarin Daji, Major General Aminu Bande, Brigade Commander 1 Brigade, Nigeria Army Gusau and other state government officials led a heavily armed Re – enforcement team to Jangebe to complement the ongoing rescue operation in the locations where the students were believed to have been taken to.
The CP, while interfacing with the Principal of the school and the parents, appealed to them to be calm as joint efforts of the Police and other security agencies will assurely led to the successful rescue of the students.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, wanted. Yahaya Bello was declared wanted for offences bordering on economic and financial crimes, with special emphasis to an alleged N82.2 billion fraud.
This was contained in a press statement made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP on Thursday.
The statement signed by Commission’s management reads as follows:
“Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, is wanted by the EFCCfor offences relating to economic and financial crimes to the tune of N80.2 bn.
“Anybody with information as to his whereabouts should report immediately to the commission or the nearest police station.”
The Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party has queried the continued stay in office of the party’s acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu.
Recently, many party members have raised concerns about the ongoing tenure of Damagum and Anywanwu in their respective positions.
Previously serving as the PDP National Deputy Chairman (North), Damagum assumed the role of acting National Chairman following the court’s suspension of the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, in March of the preceding year.
With the National Secretary being selected as the PDP candidate for the Imo State 2023 governorship election, the South zone has been grappling with nominating a replacement. Despite this, he, along with other party leaders, contested and retained the position of party secretary after losing to Governor Hope Uzodinnma.
The Punch
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a three-count charge against Instagram celebrity, Pascal Okechukwu aka Cubana Chief Priest, for allegedly spraying and tampering with the Naira at a social event, in violation of the provisions of Central Bank Act of 2007.
Cubana Chief Priest will be arraigned on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, before Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High Court, Lagos.
Reports say the charge against Okechukwu was filed on April 4, 2024 by EFFC’s prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) alongside seven other lawyers representing the chairman of the Commission.
In Count 1, it was alleged, “that you, Okechukwu Pascal on 13th Feb. 2024, at Eko Hotel, within the jurisdiction of the court, while dancing during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.
In count 2, it was alleged, “that you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in 2020, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.
In Count 3, it was alleged, “that you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in January 2024, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.
This is coming days after the EFCC secured the conviction controversial cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye aka Bobrisky, on similar charges. He was subsequently sentenced to six months imprisonment without an option of fine.
