Crime
BREAKING – Court discharges, acquits Senator Jang of all 17 count charges
BREAKING – Court discharges, acquits Senator Jang of all 17 count charges
By Bodunrin Kayode
Former Governor of Plateau state senator Jonah jang who has been undergoing a long court battle for freedom has been discharged and acquitted by a Plateau State high court.
The court Presided by Justice Christy Dabup discharged Senator Jang today of all the 17 count charges leveled against him by the economic and Finance crimes commission (EFCC).
Reacting to the judgement, Jang in a signed statement said that truth always finds its way out, even years after because truth always prevails.
“I must confess that I had known from the onset that leadership was not an easy task but I stepped out to make a difference, having been a Military Administrator in two states.
“The benevolence of the Plateau people and the grace of God made me the Governor of Plateau State from 2007-2015. My previous experience as a Military Administrator and the driving force which was to leave a mark on the plateau as I did in my previous assignments never changed.
” It was with this zeal and drive that we implemented the 10-point Agenda anchored on a 3-Pillar policy to deliver the dividends of democracy for our dear state. Our desire to open up the state through infrastructural development was audible to the deaf and visible to the blind.
“This we were able to achieve with the meagre resources that accrued to the State at the time, in addition to the IGR raised in the state.
“Our Administration’s record speaks for itself as the state is dotted with developmental strides that affect the economy and the daily livelihoods of the people. Our primary role as a government was to provide security of lives, property and welfare through the provision of services for our people.
“We had done that to the best of our abilities via prudent management of the resources available to us, such that the average Plateau citizen could eke a living for himself.
“It is, however unfortunate that people whom I will best describe, for now, as the champions of retrogression and enablers of hardship for our people, came after us with bogus and fictitious claims of mismanagement. Thereby necessitating a protracted judicial journey of over 4 years, trying to prove our innocence in the courts.
“Because I knew that I was not guilty of the charges preferred against me, I saw the process as mere persecution and not a prosecution.
“Nigerians are witnesses to the fact that the current administration at all levels has spent more time passing the buck of their failure to the previous administration than they have given attention to governance.
“Little wonder, almost eight years after, it will seem that our achievements stand tall while the present Government has little or nothing to show for the goodwill that it enjoyed.
“In the course of this travail, I spent over a week in EFCC detention and another 10 days in the Jos Custodial Centre (prison). Those times we spent there, gave us another perspective on life and I count it a blessing because it has all ended today with this loud and clear vindication by the courts.
“The tortuous journey leading to my vindication today has only strengthened me to stand more on the path of truth and continue to work assiduously with well-meaning Plateau people and Nigerians for the good of our dear state, Plateau and the nation at large.”
The statement went further to state that ” I hold no grudge against anyone as I consider whatever I have gone through as the price I had to pay for choosing the path of leadership. I give God the glory for bringing me through and I call on all Plateau sons and daughters, including people of goodwill on the Plateau not to wish our leaders bad.
“Let us close ranks and speak with one voice so that Plateau will emerge out of its current state to take its rightful place of pride as the envy of other states. The Plateau we have always known and been proud of has taken backstage but the onus is on us to reclaim our state and build it to the land of our dreams as was planned by our founding fathers and the generation of past leaderships.
“I dedicate my victory in the court to God and the people of Plateau State with whom we worked to build a prosperous land. I thank the entire legal team led by Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN and Barrister Edward Pwajok SAN, my family who suffered all kinds of harassment and denigration through this period for standing firm and believing with me that it was only a phase that would pass.
“I am deeply grateful to my friends and associates for upholding me and all those who were persecuted alongside me in prayers and for their commitment to true friendship and camaraderie. I must thank the Judiciary for standing firm on the side of truth and justice not forgetting the Press on the Plateau for their unbiased coverage.
“The judicial journey of the past 4 years is not something to wish even the greatest of your enemies. It was not only distracting but robbed me of the time and attention to pursue personal goals. I had planned on retiring to my home place in Du but I, unfortunately, had to go out of my way to keep sourcing funds to pay my lawyers to secure representation in court. As genuine as those efforts are, freedom is better.
BREAKING – Court discharges, acquits Senator Jang of all 17 count charges
Nigeria: 12 killed, 17 injured in major Boko Haram attack on Cameroon island
By: Our Reporter
An assault by suspected Boko Haram fighters in northern Cameroon resulted in the killing of 10 people, including soldiers and civilians.
The heavily armed Boko Haram fighters attacked a Cameroon troop formation at Darak, an island near Lake Chad in Cameroon’s Far North region, some 1,000km from the capital, Yaounde, on April 29.
NEWSng learned that the attackers arrived on 15 boats and stormed the town at about 10 p.m., where they began engaging the troops in a heavy gun battle that lasted until 3 a.m. on April 30, 2024.
The toll was put at 12 dead, of which 4 were soldiers with 6 injuries and eight civilians with 11 injured by stray bullets.
The assailants later carted away food items from the shops, loaded them on their boats, and fled away.
Nigeria: 12 killed, 17 injured in major Boko Haram attack on Cameroon island
Two Brothers Paraded for Faking Facebook Account of FCT Commandant of NSCDC
By: Michael Mike
Two brothers have been caught in connection with the creation of a false Facebook to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.
They were caught seven months after a manhunt was launch for internet fraudsters who created a false Facebook account of the FCT Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Olusola Odumosu.
Speaking at the FCT Command of the NSCDC on Tuesday at the parade of the two brothers, Henry Ushie Odep, 34 years, and Emanuel Ushie Odep, 23 years, Odumosu said: “You will recall that some time in September, 2023, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) alerted the public in a press release of the existence of a fake Facebook account opened by an individual in the name of Commandant Olusola Odumosu, FCT Commandant.
“This effort became necessary to distance myself from the said Facebook account so that unsuspecting Nigerians would not fall in the hands of the fraudsters.
“Upon this discovery , I gave a directive to the intelligence and investigation team and the Anti-Fraud unit to unravel the person(s) behind the fake Facebook account.
“Today, I am glad to inform you that the manhunt which began about 7 months ago, followed by a well coordinated covert operation by my men, with the assistance of our counterparts in Delta and Anambra State Command, finally paid off as we have in our custody the master minds behind the fraudulent Facebook account.
“They are Henry Ushie Odep, male, 34 years, Cross Rivers, and Emanuel Ushie Odep, male, 23 years, Cross Rivers State.
“One of the suspects, Emmanuel Ushie was the first to be apprehended after being lured to Abuja, made a very useful confessional statement which led to the arrest of Henry Ushie Odep, his elder brother, who incidentally had the phone used to operate the fake Facebook account on him at the point of arrest in Asaba, Delta State.
Emmanuel confessed that his brother, Henry Ushie Odep is a yahoo boy and was the one that created the fake Facebook account bearing Olusola Odumosu immediately he was appointed as the FCT Commandant in August, 2023.
He admitted to being the one withdrawing monies sent to the Opay account by his brother (Henry) through POS machines until he was arrested by the officers of the FCT Command in Abuja.
“On his part, Henry Ushie Odep informed that he started online fraud in 2016 and he is the one who lured his younger brother, (Emmanuel Ushie) into the fraudulent act because he was disturbing him for (small small) funds. He confessed to duping a lot of unsuspecting Nigerians of different sums of money under different guises in cyberspace.
“He also disclosed that he is the same person behind the defrauding of so many people through a fake Facebook account opened in the name of late Helen Amakiri, eight years ago (2016), then an Assistant Commandant General.
“This is one amongst many other accounts they have impersonated and duped people.”
Odumosu added that: “Investigation revealed that they operate Opay, moniepoint and Palmpay accounts to receive money from unsuspecting persons, but no bank account with traditional commercial banks. They also used two accounts belonging to one Victory Chinagorom, who according to them never knew they were into cyber fraud.
“According to Henry, his friend, Chibuike Okorie introduced him to cyber crime. The said Chibuike is currently in Kuwait as he has relocated from Nigeria.
The following people, Amadi Chisom (F) 31 years old and Mrs. Okafor Evelyn (F) 24 years whose names came up in the course of investigation and arrested alongside the principal suspect had been granted bail, pending when they would be required in the course of prosecution. This is because findings revealed they had no knowledge of the crime committed by the duo of Emmanuel Ushie and Henry Ushie.”
He disclosed that items recovered from the suspects include ; Moniepoint POS machine, Opay POS machine, Tecno spark 10 phone, Tecno pop 8 phone and Infinix phone.
He added that investigation is still on going, when it is concluded they will be prosecuted according to the extant laws.
Two Brothers Paraded for Faking Facebook Account of FCT Commandant of NSCDC
SIX MORE BOKO HARAM TERRORISTS SURRENDER AMID MNJTF’S LAKE CHAD BASIN OPERATIONS
By: Our Reporter
As the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) progresses with Operation Lake Sanity 2, Boko Haram hideouts in the Lake Chad Region, spanning Cameroon and Nigeria, are seeing an increase in surrenders. Recently, 6 additional terrorists have surrender, laying down their arms from 17 to 27 April 2024.
On 17 April 2024, a 19-year-old Boko Haram terrorist named Alhaji Ali surrendered to troops of 403 Amphibious Brigade (Baga) of Sector 3 in Monguno, Nigeria. Initial investigations reveal a 3-year affiliation with Boko Haram’s Buduma faction. Ali, hailing from Masarram on Lake Chad Island and residing at Duguri, highlighted the growing discontentment within the group.
Furthermore, on 25 April 2024, 2 more terrorists, Haoudou Sedik, 37, and Kadja Ousman, 21, turned themselves in at Blangua, Cameroon, to troops of Sector 1 in the Darak area of southern Lake Chad. Investigations reveal their origins from Chad, residing in the localities of Kami-Wari and Kourea, respectively.
The surrenders continued on 26 April, when Mohammed Abdulraman, 38, his wife Sadiya, and their two children (aged 13 and an infant), bearing one 36 Hand Grenade, surrendered to Sector 3’s 403 Amphibious Brigade at the Kwatam Turare axis, Baga, Nigeria. Abdulraman, identified as a foot soldier since 2017 in Sharama, cited internal crisis and the influence of MNJTF’s Operation Nashrul Salam as reasons for their defection.
Likewise, on 27 April 2024, Yusuf Umaru, a 25-year-old, surrendered to the troops of 19 Brigade, Sector 3, in Kekeno, within the Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, Nigeria. During the initial investigation, Umaru revealed that he had been abducted by Boko Haram militants along the Monguno-Maiduguri road in 2020. He stated that during his captivity, he was forced to work as a storeroom keeper in one of the terrorist group’s camps located on the islands of Lake Chad.
The MNJTF calls upon other Boko Haram terrorists hiding in the Lake Chad islands and adjoining communities to cease hostilities and embrace peace. We reiterate our commitment to restoring lasting peace and stability to the Lake Chad Basin, encouraging terrorists to follow the path of those who have already surrendered.
SIX MORE BOKO HARAM TERRORISTS SURRENDER AMID MNJTF’S LAKE CHAD BASIN OPERATIONS
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