Crime
Court Jails Two Fraudsters in Maiduguri
Court Jails Two Fraudsters in Maiduguri
By: Bodunrin Kayode
The Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, July 24, 2023, secured the conviction and sentencing of two fraudsters: Mohammed Maidugu and Allen Abel to different jail terms.
While Maidugu was jailed two years for dishonestly copying the Automated Teller Machine, ATM’s Personal Identification Number of a bank customer, Abel bagged 10 years imprisonment for obtaining under false pretences.
They were both jailed by Justice Umaru Fadawu of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri.
Maidugu got his prison term after more than three months of trial on a one count charge bordering on attempting to commit theft. The charge reads: “That you, Mohammed Maidugu on or about 22nd February, 2023 at FCMB Main Branch ATM Point, Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, attempted to commit theft and in such attempt did a certain act towards the commission of the said offence to wit: dishonestly copying the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) PIN of Usman Mohammed while making a transaction at the ATM without his consent and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 95 of the Penal Code Law Cap. 102 Laws of Borno State of Nigeria and punishable under section 287 of the same law.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned on April 20, 2023, and the matter proceeded to trial.
In the course of the trial, the prosecuting counsel, Shamsuddeen Olayinka Saka, presented five witnesses and tendered several documents which were admitted in evidence as exhibits.
Justice Fadawu, in his judgment, convicted and sentenced Maidugu to two years imprisonment without an option of fine.
The convict’s journey to the Correctional Facility started when a customer went to an FCMB ATM point to make a transaction and at the point of inserting his secret PIN code, discovered that the convict surreptitiously copied the same on his mobile phone.
The customer, upon this realization, quickly cancelled the transaction, held Maidugu and alerted the bank’s security men who reported the matter to the Efcc.
Abel, on the other hand, was arraigned on March 10, 2023, on four-count amended charge for obtaining by false pretence, forgery and criminal misappropriation to the tune of N N10,151,000( Ten Million, One Hundred and Fifty One Thousand Naira only).
Count one of the charges read: “That you, Allen Abel on or about 19th April, 2020, in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained the sum of Seven Million Naira (N7,000,000.00) from one Suleiman Adamu purportedly for the supply of 1000 bags of sugar which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) & (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to all the count charges, thereby bringing the matter to full trial. In the course of trial, EFCC counsel, Muktar Ahmed, called four witnesses and tendered several documents as exhibits before the court.
Justice Fadawu in his judgment convicted and sentenced Abel to ten years imprisonment.
He also ordered the convict to pay the sum N10, 151,000 only to the victim. The prison term runs concurrently.
Also, the Command on Monday, July 24, 2023, arraigned one Bulama Yahaya before Justice Fadawu on one-count charge for obtaining N8,000,000.00 (Eight Million Naira) by false pretence.
The charge reads: ‘’That you Bulama Yahaya Jibrin Ahmed on or about the 28th day of July, 2017, at Maiduguri, within the judicial division of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud obtained N8, 000,000.00 (Eight Million Naira) from Mustapha Modu Tela under the false pretence that it is for the purchase of a plot of land No. 315A on BOTP/44 covered by grant no. BO.2217 situated at Polo Damboa Road, Maiduguri purportedly belonging to you, the pretext you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act. 2006 and Punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him by EFCC.
Counsel for the prosecution, Mukhtar Ahmed asked for the remand of the defendant and a date for trial to commence.
Justice Fadawu adjourned the matter till July 25, 2023, for commencement of trial.
Court Jails Two Fraudsters in Maiduguri
Exclusive: How bandit kingpin Jankare was killed in Katsina
By: Zagazola Makama
Fresh fact have emerged how the Notorious bandit kingpin, Kachalla Abdurrahman Jankare, was killed by a rival in an internal dispute in Tsaskiya village, Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State.
Reliable security and local sources Zagazola Makama that Jankare was gunned down on Thursday by a fellow bandit identified as Nazanku, a trusted ally of another notorious bandit leader, Dan Ori.
The incident, sources said, stemmed from a feud over the seizure of a rifle and a bag containing magazines belonging to Nazanku.
“Last week, Jankare seized Nazanku’s rifle, and just yesterday, he also took a bag in which he kept magazines. This provoked Nazanku, who confronted him and shot him dead,” one of the sources said.
Only seven people reportedly attended Jankare’s funeral prayer before he was buried later in the day.
Until his death, Kachalla Jankare was one of the most feared lieutenants of the late Kachalla Usman Modi Modi and was linked to several deadly attacks and kidnappings in Dutsinma, Safana, and Kurfi Local Government Areas of Katsina State.
His death is said to have triggered renewed tension among rival bandit factions across the northwest forest axis.
Exclusive: How bandit kingpin Jankare was killed in Katsina
JNIM claims first attack in Kwara, four months after announcing new brigade
By: Zagazola Makama
Al-Qaeda–linked militant group, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), has claimed responsibility for an attack in Kwara State, its first in Nigeria, four months after announcing the establishment of a new brigade in the country.
According to intelligence sources, the attack reportedly occurred in the northern part of Kwara, along the border corridor linking Niger and Kogi States.
JNIM, which operates mainly in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, announced in June the creation of a new brigade for Nigeria, raising concerns about a possible southward expansion of jihadist influence.
Zagazola said that the claim aligns with earlier intelligence warnings of cross-border infiltration through smuggling routes connecting Benin Republic and Niger.
“JNIM’s latest statement describes the attack as the debut operation of its Nigerian brigade. If verified, this would indicate a dangerous evolution of the regional threat landscape,” the source said.
Security operatives in Kwara, Niger, and Kogi States should intensify patrols and surveillance in response to the development, with reinforcements deployed to border communities.
Military and intelligence agencies should work to identify possible linkages between JNIM operatives and local extremist networks.
The incident comes amid heightened regional insecurity and the continued fragmentation of terror groups across the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin.
JNIM claims first attack in Kwara, four months after announcing new brigade
ISWAP ambush mobile police patrol team in Yobe
By: Zagazola Makama
Suspected members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on Wednesday ambushed a mobile police patrol team along the Bara–Gulani axis of Yobe State, inflicting injuries on two officers and carting away a rifle.
Zagazola learnt the ambush occurred at about 5:00 p.m. while the team, comprising operatives from 19 PMF on special duty in Bara and 79 PMF Buni Yadi, was responding to a distress call from Kojoli village in Gulani Local Government Area.
It was gathered that the officers had been alerted by residents after armed herders reportedly invaded local rice farms and destroyed crops. The patrol team, led by ASP Sunday Yunana, moved to the scene but came under heavy attack from the assailants.
The insurgents, believed to be operating under the ISWAP faction, opened fire using assault rifles and other weapons before retreating into the bush.
Two personnel, identified as Sgt. Abdullahi Aminu and Cpl. Aliyu Suleiman, sustained machete injuries during the exchange, while one of their rifles was initially seized by the attackers.
However, the team reportedly fought back, recovering the stolen weapon and dispersing the attackers after an intense gun battle. A large herd of cattle suspected to have been used by the assailants to cover their movement was also recovered.
The wounded officers were evacuated to the General Hospital in Bara for treatment, while security reinforcements were deployed to the area to forestall further attacks.
ISWAP ambush mobile police patrol team in Yobe
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