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
Suspected cattle rustlers injure youth in isolated attack in Plateau
By: Zagazola Makama
A youth has sustained injuries after he was reportedly attacked by suspected Fulani cattle rustlers at Bakkanuk Village in Forof District, Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred at about 8:50 a.m. on Oct. 5, when troops of Sector 5, Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), responded to a report of an attack on a VGN youth identified as Mr Kamaillo Godfrey Benedict.
The troops, upon arrival at the location, found the victim with injuries, while the suspected attackers had fled the area.
Benedict was evacuated to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) for medical treatment.
Troops have commenced efforts to track down the fleeing suspects and prevent further attacks in the area.
Suspected cattle rustlers injure youth in isolated attack in Plateau
Troops arrest three suspected kidnappers in Kaduna
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Sector 7, Sub-Sector 71, Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), have arrested three suspected kidnappers at Ungwan Haruna Village in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the suspects were arrested at about 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 5 by troops deployed at the Wasa Station.
The suspects were identified as 25-year-old Nura Manu, 26-year-old Alhassan Yari Samaila and 28-year-old Abdullahi Abubakar.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects were on the wanted list of security agencies over their alleged involvement in kidnapping activities within Sanga Local Government Area and neighbouring communities.
The suspects remain in custody and are undergoing interrogation as security agencies work to establish their wider involvement in kidnapping and other criminal activities in the area.
Troops arrest three suspected kidnappers in Kaduna
Crime
After al-Minuki, Joint Army, DSS, Amotekun Operation Kills Another ISWAP Leader Planning Terrorist Attacks
Breaking!
After al-Minuki, Joint Army, DSS, Amotekun Operation Kills Another ISWAP Leader Planning Terrorist Attacks
By: Zagazola Makama
An intelligence-led operation by a combined team of troops of the Nigerian Army, Department of Department of State Services (DSS) personnel, and Western Nigeria Security Network aka Amotekun officers, at the weekend in Owo forest, Ondo State, eliminated a senior leader of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Abdussamad Ohida.
Security sources said Ohida aka Anwar, who was on the verge of planning massive terrorist attacks in some southern states, was killed alongside many members of the terrorist organization by the security forces who led a surprise attack on their forest hideout.
According to the sources, the eliminated ISWAP leader previously served as deputy to ISWAP Central Nigeria leader Abu Ikrimah, also known as Abu Uwais. Ikrimah was arrested by the DSS in 2023.
Following Ikrimah’s arrest, continued the sources, Ohida assumed leadership of ISWAP activities across parts of North central and southern parts of the country, where he subsequently played a key role in the planning, coordination and execution of terrorist operations.
Through the interrogation of Abu Uwais, continued the sources, the DSS was able to gather credible intelligence on plans by Ohida to
attack innocent persons during the forthcoming Yuletide.
“The plan was to attack civilians during the festive period and ultimately disrupt the 2027 general elections. This Intelligence was corroborated by intelligence partners from the United Kingdom, who supported the elimination operation,” offered one of the sources.
He said Ohida planned and executed the 31st December 2025, invasion of Ipele Divisional Police Station, Owo, Ondo State, carting away right AK-47 rifles before bringing down the station with an explosive. He mentioned the 28 July 2022 Suleja–Zuba Road, Niger State military checkpoint attack in which several soldiers, officers and civilians were killed.
He also blamed on Ohida, the July 11, 2022, attack on Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja; the 23rd April, 2022 attack on Ogaminana Police Station, Adavi LGA, Kogi State, which resulted in the death of five police officers, and the February 7, 2022, attack on Okene Area Command police station.
“The terrorist planned and executed the 24th December, 2020 attack on a Naval checkpoint in Okene, Kogi State, which resulted in the death of two naval officers, not to mention the several attacks he launched across parts of the country,” he added.
“We may not immediately realize it, but the elimination of Abdussamad Ohida represents a significant disruption to ISWAP’s leadership structure, operational network and expansion efforts in central and southern Nigeria.
“Ohida’s elimination, coming a few months after after the killing of ISIS leader Abu Bilal al-Minuki, is a very big blow to ISWAP’s efforts to expand its operational presence in Nigeria, and underscores the growing efficiency of our security services,” he declared.
After al-Minuki, Joint Army, DSS, Amotekun Operation Kills Another ISWAP Leader Planning Terrorist Attacks
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