Crime

Naira Redesign: 3 Serving Governors Under EFCC’s Watch List For Stashing Billions Of Naira In Their Houses – Bawa

Published

2 years ago

November 4, 2022

Naira Redesign: 3 Serving Governors Under EFCC’s Watch List For Stashing Billions Of Naira In Their Houses – Bawa

Three serving state governors are being monitored over their moves to launder stashed billions of naira through table payment of salaries to workers, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa said.

He said raid on Bureau De Change operators will be sustained, urging Nigerians to support the system, for the benefit of all.

In an exclusive interview with Daily Trust, the EFFCC chairman disclosed that some governors are all out devising means to launder money they stashed in houses. He said so far, they are closely monitoring three of them.

Bawa, who refused to disclose the identity of the three governors, however, said two of them are from the North, while the 3rd one is from the southern part of the country.

He said intelligence at the disposal of the commission, showed that the three governors have concluded plans to inject the money into the system through table payment of their state workers’ salaries.

“Let me tell you something, the Intel that I have yesterday and I would want you to take this thing very seriously. Already, some state governors that have some of this cash stashed in various houses and the rest are now trying to pay salaries in cash in their state,” he said.

Asked whether the commission would summon the governors, the EFCC chair said they are closely monitoring them.

He added that “I don’t know how they want to achieve that but we have to stop them from doing that. Well, we are working, they have not paid the salaries in cash yet but it is a very serious thing”, saying the move is against section 2 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act.

“The law is very clear regarding cash transactions. Anybody that is to consummate any cash transaction as an individual, if it is not through a financial institution must not be above N5million and if it is above that it is criminal for you to engage in such transaction. And for corporate entities it is N10million.

“Yes, I agree the salaries are not up to that but why are you all of a sudden, and all along you have been paying people salaries through their bank accounts and now you want to pay them in cash, what are you trying to do? They will come under a lot of guises, they are trying to do verification of officers, that is what we have gotten,” he said.

The EFCC boss also confirmed the mad rush by some people to dispose of their stashed funds by buying property.

“We are aware of that. Even if you dispose of your property and you receive cash, for that cash to be of value to you after January 31, 2023, you have to take it to the bank; so what happened, are you coming to the bank with those millions? That is why we are working with the bankers and if you have this information let us know about it,” he said.

He said the raids of BDC operators would continue. This he said, is very important to protect the system against the laundering of stashed funds.

“They (BDCs) are very important in the sense that a lot of people that have this naira cash, will want to convert them to USD or other foreign currencies, that is why they are very important.

“And based on the known gullibility of these people (BDCs), they are willing to accept this cash from the owners of these monies and they are willing to depart with the foreign currencies that they have and so that is why they are very important and very critical to us in this project that we said to ourselves that we are going to do,” he said. When Bawa’s attention was drawn to the fact that the dollar was rising despite the EFCC raids, he said it is a function of demand and supply.

“The truth of the matter here is just a simple function of demand and supply, people are rushing this commodity not that they are going to use it for any meaningful business engagement but they are just rushing for it, just a store of value, that is what is happening.

“And what they say in economics is the higher the demand, the higher the price; so people are just seeing USD or other hard currencies just the way that they are seeing gold, to get it exchanged and store their value,” he said.

On why he met chief compliance officers of banks in Lagos recently, he said the parley was part of efforts to properly monitor the system and to seek their collaboration in respect of the likelihood of people bringing in their illegitimate funds back to the system.

“We knew a lot of people are hoarding these funds, it is with them and they will always find a way of trying to bring it back to the system.

“So, irrespective of what they use their cash for, whether they exchange it for dollars, whether they use it to purchase houses for those that are willing to accept cash, it has to eventually come back to the financial institution. So, irrespective of what you do, the banks are very important and critical in the sense that they are the end recipients of this cash.

“The owner of BDC must deposit the money he exchanged for the currency he did, the owner of real estate must also do the same and all of that. So, we sat down, we deliberated and we agreed on what to do. Everybody is happy about it,” he said.

He, however, urged Nigerians to be calm, saying “this (naira redesign) is just a routine thing that ordinarily CBN ought to have done after every eight years, the monies are going to be taken.

“All that the government is saying is come and deposit the money at no cost to you; that is just what is happening, nothing more than that. “How can you have an economy where you have 85 per cent of your currency out there when you are calling for a cashless society when we have a lot of means by which people can consummate their transactions? What are you hiding? These days, people hardly go to the banks, you can transfer your money here using your app, and you can transfer your money through ATM, POS, and all of that, so why keep the money? Why are you scared of going to the bank to say that you want to deposit your money? He queried.

Naira Redesign: 3 Serving Governors Under EFCC’s Watch List For Stashing Billions Of Naira In Their Houses – Bawa

Crime

NDLEA Smashes int’l Drug Syndicate, Seizes Loud Consignments, Arrests 5 Members

Published

1 day ago

May 5, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

NDLEA Smashes int’l Drug Syndicate, Seizes Loud Consignments, Arrests 5 Members

By: Michael Mike

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have smashed an international drug syndicate with networks in parts of Nigeria, South Africa and Thailand.

According to a statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, no fewer than five members of the cartel were arrested in a two-weeks intelligence led operations in Lagos, Abia and Anambra states following the seizure of their illicit drug consignments at the NAHCO import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

He said the unravelling of the drug cartel started on Sunday 20th April when their cargo of four big suitcases arrived the NAHCO shed on an Air Peace airline flight from Johannesburg, South Africa.

He added that after days of close monitoring and investigation, the first suspect, Umeh Chisom was arrested on Wednesday 24th April after he showed up to pick two of the suitcases
containing Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis owned by a Thailand based member of the syndicate, Obum Michael.

Babafemi disclosed that the consignment of four parcels was concealed in false bottoms of the two suitcases, while the four suitcases contain a total of 17.6 kilogrammes Loud and drug candies.

He also said another member of the syndicate, Mrs. Chiwendu Ugbe whose South Africa based husband, Aloytus Ugbe sent some of the consignments, was traced to Anambra state where NDLEA officers arrested her on Saturday 27th April while attempting to collect the drug parcels sent to her by her husband.

He said two other suspects: Onyejakor Chimezie and Naaji Chukwukere, with links to the cartel were also arrested in parts of Lagos on Last Monday, with their arrest leading to another operation in Abia state where Mrs. Chinazo Osigwe was arrested when she was to pick up some of the parcels containing Loud and drug candies sent by her husband, Chidiebere Osigwe
who is equally operating from South Africa.

In other clampdowns, NDLEA operatives on stop and search operation along Abuja-Abaji highway on Wednesday 1st May intercepted a 40-feet gas tanker marked RBC 77XG and upon a thorough search discovered 511 jumbo sacks of cannabis sativa weighing 4,752 kilogrammes concealed in the gas tank compartment of the truck.

Babafemi said the consignment was loaded into the tanker in Ondo state and meant to be delivered in Abuja for further distribution. He disclosed that four suspects: Efe Abel, 39; Ebigide Cyril, 29; Ejechi Monday, 41; and Friday Chukwudi, 39, were arrested in connection with the seizure.

The spokesman said while two suspects: Aminu Umar, 25, and Anas Umar, 22, were arrested with 207.1 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa in their house at Unguwan Rimi, Basawa, Samaru, Zaria, Kaduna state last Monday, Bashir Umar, 35, was nabbed at Ladanai, Hotoro area of Kano last Friday with 194 bottles of codeine syrup.

In Osun state, NDLEA operatives last Wednesday arrested an ex-convict, 51-year-old Suleiman Usman, who is currently facing trial for another drug offence at the Federal High Court Osogbo. At the time of his latest arrest at Okinni town, Suleiman was found in possession of 4.4 grammes of Cocaine, 28.5 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa, 20 tabs of rophynol weighing 6.2 grammes and 812 pills of tramadol.

The following day, last Thursday, NDLEA operatives at Agbara checkpoint, Seme border, Badagry, Lagos State intercepted a Toyota Camry car marked KJA 825 FT conveying 113 jumbo parcels of cannabis with a total weight of 64 kilogrammes. The driver, Charles Amoni, 45, was promptly arrested.

In Bauchi state, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Bauchi-Jos road last Monday arrested Clement Chukwuka, 39, with 595 bottles of codeine; 38,260 pills of opioids such as tramadol, rohypnol and diazepam, while another suspect, Friday Ibochi was nabbed at NDLEA check point, Aloma junction, Otukpa, Benue state last Tuesday with 66 blocks of cannabis weighing 33 kilogrammes. Also, 42-year-old Ifeanyi Stanley was arrested with 12kg of same substance at Swali Jetty, Yenagoa, Bayelsa state.

Babafemi said with the same vigour, the various commands of the agency across the country continued with the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign in the past week.

Meanwhile, while commending the officers and men of the MMIA, FCT, Kano, Kaduna, Osun, Seme, Bayelsa, Bauchi, and Benue commands of the agency for their outstanding feats in the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) equally applauded their counterparts in all the commands across the country for intensifying their WADA advocacy lectures.

NDLEA Smashes int’l Drug Syndicate, Seizes Loud Consignments, Arrests 5 Members

Crime

Nigeria: 12 killed, 17 injured in major Boko Haram attack on Cameroon island

Published

6 days ago

May 1, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

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

Crime

Two Brothers Paraded for Faking Facebook Account of FCT Commandant of NSCDC

Published

6 days ago

April 30, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

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