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there is apparent tension in Nigeria over the arrest of a popular human rights activist Martins Vincent Dots aka
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Vid Darkman or VDM who was allegedly seized by Nigeria security operatives in
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a manner that have kept many wondering suspecting acts of oppression and intimidation based on threats issued by
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the ruling political party All Progressives Congress APC against the human rights activist after the activist
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condemned the Nigeria Senate President God's will Akabio for traveling to Vatican in Italy to attend Pope
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Francis's burial ceremony while he said the Senate President has failed to visit
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states where almost daily burial ceremonies are often held in some states like Plateau Bonu Quir Anugu and Ogan
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states where gunman bandits are killing the Senate President fellow citizens in large numbers unabated in recent time in
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Nigeria and angered by the talks the APC South South zonal organizing secretary
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blessing Akbomb here issued 7 days ultimatum to Vid Darkman to apologize to the Senate President who led fiveman
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federal government delegation to Rome to attend the late Catholic head funeral ceremony but immediately Vidman in a
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video issued the public apology to the victims of insecurity in the West Africa country and in the video he further
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accused and condemned the Senate President and other Nigeria leaders for being insensitivity to their
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institutional responsibilities of protecting lives saying insecurity
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killing hundreds of people often in Nigeria is as a result of leadership failure on the part of the Senate
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President and members of the Bola Ahmed Tonubuled government and surprisingly Deji Adanju the lawyer to the activist
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said that Varman was arrested at Guaranty Trust Bank GTB in Abuja on
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Friday in a more dehumanizing manner and after he was trapped at the exit door at the GTB premises for 5 minutes some
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security operatives came and cover his face with a black cloth before he was led away and for more than 48 hours
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Nigeria authority is yet to issue statement over the arrest of the human rights activist who had on Friday went
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with her mother to the GTB bank to get clarification over the unauthorized withdrawals constantly done on his
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mother savings account after the activist suspected that someone may have used his mother national identification
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number nin to take loan from the GTB bank cctv footage apparently made
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available by the bank indicated that Vid Darkman was obviously intercepted at the bank exit gate as he was seen coming out
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from a vehicle and entering the bank security house with passesby who were about to enter the bank banking hall
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looking back with a feeling of surprise the arrest has sparked outrage online
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and raised questions about the bank's alleged complicity in what critics describe as a targeted crackdown to
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repress the voice that can speak and speak louder according to his legal representative activist lawyer Deji
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Adanju Vidman was ambushed by EFCC operatives right inside GT Bank premises
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in a statement posted online Adanju revealed that VDM was trapped inside the
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bank's exit door for over 5 minutes a move he claims was a deliberate ploy to enable EFCC offices affect the arrest
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vdm was locked inside the GTB exit door for over 5 minutes to enable EFCC arrest
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him and his friend adanjandu said "We will be taking legal actions against GTB
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for the inhumane treatment meed out to our client we will issue a public statement soon." Adanju further
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disclosed that his legal team led by Marvin Omarog had already located the
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detained activist and were working to secure his release our lawyers led by the head of our firm Marvin Omarog just
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met VDM's friend who was arrested together with him in EFCC custody
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vdm refused to come out of the cell that he won't see anyone adanju said "We have
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located VDM and are working on getting him out our lawyers are now with him."
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He added "It would be recalled that the south south zonal organizing secretary of the All Progressives Congress APC
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blessing Agbomb here Esquire has warned the social media influencer Martins's
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Vincent Odds popularly known as Veridman to immediately tender an unreserved apology to the president of the Senate
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and number three citizen of Nigeria Senator Gods Actavio following what he
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described as Os's unwarranted and slanderous verbal attack on the person of Akavia io for leading a fiveman
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federal government delegation to the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican in a 3-minute viral video on social
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media Vid Darkman described Akabio's visit to Rome as shameful insisting that
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the president of the Senate lacked the moral standing to attend the Pope's funeral when he would have used less
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time to visit Bonu Plateau Quir Oen and Enugu states that are currently bedeled
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by large-scale insecurity as a result of attacks by marauding herdsmen which has led to the death of scores of innocent
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Nigerians the south south zonal organizing secretary of the APC issued a
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stern warning to Vidachman urging him to desist from slandering law-abiding and critical stakeholders in project Nigeria
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all in the name of activism this individual known as Verid Darkman is now notorious for blackmail slander and
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character assassination while pretending to be an advocate for the masses and social crusader the unwarranted verbal
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attack on the president of the Senate is yet another of such aimless baseless and uninformed diet tribe this time targeted
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at the number three citizen of Nigeria who did not send himself to Rome but was duly nominated by President Boler Tonubu
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to lead a strong fiveman delegation to represent Nigeria at the Pope's funeral
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what exactly is wrong in that being a devout Catholic and family man with unblenmished character President Tonubu
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saw in Actavio a worthy ambassador of Nigeria to such an event as the Pope's funeral and wasted no time in thrusting
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that responsibility on him just like the scriptures admonished Christians to celebrate with those that are
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celebrating and to mourn with those that are bererieved the Nigerian delegation led by Akavio joined the rest of the
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world to mourn the passing of the head of the Catholic Church what is wrong in that i am with this statement issuing
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Vid Darkman a one-week ultimatum to immediately tender an unreserved apology to the president of the Senate for the
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slanderous comments and to desist from further bringing the integrity of the president Bola Tonubu le administration
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into disrepute in the eyes of the global community the statement read in parts
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hagbomb here urged Nigerians to ignore the uninformed ranting of Vid Aman
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adding that the current administration is working assiduously behind the scene to tackle the pervasive insecurity
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across the country which it inherited from previous administrations upon his return from France and the
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United Kingdom President Tonubu met with security chiefs and during the meeting he gave them marching orders to ensure
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that a different approach is deployed in the fight against insecurity does this sound like a man who is not serious
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about protecting the lives and property of Nigerians mind you the complex security
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problems in the country cannot be wished away with a wave of the hand it takes time to achieve a semblance of peace and
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that is a commitment that the tonubuleled administration made to Nigerians while assuming office and is
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still committed to achieving the statement concludes the Senate President-eleled delegation which
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included minister Biano Auku and prominent clerics like Archbishops
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Lucius Ugroji Matthew Kakar and Ignatius Kaigama delivered Tonubu's condolences
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to the Vatican following the Pope's death on April 21st 2025 a day after he
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led Easter mass president Tonubu who hailed the late Pope as a humble servant
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of God and tireless champion of the poor stated his passing post Easter
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symbolizes a sacred return to his maker offering hope to Christians globally a
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Nigerian wrote on social media account that the APC's fiery rebuttal failed to
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quell public outrage with critics accusing the ruling party of prioritizing optics over action complex
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security problems can't be wished away with a wave of the hand the party conceded even as it doubled down on
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silencing Bidman with the clock ticking on the apology deadline Nigeria's
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political arena braces for a showdown will the influencer a pressure or will this spark a broader revolt against
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perceived government insensitivity for now the battle lines are drawn rome versus ruins power versus
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protest federal High Court sitting in Lagos
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State has sentenced a woman to one-year imprisonment with no option of fine for being caught and arraigned by the
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Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC for selling or hawking Nigeria
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Legal Tender Naira Currency the woman according to the court ruling had been
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convicted before by another court for Naira abuse this as another federal high court also in Lagos state convicted a
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man and ordered the man to forfeit to the federal government more than £8,000 he failed to declare or submit before
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the Nigerian customs service at the international airport in Lagos and in addition the court sentenced the man to
9:54
6 months imprisonment with option of 200,000 naira fine details of the
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reports are presented verbatim below as reported and contained in the news release made available by the public
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relations unit of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC court jails ex-convict one other
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for Hawking Naira notes in Lagos justice Yelen Bogaro of the Federal High Court
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sitting in Aoyi Lagos on Friday May 2nd 2025 convicted and sentenced the duo of
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Fle Adoti and Medupe Adawui to one-year imprisonment each for hawking naira
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notes they were arraigned by the Lagos zonal director at one of the economic and financial crimes commission EFCC
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aaloo road aoy Lagos on a separate one-count charge bordering on illegal
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hawking of naira notes the charge against adote reads that you faux lake
10:52
kadote on the 21st day of March 2025 opposite regency hall joy fell we aed in
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Lagos within the juris jurisdiction of this honorable court hawk the sum of
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3,850,000 naira 3,850,000 naira issued by the central
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bank of Nigeria and thereby committed an offense contrary to and punishable under section 214 of the central bank of
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Nigeria act 2007 that of Adawi reads that you Madupe
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Adawui on the 21st day of March 2025 5 at Joby Fell Street opposite Regency
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Event Center allows in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honorable court
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engaged in hawking the total sum of 1,600,000 naira
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1,600,000 naira of 500 naira and 1,000 naira denominations issued by the
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central bank of Nigeria and thereby committed an offense contrary to section 214 and punishable under section 211 of
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the Central Bank of Nigeria Establishment Act 2007 they pleaded guilty to their
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charges following which prosecution council ZBiku tended the confessional statement
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as well as the money recovered from them in evidence and urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly
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the prosecution council further informed the court that Adeoti was an ex-convict
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having been prosecuted before Justice Ibrahim Ka and convicted on the same matter of naira abuse justice Bogaro
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sentenced Adoti to one-year imprisonment without an option of fine in addition
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her POS machine as well as the money recovered from her were forfeited to the federal government adawui also bagged
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one-year imprisonment or to pay 500,000 naira 500,000 naira fine in addition her
12:56
posos machine and money recovered from her were also forfeited to the federal government adotei and Adawui were
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intercepted on March 21st 2025 along Joby Felway Aeda Lagos while hawking
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Naira notes to the tune of 3,850,000 naira and
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1,600,000 naira respectively alleged money laundering EFCC rearrange man for
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non-declaration of $90,000 the Lagos sonal directorate 2 of the
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economic and financial crimes commission EFCC Okot Akoi Lagos on Friday May 2nd
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2025 rearranged one Al-Haji Ahmed Shaw before justice diolu of the federal high
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court sitting in Akoi Lagos for money laundering he was arrested on March 3rd
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2025 at the Matala Muhammad International Airport Aeda Lagos by
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operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA for non
14:02
declaration of the sum of $90,000 $90,000 United States dollars and was
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handed over to the EFCC for further investigations he was arraigned on April 3rd 2025 on a
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one-count charge bordering on money laundering the charge reads that you
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Al-Haji Ahmed Shaw on the 3rd day of March 2025 in Lagos within the
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jurisdiction of this honorable court failed to make a declaration of the sum of
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$90,000 90,000 United States of America dollars to the Nigeria Customs Service
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at the Matala Muhammad International Airport Aeda Lagos and you thereby committed an offense contrary to and
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punishable under section 35 of the moneyaundering Prohibition and Prevention Act
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2022 he pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him at the sitting
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on April 15th 2025 the prosecution presented the first prosecution witness
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PW1 Danladi Ibrahim an NDLEA operative in the matter however at the resumed
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sitting of May 2nd 2025 defense council
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either the court that the defendant wished to change his not guilty plea he
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was therefore rearrained on the same charge to enable him take his new plea and he pleaded guilty following his new
15:29
plea prosecution council Zed Batiku called on Amu Lul an operative of the
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EFCC to review the facts of the case led in evidence by the prosecution council
15:42
Lul told the court that the defendant was arrested with the sum of $90,000 which he failed to declare his
15:49
statement was recorded under caution and he narrated that he did not declare the sum of $90,000
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90,000 United State dollars he said lul identified the defendant's statement the
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handover note from the NDLEA the arresting offic's statement as well as the sum of
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$90,000 $90,000 which were all tended in evidence justice Depeolu adjourned the
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matter till May 6th 2025 for delivery of judgment court jails man for non-
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declaration of £8,020 £74 in Lagos airport justice
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Yelamaro of the Federal High Court sitting in Aoyi Lagos on Friday May 2nd
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2025 convicted and sentenced one Agodosi Christopher Oaku to 6 months imprisonment for non-declaration of
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foreign currencies at Lagos airport oak Chuku was arrested in December 2024 at
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Matala Muhammad International Airport Hedgera Lagos by operatives of the
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Nigerian Customs Service NCS for non-declaration of the sums of $8,020
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$8,020 British pounds and £74 $74 and handed over to the Lagos zonal
17:08
director two of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC Oko
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Okoy Lagos for further investigations he was arraigned on Tuesday April 15th 2025 on a two-count
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charge bordering on money laundering one of the charges reads that you Agodosi
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Christopher Oaku on the 10th day of December 2024 in Lagos within the
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jurisdiction of this honorable court failed to make a declaration of the sum of £8,020
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£8,020 sterling to the Nigerian Customs Service at the Matala Muhammad International Airport Aed and thereby
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committed an offense contrary to and punishable under section 35 of the moneyaundering prevention and
17:55
prohibition act 2022 he pleaded guilty to the charges
18:01
following which prosecution council CC okesi called on Abu Bakr Magaji an EFCC
18:08
operative to review the facts of the case magaji informed the court that Okuku had a total sum of
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£15,020 £15,020 British pounds and £74
18:22
£74 and that while he declared £7,000 £7,000 British he kept back
18:29
£8,020 £8,020 sterling and
18:35
£74 $74 claiming that he lost his brother and was going to use the undeclared sums
18:42
to fly his corpse back to the country at Friday sitting Justice Bogaro convicted
18:48
and sentenced him to 6 months imprisonment on both counts or to pay 200,000 naira 200,000 naira on each in
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addition he forfeited the sums of $8,020 and $74 to the federal government
19:06
edo State Police Command of Nigeria Police Force has confirmed the arrest of 95 persons in connection with the
19:12
killing of more than 15 people between April 25th 2025 and now in the renewed
19:18
deadly and bloody apparent supremacy secret cult war in the state among members of the black axe confraternity
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aka a mafite confraternity aka great men and I confraternity aka which started
19:32
with the killing of a physiootherapist simply identified ified as Alex and another individual at the
19:38
University of Benin Teaching Hospital UBTHback Gate Woo in Benin with the Edo
19:45
State Government led by Governor Monday Oblo launching a retaliatory war against
19:50
businesses and individuals allegedly aiding secret cult killings in the state
19:55
thus sealed off at hotel plan to demolish the hotel owed by people's
20:01
democratic party PDP chieftain honorable Matthew Idra Akenwan who was the
20:06
director general of Asuan Augier campaign organization in the last governorship election in the state on
20:12
the ground that a particular secret cult group members gathered at the eterno hotel to plan their recent killings in
20:19
the state and in addition the Edeto state governor also sealed off and marked a residential building for
20:25
demolition also owed by a PDP chieftain Francis Anonyi according to the police
20:32
the Edeto State Police Command arrested 95 suspected cultists and recovered two locallymade pistols one single barrel
20:39
shotgun and 24 live cartridges in sustained intelligence-driven raids of their enclaves in Benin City and
20:46
environs for the past week these suspects who belong to the notorious Mafites Aya and the Hikon fraternities
20:54
were suspected to be responsible for the cult supremacy killings in the state the commissioner of police CP Monday
21:01
Agodikica urges parents and guardians to keep a tab on the activities of their wards in order to curb the menace of
21:08
cultism he further warned youths in the state to desist from joining unlawful societies that could only dim their
21:15
future and ultimately claim their lives or that of other innocent persons 64 of
21:21
the suspects have been charged to court and remanded while investigation continues on the remaining suspects the
21:27
police command spokesperson Moses Yamu stated office of the chief press
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secretary to the Edeto state governor in a statement state that Edo state governor Senator
21:39
Mandevolo has issued a stern warning to landlords declaring that his administration will not hesitate to
21:45
demolish buildings linked to criminal activities such as kidnapping cultism and rituals the governor emphasized his
21:53
administration's resolve to ensure a crime-free environment in the state governor Obolo gave the warning while
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personally supervising the demolition of a building located in the Age area of Benin City the building was reportedly
22:08
used for internet fraud and kidnapping with victims allegedly held against their will and subjected to ritualistic
22:14
practices visibly disturbed by what he witnessed at the site the governor said
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"I am saddened by what is happening here children were kidnapped and kept here for years you can see the shrines in
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this apartment this is wickedness in its highest form this kind of evil is
22:32
unacceptable in Edo State." Reaffirming his administration's commitment to security the governor vowed "We will
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continue to fight crime and criminality wherever they hide we will fish them out
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and demolish their hideouts there will be no sanctuary for criminals in Edeto state we are serious and resolute edo
22:52
must be safe governor Ovolo also announced plans to repurpose the sites
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of demolished properties for public use we are going to build a police station
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here any land where such buildings are taken down will be used to serve the
23:08
community he assured in a related development the Edeto state government
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has made significant progress in its crackdown on cultism following the demolition of an operational base
23:19
belonging to a notorious cult group implicated in recent killings in Benin City the facility located at the end of
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Arena Street in a Magba Gr several rooms fitted with mattresses
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and office spaces believed to have served as a hub for the group's activities the property is also boarded
23:40
by a moat reportedly used for initiation rituals notably the premises also
23:46
contained an industrial overhead stand and tanks donated by its Asia region
23:52
2016201 this action follows the recent enforcement of a new anti-cultism law
23:58
signed by Governor Okbolo which empowers the state to demolish properties associated with cult activities
24:05
meanwhile in response to an uptick in cult related violence in the city the state government has sealed off Atro
24:12
Hotel located in the heart of Benin's GR the hotel is allegedly linked to another
24:18
cult group believed to be behind recent killings in the area governor Ovolo
24:23
reiterated his administration's zero tolerance stance no stone will be left unturned and no individual regardless of
24:31
their status will be spared under the provisions of the cultism related offenses law we are determined to
24:38
restore peace and order in Edo state fred Ida the governor chief press secretary stated in another press
24:45
release the chief press secretary office reported that the Edo state governor
24:50
Senator Monday Pvolo has launched a crackdown on crime related properties
24:56
beginning with the demolition of buildings connected to kidnappings and cultreated violence in the state during
25:02
the demolition of a residential duplex in Benin city used for kidnapping and organ harvesting the chief press
25:08
secretary to the governor Fred Iwa who spoke on behalf of Governor Monday Obo
25:14
told journalists that the government had also sealed off Eterno Hotel and an event center these facilities according
25:22
to Governor Obolo are being used by cult groups as gathering points before launching attacks that claim several
25:29
lives mr spiritua confirmed that the demolished property was the site of a gruesome crime involving the abduction
25:35
and killing of a young woman for organ harvesting he revealed that the suspect
25:40
has been arrested in Lagos and will be extradited to Edeto state to face prosecution the building was where the
25:47
crime occurred and it is owned by the father of the suspect who has also made useful statements to the authorities mr
25:54
ia stated his excellency has directed that this is only the beginning more
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buildings used for criminal activities will be demolished this is backed by existing laws enacted by the present
26:06
administration he emphasized that the crackdown was not politically motivated contrary to
26:13
speculations this is not a political witch hunt these buildings were used for acts that contravene the laws of Edeto
26:20
state the governor has made it clear that anyone involved in cultism or related crimes will face the full force
26:27
of the law he added the owner of the demolished building Mr martin Zogen
26:33
recounted the shocking moment he learned of the crime on the 23rd of this month
26:38
while returning home my wife called to inform me that our son had murdered a woman in his quarters i immediately
26:46
reported to the police who followed me home and helped convey the corpse to the mortuary i've been in police custody
26:53
since then he said mr ogenovir further disclosed that his 28-year-old son had
26:59
long exhibited troubling behavior i trained him from primary school through university in IPO for over a decade he
27:07
has been a problem i took him to rehab neurossychiatric centers and even
27:13
traditional healers he rarely slept at home drank excessively and was often
27:18
missing now he has destroyed everything I worked for this house was my
27:23
retirement plan and now I'm watching it being torn down it's heartbreaking he
27:29
lamented authorities confirmed the suspect was apprehended in Lagos with human body parts recovered from him
27:36
investigations are ongoing as the government intensifies efforts to stamp out kidnapping and cultism across the
27:42
state fred Ichua the chief press secretary to Edeto state governor in a feature news story published during the
27:50
week on the actions and activities of the state governor in tackling kidnapping and secret cult activities in
27:56
the state said a government worth its salt will do all it needs to protect its
28:01
people in Edeto state Governor Ovolo has shown clear and purposeful leadership by
28:07
taking decisive steps to confront two of the most persistent threats to the state's peace cultism and kidnapping
28:14
from the outset of his administration he identified these crimes as a grave menace to societal stability and public
28:21
safety he promptly convened a security council meeting and issued a 48-hour
28:27
ultimatum to the commissioner of police to halt the bloody cult clashes that erupted in parts of Benin City sending a
28:33
clear message of zero tolerance to give his words legal backing Governor Obholo
28:39
signed into law two critical legislations the secret cult and similar activities prohibition law 2025 and the
28:48
kidnapping prohibition amendment law 2025 these laws provide severe
28:54
consequences for offenders 21 years imprisonment for sponsors of cultism 10
29:00
years for individuals habing cultists and the death penalty for cult related killings similarly convicted kidnappers
29:08
face the death penalty while any property used to facilitate the crime is to be confiscated and demolished however
29:15
Governor Okebo's approach has gone beyond legislation it is being matched with deliberate and determined
29:22
implementation since the enactment of these laws Edo state has seen the demolition of several buildings used as
29:29
hideouts by kidnappers or as rendevous points for cult groups in March 2025 the
29:36
government began pulling down structures in Ila and Aomi used in high-profile kidnapping cases including those where
29:42
victims were kept until ransoms were paid in one instance a property in
29:47
Essori Riera in Owen East local government area reportedly belonging to a kidnap informant was flattened after
29:54
investigations confirmed its use in coordinating abductions the crackdown on
30:00
cultism has been equally forceful apartments and facilities identified as cult meeting points have been sealed and
30:07
marked for demolition a notable example is a turno hotel located in the upscale
30:13
GR axis of Benin City where cultists allegedly convened to strategize before
30:18
launching coordinated attacks across the city security agencies have continued to
30:23
apprehend suspects and the state government has remained firm in its resolve that anyone found culpable will
30:29
be prosecuted and punished accordingly said Fredichua
30:37
bringing you the news in a more digital
