The Nigerian Police Force have confirmed the arrest of an individual implicated in a massive N1.09 billion procurement scam in Enugu State.

Details of the arrest remain scarce, but police officials revealed that the National Cyber Crime Centre investigated the matter and successfully recovered the stolen funds.

This information was disclosed in a statement released by Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer, titled “Enugu State Government account was never hacked — Police confirms.”

According to the statement, rumors circulating online about the Enugu State Government’s account being hacked are entirely false. The issue at hand is a case of procurement fraud, not a cyber breach.

“The Nigeria Police Force hereby categorically dismiss the false narrative and rumour circulating online about an alleged hack of the Enugu State Government’s official account, resulting in the theft of N1.09 billion.

“This assertion is completely unfounded. There has been no hacking of the Enugu State Government’s account, and the allegations of theft amounting to N1.09 billion are entirely baseless.

“The case, which was investigated by the NPF-National Cyber Crime Centre (NCCC), was a procurement fraud case, not a cyber-breach. The suspect has been arrested in connection with this fraud, and the funds have already been recovered.”

The police also highlighted the Enugu State Government’s collaboration with the NCCC to establish robust security protocols safeguarding financial systems.

“The Enugu State Government and other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of government and corporate firms are in partnership with the NCCC, and have established comprehensive and fortified security protocols to safeguard their financial systems.”

The police urged the public to verify information through credible sources, avoiding misinformation.

In a separate development, the Enugu State Police Command released its 2024 operational report on January 2, 2025, showcasing notable achievements in combating crime.

The report, signed by spokesperson Daniel Ndukwe, revealed the arrest of 1,072 suspects for various crimes, including armed robbery and kidnapping. Additionally, 200 firearms and 124 vehicles were recovered.

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The Ogun police command has announced the arrest of Abiodun John, leader of the Alora cult group, along Akute-Olambe road in the state.

Omolola Odutola, police spokesperson, disclosed that John was apprehended during a routine stop-and-search operation on Thursday.

A firearm was allegedly seized from John’s possession during a vehicle search at the time of his arrest, according to Odutola.

“On January 9, 2025, at about 3:30 PM, Ajuwon police officers were conducting a lawful patrol and performing stop-and-search duties along the Akute/Olambe road when they received information from the public regarding two men suspected to be inside a Venza car with dealer number URSMOT AUTOS 4657DLA,” the statement reads.

“Immediately the information was intercepted, the officers pursued the vehicle, which was eventually stopped in front of the Osaro Mobile Filling Station.

“One suspect, identified as Abiodun John, a 25-year-old male from the Olori area of Akute, was arrested, while another suspect remains at large.

“During the search of the vehicle, two locally-made pistols and three live cartridges were discovered in John’s possession.”

Odutola stated that initial investigations are underway, and the suspect and confiscated items have been taken to the police station for further action.

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In Lagos State, a deadly road accident on Thursday claimed the life of a yet-to-be-identified driver.

The driver was burnt to death during the incident which happened along the Lekki-Epe Expressway.

The driver was said to have lost control of the vehicle collided with a moving truck, causing an eruption of inferno that engulfed the vehicle.

The spokesperson for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Adebayo Taofiq, confirmed the incident on Friday.

Taofiq stated that the impact of the collision led the vehicle to catch fire while the driver was trapped in the inferno.

He disclosed that efforts by emergency responders could not rescue the driver from death as he was recovered dead.

He said: “The incident involved a Toyota Highlander Jeep (GGE 432 JC) and an empty Sino tipper truck.

“Preliminary investigations indicate that the Toyota Highlander Jeep, travelling inward Ajah, lost control while in motion, veered across the expressway, and collided with the moving Sino tipper truck heading toward Epe.

“The collision resulted in the Toyota Highlander catching fire, with the driver tragically trapped inside.”

The body of the driver was said to have been handed over to his family.

He continued, “LASTMA Officers, in conjunction with the Lagos State Fire Services (Epe Division), acted swiftly to extinguish the fire and recover the remains of the driver.

“The deceased’s body was subsequently handed over to his family members, who arrived at the scene from Epe.”

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In Ekiti State, one Omodara Dada will spend the next seven years of his life behind bars for burglary, a court has ruled.

The 26-year-old was convicted and sentenced by an Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti Division. .

Dada was said to have robbed one Fakiyesi Tope of his N64,000 phone and N8,000 cash while armed with a knife in 2022.

According to the charge sheet, the convict committed the crime on February 13, 2022, at Ado Ekiti, within the jurisdiction of the court

He was arraigned before Justice Lekan Ogunmoye on July 19, 2022, on a count charge of armed robbery contrary to Section 312 (2) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2011.

The victim had in his statement to the police, stated, “I am a hotel manager. On the fateful day, I was sleeping in my hotel room, I woke up suddenly when I heard a sound. I saw the defendant trying to remove my Plasma television, I attempted to shout, but he brought out a knife. He threatened to stab me if I shouted.

“I later discovered that he had packed my phone and a cash sum of N8,000 that I placed on the table. I held him from behind when he wanted to escape, and I called for help. He was overpowered with the assistance of others, apprehended and handed over to the police,” he stated.

To prove his case, the prosecutor, Albert Adeyemi, called three witnesses and tendered statements of the victim and defendant, a knife and a cash sum of N8,000 among others as exhibits.

The defendant, who did not call any witness and spoke in his defence through his counsel, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.

In his judgement, Justice Ogunmoye said, “The evidence produced at the hearing in support of the greater offence is short of sustaining the charge of armed robbery, but established beyond reasonable doubt, the lesser offence.

“The defendant is convicted for the offence of burglary under Section 323 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State.

“He is sentenced to seven years imprisonment to start running from the date of his detention at Federal Correctional Facility, Ado-Ekiti,” the judge pronounced

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In Sokoto State, a local security personnel (name withheld) has mistakenly taken his own life after a rescue operation.

The deceased, who was said to be an operative of the Sokoto State Community Guard Corps, shot and killed himself after participating in the joint operation in the state.

66 kidnap victims were rescued during the operation led by the army on Monday at Tidibali forest in the eastern part of the state on Monday.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Col. Ahmed Usman (retd.) confirmed the incident to newsmen on Wednesday.

According to him, the operative died as a result of accidental discharge shortly after the security operatives returned to their base after the operation.

“The incident happened shortly after they had returned to their base from the operation.

“He was with his gun when it mistakenly fired and shot him. He died shortly afterwards,” he said

The SA said a lot of successes were recorded in the ongoing operation which he said was being sponsored by the state government in a bid to crush bandits in the state.

“So far, 66 kidnap victims have been rescued and several bandits killed during the operation.

“The operation is a continuous one because we want to rid the state of criminal elements, particularly bandits,” he said.

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At least two police officers were killed when a clutch of rampaging Boko Haram terrorists attacked the Nganzai Police Division in Borno State.

The terrorists were said to have attempted to invade the police station on Wednesday at about 12:10 a.m. but were repelled by the cops on duty.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Daso, disclosed the development in a statement on Thursday.

The statement reads, “At about 12:10 am, unknown gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists attempted to invade Nganzai Police Division. Gallant officers on duty repelled the terrorists after a series of gun battles.”

During the attack, Daso said the terrorists threw hand grenades, causing injuries to two officers.

“The terrorists threw hand grenades, which unfortunately landed on a shelter tent behind the division, fatally wounding two officers,” Daso said.

He added that the Commissioner of Police, Borno State Police Command, Yusufu Lawal, visited the station.

Lawal commended the officers for their bravery and offered condolences to the families of the deceased officers.

“The Commissioner of Police, Borno State Police Command, Yusufu Mohammed Lawal, psc, visited Nganzai Police Division today, 9th January 2025, commended officers for their resilience, and condoled with the families of the two officers who lost their lives,” the statement added.

He also noted that the police recovered explosives belonging to the terrorists during the scene assessment.

“During the scene assessment by the Commissioner of Police, two hand grenades were recovered by the EOD-CBRN Base 13, Maiduguri. The bodies of the deceased have been taken to the State General Hospital, Maiduguri.”

“The Commissioner of Police commended the gallant officers who stood their ground to prevent the attack and condoled with the families of the two officers who lost their lives,” he said.

The police spokesman, however, reiterated the command’s dedication and commitment to ensuring safety and security for all in the state

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The Kaduna State chapter of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), in collaboration with civil society organizations (CSOs) and other key stakeholders, has voiced strong opposition to the federal government’s proposed tax reform bills.

During a town hall meeting in Kaduna, participants called for reducing Value Added Tax (VAT) from the current rate to 3%, rather than the proposed increase to 15%.

The gathering included policymakers, academics, youth groups, and citizens, all of whom expressed concern over the socioeconomic impact of the proposed reforms.

A communiqué issued at the meeting, signed by Comrade Muhammed Sanusi Ali on behalf of 134 Kaduna-based CSOs and NGOs, highlighted concerns about potential amendments to the VAT distribution formula and the defunding of agencies like NITDA, TETFUND, and NASENI.

Key points raised in the communiqué include:

• The lack of clear definitions for terms such as “derivation” and “family wealth” in the proposed bills.
• Criticism of the current system that allocates VAT revenue based on a company’s headquarters location rather than where services are consumed.
• Concerns that the reforms could exacerbate economic hardships, deepen poverty, increase unemployment, and hinder local business growth.

The communiqué urged the federal government to halt VAT increases and lower the rate to 3% to relieve financial pressure on businesses and citizens, stimulating economic activity.

Additionally, the meeting recommended:

• The relocation of banks and telecommunications companies’ headquarters to Abuja for equitable distribution of revenue benefits.
• Exclusive engagement by Northern governors and organizations with banks that comply with this recommendation.
• The reopening of land borders, citing the devastating economic impact of their continued closure on border communities.

The CNG emphasized that such changes are critical to ensuring fairness and fostering economic recovery in the region.

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Manchester United forward Amad Diallo has extended his stay at the Premier League club, signing a new contract on Thursday that will keep him at Old Trafford until 2030.

The 22-year-old Ivory Coast international has been in impressive form this season, scoring six goals and providing seven assists.

Notable moments include a late winner against Manchester City and an equaliser in a recent clash with Liverpool.

Expressing his excitement, Diallo said:

“I am really proud to have signed this new contract. I’ve had some incredible moments with this club already, but there is so much more to come. I have huge ambitions in the game and want to achieve history at Manchester United.”

Currently positioned 13th in the Premier League, Manchester United will face Arsenal in an FA Cup third-round match on Sunday.

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A Kaduna State High Court has granted bail to activist Mahdi Shehu, setting the bond at ₦3 million with two sureties of equal value, who must be renowned clerics.

Security operatives arrested Shehu over allegations of sharing a misleading video that went viral. On January 2, 2025, a Chief Magistrates’ Court in Kaduna had ordered his detention for allegedly making a social media post deemed threatening to national security.

Following his arraignment, charges included conspiracy, aiding and abetting terrorism, and inciting public disturbances. Shehu was held at the Kaduna Correctional Service Facility.

On Thursday, Justice Murtala J. Zubair granted the bail application, emphasizing the importance of objective evaluation in granting or denying bail.

“The mere and unverified statement by the Respondent that if bail is granted, it will jeopardize their case has no probative significance,” Zubair stated. He stressed that courts must rely on evidence rather than sentiment or speculation.

Justice Zubair affirmed the presumption of innocence at this stage of proceedings and highlighted that bail’s primary function is to ensure the defendant’s presence at trial.

Considering the submissions and available documents, the judge ruled to grant bail, asserting the defendant’s intent was to comply with the conditions.

The court imposed the following conditions for bail:

• The defendant must deposit his international passport and refrain from travelling without court permission.
• He must report monthly to the security office.

Failure to comply would result in his continued detention.

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Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has accused the state’s 18 local government councils of mismanaging ₦83 billion in federal allocations over the past 12 months.

Governor Okpebholo made the revelation during a courtesy visit by Akoko-Edo Local Government’s acting Chairman, Alabi Bliss Oshionogue, and councillors to his office in Benin City.

According to the governor, the federal government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu allocated over ₦8 billion to the local councils in December alone.

He explained that between January and September 2024, monthly allocations were around ₦6.5 billion, increasing to over ₦8 billion from October to December.

“Cumulatively, the 18 local government councils led by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) earned over ₦83 billion in one year from monthly allocations,” the governor stated.

He highlighted that before President Tinubu’s administration, local governments received ₦3.5 billion monthly, but this figure was later increased to ₦6.5 billion and subsequently over ₦8 billion to promote grassroots development.

Okpebholo lamented the lack of development and accused the suspended council chairmen of withdrawing ₦800 million monthly from local government accounts despite failing to address critical issues such as inadequate classroom facilities and school teacher shortages.

“These chairmen dared to siphon ₦800 million monthly while our schools were left without good classrooms, teachers, or necessary infrastructure,” he said.

The governor emphasized his administration’s commitment to reform and ensuring Edo State progresses. We will invest heavily in agriculture and collaborate to improve things,” he added.

Hon. Alabi Bliss Oshionogue commended Governor Okpebholo’s commitment to grassroots development and promised support for his administration’s efforts.

“We have resolved to work with your administration because governance is moving to the grassroots. We will work together to ensure the state develops,” Oshionogue assured.

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