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Who Is Behind This? NLC Criticizes Police Invitation Of Ajaero

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The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has criticized the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for inviting Joe Ajaero without using his official title in the invitation.

Benson Upah, the NLC’s media head, stated that the police failed to show proper respect to the NLC president in their communication.

Recall that on Monday, the police summoned Ajaero to answer questions related to allegations of criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion and cybercrime.

Read More: We’re Selling Petrol At Half The Landing Cost, Which Is Not Subsidy – NNPC

The invitation letter, signed by Assistant Commissioner of Police Adamu Mu’azu, directed Ajaero to report to the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) complex in Abuja on Tuesday (today).

Mu’azu also warned that an arrest warrant would be issued if Ajaero did not comply with the invitation.

Upah commented on the invitation, stating: “A personal message sent to Comrade Joe Ajaero by SP Moshood said, ‘We were at the Labour House to submit this (letter of invitation) but the place was locked, sir.’

“We find this curious because staff were in the office beyond 6 pm. We also note that Comrade Joe Ajaero was not addressed by his official title of President of the Nigeria Labour Congress. Clearly, the last has not been heard about the raid on the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress.”

The statement also mentioned that labor is being targeted in retaliation for the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest, which concluded on August 10.

Upah said, “Preceding the raid, the Congress had advised the government to have a dialogue with the organisers of the (hunger) protest even as the congress had clearly stated it was not part of the protest.

“The congress criticised the police for the high casualty rate during the protest. The congress, in its NEC communique after the raid, expressed outrage at the behaviour of the police and demanded an apology from both the police and the government.

“At its world press conference last Thursday, the congress had raised the alarm that should anything happen to the leadership of the congress or any of its members, the police should be held accountable. The question on the lips of those in the know is: Who wants Joe Ajaero out of circulation?”

It is worth noting that the police summons is linked to a recent raid on the NLC secretariat in Abuja.

Recall that on August 7, police conducted a search of the NLC building in the Central Business District, claiming they were seeking seditious materials related to the #EndBadGovernance protests.

Following the raid, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun reported that one of the individuals implicated in the Sudan conflict was located at the NLC headquarters.

Egbetokun added that police detectives traced the foreigner to a shop within the Labour House and clarified that the raid did not involve the NLC secretariat itself.

 

Crime

Court Orders Arrest Of Dana Air CEO In N1.3bn Fraud Case

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Amid repeated absences from court, the Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an arrest warrant for Hathiramani Ranesh, Managing Director of Dana Air, who faces charges of fraud and conspiracy tied to alleged misappropriations totaling N1.3 billion.

The ruling, handed down Monday by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, calls for Ranesh’s immediate arrest following his failure to respond to multiple court summonses.

READ MORE: Ibadan Man On Why He Used 76 Women For Ritual, Ate Others

Justice Egwuatu cited Section 184 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), empowering the court to issue an arrest warrant against defendants who evade appearance.

“The defendant is legally obligated to appear, and the court is authorized to issue a warrant for arrest if he does not,” Justice Egwuatu said, setting January 13, 2025, as the next court date, adding that no objections will be considered unless Ranesh is present.

Ranesh and two Dana Group subsidiaries—Dana Group PLC and Dana Steel Ltd—face serious allegations from the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

Prosecutors claim that between 2014 and 2018, Ranesh and his companies engaged in fraudulent activities, including the unauthorized sale of industrial generators valued at N450 million, which had been pledged as collateral in a debenture agreement.

Additional charges allege the misappropriation of N864 million from bond funds meant for operations at the Dana Steel Rolling Factory in Katsina, and a N60.3 million transfer to an external account without authorization.

The charges, filed by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Moshood Adeyemi, cite violations under the Criminal Code Act.

In court, government lawyer Mojisola Okeya-Esho argued for the arrest warrant, stating that Ranesh had disregarded court orders to appear for arraignment.

Defense counsel B. Ademola-Bello challenged the prosecution, contending that jurisdictional issues must be addressed before proceeding with the case.

Justice Egwuatu dismissed these objections, underscoring that Ranesh’s presence in court is required before other arguments can be entertained.

The matter is now adjourned until January 13, 2025, with the warrant remaining active until the defendant is brought to court.

 

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Gunmen Attack Police Facility In Owerrinta, Female Detainee Killed

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In a shocking act of violence, armed assailants targeted the Police Rapid Response Squad facility in Owerrinta early Monday morning, resulting in the tragic death of a female detainee.

The attack occurred shortly after midnight along the Umuahia-Aba Federal Expressway.

READ MORE: Edo Deputy Gov, Omobayo Ordered To Court Over Refusal To Vacate Office

State Commissioner of Police Danladi Isa confirmed the incident, revealing that the gunmen arrived in three Hilux vehicles and opened fire on the police facility.

“Our personnel successfully repelled the attack,” Isa stated.

However, the attackers resorted to using dynamite, causing significant damage to the building and exposing the detainees inside.

During the chaos, the gunmen attempted to free detainees, leading to the fatal shooting of the female suspect.

Unconfirmed reports suggest she was in custody related to a child trafficking case.

In the aftermath of the attack, police swiftly initiated a manhunt for the perpetrators, employing advanced technical methods to track their movements.

Commissioner Isa announced the arrest of one suspect, who is currently undergoing interrogation to uncover the identities of additional accomplices.

“We are making significant progress in our investigation,” he affirmed.

Authorities are calling on the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities as the investigation continues.

 

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Crime

Bobrisky Flees Nigeria Amid Legal Turmoil

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Idris Okuneye, better known as Bobrisky, a controversial figure in Nigeria’s social media landscape, has reportedly departed the country just days after being released from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

While the destination of his flight remains undisclosed, Bobrisky took to Instagram on Monday morning to boast about his lavish travel arrangements, sharing videos that highlighted his purchase of a first-class ticket, claiming, “This girl bought a first-class ticket three times; that’s over 30 million naira. Raise the bar for this girl.”

READ ALSO: Bobrisky Granted Bail After Denying N15m Bribe Voicenote Claim

In his posts, he humorously commented on the disfigurement of his passport photo, saying, “That passport disfigured my picture,” showcasing his characteristic flamboyance.

Bobrisky’s sudden exit from Nigeria follows a turbulent week marked by a series of dramatic events.

Reports indicate that on Thursday night, he was removed from a KLM flight bound for Amsterdam while trying to travel to London.

He alleged that he sustained injuries during the altercation at Murtala Muhammed International Airport and later recounted the incident to his followers on social media.

Following this disruption, Bobrisky was taken to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, where he faced questioning over allegations that he attempted to bribe officials with 15 million naira to dismiss money laundering charges against him.

He was released on bail on Saturday after denying the bribery claims during his interrogation.

Bobrisky’s legal troubles began earlier this year when he was sentenced to six months in prison for naira abuse.

Initially held at Kirikiri Prison, reports later emerged that he spent only three weeks in confinement before being discreetly relocated to a private location.

The controversy surrounding Bobrisky intensified in September, when social media influencer Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, leaked an audio recording allegedly featuring Bobrisky discussing the bribery of EFCC officials to drop the charges against him.

 

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