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BREAKING: Olukoyede Vows To Sustain Fight Against Corruption

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The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, on Monday, July 8, 2024, reiterated the Commission’ s determination to intensify the fight against both economic and financial crimes, and other acts of corruption without let or hindrance.

He stated this in Abuja while addressing representatives of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) who were at the EFCC’s headquarters, Abuja on a solidarity visit.

According to him, fighting corruption is a collective responsibility of every stakeholder in the anti-corruption corridor, promising that the EFCC would not relent even as he charged Nigerians students to join the Commission in the fight.

ALSO READ: EFCC Moves To Forestall Mass Protests

He said, “It is a collective responsibility to fight corruption in Nigeria. The EFCC will not relent, I promise you that whatever it is going to cost us to fight this fight we will fight it.

“As Nigerian Students,  you have a future and it is our responsibility to protect you to ensure that you successfully run through your educational system and pass out and get a good job.”

Olukoyede insisted that leaders at all levels of government should be accountable to the people, pointing out that every opportunity to serve Nigerians should be considered as a privilege with readiness to offer maximum benefits to the people.

“There is nothing personal about it, what we are saying is we must be able to hold people accountable, if you have spent eight years, four yearS,  even if it is one year, by the time you come out, the position you are holding is a position of trust on behalf of all Nigerians. So what we are simply saying is that when you finish, come, we want you to explain how you spent our common wealth while you were in the office”, he said.

He urged the youth to join hands with the EFCC and be foot soldiers of the Commission, as well as extending the message of the EFCC and support the good cause and direction of the EFCC to the thirty six states of the federation.

He thanked the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for creating the Students Loans Scheme adding that it will help the students in securing a better future.

He assured the students that the EFCC would work in concert with the handlers of the Scheme to ensure that its purpose is achieved.

Olukoyede also reacted to a shadowy group threatening to invade the Commission’s offices across the country in the guise of drawing their concerns to some operations of the EFCC.

“I know they are being sponsored by the people we are investigating”, he said.

He assured that there shall be no sacred cows in the anti-corruption fight. “Some of you have been asking questions about one or two people that we have been investigating. Don’t worry everybody will have his day in court, I promise you that”, he said.

He dismissed insinuations being made about recent operations of the EFCC in Akure and Lagos, explaining  that out of the 127 suspects arrested in Akure, 113 were indicted and 80 already charged to court. In the Lagos operations, he disclosed that over 100 suspects arrested have been indicted for involvement in internet fraud.

He charged the students to be reform-minded and desist from anti-social tendencies.

One of the Student leaders, NANS’s Senate President, Senator Akinteye Babantunde stated that NANS came out to show support for the EFCC in its crusade against any form of corruption.

“We stand in full support of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and its relentless efforts in the anti-corruption war. This is not borne out of our personal aggrandizement but out of the desire to have a state that is firm and uphold the core values of integrity and honesty”, he said.

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Troops Neutralise 13 IPOB Members, Apprehend 3 Kidnappers

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Insecurity: We’re Gaining Upper Hand in Plateau State – Military

 

The quest for peace in the southeast of Nigeria has seen troops of the Joint Task Force South-East, “Operation UDO KA,” take out 13 armed members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and arrest three kidnappers.

The task force Spokesman, Lt. Col. Jonah Unuakhalu, revealed this in a statement in Enugu, on Monday.

According to him, the feat was in furtherance of the troops’ clearance operations to make the southeast safe and peaceful throughout the festive season.

ALSO READ: States Tighten Measures To Prevent Stampedes At Events

Lt. Col. Unuakhalu said that the Force Commander, Maj. Gen. Hassan Dada, had called on all well-meaning citizens to continue to support the joint task force.

He opined that citizens of the southeast can do this by providing timely, reliable, and credible information.

In his words, “Remember, security is everybody’s business. It is not in the hands of security agencies alone.

“When you see something, say something by calling the JTF Operation UDO KA’s toll-free line -193 and press Option 2 — to speak directly to Headquarters Operation UDO KA.”

Offering more details, Lt. Col. Unuakhalu said that troops of Sector 1 of the task force on December 21, conducted an ambush operation along Amouka-Umouka Road in 9th Mile, Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, to deny kidnappers freedom of action.

In the course of the operation, he asserted, troops came into contact with the kidnappers, and in a firefight ensued, and the troops neutralised one while others escaped with gunshot wounds.

“Items recovered at the scene were: one AK-47 rifle, two magazines, and 17 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition; two cell phones; one power bank; three ATM cards; one wristwatch; a bunch of keys; and the sum of N8,900,” he said.

He added that on December 16, troops of Sector 5 conducted a clearance operation within Mbosi and Isseke general areas in the Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra, where three IPOB members were neutralised.

“Items recovered included: one AK-47 rifle, two loaded AK-47 magazines, and three Dane guns, while a house belonging to one of the irredentist commanders and a shrine used for their fortification were destroyed.

“The gallant troops had earlier recovered five water gel Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and two batteries used for detonating the IEDs while on routine patrol along roads within Ihiala-Orlu, Lilu, Agba Lilu, and Orsumoghu general areas in Anambra State,” he added.

In a related development, he explained that on December 14, troops acting on credible and reliable information from members of the public arrested three suspected kidnappers at Itungwa in the Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia.

He said that on receiving the information about the movement of the suspected kidnappers, troops quickly mounted a snap checkpoint to apprehend the suspects.

“The suspects operating in a stolen tricycle on sighting the troops attempted to make a U-turn but were apprehended.

“Items recovered included: one AK-47 rifle, one G3 rifle, one locally-made single-barrel pistol, 10 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 34 rounds of 5.5mm ammunition, two AK-47 rifle magazines, two G3 rifle magazines, and one live cartridge.

“Other items recovered were: one mobile phone, the sum of N6,600, and two Knapsack bags used for concealing the weapons,” he said.

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#EndBadGovernance Protests: NPF Shreds Amnesty’s Report, To Demand Retraction, Apology

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Stop Tagging Us To Iwo Ritual Killings, Investigate To Nab Culprits – Group Tells Police

 

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has urged the public to disregard the Amnesty International’s (AI) report on the #EndBadGovernance protests, which it described as false, misleading and calculated to tarnish its image.

The NPF has demanded an apology from the AI for its report dated November 28, 2024.

Biztellers reports that in the report, the AI accused the NPF of extrajudicial killings during the #EndBadGovernance protests, and that at least 24 lives were lost in six northern states.

The report, now being refuted by the NPF was titled “Bloody August: Nigeria Government’s Violent Crackdown on #EndBadGovernance Protests”.

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The NPF maintained that its findings were at variance with the AI’s allegations.

The NPF’s position was made public on Sunday by its Spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi during a media briefing in Abuja.

Adejobi asserted that a special investigative panel had been constituted to verify the claims.

He highlighted that the Police’s panel, in collaboration with commissioners of police from the affected states, conducted extensive investigations and compiled a comprehensive report which pointed out inaccuracies in the AI’s allegations.

In his words, “Amnesty International is advised to reflect on its frequent false reporting on Nigeria’s law enforcement activities and ensure its reports are accurate and contain a true and fair representation of events affecting national security and public safety.

“Accurate reporting of facts is essential to the integrity of any international organisation, and Amnesty International should not be an exception.”

Adejobi added that the Police would write to demand a retraction of the report as well as a public apology for the alleged inaccuracies.

“The Nigeria Police Force will, in due course, write to Amnesty International to demand the retraction of this report from the public domain along with a public apology. The Nigeria Police Force remains resolute in protecting the rights of all citizens while ensuring the security and stability of the nation.

“We, therefore, urge the public to be wary of sensational reports designed to incite mistrust and weaken confidence in law enforcement institutions,” Adejobi said.

On the Police’s findings in Borno, Adejobi maintained that the Police didn’t use grenades as claimed by the organisation.

He said, “In Borno State, it was established that the protesters were violent, engaging in widespread looting, pillaging, and wanton destruction of public and private property.

“For example, the Skill Acquisition Centre of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees was looted and vandalised.

“The warehouse of the World Food Programme, located on Baga/Maimalari Barracks Road, Maiduguri, was also looted, with several items belonging to the international organisation destroyed and stolen by some of the protesters.

“Therefore, the claims by Amnesty International that the police threw a hand grenade from a convoy of vehicles into a filling station killing three persons is a blatant falsehood and leaves right-thinking members of society dismayed at this reported falsehood by an international agency that ought to act in accordance with international norms and standards of fair and honest reporting of human rights violations in the country.”

On Niger State, Adejobi said the claim that three individuals were shot dead in Suleja was debunked in the police findings.

Adejobi said the alleged killing of a 21-year-old in Katsina was also found to be unsubstantiated, adding that local sources confirmed that no such incident occurred.

In the same vein, on Kaduna State, Adejobi asserted that contrary to the AI’s report, no protests occurred in Kaduna on October 1, 2024, and no police killings were recorded.

He said instead, an incident involving the Nigerian Army (NA) was identified and openly investigated.

According to Adejobi, the AI reported the deaths of two women and a man during protests in Jigawa, but the Police’s investigations revealed no such killings, and evidence suggested that the lone fatality was caused by protester violence, not Police action.

On Kano State, Adejobi said the report alleged 12 deaths in Kano due to police actions, stating that investigations indicated that these deaths resulted from violent confrontations involving looters and criminals, not the Police’s activity.

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Man Arrested After Attempting To Divert Mexico Flight To U.S

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Authorities in Mexico arrested a 31-year-old man on Sunday after he attempted to redirect a domestic flight to the United States, forcing an emergency landing in Guadalajara.

The Volaris Airbus A320 had departed from León, Guanajuato, at 7:17 a.m. local time and was bound for Tijuana.

However, about 45 minutes into the journey, the flight was diverted after the man tried to gain access to the cockpit.

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According to the Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection, the man “assaulted a flight attendant and attempted to enter the cockpit to divert the flight to the United States.”

The crew, who managed to subdue the suspect, issued an alert to make an emergency landing at Guadalajara International Airport.

The man, reportedly traveling with family, was taken into custody upon landing.

In a statement, Volaris said the suspect claimed to have been acting under duress.

“The aggressor told them a close relative had been kidnapped and, upon taking off from León, was threatened to be killed if he went to Tijuana,” the airline said.

Authorities have not disclosed how many passengers were on board.

The flight resumed its journey to Tijuana after the incident, arriving without further complications.

 

 

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