Crime
Court Dismisses Lawsuit Against DSS By Alleged Boko Haram Financier
In a case involving Abba Maina, a suspect connected to allegations of supporting Boko Haram, a Federal High Court in Abuja rejected a lawsuit against the Department of State Services (DSS) over claims of unlawful detention.
The court dismissed the lawsuit on Tuesday.
Maina was apprehended by the DSS at an Abuja bank in September 2022, following investigations tying him to financing terrorism, dealing in terrorist assets, and facilitating the movement of terrorists within Nigeria.
In the initial motion filed on November 22, 2022, Abba Maina took legal action against the Department of State Services (DSS) and its Director-General. He requested an order compelling the respondents to present him in court to investigate the reasons for his detention since September 19, 2022.
Additionally, Maina sought a bail order in accordance with Sections 32(3), 32(1) and (2), and 158 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, Article 36(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and other relevant laws.
Identifying himself as a ‘law-abiding Nigerian citizen,’ Maina revealed that he was arrested on September 19, 2022, at a branch of Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB) in Abuja by DSS personnel. According to him, the arrest was linked to undisclosed accusations.
He further stated that the respondents, in violation of constitutional provisions mandating law enforcement agencies to present a suspect in court within 24 or 48 hours, kept him in detention.
The security agency contended that the lawsuit was an abuse of the legal system, citing a previous similar lawsuit filed in another court.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, in his Tuesday ruling, sided with the Department of State Services (DSS), acknowledging that the suit aiming for Maina’s release constituted an abuse of court processes.
He highlighted that initiating separate legal actions involving the same parties across different courts, even if on different grounds, amounted to an abuse of the judicial system.
Hence, the judge concurred with the Department of State Services (DSS) and its Director-General regarding the similarity between the fundamental rights suit labeled CV270/2022 before Justice A.Y. Shafa of the FCT High Court, filed on November 4, 2022, and the ongoing case labeled FHC/ABJ/CS/2090/2022.
This is clearly a situation where the applicant has fallen into the temptation of instituting different actions between the same parties simultaneously in different courts, even though on different grounds.
“The applicant could have clearly avoided this situation by taking one of the options available to him by law, exhausting one remedy before going for another, assuming that the next action would not be caught by the principle of res judicata.
“Consequently, nothing else is worthy of any consideration where a suit is found to be an abuse of process of the court.
The Department of State Services (DSS) had submitted court documents alleging that on September 12, they received intelligence from their Borno Command about plans to transfer N10 million to aid the relocation of certain Jama’atu Ahlus-Sunnah Lid-Dawa’awati wal Jihad, also known as Boko Haram, members from Borno to a camp in Kaduna State.
This transfer was reportedly organized by an individual identified as Kaura (FNU), who is purportedly the armor-bearer for the terrorist group.
Further investigation by the DSS revealed that Kaura (FNU) sought bank account numbers from individuals named Baba Guraba and Bayero (FNU), identified as Boko Haram commanders stationed around Bama Local Government Area (LGA) in Borno.
Their involvement was allegedly to facilitate the transfer of the funds.
The agency stated that Bayero (FNU) provided a United Bank for Africa (UBA) account number, 2196498467, registered under Basiru Hassan’s name, and a GTB account number, 025264587, linked to Maina.
They alleged that while Hassan’s account received N6 million, Maina’s account received N4 million. According to their intelligence efforts, Kaura (FNU) instructed that transfers and withdrawals should be managed through Point of Sale (POS) operators.
“Kaura (FNU) initially deposited N2 million into the applicant’s GTB account number 0025264587 as the first payment.”
“Based on this intelligence gathering efforts, the Borno State Command of the 1st respondent sought and obtained the orders of the court to flag the said account numbers by placing a Post-No-Debit (PND) order and requesting that the account holders be apprehended whenever sighted,” it said.
The DSS reported that on September 19th, 2022, Maina was arrested at a GTB branch near the National Mosque in Abuja while attempting to inquire about the funds deposited into his account.
The agency claimed Maina was promptly detained due to suspected involvement in facilitating terrorist activities, financing terrorism, dealing in terrorist assets, and alleged roles in aiding the movement of terrorists within Nigeria.
Their investigation purportedly revealed that Maina, contrary to being a law-abiding citizen, acted as a courier and facilitator for the Boko Haram terrorist group.
Justices Kayanson Samuel Lawanson, Hammed Isha, Benjamin Manji Lawal and Mohammed Ibrahim Tola of the Adamawa State High Court, Adamawa State have convicted and sentenced twelve internet fraudsters to various jail terms.
The convicts include, Oladele Pius, Emmanuel Bulus, Elijah Elisha, Alamin Mohammed Bappa, Jamilu Usman and Enoch Solomon.
The rest are Emmanuel Anthony, Enebeli Samuel Israel, Dimas Hyellabulatin, Emmanuel Dike , Joshua Umoru and Dan Eden Sunday.
They were separately arraigned between November 6 and 7, 2024 on a one count charge of cheating and impersonation by the Gombe Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
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The charge against Alamin Muhammad Bappa reads: “Alamin Muhammad Bappa sometimes in September, 2024 at Sangere area of Modibo Yola, Adamawa State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud one Amity Shane and other unsuspecting foreign nationals, created some fake Gmail’ and Facebook accounts using the name Jacob sermon to pose as a cybersecurity professional that helps people to recover their compromised or blocked Facebook accounts for a service fee of $20 each and thereby committed an offense of cheating by impersonation contrary to Section 314 of Penal Code Law of Adamawa State, 2018 and punishable under Section 315 of the same law”.
The charge against Oladele Pius reads: “ that you Oladele Pius sometimes in September, 2024 in Yola, Adamawa State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, being a student of Modibo Adamawa University of Technology Yola, with intent to defraud, did cheat by Impersonation, Having created and operating one Mr. Legit Hassan Abbadin a foreign national with Whatsapp account No. +1 (842) 921332016, through your Your iphone 11 Model No. MWNC2CH/A for ” a virtual funds transactions” with a motive of gaining a financial advantage from other unsuspecting internet users and thereby committed an offense of cheating by impersonation contrary to Section 314 of Penal Code Law of Adamawa State, 2018 and punishable under Section 315 of the same law.
Upon arraignment, the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges, prompting prosecution counsel Saad .H Sa’ad and M.D Aliyu to pray the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly; however, counsels to the defendants pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.
Justice Lawanson thereafter convicted and sentenced Bulus , Elisha, Usman and Israel to ten years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) each. However, Hyellabulati bagged five years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000.
Justice Tola convicted and sentenced Dike, Umoru, Sunday and Pius to five years imprisonment with an option of fine of N2,000,000 (Two Million Naira) each.
Justice Lawal convicted and sentenced Bappa and Solomon to five years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000 each.
Justice Isha convicted and sentenced Anthony to ten years imprisonment or a fine of N300,000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira).
The Judges ruled that the mobile phones recovered during investigation be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria .
In addition, Justice Lawal ordered that the sum of $20 recovered during investigation from Bappa and being proceeds of crime, be returned to the victim.
The convicts were arrested on September 24, 2024 around Modibo Adamawa University of Technology area of Yola, Adamawa State by operatives of the Commission following actionable intelligence linking them with cybercrimes activities. They were charged to court and convicted.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced the arrest of a businessman caught attempting to traffic a significant quantity of cocaine.
The NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, revealed the arrest on Sunday through his official X account.
According to Babafemi, the suspect had ingested the drugs in a bid to evade detection but was apprehended and forced to excrete the contraband while in custody.
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Sharing a video of the seized drugs, Babafemi issued a stern warning to drug traffickers, especially during the upcoming holiday season.
He wrote, “Detty December: Before you swallow those drugs, please remember that the new @ndlea_nigeria has the capacity and capability to catch you.
“The businessman who excreted this amount of cocaine will not only spend Christmas behind bars but also risks a life sentence at the end of his trial. Beware!”
The agency has ramped up its operations to combat drug trafficking as the year-end festivities approach, a period known for increased criminal activity.
Officials warned that traffickers face severe consequences, including life imprisonment if convicted.
The NDLEA urged Nigerians to avoid involvement in illicit drug activities, emphasizing its readiness to ensure a drug-free festive season.
On Friday, a violent incident erupted in Onitsha, Anambra State, when an irate mob set two revenue touts ablaze after they were allegedly responsible for causing the death of an innocent bystander.
The incident took place along Old Market Road, near Venn Road by Egerton, when a tipper driver, who was reportedly being chased by the revenue agents, lost control of his vehicle.
As the touts grabbed the steering wheel, the driver veered off the road, running over and killing a pedestrian instantly.
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A disturbing video of the event, circulating on social media, shows the mob attacking the two revenue agents with various objects before setting them on fire.
Four other touts managed to escape the scene unscathed.
A witness to the chaos, who recorded the incident, described what transpired: “There was chaos in Onitsha this morning as angry mob set ablaze two revenue touts, while four others were lucky to escape.
“The touts were chasing the driver over a fee, and in the process, the tipper lost control, killing a pedestrian.”
Local residents and traders expressed outrage over the incident, blaming the revenue collectors for the tragedy.
One trader said, “Onitsha was hot this morning at Egerton by Old Market Road. The revenue men were dragging the steering with a tipper driver because he refused to give them a bribe.
“In the process, the vehicle ran over an innocent man, and seeing the result of their actions, they tried to flee. But the angry people chased and caught two of them.”
The victim, who was struck and killed by the vehicle, has yet to be officially identified, but reports indicate that he was a well-known figure in the community.
The tragic event has reignited long-standing frustrations with the activities of revenue collectors in the state, with many calling for immediate reforms.
One local resident lamented, “These revenue touts have killed more people than non-state actors in the last two years.”
In response to the incident, Anambra State Police Command spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the situation and assured that authorities were working swiftly to restore order.
“We are already working with the relevant authorities to ascertain what happened and find an amicable solution to prevent such occurrences in the future,” Ikenga stated.
The police investigation into the incident is ongoing, as officials seek to determine the full details surrounding the fatal accident and the mob violence that followed.
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