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Court Orders Final Forfeiture Of $16,500, N127m Diverted From NIMASA

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Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,

 

Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered the final forfeiture of the sums of $16,500 and N127m, which were fraudulently diverted from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

The order was entered on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, according to a post on the verified handle of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on micro-blogging site, X on Tuesday.

The funds are forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN).

Recall that the Judge had, on May 23, 2024, ordered the interim forfeiture of the funds, following a motion ex parte filed by the anti-graft agency.

The EFCC, through its counsel, Suleiman I. Suleiman, had sought the interim forfeiture of the funds under Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 2006; and Section 44 (2)(B) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended).

ALSO READ: NIMASA Champions Celebration Of 2024 Seafarers Day

The Judge, in granting the interim forfeiture order, had also directed the EFCC to publish the order in a national newspaper for interested parties to show cause why the money should not be finally forfeited to the FGN.

At the resumed sitting on Monday, Suleiman told the court that the funds were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful acts and that the Commission had recovered $16,500 in cash and N118 million from one Uche Obilor and his companies.

Moving the motion for the final forfeiture, Suleiman said, “Pursuant to your lordship’s order made on May 23, 2024, the publication of the order was made on June 6, 2024 of Punch newspaper.

“The said application is supported by a 22-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Oghare Ogbole, an investigator with the EFCC.

“The application is accompanied by two exhibits, the interim order of the court and the Punch publication of June 26, 2024; and it is supported with a written address.

“We respectfully adopt same and pray the court to grant all the reliefs sought.”

In the affidavit, the EFCC submitted that, “The funds sought to be forfeited are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful acts of diversion of funds from the treasury of the NIMASA, through Mr. Uche Obilor, his companies and other cronies.

“That during the course of investigation, the total sum of $16,500 USD cash, was recovered by the Commission, part of the funds diverted from the treasury of the NIMASA. And that for using his companies as mentioned above, Mr. Uche Obilor, upon invitation to the Commission during the course of investigation agreed to return the sum of N118 million, admittedly received and retained by his companies from the funds fraudulently converted from the treasury of the NIMASA.”

Biztelleres reports that at the sitting today, no interested party appeared in court to contest the interim order.

Consequently, Justice Ogundare, after listening to the counsel to the EFCC, held that “order granted as prayed.”

Crime

Oyo Police Arrest Suspected Cultist Who Allegedly Travelled to Avenge Brother’s Death

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The Oyo State Police Command has arrested a suspected cultist, Kingsley Odo, who allegedly travelled to the state to avenge the death of his brother.

The suspect was intercepted by operatives of the Safer Highway patrol team during a routine stop-and-search operation on a commercial bus along Ife Road.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Oyo State Police Command, DSP Ayanlade Olushola Olayinka, said the operatives recovered a locally made, cut-to-size pistol and a cartridge during a search of the vehicle.

SEE ALSO: Oyo Police Begin Probe Into Abduction of Pastor’s Daughter In Ibadan

Olayinka said further questioning revealed that the suspect had travelled to Oyo State to carry out a revenge killing over his brother’s death.

“Further questioning revealed that he had travelled all the way from Anambra to Oyo State to carry out a revenge killing,” he said.

He added that the suspect had been arrested and was undergoing investigation to establish his connections and determine the extent of his alleged activities.

“All thanks to God and the good effort of the men of the Safer Highway, he was intercepted, arrested, and is currently undergoing investigation to know his connections and how wide it is,” Olayinka said.

Suspect Recounts Brother’s Death

During an interview following his arrest, Odo said the incident stemmed from the death of his brother in 2021, when he was working in Benue State.

He explained that his brother was schooling in Nsukka, Enugu State, when he received information that someone had killed him.

“It was in 2021. I was working in Benue State, so I had information that my brother, who was in school in Nsukka, had just died in the school, that somebody killed him in the school,” he said.

Odo added that his mother died a few weeks after his brother’s death.

He said he subsequently received information that the person allegedly responsible for his brother’s death was living in a southwestern state.

“So, last month, I had information that the boy is living in a state, a Yoruba state. So, I said okay, I will find out that place where he is living,” the suspect said.

He explained that he was travelling from Nsukka towards Oyo State when police operatives intercepted and arrested him.

When questioned about whether he knew the exact location of the person he intended to confront, Odo initially said he did not know the particular state but confirmed that he was heading to Oyo State.

“The information is with me,” he said, suggesting that he had information that could help him locate the individual.

Suspect Says He Bought Pistol for ₦20,000
When questioned about the firearm recovered from him, Odo said he purchased the pistol from a friend for ₦20,000.

“I bought it from my friend,” he said.
Asked what his friend did with firearms, the suspect said the individual might be a hunter.

“I don’t know, maybe he’s a hunter. A hunter who kills with pistol? Yes, he has this one and long, so he was the one that sell this one for me, 20,000,” he said.

Suspect Confirms Membership of Vikings Confraternity

During the interview, Odo was also questioned about reports that his deceased brother belonged to a cult group.

He said he could not confirm whether his brother was a member.

“Maybe he belongs, maybe he did not belong, because I was not there with him,” he said.

However, when asked whether he belonged to a cult group himself, the suspect answered in the affirmative and identified the group as Vikings.

The police said investigations were ongoing to establish the suspect’s connections and determine whether other individuals were involved in the alleged planned revenge killing.

 

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Crime

Police Rescue Three Kidnap Victims in Taraba After Sustained Pressure

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Police Rescue Three Kidnap Victims in Taraba After Sustained Pressure
The Nigeria Police Force has disclosed the rescue of three kidnapped victims in Taraba State following sustained pressure mounted by its rescue teams.

The victims were identified as Otuwe Torhumba, 37; Kenneth Nyiutse, 35; and Michael Emmanuel, 27.

The Force made the disclosure on Saturday, October 3, 2026, in its 24-hour operational update covering security operations recorded across the country on October 2.

ALSO READ: 2027: Ogun Police Begins Early Election Security Preparations, Warns Against Political Violence

According to the Police, “Due to sustained pressure by Police rescue teams, three of five kidnapped victims — Otuwe Torhumba (37), Kenneth Nyiutse (35) and Michael Emmanuel (27) — were rescued unharmed and reunited with their families.”

The Police said the three victims were rescued unharmed and subsequently reunited with their families.

The Force did not provide further details on the circumstances surrounding the abduction or the whereabouts of the remaining two victims in the operational summary.

The case is currently being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Jalingo.

The rescue was among several operational successes recorded by the Nigeria Police Force during the reporting period.

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Crime

Police Rescue 86-Year-Old Man, Son From Suspected Cultists in C’Rivers

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The Nigeria Police Force has disclosed the rescue of an 86-year-old man and his son after they were allegedly detained by suspected members of the Axe Men confraternity in Cross River State.

The victims, identified as Dominic Columbus Udoh, 86, and his son, Emmanuel Columbus Udoh, 40, were rescued by Police operatives on Friday, October 2, 2026.

The Police made the disclosure on Saturday, October 3, in its 24-hour operational update detailing security successes recorded across the country.

SEE ALSO: Benue: Police Repel Bandit Ambush, Recover Locally Fabricated Gun

According to the Force, Police operatives were mobilised to the scene after receiving information that suspected Axe Men confraternity cultists had unlawfully detained the two men.

The Police said the suspected cultists fled from the scene when operatives arrived.
The Force stated that officers, with assistance from neighbours, “forced open the locked apartment,” where the two victims were found.

According to the Police, both victims had sustained facial and chest injuries.

They were subsequently rescued and conveyed to the Police Hospital for medical treatment.

The Police said the incident is currently being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Calabar.

 

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