NEWS
Court sanctions ‘sureties’ over disappearance of fraud suspects in kwara
Two governmental employees were disciplined by the Kwara State High Court for the disappearance of three suspects who were being tried.
They are Adenigba M. Olushola, a member of the State Judicial Service Commission staff, and Bisiriyu Abdulfatai, a member of the SUBEB personnel.
They served as sureties for three individuals under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ilorin’s Zonal Command for offenses related to internet fraud.
They incurred the wrath of the law for their failure to produce the three suspects for trial.
Adenigba stood as surety for one Amaechi Umenye and Adeyemi Adedeji, while Bisiriyu stood for Dawodu Olusoji.
The two civil servants had made an undertaking to produce the defendants who are now at large each time they were needed by the anti-graft agency.
The trio of Amaechi, Adeyemi and Dawodu were amongst the thirty suspected internet fraudsters arrested in Offa, Offa Local Government Area of the State sometime in 2020, while acting on an anonymous petition received by the EFCC on activities of the scammers, popularly known as Yahoo Boys, in the area.
As investigations progressed in the matter, both Adenigba and Bisiriyu wrote separate bail applications to the Ilorin Zonal Commander of the EFCC, entered bail bonds and promised to produce the defendants anytime their attention was needed.
The suspects after their release, jumped the administrative bail granted them by the commission, while the sureties also could not produce them.
Consequently, the Commission approached Justice Adenike Akinpelu of the Kwara State High Court for the sureties to show cause why the bail bond should not be forfeited or the sureties be committed to prison.
In his judgement on the applications on Thursday, Justice Akinpelu endorsed the argument made by Sesan Ola and Andrew Akoja, attorneys for the EFCC, that the two Kwara Civil Servants should lose their bail bond.
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The court mandated that Adenigba, Amaechi’s surety, lose the N5 million recognizance and refund N4.5 million thereupon, but also pay N500,000 within three months or face a six-month jail sentence if he did not.
In Adeyemi’s case, the trial judge ruled that Adenigba must forfeit a N1 million recognizance and pay N750,000 on it, but he must also pay N250,000 within three months or risk being jailed for five months if he doesn’t.
For Bisiriyu, who served as Dawodu’s surety, Justice Akinpelu imposed forfeiture of the N3 million recognizance and remittance of the N2 million thereon as well as payment of N1 million within three months or, in the event of nonpayment, six months in jail.
NEWS
Kano Businessman’s Daughter Kidnapped After ₦8m Ransom Payment
In a shocking incident on Sunday morning, unknown gunmen suspected to be kidnappers invaded the home of Alhaji Auwal, a prominent businessman, in Garo Town, Kabo Local Government Area of Kano State.
The gunmen, estimated to be around 10 in number, forced their way into the residence, breaking down a door to gain entry.
An anonymous source revealed that the attackers were heavily armed, with three carrying firearms and the rest wielding other weapons.
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They quickly gathered the entire family in one room, instilling fear and panic in the household.
According to the source, Alhaji Auwal pleaded with the assailants to spare his family and agreed to meet their demands.
The kidnappers, who were determined to extort money, received ₦8 million from the family.
Despite this payment, the gunmen took the businessman’s eldest daughter, Zainab, a secondary school graduate, before fleeing the scene.
The whereabouts of Zainab remain unknown, and as of now, the kidnappers have not contacted the family.
This abduction comes just 48 hours after the tragic kidnapping and subsequent murder of former Gombe State Permanent Secretary, Atiku Mu’azu, who was killed by gunmen after a ₦10 million ransom was paid.
The two incidents have left the residents of Kano in shock and fear, prompting calls for increased security measures in the area.
Attempts to reach the spokesperson for the Kano Police Command, SP Abdullahi Haruna, for comment were unsuccessful as his phone remained unreachable.
Authorities have yet to make any official statements regarding the investigation.
International News
Colombia Blocks US Deportation Flights Over Migrant Treatment
In a bold move, Colombian President Gustavo Petro declared on Sunday that he would not allow US deportation flights carrying Colombian migrants to access his country’s airspace.
The left-wing leader took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his strong stance, stating, “The United States cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals. I forbid entry to our territory to US planes carrying Colombian migrants.”
Petro made it clear that such flights would only be accepted once Washington established a protocol to ensure the “dignified treatment” of deported migrants.
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The president later confirmed in a separate post that he had already turned back US military planes that were en route with Colombian migrants on board, although he did not provide further specifics on the matter.
While AFP sought confirmation from US authorities regarding the blockade of deportation flights, no immediate response was forthcoming.
Petro’s statements come just a day after Brazil’s government voiced similar outrage over the treatment of deported Brazilians.
Brazil condemned the US administration under President Donald Trump, citing instances where Brazilian migrants were deported while handcuffed on flights, describing it as a “flagrant disregard” for their basic rights.
In his remarks, Petro emphasized that he would be open to allowing civilian US flights to transport deported migrants as long as they were not subjected to treatment “like criminals,” signaling a broader call for humane treatment of migrants under international deportation policies.
NEWS
Four Dead, Many Injured As Explosion Rocks Niger State Mining Site
An explosion at a mining site in Sabon Pegi, Mashegun Local Government Area of Niger State, claimed the lives of four individuals and left several others injured on Sunday morning.
The blast occurred as miners resumed operations, sending shockwaves through the community.
While the exact cause of the explosion remains undetermined, local residents have pointed to the poor handling of explosive devices by mining companies as a possible factor.
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The incident has sparked concerns about safety practices within the mining sector.
Community sources confirmed the recovery of four bodies, but authorities fear the death toll could rise.
Investigations are ongoing to establish the cause of the blast and assess the full extent of the damage.
One resident, Aminu, described the chaos that followed the explosion. “The sound was so loud that many of us thought it came from the hydroelectricity dam nearby. People panicked and ran into the bush for safety,” he recounted.
Another community member highlighted the potential role of mining operations in the tragedy.
“Mining companies here frequently use explosives during their activities, and this seems like an operational issue, not something related to terrorism,” the resident said, dismissing concerns about a security threat in the area.
As of the time of reporting, neither the state government nor security agencies have released an official statement regarding the explosion.