NEWS
Fake Custom Officer In Police Net For Auction Fraud
A woman identified as Rakiya Musa, a suspected fake customs officer has been apprehended by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Zone II Command, Onikan, Lagos over allegations of auction fraud.
This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Zonal Public Relations Officer (ZPRO), SP Hauwa Idris-Adamu.
According to Idris-Adamu, the arrest followed a petition on April 12 from two members of the public to the Assistant Inspector General (AIG), Zone II, Mohammed Ali, against Musa.
She said, “A petition was written by one Josiah Kashim Utenwojo and one Dominic Okoh Henry against the suspect who claimed to be an officer of the Nigerian Customs Service in charge of the Public Auction Unit at Tin Can Port, Apapa Lagos.”
It was gathered that suspect’s built some familiarity with the operatives of security agents which helped her gain the victims’ confidence.
In addition, the victims were introduced to the suspect by a retired Naval officer, Akinwande Kayode and the suspect fraudulently obtained N3.2 million from them.
“Musa lived in the Nigeria Air Force Mess Apapa for three months, thereby making her victims believe she is a Customs officer.
“Upon receipt of the petition, the AIG immediately detailed some crack detectives attached to the Zonal Criminal Investigation Department to investigate and they immediately swung into action.
“After a detailed investigation, it was revealed that the victims were introduced to Musa by a retired Naval officer that she should help them procure auction vehicles from the Nigerian Customs Service.
“Based on the foregoing, the sum of N3.2m was transferred to Musa’s UBA personal account.
“Immediately the fund was received, she became incommunicado, and it then dawn(ed) upon them that they had been swindled; all efforts made to reach her proved abortive.
“However, after a painstaking investigation, she was arrested at Abuja where Customs ID card and Customs Clearing Agent ID were recovered from her and she was brought to Lagos for proper investigation,” she added.
The ZPRO also revealed that the suspect confessed during the investigation that she had been impersonating as a Customs Officer in order to defraud unsuspecting members of the public and that she had been in the business for over 15 years.
Idris-Adamu said that Musa also claimed to have given the sum of N1m to her boyfriend, Akinwande Kayode, the retired Naval officer, from the N3.2 million fraudulently obtained from the victims.
While cautioning members of the public to be wary of whom they trust with their money, she explained that investigations into the matter were ongoing and the suspect would be charged in court upon completion of the investigation.
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.
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.
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.
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