NEWS
FRAUD: Ovaioza Group Boss arrested for running a Ponzi scheme
The Nigeria Police has arrested one Imu Yunusa, 28, the CEO of Ovaioza Group of Companies, for allegedly being involved in a Ponzi scheme cum criminal breach of trust and cheating.
The suspect is reportedly co-owner of Ovaioza Farm Produce Storage Business (OFPSB), a company registered with CAC and very popular on social media. It deals with Farm products such as processing, storing, and distribution of Garri, plantains, etc.
She argues that having registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), she was not aware that she was also required to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Ovaioza Skills Acquisition Center (OSAC) and Relax & Chill are both co-owned by Ovaioza.
Ovaioza, who got married earlier in the year, is accused of scamming hundreds of people’s money running into billions of Naira.
Yunusa, who was arrested on Monday, April 18, and taken to the police headquarters, handled by the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID)
Yunusa is currently in police custody and will be transferred to the State Police Command on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, according to The Whistler.
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Trouble started for Yunusa after she allegedly created a partnership plan for her business that guaranteed investors a 70-80% return on investment on her Facebook page.
Following the introduction of this scheme, she was able to gain the heart of many of her followers, with the investing and entrusting their money to her while keeping them up to date on their investments on her verified Facebook page, gaining more attention and confidence from potential investors.
Yunusa, shortly after the investment scheme blossomed was accused of leading a lavish lifestyle, after the company expanded into new sectors last year.
She is alleged to have bought a house in the US for $400K. She applied for Investment Visa to get her Green Card in the US which costs about $1Million.
She bought her Plaza in Abuja for N600M Investor and spent millions buying trucks, infrastructure, and some other things.
She also spent millions buying cars for her friends and doing reckless giveaways.
Ovaioza who offered investors a huge return on investment claimed to have bought a plaza in the nation’s capital for more than N500million.
The same property was put on sale for N500million on a trading website after it expired.
According to reports gathered by Biztellers, Ovaioza allegedly collected N3Billion from investors.
In March 2022, Yunusa was accused of mismanaging investors’ funds, after the company went bankrupt, resulting in her inability to pay investors a return on their investments.
She, via her Facebook post on Saturday, April 16, 2022, assured investors that their money would be returned.
She was allegedly planning to leave the country with her husband, David when the officers apprehended her in Abuja on Monday.
A tweet, @EstherIjewere alleged that some investors put in as much as N36 million in Ovaioza’s care.
“How she managed to fool people on Facebook should be studied. Ovioza scammed people to the tune of 3billion naira with her storage PONZI scheme. I’m all about women supporting women but this sister right here didn’t show love to other women. Some invested up to N36M!!!”
A secondary schoolmate of Ovaioza identified as Okey Aliyu shared some information about her while they were in high school.
In his words: “On Ovaioza, I want to share a secret I have kept away for long.
“I guess most of you didn’t know that I knew Ovaioza right from our secondary school days. Her closest friends then were Hrh Henry Prosper and Blessing Duru. The name
“wire wire” was given to her by our Biology teacher Mr. Joseph.
“I know she might have defaulted in her business but she is not as bad as most of you painted her truth be told. She has a good heart and was ever ready to give even from her last penny.
“Before we wrote our WAEC, she struggled to pay her school fees because according to some of her closest friends, they said she was from a poor home. But that didn’t discourage her from taking school seriously. We wrote JAMB in the same center back then at Okene Kogi state before we lost contact.
“When i saw her pulling weight a few years ago online, I quickly did underground research. I went to her house at Lugbe when I visited Abuja for a contract. She personally came to the airport to drive Hilary Knox and me to our hotel room… Ehhh, na story wey no happen I won dey share now… I no Sabi the ekperima ooo
Born Ovaioza Yunusa on December 30, 1993, in the Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State.
She studied Arabic and Islamic Studies at the College of Arabic and Islamic Studies in Okene.
Ovaioza also reportedly attended the School of Nursing And Midwifery in Nasarawa State and Bayero University in Kano State.
NEWS
Kano Police Warn Residents Of Imminent Terror Attack Threats
The Kano State Police Command has warned residents of a potential terror attack, targeting public gatherings in strategic locations across the state.
In a statement issued on Friday, the command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Abdullahi Haruna, disclosed that intelligence reports indicated suspected terrorists were planning to carry out attacks.
“The Kano State Police Command, in liaison with other security agencies, has received intelligence reports of suspected terrorists planning to launch attacks on public gatherings in strategic locations within Kano State.
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“In response, we hereby urge residents to exercise caution and avoid crowded places and environments until further notice as a preventive measure to enable security operatives to identify and dislodge possible attackers,” the statement read.
To address the threat, the police command has enhanced security arrangements across the state. SP Haruna revealed that specialized units, including the Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) and the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) teams, have been deployed to strategic locations and are on high alert.
“A team of experts from the command’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear units have been deployed to strategic locations and are on high alert.
“The unit can be contacted through: 08169884988 or 07067157218 for report of suspicious persons or item(s),” Haruna stated.
Residents have been urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station or contact the command through the designated hotlines.
“The command remains committed to protecting lives and properties as well as maintaining law and order in Kano State.
“We appreciate the support and cooperation of the good people of Kano State and urge everyone to remain vigilant. Your vigilance and cooperation are crucial in ensuring public safety,” the statement concluded.
NEWS
Ifon-Ilobu-Erin Osun Land Disputes: Osun Constitutes A 100-Member Boundary Resolution Committee
In the bid to resolve the incessant land disputes between the communities of Ifon, Ilobu and Erin Osun, the Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke has constituted an enlarged 100-member high powered land crisis resolution committee in which each of the affected communities has 25 representatives, and the state government represented by 25 members.
The Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi made the disclosure in a statement in Osogbo, on Friday.
He revealed that the Ataoja of Osogbo land, Oba Jimoh Adetunji Olanipekun Larooye is the Chairman of the Committee, while a retired judge of Osun State Judiciary and Chairman, Osun State Boundary Commission, Justice Moshood Adekunle Adeigbe, would serve as the Co-Chairman.
According to Alimi, Gov Adeleke put in place the Committee with a view to bringing a lasting end to the incessant land disputes among the three affected communities.
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It was gleaned from the statement that there were four other traditional rulers on the panel, including His Royal Majesty; Oba Abioye Oyebode, the Olokuku of Okuku, His Royal Majesty; Oba Adams Iyiola Bamidele Yusuf, the Oloba of Oba Oke, His Royal Majesty; Oba Adekeye Oyedare, the Oloyan of Oyan and His Royal Majesty, Oba Akeem Ogungbamgbe,The Owaloko of Iloko-Ijesha.
Other members are Umar Abba Mohammed, Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ayoola Kehinde, Osun State Director, Department of State Services( DSS) Brigadier General, Aliu Mohammed, Commander E.C.C, Ede, Sotiyobo Igbalawola, Osun State Commander, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps( NSCDC), Anthony Chikezie, Commander, Immigration Service, Osun State, Adekunle Omoyele, Osun State Commander, Amotekun Corps, and Special Adviser to Osun State Governor on Security, Barrister Dare Ojo.
Also on the enlarged Committee, where members are enjoined by Gov Adeleke to bring in their wealth of experience to bear on the highly critical assignment, are the Chairman, NBA Osogbo branch, Yemi Abiona, Esq; the Chairman, NBA, Ikirun, Niyi Akinsola, Esq; the Chairman, NBA, Ile Ife, Tope Olajoko, Esq; the Chairman, NBA, Ilesha, Raymond Oki, Esq; Others appointed to serve on the Ifon- Ilobu- Erin Osun Peace Resolution Committee are; Soladoye Abioye, the Surveyor General of Osun State – Dr Sodiq Olohunde, Office of Chief of Staff to the Governor, Marufat Adekemi Bello, Permanent Secretary , Ministry of Justice – Femi Ogundun,- Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Govt and Chiertincy Affairs, Dr Fritz Mobolaji Olaoye, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning.
Completing the list of the Committee members are Comrade Wasiu Ajadosu, Osun NUJ Council Chairman, Comrade Waheed Lawal, Osun Civil Society Coalition and Comrade Saka Mao, a Public Affairs Analyst
The statement has it that Gov Adeleke, will on Tuesday, the 28th of January, 2025 perform the swearing in ceremony of the 100-member enlarged Ifon, Ilobu, Erin Osun Land Crisis Resolution Committee, at the Multi purpose hall of Local Government Service Commission, State Government Secretariat, Abere Osogbo by 11:00am.
NEWS
Okpebholo Moves To End Indiscriminate Parking, Gridlock In Edo State
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has charged the Managing Director of the Edo State Traffic Control Management Agency (EDSTMA), Engr. Stainless Ijeghede on indiscriminate parking and traffic gridlock, especially in market areas.
According to a statement in Benin City on Friday, by Chief Press Secretary to Edo State Governor, Fred Itua, his principal gave the charge while decorating Ijeghede with his new rank as the head of EDSTMA.
He noted that while addressing the new Managing Director and his personnel at the Exco Chambers in Government House, Gov Okpebholo pointed out that the agency should do its job well by ensuring free flow of traffic across the state.
He called on Ijeghede and men of the agency to ensure they checked indiscriminate parking of vehicles and buses, especially in market areas.
“Edo State belongs to all of us and whatever we are doing, we should do it with care not to harm anybody. I appeal to EDSTMA to ensure that the city is well kept because whenever I drive round town, I see vehicles everywhere as the city is not well kept.
“This is your primary assignment. You should ensure the city is well kept as vehicles park indiscriminately and they are causing obstruction. Traffic is not flowing as it should and it is causing serious gridlock. Is it that you are not doing your job well?
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“Is it that you are not doing your job well or because you have a new leader that is why traffic is not flowing, or because you don’t know your job?
“You people should wake up and keep the state clean. Make sure that vehicles are parked well especially in the market areas. Monitor markets very well as these areas are looking really unkempt with vehicles and buses parked indiscriminately, causing traffic gridlock. Edo people are worst hit. They suffer from this. Ensure free flow of traffic so that the people will be happy,” Governor Okpebholo emphasized.
The EDSTMA boss, thanked Gov Okpebholo for the opportunity to serve the people of Edo State and assured him of the loyalty of the agency.
He added that his men will do their job professionally and ensure that the is free flow of traffic across the state.