Crime
“I’m A Car Thief, Not A Kidnapper,” Wheelchair-Bound Suspect
Chinaza Philip, a wheelchair-driving suspect, has admitted that he is a car thief rather than a kidnapper.
Following his activities in the Federal Capital Territory, the 28-year-old suspect, who hails from Enugu State, was apprehended in Kaduna.
However, his statement is that his gang specialises in auto theft not kidnapping which he is being accused of.
According to the suspect who was staggering in excruciating pain as a result of a gunshot on one of his legs, “anything I am telling you is the truth and nothing but the truth. I know some people will say I am lying. Between God and man, I am not a kidnapper. I want the whole world to know that I am not a kidnapper.
“I and my friends were on patrol, looking out for cars to steal. We collect cars from park. We saw one Hilux in a compound and we turned back. We entered and asked the owner for the key, which he gave us.
“The aim and plan was not to carry the man, but I don’t know why my friend Yellow said we should carry him. We took the man on the back seat with me. I never knew that the intention of Yellow is to collect money from him. He asked the man how much he has in his account and he said N5 million. I did not have power to stop Yellow, it was one of us who was pointing gun at the man.
“It was Yellow that brought the guns. I don’t know Yellow very well, it was my friend Chidiebere who introduced me to Yellow. I did not know it was kidnapping we were in for, I thought it was our normal car stealing.”
FCT Police boss, CP Garuba Haruna, who addressed newsmen on the subject, noted that it was apt to give an update on the steps the Command has taken to safeguard the lives and properties of the residents of FCT.
According to him, “The Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun had on January 17, 2024 launched Special Intervention Squad (SIS) at Force Headquarters, Abuja to curb the menace of kidnapping and armed banditry and other sundry crimes in the Federal Capital Territory.
“The launch of this special squad has yielded positive results as all the identified bandit’s routes especially in Bwari Area Council has been blocked by the Police thereby denying them access into the FCT via Niger, Kaduna and Nasarawa States.
“Since then, no case of kidnapping has been recorded in that axis.
In addition, many kidnapping and armed robbery suspects have been arrested and victims rescued.
“In the same vein, several arms and live ammunitions and vehicles taken away from victims have been recovered.
The following is the synopsis of some of the successes recorded.
“On January 17, 2024 at around 7.pm, the complainant/victim, Segun Akinyemi of No 10 Birnin Kebbi street, Garki 2 Abuja, was abducted in front of his house while driving out with his gray colored Hilux Van with Reg. No. RBC 90 DL by four armed men who laid siege in a white Mercedez Benz 230 car.
“The FCT police command via the control room alerted the patrol teams and men on the entry/exit points for rescue of the victim and arrest of the suspects. The CP FCT placed a call to his counterparts in the contiguous states especially Kaduna.
“This contact paid off as police operatives in Kaduna intercepted the armed hoodlums at a filling station in Kawo, Kaduna State. There was an exchange of fire between the police operatives and the kidnappers. That while three of them escaped, one of the suspect later identified as Chinaza Philip Okoye was arrested.
“Three English pistols with 15 rounds of live ammunition and the said Hilux Van were recovered from him. The victim who was in the vehicle was rescued unhurt. “Preliminary investigation revealed that two out of four armed men are Abuja-based; Chinaza Philip Okoye Michael and one Chidibere. It was also discovered that Chinaza Philip Okoye Michael and his accomplices had earlier been arrested, sometimes in November 2023, for armed robbery, and a snatched Honda car was recovered from them.
“He and his accomplices were arraigned before a High Court Judge in Kwali, Abuja, but were granted court bail, only for the suspects to get involved in this particular kidnapping case.”
A former Managing Director of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited (WRPC), Jimoh Yisawu, has been granted bail in the sum of ₦500 million by the Federal High Court in Abuja after pleading not guilty to an eight-count charge of alleged money laundering filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Yisawu was arraigned on Monday before Justice Inyang Ekwo in a case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/361/2026, over allegations that he violated the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
SEE MORE: EFCC Files Fraud Charges Against Ex-MDs of Warri, PH Refineries
According to the EFCC, the former refinery boss allegedly indirectly converted more than $789,950, said to be proceeds of unlawful activity, in contravention of Section 18(2)(b) of the Act and punishable under Section 18(3).
The anti-graft agency further alleged that Yisawu made cash payments exceeding $789,950 to one Samaila Bala without using any financial institution, contrary to Nigeria’s anti-money laundering laws.
The commission also accused him of making additional cash payments totalling $122,600 through one Rasheed Olaitan Yusuf, also without routing the transactions through a financial institution.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to all eight counts when they were read to him in court.
Following his plea, defence counsel Wale Balogun (SAN) urged the court to grant his client bail, noting that the EFCC had earlier released him on administrative bail after seizing his international passport.
Balogun appealed to the court to maintain the same bail conditions, arguing that his client needed to prepare adequately for his defence while out on bail.
However, prosecution counsel Ekele Iheanacho (SAN) opposed the application, urging the court to consider the EFCC’s counter-affidavit challenging the defendant’s request for bail.
In his ruling, Justice Ekwo held that the offences contained in the charge were bailable and ruled that Yisawu was entitled to bail.
Relying on Section 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, the judge granted the former WRPC boss bail in the sum of ₦500 million, with one surety in like sum.
The court ordered that the surety must be a responsible Nigerian with landed property in Abuja and must provide proof of ownership of the property.
Justice Ekwo also directed Yisawu to surrender his international passport and barred him from travelling outside Nigeria without prior approval from the court.
Pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions, the judge ordered that the former refinery chief remain in the custody of the EFCC.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to October 25, 26 and 27, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
Former Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has been granted bail in the sum of N20 million after pleading not guilty to a six-count charge bordering on alleged certificate forgery filed against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Nnaji was arraigned on Monday before the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the ICPC accused him of forging academic credentials, including a degree certificate allegedly issued by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
The anti-corruption agency also alleged that the former minister presented a fake National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate during his ministerial screening in 2023.
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The defendant, who served in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet as Minister of Science and Technology from August 16, 2023, until his resignation on October 6, 2025, denied all the allegations after the charges were read before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
Following a bail application by his lead counsel, Chief James Onoja (SAN), the court admitted Nnaji to bail in the sum of N20 million with one surety in like sum.
Justice Abdulmalik ruled that the surety must be a civil servant resident in Abuja and not below Grade Level 15. The court further directed the surety to depose to an affidavit of means.
As part of the bail conditions, the former minister was ordered to surrender his international passport and barred from travelling outside Nigeria without the court’s permission.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter until July 21, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
Nnaji’s arraignment followed his arrest by security operatives at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on July 1, shortly after returning to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The ICPC had earlier confirmed that the arrest was carried out to facilitate investigations into the allegations against him.
The case is expected to proceed with the presentation of evidence when trial begins later this month.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday arraigned the immediate past Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited, Ahmed Dikko, before the Federal High Court in Abuja, over an alleged N1.32bn money laundering scheme linked to the rehabilitation of the state-owned refinery.
Dikko was docked before Justice Inyang Ekwo on a 12-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/360/2026 alongside Masterpiece Projects & Investment Limited.
The former refinery boss, who headed the Port Harcourt refinery from March 2020 for about four years, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The EFCC alleged that Dikko laundered the sum of N1,322,839,112.70, said to be proceeds linked to contractors engaged by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery, through cash property purchases, undisclosed bank retentions, concealment of funds through third parties and unauthorised foreign exchange transactions.
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According to the anti-graft agency, one of the charges alleged, “That you, Ahmed Adamu Dikko… did directly make cash payment of the dollar equivalent of the sum of N218,375,000 to one Hadeija Bashir for the purchase of Plot 558, Abubakar Umar Street, Katampe Extension, Abuja without passing through a financial institution,” contrary to the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The commission further alleged in count eight, “That you Ahmed Adamu Dikko… on or about the 26th of June, 2023… disguised the origin of the sum of N328,710,337.50 paid into the GTBank Account… operated by Masterpiece Projects & Investment Limited by OMSA Integrated Services Limited from the transactions involving NNPC Limited allocation of Vacuum Gas Oil for export when you knew that the said sum… constituted proceeds of unlawful activity.”
In count 11, the EFCC accused the former refinery boss of unlawfully converting foreign currency, alleging, “That you, Ahmed Adamu Dikko between October 2022 and May 2025, did convert the aggregate sum of $77,080 through Ibrahim Isa Yaro, which amount did not form part of your known lawful earnings as a former public officer with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd.”
Following his plea, defence counsel, Okechukwu Ajunwa (SAN), urged the court to admit his client to bail pending trial, while EFCC counsel, Ekele Iheanacho (SAN), opposed the application.
In a ruling, Justice Ekwo admitted Dikko to bail in the sum of N150m with one surety in like sum.
The judge held that the surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and own landed property valued at not less than the bail sum.
He also directed the defendant to surrender his international passport and ordered that he be remanded in EFCC custody until he fulfilled the bail conditions.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter to October 12, 13 and 14, 2026, for trial.
Courtesy – The Punch
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