NEWS
Man dies after friend steals ATM card, withdraws N700,000
Lagos resident simply known as Isak Wahab, 60, has reportedly passed away from shock following an unauthorized withdrawal of N700,000 from his bank account.
His wife Monsurat accused his acquaintance, Ola, of making the withdrawal, which she claimed caused the sexagenarian’s demise.
According to reports, The wife of the deceased, Monsurat confirmed that Ola had stolen her husband’s ATM card during a visit to their home in the Ikotun neighborhood of Lagos State.
She said, “Ola was a close friend to our family, particularly my husband. He had financial difficulties with his rent and he came to my husband to tell him that he wanted to sell his generator so that he could raise money to pay his rent. My husband told him not to do that and said he (Isak) was expecting payment from our tenants and he could help. My husband then gave him N10,000.
“Meanwhile, we did not know that Ola had taken my husband’s ATM card and he withdrew money from it amounting to N700,000. He withdrew the money in tranches of N200,000, N300,000, and another N200,000.”
Ajibola, the deceased’s son, claimed that Ola stole his father’s ATM card after he (Isak) got drunk as they shared a drink.
He added that the suspect vanished after he was charged with being the cause of the death and that the case had been reported to the Ikotun Police Station for investigation.
He said, “Last week Thursday, my dad was not alright, but I felt it was just ordinary malaria or a small illness. But later, I was told that it was serious and I had to call my siblings. We later learnt from our mother that our father was defrauded by Mr. Ola.
“My father died on Friday and we buried him on Saturday. After his burial, we went to his friend’s house, confronted him, and while arguing with him, we seized his phone. Since that day, we have not seen him.
“As I speak to you, I have his phone with me and we have reported the case at the Ikotun Police Station. He had issues and needed money and our father promised to help and gave him N10,000.
“Now, Mr. Ola took our father’s ATM card, went to a PoS operator, and transferred about N700,000 from his account to other accounts. When our father saw it, he was deeply sad and he died because he never expected that his best friend would do that to him.”
Ola’s house in the community was visited but he was nowhere to be found.
However, his younger brother, identified simply as Ifa Dollars, absolved the suspect of blame in the incident.
He said, “I heard what they said my brother did, but I don’t know anything about it. If my brother was involved in any way, they are the ones that know what they have been doing. But he has no hand in the death.”
Asked about the whereabouts of Ola, he said, “I don’t know his whereabouts.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said nobody reported the incident to the police.
He said, “I have not heard anything about the case but as soon as we get information on the matter, I will contact you.”
According to The punch, Hundeyin had not responded to Journalist.
The family of the deceased insisted that the incident be reported at the Ikotun Police Station on June 23, 2022, though.
A swift response by the Kwara State Fire Service helped avert a major disaster after a fire outbreak destroyed a laundry shop attached to an eight-room residential building in the Tanke area of Ilorin, Kwara State.
The incident occurred at about 3:58 a.m. on Tuesday at Assu-Luxury Quarters, off University Road. Although the laundry shop was gutted by the blaze, all residents of the building escaped unhurt, while firefighters successfully prevented the fire from spreading to the residential apartments and nearby properties.
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The Public Relations Officer of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, confirmed the incident in a statement, explaining that the affected property comprised eight residential rooms and a laundry shop, with only the laundry section sustaining damage.
According to him, firefighters responded promptly to the emergency, bringing the fire under control by about 4:25 a.m. before concluding the operation at approximately 4:42 a.m.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire may have been caused by an electrical power surge, possibly from a pressing iron left switched on for an extended period.
However, the fire service said investigations are still ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident.
Reacting to the development, the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Alabi Muhammed, urged business owners, particularly laundry operators, to adopt safer electrical practices.
He advised operators to switch off electrical appliances immediately after use and never leave them unattended while powered.
Muhammed also stressed the importance of conducting routine electrical inspections, using standard electrical appliances, and installing surge protection devices to minimise the risk of fire outbreaks.
The Kwara State Fire Service reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property through prompt emergency response and sustained public awareness on fire safety.
The Federal Government has approved the most comprehensive overhaul of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) since its establishment 53 years ago, introducing a civilian leadership structure, a redesigned uniform, and several reforms aimed at making the scheme more relevant to Nigeria’s economic and youth development goals.
The approval was granted during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held on Monday in Abuja.
A major highlight of the reforms is the replacement of the military leadership of the NYSC with a civilian operational head, while the military will continue to provide security support for corps members across the country.
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To pave the way for the implementation of the reforms, the FEC directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development to amend the NYSC Act and other relevant regulations to provide legal backing for the changes.
Announcing the development, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, described the overhaul as the first holistic review of the NYSC in its 53-year history.
According to him, the reforms are designed to transform the scheme into a skills-driven, productivity-focused institution that aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s vision of building a $1 trillion economy.
The reforms include a technology-driven call-up process, risk-sensitive deployment to enhance the safety of corps members, and a redesigned six-week orientation programme with greater emphasis on leadership, entrepreneurship, digital skills, and specialised career pathways.
The government also approved skills-based primary assignments that match corps members’ academic qualifications and career aspirations, improved orientation camp standards through a national grading and certification system, a new graduation ceremony to replace the traditional Passing Out Parade, and a redesigned NYSC uniform aimed at promoting professionalism and national pride.
Olawande said the reform process began in 2025 following extensive consultations involving the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, the Federal Ministry of Education, and the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination before receiving final approval from the Federal Executive Council.
He described the reforms as an investment in Nigeria’s youth, expressing confidence that the changes would make the NYSC more impactful and better positioned to equip young Nigerians with practical skills for the future.
Established in 1973 after the Nigerian Civil War, the NYSC was created to promote national unity by deploying graduates to states outside their regions of origin for one year of compulsory national service.
The latest reforms represent the first comprehensive review of the scheme since its creation.
The Ogun State Government has explained the cause of the recent gas emissions that sparked panic in some schools across Ijebu-Ode, attributing the incidents to natural underground geological activity rather than spiritual causes or security threats.
The clarification was made during a stakeholders’ meeting in Ijebu-Ode Local Government Area, where the Commissioners for Environment, Ola Oresanya, and Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, met with parents, school administrators and development partners to provide updates on the government’s investigation.
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According to Oresanya, scientific investigations identified methane and sulphide gases escaping through underground fractures along established fault lines as the source of the emissions.
He explained that the affected communities are located along the Ifewara-Zungeru Trans-Atlantic fault line, which stretches from Mojoda through Ijebu-Ode and extends into Osun and Niger states.
He said findings linked the fault line to the locations where the gas emissions were recorded, including the affected schools. Oresanya noted that the area was historically forested and largely uninhabited before missionary schools were established there.
The commissioner disclosed that laboratory analyses are ongoing to determine whether the gases are thermogenic or methanogenic in origin.
He also revealed that the state government is investigating the possibility that Ijebu-Ode may sit on significant natural gas deposits beneath the affected communities.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, urged residents to remain calm and adhere to safety precautions whenever gas emissions occur.
She advised residents to cover their noses with wet handkerchiefs instead of face masks and encouraged anyone requiring urgent medical attention to contact the state’s emergency health line, 08112000033.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbadu, assured parents that the affected schools would only reopen after consultations with relevant stakeholders and the completion of necessary safety assessments.
The Head of the Department of Earth Sciences at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Prof. Philip Ikhane, also appealed for calm, advising residents to minimise activities such as borehole drilling and quarry blasting, warning that such activities could worsen the effects of the existing fault lines.
The Ogun State Government reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property, urging residents and school authorities to promptly report any future gas emissions while investigations continue.
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