Crime
NSCDC Smashes Same-Sex Wedding Ring In Gombe State
A same-sex wedding ‘gang’, in Gombe State has been busted by operatives of the State’s Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), with 76 apprehended in the process.
Public Relations Officer, NSCDC, Gombe State, Buhari Sa’ad, made the disclosure when he paraded the suspects before media men at the command’s headquarters in Gombe on behalf of the state Commandant, Mohammed Muazu.
According to Sa’ad, of the 76 suspects, 59 are males out of which 21 confessed to being homosexuals.
He added that that 17 females were also arrested at the scene.
He said, “They were arrested at Duwa Plaza along Bauchi-Gombe Expressway while holding a homosexual birthday and they had plans to hold a same-sex wedding before our men raided the scene.
“Fifty-nine males were arrested, 21 wilfully confessed to being homosexuals and 17 females present at the scene were also picked.
“They will be charged to court to answer for their crime which is on social vice; a crime in Gombe State.”
In another development, the command also arrested no fewer than three persons involved in illegal mining activities in the Akko Local Government Area of the state.
According to the NSCDC, the suspects were arrested at a site in the Gamawa community while operating in violation of the mining clearance that was allegedly approved by the Federal Government.
The state Commandant of the NSCDC, Muazu, on Sunday, described the arrest as a significant milestone.
“My team stormed the site following a tip-off from some concerned citizens. While they were excavating with their excavating machine, we stormed the place and ironically, they claimed to be the owners of the site and that they had a licence, but when we checked their documents we discovered that the approval they had was for Laterite sand which they abandoned for mining coal,” Muazu said.
He disclosed that having reported to the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development and the state Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, the command has ordered the temporary suspension of activity at the site until proper clearance is obtained from the necessary authorities.
In the same vein, Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Gombe State, Sanusi Pindiga, announced the suspension of all mining activities across the state and urged all miners in the state to appear before the ministry for screening and clearance.
According to him, the decision followed the discovery of the illegal mining site by the NSCDC, and that it was made to ensure that miners operating in the state are properly screened and cleared by the ministry.
“A genuine miner should report to the appropriate authority before going to the field.
“We don’t want a situation where miners will be mining without considering the dangers and effect of the activities on the lives of our people, their farmlands, and communities,” Pindiga said.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa over allegations of diverting N1.3 trillion in 13% derivation funds intended for Delta State during his tenure.
Okowa, who served as governor from 2015 to 2023, was detained after he voluntarily appeared at the EFCC’s Port Harcourt Directorate on Monday in response to an official summons.
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According to an EFCC source, Okowa is accused of failing to account for the N1.3 trillion derived from the federation account, as well as an additional N40 billion he allegedly invested in shares of UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
The investigation suggests that Okowa acquired an 8% stake in a major Nigerian bank to support the offshore LNG venture, with funds purportedly misallocated from state resources.
Beyond the LNG shares, investigators are probing whether Okowa redirected state funds to acquire high-value properties in Abuja and Asaba.
Okowa is currently held at an EFCC facility in Port Harcourt as the inquiry continues.
The high-profile arrest comes as Okowa, who was the vice-presidential running mate to Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election, faces scrutiny over his financial conduct in office.
Amid repeated absences from court, the Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an arrest warrant for Hathiramani Ranesh, Managing Director of Dana Air, who faces charges of fraud and conspiracy tied to alleged misappropriations totaling N1.3 billion.
The ruling, handed down Monday by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, calls for Ranesh’s immediate arrest following his failure to respond to multiple court summonses.
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Justice Egwuatu cited Section 184 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), empowering the court to issue an arrest warrant against defendants who evade appearance.
“The defendant is legally obligated to appear, and the court is authorized to issue a warrant for arrest if he does not,” Justice Egwuatu said, setting January 13, 2025, as the next court date, adding that no objections will be considered unless Ranesh is present.
Ranesh and two Dana Group subsidiaries—Dana Group PLC and Dana Steel Ltd—face serious allegations from the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).
Prosecutors claim that between 2014 and 2018, Ranesh and his companies engaged in fraudulent activities, including the unauthorized sale of industrial generators valued at N450 million, which had been pledged as collateral in a debenture agreement.
Additional charges allege the misappropriation of N864 million from bond funds meant for operations at the Dana Steel Rolling Factory in Katsina, and a N60.3 million transfer to an external account without authorization.
The charges, filed by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Moshood Adeyemi, cite violations under the Criminal Code Act.
In court, government lawyer Mojisola Okeya-Esho argued for the arrest warrant, stating that Ranesh had disregarded court orders to appear for arraignment.
Defense counsel B. Ademola-Bello challenged the prosecution, contending that jurisdictional issues must be addressed before proceeding with the case.
Justice Egwuatu dismissed these objections, underscoring that Ranesh’s presence in court is required before other arguments can be entertained.
The matter is now adjourned until January 13, 2025, with the warrant remaining active until the defendant is brought to court.
In a shocking act of violence, armed assailants targeted the Police Rapid Response Squad facility in Owerrinta early Monday morning, resulting in the tragic death of a female detainee.
The attack occurred shortly after midnight along the Umuahia-Aba Federal Expressway.
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State Commissioner of Police Danladi Isa confirmed the incident, revealing that the gunmen arrived in three Hilux vehicles and opened fire on the police facility.
“Our personnel successfully repelled the attack,” Isa stated.
However, the attackers resorted to using dynamite, causing significant damage to the building and exposing the detainees inside.
During the chaos, the gunmen attempted to free detainees, leading to the fatal shooting of the female suspect.
Unconfirmed reports suggest she was in custody related to a child trafficking case.
In the aftermath of the attack, police swiftly initiated a manhunt for the perpetrators, employing advanced technical methods to track their movements.
Commissioner Isa announced the arrest of one suspect, who is currently undergoing interrogation to uncover the identities of additional accomplices.
“We are making significant progress in our investigation,” he affirmed.
Authorities are calling on the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities as the investigation continues.
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