Crime
Tricycle Rider Killed By Taskforce Over N200 Ticket
Chaos erupted in the Ogbogoro area of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area in Rivers State on Thursday when a tragic incident unfolded between a man associated with a task force and a tricycle rider named Esikak Esieme.
According to reports, a heated argument over a N200 ticket escalated, resulting in the alleged punching of Esieme by the task force member.
The incident occurred after the task force officials halted Esieme, who was transporting a passenger, and demanded the fare. However, Esieme explained that he had just commenced his work for the day and did not possess the requested amount at that moment.
Following the disagreement, an altercation reportedly ensued, leading to one of the task force members, identified as Osisi, allegedly delivering a punch to the 39-year-old tricyclist.
Tragically, the impact caused the tricyclist to collapse immediately. In response, Esieme’s fellow colleagues swiftly transported him to a nearby hospital, where medical professionals later confirmed his unfortunate demise.
The incident left his fellow tricyclists deeply angered and frustrated. In protest against the recurring mistreatment and extortion they claimed to endure at the hands of Osisi and his team, Esieme’s colleagues organized a protest to voice their grievances.
Expressing their fury, the enraged tricycle operators decided to suspend their operations momentarily and embarked on a march from Ogbogoro to the premises of a local radio station situated in Port Harcourt to seek justice for their deceased colleague.
Ivumba Friday, the President of the Tricycle Union in Ogbogoro Community, spoke out about the tragic incident, asserting that Nsikak Esieme had been unlawfully killed earlier that day by a persistent troublemaker named Osisi, who, according to Friday, has been inflicting terror upon the residents of Ogbogoro on a daily basis.
He said “Nsikak Esieme was murdered this morning by one Osisi that has been terrorising Ogbogoro and our people daily. We have been reporting this matter to OSPAC, even to the police.”
Lucky, the elder brother of the deceased, recounted the sequence of events and made an initial demand for the release of his late brother’s body to the family.
In response to inquiries, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, acknowledged the incident, describing it as a situation where two individuals fighting.
She said “We are aware of the case but from what the Divisional Police Officer told me, it was a case of two fighting. He was beaten to a coma and was rushed to the hospital where he was confirmed dead. Efforts are on top gear to apprehend the suspect and make him face the law.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kano State Zonal Directorate, has arrested popular TikTok influencer Murja Kunya for allegedly abusing the Nigerian currency.
According to a statement released on Monday by EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, Kunya was taken into custody for spraying naira notes for fun during her stay at Tahir Guest Palace, a hotel in Kano State.
Her latest arrest follows a dramatic attempt to evade justice after she allegedly jumped administrative bail earlier granted by the commission.
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Kunya was initially arrested in January 2025 for violating the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act, which prohibits the abuse and mutilation of the national currency.
Although she was granted bail pending her arraignment before the Federal High Court in Kano, she failed to appear in court and instead went into hiding.
“After weeks of intensive investigation and surveillance, EFCC operatives successfully re-arrested the TikTok Influencer on Sunday, March 16, 2025,” the statement read.
Kunya is now in custody at the Kano Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, where she is awaiting arraignment.
The commission reiterated its commitment to enforcing laws protecting the integrity of the naira and issued a warning against all forms of naira abuse, including spraying, stamping, or mutilating the currency at social events.
A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the arraignment of former First Bank of Nigeria Plc chairman, Oba Otudeko, and the bank’s former managing director, Bisi Onasanya, over an alleged ₦12.3 billion fraud.
Justice Aneke, delivering the ruling on Monday, stated that under Nigerian law, a defendant’s plea must be taken before any application or objection can be entertained.
“The issue before the court is whether the processes before the court can be taken before the arraignment of the defendants. Any preliminary objection to the validity of a charge can only be heard after the plea is taken; this is now a condition precedent, and this court is bound by the decision,” the judge ruled.
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The prosecution had opposed any attempt to delay the arraignment, with counsel Bilkisu Buhari-Bala insisting that legal proceedings must follow due process.
Following the ruling, Otudeko’s counsel, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), informed the court that all parties, including the prosecution, had met with the Attorney General of the Federation on March 12 to explore an out-of-court settlement.
He urged the court to allow time for discussions, a request supported by other defense lawyers, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), Yinka Fusika (SAN), and Charles Adeogun-Phillips (SAN).
However, the prosecution maintained that the case should either proceed to arraignment or be adjourned for a settlement report.
After hearing both sides, Justice Aneke adjourned the case to May 8 for an update on the settlement discussions or the formal arraignment of the defendants.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed a 13-count criminal charge against Otudeko, Onasanya, a former board member of Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Soji Akintayo, and a company linked to Otudeko, Anchorage Leisure Ltd.
The EFCC alleged that between 2013 and 2014, the defendants fraudulently obtained ₦12.3 billion from First Bank through multiple transactions, including payments of ₦5.2 billion, ₦6.2 billion, ₦6.15 billion, ₦1.5 billion, and ₦500 million.
A couple, Baba Sule Abubakar Sadiq and Hafsat Kabir Lawal, along with two accomplices, Abdullahi Bala and Ladani Akindele, have been arraigned before Justice Amina Bello of the Kaduna State High Court on charges of fraud, money laundering, and stealing totaling N197,750,000.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought the defendants before the court on Monday, March 9, 2025, on a six-count charge.
They are accused of conspiring to defraud victims by impersonating the wife of the Katsina State Governor, Fatima Dikko Radda, and offering fake foreign exchange deals.
According to the EFCC, Hafsat Kabir Lawal allegedly posed as the Katsina First Lady to lure victims into fraudulent currency exchange transactions.
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Using SIM cards registered under the name “Fatima Dikko Radda” on True Caller, she reportedly contacted a bureau de change operator, Aminu Usman, and convinced him to transfer N89 million in exchange for $53,300.
Investigators further revealed that another victim was defrauded of N108 million under a similar scheme involving a supposed exchange of $118,300.
The funds were allegedly deposited into the bank account of the third defendant, Abdullahi Bala, before being laundered and shared among the conspirators.
Hafsat’s husband, Sadiq, is accused of providing the SIM cards used in the fraud. He allegedly enlisted the help of Ladani Akindele, a former bank colleague, to secure the contact details of Unity Bank Chairman Hafiz Bashir. The contact was then used to gain the trust of the victims.
When the charges were read, all four defendants pleaded not guilty. Prosecution counsel Bright C. Ogbonna requested a trial date and urged the court to remand them in a correctional facility.
Defense counsels, led by M.S. Katu (SAN), argued for bail, stating they had already filed applications.
However, the prosecution opposed the requests, stating that the applications were not yet ready for hearing. When the defense requested an oral bail application, Justice Bello ruled in favor of the prosecution and ordered the defendants to remain in custody.
The case was adjourned to March 17, 2025, for the hearing of bail applications.
The suspects were initially arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) before being handed over to the EFCC when the case was determined to be financial in nature.
The EFCC has vowed to ensure that justice is served in the case, emphasizing the need for vigilance against fraudulent schemes involving high-profile impersonation.
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