Crime
Who Is Behind This? NLC Criticizes Police Invitation Of Ajaero
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has criticized the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for inviting Joe Ajaero without using his official title in the invitation.
Benson Upah, the NLC’s media head, stated that the police failed to show proper respect to the NLC president in their communication.
Recall that on Monday, the police summoned Ajaero to answer questions related to allegations of criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion and cybercrime.
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The invitation letter, signed by Assistant Commissioner of Police Adamu Mu’azu, directed Ajaero to report to the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) complex in Abuja on Tuesday (today).
Mu’azu also warned that an arrest warrant would be issued if Ajaero did not comply with the invitation.
Upah commented on the invitation, stating: “A personal message sent to Comrade Joe Ajaero by SP Moshood said, ‘We were at the Labour House to submit this (letter of invitation) but the place was locked, sir.’
“We find this curious because staff were in the office beyond 6 pm. We also note that Comrade Joe Ajaero was not addressed by his official title of President of the Nigeria Labour Congress. Clearly, the last has not been heard about the raid on the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress.”
The statement also mentioned that labor is being targeted in retaliation for the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest, which concluded on August 10.
Upah said, “Preceding the raid, the Congress had advised the government to have a dialogue with the organisers of the (hunger) protest even as the congress had clearly stated it was not part of the protest.
“The congress criticised the police for the high casualty rate during the protest. The congress, in its NEC communique after the raid, expressed outrage at the behaviour of the police and demanded an apology from both the police and the government.
“At its world press conference last Thursday, the congress had raised the alarm that should anything happen to the leadership of the congress or any of its members, the police should be held accountable. The question on the lips of those in the know is: Who wants Joe Ajaero out of circulation?”
It is worth noting that the police summons is linked to a recent raid on the NLC secretariat in Abuja.
Recall that on August 7, police conducted a search of the NLC building in the Central Business District, claiming they were seeking seditious materials related to the #EndBadGovernance protests.
Following the raid, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun reported that one of the individuals implicated in the Sudan conflict was located at the NLC headquarters.
Egbetokun added that police detectives traced the foreigner to a shop within the Labour House and clarified that the raid did not involve the NLC secretariat itself.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured a court order to arrest and detain six individuals suspected of orchestrating a cryptocurrency investment fraud worth over one billion dollars.
On Thursday, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled in favor of the EFCC’s ex parte application, allowing the agency to apprehend the promoters of Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX).
The judge emphasized the strength of the application presented by EFCC counsel, Fadila Yusuf.
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“I have listened to the submission of the learned counsel for the applicant (EFCC). I have also gone through the affidavit evidence with exhibits thereto along with the written address. I am of the view, and I so hold, that the application is meritorious. Consequently, the application is granted as prayed,” Justice Nwite declared.
The six individuals named in the case are Adefowora Abiodun Olanipekun, Adefowora Oluwanisola, Emmanuel Uko, Seyi Oloyede, Avwerosuo Otorudo, and Chukwuebuka Ehirim.
All are accused of using their company, ST Technologies International Limited, to promote CBEX and mislead investors with promises of extraordinary returns.
According to the EFCC, intelligence received in April 2025 indicated that the suspects ran an elaborate scheme in which investors were urged to convert their digital assets into USDT, a stablecoin, and deposit them into CBEX’s wallet.
Initially, users were allowed to monitor their investments, but after accumulating deposits exceeding $1 billion, the platform reportedly became inaccessible.
The anti-graft agency’s preliminary investigation revealed that the investment platform, though promoted by a registered company, lacked proper licensing from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Additionally, the accused had allegedly vacated their known addresses in Lagos and Ogun States, making it difficult to track them down.
Fadila Yusuf, representing the EFCC, argued that the defendants’ actions violated several laws and that arrest warrants were crucial to advance the investigation.
She noted that the EFCC received actionable intelligence alleging various criminal activities involving the suspects, and stressed the commission’s responsibility in preventing and investigating financial crimes.
“The defendants are at large, and a warrant of arrest is required to arrest the defendants for proper investigation and prosecution of this case,” Yusuf said.
The commission has requested that the suspects be placed on the red watch list to facilitate their apprehension.
It maintains that granting the application serves the interest of justice and is necessary to proceed with prosecution based on the evidence gathered so far.
A TikTok content creator, Emmanuel Ajibade, appeared before an Akure Magistrates’ Court on Thursday over allegations of cyberbullying a Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officer.
According to the police prosecutor, Inspector Taiwo Oniyere, the incident took place in the Higher Height Area of Orita Obele in Akure.
Oniyere explained that Ajibade, along with unidentified accomplices still at large, conspired to commit a series of offences including cyberstalking, cyberbullying, and criminal defamation.
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The prosecutor claimed that Ajibade used his TikTok account, checkers69, to circulate false information with the intention of causing public nuisance and targeting an FRSC official, Ibitoye Samuel.
“His action also resulted in intimidation, enmity and hatred, ill will and needless anxiety for Ibitoye Samuel, an official of FRSC in the state,” Oniyere told the court.
He added that the offences violated Section 27(b) and Section 24(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act of 2015.
Based on these allegations, Oniyere urged the court to order Ajibade’s remand in a correctional facility under Section 269(2)(b) of the Nigerian legal code.
Ajibade’s legal representative, Mr. A. F. Awala, responded by requesting a short adjournment to enable the defence team to file a counter-affidavit.
In her ruling, Chief Magistrate Olateju Odenusi-Fadeyi ordered that the defendant be held at the SWAT Police Station rather than a correctional centre.
She also instructed the police to ensure Ajibade receives necessary medical care while in custody.
The case was adjourned until April 30, 2025, for mention.
A senior lecturer at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, Dr Usman Aliyu, has been dismissed from his position following allegations of sexual harassment brought against him by a postgraduate student, Mrs Kamila Rufai Aliyu.
The decision was ratified during the university’s 96th regular council meeting held on April 11, 2025, and made public through the ATBU Herald (Vol. 39 No. 5, April 22), the institution’s official publication.
The dismissal came after the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee found Dr Aliyu guilty of misconduct.
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The disciplinary panel concluded that the lecturer engaged in an inappropriate relationship with Mrs Kamila Aliyu, a married student from the Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Engineering Technology.
According to the university’s dismissal letter, “Following the report of the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee that found you guilty of an indecent relationship involving a student of the university, Mrs Kamila Rufai Aliyu… the council has subsequently approved your dismissal from the services of the university with immediate effect.”
Mrs Aliyu had submitted a petition to the university in 2024, accusing Dr Aliyu of sexually harassing her and alleging that he threatened to jeopardize her academic progress if she refused his advances.
In response to the accusations, Dr Aliyu filed a defamation lawsuit against the student, her department, and the university. Despite the legal action, the university continued its internal investigation, which led to the eventual dismissal.
The university noted that the decision was in accordance with “Chapter 3, Item F, I (o) of the Senior Staff Conditions of Service of the University,” as stated in a release by the Senior Deputy Registrar, Senior Staff Establishment, Alhaji Abdullahi Suleiman.
Furthermore, the lecturer has been instructed to return all university belongings in his custody.
“You are hereby directed to hand over all the property of the university in your possession to the Head of Department and your identification card to the Chief Security Officer of the university,” the letter added.
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