We’re Studying Metuh, Amosu, Umar’s Plea Bargain Requests – EFCC

Three high profile accused persons on trial for alleged corruption, are eager to refund their “loot”, in order to stave off likely conviction.
The accused are willing to refund cash and give up property acquired with their illegal wealth, it was learnt yesterday.

Those that fall under this category are the erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Olisa Metuh, ex-Chiefs of Air Staff Air Marshals Adeshola Amosu and Mohammed Dikko Umar.
The trio are being separately prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

RELATED: See 3 Nigerians Begging To Return Stolen Funds to EFCC

Metuh is standing trial for allegedly receiving N400 million from the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki. The cash is believed to be part of the $2.1 billion security fund that was allegedly diverted by the ex-NSA.
Umar was arraigned before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja on a seven-count charge bordering on money laundering, criminal breach of trust and corruption of about N9.7billion while Amosu was docked before a Federal High Court in Lagos alongside Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Jacob Adigun and Air Commodore Gbadebo Olugbenga, on a 26-count of stealing about N50 billion.
An inside source at the EFCC familiar with the trials of the accused persons, said: “We have formally received letters of plea bargain from three accused persons – Metuh, Umar and Amosu – we are studying their terms.
“We may enter into a plea bargain with the accused persons if it will serve the public interest. The interest is getting back the stolen funds. If they can fulfill this condition (public interest), we may accept their offers”.
But he did not specify the details of the request from the accused persons “because we are still studying them”.

It’s Unfair To Blame Herdsmen For Killing Of Plateau Traditional Ruler — Sultan

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, on Wednesday condemned the killing of a first class traditional ruler in Plateau State.
Gunmen suspected to assassins on Monday attacked and killed Lazarus Agai, the Saf Ron Kurele, while returning to Bokkos from a visit to his farm in Sha District. His wife, son and police orderly were also shot dead by the unknown gunmen.

Indigenes of the area blamed the murders on their Fulani neighbours, saying the praramount ruler of Bokkos was killed because of his opposition to the state government’s plan to create grazing reserves in the area.
The killings sparked protests in the area on Tuesday as youths blocked roads and reportedly destroyed buildings.

SEE: Gunmen Kill Traditional Ruler, Police Orderly In Plateau

The Sultan, who visited the State on Wednesday, pleaded with the media to stop jumping into conclusion that herdsmen were responsible for the murder.
“Journalists who reported the incident just jump into conclusion and said it was herdsmen who killed the traditional ruler, the Saf Ron Kulere, without waiting for investigations from security agencies to provide details on the incidents. That is not fair”, he said.
Mr. Abubakar, however, called on security agents to fish out the killers of the traditional ruler, his wife, son and police orderly.
The Sultan, who spoke at the palace of the Gbong Gwom Jos and Chairman of the Plateau State Council of Traditional Rulers, Gyang Buba, while paying his condolence over the death of the Saf Ron Kulere, also sued for peace among Nigerians.
“People should not take laws into their hands, whoever is a bad element in any community should be exposed”, he said.
He also said he was in Jos for a two-day meeting of northern traditional council of chiefs to discuss primary healthcare in the region.
“We are enjoying peace on the Plateau now, we should maintain the peace, let’s go back to the old days of peaceful coexistence, religious harmony, by so doing we should respect one another, our unity is of paramount importance”, the Sultan said.
In his response, the The Gbong Gwom Jos described the death of late Saf Ron as unfortunate, and urged security agents to wake up to their task of providing adequate securities to all citizens.

Soldiers Arrest Two For Ferrying Petroleum Products To Boko Haram

Two persons were on Tuesday arrested when a large consignment of petroleum products they were ferrying to Boko Haram insurgents in some yet-to-be identified locations, were intercepted by soldiers manning one of the entry checkpoints to the city of Maiduguri, Borno State.
The two suspects, Muhammadu Adamu, who was the driver of the delivery truck, and the supplier of the products, Tijjani Gambo, however, feigned ignorance of the identity of their customers.

The suspects, irrespective of the outcome of investigations into the matter, had by their actions, flouted the ban on transportation of fuel in such large volume within and around the area where counter-insurgency operation is taking place, said Sani Usman, the acting director of Army Public Relations.
In a statement on Wednesday, Mr. Usman, a Colonel, said “The Quick Reinforcement Force (QRF) of 251 Battalion, 7 Div Gar on routine checks arrested a truck loaded with 25 jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and other goods cleverly covered and concealed at Molai check point, outskirts of Maiduguri at about 8.00am on Tuesday.
“The driver of the vehicle, Muhammadu Adamu, claimed ignorance of the contents of the vehicle and called the owner of the goods, Tijjani Gambo to explain. He too denied supplying terrorists fuel and other items, rather he claimed to be a mere trader that supplies goods to customers in Damboa based on demand.
“However, preliminary investigation revealed that he has been sending PMS and other goods through the same route at regular intervals without an identifiable corresponding recipient in Damboa as alleged. Although investigations are still ongoing, it is suspected that it could be the means through which he had been supplying the terrorists with dire logistics in Sambisa forest. This is more so that there is a ban on the purchase and transportation of petrol in containers such as that within the theatre.
“Both suspects and the exhibits have been handed over to Joint Interrogation Centre for further investigations”.

Police Vow To Fish Out Killers Of Newly-Wed Bride In Kano

The police in Kano on Tuesday vowed to arrest those behind the murder of a newly-wed bride in Sha’iskawa village of Danbatta Local Gover‎nment Area of the state.
The Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, Magaji Majiya, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the command had already commenced investigation into the incident with a view to arresting perpetrators of the dastardly act.

The victim was stabbed to death on Saturday night in her room few days after her wedding and the husband had returned to Abuja where he runs his business.
The police spokesperson, however, did not release the name of the victim.
“After we received the report of the incident around 5:30 a.m.‎ on Sunday, the Crime Investigation Department swung into action.
“As the Police reported to the scene, they found that the late bride was defiled before she was stabbed to death in her matrimonial room.
“We have so far launched an investigation into the incident and that will lead us to the arrest of the assailants”, Majiya said.
He, however, said that the command had yet to make any arrests, but that the knife used in killing the woman had been recovered.
He reminded members of the public on the need to always be security conscious.
It would be recalled that a similar incident happened last year when a teen bride ‎was reportedly defiled and slaughtered by hoodlums at Bachirawa quarters in Kano metropolis.
(NAN).

2016 Budget Controversy: Dogara Sacks Jibrin As Appropriation Committee Chair

In what can only be a strong message to members of the House of Representatives, who abuse their positions that it will no longer be business as usual, Speaker Yakubu Dogara has removed Abdulmumin Jibrin (APC, Kano) as Chairman of the Committee of Appropriation.
Jibrin, an ally of the Speaker, was enmeshed in controversy following revelations that he padded the 2016 budget with projects worth over N4 billion to his Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency of Kano State.

SEE: 2016 Budget: Allegations Against Us “Unfounded” – Goje, Jibrin •Urge NASS To Revisit Budget Details

Following the revelations, several lawmakers, including members of his committee, demanded for his resignation but Dogara prevailed on them to sheathe their swords.
In both chambers of the National Assembly, the committee on appropriation is considered the “juiciest” of all the committees as it is saddled with the responsibility of appropriating funds for the running of the country.
Rep. Jibrin’s removal was announced on the floor of the House on Wednesday by Mr. Dogara, who announced Rep. Mustapha Bala Dawaki (APC, Kano) as the new chairman of the committee on appropriation.
Dawaki hitherto chaired the committee on housing.
Details later…

No Plan To Defect To APC – Akpabio

The Senate Minority Leader and immediate past Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, has restated his loyalty to the Peoples Democratic Party.
Mr. Akpabio, who was reacting to rumours of his impending defecting to the APC, said he was not going anywhere.

Speaking through his media aide, Anietie Ekong on Monday, Senator Akpabio said he was aware of the rumours of that he was planning to cross carpet and join the governing APC, but stressed that the false news was being peddled by APC propagandists.
Some online media platforms reported that the PDP, especially senators elected on its platform, were becoming suspicious of the former Akwa Ibom governor, after they got wind of his purported secret visit to the national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
But Akpabio insisted that he was working with other PDP leaders to ensure that the party became formidable again, adding that he could not be participating in solution-seeking meetings of his party, while planning to defect to APC.

Wike Rejects Police Postings To Rivers

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has kicked against the recent posting of police officers in the country by the acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris.
The governor said he had informed the acting IGP of the posting of officers allegedly used by politicians to compromise the state security, back to the state.

Governor Wike, who was addressing medical practitioners at the Government House, Port Harcourt yesterday, warned that should Mr. Idris fail to address his concerns, he would be forced to make a state broadcast naming the said officers and the ignominious roles they played in compromising the security of the state.
He particularly mentioned a senior police officer, who was indicted for aiding kidnappers and cultists in the state but had been posted back in what he alleged was a current attempt at frustrating the security architecture of the state.
Wike said the officer in question was posted out of the state in March 2016

EFCC on the trail of Nigeria’s Most Wanted ATM Fraudster, Akinade Tofunmi

As you read, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday released a statement addressing the rise of identity theft in Nigeria. Photos of a suspected female fraudster on the run was also shared.

Read below.
The much talked about ATM fraudsters are not resting on the oars. They are all over the place laying siege to any susceptible victim. These criminals go about fleecing unwary members of the public with their ingenious, ever-changing modes of operations. The latest being the infamous identity theft.
Before now, cloning and PIN harvesting through electronic chips cleverly concealed in the Automated Teller Machine (ATM), was the universal mode. Over time, the tricks and decoys to entrap their victims keep changing and have assumed a disturbing dimension.

The Ibadan Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is on the trail of a suspected ATM fraudster, who goes by the name Akinade Tofunmi. Her trade in stock is identity theft. Her duty post is any ATM Point and Point of Sales (POS) machines across the country.
However, she does not ‘work’ during the official hours of the week rather; she operates late in the night when all bank transactions have closed and preferably over the weekend when her ‘prospective’ victims might not be able to alert the banks for any unauthorised transaction. In her last operation, within twenty four hours; this fraudster who operates with the identity of her victims succeeded to have raked in about three million (N3m) within 24 hours.
Dateline was Friday, June 3rd, 2016, at about the close of work. A woman simply identified as Alhaja and her husband who was waiting in the car wanted to use an ATM somewhere in Ibadan, Oyo State, when Tofunmi noticed that the woman limps. Pretending to be polite and cultured, she offered to assist her with the transaction on the ATM. Unaware of the intention behind the pious approach, she gave the fraudster her ATM card and divulged her PIN. Smartly, the fraudster quickly checked the balance in the account which had one million, seven hundred and forty nine thousand, twenty six naira and seven kobo (N1, 749, 026. 07). After the intended withdrawal of N20, 000:00, the fraudster swapped the card and gave Alhaja a fake ATM card. Oblivious of the swap, she left with her husband.
Shortly before midnight, the fraudster started the ‘harvest’ of her booty. She withdrew one hundred and thirty thousand naira. Having exceeded the daily withdrawing limit for that day, she waited for a few minutes to the following day which was a Saturday. Shortly after midnight, she made another rounds of withdrawals to the tune of one hundred and fifty thousand naira which was also the daily limit for that day. However, Alhaja and her husband had no one to run or call that night to save the situation when the debit alerts started coming in torrent.
In desperate need of where and how to empty the balance in the account, she went to a night club where she met a motorcycle transporter, popularly known as Okada whom she approached for a help. Her decoy was that she had enough money in her account but could not access it having exceeded her daily withdrawal limit. She showed the bike man her balance and pleaded with him to give her his ATM card, account details and PIN for a quick teller transfer from her (Alhaja’s) account to the bike man’s account. With that, she has been able to secure some of Alhaja’s money in the bike man’s account thereby stealing the identity of the unsuspecting bike man.
At the early hours of that Saturday morning, she asked the bike man to take her to a hotel with an intention to further steal the identity of the hotelier for another movement of the money. At the hotel reception while paying for her accommodation which was N10, 000 (Ten thousand naira) for one night, she deliberated credited the hotel’s account with one hundred and one thousand naira (N101, 000) feigning a mistake and demanded a refund of ninety-one thousand naira (N91, 000) balance of an overpayment. This was also done with Alhaja’s ATM card through the POS machine at the Hotel.
To further conceal her identity, she provided fake personal details in the hotel and gave the hotel the bike man’s account detail when the hotel management requested for an account to deposit the refund.
All these happened on Saturday; hence, Alhaja and her husband are still in dilemma with no help in sight to stop the transactions in the account. By Sunday, Alhaja’s money had moved to the fraudster both in cash and through transfer to the bike man account domiciled in the same bank.
All these while, the fraudster was in possession of both Alhaja the first victim and the bike man, the second victim’s ATM cards. Later the following day, Monday, the bike man could no longer reach the fraudster on phone; he (the bike man) then went to the bank to request for another ATM card. It was later discovered in the bank that part of Alhaja’s money was transferred to the bike man’s account. He was arrested by the bank and He’s now helping the EFCC operatives to track down the fraudster. Investigations have revealed that this same fraudster had stolen the identities of other victims earlier and had absconded to, Ilorin, Kwara State.
Instances of Tofunmi’s nefarious activities have also been spotted in other parts of the country particularly Port Harcourt City. The Commission is hereby seeking the cooperation and support of public spirited members of the society to please help unveil the identity of this fraudster. Her face, though with different disguises, is on display for anyone who knows her to please contact any of our offices across the six geopolitical zones and Abuja. She must be apprehended, who knows the next victim?
Besides, it is imperative to reiterate the need to be careful with our ATM cards and PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (PIN). On no account should we divulge any information about our account details to anyone. The criminals, ATM fraudsters are on the loose, taking advantage of people’s insensitivity and carelessness. Pictures show Akinade Tofunmi as captured by CCTV Of the bank and Hotel she operated from.

No Peace in PDP Unless Makarfi Resigns, Sheriff Vows

Factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, has said that he will not relinquish his claim to the leadership of the party.

He said his rival, who is the Chairman of the party’s National Caretaker Committee, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, must resign before peace would return to the troubled party.

Sheriff spoke in Abuja on Monday when he hosted a delegation of the party from Abia State.
He said it was true that a meeting was held in Abuja last week Tuesday on how to bring all warring factions in the party together.
Unfortunately, he said the meeting could not agree with the most important aspect of his conditions.
Apart from the resignation of Makarfi, Sheriff said that he (sheriff) must be allowed to nominate the chairman and 10 others into the new convention committee.
He said he was ready to accept another 10 members for the committee from the Makarfi group.
The former governor said these were the demands he made at a meeting held with leaders of the party, including Markafi last Tuesday at the Taraba State Governor’s Lodge, Abuja.
Sheriff also said that he told those at the meeting that the proposed national convention should not hold in Port Harcourt, but in Abuja.
He said these were the conditions he said should be met before he would speak to members of his National Working Committee.
These members, he added, would be persuaded to resign and present themselves again for election and if they so wish, give-up their offices in the interest of the party.
According to sheriff, “People are very interested in our party and how the impasse will be settled, before the Port Harcourt convention was aborted by a court order.”

Man Goes from Technically Obese to Unbelievably Ripped in Just Three Months

Patrick Magno, frоm San Diego, California, rесеntlу won thе grand prize іn а fitness competition аftеr hе managed tо lose 49 pounds аnd gеt іntо enviable physical shape іn јuѕt thrее months. Aftеr а medical exam revealed thаt hе wаѕ 30 реr cent body fat аnd аt high risk оf developing type 2 diabetes, Patrick Magno decided іt wаѕ time fоr а drastic lifestyle change.

Hе wаѕ а social worker аnd hаd tо remove children frоm broken homes, abusive parents аnd оthеr harmful situations fоr а living, а job thаt hе ѕауѕ hаd а severe effect оn hіѕ lifestyle аnd оvеrаll health. Sо hе quit, proposed tо hіѕ girlfriend оf ѕіx years аnd set hіѕ sights оn improving hіѕ health ѕо hе wouldn’t еnd uр lіkе hіѕ father, whо hаd tо deal wіth thе terrible symptoms оf diabetes. “I couldn’t еvеn recognize myself,” hе said. “I wаѕ embarrassed. I wаѕ disgusted. I wаѕ ashamed thаt I hаd lеt mуѕеlf gеt tо thіѕ point.”
Sо whеn hе learned аbоut Bodybuilding.com’s 250k Challenge, а contest thаt hаѕ entrants transform thеіr bodies wіth thе hеlр оf grueling physical workouts, meal-plans аnd supplements, fоr thе chance tо win а substantial sum оf money, hе decided tо gо аll in. ‘hey ѕаіd thеу wоuld give tons оf nutritional meal plans, options, workout guides аnd fitness advice absolutely free оf charge, аnd offer а $250,000 (£190,000) іn prize money. It sounded а lіttlе tоо good tо bе true,” Magno remembers.

Man Finds Baby Cobra Hiding In His Shoe

A man іn Southeast Asia wisely decided tо check hіѕ shoes bеfоrе putting thеm оn аnd captured video оf hіѕ discovery: а baby cobra. Thе video, posted tо YouTube, shows а man uѕіng а stick tо poke thе іnѕіdе оf hіѕ shoe, revealing іt tо bе occupied.

Thе occupant іѕ revealed tо bе а tiny, but deadly, baby cobra.
Thе cobra initially retreats іntо thе shoe, but іѕ eventually convinced tо leave іtѕ footwear shelter behind. Snakes аnd оthеr creatures native tо Southwest Asia аrе оftеn fоund іn odd places durіng thе rainy season, whеn floods drive thеm оut оf thеіr nests іn search оf drier pastures.