News

Abuja business woman jailed for forging late Abba Kyari’s signature

Abuja based businesswoman and mother of five, Ramat Mercy Mba, has been jailed for her involvement in an employment scam and forging of the signature of late Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to the former President, Muhammadu Buhari

Mba was handed various prison terms on the charges levelled against her by the ICPC

She was arraigned befor the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Gwagwalada.

The presiding judge, Justice Ibrahim Mohammad had last week, deferred the sentencing of the convict till Thursday but directed that she should be remanded in Suleja Correctional Centre.

ICPC had arraigned Mba in June 2022 on a 5-count charge bordering on cheating, fraud, and forgery contrary to Section 13 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 200 and Sections 320 (b), 366 of the Penal Code Cap 89 laws of Northern Nigeria.

In the course of the trial, the Commission, through its Prosecutor, Mr. Hamza Sani had led evidence before the court on how the convict committed the offence sometime in 2020 when she collected N4.5 million from several job seekers promising to secure jobs for them with ICPC and National Air Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).

Furthermore, the documentary evidence tendered shows that the convict fraudulently forged a letterhead paper of the Office of the Chief of Staff to former President Muhammad Buhari, Abba Kyari, and his signature.

The letter, addressed to the Chairman of ICPC was a request for the recruitment of three individuals by the Commission. However, the late Chief of Staff, in a written correspondence that was also tendered in court as an exhibit distanced himself or his office from authorizing the letter.

In his judgement on the 9th of May, 2024, the trial judge, Justice Ibrahim Muhammad convicted the mother of five children on counts 1, 2, 3, and 5 which deal with cheating and forgery while she was discharged on count 4 deals with a felony.

Justice Mohammad, during the sentencing hearing on Thursday, pronounced a six-month jail term or N100,000 option of fine on counts 1,2 and 3 for the convict.

The presiding judge, who emphasized the status of the convict as a first-time offender and a mother also sentenced her to one-year imprisonment or N150,000 option on fine on count 5 which borders on forgery.

News

Bauchi SSG resigns, Gov Mohammed announces replacement

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Bauchi State, Mr Ibrahim Kashim has resigned with immediate effect.

The State Governor, Bala Mohammed has accepted the resignation and announced Mr Aminu Gamawa as his replacement.

This is contained in a statement by Mr Mukhtar Gidado, the Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Publicity in Bauchi on Friday.

Until replacing Kashim as SSG, it was gathered that Gamawa was the Chief of Staff, Government House. He was directed by the Governor to take over as SSG with immediate effect in an acting capacity.

“Governor Bala Mohammed has accepted the resignation of the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Ibrahim Kashim with immediate effect .

“The Chief of Staff, Government House, Bauchi, Mr Aminu Gamawa, has been directed to take over from him in an acting capacity.

“Governor Mohammed, on behalf of the government and the people of Bauchi State, thanked him for the services he rendered to the State and wished him well in his future endeavors,” the statement reads

News

U.S. returnee arrested at Lagos airport for duping 139 Australians

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a suspected online fraudster known as Osang Otukpa for allegedly duping 139 Australians to the tune of eight million Australian dollars.

Otukpa was arrested by EFCC operatives in a stakeout at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, after arriving from the United States of America on December 6.

“Otukpa goes by five aliases, namely: Ford Thompson, Oscar Donald Tyler, Michael Haye, Jose Vitto and Kristin Davidson.

“He scammed his victims by luring them on social media to invest in his rogue cryptocurrency investment platform, Liquid Asset Group (LAG).

“The proceeds of the alleged crimes were routed to his bank accounts through a global cryptocurrency exchange platform,” a statement by EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale on Friday in Abuja reads.

Oyewale said that the suspect would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.

News

Ex-kogi Deputy Speaker is dead

The immediate past Deputy Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon Enema Paul, is dead.

He died of an undisclosed illness in Abuja at a private hospital in the early hours of Saturday.

Before his death, Hon Paul was the member representing Okura State Constituency in the current 8th Assembly in Kogi State.

Hon Paul stepped down as Kogi State Deputy Speaker on health grounds, and he was later replaced by the member representing Ibaji State Constituency, Hon. Comfort Ojoma Nwuchiola.

Meanwhile, the Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Aliyu Umar Yusuf, has commiserated with the family of the former Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Enema Paul, whose demise was announced early Saturday.

This is contained in a press statement signed and made available to journalists in Lokoja by the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Yabagi Mohammed.

He described the deceased Assembly member as a friend, temperate, humble, team-playing, committed lawmaker, and public servant.

According to Rt Hon Umar, the former Deputy Speaker was a man who exemplified commitment to the unity of the state, having demonstrated a genuine desire to enhance pro-people legislation for overall development.

He noted that the late Enema Paul was also a devoted Christian who saw beyond religion and whose godliness and commitment to family values were unquestionable.

The Speaker prayed to God to grant the immediate family and members of the current and immediate past Assembly the fortitude to bear the huge loss.