The Forward Operating Base, FOB, of the Nigerian Navy at the coastal waters of Ibaka, in the Mbo local government area of Akwa Ibom State, has dismantled a syndicate specialising in smuggling petroleum products and other illicit goods to Cameroon and other countries within the Gulf of Guinea region.

The Commanding Officer of the Base, Capt. Uche Aneke, made this disclosure while handing over the suspects, the seized items and other essential goods worth millions of naira to the officials of Akwa-Ibom State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC.

Those arrested included three suspected oil thieves carrying 2,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, and 1,000 cartons of beer for onward transmission to the neighbouring Republic of Cameroon.

Aneke said the suspects were arrested on Wednesday at about 7 PM while on routine night patrol in Mbo River during a stop-and-search operation.

“Navy intercepted a wooden boat laden with about 1,000 cartons of different brands of beer and other goods, upon thorough search, our gunboat discovered drums of PMS amounting to 2,000 litres carefully concealed under the cartons with the intention of smuggling into the Republic of Cameroon,” he explained.

He cautioned individuals or groups involved in smuggling or any form of criminal activity within Nigeria’s waters to desist immediately, or be made to face the full weight of the law when apprehended.

While reaffirming the Navy’s commitment to combating maritime crimes in the State, Aneke said criminal elements in FOB Ibaka area of operations under the Eastern Naval Command Area of Responsibility, would continue to be detected using advanced surveillance equipment and intelligence.

“Such criminals will be apprehended and duly prosecuted. Nigeria’s waters and the Nigerian coastal areas are not for illegal activities,” the Navy CO warned.

The police in Zamfara have detained a 58-year-old Algerian national for alleged transborder arms trafficking.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Mohammed Dalijan, made this known in Gusau on Tuesday.

He said that the police recovered 16 AK47 riffles, during various raids within the last three weeks.

He said that the command also recovered one double barrel and one locally made Pistol from a suspected arms manufacturer based in Jos, Plateau.

”The command, acting on intelligence traced and arrested an arms manufacturer in Jos, tracked and arested a regional arms trafficker from Algeria at the Illela border point.

”The suspected Algerian, told the police he has been committing this crime for eight years.

”The suspect supplies arms and ammunition to bandits in all parts of north west states.

” At the point of the arrest, four AK47 were recovered from him,” he said.

Dalijan said the police also detained some suspects including bandits motorcycle suppliers.

“The police revovered live ammunition and N2. 5 million cash, among others from the suspects,” he said.

The police, he said, also detained some illegal gold miners and recovered several mining excavators.

The commissioner warned that the Federal and State government ban on illegal mining was still in force. (NAN)

Justice Rosemary Dugbo-Oghoghorie of the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State on Monday, November 18, 2024 convicted and sentenced five internet fraudsters to various jail terms.

The convicts: Michael Aregbesola (a.k.a Amin Deera), Adeleke Toba Richard(Alias Jason Avtandil), Mkpoikanke Emmanuel Udoh (a.k.a Tom Jones), Gideon Mishell Effiong (a.k.a Gianluca Jinoble) and Momodu John Modupe (a.k.a George Woods), were charged to court by the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, for criminal impersonation, fraudulent messaging and money laundering.

One of the charges read: “That you, Adeleke Toba RIchard (Alias J AVTANDIL), on or February, 2024 in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently took possession of the sum of Five Hundred US Dollars ($500), being property of Ms Bella, a United State Woman, which you reasonably ought to have known that it was a proceed of unlawful act to wit; Impersonation and thereby committed an Offence contrary to Section 18 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the same Act”.

Another count reads: “That you Gideonn Mishell Effiong (a.k.a Gianluca Jinoble) sometime in September, 2024 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court did take possession of the sum of Five Hundred Euros (500 Euros) which you reasonably ought to have known forms proceed of an unlawful act to wit: Cybercrime and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2Xd) of the Money laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act”.

While Effiong and Richard each pleaded guilty to the two -count charges preferred against them, Aregbesola, Udoh and Modupe also pleaded guilty to the one- count charge levelled against them by the Commission.

In view of their guilty pleas, Prosecution Counsel Kharmis Mahmud urged the court to convict the defendants and sentence them accordingly.

While reviewing facts of the case, Mahmud tendered the following exhibits which the court admitted in evidence: The defendants’ statements and fraudulent documents printed from their various gadgets. The defence team: Francis Ezeike, Samson Awuje and Emmanuel Sabe did not oppose the prosecution.

Justice Dugbo-Oghoghorie then convicted the defendants and sentenced them as follows: Effiong bagged four years jail term on each of the two counts, with an option of fine of €2, 500 and restitution of €500 to his victim; Richard got seven years on each count with the option to pay a fine of $2, 500 and restitution of $500 to his victim. The jail terms are to run concurrently.

Also, the court convicted and sentenced
Aregbesola and Udoh to seven years jail term each or pay the sum of N5,000,000 (Five Million Naira) each as option of fine, Modupe bagged four years jail term with a fine option of N5million.

The convicts commenced their journey to the Correctional centre when investigators of the Uyo Directorate of the Commission investigated them for their suspicious online presence and lifestyle. They were eventually charged to court and convicted.