Two Internet Fraudsters Jailed For Duping Nigerians, Foreigners

A map showing Kaduna, a state in Nigeria’s North-Central region.

Two young men have been convicted in Kaduna State for using the internet to scam both Nigerians and foreigners of their earnings.

The men, identified as Idahosa Bobby and Aidamebor Israel were on Wednesday sentenced to two years in prison each by a Kaduna State High Court after their arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to a statement by the anti-graft commission on Thursday, April 30, the two fraudsters were each arraigned on separate one-count charge bordering on online fraud and for possession of fraudulent documents.

Idahosa and Israel were said to have been arrested by a team of operatives attached to the Intelligence and Special Operations Section (ISOS) following intelligence reports indicating their involvement in cybercrime.

According to the statement, the charge against Bobby reads: “That you, Idahosa Bobby, sometime between January to March 2020, in Kaduna, within the Kaduna Judicial Division of this court, did attempt to cheat by impersonating one Waseelah6 using her Instagram account and in such assumed character, sent scam emails to unsuspecting citizens and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 57 of the Penal Code Law of Kaduna State 2017 and punishable under section 309 of the same law.”

The charge against Israel reads: “That you, Israel Aidamebor, sometime in 2019 at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this court of Kaduna State, did fraudulently induce one Mr Eyup, a Turkish national to disclose his full personal and security information which he would not have done but for your deceit by impersonating one William Illumie, an Illuminati agent via WhatsApp, a social media account and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 142(1) of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law No.5 of 2017.”

The two pleaded guilty in the court and upon their plea, counsel for the EFCC, E.K. Garba and M. Lawal, reviewed the fact of the cases.

Having found them guilty, Justice Tukur sentenced Bobby to two years in prison with an option of N100,000 fine and Israel to two years in prison with an option of N200,000 fine.

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Celebrities, Nigerians Mourn Dancer ‘Kodak’

Love Divine Picture courtesy: [email protected]

Tributes have continued to pour in from Nigerians and celebrities following the death of dancer, Love Divine, popularly known as Kodak.

Kodak died on Wednesday, April 29, 2020, in Lagos State.

There are speculations that she died from electrocution but as at the time of this report, neither her management, Westsyde Lifestyle, nor family, has released a statement about the circumstances that led to her death.

Hip-hop artist, Olamide Oladeji, was among Nigerian celebrities who took to social media to mourn Kodak.

Olamide posted a photo of himself and the dancer, and captioned it, “Rest up Kodak.”

View this post on Instagram

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A post shared by Olamidé(@olamide) on Apr 29, 2020 at 6:47pm PDT

Also, dancer Kaffy posted candlelight and wrote, “This is so sad,” mourning Kodak.

On her part, dancer Korra Obidi who posted a video of the late Kodak said her demise is shocking and described her as a selfless person.
“RIP Legend. @picturekodak,” she wrote on Instagram. “Someone please wake me up. This must be a dream. Electrocuted? This cannot be real Please DM and tell me everything is ok! You were the most selfless person I ever worked with. Omg, I can’t breathe! #RIP #LOVEDIVINE”.

Other Nigerians took to Twitter to also express shock at the death of the late dancer whom they described as energetic, saying the development is a great loss to the nation’s showbiz.

Kodak, until her death, worked with several musicians like Burna Boy, Olamide and a host of others.

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Libya's unity government says rejects Haftar's truce offer

This image grab taken from a video published by the War Information Division of military strongman Khalifa Haftar’s self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA) on April 28, 2020 shows Haftar giving a speech, saying he had “a popular mandate” to govern the country, declaring a key 2015 political deal over and vowing to press his assault to seize Tripoli. – In a speech on his Libya al-Hadath TV channel, Haftar said his self-styled Libyan “army” was “proud to be mandated with the historic task” of leading Libya. He did not make clear whether an elected parliament in the country’s east, a signatory to the deal, backed his move — or what its future role would be. Haftar has so far drawn his legitimacy from the administration based in the country’s east, and last April his forces launched an assault to seize the capital Tripoli, in the west, from the Government of National Accord. (Photo by – / LNA War Information Division / AFP) / 

Libya’s UN-recognised government Thursday rejected a truce unilaterally called the day before by military strongman Khalifa Haftar, saying it “did not trust” the announcement made by its eastern-based rival.

The Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) said in a statement that it will continue in its “legitimate defence”, attacking “any threat where it exists and putting an end to outlaw groups”.

It was referring to forces loyal to Haftar, who launched an offensive on the capital in April last year.

Haftar said Wednesday his forces would cease hostilities for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which began on April 24, following international calls for a truce in the war-torn country.

“The commander-general announces the halting of military operations from his side,” said Ahmad al-Mesmari, a spokesman for Haftar — who controls the east and swathes of southern Libya — from the city of Benghazi.

However, the fighting did not stop in Tripoli after Mesmari’s announcement, with explosions still heard from the centre of the capital, according to an AFP correspondent.

Since fighting began in April 2019, several ceasefires between Haftar’s forces and the GNA have fallen through, with both sides accusing the other of violations.

“These violations make it so we do not trust truce announcements (from Haftar),” the GNA said in its statement.

Any “ceasefire needs to have international safeguards and mechanisms” to monitor its implementation and to document violations, the GNA added.

Last week, the UN, EU and several countries called for both sides to lay down their arms during the holy month.

Haftar’s announcement came after his forces suffered a series of setbacks in recent weeks, with GNA forces ousting them from two key coastal cities west of Tripoli.

The North African nation has been gripped by chaos since the 2011 ouster and killing of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, with rival administrations in the east and west vying for power.

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He 'Has No History Of Travel To High-Risk States' - More Details Emerge About Yobe's Coronavirus Index Case

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The index COVID-19 case in Yobe State has no history of contact with a suspected or confirmed case and no history of travel to high-risk states, an official of the state government has said.

Idi Gubana, the Chairman of the state Committee on Covid-19 and also the deputy governor, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Damaturu.

Mr Gubana said the confirmed case is a 29 year-old-man who developed symptoms on April 23 and presented himself at the State Specialist Hospital, Damaturu, with complaints of fever, sore throat, and cough.

“The patient is single and resides with his parents in Damaturu. He has no history of contact with suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 and no history of travel to high risk states,” he said.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control on Wednesday night added Yobe to the list of states with cases of COVID-19, bringing Nigeria’s total confirmed cases to 1,728.

Mr Gubana urged residents of the state to remain calm and observe all professional advice.

“The State COVID-19 Committee is working assiduously to contain the situation. Members of the public are strongly advised to adhere with all the prevention and control measures.

“Which include social and physical distancing, personal and environmental hygiene and respiratory etiquettes,” he said.

Mr Gubana said the committee had embarked on aggressive contact tracing, environmental disinfection as well as sensitisation and awareness creation to prevent spread of coronavirus in the state.

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Mc Oluomo’s Mother Dies At 87

The Lagos state chairman of the National Road Transport Worker(NURTW), Musuliu Akinsanya also known as MC  Oluomo has lost his mother, Alhaja Abebi Zinat Omotonwo at the age of 87.

This was made known by his media and publicity team on Thursday.

The team also asked the general public to stay away from coming to pay condolence visits to the popular figure as a result of the ban on large gathering.

“We appreciate and understand that there are so many people who would have loved to pay their last respect to our late Mother Alhaja Abebi Zinat Omotonwo but will be unable to do so due to the present ban on large gatherings.

“Please no visitation is allowed, for now, phone call or text messages will be appreciated. Thanks for your understanding and Cooperation”.

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Buhari extends tenure of NDDC interim committee, orders commission to support fight against COVID-19 with N6.250bn

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, extended the tenure of the Professor Keme Pondei-led Interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) from May 1 to December 31, 2020.

A statement signed by Buhari’s Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said the extension was to cover the period of the forensic audit of the NDDC, earlier approved by the Federal Executive Council, under the chairmanship of the President.

Buhari also approved that the NDDC provides intervention support to complement efforts of the Federal and state governments against further spread of COVID-19 in the nine States of the Niger Delta region, in the sum of N6.250bn.

The materials and supplies are to be done through Emergency Procurement method as provided in Sections 42(b) (c) and 43 of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

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Horror As Five Family Members Die Mysteriously In Enugu

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There is serious panic in Enugu following the tragic death of five family members in mysterious circumstance at their family house at Amaokpo, Nike, Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.

TheNation gathered that the family of Onyekwere Chukwumalu of Eziowelle, Idemili Local Government Area of Anambra, it was gathered, went to sleep on Monday night but was discovered dead on Wednesday morning with their body peeling off, an indication that they might have died of a chemical or generator fume.

It was also gathered that nobody knew of their death until somebody who worked with late Mr. Chukwumalu, a building contractor, went to look for him on appointment but found the house locked but his vehicle was parked outside.

He was forced to move closer to discover that the family was lying down dead in one heap as the late Chukwumalu was said to have held his family together as if they were praying.

It was further gathered that the incident attracted the neighbourhood, who contributed money to break into the house to bring out the corpses.

It was equally gathered that the police at Abakpa Nike, the Chairman of Enugu East, Hon. Alex Ugwu and the UN rescue mission went to the place to see things for themselves Wednesday evening.

It was also gathered that in the process of bringing out the corpses that one of the man’s children, Arinze, 10, shouted Jesus and was later rushed to UNTH, Ituku-Ozala, where he is said to be responding to treatment.

Speaking to newsmen Thursday at the National Orthopedic Hospital, Enugu where the corpses of the deceased were kept, the South East Zonal Commander of the United Nations Rescue team, Emmanuel Okoye said that somebody informed them about the incident that a man and his family was killed and they went to the scene.

Okoye told newsmen that they helped to take the corpses to the mortuary since the police was nowhere to be found at the time the rescue team went to the scene.

Contacted, the Chairman of Enugu East Local Government Area, Hon. Alex Ugwu said that late Chukwumalu was a good person and wondered how he would die in that manner.

He attributed his death to a possible food poisoning since there was no generator to suggest that it could be as a result of fumes from exhaust.

“When I heard about the incident, I alerted the police and the Ministry of Health to take charge. It was when the officials if the Ministry of Health were trying to evacuate the corpse that one of the man’s children sneezed and was discovered to be alive and was rushed to the hospital,” he said.

Efforts to get the police comment on the incident yielded little dividend as the police spokesman, Daniel Ndukwe Ekea, said that he was not aware of the incident but that he would “get back to me.”

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