metro

Expectant mother of nine in police net for murder over bunch of plantain

Published

10 months ago

February 3, 2024

Esther Godday

Expectant mother of nine in police net for murder over bunch of plantain

LAGOS – A 32-year-old mother and wife, Esther Godday, who developed a coldness of heart from her inability to care for her nine biological children has landed in the police net after her attempt to steal a bunch of plantain led to the murder of another woman.

Esther got married to her husband, Mr. Godday, in 2010, and together, they have nine children, while expecting the tenth as she was eight months pregnant at the time she was taken into custody by the Police.

It was gathered that Mr. Godday had been unemployed for several years and hardly spent time at home, preferring to leave the house in the morning and return late at night. This heaved the responsibility of sustaining the home to Esther, who shared with the Police that none of her children were in school.

On Wednesday, January 28, 2024, Esther Godday had, in her customary way, left her kids at home and went into town in their little village of Agada in Abua to forage for anything that could serve as food.

Agada residents are primarily farmers, and the village has plantations littered around it, run by family groups.

Esther was said to have discreetly entered one of the plantations, a plantain plantation, and quickly harvested a whole bunch and made to make away with it. As she attempted to sneak past one of the exit points of the plantation, she was sighted by the family member on duty at the plantation, Mrs. Imeran Idema. Imeran, machete in hand, immediately accosted her and asked her to surrender the bunch.

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“Drop that plantain” Imeran was said to have shouted as she approached Esther, who also had a sharp machete with which she had illegally harvested the bunch of plantains. She thought about the consequences on her hungry children if she handed the bunch to Imeran and refused to acquiesce to her demands. She instead bolted towards another exit. Imeran ran after her, and as she gained on the fleeing woman, she threatened to use the machete on her. The threats made Esther stop running and face her.

An altercation ensued, which led to Imeran landing a blow on Esther’s right foot, giving her a gash. Esther dropped the bunch and launched attacks with her own machete. She hit out with the machete, giving two significant cuts on Imeran’s head and shoulder. As Imeran collapsed in pain, Esther quickly left the scene, abandoning the bunch of plantains and fled. Members of Imeran’s family who heard her screams came to her aid, took her for medical treatment, and reported the case to the Police.

The Police arrested Esther and, after questioning her, released her to receive medical attention for the cut on her foot. She was rearrested two days later, and when she got to the Police station, she got the information that Imeran had died. Esther, who has been charged to court, expressed her remorse and regret to the Police while she was in custody and said she prayed daily, wishing the deed could be undone.

In reaction to the case of Esther, the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Police Command, CP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, stated that people need to think carefully before making life choices. He also charged heads of households to procreate within their means and to lead responsible lives.

CP Disu also highlighted the dangers of responding to our emotions. He warned that a crime will always be met with justice regardless of the prevailing circumstances.

Expectant mother of nine in police net for murder over bunch of plantain

metro

BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

Published

6 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Trends Admin

BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

The federal government has unveiled a proposed budget of N47.9 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year.

Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, disclosed this to journalists on Thursday following the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.

Bagudu revealed that the council had approved the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for 2025-2027.

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According to the minister, the government has pegged the crude oil benchmark at $75 per barrel, with an oil production target of 2.06 million barrels per day (bpd).

The budget also sets the exchange rate at N1,400 per dollar and aims for a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 6.4%.

BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

metro

EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

Published

6 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Trends Admin

EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told FIJ that they have arrested Timber Wabote, the former executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCMB), on the grounds of a failed $35 million Bayelsa refinery project fraud.

Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s spokesperson, confirmed this to FIJ on Thursday.

“It is true,” Oyewale responded to FIJ’s inquiries.

Wabote is accused of misappropriating public funds for a refinery project that should have improved local energy production.

Vanguard reported that the NCDMB under Wabote paid $35 million to support the development of energy infrastructure in the Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa, yet there was nothing to show for it.

The EFCC picked Wabote up following the arrest of Akintoye Adeoye Akindele, the Managing Director of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, for alleged misappropriation, money laundering and diversion of $35 million in public funds.

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“NCDMB under the watch of Wabote allegedly paid the $35 million to Akindele to build a 2,000 barrel per day (BPD), refinery, jetty, gas plant, power plant, data centre and tank farm at Brass free trade zone (FTZ), Okpoama Community in Brass LGA of Bayelsa State,” a source with the EFCC had explained.

Since December 2020 when the payments were made, Akindele abandoned the project with little or nothing to show for the huge sum he received.

Preliminary investigations showed that Wabote’s NCDMB financed 17 different projects, including the 2,000 BPD refinery in Brass LGA.

There has been a series of public fund misappropriation cases in the energy sector in recent times.

FIJ earlier reported that members of the House of Representatives summoned three ministers to defend how over $2 billion was spent on renewable energy with not much to show for it.

A recent FIJ report also recently detailed how residents of Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa, have not had power in their homes since July due to the vandalisation of the Ahoada-Yenagoa transmission towers caused by unidentified persons.

The Bayelsa state government told FIJ it was the federal government’s responsibility to provide electricity for residents. The state has no renewable energy options reliable enough to power its capital despite the multi-million-dollar NCMB energy project.

Transparency in the energy sector has become necessary at a time when Nigerians have suffered power instability due to frequent grid collapses.

EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

metro

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

Published

6 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Trends Admin

Yahaya Bello

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has requested an adjournment in the new case against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, stating that the 30-day window for the previously issued summons is still active.

The commission has granted administrative bail to his co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, and asked the court for an extension of time for Bello to appear.

At the resumed hearing before Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, EFCC Counsel Jamiu Agoro noted that the court’s order from October 3rd had not yet expired.

“In that wise, we feel it will not be appropriate for us to take proceedings while that 30 days is still running. So we have discussed and agreed to come back on the 27th day of November, 2024, my lord,” he told the court.

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He also mentioned that the previously set date of November 20th was not convenient for the prosecution counsels.

Counsel to the second defendant, Aliyu Saiki, SAN, confirmed that his client had been granted administrative bail by the prosecution and had no objection to the adjournment request. The third defendant’s counsel, ZE Abass, concurred.

The prosecution counsel also requested the court to allow the notice of hearing to be pasted on the last known address of the first defendant.

After hearing from all counsels, the judge granted the EFCC’s application for adjournment and the issuance of the hearing notice.

“I have considered the application for adjournment by the complainant and issuance of hearing notice and the submission by the second and third defendants. The application is granted,” she said.

Justice Anenih then adjourned the case to November 27th for arraignment.

The former governor, alongside Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are being prosecuted as 1st to 3rd defendants, respectively, in a fresh 16-count charge instituted against them by the EFCC.