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Lagos billionaire kidnappers: Last-minute conversation before they struck at Ladipo

Published

4 months ago

July 24, 2024

Henry Odenigbo

Lagos billionaire kidnappers: Last-minute conversation before they struck at Ladipo

As if in a movie, the conversation between the leader of recently killed billionaire kidnappers in Lagos, said to be a Nollywood actor/producer, Prince Henry Ode and another member of the notorious gang planted at the market on the day of their operation, has been exposed.

Police sources said they had stationed one of their members inside the popular auto spare parts market on the Oshodi-Apapa expressway, Lagos, to monitor the movement of their target, hours before they struck at the market.

It was learned that he was giving them minute by minute information on the movement of their victim, and when it was ripe to strike, he gave the go-ahead information.

It was gathered that details of their conversation emerged after detectives at the Lagos State Commissioner of Police Special Squad led by Kehinde Oni unearthed vital digital and electronic information about their preparation for the operation, during which the squad swooped on them and in an exchange of fire, they were neutralised.

It learned that the hoodlums had arrived the market not knowing that they were being watched by detectives, who were personally selected by state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adegoke Fayoade, strategically stationed.

Intelligence revealed that a voice recorded message was going on between the popular Nollywood actor and a-yet-to be identified member of the gang posted to the market to monitor their victim.

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The voice recorded conversation in Igbo language ran thus:

Actor: How far, is he out now? Which road leads to that place, is it through airport or 7/8?

Member: I don’t know the road he uses. I am still watching him. Where are you people now? Have you taken off? He has entered his car, no time.

Actor: Do you know your problem? You are never calculative. You are a drunk. Drink will make you not to achieve anything in life. So you have the compass about the man’s movement and you did not tell us earlier? Continue drinking. All I want is for you to give me the information I need. After we must have succeeded and given you your share, you can finish it on drinks, no wahalla. How many times did I call you. We don dey come.

Member: Please don’t be angry with me, no vex. You know how Ladipo is now.

Actor: Be careful and know how you are picking calls, be careful oooo.

Member: That’s what I am doing and you said I was drunk. I am always very careful. Please forgive me. I always step out each time I wanted to answer your call, biko (please).

Actor: No wahalla, just hold your phone steady. Monitor the guy. Let me know all his movement.

Member: I have heard, no wahalla.

Actor: We are on our way. We are at Bucknor.

Member: Where exactly are you people? What is happening? I need to know how far. The man is still there. I am still in the market. You know they are about closing for the day. I don’t want to attract unnecessary attention.

Meanwhile, more revelations emerged with details of how the killed Nollywood actor, identified as Prince Ode had cleverly avoided both arrest and prying eyes of members of the public after abducting their victims.

Sources said unknown to his colleagues in the industry, he normally dumps his victims in another wing of their location and most of the time, he plays the role of either a sharp shooter or a lone ranger which involved handling weapons

Sources said some of his victims revealed that they always hear noise of rehearsals from where they were confined and most times, they will hear many people talking loudly followed with laughters.

At press time, Vanguard gathered that detectives were still making frantic efforts to unravel names of all the dead kidnappers, including their background and other necessary information about them.

According to sources, “It is only then that we will be able to tell the world their identities and it will not be long.”

Lagos billionaire kidnappers: Last-minute conversation before they struck at Ladipo

Vanguard

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

Published

13 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

13 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

14 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.