News
N2.1bn fraud: Appeal Court frees Dokpesi, firm
The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal on Thursday absorbed founder of DAAR Communications Plc, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, of the N2.1 billion fraud charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
A three-man panel of the court in a unanimous judgment freed Dokpesi from the charges after it held that the prosecution failed to establish the ingredients of the charge.
The EFCC had in 2015 dragged Dokpesi to court accusing him and his company of illegally receiving funds considered as proceeds of crime from a former National Security Adviser to the President, Colonel Sambo Dasuki.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges and went further to file a no-case submission after the prosecution closed its case in November 2018 with 14 witnesses.
However, Justice John Tsoho rejected the no-case submission and ordered Dokpesi and his firm to enter defence.
Not satisfied, the defendants then approached the Court of Appeal, with a request to nullify the decision and free him from the charges on the grounds that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against them.
In the unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Elfreda Williams-Dawodu, the appellate court agreed with the appellants that the case of the respondents lacked merit having “failed woefully to establish a prima facie case against the appellant”.
The court held that EFCC failed to prove that the N2.1 billion allegedly received by the appellant was proceed of breach of trust and accordingly set aside the decision of the lower court which held that the appellants had a case to answer.
The judge said, “No case was made against the appellant in counts 1, 2, 3 and 4 to warrant his being called upon to open his defence.
“There is no possibility that the appellant can be convicted because the evidence are manifestly unreliable.
“I am of the view that irrespective of the ingredients stated earlier, and those by the appellant and first respondent respectively, prior proof or establishment of the predicate offences in count 1,2,3 and 4 of the amended charge is sine qua non to the proof of the offences of money laundering specified in the said counts.
“In totality, this appeal has merit, it is allowed and the ruling of the Federal High Court is hereby set aside and the appellant is discharged.”
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News
Troops Rescue 119 Kidnap Victims, Eliminate Terrorists in Nationwide Crackdown – DHQ
Troops Rescue 119 Kidnap Victims, Eliminate Terrorists in Nationwide Crackdown – DHQ
ABUJA — Nigerian troops have rescued 119 abducted civilians and neutralised several terrorists during a week-long series of military operations across the country, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has announced.
The operations, conducted between November 6 and November 12, reportedly dealt significant blows to insurgents, kidnappers and other criminal groups operating in different parts of the country.
The latest military breakthrough comes amid growing concerns over insecurity, particularly attacks on motorists, abductions and terrorist activities along major highways and communities.
According to updates from the military high command, troops recorded significant successes across several operational theatres, with Borno State emerging as one of the major areas where security forces disrupted terrorist activities.
In one of the operations, soldiers reportedly intercepted insurgents attempting to ambush motorists and abduct travellers along major transportation routes in the state.
The intervention prevented the planned abductions and further demonstrated the military’s efforts to secure vulnerable highways and protect commuters.
The DHQ disclosed that 119 kidnapped civilians, including women and children, were rescued during the period under review.
The military also reported the elimination of several terrorists during offensive engagements targeting criminal hideouts, operational bases and suspected supply networks.
Beyond the rescue operations and neutralisation of insurgents, troops recovered eight operational vehicles allegedly seized by terrorists, alongside assorted weapons, ammunition and other logistical equipment.
Security operations were also intensified outside the North-East, with troops and other security agencies carrying out intelligence-led raids, disrupting kidnapping attempts and confronting criminal elements in the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau and Kwara states.
Watch: Nigerian Military Operations Against Terrorists and Rescue of Kidnap Victims
For additional context on the military’s ongoing anti-terrorism campaign and rescue operations, watch the video below:
The military’s nationwide operations were aimed at dismantling criminal networks, preventing further attacks and restoring confidence among residents and travellers using vulnerable routes.
The Defence Headquarters reaffirmed its determination to sustain pressure on terrorist groups and other criminal elements until lasting peace and security are restored across the country.
The latest operational figures represent another major effort by the Nigerian military in its ongoing campaign against terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.
Troops Rescue 119 Kidnap Victims, Eliminate Terrorists in Nationwide Crackdown – DHQ
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News
Photo News: Kwara Security Strategy Committee Submits Report to Gov AbdulRazaq
Photo News: Kwara Security Strategy Committee Submits Report to Gov AbdulRazaq
L-R: AIG Aderemi Opadokun (Rtd); Air Commodore Asa Buhari (Rtd); Major General Abidoye Olayemi (rtd); Team Lead Kwara State Security Strategy Committee, Major General Garba Abdulwahab (rtd); Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (CON); Rear Admiral A.B Lawal (rtd); Col. A.A Lawal (rtd); Alhaji M.A Jimba; Director of Special Services Governor’s Office, Mrs. Folorunsho Idayat Adeola; and Permanent Secretary General Service, Alhaji Shuaib Yitta, during a visit by members of the committee to the state governor (to submit their report) at the Ahmadu Bello House, Ilorin, on Wednesday.
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News
Rivers Police Parade Two Suspects Over Murder of Okada Rider, Theft of Motorcycle
PORT HARCOURT – The Rivers State Police Command has paraded two young men arrested over the alleged murder of a commercial motorcycle operator, whose motorcycle they reportedly stole after luring him into a remote forest in the state.
The suspects, identified as 24-year-old Abubakar Sani and 20-year-old Yusuf Magaji, were arrested following an intelligence-led operation by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), Emohua.
The police said Sani allegedly confessed to participating in the killing of the victim, identified as Sani Musa, before the suspects escaped with his motorcycle.
Musa, a native of Zago Town in Kafin Hausa Local Government Area of Jigawa State, was reportedly operating as a commercial motorcycle rider in Rivers State before his death.
According to the police, preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly lured the rider to a remote forest in Mbiama, Ahoada West Local Government Area, where they attacked and stabbed him to death.
His body was subsequently dumped in thick bushes, while the suspects allegedly fled with his motorcycle.
The police further disclosed that the suspects planned to transport the stolen motorcycle to Kano State through a waybill arrangement, allegedly hoping to evade security checks and conceal the motorcycle’s origin.
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The alleged criminal operation was uncovered at about 1pm on October 22, when police operatives received intelligence that some individuals were dismantling a suspected stolen motorcycle at Choba Motor Park.
Acting on the information, operatives of the VCRU moved to the location and arrested Sani and Magaji, who were both said to be from Kano State.
During interrogation, the suspects allegedly confessed to their involvement in the murder and subsequently led investigators to the Mbiama forest, where the decomposing remains of the deceased were recovered.
The recovery of the body provided investigators with further evidence in the ongoing investigation into the killing.
The command said arrangements were being made to release the deceased’s remains to his family for burial in accordance with Islamic rites, following a request by his relatives.
The Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Olugbenga Adepoju, has ordered a comprehensive investigation to establish the full circumstances surrounding the murder, identify possible accomplices and ensure that everyone connected to the crime is brought to justice.
The police command reiterated its commitment to combating murder, armed robbery, cultism and other violent crimes across Rivers State.
It also urged residents to provide credible and timely information to security agencies to help prevent criminal activities and improve public safety.
The two suspects are expected to face prosecution upon the conclusion of investigations.
Rivers Police Parade Two Suspects Over Murder of Okada Rider, Theft of Motorcycle
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