“This unfortunate incident underscores LASTMA’s resolute commitment to preserving lives and ensuring safety on Lagos roads through proactive interventions and collaborative engagements with emergency response agencies,” he said.
Nigerian man, girlfriend, 12 others arrested for romance scam in Thailand
Royal Thai Police have arrested a 45-year-old Nigerian man and 13 Thais for operating a covert romance scam.
The Nigerian national identified as Ezeneche Uzochukwu Jerome, his Thai girlfriend, and other suspects were arrested on Thursday, August 24, 2023, following police operations across seven provinces
According to the police, the scam operation managed to deceive hundreds of victims across Thailand out of over 8000 million baht in the past four years.
The Commissioner of the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) Montri Tatekhan, in a statement on Friday, August 25, explained that the victims filed a complaint against a romance scam gang at the beginning of 2022.
The victims revealed to officers that the scammers used profiles of attractive foreign women to approach them on social media.
The scammers informed them that they were American soldiers performing duties in Syria. After gaining the trust of the victims, they would express their desire to come to Thailand to see the victims.
However, before their journeys, they would inform the victim that they sent gifts or some parcels into Bangkok, via the airports.
READ ALSO:
Then, they would lure the victims into paying taxes or other relevant expenses for them in advance and they would return it when they meet each other.
A group of Thai scammers then contacted the victims pretending to be airport authorities and demanded money for the alleged parcel-receiving process.
After getting the amount they wanted, the scammer would disappear and block all the contact channels with the victims.
The police conducted a further investigation until they managed to identify the gang leader, 45-year-old Ezeneche Uzochukwu Jerome. Jerome had been previously charged with a love scam in 2018 but managed to re-engage in the illicit operation.
After an investigation into the gang’s financial transactions, the officer discovered that each scammer would immediately transfer money from the victim into an account aboard.
From 2018 to 2022, the gang managed to extort over 800 million baht from victims and deposit it into a foreign bank account.
Since the criminal action was backed and proven by several damning pieces of evidence, officers conducted raids on 14 suspicious spots across the country, including seven spots in Bangkok, one spot in Pathum Thani, two in Pitsanuloak, one in Uthai Thani, one in Uttaradit, one in Kamphaeng Phet, and one in Pichit
During the operation, an officer arrested 14 suspects behind the scams, including the gang leader Jerome and 13 Thais.
Officers also seized 11 mobile phones, 10 bank accounts, 18 debit cards, two computers, two Channel bags, and several documents involved in the financial transactions to work abroad.
The Nigerian man’s girlfriend claimed that they were no longer together.
According to her, after breaking up, the man invited her to join the gang. She could not refuse because of her financial struggles and unemployment.
Alleged money laundering: Court temporarily freezes 21 bank accounts, orders holders’ arrest
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday ordered the temporary freezing of 21 bank accounts domiciled in some commercial banks and directed the arrest of the account holders by the police.
Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order after counsel for the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police, Ibrahim Mohammed, moved a motion ex-parte to the effect.
Justice Nwite also granted the “order directing the banks to issue details of the account package(s) and to place a Post-No-Debit (PND) on the accounts, disable the ATMs while allowing inflow into the said accounts” pending the conclusion of the investigation.
“I have listened to the submission of the learner counsel for the applicant and gone through the affidavit evidence.
“I am of the view that the motion ex-parte is meritorious.
“The application is hereby granted except that the period of the investigation can only last for a period of 90 days,” Justice Nwite said.
The judge adjourned the matter until April 3 for mention.
The banks are Access Bank Plc, Sterling Bank Ltd, Wema Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Union Bank Plc, Guarantee Trust Bank Ltd, United Bank of Africa Plc, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, First Monument Bank Plc, Heritage Bank Plc, TAJ Bank Plc and Keystone Bank Plc.
READ ALSO:
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that while the I-G is the applicant in the motion ex-parte marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1965/V/2024, the 13 banks are sued as 1st to 13 defendants respectively.
The I-G, in the motion filed by Mohammed, sought an interim order directing the listed “banks to freeze the accounts mentioned in the schedule attached to this summon pending investigation and prosecution of this case.
“An order directing the banks to issue details of the account package(s) and to place a Post-No-Debit (PND) on the accounts, disable the ATM while allowing inflow into the said account as from the date of this court order.
Youths beat Osun monarch for appointing Imam on disputed community
The crisis erupted in the Hallelujah community in Egbedore local government area of Osun State on Friday, as enraged residents beat the newly installed Ajeniju of Hallelujah, Oba Jelili Olaiya while attempting to conduct jumat service in the area.
The Ajeniju, who was installed by the Timi of Ede a few months ago, against the will of the Ido-Osun community, was beaten to a pulp by angry youths, saying he had no right to install a chief Imam in the community.
It was gathered that the monarch had last week turbaned one Ahmad Tijjani as Chief Imam of the Hallelujah community, but while gathering some people at his palace to observe jumat prayer, some youth allegedly from Ido-Osun invaded the palace and disrupted the exercise.
Some of the aggrieved youths while shouting at the monarch queried his authority to install and conduct jumat prayer in a domain belonging to a separate monarch.
READ ALSO:
The mob beat the monarch seriously and vandalised the palace before security operatives could intervene in the situation.
A security source who pleaded anonymity disclosed that it took the intervention of security operatives to rescue the monarch from the scene.
“The situation escalated, resulting in the vandalization of the palace and a physical attack on Ajenifuja of Hallelujah, who sustained serious injuries. He has since been taken to the State CID for further investigation and safety”, said the source.
However, another source in the community disclosed that the monarch has been taken to the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo for treatment.
Confirming the incident, the Special Adviser to Governor Ademola Adeleke on Security, Hon. Samuel Ojo said he will not comment on the incident pending the outcome of an investigation on the matter.
Lagos commuter bus summersaults, LASTMA rescues 8 injured passengers
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has rescued eight injured passengers involved in an accident at Hammadiya inward Abule-Egba.
The LASTMA General Manager, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, confirmed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.
The statement was signed by Mr Taofiq Adebayo, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, LASTMA.
Bakare-Oki said the road traffic incident which involved a commercial long bus, popularly referred to as ‘Molue,’ at Hammadiya inward Abule-Egba, caused severe injuries and significant disruption to traffic.
“The accident was triggered when the vehicle, registered as KTU 801 XM, lost control at excessive speed, reportedly due to driver impatience.
“In an attempt to avoid colliding with another LT commercial bus and pedestrians awaiting transport at the roadside, the driver veered sharply, resulting in the bus crashing into the expressway median and overturning.
“Several passengers sustained injuries, while others escaped through the bus’s windows,” he said.
READ ALSO:
He said that officers from LASTMA promptly arrived at the scene, executed a well-coordinated and efficient rescue operation.
“Eight individuals, including five males and three females, suffered varying degrees of injuries. Among the injured was the bus driver, who sustained a fractured left arm.
“All victims were immediately handed over to LASAMBUS medical personnel and transported to the General Hospital at Ile-Epo for urgent medical attention,” he said.
Bakare-Oki said to ensure the free flow of traffic and public safety, LASTMA’s Response Unit was swiftly mobilised to oversee the removal of the overturned vehicle.
‘Deepen Shariah knowledge to curb misinformation’
Ilorin: Retired works controller murdered on New Year’s Day
Jealous husband stabs Bishop to death over allege affair with wife
Tinubu’s refusal to honour Seyi’s pact with us disappointing – Nnamdi Kanu’s family
How Tinubu outsmarted Buhari to become president – Ojudu
Mosques should be research centres – Varsity don
Horror in Ogun as twin brothers kill, dismember sex worker
Fire razes police station, buildings in Lagos