Police begin search for stolen AK47 rifles in Rivers – Newstrends
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Police begin search for stolen AK47 rifles in Rivers

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4 years ago

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The police have commenced a search for eight AK47 rifles stolen by gunmen that killed seven of their operatives in Rivers State at the weekend.

The eight rifles were reportedly snatched from victims of the attack, which occurred at two police checkpoints and two divisional police headquarters.

At the C4I checkpoint at Choba where the gunmen killed an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and an Inspector, two rifles were snatched with a patrol van set ablaze by the bandits.

At the checkpoint in front of the Rumuji Divisional Headquarters, where the armed men beheaded another ASP and an Inspector, the police lost two AK47 rifles.

A special constable was said to have escaped with a bullet that hit his chest at the Rumuji checkpoint.

The gunmen further stole four AK47 rifles when they attacked the Elimgbu Division where they killed two ASPs and an Inspector.

The Commissioner of Police, Eboka Friday, had deployed a special tactical team to locate the hideouts of the fleeing gunmen and retrieve the rifles.

The team was said to be combing the waterfront, bushes surrounding the state capital and the border communities for the gunmen.

Residents of the state raised concerns over the rising number of illegal arms in the hands of bandits.

Some of them recalled after the attack on security formations and killing of nine security operatives at Oyigbo Local Government Area, over 50 AK47 rifles were reported missing

“We are scared. We don’t know what will happen after this ongoing stockpiling of arms by unknown gunmen. Security agencies especially the police should activate their intelligence departments and conduct operations to retrieve these arms”, a resident, who identified himself, simply as Emmanuel said.

Investigations revealed that despite the ongoing attacks, policemen deployed to checkpoints were still not vigilant at their duty posts.

A commercial bus driver, who plies Port Harcourt to Lagos, said the police were still in the habit of losing concentrations at checkpoints and asking drivers for tips.

“They are still not ready to deal with these unknown gunmen. At each checkpoint, you will see policemen hang their guns while stretching their hands to collect money from motorists.

“Most times their hands are preoccupied with vehicle papers as they keep flipping the papers with no iota of vigilance. That is why they are always caught off guard by unknown gunmen,” the driver, who spoke in confidence, said.

An employee of one of the media outfits in Port Harcourt observed that policemen were still engaging in reckless acts that had made them easy targets for gunmen.

She said: “Truly painful and sad that policemen, who are husbands and fathers to others have their lives cut shot in these manner. It saddens my heart because most of these unfortunate and sorrowful acts leave many families helpless and more impoverished.

“However, it is most regrettable and very stunning to see policemen blatantly allowing N50 and N100 from motorists to make them lose focus and alertness both on streets in Port Harcourt, environs and on our highways.

“To say the least, it is shameful and regrettable that an agency that some wicked beings have chosen to be at war with for reasons best known to them is still daily seen being distracted over a token sum that actually and eventually make no difference in their lives at the end of the exploits.”

Rivers Police spokesman, Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed Commissioner of Police has launched a serious manhunt for the perpetrators with a view to apprehending the culprits and bringing them to justice.

He said: “So far, the Command is relatively calm and the Commissioner of Police is currently in a security with his team, as security has been further strengthened in all the Police formations in the State, including other critical public and private infrastructure.

“The public is hereby enjoined to increase their security consciousness and report any person or persons with gun wounds to the nearest police station”.

It was furthered gathered Governor Nyesom Wike, was worried by the attack, which started at about 8.30pm before the 10pm curfew he imposed on the state.

Wike, who immediately convened a security meeting after the incident, ordered the security commanders to formulate additional measures to protect the state.

The Governor insisted that no amount of intimidation or cruel resort to barbaric attacks would make the state succumb to secessionist agenda.

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

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10 hours ago

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November 14, 2024

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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

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

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10 hours ago

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November 14, 2024

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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

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Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

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10 hours ago

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November 14, 2024

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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.

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

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