Police disperse protesters with tear gas during #EndSARS 4th anniversary rally at Lekki Toll Gate – Newstrends
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Police disperse protesters with tear gas during #EndSARS 4th anniversary rally at Lekki Toll Gate

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Police disperse protesters with tear gas during #EndSARS 4th anniversary rally at Lekki Toll Gate

Officers of the Lagos State Police Command used tear gas and made arrests on Sunday as they dispersed protesters rallying to mark the fourth anniversary of the #EndSARS protests, a movement that gained international attention in October 2020.

Videos from the scene showed demonstrators fleeing as shots were fired into the air, and clouds of tear gas filled the area.

The protesters, who had gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate around 8:30 a.m. with banners and placards, called for the full implementation of the recommendations made by various judicial panels of inquiry set up in the aftermath of the 2020 protests.

Their placards carried messages demanding justice and accountability for the victims of police brutality and the implementation of reforms promised by the government.

In October 2020, the #EndSARS movement erupted across Nigeria, as thousands of young people took to the streets in major cities to protest against the rampant abuses, killings, and extortion committed by officers of the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a notorious unit within the Nigerian Police Force.

The protests culminated in a tragic confrontation at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, where security forces, including the Nigerian military, reportedly opened fire on peaceful demonstrators. The exact number of fatalities remains contested, but numerous people were severely injured, with reports of deaths surfacing in the days that followed.

Following the tragic events of October 2020, the Nigerian government established judicial panels across various states to investigate the incidents and address the protesters’ demands. However, nearly four years later, many of the panels’ recommendations have yet to be fully implemented, leaving protesters and human rights advocates disillusioned.

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Speaking at the scene of the recent rally, one of the protesters recounted his experience during the police dispersal. In his words “They have started firing tear gas at us. I fell into the gutter; I was hit on the head,” he told an online media.

In another video obtained by Vanguard on social media, one of the arrested activists, Hassan Soweto, speaking from the Black Maria, said: “A group of protesters who wanted to mark the fourth anniversary of the EndSars Lekki Toll Gate event were apprehended by a group of policemen under the leadership of the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State. I am right now speaking to you from a black maria, completely beaten by police officers without provocation.

“We’re asking here today when the right to commemorate the dead has become illegal and criminalised in this country. We’re simply here to mark the passage of our brothers and sisters who were killed four years ago, we’re asking the international media and members of the public to prevail over the Nigerian government, and the Tinubu regime to stop further attacks on protesters in our country. We’re never going to give up on our right to continue to demand our rights.”

Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, defended the police action, stating that the protesters were causing traffic disruptions at the toll gate.

“They were told to disperse, but they were adamant; we had to use minimal force to disperse them,” Hundeyin said.

He denied that there was any confrontation between the police and protesters, despite reports of arrests and injuries.

As the world reflects on the significance of the #EndSARS movement, which brought attention to police brutality in Nigeria and across Africa, the events of this rally highlight ongoing frustrations among activists.

Many are still seeking justice for the victims of the Lekki Toll Gate shooting and demanding that the promises of police reform and accountability be fulfilled.

Police disperse protesters with tear gas during #EndSARS 4th anniversary rally at Lekki Toll Gate

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Police bust Nigerian prostitution ring in Cyprus

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Police bust Nigerian prostitution ring in Cyprus

Authorities are in the process of dismantling a Nigerian prostitution ring in Limassol, following the arrest of three women, in collaboration with the anti-trafficking unit, according to reports on Wednesday.

The case came to light last year when a woman filed a complaint, initially claiming she was a victim of theft.

However, during questioning, police grew suspicious that she was, in fact, a victim of sex trafficking. Further investigation confirmed this, and the woman was subsequently relocated to a safe house, police spokesman Christos Andreou stated.

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The investigation was prolonged due to the victim’s limited information about her traffickers, Andreou explained.

Through coordinated police efforts, a 44-year-old woman was arrested on October 9, suspected of involvement in the trafficking operation.

Another woman was apprehended on October 18, followed by the arrest of a third woman, aged 33, on Tuesday.

Authorities are still searching for two men believed to be connected to the case.

Andreou added that police have gathered significant evidence and expect the case to be brought to court in the coming days.

 

Police bust Nigerian prostitution ring in Cyprus

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Lagos-Ibadan road: Mother of 4 dies from tanker fire burns

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Lagos-Ibadan road: Mother of 4 dies from tanker fire burns

In a similar incident, a nursing mother was hospitalised after suffering serious injuries while trying to save her children from the flames.

The fire ignited when a petrol-laden tanker overturned near a commercial bank at midnight, reportedly due to the driver falling asleep at the wheel.

Eyewitnesses described how the vehicle lost control, leading to the explosion.

In the aftermath, the community experienced significant damage, with petrol spilling through drainage systems and impacting homes approximately a kilometer away from the expressway.

Ismail Emmanuel, the husband of the deceased, recounted the harrowing events.

He explained that the smoke obstructed Mercy’s escape, and she inadvertently fell into a burning drainage as she tried to flee.

Despite urgent efforts to save her, Ismail faced a daunting demand for a N6 million deposit at the hospital, which he could not afford.

“I was at work when my son called about the fire,” he said. “He couldn’t find my wife, and after some time, he informed me they were heading to the hospital with her injuries.”

They moved from Sagamu to Abeokuta and finally to Igbobi Hospital in Lagos, but it was there that he learned of the hefty deposit required. Ultimately, they transferred her to Gbagada General Hospital, where she died.

Ismail has since placed his wife’s body in a private morgue and is seeking government assistance for his family.

Another resident, Bidemi, shared that a neighbour, known as Iya Ada, was also injured while attempting to rescue her children. Her home was severely damaged, losing furniture and other belongings to the fire.

She fell and suffered burns on her side,” Bidemi reported, noting that Iya Ada is currently hospitalised.

Several other victims have called on Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, for support after losing vehicles that were crucial for their livelihoods.

The vehicles represented their only means of income and sustenance for their families.

In response, the governor has expressed his condolences to those affected and urged tanker drivers to be more cautious while on the road.

Lagos-Ibadan road: Mother of 4 dies from tanker fire burns

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BREAKING: Nigerian court convicts crypto firm for unlicensed USDT-Naira trading

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BREAKING: Nigerian court convicts crypto firm for unlicensed USDT-Naira trading

A Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted a Nigerian crypto dealing company, Official Gredo Limited, for illegally conducting USDT to Naira transactions without a banking licence.

Justice Inyang Ekwo convicted Official Gredo on Wednesday in accordance with the company’s plea bargain arrangement with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The court ordered the forfeiture of N140 million held in the company’s account to the EFCC recovery account.

The sentencing in suit no: FHC/ABJ/CR/308/2024 followed a guilty plea by Nnamdi Okereke, the company’s director, when the amended money laundering charge was read to him.

At the arraignment on Wednesday, the company was accused of failing to report in writing to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) a single transfer of N76,462,500.00 paid from Renderstack Technologies Ltd into the Providus Bank Ltd account No. 5400608751 operated by Official Gredo, as specified under section 10(1)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.

The company and Okereke among several firms and individuals were indicted by the EFCC for negotiating United States Dollar Tether (USDT) against the Naira with the public, despite not being an authorized dealer in the Nigeria Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market.

Okereke pleaded guilty to the one-count charge.

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Subsequently, EFCC lawyer Martha Babatunde, Esq., and the defendant’s counsel, I.O. Offodili, urged the court to affirm the contents of the plea bargain as agreed by the parties.

According to the plea bargain, the defendant admitted committing the offenve and has restituted N140,000,000 to the EFCC, being part of the amount associated with the disputed transaction.

Passing his ruling, Ekwo convicted the company and affirmed the plea bargain agreement.

The judge stated that the plea bargain agreement between the complainant and the defendant should not prevent further investigations from being carried out on other persons or companies with respect to the case.

“The Defendant shall forfeit the sum of N140,000,000 recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in the course of the investigation to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“The sum of N140,000,000 being the amount restituted by the Defendant shall be deducted from the account of CZMUNCH FABRICATORS AND WIRING VENTURES—CHIMERA LOGISTICS AND HAULAGE SERVICES, with account number 5435830566 domiciled in Moniepoint Microfinance Bank, which will be transferred to the EFCC Recovery Account,” Ekwo said.

The judge subsequently sentenced the company to a fine of N1 million, which would be paid to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Ekwo held that the defendants should pay the amounts within 14 days or the EFCC should bring the director back to be sent to prison.

BREAKING: Nigerian court convicts crypto firm for unlicensed USDT-Naira trading

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