metro
Three ex-soldiers, 10 others arraigned for robbery
![](https://newstrends.ng/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/SP-Grace-Iringe-Koko.jpg)
Three ex-soldiers, 10 others arraigned for robbery
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has begun a trial of three soldiers and 10 others over alleged armed robbery, burglary and receiving stolen property.
The suspects were arraigned by the Nigeria Police Force on charges of armed robbery, burglary and receipt of stolen property.
The Rivers State Police Command had in a statement by its spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, on May 27, 2024, said it arrested the 13 suspects, including the soldiers for alleged armed robbery, hijacking of food trucks and diverting them to other locations.
The police said among those also arrested in the criminal act was a member of the syndicate and operative of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps
Iringe-Koko said the feat followed a thorough investigation after the policemen made an initial arrest for suspected burglary in a private warehouse in Elimgbu community in Ohio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.
The state police image maker further said following the development, the Nigerian Army dismissed the soldiers.
At the hearing on Wednesday, the prosecuting counsel, a legal officer with the Nigerian Police Force, F. D Sokari, representing the Inspection General of Police presented their first witness, Emmanuel Nwogu, who testified and gave consent for the extrajudicial statement he made to the police to be tendered and admitted as exhibit.
The defence counsel, Monday Stephen-Akpekon, however, objected, noting that the written statement on oath of the complainant, which is a fundamental document, hadn’t been served on them.
READ ALSO:
- NNPC uncovers 165 illegal refineries, 400 oil theft cases in one week
- Panic over coup attempt in Bolivia, police arrest leader
- Many Ondo APC members dump party for PDP
Following the objections, a motion for adjournment was moved by the prosecution counsel.
The Presiding Judge, Justice G. O Ollor, directed the prosecuting counsel to make the necessary documents available before the court by the next hearing.
Ollor adjourned the matter to July 17, 2024, for the continuation of the hearing.
Speaking to our correspondent outside the courtroom, counsel for the first defendant, Monday Stephen-Akpekon, maintained that his client, West Isaac, was innocent, as he faulted the Nigerian Army for relieving him of his duties without proper investigation.
Stephen-Akpekon said, “He (West Isaac) used to be a soldier and he was sick from the North-East where he was fighting Boko Haram and he was given a pass to go home from treatment.
“He got to Port Harcourt only for them to allege that they were armed robbers, whereas he was not caught with any gun.
“The matter is before the court and he has no arms and the army did not even do a proper investigation. What they did was a media trial.
“After the police arrested them, detained them, maltreated them, returned them to the Amy, which just dismissed them and sent them back without doing proper investigation.”
On his part, the prosecuting counsel, F. D. Sokari, noted that the case involved 13 suspects, but one was struck off on health grounds, even as he expressed optimism that the prosecution is making progress.
“It is a case of armed robbery, burglary and receiving stolen property. We opened our case today by fielding our PW1. PW1 testified and the extrajudicial statement he made to the police was to be rendered and admitted as exhibit A and the court adjourned the case toJuly 17, 2024, October 2 and 16, 2024 for further proceedings in this case, to be precise, cross-examination of PW1.
“There are 12 persons on the charge sheet now. Initially, we charged 13 persons but one of them fell ill to the point of death and his name was struck out to enable him to go and receive treatment.
“So, there are 12 of them standing trial now. We have opened our case and we are making progress.”
Three ex-soldiers, 10 others arraigned for robbery
metro
Student jailed 21 years for attempting to sexually assault minor
![](https://newstrends.ng/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Court-Gavel-scaled.jpg)
Student jailed 21 years for attempting to sexually assault minor
An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Monday sentenced a 32-year-old student, Essien Aniedi-Bassey to 21 years imprisonment for attempting to sexually assault a 10-year-old girl.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Abiola Soladoye sentenced Aniedi-Bassey to 21 years jail term after he pleaded guilty to attempted sexual assault by penetration and indecent treatment of a child.
“The combined term of the 21 years imprisonment shall begin from March 23, 2018,” the judge held.
READ ALSO:
- Shehu Sani warns Tinubu not to repeat Buhari’s mistakes
- Kuwait flight hostages sue British Airways, UK govt
- BREAKING: Pilot survives as NAF helicopter crashes in Kaduna
NAN reports that the State Counsel, Ms Abimbola Abolade, had presented two witnesses, the survivor and an Investigative Police Officer (IPO) before the convict opted for a plea bargain agreement.
Abolade had told the court that the convict committed the offence sometimes in August 2017 on Araromi Valley Estate in Ojodu, Lagos.
She submitted that the convict attempted to defile a minor.
The prosecution also told the court that the convict indecently treated the survivor by touching her breasts.
According to the prosecution, the offence contravened Sections 135 and 262 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, (2015).
Student jailed 21 years for attempting to sexually assault minor
(NAN)
metro
BREAKING: Pilot survives as NAF helicopter crashes in Kaduna
![](https://newstrends.ng/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Newstrends-Breaking-News-scaled.jpg)
BREAKING: Pilot survives as NAF helicopter crashes in Kaduna
A Nigeria Air Force (NAF) helicopter has crashed at Tami village in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The incident occurred in the early morning on Monday, causing significant alarm among the villagers.
The helicopter, said to be on a routine operational flight, experienced a technical hitch that led to the crash.
The pilot managed to execute emergency protocols effectively that ensured his own survival.
Eyewitnesses said the pilot emerged from the wreckage unscathed.
READ ALSO:
- UK cab driver confesses still getting paid in Nigeria as civil servant
- Police rescue 2 kidnapped victims in Abuja
- Gunmen abduct 20 travellers along Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode expressway
Residents of Tami village quickly gathered at the crash site, offering assistance and expressing relief that no life was lost.
It was gathered that a team of military officers from the Nigerian Air Force swiftly arrived at the scene to secure the area and conduct an initial investigation.
They cordoned off the crash site to prevent unauthorised access and to ensure the safety of the villagers.
The officers also began preliminary assessments to determine the cause of the crash, which remained unknown at this time.
BREAKING: Pilot survives as NAF helicopter crashes in Kaduna
metro
UK cab driver confesses still getting paid in Nigeria as civil servant
![](https://newstrends.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/I-still-get-paid-as-a-civil-servant-in-Nigeria.jpg)
UK cab driver confesses still getting paid in Nigeria as civil servant
Despite leaving Nigeria for the UK two years ago, Sabitu Adams gets paid each month as a junior official at a government agency back home.
Adams, who now works as a taxi driver in the UK, had his name changed by a BBC report to protect his identity.
The taxi driver has yet to resign from his job in Nigeria.
Adams is one of the thousands of ghost workers, a rampant issue in the Nigerian civil service.
Each year, the government carries out biometric verifications and reels out numbers representing discovered ghost workers, and money saved.
But no one is ever announced to have been arrested or prosecuted.
READ ALSO:
- Police rescue 2 kidnapped victims in Abuja
- Gunmen abduct 20 travellers along Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode expressway
- Saudi club Al-Ittihad woo Ademola Lookman with €11m salary
Last week, President Bola Tinubu directed that all civil servants drawing salaries from the government after relocating abroad should be made to refund the money.
Tinubu also ordered that the culprits’ supervisors and department heads be punished for aiding and abetting the fraud while they were in charge.
Adams told the BBC that he was not worried about the president’s directives because he earned better as a taxi driver in the UK.
“When I heard about the president’s directive, I smiled because I know I am doing better here – and not worried,” the 36-year-old said.
The cab driver said he did not resign “in case I choose to go back to my job after a few years”.
Adams was quoted as saying he had an arrangement with his boss in Nigeria who is a “relative”.
UK cab driver confesses still getting paid in Nigeria as civil servant
-
metro2 days ago
Court stops Soun of Ogbomoso from removing Chief Imam
-
News3 days ago
Tenure of FCT council chairmen will expire in 2026 – INEC
-
International2 days ago
Iran threatens Israel over ‘planned attack’ on Lebanon
-
metro3 days ago
I lost over N10m to Abuja market fire, trader laments
-
metro2 days ago
Court remands man for defiling eight-year-old daughter in Ondo
-
News2 days ago
Olubadan: Makinde to present staff of office to Olakulehin, July 12
-
metro2 days ago
Man jailed 14 years in Bayelsa for impregnating daughter
-
News2 days ago
103 Nigerians deported from Turkey speak on experiences