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Updated: Man arrested in Rivers over link with disabled son’s death

Published

2 years ago

September 10, 2023

Updated: Man arrested in Rivers over link with disabled son’s death

A father, Ejike Wilson, alongside two pastors, has been arrested by the Rivers State-based vigilance group, ONELGA OSPAC, over the death of his 24-year-old disabled son in Port Harcourt.

The young man identified as Lucky Wilson reportedly died after an operation to remove his hunchback and sell it to suspected organ traffickers.

An officer with the Planning and Advisory Committee of the security group, codenamed OSPAC, who confirmed the incident to Punch on Sunday, September 10, 2023, said the suspects were nabbed while trying to flee Port Harcourt.

One of the suspects, who was said to be the pastor of a new generation church in Osiakpo, near Omoku in the state, Olatoye Olawale, 54, said the victim was handed over to him by his father, Ejike, and Ejike’s younger brother, Pastor Paul Osiagor Wilson.

Olatoye, during interrogation, was said to have revealed that the duo brought Lucky to him for a surgical operation to enable the family to extract ‘mercury’ from his hunchback.

“Paul said his brother (Ejike) had a son who had a hunchback which he was planning to do away with. I asked him why, and he said the boy was a thief; the boy was this and that. He said when the boy was much younger, the father attempted to sell him, but it didn’t work out well

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“He asked whether I knew the people who could take up the boy. I told him that I would make inquiries.”
The suspect noted that they all agreed to a surgical procedure and contacted an associate said to be in Abeokuta, Ogun State, who promised to pay N10m for ‘mercury’ which would be taken from the victim’s hunchback.

The boy in question (Lucky) even came to meet me, begging me that if the hunchback could be removed, I should help him. He said he wanted to be like a normal human being

“I told them that he might not survive the procedure, but he said he would survive it. That was when we fixed a date for us to travel for the procedure

“My first contact was an NGO in Owerri, Imo State, which said they would extract the ‘mercury’ and pay us N5m. I asked him what would be our own percentage. At last, both Paul and Ejike accepted the N5m offer, but the NGO didn’t show up again.”

The suspect explained that he approached another ‘contact’ in Abeokuta, Ogun State, which offered to pay N10m but that the payment would be made in two or three months’ time, which all parties agreed to.

He noted that the victim’s father, Ejike, kept visiting his office and disturbing him.

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“The day we travelled for the surgery in Lagos before heading to Abeokuta, Ejike handed over the boy to me and Paul gave me N15,000 for transportation

“At the hospital, I called the father because of the document we were to sign, but he told me to go ahead and sign on his behalf. The operation was carried out, but in the end, the boy couldn’t make it,” he added.

Ejike’s brother, Paul, 38, expressed sadness at the incident, but denied any involvement, saying he only introduced Olawale to his brother.

He stated thereafter he was not involved in their subsequent discussion with Olawole and his brother, even as he also denied giving them transport as claimed by Pastor Olawale.

The OSPAC Commander, Felix Nwobakata, while addressing newsmen, said the arrest would serve as a deterrent to anyone trying to indulge in ritual acts.

Speaking through his media aide, Obed Douglas, he confirmed the arrest, adding that the two pastors and the victim’s father had been arrested.

“All three suspects have been handed over to the Assistant Inspector General, Monitoring Unit, Zone 16, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, for further investigation and prosecution.”

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Court orders FG to take over 7 properties of ex-FBN personnel

Published

6 hours ago

April 11, 2025

Trends Admin

Court orders FG to take over 7 properties of ex-FBN personnel

A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has granted an order for the permanent forfeiture of seven properties linked to Muiz Tijani Adeyinka, a former employee of First Bank Plc.

The ruling, delivered on Thursday, April 10, 2025, by Justice Dehinde Dipeolu, followed a motion filed by the Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The assets in question include residential apartments and parcels of land across various parts of Lagos and Abuja. Among them are: Plot 9, Block 28 Itunu City, Veritas Homes & Properties Ltd., Aiyetoro, Epe; a three-bedroom flat at Le Moriah Residences Estate in Ikate, Lekki; and land in Amen Estate Phase III Extension, Abomiti Zone, along Lekki/Epe Expressway. Others are located in Idera Scheme, Arizon Estate, Itunu Residential, Tiara by Amen City, and Ochacho Real Homes in LifeCamp, Abuja.

According to a statement released by the EFCC, the court’s decision came after no objections were raised within the 14-day period allowed for interested parties to challenge the interim forfeiture, which had been previously ordered.

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“No one showed cause within the 14 days window granted after the publication,” EFCC counsel Zeenat Atiku informed the court.
Supporting the application was an affidavit sworn by EFCC operative Isah Yusuf Nadabo, who stated that Tijani, during his tenure in the bank’s settlement office, exploited privileged access for personal gain.

“He, therefore, carried out illegal, unauthorised and fraudulent activities against First Bank Nigeria Plc,” Nadabo declared in the affidavit.

He further revealed that investigations had traced N35 billion allegedly obtained by Tijani and associates through these activities.

“Investigation has thus far revealed and traced the sum of N35 billion (Thirty Five Billion Naira) benefitted by Muiz Tijani Adeyinka and his cronies,” the affidavit stated.

Atiku urged the court to grant final forfeiture, arguing that the properties were suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of financial crime.

Justice Dipeolu, in granting the order, ruled that the EFCC’s application had merit and subsequently ordered the properties be forfeited to the Federal Government.

Court orders FG to take over 7 properties of ex-FBN personnel

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Judge, son shot as bandits kidnap 13 in Katsina

Published

8 hours ago

April 11, 2025

Trends Admin

Judge, son shot as bandits kidnap 13 in Katsina

Bandits have attacked Mahuta town in Kafur Local Government Area of Katsina State, shooting a Shari’a court judge, Rabiu Mahuta, in the hand and his son.

During the attack, which occurred late Tuesday night, the assailants injured three people and kidnapped 13 others, including the judge’s wife and five of his children.

A resident who spoke to Daily Trust said the bandits arrived around 11:30 p.m. and headed straight to the judge’s residence, where they spent nearly an hour attempting to break down the door.

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Despite the judge’s call to the local Divisional Police Officer for help, no security personnel arrived in time.

“When they eventually broke in, they shot him in the hand, and he collapsed. One of his sons was also injured, with a bullet grazing his forehead,” the source said.

A neighbour, who is a member of the state-owned Community Watch Corps and tried to intervene during the attack, was also shot and is currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Katsina.

Daily Trust gathered that the attackers also abducted five people from the household of one Shehu Maishayi, along with Malam Sufi Nahi and the wife of Malam Abdurrazak, who lives on the outskirts of Mahuta.

Sources said soldiers arrived only after the bandits had fled the scene.

Judge, son shot as bandits kidnap 13 in Katsina

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EFCC plays confession video of ex-power minister in court

Published

8 hours ago

April 11, 2025

Trends Admin

Former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman

EFCC plays confession video of ex-power minister in court

The trial of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, continued on Thursday, April 10, 2025, before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, with the prosecution presenting further evidence in a trial-within-trial to justify the admissibility of the extra-judicial statements of the defendant, who claimed that he volunteered them under duress.

Mamman is facing prosecution in relation to the Mambilla Power Project by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on a 12-count charge, bordering on conspiracy to commit money laundering to the tune of N33,804,830,503.73 (Thirty-Three Billion, Eight Hundred and Four Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Five Hundred and Three Naira, Seventy-three Kobo).

Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, Abubakar Muhammed Kwaido an EFCC investigator maintained that Mamman made his statements to the Commission without intimidation or force.

“There was at no point I harassed or intimidated him with detention. My boss was even asking him if he could write, but he said he would ask his lawyer to write on his behalf,” he said.

In a video clip of Mamman’s statement to the Commission which was played in court, the defendant was seen clarifying to investigators in a convivial atmosphere that he chose to avoid payment for an Abuja property through financial institutions to evade detection, considering his position in the government.

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“Honestly, I gave him N5million about three times. I didn’t transfer or put it in his account. I gave him cash. Why I didn’t do a transfer was because I am a civil servant and I have left my business and some of my things, so I have been very careful,” he said.

He further disclosed that the payments were made to Abubakar Mustapha Bida in relation to a house he acquired through him. Bida is the Mambilla Project Accountant. “After the payment, he then gave me the house, that is why I didn’t bring up that issue. Then I accepted the house at Kado,” he said.

Mamman was also seen in the clip narrating how he discussed the property with one Sam. “I said to Sam that there’s a house in Kado, but I have to collect the documents of the house. That’s why I told you that there’s no issue between me and him.”

He was also seen claiming that he jointly purchased another property in Wuse, Abuja with a friend who is a member of the House of Representatives, who chose to register the house with a different name. “We went together and bought the house in Wuse. It was me and my friend that joined and bought the house, but he gave another person’s name instead of his. Now I’m even struggling to get the papers for the house,” he said.

Speaking further in the clip, he said, “We bought the house from N30 to N35 million and we agreed I will be giving him the money in tranches. Things became somehow and I then left the office. He didn’t give me the papers and that’s how I left office.”

Mamman in the video, repeatedly accused Abubakar Mustapha Bida of dishonesty. “Mustapha is a liar. It was his PA that did all these things,” he said, referring to one Musbahu Idris.

Nonetheless, he admitted benefitting from the transaction. “Whether I like it or not, I benefitted, because my people have benefited from the money. That was why I was all involved in it,” he said.

In the video, he was also seen explaining to Kwaido that his lawyer has his nod to write his statements on his behalf because he was a bit under the weather.

Asked by Kwaido if he could write, he replied: “Honestly I can’t write, I’m not too strong, but as you can see, I’m about to take my medication. That’s why I spoke to him to write because I don’t want to stress myself. The doctors warned me not to stress myself. I was advised by my lawyer to come so that it will all be easy,” he said.

Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter till Monday, April 14, 2025, for continuation of trial.