Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ilorin Zonal Office have arrested 11 suspected internet fraudsters, following a tip-off and surveillance carried out around Agric Estate, Ilorin, Kwara State.

The suspects, who were rounded up at about 11pm on February 4, 2019 include, Oluyomi Kadri, Adeseye Ogundele, Olasoji Alabi, Abdullahi Saliu, Abdullahi Ibrahim and Abolarin Kayode.

Also arrested during the raid, were five ladies, Momoh Aminat, Momoh Nimota, Kelvin Blessing, Sunday Ruth and Oyinlola Awokunle.

Among items recovered from them were land purchase documents, three exotic cars, laptops, internet modem, mobile phones and ATM cards.

Some of them have already confessed to their involvement in various forms of internet fraud.

They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

A court in Zimbabwe has convicted a popular self-styled prophet of fraud and fined him $700 (£540) for falsely claiming he had a herbal cure for HIV and Aids.

Walter Magaya earlier pleaded guilty to contravening the Medicines Control Act by selling an unapproved drug.

Police arrested him in November, and seized a herbal drug which he said could cure people who had HIV and Aids.

Zimbabwe has the sixth highest HIV prevalence rate in sub-Saharan Africa.

About 1.3 million people were living with HIV, according to UN data compiled in 2016.

The 35-year-old Magaya is among a group of young, brash and flashy religious figures who have emerged during Zimbabwe’s economic crisis, attracting a huge number of followers with promises of miracle healing and miracle money, says the BBC’s Shingai Nyoka in the capital, Harare.

He told his congregation in October that the drug, named aguma, had magical powers to destroy the Aids virus within 14 days, the privately owned New Zimbabwe reported at the time.

“The herb is 100% organic. Why I say so is because we found out that there are no side effects,” he was quoted as saying.

The government branded his claim as criminal, and police raided his offices.

The charge sheet said that just before the search, Magaya and others “destroyed some of the exhibits by flushing them in the office toilets and burning containers which were, however, recovered half-burnt”.

“Several aguma sachets and other torn sachets were also recovered in an office bin,” the charge sheet added.

The pastor’s lawyer, Everson Chatambudza, told the court that Magaya believed the drug was authentic but admitted breaching the law by distributing it without the health ministry’s approval, the state-run Herald newspaper reported.

Magaya attempted to comply with the law by notifying the ministry of the drug, but he did not get any response, Mr Chatambudza was quoted as saying.

Magaya had also launched a lipstick last year which he claimed could improve blood pressure.

– Culled from BBC

Operatives of the Enugu State police command have arrested a notorious kidnapping ring that specialized in abducting children from schools located in the six local government councils in Enugu east senatorial zone and whisking them to neighbouring states for sale.

According to reports, the ladies identified as Nkeiruka Odo from Imilike Agu village in Udenu council area of Enugu State and Precious Chukwuemeka Chineneye from Aguleri, Anambra State had been terrorizing residents with their nefarious attitude.

The ladies were said to have enticed children with dresses, Biscuits, Chin-Chin, and Candies among others.

Last month the kidnappers had abducted a little boy identified as Ugwu Levi Chiagozie from a Nursery school located in Imilike Ani, Udenu and whisked him away to Anambra State where they had sold him to a nurse.

They met their waterloo on Monday after they were arrested when they attempted to abduct a child at a certain Primary school located at Imilike Ani, Udenu area.

Ebere Amaraizu, Police Public Relations Officer in Enugu State, confirmed the development and stated that the arrest followed intelligence received on the activities of the syndicate.“Following their arrest, suspects had revealed how they carried out abduction of a 4-year old school boy identified as one Ugwu Levi Chiagozie from another Nusery/Primary school also located at Imilike Ani in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State last month, which they handed over to a nurse in Anambra State for sale.

Recovered from the suspects are children’s dresses, Biscuits, Chin-Chin, Candies and other items that can be used to entice little children”, he stated. He said the police have commenced full-scale investigations into the incident. He therefore called on members of the public, especially parents and guardians to be vigilant and security conscious on their children and wards to avoid falling into the hands of the mischief-makers.

Amaraizu further advised members of the public to report promptly any suspicious movement around their environment to Enugu State police command through the following distress call numbers 08032003702,08075390883,08086671202 and 08098880172 or through the command social media

No fewer that 80% of members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have voted for the continuation of the ongoing nationwide strike.

It was gathered that over 200 members of the University of Ibadan, UI, chapter of the Union who attended the congress voted for the continuation of the strike while a little above 50 voted for its suspension with conditions.

According to one of the ASUU members, the members who voted did not even consider the third option which states that the strike should be suspended with conditions. Speaking after the referendum, Dr. Deji Omole, Chairman of the University of Ibadan Chapter, said the referendum was conducted to know if the union should end the strike or not.

He affirmed that members voted for the continuation of the strike because the government is yet to meet all of its demand. ASUU and the Nigerian government are yet to come to an agreement on funds for the revitalisation of universities.

The union is demanding N50billion but the FG released only N25billion, saying it does not have N50billion. Speaking after the last meeting, Chris Ngige, Minister for Labour and Employment said, “We have met it halfway. We have offered what we have; we don’t have N50 billion.”

A video of an unidentified lady being stripped naked by a group of people, who inserted pepper into her private parts for allegedly stealing a mobile phone in Benin City, went viral a few days ago and has since caused outrage on social media.

In the video, the lady was heard crying and denying she had stolen any phone, while she was being humiliated by the crowd who refused to show her mercy.

The League of Patriotic Lawyers has joined other groups who are seeking justice for the said lady. They have given Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olusegun Odumosu, 24 hours to unravel those behind the torture and insertion of pepper into the lady’s private part.

Chairman of the platform and former Student Union President of the University of Benin, Mr. Abubakar Yesufu, urged the state Director, Department of State Services, DSS, to be involved in the investigation.

In a statement on Tuesday, Yesufu said: “The League of Patriotic Lawyers has given the Edo State Commissioner of Police 24 hours to arrest and commence prosecution of all the street urchins behind this barbaric, inhuman, wicked, ungodly and unacceptable act, whose video has gone viral on the social media.

“Failure to unravel the perpetrators would lead to serious legal consequences against the various security agencies, especially the Police and Director of DSS in the state. This ungodly act shows that law and order have broken down in Benin. “We call on the governor, who is undoubtedly unaware of this devilish act, and the Secretary to the State Government, a very hard working and God-fearing man, to ensure that the perpetrators are tracked and punished accordingly.”

“We are not concerned about the merit of this case at this moment, but the exhibition of extreme cruelty which is completely alien to our revered culture and tradition.’’

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan Zonal Office have arrested seven more suspected internet fraudsters.

The suspects include, Ola Sam, Demeji Abiola, Segun Isaac, Oyinloye Jubril, Bamidele Adeboyega, Hassan Afeez and Sanni Muyideen.

They were rounded up at Poly Road and Sanyo area of Ibadan, Oyo State, on February 1 and 4, 2019.

Their arrest followed action on a series of intelligence report linking them with various forms of internet fraud.

They were alleged to be involved in love scam on different dating sites, through which they fraudulently obtain money from unsuspecting victims.

At the point of arrest, EFCC operatives recovered two different models of exotic cars, laptops, telephones and several documents containing false pretences, including international passports, and ATM cards.

They will be charged to court as soon as investigation is completed.