Some properties have been destroyed in a fire outbreak that occurred at a soap factory and plastic waste dump site along Amanato Street, Ugwagba Obosi in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The cause of the fire incident has yet to be ascertained, but it was gathered that the fire started at about 1 am on Saturday before the arrival of the state firefighters.

An eyewitness and one of the workers at the factory said the fire and thick flames were noticed from a corner of the building and firefighters were immediately alerted.

He said some properties had been damaged before the arrival of the men of the state fire service, who battled to control the fire and prevented it from escalating to other structures around the premises.

The state Fire Service Chief, Chukwudi Chiketa, who confirmed the incident, said firefighters were deployed immediately to the scene of the incident at about 1:40 am on Saturday and they battled to contain the fire.

He said, “The Anambra State Fire Service received a distress call at 01:40 hours of today, Saturday, June 8, 2024, of a fire outbreak in mini soap factory and plastic waste dumping ground at Amanato Street, Ugwagba Obosi, in Idemili North LGA of Anambra State.

“The firefighters and a fire truck were deployed immediately to the scene of the incident. They fought and contained the fire and prevented it from affecting a very closed-by four-storey building.

“The cause of the fire is still unknown. Also, no life was lost. The firemen departed the scene of a fire at 03:40 hours of today. Fire kills but it can be prevented.”

Recall that a fire incident had reportedly occurred at the top floor of a one-storey building inside GMO Company, situated at Atani road, by Uga junction, Okpoko, on Friday.

The Adamawa State Police Command has successfully recovered a stolen Lexus Jeep RX 330 and arrested two suspects in connection with the crime.

According to a statement posted by the command on X.com on Friday, the victim, Daiso Kyrian, lodged a complaint that armed robbers shot him and stole his car on April 12 in Awka, Anambra State.

The statement partly read, “Upon receiving the report, a thorough investigation was carried out by the command’s surveillance team. Luckily, one Saidu Mohammed, aged 30 and from Gombi LGA, was arrested in possession of the said vehicle.

“Investigation further conducted led to the arrest of another 25-year-old Rabiu Idris of the same address in connection with the case.”

In the statement, the state’s Commissioner of Police, CP Dankombo Morris, commended the officers and reaffirmed the command’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and security of the state.

The federal government has offered N62,000 as the new minimum wage for Nigerian workers after the rejection of its proposed N60,000 by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NlC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State said this while addressing journalists at the end of the tripartite committee negotiation meeting on Friday in Abuja.

However, the labour unions reduced their demand to N250,000 after the federal government and the private sector viewed its proposed N495,000 as unrealistic.

“In the wisdom of the committee, it has put together a recommendation that will be forwarded to Mr President for further action,” said Mr Uzodimma, who is also the chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum.

He added, “The organised private sector and the federal government have agreed on N62,000 while the organised labour is asking for N250,000.”

Also, Festus Osifo, TUC’s president, noted that the organised private sector and the federal government had recommended N62,000 as the minimum wage.

“But for us, we felt that with the current economic hardship and the difficulty in the land, the sum of N250,000 should be what will be okay for the minimum wage.

“We will sign a report and forward this position to Mr President. This committee is to make recommendations to him.

“We will keep pushing to ensure that we have a wage that stands the test of time in Nigeria,” he said.

This comes a few days after organised labour suspended the nationwide strike for five days to allow for continuous negotiations with the federal government on the new minimum wage.

The NLC and TUC had rejected the current administration’s proposal of N60,000. They demanded N495,000, citing the hardship that trailed President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies that saw prices of food and commodities skyrocket by per cent cent.

While the government, organised private sector, NLC, and TUC had agreed that the current minimum wage of N30,000 was no longer sustainable due to the present economic reality, agreeing on a figure for the new minimum wage had long proved difficult.

The organised labour began a nationwide strike on June 3, pausing economic activities as banks, airports, public schools, and courts were shut. The strike was soon suspended for five days and was expected to continue on Monday, June 10.

Meanwhile, during the negotiations for the new minimum wage, state governors rejected the initially proposed N60,000, saying it was “unattainable” and “cannot fly.”

The Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Friday sentenced a butcher, Jelili Moshood, to 14 years’ imprisonment for attempting to rape a 78-year-old woman who had dementia.

Mr Moshood was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment by Justice Rahman Oshodi following his plea bargain agreement to attempted sexual assault by penetration.

Mr Oshodi held that he considered the facts of the case and the plea bargain agreement reached between the prosecution and the defence.

He added that he considered the convict’s guilty plea to the amended charge of attempt to commit sexual assault by penetration.

Consequently, the court convicted Mr Moshood and sentenced him, as agreed in the plea bargain, to commence on January 2, 2019, the date of his remand.

The judge said the facts established in the case were that the convict, under the guise of helping, isolated the vulnerable 78-year-old woman suffering from dementia and proceeded to assault her, causing her physical injury and trauma sexually.

He said, “The victim’s impact has been severe; though the victim has since passed away, one can only imagine the fear, anguish, and suffering inflicted upon her in the final months of her life by the convict’s heinous actions.

“Her family will have to live with that painful reality, and this sentence considers the convict’s guilty plea and the sparing of the victim’s family from the ordeal of testifying in court.

“However, it must also send a clear deterrent message that sexual violence against society’s most vulnerable will be met with severe consequences.”

Mr Oshodi said the agreed 14 years sentence reflected the egregious breach of trust, the physical and emotional harm caused, and the need to protect the public from the convict, who would be registered as a sex offender.

The Lagos State government had initially charged the convict with rape, and the medical report and the result of the medical examination were received in evidence as Exhibit F.

It revealed documented physical trauma and forceful penetration of the victim’s vagina.

The court had held that the preceding factual matrix was distilled from the testimonies of one ASP Babatunde Asifat, Prosecution Witness One (PW1), and one Insp. Olakunle Orebe, Prosecution Witness Two (PW2), and the defendant’s confessional statement (Exhibit B1).

The court had also held that the extensive cross-examination by the learned defence counsel did not unearth any contradiction of PW1’s evidence.

The judge said that instead, it strengthened it.

“Seeing the strong evidence against him and after PW2 had given his evidence-in-chief, the defendant applied to the Hon. Attorney-General of Lagos State for a plea bargain through his counsel, Mr Yusuf Oyebanji,” the court held.

The state counsel, Bukola Okeowo, had on May 31 informed the court that the parties had entered a plea and sentence agreement dated and filed on May 30.

The convict’s charge was, thereafter, changed from rape to attempt to commit sexual assault by penetration, which contravened section 262 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015.

The Delta State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of some armed robbers alleged to have been terrorising several parts of the state in separate operations during the week.

The Command also announced that it had recovered different weapons the suspects used in perpetrating their illegal activities.

The arrest and recovery were disclosed in a statement released by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, which was obtained by our correspondent on Friday.

According to the PPRO, on Wednesday, the Command’s Special Squad acting on credible intelligence about suspected miscreants who had terrorising the residents of Ughelli, Warri, and Sapele, stormed their base in Sapele and arrested the suspects while recovering arms and ammunition.

The statement further read, “The team led by ASP Julius Robinson stormed Sapele town on the said date and effected the arrest of one Blessing Atima aged 23 (the gang leader), Destiny Okpako, 19, and Wisdom Akpohiro, 20.

“The following exhibits were recovered from them; one Beretta pistol, one locally cut-to-size gun, three cutlasses, phones and ATM cards belonging to victims. Some of their victims have identified the suspects and their valuables recovered from them.

“On 3/05/2024, RRS Operatives, while acting on credible information that some suspected robbers were sighted in an uncompleted building along Issele-Asagba Express Way. The operatives stormed the uncompleted building and arrested one Usman Bello, 40, and one locally made fabricated Beretta Pistol recovered from him. The suspect who pretended to be a mentally unstable person is in custody

“On 04/06/2024, the Area Commander, Asaba, acting on intelligence report on the activities of some suspects who come from across the Niger to Asaba at night, break into and loot the shops of their targeted victims, the Area commander immediately deployed undercover operatives who embarked on a discreet operation which eventually paid off when the duo of one Ameachi Micheal, 42, and Ogochukwu Ogbode, 38.”

The statement noted that the arrested suspects are in custody and investigations are still ongoing.

The Lagos State Police Command said it has arrested two men for allegedly producing adulterated alcoholic drinks at Oko-Arin Market on the Lagos Island.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the arrest on Friday in Lagos.

Hundeyin said that police detectives arrested the suspects at about 6.00 pm on Tuesday, following credible information “that a group of boys were sighted at the Oko-Arin Market allegedly producing fake alcoholic drinks”.

He said that the Commissioner of Police Tactical Team, Eko, immediately mobilised to the scene.

According to him, the team affected the arrest of the two suspects, aged 31 and 41, in the act, while other members of the gang escaped.

“Items recovered from the suspects included five cartons of Jack Daniels Drinks, two cartons of Black Barrel drink, one carton of Williams Lawson drink and one carton of Jameson drink.

“Police also recovered one carton of Black Label drink, one carton of Remy Martins, six cartons of empty and Glenfiddich bottles

“Others are one carton of empty Divin Bardar drink, one carton of empty Volka drink, as well as quantities of assorted labels and corks for producing drinks.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects often sold the illegal adulterated drinks to their customers in Cotonou, Benin Republic,” he said.

Hundeyin said that investigation was ongoing.

Five hunters have been arrested in connection with the killing of a 14-year-old teenager in Maiha local government area of Adamawa State.

The suspects were alleged to have tortured the victim on suspicion that he stole N20,000.

A statement from the state Police Public Relations Officer, Suleiman Nguroje, said they were arrested on Wednesday, June 5, “for the unlawful arrest and torture” of the teenager who they accused of stealing the 20,000.

“The suspects are currently under investigation and would be charged to court for the law to take its course,” the Police statement said.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Dakonmbo Morris, who condemned the actions of the hunters, warned members of the public against taking the law into their own hands.

US President Joe Biden has apologised to his counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky for delays in military aid to Ukraine and has pledged $225m (£191m) in support.
The pair met for talks in Paris, a day after they both attended the 80th anniversary commemorations of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France.
The US Department of Defense said the new aid package would include ammunition and anti-aircraft missiles.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Mr Biden said previous delays in aid had been caused by some Republicans in Congress, but reiterated US support for Ukraine.
“The United States will stand with you,” Mr Biden told Mr Zelensky. “You haven’t bowed down. You haven’t yielded at all. You continue to fight in a way that is just remarkable, just remarkable.”
In response, Mr Zelensky stressed the importance of his country’s relationship with the US, saying it was crucial in the fight against Russia.
“It’s very important that you stay with us,” he said. “We count on your continuing support in staying with us shoulder to shoulder.”

Earlier in the day, Mr Zelensky addressed the French parliament, saying the current conflict with Russia meant Europe was “unfortunately no longer a continent of peace”.
He also expressed hope that a summit hosted in Switzerland later this month could help bring an end to the war.
The Ukrainian president is due to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron during his visit.
Speaking on French TV on Thursday evening, Mr Macron said Paris would send Mirage 2000 fighter jets to Ukraine and train Ukrainian pilots. He said training could begin this summer.
“You need normally between five, six months. So by the end of the year there will be pilots. The pilots will be trained in France,” he said.
Mr Macron also said Western allies would consider a request to send military instructors to train Ukrainian forces on the ground.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the French president’s comments showed that he was willing to take a “direct” role in the Ukraine conflict.
Friday’s developments come a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Moscow could arm countries with a view to attacking Western targets.
Mr Putin made the statement while criticising the West’s delivery of long-range weapons to Ukraine. He did not specify which countries Moscow could supply with weapons.
Several countries including the US have given Ukraine the green light to strike targets inside Russia.
Mr Biden has given Ukraine permission to use American-supplied weapons to strike targets in Russia, but only near the Kharkiv region. The White House has said Ukraine cannot use long-range ATACMS missiles on Russian soil.

The authority of Saudi Arabia’s Kingdom has arrested seven Nigerian pilgrims performing this year’s holy pilgrimage in Makkah for failure to be in possession of NUSUK identity cards.

The seven Nigerian pilgrims from two states were said to have been arrested in front of their hotels on June 5 and 6 over the Nusuk ID cards, otherwise known as hajj permit.

In Saudi Arabia, not having Hajj permits, harbouring or aiding those without it attracts a SR10,000 fine, six months’ imprisonment, deportation and banning from Saudi Arabia for 10 years as penalty.

Names of the arrested pilgrims were not yet made public and it could not be ascertained yet if retrieves have come their way through the intervention of Nigeria’s hajj commission.

Reacting to the development, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, re-iterated its appeal on the collection and use of the cards for their Hajj exercise in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

In a circular issued to all the state pilgrims welfare boards, agencies and commissions, as well as licensed Hajj tour operators, the commission disclosed that seven Nigerian pilgrims from two states were arrested in front of their hotels on June 5 and 6 over the Nusuk ID cards.

This activity, NAHCON warned in the circular signed by its Makkah Coordinator, Dr. Aliyu Tanko, on behalf of the chairman, Malam Jalal Arabi, is expected to intensify as the month of Dhul Hijjah begins soon.

The commission requested all State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards and all tour operator companies to intensify awareness to their pilgrims on the mandatory possession of Nusuk ID cards, saying “all pilgrims must collect their cards on arrival in Makkah from the Mutawwif officials.”

It added that after possessing the Nusuk cards, “it is imperative to carry these cards at all times, as they are the recognized means of identifying pilgrims and also having access to key areas during Hajj.”

“Pilgrims with smartphones can download the Nusuk app from Playstore or iTunes stores, use their passport and visa numbers to activate and access digital copies of their Nusuk cards,” the commission advised.

On the penalties, NAHCON warned that “not having Hajj permits, habouring or aiding those without it attracts SR10,000 fine, six months’ imprisonment, deportation and banning from Saudi Arabia for 10 years.”

“We urge all SMPWB’s and tour operators to ensure that their pilgrims adhere strictly to these guidelines to avoid any inconvenience or disruption in their spiritual journey,” the commission stated.

NAHCON had a few days ago urged pilgrims to ensure the use of NUSUK cards (identification and access card) to avoid being arrested by the Saudi Arabian Authority.

Its chairman, Jalal Arabi, made the call in a statement by the Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Hajia Fatima Sanda-Usara.

He said: “The commission wishes to address the recent concerns and complaints regarding pilgrims being arrested or prevented from accessing the Masjidul Haram in Makkah for not being in possession of their NUSUK ID cards.

“NAHCON had at different fora with State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards and Hajj Tour Operators in Nigeria before the commencement of transportation of pilgrims stressed the importance of the card.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, George Akume, says the organized labour committed treason by shutting down the national grid during the nationwide strike.

Akume made this statement on Thursday in Abuja at a meeting with the National Executive Council NEC, of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN.

“Nowhere in the world has labour ever tampered with the national grid. It is treason. Treasonable felony is economic sabotage; you don’t do that.

“We are trying to rebuild the economy. The president is picking it up, and they want to destroy it. Of what use is that to all of us? That is not the way,” he said.

The SGF, while speaking on the efforts of the government to ease the economic hardship in the country, assured that Compressed Natural Gas, CNG buses, rice, and other essentials would soon be available to Nigerians to ease the hardship.

“It is not that we are not working. We are working, and that is why we implemented the N35,000 wage, which is more than the minimum wage.

“There are buses ready to be distributed, and soon, rice and other essentials will be available,” he added.

According to him, the church must partner with the government in the provision of infrastructure for the citizens.

“The church must collaborate with the government in providing facilities for people, whether it is in education, health, or agriculture,” Akume said.

Bandits, on Thursday, killed 12 villagers and seven policemen in an attack on a Zamfara State community.

Commissioner of Police in the state, Muhammad Shehu Dalijan, who confirmed the attack, said the killing took place at Magarya village in Zurmi Local Government Area.

He added that among the victims were a member of the Zamfara State Community Guards, also known as Askarawan Zamfara and four residents of the village.

The CP said the bandits, numbering about 300, stormed the village on motorbikes, and on arrival, surrounded “our men and opened fire on them, thereby killing seven of them and injuring several others.”

“The bandits were not happy with our men who prevented them from carrying out their heinous act for over two years now.

“Since the deployment of police to the area, the bandits could not have a chance to attack the village,” he said.

The police commissioner said more police personnel would be deployed to the area.

A Nigerian national was sentenced to 51 months in prison and ordered to pay $524,000 in restitution and a money judgment in the amount of $868,295 for his role in a hybrid romance scam and business email compromise scheme.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents, the scheme began in July 2015 when a co-conspirator initiated a romance scam with a 56-year-old widow in New Mexico using the alias “Sean Bartlett.” The co-conspirator convinced the victim that he was an engineer working on lucrative oil contracts and promised to marry the victim but instructed her to send him money for supposed business expenses.

On September 13, 2015, Uchenna Nlemchi opened a personal bank account at Amegy Bank in his own name. Sixteen days later, Nlemchi opened a fraudulent business bank account at the same bank in the name of the non-existent “Jay Auto & Machine Parts,” listing himself as the sole owner.

Following the co-conspirator’s instructions over the next few months, the victim made several transfers into accounts controlled by Nlemchi totaling over $375,000 from her retirement savings and a home equity loan. This included wiring $45,000 on October 7th to another person’s account, before sending $35,000 directly to the “Jay Auto & Machine Parts” account on October 9th, the same day the other person wired $44,000 into that account.

On October 22nd, the victim transferred $125,346 from her and her late husband’s IRA accounts into Nlemchi’s “Jay Auto & Machine Parts” bank account. Then on December 7th, she took out a $170,000 home equity loan and immediately transferred the full amount to that account.

Separately in late 2015, a German citizen attempting to purchase a Miami condo received fraudulent wire instructions after a hacker compromised her attorney’s email. The German victim then wired money intended for the condo purchase to the New Mexico victim’s account. A co-conspirator then instructed the New Mexico victim to forward over $200,000 of those funds to Nlemchi’s accounts.

Nlemchi rapidly withdrew and transferred globally over $868,000 that was deposited into the “Jay Auto & Machine Parts” account from the New Mexico victim and other fraud proceeds. Nlemchi abandoned the fraudulent accounts on February 29, 2016, as bank investigators closed in.

At the time, Nlemchi was in the United States on a student visa and attended Texas Southern University. He was arrested in Houston, Texas in 2017 and released on electronic monitoring in the third-party custody of his wife and ordered to surrender his passport.

Nlemchi escaped from his monitoring system and fled to Mexico, then to Brazil, then back to his home in Nigeria. Nlemchi was an international fugitive for more than five years until his arrest in Hungary in 2023.

Nlemchi pleaded guilty in federal court to one count each of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in February 2024.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Nlemchi will be required to serve 3 years of supervised release and will be subject to deportation proceedings.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The Albuquerque Division of the FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department during the extradition process. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Peña is prosecuting the case.

A 59-year-old man in Mexico has died with a type of bird flu – H5N2 – never recorded in people before now.

There is no risk to the wider public, say authorities, and none of the man’s close contacts have caught the virus.
It is unclear how he got it, although there have been cases in some poultry farms in Mexico.

Infections like this can sometime pass from animals to humans.

The man had other underlying health issues that likely made him vulnerable.

He had been bedridden for weeks before getting sick with fever and shortness of breath from bird flu, according to officials.

There is no evidence that the virus could start spreading between people and cause an outbreak, they say.

The World Health Organization and other authorities monitor strains of flu, like this one, that could have the potential mutate and become a threat.

Three more babies have died after developing whooping cough in England.

Eight infants have died between January and April 2024, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). This is three times more than the previously reported figure for the year so far.

Health officials are urging pregnant women to get the whooping cough vaccine.

In England, provisionally there were 4,793 laboratory-confirmed cases reported to the UKHSA between January and April with 555 cases in January 2024, 920 in February, 1,430 in March and 1,888 cases in April.

The UKHSA said the first signs of whooping cough are similar to a cold, but after about a week more symptoms can develop.

Throughout the whole of 2023, the UKHSA said there were 858 recorded cases of whooping cough.

Last month health officials said five babies in England died after being diagnosed with the infection.

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis.

The disease is characterised by severe coughing fits, often accompanied by a “whooping” sound when breathing in after coughing.

It can be particularly dangerous for infants and young children, so vaccination is crucial for prevention.

Senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton, Dr Michael Head, said at the time the data “illustrates just how serious whooping cough is – it can and does kill babies”.

He added a fall in vaccinations “will be a key factor contributing to this rise in cases of whooping cough,” and noted that it “is as infectious as measles, and more infectious than COVID-19”.

Whooping cough can be called the “100-day cough” because of how long it can take to recover from it, and it spreads very easily.

Men of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency intercepted a cocaine shipment at Emerald Hotel, Ladipo, Oshodi, Lagos, on Wednesday and arrested four suspects, attempting to smuggle the drug to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage.

This was made known in a statement by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, shared on the agency’s website on Thursday.

According to the statement the suspects, Usman Kamorudeen (31), Olasunkanmi Owolabi (46), Fatai Yekini (38), and Ayinla Kemi (34), had prepared 200 cocaine pellets (2.20kg) to ingest before their flight.

The statement read, “Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have raided Emerald Hotel, Ladipo area of Oshodi, Lagos State where some intending pilgrims to the ongoing hajj in Saudi Arabia were lodged and caught in the act of ingesting wraps of cocaine ahead of their flight to the holy land on Wednesday, June 5, 2024.

‘Those arrested during the intelligence-led operation include Usman Kamorudeen, 31; Olasunkanmi Owolabi, 46; Fatai Yekini, 38; and a lady, Ayinla Kemi, 34.

“The four suspects were lodged in two rooms in the hotel where they had prepared 200 pellets of cocaine weighing 2.20kg to swallow when NDLEA officers stormed their rooms.

“100 wraps of the Class A substance were recovered from each of the two rooms bringing the total seizure to 200 wraps. Two suspects were to swallow 100 wraps each.”

The NDLEA boss, Buba Marwa, also stated that the Agency will work with their counterparts in Saudi Arabia to ensure that the designated recipients of the seized illicit drug consignments in any part of Saudi Arabia are also traced and dealt with accordingly.

Kano State Police Command has arrested 19 suspects for alleged armed robbery, cattle rustling and kidnapping in different parts of the state.

This is contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the spokesman of the command, SP Abdullahi Kiyawa.

Kiyawa gave the names of the suspects as: Auwal Fulani, aged 27 years old, Abdullahi Salisu, aged 28 years old, Halilu Adamu, aged 37 years old and Abdulkarim Harisu, aged 37 years old.

Others were Alhassan Abubakar, aged 20 years old, Sani Abdullahi, aged 45 years old, Tasiu Jamilu, aged 25 years old, Sani Muhammad, aged 45 years old and Auwal Umar, aged 25 years old.

He said the police also arrested Usman Abdullahi, aged 26 years old, Mustapha Umar, aged 25 years, Nazifi Abdullahi, aged 30, Isa Abbas, aged 21, Junaidu Hamisu aged 33, and Abdulrazak Aliyu, aged 22 years old.

Kiyawa said the weapons recovered from the suspects included: 2 AK-47 rifles, one Smoke Pistol, one Pump Action rifle, 26 rounds of 7.2mm live ammunition, 17 live cartridges, 2 motor vehicles, 16 rams, dangerous weapons and house-breaking implements,

He added that the feat was achieved through the efforts of the State Police Command in checkmating violent and criminal activities in all parts of the state to ensure the safety and security of the residents.

Kiyawa said that the command’s robust crime prevention patrols led to the arrest of the suspects.

He said all the suspects were presently undergoing detailed investigation at the Criminal Investigation Department of the command after which they would be charged to court.

One Dauda Jolaosho, a resident of Alako Nla village, along Kobape Road, Abeokuta, has alleged that his neighbor shot and killed his wife over unpaid solar light debt.

Jolaosho, 44, who is a fish farmer, alleged on Wednesday that his neighbour and friend, Saheed Olawale, a timbre operator, shot him and his wife but while he survived with a gunshot wound on his arm, his wife died instantly.

Narrating the tragic incident, Jolaosho stated that the incident which occurred on Wednesday, April 2024, had left him completely shattered, as his wife left behind eight months old twins, and three other children aged 13, 10 and five.

He said, “This incident actually started on April 23, 2024. I was about to go out when the people that we bought solar light from came to my house.

“We actually bought these solar lights from them last year, in March; we made a deposit of N10,000 after which we are now paying N1150 every week, the total money is around N67,000.

“And I have been paying what is due for this solar light every week, in fact, what I have left to pay is N3,000. So when these people came to my house, they said that they wanted to check on Olawale too, who is also popularly called Komaye.

“The next thing, I saw him coming with the local gun and while my wife was on her knees begging him not to shoot, he suddenly pulled the trigger and I was hit on my arm, but when I looked back I found my wife of almost 18 years in the pool of her blood, she was dead”.

The fish farmer said the incident was first reported at Kemta police station, Abeokuta, after which it was transferred to the Ogun State police command, Eleweran, Abeokuta.

He added that his late wife was buried on Tuesday at Alako Nla, Abeokuta.

While demanding justice for his wife, he implored the Ogun State government and Nigerians to help him care for the five children left behind.

The Divisional Police Officer of Kemta, CSP Wale Famobuwa, in a conference call with the spokesperson of Ogun State police command, SP Omolola Odutola confirmed the incident.

The DPO said, “the incident was reported to our station between 12 and 2pm on that day and we went to the scene of the crime.

“What happened was that the husband of the woman who was shot dead was engaged in a fight with the alleged killer of the woman.

“He was said to have threatened to stone the man who later killed his wife, but this alleged killer warned him not to do that and that if he should stone him, he would shoot him.

“Jolaosho, however, reportedly went ahead to stone Olawale after which he (Olawale) drew out his dane gun and shot at Jolaosho and his wife who was trying to broker peace.”

The police added that Olawale was still at large and vowed to bring him to book.

The Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday adjourned the trial of celebrity bartender Pascal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, to June 25, 2024.

Okechukwu is facing three counts of alleged abuse of Naira notes.

On April 17, 2024, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arraigned Okechukwu for allegedly spraying and tampering with Naira notes during a social event at Eko Hotel in Lagos.

Okechukwu pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted a bail set at N10m.

At the previous hearing on May 2, Okechukwu’s defence counsel, Mr Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), informed the court that both parties were exploring a settlement under Section 14(2) of the EFCC Act.

Ojukwu pointed out the potential for a plea bargain agreement, which the EFCC counsel, Bilkisu Buhari, confirmed.

Ojukwu then requested a short adjournment for the parties to report back on the settlement progress.

He also withdrew a preliminary objection challenging the court’s jurisdiction, a motion which the court subsequently struck out.

The case was adjourned to June 5, 2024, for a settlement report.

However, on Wednesday, when the matter came up Justice Kehinde Ogundare was informed that Okechukwu’s counsel, Mr. Chikaosolu Ojukwu, was unable to attend and had requested another adjournment.

Consequently, the case was rescheduled to June 25, 2024, for mention.

The EFCC’s charges allege that Okechukwu tampered with N500 notes while dancing at a social event, an act which contravened Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act of 2007.

British banknotes bearing the image of King Charles III entered circulation for the first time on Wednesday, nearly two years after he succeeded his mother Queen Elizabeth II.

The four banknotes with the king’s portrait on the front carry values of £5 ($6.4), £10, £20 and £50 and will be used alongside those bearing the image of Elizabeth, who died in September 2022.

Coins bearing Charles’s head entered circulation in December 2022.

The updates come as Britons increasingly use physical and online bank cards, rather than cash, to make payments.

But Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey called it “a historic moment”, with the late queen having served a record 70 years on the throne.

“We know that cash is important for many people, and we are committed to providing banknotes for as long as the public demand them,” he added.

Based on a photograph owned by the royal household and made available in 2013, Charles in late 2022 approved the final designs of the notes featuring his engraved portrait.

The new cash — made from polymer that has already been used to replace paper money in the UK since 2016 — will gradually replace the older notes.

Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court has called on all Muslims across the Kingdom to participate in the sighting of the crescent moon of the Arabic month Dhu Al Hijjah tomorrow evening, Thursday.

This action is expected to help determine the commencement of the new and last month of the Hijr and also the day the festival falls on (Islamic) calendar.

Eid Al Adha, the biggest Islamic festival falls on the 10th of Dhu Al Hijjah.

“If Friday, June 7, is confirmed the first day of Dhu Al Hijjah, Eid Al Al Adha will fall on Sunday June 16,” it read.

Gulf News reports that the court urged individuals capable of observing the crescent moon, whether with the naked eye or through binoculars to approach the nearest court and provide their testimony.

They are requested to register their testimony or contact the nearest centre to help him reach the nearest court.

Meanwhile, Inside the Haramain, has also posted on Wednesday on its X, #insharifain, a related report.

The agency is the official handle of the news publication generating from the two holy mosques in Mecca and Madinah.

“The Supreme Court calls on all Muslims in Saudi Arabia to investigate the crescent of Dhu al-Hijjah tomorrow evening, Thursday, 29 Dhu al-Qadah 1445 H, corresponding to 6 June 2024.

“The sighting of the crescent will confirm the days of Hajj, including the Day of Arafah and Eid Al Adha,” the post read.