Accountant Faked His Kidnap In Lagos and Stole $50,000

An accountant with a lubricant producing firm in Ikoyi, Lagos, Femi Akinola, has been arrested by the police for allegedly stealing the company’s $50,000.

The company, Eterna Plc, had sent 30yrs old Akinola to withdraw the sum from the United Bank for Africa in the Marina area on Thursday, November 17.

On getting back to the office, he reportedly told his boss that he was kidnapped on the way from the bank, saying his abductors dispossessed him of the money and his phones.

Akinola was arrested by the police. Police investigation revealed that he faked his own kidnap.

He was said to have led the operatives to the fence of a primary school in Bariga area, where $30,000 concealed inside a concrete block was recovered.

While parading the suspect at the Lagos Command headquarters in Ikeja, Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, said Akinola stripped himself and threw his phones into a river to perfect the ploy.

He said, “The suspect worked with a multinational company in the state. He was sent to withdraw $50,000. After withdrawing the money, he faked his own kidnap and claimed that the kidnappers collected the money.

“The police have been able to recover $30,000. He confessed to have given out $15,000. We are making efforts to recover the remaining sum.”

But Akinola, who hails from Ondo State, denied feigning his abduction, saying one Kingsley, who purportedly lives in United Kingdom, colluded with a fraudster to swindle him out of the money.

The father of two said Kingsley’s accomplice hypnotised him, adding that the man had left before it dawned on him that he had been defrauded.

He said, “I am also into music. I used to chat with one Kingsley in the UK, who wanted to help me with my music career. I chatted with him that day and I told him that I just withdrew $50,000. He told me he needed $15,000. He sent somebody to meet me around Marina to collect the money. It was after the person collected the money and my phones and left that I came to my senses.

“I was confused and didn’t know what to do. At that point, I decided to hide the remaining $35,000 at the back of a primary school in Bariga, and left for Epe to commit suicide. On getting there, I changed my mind and reported to the police that I was robbed.”

The suspect stated that he was known for honesty, which had earned him awards from the company every year.

“I earn over N120,000 per month. I didn’t have intention of using the money to promote my music career. That was not the first time I would withdraw money for the company as an accounting officer. I had withdrawn more than that in the past. I have been working with the company for five years.”

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Fraudsters trick 15 year old apprentice to buy salt, steal master’s N700,000

Some suspected fraudsters have stolen over N700,000 using the Automated Teller Machine card of a furniture maker, Adegoke Fashola.

The suspects tricked Fashola’s apprentice, Segun Abiodun, whom he had asked to make withdrawal at the Ikotun Road branch of Access Bank Plc. 15-year-old Abiodun was around the bank premises when he was approached by three men who claimed to be prophets.


They were said to have asked him to go and get N10 salt and taken the ATM card from him after he divulged the PIN code.The suspects withdrew over N700,000 from the victim’s account through the ATM and online transactions.Abiodun told Punch that the men said they had a vision for him when he was around the bank premises.

He said, “I was in the bank when three men called me and asked who sent me to withdraw money from the bank. After I told them it was my boss, one of them said they were prophets and they had seen a vision.
“He said I needed prayers and gave me N10 to go to buy salt on the street. They collected the ATM card and the PIN code. But by the time I returned, they were gone. They didn’t tell me their names, but if I see them, I can recognise them.”

His boss, Fashola, told Punch that although he reported the matter at the Ikotun Police Station and a suspect was arrested, the police were playing pranks on the case, adding that the suspect was released.

He said, “I had money for a customer’s job in the account. And it was not the first time that I would ask Segun (Abiodun) to withdraw money for me.“On Saturday, July 9, around 2pm, I sent him to withdraw some money for me. When he returned and said some men had collected the card, I quickly rushed to the bank. I met some security men and we told them that the fraudsters sat at the gate. “I went in and spoke with two top officials of the bank, who checked my account details and said I had N720,000. A lady at the counter said my account had been blocked and the fraudsters could do nothing again.”...read more below
Fashola said the bank official, however, promised to call the bank’s headquarters so that online transactions would not be carried out on the account.

It was learnt that there was a bit of delay in reaching the bank’s headquarters and when the call eventually went through, the furniture maker was told he had only N4,000 in his account.

He said a man was observed around the banking premises monitoring what was happening, adding that the suspect was nabbed. “I picked the guy immediately and took him to the police station which was opposite the bank. I narrated everything to the Investigating Police Officer and told him we saw the suspect spying on us during the confusion in the bank. The policeman said he knew the suspect and he was notorious for such act. He spoke with my dad and asked for some money. My father asked me to give him N2,000. He said we should wait to see the Divisional Police Officer. “However, when the DPO arrived, the policeman took me and the suspect to the counter. He later took us outside and when the suspect’s relatives arrived, he dismissed me. I learnt he later released the man,” he added.the statement of accounts, which was released by the bank, showed that the fraudsters withdrew N80,000 from the ATM on the bank premises.

Four internet purchases, totalling N623,000 were later made on the account.It was learnt that suspect was released on bail by the police after he promised to go and get the money.

Fashola said the second suspect was at large, saying the police had been compromised and efforts to recover his money had been abortive.

The spokesperson for Access Bank , Mr. Abdul Imoyo, said he was in Brazil, adding that he was not aware of the incident.

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Trouble for Nigerians as UK set to deport anyone earning less than £35,000

The new UK prime minister, Theresa May On Friday announced that Overseas, workers Nigerians included,  who have lived in the UK for five years will have to prove they will be paid the new minimum threshold in order to stay in the country.

Those who fail to demonstrate earnings of more than £35,000 will be denied settlement in the UK and will face deportation according to the new Home Office policy.



Overseas workers who have lived in the UK for five years will have to prove they will be paid the new minimum threshold in order to stay in the country.

Those who fail to demonstrate earnings of more than £35,000 will be denied settlement in the UK and will face deportation according to the new Home Office policy.

The government temporarily exempted nurses from the new rules last autumn in response to fears about widespread shortages of workers across the NHS.

But the earnings threshold could be applied to migrant nurses in the future should the government decide to take them off the Shortage Occupation List.

A petition launched earlier last week to try to force the government to rethink the sharp rise in the minimum income requirements has attracted more than 2,000 signatures.

Joshua Harbord, who set up the petition on the Parliament website, told The Independent that he decided to take action because he knew a number of “incredibly upset and scared” people who were set to be affected by the changes but had no one speaking up on their behalf.

“These aren’t the benefits-scrounging, baby-sprouting terrorists that everyone seems so afraid of,” he said.

“They’re people who have worked in the UK for years, making friends and families, building homes and communities and contributing to this country’s culture and economy.”

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BREAKING!!! Banks Want Withdrawal Limit To Be Just N10,000

A proposal to limit the over the counter cash withdrawal by bank customers to N10,000 has been tabled by the banks before the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The Sub-committee on Payments Systems and Infrastructure of the Bankers Committee last week sent the proposal to the CBN. The proposal was presented at the committee’s meeting.

The CBN is expected to “give feedback on the request”.

All this is because deposits taken by banks declined by N1.029 trillion between April 2015 and April 2016, according to a report by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Besides, more customers are finding their loans difficult to service, the report said.

But a report by CBN Deputy Governor (Economic Policy) Dr. Sarah Alade to the Bankers’ Committee meeting in Abuja attributed the reduction in deposits to the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

The banks should lend money for agriculture purpose to generate revenue, rather than disturb Nigerians

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Nigeria has the world’s 8th highest number of slaves with 875,000

Nigeria has the world’s eighth highest number of slaves with 875,500 living under slavery .It is also and a key source country for women trafficked to Europe and sold into sex work, the third Global Slavery Index has revealed.

According to the report, nearly 46 million people around the world are living as slaves, forced to work in factories, mines and farms, sold for sex, trapped in debt bondage or born into servitude.

The survey by Walk Free Foundation, the Australia-based human rights group, increased the estimated number of people in modern slavery to 45.8 million from 35.8 million in 2014.
Reuters outlined some key figures from the index below



* India is the country with the greatest number of people living in some form of modern slavery, estimated at 18.3 million
* China came second with an estimated 3.4 million slaves and Pakistan third with an estimated 2.1 million slaves
* Rounding out the top 10 were Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, North Korea, Russia, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Indonesia
* North Korea is the country with the highest estimated proportion of modern slavery with nearly one in every 20 North Koreans, or 4.37 percent of a 25 million population, living in slavery.

* Governments taking the most steps to combat modern slavery were the Netherlands, the United States, Britain, Sweden, Australia, Portugal, Croatia, Spain, Belgium and Norway
* The least action was being taken by the governments of North Korea, Iran, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Hong Kong, Central African Republic, Papua New Guinea, Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan.

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Husband and wife sell son 5 month old son for N400,000

The Lagos State Police Command arrested 28-year-old Okwuchukwu Ibekwe, who lived in Iyana Iba area of Lagos, for allegedly selling his five-month-old son to a child trafficker in Anambra State for N400,000. He said he sold his son because he was having difficulties in his trade and allegedly decided with his wife to sell him.

According to PUNCH Metro the Ibekwes sold their son to one Chinelo, who stayed in Ihiala, Anambra State and is still on the run, on December 17, 2015.

 

It was learnt that Chinelo gave the infant's Dad N250,000 while the mother of the baby's mum was supposed to get N150,000.

 

However, when Mr. Ibekwe returned from Anambra state, he refused to give the wife her share, so she reported the matter to the police and fled the house after making the report.

 

Okwuchukwu was subsequently arrested and detained at the Police Gender Unit, Ikeja, while police operatives also arrested Chinelo’s husband in Anambra State. The baby and Chinelo are yet to be found.

 

While being paraded on Wednesday, Okwuchukwu said he collected N400,000 from Chinelo in exchange for his son with his wife's consent.

He said:

“Chinelo was to give me N400,000 for the baby. My wife was the one who suggested that we dispose of the baby to meet our business needs.

“But Chinelo gave me N250,000 for the baby when I went to deliver him to her in Anambra State.

“When I returned, my wife and I quarrelled and she ran away for three days. I did not know that she went to report the matter to the police. She was concerned with her own share of N150,000.

“I sell vehicle spare parts in Ladipo market. “It was a lawyer who called me that my wife had reported me to the police, and that I should come and see her. When I went there, I was arrested.

“I do not know the whereabouts of my son. I did not know Chinelo would run away with my child.”

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, who paraded the suspect, said the case was undergoing intense investigation and efforts to recover the baby and arrest Chinelo.

 

 

 

Vanguard

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71 Year Old Pastor, Wife Arrested For Buying Stolen Baby For N500,000

A retired pastor of a pentecostal church in Abriba, Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State, Rev. Chima Egbochiogum,71, and his wife, Ugo, have been arrested for an alleged illegal adoption of a baby.

Commissioner of Police, Joshak Habila, who paraded the couple in Umuahia, alongside other suspects in connection with the incident, alleged they bought a stolen baby.

The police boss said the pastor and his wife were nabbed following a confession by a notorious child trafficker who was arrested last month for human trafficking.

According to him, the child trafficker, identified simply as Ekwutosi, stole an 11-month-old baby girl belonging to a 21- year -old pregnant mother, who he had pretended to assist.

He said Ekwutosi had approached the young woman, who had a baby out of wedlock, with promise that he would secure a job opportunity for her.

The excited woman was said to have left her baby in the custody of Ekwotosi when she went to buy food for her.

“But by the time the mother returned, Ekwutosi had disappeared with the baby,” the police commissioner said.

According to Habila, the suspect was later intercepted by the police at Owerrinta when he was allegedly trafficking pregnant girls to Port Harcourt.

He said the suspect confessed to his criminal activities including the stealing of the 11- month old baby during interrogations.

His confession led to the arrest of the pastor who allegedly adopted the stolen baby. Habila said the suspect sold the baby at the cost of N500, 000 to the wife of the pastor.

But later in an interview with journalists, the pastor said he was not aware that the baby adopted by his wife was a stolen child.

The retired cleric had married his second wife following the death of his first wife, who had born children to him.

He said he was innocent of the crime as he thought the adoption followed due process. Meanwhile, his second wife, who had yet to have a baby of her own, decided to adopt a baby.

According to the woman, she was contacted by one Maria Mba, who told her that one of her relations, a teenager, wanted to give out a baby she had out of wedlock.

She said that the baby was paid for at the premises of the Federal Medical Centre Umuahia where it was allegedly delivered to her. She also claimed that she did not know that the baby was stolen.

Meanwhile, there was a mild drama when the notorious trafficker, Ekwutosi said he did not receive up to N500,000 in the transaction claiming that the intermediary, Mba short-changed him.

But Mba said she only kept back N100,000 as her commission , insisting that she gave N400,000 to Ekwutosi.                                                                                                                          

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Man attacked & severely injured by 7 dogs gets N30,000

The 45-year-old commercial driver, Saturday Akpomose, who was attacked by seven dogs at Ajah area of Lagos State, has received N30,000 and a job offer from the owner of the dogs.

However, his family members expressed anger when they heard that Akpomose collected money from the dogs’ owner, who is a soldier.

Vanguard learned that the victim, who was admitted at Akodo General Hospital after the attack, was discharged on Friday, May 1, after about eleven days.

It was gathered that before the victim was discharged from the hospital, he demanded N5 million compensation from the soldier, but was persuaded and later given N30,000 to take care of himself, while a bag of rice and beverages were also given to his wife.

When Vanguard visited Akpomose in his residence, he said the money given to him was not a pay-off, as the man had promised to further take good care of him and his family.


He said:
 “I believe you saw all the injuries on my body. They have not healed completely. I collected the money from him because I am not a troublesome person. I have left everything to God.
“When the dogs attacked me, I tried to protect my neck, my private parts and my stomach, because I knew if the dogs touch any part of these places, I am gone.

“That was one of the reasons I decided to settle out of court with the owner of the dogs. If I had died my family member would have collected the money and enjoyed it.

“However, I cannot work with him. All I want him to do for me is to assist me in my hotel business. How can I start waiting for salary at this stage, when I have grown up children who are in the university to cater for?”
When Vanguard visited the house where the dogs are domiciled, the Chief Security Officer working in the building, who identified himself simply as Victor, said the matter had been settled out of court.

He said:
 “After we footed his medical bill, he was demanding N5 million from my boss to set up a business and feed his children, claiming that he cannot work now due to the injuries all over his body.’But to our surprise, after the incident, Akpomose’s family members came to our house and started accusing us of using him for ritual. They claimed that after the incident, we slaughtered four cows and rams to appease the gods in the house.We have told his family members, who are threatening us with law suit, that after settling with the victim, they should go ahead with whatever they want to do because we have done our best.My boss gave him a bag of rice and some beverages to take care of the children.”

It would be recalled that in the early hours of Tuesday, April 22, seven dogs, allegedly owned by a captain serving in the US marine, were reportedly being taken out of the compound to ease themselves when they attacked Akpomose.It took the intervention of residents and passers-by to rescue him from the dogs.

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Man sentenced to death for stealing mobile phone and N10,000

A 24-year-old man was sentenced to death on Monday for allegedly stealing a mobile phone and N10,000 in Delta State.

According to Guardian, the accused, 24-year-old Vincent Okwekwu along with two other accomplices who are at large, broke into an individual’s flat in November 2009, and robbed them of N10,000 and a mobile phone while armed with a gun and cutlass.

The owners of the flat raised an alarm during the incident and Okwekwu was arrested, but his accomplices escaped.

Okwekwu was convicted for “conspiracy to commit armed robbery, the substantive offence of armed robbery, which was reduced to a lesser offence of robbery.”

He was subsequently sentenced to death by hanging for the offence of conspiracy, and got a 21-year jail term for the other two counts.

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Guard leads others to rob boss of N100,000, phones (Photo)

When he arrived Lagos in May last year, Tunde Ajibike, 27, was lucky to get a job with a veterinary doctor, identified simply as Dr. Joshua. His primary assignment was to care for the dogs under his boss’s care and also undertake home visits to care for clients’ dogs.

But barely 15 days after working for Joshua, luck smiled on Ajibike as one of their clients, Mrs. Ada (not real names) offered to employ him as a guard in her house in Okota area of Lagos.

Unfortunately, that luck has landed him in detention where he is currently helping the police in an investigation into how he colluded with three others and staged a robbery attack on Ada.


When Ajibike, now a suspect, resumed duty as a guard in Ada’s house, his responsibilities were to include opening the gate, washing their cars and clothes, taking care of the dogs; four in number, and maintaining the house. For these, Ajibike enjoyed free accommodation, three-square meals and N20,000 pay at the end of the month. Life was good for him, he told Saturday PUNCH.

“Dr. Joshua was not happy that I wanted to leave but I had made up my mind because the offer to work for Mrs. Ada was a juicy offer. So I left.

Ajibike said that while he was still basking in the euphoria of a new job and enjoying his newly found job, trouble came knocking at his door when the house help of his boss, Angela, 22, approached him to arrange for some boys that would come and rob the house so they could make some money.

He said,

“Angela came to me and asked if I was being treated well, and I told her I was enjoying my work and that they used to give me money apart from my salary, but she complained to me that they were stingy to her. She said I should set them up. I disagreed but she kept disturbing me.
“She even attempted to sleep with me but I refused. I felt I had no reason to do that because the family was nice to me. After some time, she reduced the food she was giving me, and sometimes she wouldn’t give me at all. I complained to madam about the food, but she said I should sort myself with Angela.
“She kept disturbing me to arrange some boys to come and rob madam since the husband was not always in the house and when the pressure was too much on me, I agreed.”

He said,

“One day, it was just the two of us and she came again. I was confused, so I spoke to one of my friends, Suraju Raheem, who later introduced me to another guy, Skelewu. I gave Suraju’s and Skelewu’s numbers to Angela, so she arranged with them.
“On January 28, 2015, the day of the incident, Madam’s husband had travelled to the East, so Angela said I should open the gate for the robbers before madam came back in the night, so I allowed them in and told them to stay in the generator house. She said madam had some money which the husband gave to her before travelling, hence, that would be a good time to rob her.
“They were three; Suraju, Skelewu and one other person whom I had not met before. I gave them my cutlass, the knife I used in peeling orange, and the rope I used in spreading my clothe, in case they would need it.”

Ajibike explained that the moment the madam drove in around 8pm, two of the robbers, who had been lurking around, went in with her and they headed straight to her bedroom, tied her legs and hands on the bed and demanded money.

He stated that Angela had already taken care of the children, saying that in a bid to make him look innocent, one of the guys gave him a slap and he started begging them. Possibly what gave Ajibike away was that one of the guys mentioned his name while the incident lasted.

“Angela also joined us, lying on the floor and crying. And one of the guys mentioned my name. When they finished, they collected money from her and left, leaving her with an injury on one of her ears. When they left, madam said she suspected that I had a hand in the incident but that she would come back to it, so she drove herself to the hospital, and before she came back, I packed my things and left the house. Angela actually advised me to run so that she wouldn’t call the police to arrest me,” he stated.

After leaving the house that night, Ajibike said his conscience kept nagging him. Thus, he said he spoke to the friend who had linked him with the doctor earlier. He said they both went to the Alakara Police Station, Ibadan to report the incident.

“Then, I was detained and transferred to Lagos. I have not heard from the guys, I did not collect anything from them, I was just hoodwinked to dupe those who had been good to me, and now I’m regretting my action. I didn’t even know how much they stole. The girl messed me up and now I’m suffering for it.”

A police source said the police had yet to link Angela to the story, saying investigation was ongoing.

Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Kenneth Nwosu, promise to call back to comment on the story but had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.

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Unemployed Man And Wife Arrested For Selling His Only Child For N500,000 (Photo)

Ani, an unemployed indigene of Abia State, who is currently being quizzed by investigators at the Department of Criminal Investigation, Yaba, Lagos had just had his first child, a boy, from his second wife, 23-year-old Joy.

His first wife, Victoria had no child yet. If one expected that Ani’s newborn son would be a bundle of joy for him and his family, one would be right. Unfortunately, the joy that came to Ani’s heart was for a totally different reason.

“I am jobless, I had no money and was suffering along with my family. Then a strange thought entered my mind,” he told police investigators.

Ani’s strange thought was not about urgently looking for a job to take care of his family and the new addition; neither was it about obtaining a loan that could help him resuscitate his business.

He had found a way out of his dire financial troubles – looking for a buyer for his son.

“I thought about it for a while, and I realised that since the baby was mine, I could do whatever I wanted with him,” he told the police

But Ani realised he could not broker the deal alone and thought about the closest person he could share such a strange thought with – his first wife,Punch reports.

Victoria, an Ebonyi State indigene, who had been married to her husband without a child for more than three years, instantly jumped at the idea.

She was saddled with the responsibility of finding a buyer.

A police source who was privy to the case, told our correspondent that Victoria found a buyer who agreed to pay N500,000 for the baby.

“The husband brought Joy from Abia State and lodged her at a motel in Orile area of Lagos. He took the baby from her under the guise of taking the baby to the clinic for treatment,” the source said.

Our correspondent learnt that if not for the employees of the motel, Joy would have died in the room in which she was lodged.

It was learnt that in order to ensure Joy did not venture out of the motel, her husband locked her in when he left with the baby.

She was only rescued four days later, when a motel employee who was concerned that the room had not been opened for a while, asked a floor manager to unlock the door.

“By the time they found the woman, she could not even speak properly anymore, she was too weak. She had no phone with her. She had not eaten for a long time,” the police said.

It was after Joy was stabilised that she managed to narrate what had happened and gave information on how her husband could be found by the police from the Orile division.

Our police source said, “We eventually found him and he also led us to where we arrested his first wife. The woman told us that she only agreed with the husband after he pressured her to go along with the plan.

“The first thing the man said was that he only gave the child out since it was his to give and that he did not actually collect money. But we later learnt that he gave him out N500,000 was agreed.”

The police have arrested the buyer of the baby, whose identity is still being kept secret.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that Ani and his first wife still maintain that no money had exchanged hands but the investigators at the DCI told Saturday PUNCH that whether they had been paid for the baby or not, they would get to the root of the matter.

When our correspondent visited the DCI, it was learnt that investigators had prevented journalists from photographing the suspects.

A relations of the first wife, whom our correspondent saw at the department explained that he could not comment as efforts were being made by their families to settle the issue.

The spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Kenneth Nwosu, told Saturday PUNCH that the baby had been recovered unharmed and reunited with his mother.

Sale of children by parents now a trend

It is true that Ani’s case is indeed a strange abomination but it is not unheard of. In recent times, The PUNCHhas reported a couple of cases in which children have either been sold like a mere commodity or given out as collateral for loan.

Just last week Friday, February 27, 2014, PUNCH reported how a middle-aged farmer, George Maduabuchi, in Owerrinta, Abia State allegedly sold his 14-month-old son for N300,000.

The man, who already had three children connived with another suspect to sell the child to a herbalist when the baby fell ill. When the herbalist told him he could not heal the child, he simply sold him to the man.

In another report, a Bakassi refugee father, 40-year-old Edet Okon, gave up her 12-year-old daughter, Mary, as a collateral for a loan of N600,000. One of the many reasons cited by the father at the time was that his first daughter was battling blood cancer and the loan was for her treatment.

Also, much earlier than this, in May 2013, there was a report on a pregnant woman and her husband that sold their unborn baby for N200,000 even though the pregnancy was still seven months old at the time.

There seems to be a shift in the worrisome trend of baby factories which came to public knowledge in 2013 in Nigeria.

Between 2013 and 2014, not less than 10 baby factories were uncovered in the south-east of Nigeria.

The girls and young women who were recovered in baby factories in the past cited both poverty and unwanted pregnancies as reasons for falling victims of ‘baby merchants’ in the country.

But what happens when parents resort to selling off their children?

Sociologist, Mr. Monday Ahibogwu, explained that this signals a dangerous trend that calls for concern and an urgent intervention.

But for him, the problem does not originate from the parents who decide to sell off their children or lapses in law enforcement in the country.

He said, “These are all signs of modern slavery. The problem is not about those who sell their children or the law enforcement agencies in the country but the people who create the market by patronising black markets.

“There are reasons why human traders operate successfully. They take advantage of the fact that there are many childless women looking for children.

“No evidence has actually come up but there are reports that children actually go missing in hospitals where they would have been stolen by people who sell them off.”

Ahibowgu explained that some of the strange crimes seen in Nigeria can be attributed to population explosion.

The sociologist said as society becomes more and more metropolitan in nature, certain vices rear up their ugly heads.

He said, “The demand for survival also comes into play. The high level of decadence in bigger cities cannot be compared to that in the smaller communities.

“Poverty sometimes brings a warped sense of vindictiveness. It is just the decadence in the society. Even with all the decadent behaviours even in developed countries, there are clear-cut rules against selling of a human being. Sanctions against such are usually heavy.”

Rev. Christianah George, who is the founder of Little Saints Orphanage, Lagos had explained that it is ignorance that makes people go into the criminal act of buying children when there is the option of legal adoption.

George, who expressed surprise about such a trend, simply explained that it was an abomination that should be stamped out before it becomes a common crime in Nigeria.

She said, “I don’t think it means that wives should now become careful whenever their husbands handle their babies. It is simply a very unique crime.

“What we see most of the time is that pregnant homeless and unemployed young girls look for people to buy their children and use the money to rehabilitate themselves.

“But this is a terrible case that must be stamped out and dealt with urgently. We have to be careful so that this ugly trend does not fester in our country.”

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Photo: Court jails fraudster for duping Australian $800,000

Find the EFCC Press statement below...

Justice Kudirat Jose of a Lagos High Court, has convicted and sentenced Promise Ntuen Ekemini to one year imprisonment, for hijacking the e-mail of a lawful owner of a property, located in Western Australia valued at $800,000 and attempting to sell the property. 

He was arraigned in April, 2014 on a 5-count charge bordering on conspiracy to defraud, attempt to obtain money by false pretences and forgery. Justice Jose found him guilty of all the charges and convicted him. His sentence will from the day of his arraignment. 

Ekemini got into trouble by impersonating Brian Roderick Daniel, owner of a property located at No. 143, Sprinaway Parade, Falcon, Western Australia and offering his property to buyers on the internet without the consent of the owner. The Australian Police alerted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to monitor a controlled delivery of some documents related to the transactions to Ekemini. He was arrested at the point of collection of the documents.

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Smuggler Caught After Swallowing More Than 80 Plastic Bags Stuffed With $100,000

A Venezuelan man who tried to smuggle $103,500 out of Jamaica after he swallowed more than 80 plastic packages containing notes eight months ago has been sentenced to three months in prison.  Eddy Alberio Mancipe Oretga, 41, was arrested at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay as he attempted to make his way to Trinidad. It took him two days to pass out the plastic packages which equal £62,000.

He however didn’t serve any jail term as directed by the court because he already spent 8 months in police custody and was immediately deported from the country.

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Hotel Fires Employee Who Sold Jay Z & Solange’s Fight Video For $250,000

Standard Hotel management yesterday announced that they have discovered the staff who sold Jay Z and Solange’s elevator fight to TMZ and the staff has been sacked.


According to them the staff was sacked for "breaching the security polices of the hotel and recording the confidential CCTV video" which was against the hotel rules.

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Shocking : Woman Sells Her Son's New Born Baby For N350,000 [Pictured]

A 52-year-old woman in Ezinihitte Mbaise Lo­cal Government Area, Imo State, Mrs. Tina Iwuji, is currently gnashing her teeth in the custody of the Imo State Police Command after she allegedly sold her son's two weeks old baby.

The two-week-old baby girl was sold for the sum of N350,000 to another wom­an, Bernadine Abara, who claimed to be in need of a girl to complement her three sons.

The whole sordid affair began when Iwuji’s son, Emeka, who resides in Lagos impregnated the mother of the baby, Esther Godwin, a native of Ndoki, Delta State and then sent her to be with his mother in Mbaise. Both Emeka and Esther never disclosed to the woman that her son was responsible for the pregnancy.

Perhaps worried as a dili­gent mother ought to be, Tina inquired from Esther whether her mother was aware of her pregnancy and her presence in her house in Mbaise.

Recalling that conversation, Tina told Sunday Sun: 

“It was my son Emeka Iwuji who brought Esther as a friend not a wife from Lagos to my home in Mbaise, Imo State. I asked Esther who was responsible for her pregnancy and she said it was not my son. I asked her what was her mission and whether her mother was aware that she came to Mbaise but she said no. She came to the house on January 7, 2014.

Confirming this to Sunday Sun in an interview, Esther said: 

My husband, Emeka, impregnated me in Lagos and took me to his family house in Mbaise, Imo State. I didn’t tell his mother that he was re­sponsible for the pregnancy.”

According to Imo State Police Commissioner, Mr Abdulmajid , Esther delivered a baby girl on April 11, 2014 at Hope Clinic and Maternity, Mbaise. Hearing that Esther had safely delivered the baby, Emeka allegedly called his mother on the phone and instructed that she should ar­range for the sale of the baby and the money realized be giv­en to Esther to enable her to continue with her education in Lagos State.

Subsequently Tina began pressuring Esther to submit to the evil intent of selling the baby to an adoption syndicate operating in the area.

Esther continued:

 “When I delivered, my husband told his mother that she should sell the baby girl and give me the money to go back to Lagos. My mother-in-law was desperate to sell the baby girl.”

At this point, a nurse who is part of the baby adoption/ sales syndicate, Eunice Eze came into the picture and in­vited another woman, Patricia Njoku, who identified a willing buyer, Mrs Benardine Abara.

With all arrangements in place, the sticking point was the unwillingness of Esther to agree to the evil design against her baby. To effect their plan, Tina allegedly ordered her younger broth­er, Nicholas Imoh to convey Esther to a certain place. Somewhere along the way, on Oparache road, Aboh Mbaise LGA, he stopped and forcefully took the baby away from Esther and handed it over to Patricia, who took the baby to Nurse Eze for onward delivery to Bernardine, who claimed to be in need of a baby girl and paid N350,000 for the baby.

In tears, Esther rushed to the Mbaise police station to report the case. Policemen quickly moved and arrested the alleged culprits and also recovered the baby. It was during police in­terrogation that Tina learnt that her son was responsible for Esther’s pregnancy. 

With visible agony, she said: 

“It was when I was arrested with the other people that Esther confessed that my son Emeka was responsible for her preg­nancy. I was shocked.”

On her part, Bernardine acknowledged buying the baby that was brought to her house but, however, said she was not aware that it was stolen from the mother. She said: 

“I have three boys and I needed a female baby. I paid N350,000 and she was handed over to me by Nurse Eunice Eze. They gave me the baby on April 13, 2014 around 6.00pm. The following day, policemen came to arrest me in my house. They (Nurse Eze and the others) had told me earlier that the adoption was perfected.”

All the people involved are now waiting to tell their stories in court.

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Lagos Bus Conductor Allegedly Jumps Into Atlantic Ocean After Stealing N40,000

A 26-year-old bus conductor, Nurudeen Suleiman, who allegedly jumped into the Atlantic Ocean after stealing N40, 000, was on Tuesday charged before a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court, Lagos. The accused, whose address is unknown, is facing a charge of stealing before Magistrate Salama Matepo.The prosecutor, SP Austin Orji, said the accused committed the offence on March 30 at about 4.30 p.m. at the Bar Beach on Victoria Island, Lagos.

He alleged that the accused had approached the complainant, one Mr Segun for some financial assistance.

 “The man had brought out some naira notes to give Suleiman and in the process, some fell off. “The accused on the pretext of helping to pick the money kept N40, 000 and handed over the rest to the complainant. “The complainant suspected a foul play and before he knew it, Suleiman had jumped into the Atlantic Ocean to avoid being caught. “He stayed in the ocean for about 30 minutes to allow the divers that had attempted to arrest him leave,’’ Orji said.

He said the accused was later apprehended by some security men when he came out. The offence, Orji noted, contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Suleiman, however, pleaded not guilty. In his ruling, the magistrate granted the accused bail in the sum of N20, 000 with one surety in like sum and adjourned the case to April 23.(NAN)

Source: Vanguard

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Kate Henshaw rewards upcoming comedian with N50,000

Movie star, Kate Henshaw recently rewarded a Comedian with N50, 000 for a sterling performance during a performance at the Nigeria Got Talent TV show.

The 19-year-old Comedian, Laff Doctor, who is a finalist in the ongoing Nigeria’s Got Talent Season 2, wowed the Nollywood Actress with his wholesome comedy performance.

“I am sorry to the producers of this show for doing this, but I owe you N50,000. Your energy and timing is fantastic,” Kate announced and the audience screamed for joy.

The young man further earned a standing ovation from other judges, Yibo Koko and Dan Foster after his performance.

The winner of the second season of the show gets a whooping sum of N10 million

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Brazilian student, 20, agrees to sell her virginity for $780,000 after putting it up for auction online

Catarina Migliorini 

• Student Catarina Migliorini makes deal with Japanese man named Natsu
• He faced strong competition from an Indian man and two Americans
• Claims she is not a prostitute because she is only selling her body once
• She will be followed by film crew for a documentary called Virgins Wanted
• Man also being featured in the documentary nets $3,000 for his virginity

A Brazilian student is set to sell her virginity for a staggering $780,000 after she put it up for auction online.
A man called Natsu, from Japan, fended off strong competition from American bidders Jack Miller and Jack Right, and Indian big-spender Rudra Chatterjee, to secure a date with 20-year-old Catarina Migliorini.
The auction closed this morning, and the physical education student - who said she will use the cash to build homes for poverty-stricken families - was the subject of 15 bids.

Catarina's move sparked outrage across the globe, with many claiming she was little more than a prostitute.
She also caused controversy when she revealed she would be followed every step of the way by an Australian crew for a documentary film called Virgins Wanted.

Catarina Migliorini

But she said: 'I saw this as a business. I have the opportunity to travel, to be part of a movie and get a bonus with it.
'If you only do it once in your life then you are not a prostitute, just like if you take one amazing photograph it does not automatically make you a photographer.
'The auction is just business, I'm a romantic girl at heart and believe in love. But this will make a big difference to my area,'  she told Folha newspaper.

Catarina will be 'delivered' to her buyer on board a plane between Australia and the U.S. - being interviewed before and after the sexual act.
The intercourse itself will not be filmed and Natsu will retain a right to be anonymous, without his picture appearing in the media.

Sex toys will be banned from use and a condom will be compulsory, with Catarina saying she was prepared to prove to any sceptics that she has not had sex before.
Natsu will be tested for sexually transmitted diseases prior to the encounter.
A male virgin called Alexander, who is also being followed as part of director Justin Selsey's documentary, sold for $3,000 to a Brazilian woman called Nene B.
Catarina previously said she wanted to plough the money - $20,000 and 90 per cent of the final auction sale price - into a non-governmental organisation which will construct modern houses in her southern home state of Santa Catarina.
She signed up to the project two years ago when she saw an advert by Thomas Williams Productions looking for a virgin to film.

VIDEO: Catarina shows off her assets on the beach

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Medical Doctor Killed by Church Member Because of N5,000

A medical doctor with the Federal Psychiatric Hospital, Calabar, Cross River State.

Dr. Chibueze Onunkwo, has been killed by his landlady’s daughter-in-law (names withheld) following a disagreement between his wife and the assailant over a pledge made by his wife.

The doctor’s wife had pledged N5,000 to the church where the assailant worshiped and later redeemed the pledge.

But the suspect was said to have continued to demand that she redeem her ‘N25,000 pledge’.

Sources said the cause of the quarrel between the two women was over the controversial balance of N20,000. The doctor’s wife had insisted that she pledged N5,000 but the suspect insisted she must redeem N25,000 and even attacked her during argument. The doctor then intervened; he confronted the suspect who was said to have hit him on the head with an object. Unfortunately, he slumped and died.

However, the suspect has denied committing the crime, claiming that the late doctor and his wife were the ones that attacked her for allegedly assisting the wife to protect her marriage. The incident took place at their residence located on No. 2, Oyo Efan Street, off Palm Street, Calabar.

Meanwhile, the Cross River State chapter of Nigeria Medical Association, has accused the police of trying to cover up the matter. The Calabar branch of the association, Dr. Ofem Enang said: “NMA strongly condemns the attitude of the police and we ask the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, through the state Commissioner of Police, to carry out a thorough investigation to ensure that justice is done.”

State Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent Hogan Bassey, confirmed the incident, but disclosed that investigation is still ongoing and that further details will be made available later.

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