Crime
Magistrate sentences two to 16 years over forgery in Niger
The Chief Magistrate Court 2 located on David Mark Road Tunga, Minna, has convicted and sentenced two persons to a total of sixteen years imprisonment for forgery.
They were convicted and sentenced on four count charge which included criminal conspiracy, forgery, giving false evidence and using evidence knowing it to be false.
According to the Police Prosecutor, Abdullahi Mayaki DSP, the four count charge were punishable under section 97,161,258 and 364 of the penal code.
The two convicts include the Secretary to the District Head of Guni in Muyan Local Government Area of Niger state Ahmed Musa and a farmer Yakubu Tukura.
They were found guilty on four count charge brought against them by the operatives of anti-fraud squad of the State Investigation Bureau (SIB) of the Niger state police command.
According to the Police First Information Report (FIR) made available in court and obtained by our reporter, one Alhaji Isah Makama, of Zhalakpe complained to the police, that during “pendency of a case between them and Yakubu Tukura of the same address was involved in land before a Shariah Court in Gwada.
“The said court in the spirit of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), referred the same matter to District head Palace in Guni where settlement failed which you Ahmed Musa, the Secretary to the District head conspired with you, Yakubu Tukura of Zhalakpe without the consent and authority of the District head of Guni to forge a letter purportedly to court by the District head to read that the matter has been resolved amicably in favour you Yakubu Tukura”
The police Prosecutor further told the court that police detectives swung into action and during investigation it was revealed that both of you conspired and forged a purported terms of settlement and used it to obtain judgment against the nominal complainant, Isah Makama.
The trial which lasted for almost six years the charges was amended by the police which the Chief Magistrates Fatima Hassan Umar gave her verdict against the two convicts.
In over two hour judgment delivered on Friday the Presiding Chief Magistrate Hajiya Fatima Hassan Umar held that the Police Prosecutor, Abdullahi Mayaki DSP has proved the four count charge brought against the convicts beyond reasonable doubt “and they are hereby Convicted accordingly.”
“The four count charge of criminal conspiracy, contrary to section 97, forgery contrary to section 258, giving false evidence, contrary to section 161 and using evidence knowing it to be false contrary to section 364 of the penal code has been established and proved beyond every reasonable doubt by the prosecutor and they are found guilty accordingly” she averred.
While passing her judgment, Hajiya Fatima Hassan Umar sentenced the two convicts to eight years imprisonment each with an option of fine of two hundred thousand Naira in addition to pay the sum of three hundred thousand Naira to the nominal complainant to cushion the expenses he incurred during the trial.
Groups operating under the aegis of the Human Rights, Liberty Access and Peace Defenders’ Foundation (HURIDE) and Campaign for Democracy (CD) South East Zone have called on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to release ritualists and native doctors in detention.
The groups said, the Qnambra Governor should use the three years anniversary of his office to release the ritualists who have been in detention in the government house.
The appeal was contained in a joint statement by the Executive Director of the Human Rights body, CD South East Zonal Chairman Dede Uzor A.Uzor, the groups said he should use their release as a gift to their families in this season and occasion of three years in office.
The group named the native doctors as: Akwa Okuko tiwara Aku in Oba, Eke Hit from Okija and Onyeze Jesus from Nkpor.
The trio were arrested in connection with “spurious and obnoxious social media instigation on our youths” which painted a very bad image for the society.
The group lamented that the native doctors encouraged ostentatious lifestyle and crime, making our youths to believe that hard work doesn’t pay unless you engaged in unwholesome criminal activities like ‘okeite’ or ‘Awale, yahoo plus’ among other false lifestyles.
It also said “their activities promoted serious insecurity and tension in the state with teeming young people turning to such criminal and outlandish lifestyles.
“But since their arrest, we believe they have learnt a big lesson”.
The group advised that Soludo should make them sign undertaking with the hope of discontinuing such crude, unethical and diabolical activities in line with the extant laws of the State,” they appealed to the Governor.
HURIDE said Governor Soludo should grant amnesty to them in the spirit of this successful celebration of three years in office, saying that he has done so much to improve the lives of citizens of the State.
CAPITAL POST recalled that the Soludo administration has been clamping on criminal elements amid high number of missing persons believed to be orchestrated by ritualists in the State.
Crime
Ghana’s anti-drug agency nabs Nigerian drug kingpin, Uchechukwu Chima, seizes $2.1m worth of cocaine, heroin
Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has arrested a drug kingpin of Nigerian origin from the South East , Uchechukwu Chima.
The commission operatives raided his hideout in Accra.
Chima, who is 56 years was arrested on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, following the discovery of 192kg of cocaine and 0.42kg of heroin, valued at $2.1 million on the streets.
The acting Director of of Public Affairs and International Relations at NACOC, Francis Amoah speaking on the matter in Accra, confirmed that the substances seized were indeed cocaine and heroin.
Authorities believe Chima has played a significant role in previous drug-related operations in the country.
He said the operation marks a critical success in the ongoing fight against drug trafficking in Ghana.
“NACOC remains committed to making the country a hostile environment for drug trade and ensuring the safety of both Ghanaians and the international community.”
The Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, attached to Police Mobile Force, 70 Squadron, Kabba today Friday 14th March, 2025 foiled abduction of passengers along Ayere road. This is consequent upon a distress that some armed hoodlums blocked the road in an attempt to abduct some passengers in a Vehicle.
On receipt of the distress call, reinforcement teams from Sharper Corner pindown were promptly mobilized and sent to the scene which equally engaged the hoodlums, and owing to the superior fire power of the Police, the hoodlums fled into the bush and abandoned their victims who were rescued by the Police.
The Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Command, CP Miller G. Dantawaye, has ordered the deployment of additional operational and tactical assets of the Command to embark on thorough combing of the surrounding bushes with a view to apprehending the hoodlums and bringing them to deserved justice.
The CP while commending the unwavering dedication by the men of 70 PMF, Kabba, assured the public that the Police will not rest on its oars in the fight against criminality in the State.
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