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Court Remands Judges, Cashiers, Registrars And Other Court Staff Over Alleged N500m Theft.

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A cashier with the Kano State Sharia Court Division, Hussaina Imam, and 14 others including judges and registrars were on Wednesday evening arraigned and remanded in a correctional centre for allegedly committing offences bordering on criminal conspiracy, joint act, criminal breach of trust by public servants, theft and forgery.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The offences run contrary to Sections 97, 79, 315 and 289 of the Penal Code Law.

When the case came up on Wednesday before Chief Magistrate Mustapha Sa’ad Datti, the prosecution counsel, Zaharaddeen Mata, prayed the court to grant him leave for the content of the First Information Report be read to the defendants, pursuant to Section 129 (7) of Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2019 of Kano State.

According to the FIR, “On 20th August, 2021 an official complaint was received at the Kano State Public Complain and Anti-Corruption Commission from Kano State ministry of justice, that sometimes ago in the year 2020/2021 you Bashir Ali Kurawa “M”, Saadatu Umar “f”, Tijjani Abdullahi “m”, Maryam Jibrin Garba “f”, Shamsu Sani “m” and you Hussaina Iman “f” you committed an offence of criminal conspiracy in which you Hussaina Imam used your official position as cashier in the Kano State Sharia Court of Appeal and conspired with the aforementioned persons and one Suleiman “m” (now at large) and forged the letterhead papers/sheets of Sharia Court of Appeal, forged the signatures of the two signatories to the Stanbic IBTC bank account 0020667440 belonging to Kano State Sharia Court of Appeal and stole money to the tune of four hundred and eighty four million, sixty seven thousand, three hundred and twenty seven naira and seven Kobo (N484,067,327:07) by fraudulently authorising the bank to transfer the said amount to various bank accounts without the knowledge and/or consent of the authorised body/persons.

Similarly, in another separate charge, the defendants were arraigned for the alleged offences of criminal conspiracy, joint act, criminal breach of trust by a public servant and theft by a clerk or servant contrary to Sections 97, 79, 315 and 289 of Penal Code.

“That on 29th August, 2021, an official complaint was received by the Commission from Kano State Ministry of Justice, that sometime ago in the year 2018 to 2021 you Sani Ali Muhammad “m”, Sani Buba Aliyu “m”, Bashir Baffa “m”, Garzali Wada “m”, Hadi Tijjani Mu’azu “m”, Alkasim Abdullahi “m”, Yusuf Abdullahi “m”, Mustapha Bala Ibrahim “m”, Jafar Ahmad “m”, Adamu Balarabe “m”, Aminu Abdulkadir “m”, Abdullahi Suleiman Zango “m”, Garba Yusuf “m”, Bashir Ali Kurawa “m” and you Hussaina Imam “f” criminally conspired, breached the trust in you as a public servant, acted jointly and create 15 fake civil servants’ death benefit files and fraudulently siphoned funds to the tune of ninety six million, two hundred and fifty thousand naira (N96,250,000.00) that was remitted by the Kano State Pension Fund Trustee to the bank accounts of Kano State Sharia Court Appeal and stole the said amount through eight Sharia Courts under the Kano State Sharia Court Appeal without the consent and knowledge of the authorising authority.” The First Information Report Reads.

All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Meanwhile, counsel representing them applied for the court to admit the defendants on bail.

In their separate submissions, Garzali Datti Ahmad, Sani Yakubu Ibrahim, Mubarak Mai Wada, Bashir Ahmad and Mustapha Hussein urged the court to exercise its jurisdiction judicially and judiciously.

They argued that the application was brought pursuant to Sections 35 and 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (1999 as amended) and Sections 168 and 172 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2019 of Kano.

In his response to the bail applications by the defense counsels, Mata urged the court to consider the huge amount involved in the case while granting the bail.

“Considering the huge amount involved in the alleged crime, we urge the court pursuant to section 175 of ACJL 2019 to order the defendants to deposit some amount of money or valued property as security.

The trial Magistrate, Mustapha Sa’ad Datti, adjourned the case to February 1, 2023, for hearing and ordered the remand of all the defendants in the correctional centre.

 

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Crime

Phil Foden Declares Legal War Over “Sickening” Fake News About His Children.

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Manchester City star Phil Foden has taken legal steps after malicious online rumours about his children went viral, sparking concern among fans and outrage from his family.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

According to Nivo News, the England midfielder became a victim of false social media claims alleging that one of his children had died while another was diagnosed with cancer. The fabricated posts, featuring AI-generated images of Foden and his partner, Rebecca Cooke, appearing distraught, spread rapidly across platforms such as Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).

Sources disclosed that Foden’s management team has enlisted a top legal firm to identify the individuals behind the hoax and demand the removal of the defamatory content from all online spaces.

One widely shared post falsely claimed that Foden’s six-year-old son, Ronnie, had passed away, while another alleged that his four-year-old daughter, True, was suffering from cancer. These fabricated stories, shared by fake fan accounts posing as Manchester City supporters, caused Foden’s name to trend online as sympathetic fans unknowingly sent condolence messages.

Reacting to the incident, Cooke, who shares three children with Foden, took to Instagram to denounce the disturbing fabrications, calling them “sickening.”

“We are aware of the pages and accounts spreading these lies. They are completely false and very disturbing,” she wrote. “I don’t understand how people can make up such stories about anyone, especially about children. It’s truly disgusting.”

She also assured followers that the family was in good health and urged the public to report any accounts promoting the falsehoods. “Thank God we are all fine, and thank you for your concern,” she added.


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Crime

Police Recover Two Luxury Cars Stolen From Netherlands

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Nigeria Police Force has recovered two luxury vehicles stolen from the Netherlands and shipped illegally into the country, officials said Monday.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Police said the cars — a 2020 Toyota C-HR and a 2019 Toyota RAV4 — were traced to locations in Lagos and Akwa Ibom states. The vehicles were stolen from Amsterdam and the Midden-Nederland region before being transported through Belgium’s Port of Antwerp and arriving at the Apapa Port in Lagos late last year.

The operation was coordinated by the Nigeria Police Force’s National Central Bureau (NCB) of INTERPOL in Abuja, working closely with its Dutch counterpart in The Hague. After weeks of tracking and intelligence exchange, the two cars were located and seized during separate operations in southern Nigeria.

Police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin said the recovery was the result of a joint investigation with international partners. “The successful recovery and repatriation of the vehicles reflect the Force’s firm commitment to global law enforcement cooperation and to ensuring that criminal networks involved in cross-border vehicle theft and smuggling are denied the proceeds of their crimes,” Hundeyin said in a statement.

Following the recovery, the police filed for civil forfeiture at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The court granted a final order in favor of the Dutch government through the vehicles’ insurance company, authorizing the legal return of the property.

On Sunday, representatives of the insurance company and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria officially received the two vehicles at the INTERPOL NCB office in Abuja.

Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun commended the officers involved for their professionalism and effective collaboration with global partners. “This achievement underscores the importance of intelligence-led policing and the value of international cooperation in fighting transnational crimes,” he said.

Vehicle theft and smuggling remain major challenges for law enforcement agencies worldwide. Experts say criminal syndicates often use complex routes — involving multiple countries and shipping channels — to conceal the origins of stolen vehicles. Nigeria, with its active maritime trade routes, has been identified as one of several African destinations for such illicit imports.

Authorities said the case demonstrates how close coordination between national and international agencies can lead to successful recovery and restitution. The NPF added that it will continue to strengthen monitoring systems at ports and improve vehicle registration checks to prevent similar incidents.

Legal analysts also noted that the case highlights the growing effectiveness of mutual assistance between Nigeria and European nations in handling cross-border property crimes. By securing a court-ordered forfeiture before repatriation, officials ensured transparency and compliance with international standards.

For the victims in the Netherlands, the return of the vehicles marks the conclusion of a months-long recovery process. It also sends a warning to criminal groups that the long arm of international law enforcement is closing in on global car theft networks.

The Nigeria Police said it remains committed to deepening cooperation with INTERPOL member countries and other law enforcement agencies worldwide to tackle crimes that cross borders. Officials added that similar joint operations are underway to track additional stolen assets potentially smuggled into the country.

The successful recovery of the two vehicles, police say, is not only a victory for the victims but also a demonstration of Nigeria’s growing capacity to engage in complex international policing operations.

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Crime

EFCC Warns “Yahoo Boys” Turning to Spiritual Rituals

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Lagos, Nigeria — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) issued a strong warning Monday to internet fraudsters, known locally as “Yahoo boys,” saying they are now using spiritual rituals to boost their scams.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

In a post on its official X account (formerly Twitter), the EFCC said, “G-boys are now going spiritual, involving themselves in rituals and making it the new usual. EFCC will come for any individual. Then, it won’t be business as usual.”

Authorities described this trend, sometimes called “Yahoo Plus,” as involving occult practices — including the use of human body parts — to improve the success of fraudulent schemes. Investigators say some scammers believe these rituals will protect them from law enforcement.

The EFCC said the warning comes as cybercrime in Nigeria evolves. For years, “Yahoo boys” have defrauded victims abroad through romance scams, phishing, fake online identities, and other digital fraud methods. Now, the agency says, scammers are combining these tactics with ritual practices.

Although no new arrests were immediately linked solely to ritual-based fraud, the EFCC pointed to ongoing prosecutions where spiritual elements were reportedly involved. In one case in Jos, Plateau State, a bishop and others are facing trial for running a cooperative-investment scam.

The commission urged banks, telecom companies, and the public to help identify suspicious transactions and warned citizens to avoid individuals promising quick wealth or spiritual assistance.

Experts say the addition of ritual practices signals a dangerous escalation in Nigeria’s cyber-fraud landscape. Combining fraud with occult practices may indicate deeper organized crime networks and complicate investigations. Some observers also warn that victims may be afraid to come forward, making prosecutions harder.

Civil society groups welcomed the EFCC’s alert but stressed the need for follow-through. “Issuing warnings is important,” said an anti-fraud advocate in Lagos. “But what matters is arrests, prosecutions, and asset recovery.”

The EFCC said it will increase surveillance of digital platforms, work with traditional and spiritual authorities, and expand international cooperation to combat fraud. It also plans to release guidelines for banks and telecom operators to identify transactions linked to ritual-based scams.

The agency made it clear that the era of “business as usual” for internet fraudsters is over. Law enforcement officials said those involved in cybercrime, with or without ritual backing, will face prosecution.

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