Crime
Fraud: D’banj’s Lawyer Requests His Release 48 hours After His Arrest
....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
“That D’banj has dutifully cooperated with the Commission in the course of their investigation and demonstrated a shared zeal to help the Commission make its impassioned and honest findings on the matter as he is interested in clearing his name as well,” the lawyer said.
He added that after Wednesday’s interview session, “we were informed he would be released as a matter of course having found nothing on him and with no further grounds for his continued detention. However, the Chairman of the Commission was required to sign off on his immediate release before it could be effected and that never happened.
“We were at the Commission today (Thursday) to give D’banj the required legal representation and all we waited for was still the ‘approval from above’ that never came. D’banj was also not interviewed today on any other issue before his lawyers.”
“While holding on to the sustained hope that D’banj will not somehow become the victim of targeted blackmail or faceless malice from certain quarters with perhaps vested interest in his downfall, we want to reassure the general public and the Commission by implication that we are fully ready and willing to cooperate to the extent of the law that makes for the finding of the truth in this matter which we take quite seriously,” the statement said.
D’Banj’s lawyer sought the provision of names of government officials allegedly involved in colluding with the singer to perpetuate the alleged fraud.
“We in the same vein reiterate that D’banj has no such access nor colluded with any government officials over any dubious transaction. The very allegation is a nightmare that must be dissipated by an assertion of the truth of D’banj’s unimpeachable innocence.
“As a matter of course, we now place a major demand on the oversight Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to immediately cause the release of the names of the government officials alleged to have colluded with D’banj and the investigation of same should be made public. We also demand that the ministry should make public immediately money alleged to have been traced to D’banj’s account.
“We call on the National Assembly’s Public Account Committee to open a wide investigation into the N-Power scheme through an open and all-free entry public hearing without protecting any sacred cows.
“It is alarming and incongruous to design such an allegation against D’banj who does not have access to government accounts or government platforms to have been alleged to have diverted such huge sums without any single government official in custody with him.
“We have opted to treat this matter with all sense of diligence and with the benefit of doubt extended to the Commission given that we are mindful the Commission is headed by a Professor of Law and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria whom we believe reckons with the principle that an accused is innocent until proven guilty and would constitutionally comply with same,” Olajengbesi said.
“It is to this end that we implore the Commission to be mindful of having detained D’banj beyond the constitutionally allowed limits without a charge made in court, following which we encourage the Commission to have him brought before a competent court with the necessary charges forthwith or duly release him while continuing their investigation which we understand can be a demanding and pressing task.
“D’banj is innocent of all the laughable allegations and deliberate publicity and has demonstrated patriotism by encouraging the Commission and such an act in good faith must not be unfairly rewarded,” he added.
According to Nivo News, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) welcomed 5,000 new members in Abia State on Saturday, following the recent entry of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, into the party.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The mass defection was led by Bishop Emeka Nwankpa, the 2023 governorship candidate of the Accord Party, in his hometown of Umuaku, Ntigha, Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area. Supporters who joined him also left their former political affiliations, including the South East Mandate for Good Governance, to align with the ADC.
Nwankpa explained that his decision to join the ADC was driven by a strong conviction, noting that the party’s manifesto resonates with his political philosophy, emphasizing people-oriented governance, social justice, and sustainable development. He described the ADC as a credible, progressive platform capable of fostering inclusive governance and rebuilding public trust in Nigerian politics.
The Abia State Chairman of the ADC, Don Norman Obinna, formally welcomed Nwankpa and his followers, stating that the country’s political trajectory is increasingly favoring the ADC.
The Abia State Police Command has reported the arrest of 809 suspects and the recovery of 88 firearms in 438 cases across the state from January 2025 to date.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
According to Nivo News, Commissioner of Police Danladi Isa provided the update on Friday during a briefing at his office, outlining the operational strategies and achievements of the Command during the period under review. He disclosed that 435 rounds of ammunition were recovered from suspected criminals and that over 200 suspects have been successfully prosecuted, with several jailed for various offenses.
The CP further revealed that 33 children who had been kidnapped or trafficked were rescued within and outside the state, with the suspects involved prosecuted and some already imprisoned. “We have sent a lot of people to jail. A clear message has been passed that it is no longer business as usual for criminals in Abia State,” Isa stated.
He highlighted that the state’s crime rate has declined under his leadership, attributing the success to support from Governor Alex Otti, provision of logistics, and collaboration with community stakeholders. Isa also noted that officers encountered non-state actors on several occasions, who were neutralized and disarmed.
The Police Commissioner urged residents to continue providing credible information on suspicious activities to further strengthen the fight against crime. Firearms and other weapons recovered from suspects were displayed at the Police headquarters in Umuahia for the media.
According to Nivo News, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF–NCCC) has arrested high-profile cybercrime suspects linked to a sophisticated Microsoft 365 phishing operation that targeted the email systems of major corporate organisations.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The arrests followed actionable intelligence received from Microsoft Corporation in the United States through the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which exposed the deployment of an advanced phishing toolkit known as RaccoonO365. The toolkit was designed to create counterfeit Microsoft login pages capable of harvesting user credentials and unlawfully accessing corporate, financial, and educational email platforms.
Briefing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed that the cybercrime centre launched a coordinated, intelligence-led operation in partnership with Microsoft, the FBI, and the United States Secret Service. He explained that investigations traced multiple cases of unauthorised Microsoft 365 account access recorded between January and September 2025 to phishing emails crafted to closely mimic legitimate Microsoft authentication portals.
According to police findings, the cyberattacks resulted in business email compromise, data breaches, and significant financial losses across several jurisdictions. Acting on precise intelligence, NPF–NCCC operatives conducted targeted operations in Lagos and Edo states, leading to the arrest of three suspects. Searches carried out at their residences yielded laptops, mobile phones, and other digital devices, which forensic analysis directly linked to the fraudulent activities.
Further investigations identified Okitipi Samuel, also known by the aliases “RaccoonO365” and “Moses Felix,” as the principal suspect and alleged developer of the phishing infrastructure. Police said he operated a Telegram channel through which phishing links were sold in exchange for cryptocurrency and hosted fake login portals on Cloudflare using stolen or fraudulently obtained email credentials.
The police clarified that there was no evidence connecting the two other arrested individuals to the creation or management of the phishing scheme. The Nigeria Police Force reiterated its commitment to protecting the country’s digital environment through the use of advanced technology, enhanced international cooperation, and thorough investigative and prosecutorial processes aimed at combating evolving cyber threats.
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