Crime

Court Jails ‘Mama Boko Haram’, Two Others For N40m Fraud

Published

1 year ago

February 13, 2024

Justice Umaru Fadawu of the Borno State High Court, sitting in Maiduguri, on Monday, convicted and sentenced the trio of Aisha Alkali Wakil ( a.k.a Mama Boko Haram) Tahiru Saidu Daura and Prince Lawal Soyade to ten years imprisonment.

The defendants were jailed upon being arraigned by the Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday, March 5, 2020 on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining by false pretense to the tune of N40m, said the spokesman for the commission, Dele Oyewale.

Count two of the charge reads: “That you Aisha Alkali Wakil, Tahiru Alhaji Saidu Daura and Prince Lawal Shoyade whilst being the Chief Executive Officer, Programme Manager, and Country Director respectively of Complete Care and Aid Foundation, (a Non-Governmental Organisation) and Saidu Mukhtar (At large) sometime in Maiduguri, Borno State within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did with intent to defraud obtained the sum of Forty Million Naira (N40, 000, 000.00) from one Bashir Abubakar, the Chief Executive Officer of Duty Free Shop Ltd under the false pretence of executing a purported contract for the supply of Five (5) X-ray Machines 1900 with Solar Energy which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section (1) 1 (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

The defendants pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were read to them.
Counsel for the prosecution counsel, A.I Arogha presented four witnesses and tendered seventeen exhibits before the court.

Consequently, Justice Fadawu convicted and sentenced them to ten years imprisonment for the offense of conspiracy. The court further sentenced the defendants to ten years imprisonment for the offense of obtaining by false pretense and ordered them to jointly and severally pay the sum of N40m to Bashir Muhammad.

“The prison term shall run concurrently on the expiration of all prison terms imposed on the convicts by any court”, the Judge said.

The convicts’ journey to the Correctional Centre began when a petitioner alleged that they swindled him through a purported contract for the supply of five (5) X-ray Machines 1900 with Solar Energy to a Non-Governmental Organisation, NGO, Complete Care and Aid Foundation, worth N40m. They neither supplied the machines nor returned the contract sum to the petitioner.

Crime

JUST IN: IDF eliminates terrorist behind January West Bank shooting

Published

2 days ago

April 16, 2025

Charles Flames

Israeli security forces on Wednesday morning killed Muhammad Zakarna, a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, during a counterterrorism operation near Jenin.

Zakarna was identified as one of the terrorists involved in the deadly shooting attack in the West Bank village of al-Funduq in January.

According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Zakarna, a resident of Qabatiya, was among three gunmen who opened fire on civilians in al-Funduq on January 6, killing Master Sgt. Elad Yaakov Winkelstein, an off-duty Israeli police officer, and civilians Rachel Cohen and Aliza Raiz.

The IDF said Zakarna was located in a cave near the village of Misilyah following intelligence provided by the Shin Bet security agency.

During the attempted arrest by Yamam, the Israel Police’s elite counterterrorism unit, and IDF troops, a gun battle broke out between the forces and the suspects.

The military said the forces used shoulder-launched missiles during the exchange.

Zakarna and another Islamic Jihad member, Marooh Hazima, also from Qabatiya, were killed.

Hazima had previously been released from Israeli prison in the November 2023 ceasefire-hostage deal with Hamas and had since resumed terrorist activity, the IDF said.

A number of weapons and military gear were recovered from the scene. Several accomplices were also detained and found to be in possession of handguns.

The IDF confirmed that the other two terrorists behind the al-Funduq attack, Qutaiba al-Shalabi and Mohammed Nazal, both affiliated with Hamas — were previously killed in an Israeli operation in Qabatiya on January 23.

Crime

BREAKING: Many feared dead as suspected herdsmen attack Benue community

Published

3 days ago

April 15, 2025

Charles Flames

Panic has gripped the Otobi-Akpa community in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State following a fresh attack by suspected Fulani herdsmen on Tuesday evening.

It was gathered that several residents are feared dead, while numerous houses were set ablaze during the violent attack.

A local resident revealed that the attackers stormed the village around 6 pm and began shooting indiscriminately at anyone in sight.

“They have been shooting and killing people since 6 pm. As we speak, our house and several others have been burnt down.

We are helpless,” a distraught villager said.

At the time of this report, the exact number of casualties remains unclear as residents continue to flee for safety.

Details later……