BIG STORY
Police Arrest Evans’ Arms Supplier After 2-Year Manhunt

A 46-year-old notorious arms dealer, Godwin Chinyere, who was alleged to have sold most of the firearms, ammunition and rocket launchers used by billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Owuamadike, a.k.a Evans, has been arrested by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT).
Evans who was arrested on June 2017 in his mansion at the highbrow area of Magodo, Lagos State, by the IRT, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari and currently standing trial at the Lagos State High Courts of Igbosere and Ikeja, was said to have mentioned Chinyere at the time of his arrest, as his major arms supplier.
Police sources disclosed that Evans, confessed during his arrest that some of the rocket launchers and Ak-47 rifles, used by members of his gang in blowing up bank security doors and Bullion vans, during robbery and kidnapping operations, were all supplied to him by Chinyere, who he said had contacts with arms dealers in Chad and the Niger Republic.
The source explained that operatives of the IRT launched a manhunt on Chinyere at the time they received the information from Evans, but stated that Chinyere, became elusive and went into hiding as he was aware that Evans has been arrested and would give out information as he was singing like a bird.
A source added that Chinyere came out of hiding recently when he felt that the Evans case has gone to court and the IRT operatives hunting for him may have channeled their energy on other cases of national importance but was unaware that the hunt for him was still on. He was trailed to Asaba, Delta State, where he was hiding and was apprehended
He confessed selling five AK-47 rifles to Evans when he was interviewed and he said he began selling and making firearms in the year 1990 after he dropped out of primary school and his parents couldn’t afford his school fees.
Chinyere told newsmen that he is a native of Obingwa area of Abia State and he learned how to make locally made guns from his boss, one late Chinaka Nnawakwo, who he said have been killed by security operatives for gun-running.
“I learned how to make locally made guns from a village known as Abala and I was one chinaka Nnawakwo and that thought me the job. I spent three years learning the job before I started making my own. I have several customers who were gun runners coming to buy guns from me in large quantities. I usually sell locally made double barrel guns for the sum of N10,000 and the single barrel was sold for N6,000, while the locally short guns were sold for N10,000.
“One of the customers, Samuel Nwakpa, who was coming from the Kaduna State to buy guns from me, was the person who linked me to big arms dealers in Chad and Niger republic. They were the people supplied me the five Ak-47 rifles I sold to Evans which he used for his bank robbery and kidnapping activities. I met Evans when he came to my village to treat his bullet wound and his native doctor Eyinaya Hearth, linked him to me.
“I knew he was using it for armed robbery and for kidnapping. Evans paid me the sum of N1.7million for the five Ak-47 rifles after they were supplied to me in Chad. The rifles were concealed in bags of fish and I took my commissions and gave the rest of the money to Nwapka, who also supplied the rocket launchers to Evans.
“Before Evans was arrested, I have stopped doing the business and I and turned a new leaf, but I fled and went into hiding when he was arrested because I knew he was going to mention my name to the police and I don’t even know that the police still looking for me when I came out of hiding and I was arrested. I warned Evan to stop kidnapping when I turned a new leaf but he wouldn’t listen to me.” He lamented.
(The Guardian)
BIG STORY
Tukur Buratai’s Vision and Leadership As Nigerian Army Chief of Staff

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BIG STORY
Lagos Ride: Sanwo-Olu Flags Off 1,000 Indigenous E-Hailing Cabs [PHOTOS]

* Seals agreement establishing a vehicle assembly plant in Lagos
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has unveiled a new e-hailing taxi scheme to redefine road transportation in the State. The Governor, on Thursday, signed a partnership agreement with CIG Motors Company Limited for the take-off of the “Lagos Ride” scheme with a pilot fleet of 1,000 units of brand new Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs).
Also at the ceremony held at the State House in Marina, Sanwo-Olu formally sealed a Joint Venture Agreement with the automobile company for the establishment of a Vehicle Assembly Plant in the State. In the next 24 months, Lagos will have a jointly-run factory for the production of different classes of brand new cars.
The establishment of the Vehicle Assembly Plant in Lagos was part of the bilateral agreements reached by the State Government and Chinese Investors’ Community when the Governor visited the Asian country in November 2019.
IBILE Holdings Limited, a State-owned corporation, will be driving the two investment agreements on behalf of the Lagos State Government.
Sanwo-Olu said the new ride-hailing taxi was a social intervention programme initiated with an objective to create jobs and economic opportunities for residents of the State. He said the “Lagos Ride” scheme was in fulfillment of his administration’s desire to give residents a better choice in road transportation by offering a safe, efficient and modern cab model in line with the policy thrust of his Government’s T.H.E.M.E.S agenda.
The Governor said the taxi scheme, which is expected to fully take-off in the next 6 months, had been structured along with a profitability model and designed to be self-sustaining for expansion and growth.
He said: “I am elated to unveil the Lagos State Taxi Scheme, which is another innovative policy of this administration targeted at making life easier for Lagosians, improving mobility, and creating a seamless multi-modal transportation system. The scheme, which is to be known as “Lagos Ride”, is in fulfillment of our desire to give Lagos residents better transportation choices. The modern ride-hailing service is one of the State Government’s socio-economic intervention programmes, which will be professionally managed in line with global best practices
“Our social intervention programmes are tailored towards the eradication of poverty, provision of jobs and other employment opportunities as well as the provision of basic necessities, that make good governance our people’s reality. A major attribute of a modern megacity is a world-class transportation system with inter-connected services and mobility choices for the citizens. The task of bequeathing a safe, efficient, quick, and modern public transportation system is a key thrust of our administration’s development agenda. We are guided by the need for an equitable transportation system with mobility choices for our people.”
Under the taxi scheme, Sanwo-Olu said the Cooperative Society in the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment would give operators brand new SUVs for a period of four years, during which they would pay a monthly installment. At the end of the credit tenure, the operators will have the opportunity to fully own the cars.
The Governor said the scheme would offer operators flexible repayment plans and affordable savings for vehicles’ maintenance.
Sanwo-Olu said the establishment of the Vehicle Assembly Plant was in furtherance of his administration’s economic growth blueprint, stressing that the Joint Venture Agreement would revive industrialization, drive up skilled youth employment and create wealth, boost tourism, and encourage technology sharing, adaptation, and advancement.
He said: “As we formally sign the Joint Venture Agreement for the establishment of Motor Assembly Plant, Lagosians should expect a roll-out of vehicles from this plant within the next 18 months. I urge other stakeholders and private investors to collaborate with us to sustain the scheme. We have the political and administrative will to ensure the business survives in Lagos.”
Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladehinde, said the e-hailing taxi scheme was initiated, following the approval of IBILE Holding Limited’s proposal in the August 31, 2020 State’s Executive Council meeting.
He said the Assembly Plant and the taxi scheme would boost socio-economic activities and support the development of ancillary enterprises in the transportation sector.
Chairman of CIG Motors Company Limited, Diana Chen, pledged the full commitment of the automobile firm to the agreement.
Ms Chen, who is also the Vice-Chairman of China-Africa Business Council (CABC), disclosed that the automobile firm would sponsor 50 students for a two-year engineering training in a vocational school in China to strengthen its partnership with the Lagos Government.
She said: “My teams are ready to work with 100 percent effort to build GAC MOTORS in Nigeria in the highest level of a brand. This international Joint Venture Project will soon bloom up in the Chinese business communities both in Nigeria and China. I assure you that, we will use this partnership as the best example to introduce and promote a Greater Lagos where greater opportunities abound.”
The highpoint of the event was the signing of the partnership agreements by the Managing Director of IBILE Holding Limited, Mr. Abiodun Amokomowo, and the Vice Chairman of CIG Motors Company Limited, Mr. Linus Idahosa in the presence of the Governor, Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, and Lagos Attorney General, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN.
BIG STORY
#EndSARS: Nigerians On Social Media Ask EFCC To Probe Oba of Lagos Over $2m, N17m Cash Kept In Palace

Nigerians on social media have called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, for money laundering.
The monarch had said $2 million and N17 million were stolen when youths attacked his palace on October 21, 2020, in the violence that erupted after the #EndSARS protests.
Oba Akiolu, whose staff of office known as the ‘Opa Ase’, was also taken away by hoodlums who broke into his palace during the riot, spoke on Wednesday in Lagos.
He said, “I will support anything that will move Lagos forward. I have appealed to the Federal Government to assist Lagos with what we have suffered. The incident that happened here from October 20th to 23rd is so saddening.
“The destruction we suffered in Lagos is so enormous than in any other part of the country.
“Many buildings were burnt, including vehicles used to generate income. I can now say publicly that they stole $2 million and N17 million from my palace.
“Those who committed the offense would not have done that if they knew the implication. But as a father, I won’t place any curse on them.”
Many social media users have since accused the monarch of money laundering, saying a private citizen should not have at home, the amount of money purportedly stolen.
A tweep, @uncle_ajala, wrote, “The Oba of Lagos says that $2 million and N17million were stolen when hoodlums attacked his palace during the last #EndSARS protest. He should be telling EFCC what he was doing with that amount and how he got the $2m after this revelation.”
The Oba of Lagos says that $2 million and N17million were stolen when hoodlums attacked his palace during the last #EndSARS protest
He should be telling EFCC what he was doing with that amount & how he got the $2m after this revelation, but this is Nigeria, even bandits dey ball
— Architecture & Building Construction. (@UNCLE_AJALA) March 3, 2021
“But how will the Oba of Lagos have $20 million in his house? To imagine that he just discovered that after how many months? EFCC where are you?” @Gabafolayan wrote.
“Is Oba of Lagos operating a BDC (Bureaux De Change) in his palace? Is this not some violation? Is this not money laundering @officialEFCC ? @Intergrity56 asked.
@ImportedAlhaji also wondered if the palace of the monarch was a bank. “Please where did he get that money and when EFCC going to call him in for questioning him? Or Palace don turn to bank these days?” he asked.
On Facebook, Wakji Tazuk said, “The Oba should be arrested and prosecuted for keeping such amount of money in his house.”
Nwankwor Chimaobi buttressed Tazuk’s point, saying, “The Oba should be arrested for money laundering.”
“How much is the monthly salary of the Oba?” another Facebook user, Olu Diamond, asked.
Somebody tell the Oba of Lagos, this is what a hoodlum looks like. #EndSARS pic.twitter.com/Z5l6ch8suY
— Benue Breed❄️ (@oyimzy) March 4, 2021
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