BIG STORY

Defence Chief Speaks, Says EndSARS Panel Report Released Through Wrong Channel

Published

3 years ago

November 17, 2021

Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, has reacted to the release of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on the ENDSARS protest, saying the report was released through the wrong channel.

Fielding questions from reporters Tuesday, Gen Irabor said: “I am sure those of you in the media must have seen that there was a report that was released, in my view through a wrong channel, that is making the rounds in the social media. Whether it is a true report, I can’t tell.

“But I will like to indicate that normal procedure is to have such a report submitted to the convening authority and then there will be a white paper that will be presented on the basis of which one can make informed comments.”

General Irabor said, “Whatever it is currently, I will like to indicate that the Armed Forces of Nigeria is a professional Armed Forces. We are peopled by Nigerians and we remain committed to our constitutional mandate. So, we do not at this point think that Nigerians should make disparaging remarks regarding the Armed Forces of Nigeria in the sense that we are professional armed forces. If there are issues, of course, we will address them within the ambit of the provisions.”

Insisting that it will not be right to disparage men who work so hard to ensure that the territorial integrity of Nigeria is kept intact. Gen. Irabor said, “In the meantime until I see the full extent of the report I may not be able to (comment). But I can assure you that the armed forces of Nigeria, are all disciplined and we do not engage in any ignoble act. “

Speaking further, he said if they did not enjoy the trust of Nigerians, the armed forces would not have been doing what they were doing.

“And in any case, remember it is the armed forces of Nigeria. We are not talking about the police, we are talking about the armed forces, with emphasis, the ARMED FORCES. So when the armed forces are called out, it is because there is a need for the armed forces,” he added.

The Judicial Panel of Inquiry (JPI) set up by the Lagos state government to probe the October 20, 2020, #EndSARs protest had in its report submitted to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Monday revealed that at least 11 persons were killed during the peaceful demonstration at the Lekki Tollgate and another four missing but presumed dead, making a total of 15 dead persons.

The report, which also called the Lekki Tollgate shootings of October 20, 2020, “a massacre,” was an incriminating indictment of heightening extrajudicial killings and unprofessionalism by Nigerian law enforcement agents

The report described as “atrocious”, the maiming and killing of unarmed, helpless, and unresisting protesters while sitting on the floor, waving their Nigerian flags and singing the National Anthem, stressing that the act could be equated to a “massacre in context.”

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Related Topics:#EndSARS Report bigstory Chief of Defence Staff General Lucky Irabor

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BIG STORY

Two US-Based Nigerians Bag 30-Year Jail For $3.5m Romance Scam

Published

1 hour ago

November 26, 2024

PorscheClassy News

Two Nigerians, Anthony Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu, have been sentenced by a United States federal jury to a combined 30 years in prison for defrauding US citizens of $3.5 million.

The sentencing was announced in a press release made available on the US Department of Justice website on Monday.

According to the statement, Ibekie and Aniukwu deceived their victims by claiming they had received substantial inheritances that required money to be claimed. The duo would then ask the victims to send money with the promise of reimbursement once the inheritances were secured.

The statement also highlighted that the pair carried out romance scams, building online relationships with their victims to gain their trust, only to later demand money.

It read, “An undercover law enforcement investigation has resulted in federal prison sentences for two Nigerian nationals residing in the Chicago suburbs who conducted online inheritance scams and other fraud schemes.

“Using aliases, Anthony Emeka Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu communicated with victims throughout the United States, convincing them they had received substantial inheritances and needed to send money to individuals associated with the defendants in order to claim it.

“In addition to the inheritance scam, the pair carried out an online romance scam that involved communicating with victims via social media and dating websites, building trust with the victims through a purported online romance, and convincing them to send money to a predetermined recipient. Aniukwu and Ibekie also orchestrated a ‘business email compromise’ scam that targeted corporate email accounts.

“The fraud schemes were uncovered by a covert law enforcement investigation. The scams resulted in losses to victims of at least $3.5 million.”

The statement further noted that after facing at least 14 charges, Ibekie and Aniukwu pleaded guilty to the accusations. As a result, Ibekie was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Thursday, while Aniukwu received a 10-year sentence on November 8.

The statement continued, “A federal jury earlier this year convicted Ibekie, 59, of Oswego, Ill., on all 14 counts of wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, making false statements to a bank, and passport fraud. U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger on Thursday sentenced Ibekie to 20 years in federal prison.

“Aniukwu, 50, of Romeoville, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to wire fraud and money laundering charges. Judge Seeger on Nov. 8, 2024, sentenced Aniukwu to 10 years in prison.”

Meanwhile, an accomplice of Ibekie and Aniukwu, US citizen Jennifer Gosha, is set to be sentenced on December 18 following her guilty plea.

“A third defendant, Jennifer Gosha, 52, a U.S. citizen from Oak Park, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges of wire fraud and making false statements to a federal agent. Gosha is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Seeger on December 18, 2024,” the statement concluded.

Post Views: 36

BIG STORY

JUST IN: Ebonyi Governor Suspends Health, Housing Commissioners Over “Gross Misconduct, Negligence Of Duty”

Published

3 hours ago

November 26, 2024

PorscheClassy News

The Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru, has suspended the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma, and his counterpart in Housing and Urban Development, Francis Ori.

The suspensions occurred on Monday during the State Executive Council meeting in Abakaliki, the state capital.

A statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Jude Okpor, on Tuesday morning, read, “Following cases of gross misconduct and dereliction of duties by some government officials and matters related thereto, the Chairman of Council directed the indefinite suspension of the Honourable Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development and three months suspension of the Honourable Commissioner for Health respectively.”

Reports suggest that the suspensions may be linked to the alleged theft of government property by officials in the Ministry of Health and the reported underperformance of the Housing and Urban Development commissioner, particularly regarding his poor management of the Amaeze Housing Scheme in the Ishielu Local Government Area.

It is also recalled that the governor visited the health ministry’s premises on Saturday night, where six officials were allegedly caught diverting government materials. He subsequently ordered their arrest and prosecution.

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