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Inside Lagos: Policeman’s Son Absconds With Lady’s Benz, $700 Bitcoin

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A Lagos-based 28-year-old man, Damilola Areje, has allegedly absconded with a 2019 Mercedes Benz GLE 43, worth N52 million, and $700 worth of Bitcoin belonging to a 32-year-old businesswoman, Nneka Chiemelu, who is into real estate and construction.

According to Nneka, Damilola, an acquaintance whose father, Inspector Adegbola Areje is a policeman, allegedly stole her car from her apartment in Lekki Phase 1 and absconded with $700 worth of Bitcoin which was paid into his wallet by one of her clients on Friday, July 22, 2022, at 04:05 pm.

Report has it that all four of Damilola’s phone lines had been switched off and his active Instagram handle deleted since the theft.

Narrating her ordeal amid tears, Chiemelu said, “Damilola requested that I help him with the sum of N20,000 that he needed some money to pay for flyers to promote his business, and I promised to give him the N20,000 on the condition that he takes up a site supervision job at my place of work upon completion of the work in order to assist him rather than just hand him the money.

“He was expected to resume at 9 am but he resumed at 2 pm and requested that I help pay for his Uber ride which I did through a bank transfer to the Uber driver’s account.

“An hour later, he asked if I could allow him to charge his phone in my car so I gave him my car keys to proceed, and he went into the car and pretended to be charging his phone.

“A few minutes later, a guest came into the service apartment that I manage, wanting to pay an outstanding fee and asked if I had a cryptocurrency account so that he could pay through that means, and I told him that I had none. So I asked Daniel whether he has the means to receive payment through Bitcoin, and he said he does and accepted to help receive the payment on my behalf. So my client made a payment of $700 into his Bitcoin wallet and he confirmed receipt right there in the presence of my client and myself.

“A few minutes later he asked to leave, a request which I declined, telling him that he could only leave after he has transferred the $700 paid into his Bitcoin account to me, but he lied that his service provider was poor, so he was waiting on the network. While we waited on the network I wanted to get food and he asked if he could come with me and I accepted, I then excused myself to quickly meet with some to inform them that I was stepping out for a few minutes, but by the time I got out, Damilola had gotten into my car and instead of honking at for the security officer to open the gate for him, he called on one of my staff members to open the gate for him, and he absconded with my Mercedes Benz and my $700 worth of Bitcoin.

“At first, it didn’t occur to me that my car had just been stolen, so I called him but his numbers were not reachable but his WhatsApp was still active and displayed that he was online at the time. I texted him to come back and that I was very hungry and I needed to get food, but he ignored my chat until he went offline. About 20 minutes later when I didn’t hear from him, I decided to take an Uber to his residence, upon getting there, I was informed by the security that he had just packed up his things and left the premises. I tried calling his numbers again but he had switched them off and also deleted his social media handle.

“So I went to a nearby police station at Maroko where his biological father, who is a police officer works, to report the matter on that Friday. I also made a post on my Instagram handle asking the public to help me report him if found anywhere for stealing my car, I received different comments on the post from him, his mother and some other users claiming that I was a liar and that the car belongs to him, I responded to almost all the comments asking them to go ahead to the police station and give their own account on who owns the car, and I also told him that if it was true that the car belonged to him, he has no reason to hide, he should instead come out to make his statement to the police.

“On July 27, I received a message from an international number on WhatsApp from an unidentified person whom I suspected to be Damilola, asking me to pay him N500,000 to help me with information of his whereabouts, but when I asked for his account number, he sent a Bitcoin wallet address instead.”

Narrating how she got her car, Chiemelu said, “I purchased my car from Unique Motors on July 7, 2021, with a deposit of N27 million through bank transfer, and I am expected to pay the car dealer a balance of N25 million later, and I have the receipt, although I was yet to register the car.

“Meanwhile, I was later advised to request for a transfer of the case to the Police Headquarters in Lagos to hasten the investigation process and I have done that.

“On Monday, July 25, the matter was transferred and till now after a whole week, I have not heard anything from the police concerning my car.

“However, on Tuesday, July 26, my contacts at the Vehicle Inspection Office tracked the registration of the car through its chassis number, and discovered that Damilola, in a bid to claim ownership of my car, had registered the car in his name on that same Tuesday, using my home address, and one of his telephone lines which is now switched off.”

Efforts to reach Damilola, Friday evening, proved futile as all his telephone lines were switched off.

When our correspondent reached out to his father, Inspector Areje, the policeman stated that he was not at liberty to comment on the issue considering the fact that he is an officer of the Nigeria Police Force and his son is involved in the matter.

However, the Lagos State Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, who spoke to our correspondent, confirmed that the case has been transferred to the Lagos State Police Command Headquarters in Ikeja, adding that the Police was yet to conclude investigation on the matter.

Hundeyin said, “It is true that the case has been transferred to the Police Headquarters at Ikeja due to its sophistry. However, investigation is ongoing, but there’s been no breakthrough yet.

“Meanwhile, we’ve written to the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency because they have details of every car bought in Nigeria. However, we learnt that Mr Damilola is Miss Chiemelu’s boyfriend, and it seems like there’s a tussle over ownership of the car.

“However, we’re still in search of Damilola and the car although the car doesn’t have a tracker and that’s not making things easy. However, we’re on top of the matter, and we’d make our findings known once investigation is concluded.”

BIG STORY

Comedy Duo’s #MakeWeHalla Video Catalyzes Conversations on Domestic Violence in Nigeria

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In a nation where the discussion on domestic violence often remains shrouded in silence, two power actors have ignited a powerful movement that is resonating deeply across Nigeria.

Charles Inojie and Ali Nuhu, through their viral video titled #MakeWeHalla, have initiated a much-needed conversation on the pressing issue of domestic violence.

The video features the two talented actors in a humorous yet thought-provoking short video, emphasising the importance of speaking out against domestic violence.

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C43iD60Nh7e/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D

 

With their trademark wit and charm, Inojie and Nuhu delivered a compelling message; when Nigerians witness domestic violence, they must make noise, they must ‘halla’.

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5BEb4wMq5h/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

The video is capturing the attention of viewers across various demographics, sparking discussions on online platforms.

Among many Nigerians who have been inspired by the video is a fast-rising actor and social media influencer, Joseph Momodu.

He wrote, “Yesoooo Oga Charles. The voice of the people is the voice of God. Domestic violence is not good and the more reason to really Halla!!”

A popular Nigerian film director and social media personality, Falalu Abubakar Dorayi, also known as Falalu A. Dorayi, added his voice against sitting on the fence while witnessing incidents of domestic violence. To him, “Women abuse is a bad behavior. Silence, when we see people doing (it), is like giving a chance to continue. It’s true, everywhere we see signs of “abuse” happening. Let’s expose the secrets. #MakeWeHalla.”

“This is powerful. We must halla! Like I always say, to fix this nation, you must fix yourself first. You are a part of the nation; once you fix you, you have fixed the nation. This is applicable to a community where domestic violence thrives,” Lanre Adediwura, an award-winning actor and online personality, opined.

A Nigerian actress and online celebrity, Kiitan Bukola, said that Nigerians can’t continue to sit on the fence in the face of domestic violence. “We must halla; we can’t continue to ignore. let’s kick against domestic violence… ,“ she wrote.

The success of #MakeWeHalla by encouraging individuals to speak up, is empowering communities to break the cycle of silence and stigma.

Inojie and Nuhu’s efforts have not gone unnoticed, as their initiative has garnered widespread praise and support from both fans and advocacy groups alike.

Monsurah Hamza with handle @ayotibami0 wrote, “Kudos to Charles Inojie and Ali Nuhu for sensitizing Nigerians on domestic violence #MakeWeHalla.”

Elated social media user @oladebuofficial stated, “How do I like this video 1 million times cos Bravo. Thank you for this… #MakeWeHalla.”

Bammy_ay wrote, “We really need more of this kind of video to educate people on domestic violence. Do not die in silence! #MakeWeHalla.”

@ekumastanleyifeanyi3 simply commented, “Say no to domestic violence.”

Through their creativity and dedication, Inojie and Nuhu have leveraged their platform to shine a spotlight on a critical issue that often remains hidden in the shadows.

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President Tinubu Directs Single-Digit Tax System In Nigeria, To Launch Consumer Credit Scheme Soon — FIRS Chairman Adedeji

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Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji says President Bola Tinubu has given a directive for a single-digit tax system in Nigeria.

Adedeji made this known on Wednesday when Adebayo Alli, chief executive officer (CEO) of Guinness Nigeria, led a management team of the firm on a visit to the revenue house in Abuja.

Adedeji, in a statement, described the directive as a strategic plan that is being religiously followed to lead the country out of the current economic challenges.

“The president gave a directive that he wants a single digit tax in the country, meaning that the maximum number of taxes we will have after the work of the presidential committee on fiscal policy and tax reforms will be nine taxes,” the chairman said.

“For us at FIRS, we have responded to that directive. We want to grow the pie such that even if we are taking the same percentage of the bigger pie, the result will be huge.

“By God’s grace, we will not introduce additional taxes nor increase any form of taxes. We are only determined to increase the pie.

“We have restructured our operations at FIRS in such a way that we are now effectively carrying out our duty of assessing, collecting and accounting for taxes.

“We used to have functional types of taxes, but we have identified that the only customers we have are the taxpayers.

“We have improved the way we relate with our customers by rearranging our operations based on our customers, using their turnover as the basis to categorise them into large, medium and small.

“We did this to actually develop expertise in what we do. Secondly, to provide you with a one-stop shop for your activities.

“If you are in a large tax group, you only need to go to one office to pay all forms of taxes, including audit and other activities. You don’t need to move from one office to another again.

“We are here to serve you. You taxpayers are not armed robbers or criminals that we will be chasing about. FIRS is also not a law enforcement organisation. We are partners in progress.

  • FG To Launch Consumer Credit Scheme Soon

Adedeji said the president, through the consumer credit scheme recently introduced, intends to increase the purchasing power of Nigerians to boost the productive capacity of companies and stimulate growth.

According to the chairman, another bold decision the president has taken is the birth of the renewed hope infrastructure fund.

He said some of the raw materials sourced locally are produced in the Northern part of the country, noting that the lack of sufficient infrastructure raises the expenses associated with transporting these materials between locations.

“In a couple of days, the consumer credit scheme will be launched and what that will do is to really set the right fundamentals most especially for the kind of products you sell,” he said.

“In an economy of our size, it will be extremely difficult if we don’t have a consumer credit scheme. People need to eat before they drink. But when they have credit to buy things, this gives them more money that they can use to come to drink and relax after work.

“More so, the president has also directed the commencement of a single window platform for your logistics at the ports. So, instead of having to pay in many places, you can now do that through the platform, most especially for companies like yours.

“You know your products before they come into the country, so you pay before they arrive as the issue of port congestion that delays the time you get your raw materials has been taken care of now.

“Based on the president’s holistic plan, in the next three years, we will have a very good rail and road transportation network that will make movement of goods and raw materials easy and remove most of the bottlenecks for industries.”

On his part, Alli pledged that the company would continue to do business in the country, notwithstanding the current macroeconomic challenges.

“We have come to know FIRS more and also tell you a little bit about who we are as a large taxpayer so you can understand our world, the value we add to Nigeria, despite the macro-economic situation facing us,” he said.

He assured the Adedeji that Guinness would continue to invest in the country, seeking assurances from the tax authority in terms of the role it would play “in getting the economy back on the right path from the recovery point of view.”

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BIG STORY

JUST IN: DHQ Declares Physics Professor, Woman, 6 Others Wanted Over Murder Of Army Personnel In Delta

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The Defence Headquarters has declared eight persons wanted over the killing of army personnel in Okuama community, Delta state.

Recall that the 17 army personnel were killed on March 14 during an operation in the community.

Those declared wanted include Ekpekpo Arthur, a professor of physics at the Delta State University; Akeywiru Omotegbono, Andaowei Bakrikri, Igoli Ebi, a lady; Akata David, Sinclear Oliki, Clement Oghenerukevwe and Reuben Baru.

The names of the deceased soldiers are A.H Ali, D.E Obi, S.D. Ashafa, U. Zakari, Yahaya Saidu, Danbaba Yahaya, Kabir Bashir, Abdullahi Ibrahim, Bulus Haruna, Sole Opeyemi, Bello Anas, Alhaji Isah, Clement Francis, Abubakar Ali, Adamu Ibrahim, Hamman Peter, and Ibrahim Adamu.

After the killing of the army personnel, President Bola Tinubu and the military high command promised that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.

On Wednesday, the personnel were buried at the military cemetery in Abuja and were posthumously conferred with national honours by President Tinubu.

The president also offered scholarships to children of the late officers.

Speaking during the burial ceremony of the late personnel, Taoreed Lagbaja, chief of army staff (COAS), said it was “highly demoralising” that the soldiers were killed by those they were equipped to protect.

The army chief added that it took over 72 hours of searching to recover the vital organs of some of the deceased soldiers.

He added that the Nigerian Army exercised  “a lot of restraint” in the search for missing arms and body parts of the deceased soldiers.

The army chief also said some of the widows of the slain officers are pregnant.

“The Okuama killing has added to the care of the Nigerian Army and, by extension, the Nigerian state, 10 widows, three of whom are four, five, and eight months pregnant, 21 orphans, and many other dependents, which include parents,” Lagbaja said.

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