The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a three-count charge against prominent Instagram personality Pascal Okechukwu, also known as Cubana Chief Priest, for allegedly spraying and tampering with the naira during a social event in violation of the Central Bank Act of 2007.

Cubana Chief Priest is expected to be arraigned on Wednesday, April 17th, 2024, before Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High Court in Lagos.

The charges was filed on April 4th by EFFC’s prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) alongside seven other lawyers representing the chairman of the Commission.

In Count 1, it was alleged, “that you, Okechukwu Pascal on 13th Feb. 2024, at Eko Hotel, within the jurisdiction of the court, while dancing during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

In count 2, it was alleged, “that you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in 2020, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

In Count 3, it was alleged, “that you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in January 2024, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

This is coming days after the EFCC arraigned controversial cross-dresser Idris Okuneye better known as Bobrisky on similar charges for which he was sentenced to a six-month jail term.

There is disarray in Akwa Ibom State’s Etim Ekpo Local Government Area following the death of Mma-Offiong James Peter, 70, by her son, Inyangake James Peter.

After being taken into custody by the authorities on April 4, 2024, at approximately 9:00 am, the suspect claimed he followed a voice that kept telling him to kill her.

Odiko Macdon, the Akwa Ibom State Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, made this announcement on Monday.

The statement read, “The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested one Inyangake James Peter, 40 years old for gruesomely murdering his biological mother, and one Mma-Offiong James Peter, about 70 years old, on 4/4/2024 at about 9:00 am at Ikpe Annang Village in Etim Ekpo LGA.

“The Suspect who confessed to the crime has been transferred to the state CID for discrete investigation.

“The suspect on interrogation alleged that he had a voice saying ‘kill her’, ‘kill her’, and he decided to oblige.”

In a related development, the statement added that the police have also arrested one Solomon Asuquo Isaac, who murdered his son as a result of a family misunderstanding.

It further read, “Also, one Solomon Asuquo Isaac of Ikot Obok Nsit in Nsit Ibom LGA who murdered his son, one Iboro Isaac, 18-years-old, last year as a result of a family misunderstanding, has been arrested

“Cases of some family members killing their biological relatives have been of great concern to the Command in recent times.

The statement added that the command also arrested another suspect for possession of arms and ammunition.

“On 9/4/2024, Anti-Robbery Squad of the Command on stop and search, intercepted and arrested one Ekemini Edet Akpan of Ekpene Ikpan Village, Nsit Ibom LGA, along Calabar Itu Highway by Raycon Construction Company for having one locally made gun, one revolver pistol and eighteen live cartridges.

“Suspects will be charged to court after investigation”, the statement concluded.

It was gathered that the incident occurred in Umuchiana village in the Aguata Local Government Area of the state.

A family source said that the suspect had been exhibiting some unusual behaviour before the incident occurred.

In the last three years, the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency reports that it has apprehended 5,0901 drug offenders in total, including 46 drug lords.

This was announced on Monday during the inauguration and handover ceremony of an operational facility constructed and donated to the NDLEA in Lagos by the British Government, by Brig-Gen Muhammad Marwa (retd.), the agency’s chairman.

According to Marwa, the agency had successfully prosecuted and found 9,034 of them guilty during that time, and it had also recovered over 7,561 tonnes of illegal drugs.

He said that this would seriously damage the criminal networks that distribute illegal substances in addition to upsetting the flow of those drugs.

He said, “Our operations have undergone substantial reforms resulting in remarkable achievement within the last three years. During this period, the NDLEA achieved significant milestones in its mission to combat drug trafficking and abuse with a total of 5,0901 arrests, including the apprehension of 46 drug barons. Our agency has demonstrated its unwavering commitment to bringing those involved in illicit drug activities to justice. Furthermore, the conviction of 9,034 offenders underscores our relentless pursuit of accountability and deterrence in the fight against drug-related crimes.

“Our seizure of 7,560,749 kilogrammes of that 7,561 tonnes not only disrupts the flow of illegal drugs but also serves as a significant blow for the criminal networks responsible for their distribution.”

Marwa added that the agency had taken decisive action against illicit drug crop cultivation with its search and destroy campaign against cannabis plantation which had led to the destruction of over 1000 hectares of cannabis farms in the past three years.

“At this time, we are looking at alternatives. We are strategising on how to control cannabis cultivation in Nigeria through the encouragement of cannabis growers to turn their attention to growing alternative illicit drugs and with this, an alternative development unit has been created in my office,” he added.

Speaking at the ceremony, the British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Jonny Baxter, assured the agency of continued support to the NDLEA and Nigeria.

He said: “We, the UK Government, are delighted to have this long-standing relationship with the NDLEA and I’m in particular delighted to have been personally in several activities especially your maritime. This building makes a whole set of different actors and capabilities to address any criminal activity.

“We’re delighted to continue our support for the NDLEA and the Nigerian government to tackle what is sadly a global industry, which needs a global response. I’d like to join the chairman in affirming our continued support, our continued cooperation, and indeed our continued pride in working together with ladies and gentlemen of this agency, the NDLEA.”

The NDLEA in February intercepted what it described as the single largest heroin consignment at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.

Similarly, it reportedly arrested members of an organised criminal organisation which specialised in trafficking heroin across Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, Europe and America in an operation leading to the seizure of the consignment which weighed 51.90Kg