PRESIDENCY: BANDITS CARRYING AK-47 TO BE SHOT ON SIGHT – NATION PG. 1&4, THISDAY PG. 1&8, DAILY TRUST PG.4

The crackdown ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari on bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements terrorising Nigerians, has been extended.

Security agents have been given the order to shoot anyone found carrying AK-47 illegally, the Presidency said on Wednesday. Helicopters that violate the ‘no fly zone’ slammed on Zamfara State will also be brought down as the government goes tough on banditry and other criminal activities in the country.

ZAMFARA: WHY ORDER WAS IMPOSED, BY PRESIDENCY – NATION PG.4

The Presidency has explained that a ‘no-fly-zone’ on Zamfara State is to curtail the influx of arms and other logistics into the state. Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, added that the order was also meant to put an end to illegal exportation of Nigerian gold from the mines in the state.

AGAIN, COURT ADJOURNS DIEZANI’S FRAUD CASE AMID EXTRADITION DEADLOCK – THISDAY PG.36, SUN PG.5

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, adjourned the corruption case involving a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, who is believed to be in the United Kingdom (U.K)  The adjournment is the latest in the series of postponements the money laundering case has suffered due to the absence of the former minister since it (case) was filed over two years ago.

ALLEGED GRAFT: EFCC RE-ARRAIGNS OFILI-AJUMOGOBIA – NATION PG.28, PUNCH PG.27, THISDAY PG.12

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday re-arraigned a Federal High Court (FHC) judge, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, for alleged unlawful enrichment, breach of trust and money laundering. It brought an amended 15-count charge of March 2, 2021, against her before Justice Mohammed Liman of the Federal High Court in Lagos.

COURT HALTS PROCEEDINGS ON EX-HOS OYO-ITA’S, OTHERS’ TRIAL – NATION PG.28, PUNCH PG.27, THISDAY PG.12

A Federal High Court in Abuja has stayed indefinitely further proceedings in the trial of former Head of Service of the Federation (HOSF), Winifred Oyo-Ita, and eight others on an 18-count money laundering charge. In a ruling on Wednesday, Justice Taiwo Taiwo agreed with the defendants to stay further proceedings until the prosecution discontinues a related case pending before another judge -Justice Folashade Giwa-Ogunbanjo – also of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

N6.4B REFUND: EFCC FAULTS EX-AGOF’S CLAIM ON NON-PROSECUTION – AGREEMENT NATION PG.28

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has faulted the claim by a former Accountant General of the Federation (AGoF), Jonah Otunla, that the Federal Government entered into a non-prosecution agreement with him. The commission quoted the ex-AGoF as saying this informed his decision to return about N6.4 billion to government’s coffers.

COURT ORDERS EX-BPE DG’S SURETIES TO DEPOSIT N1.5B FOR BAIL – NATION PG.28, PUNCH PG.7

Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Wednesday granted N1.5 billion bail to a former Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Benjamin Ezra Dikki, and his company, Kebna Studios & Communications Limited. The court said the sureties for the former BPE chief should be ready to pay the bail cash, if he jumps bail.

ALLEGED MONEY LAUNDERING: COURT STRIKES OUT CHARGE AGAINST AKINJIDE, TWO OTHERS – THISDAY PG.36

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has struck out the charge against a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mrs. Jumoke Akinjide and two others on allegations of fraud and money laundering to the tune of N650million. Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke struck out the charge for being incompetent.The former minister was standing trial alongside a former senator who represented Oyo Central senatorial district between 2011 and 2015, Senator Ayo Adeseun and a PDP chieftain, Mrs. Olanrewaju Otiti.

#ENDSARS: NIGERIANS ON SOCIAL MEDIA ASK EFCC TO PROBE OBA OF LAGOS OVER STOLEN $2M, N17M – PUNCH PG.11, NATION PG.6, THISDAY PG.12, DAILY TRUST PG.6

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.

NDLEA RECOVERS 27 RIFLES IN NIGER – DAILY TRUST PG.23

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Niger State Command, have recovered 27 new rifles from two suspects during a routine stop and search operation in Kontagora area of the state. The spokesmen of NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, said the suspects, Danjuma Auta (35) and Daniel Danrangi (25), both male and from Dirin Daji in Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi State, were arrested on the Kontagora-Zuru Road in Niger State on Monday night.

IPOB ATTACK UWAZURIKE, SAYS SOUTH-EAST GOVS WON’T TAKE OVER ESN – PUNCH PG.12

THE Indigenous People of Biafra on Wednesday warned governors of the South-East geo-political zone, to steer clear from its security outfit, the Eastern Security Network, describing them as were traitors. The leader of Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign States of Biafra, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, had in a statement, said the ESN would be better managed by governors of the zone under the auspices of South-East Governors’ Forum.