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EFCC arrests Instagram comedian, others nabbed for Internet fraud

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested an Instagram comedian and social media influencer, Nwagbo Chidera, also known as Pankeeroy, for alleged involvement in computer-related fraud.

Chidera was arrested alongside 34 others at the James Court in the Lekki area of Lagos State by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for alleged involvement in computer-related fraud.

The other suspects include Chinedu Christian, Gafar Adedamola, Chuka Richard, Dibo Samson, Rotimi Damilola, Habeeb Damilola, Afolabi Michael, Adekanbi Adeola, Emeka Egwuatu, Adeyemi Olumide, Awokoya Iyaniwura, Efunnuga Samuel, Samson Egwuatu, Gbemileke Simeon, Omoyemi Owolabi and Farouk Olatunde.

Others are Orapitan Segun, Oladunjoye Olawale, Ibrahim Olanrewaju, Wasiu Sola, Olamiposi Damilola, Isieq Olamilekan, Abel Junior, Emmanuel Martins, Timilehin Jesse, Kelvin Kendal, Omotola Emmanuel, Rasaq Farouq, Oyelere Shakiru, Timileyin Damilare, Kelly Nwanou, Adedeji Olayinka, Balogun Ibrahim and Makinde Benjamin.

According to the EFCC, Chidera, who was allegedly involved in bitcoin scam after he suffered depression, presented himself as a vendor, who redeemed bitcoin vouchers using the bitcoincoretrading.com platform to defraud unsuspecting victims.

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According to a statement by the EFCC on Thursday, investigation revealed that one of the suspects, Christian, allegedly defrauded an aged Asian-American lady of over $475,000, adding that he confessed to posing as Dave Frederick, a 58-year-old American on a mission in Syria to lure his victims and defrauding them of their hard-earned funds.

It was gathered that a Mercedes Benz AMG GLE model worth N36m was recovered from him, while the suspect had about N22.3m worth of bitcoins in his blocked chain account.

Other items recovered from the suspects include exotic cars, iPhones, laptops, Android devices and MacBook devices.

In another development, the EFCC said its operatives arrested 11 suspected Internet fraudsters in a sting operation in Rivers and Bayelsa states.

A statement issued by Uwujaren said the anti-graft agency arrested the suspects on Wednesday.

Uwujaren said the suspects were busted following a discreet surveillance operation about their activities in the two states.

The statement read in part, “The suspects are: Eliot Chuku, Oghenero Tega, Pamkim James, Jeremiah Agbani, Frank Freeman, George Naomi, Joshua Patrick, Francis Paul, Bernard Peter, Akarolo Chimeganum and Precious Ebi.

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“They were arrested in four locations in Bayelsa State – Queens Estate, Mike Okporkpor, Kpansia and Yenagoa, as well as Unity Estate in Rivers State.

“Their arrest was spurred by discreet surveillance about their suspicious involvement in Internet- related fraud. They will be charged as soon as investigations are concluded.”

Uwujaren listed items recovered from the suspects to include 21 phones, two power banks, two PlayStations, two speakers, one passport, four SIM packs, one laptop, four Automated Teller Machine cards and one Lexus RX 350 Sports Utility Vehicle.

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UK local election: Boris Johnson turned away from polling station after forgetting valid ID

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Former prime minister of the UK, Boris Johnson, was turned away from his local polling station after forgetting to bring the required photo identity.

 

Johnson had joined locals in South Oxfordshire on Thursday to vote in the police and crime commissioner election.

Polling officials however told him he would not be allowed to vote without providing his identity.

There are 22 acceptable forms of ID in the UK including passports, driving licences, blue badges, and certain local travel cards.

 

As prime minister in 2022, Johnson introduced the Elections Act which requires photo ID — a development that sparked intense criticisms from Britons.

Last year, the Electoral Commission warned that the new law could exclude hundreds of thousands of people, including minorities and those with disabilities.

A spokesperson for Johnson confirmed he had forgotten the photo ID, but that he was able to cast his ballot after he returned with a valid ID.

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“Mr Johnson voted Conservative,” Sky News quoted the spokesperson as saying.

Downing Street said it would “look into” changing the controversial rules which require photo ID in order to vote, so that ID cards of veterans can be added to the list of valid identification.

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Governors can pay N615k minimum wage if they get priorities right – NLC

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President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, says state governors can afford to pay the proposed N615,000 minimum wage if they get their priorities right.

Ajaero spoke on Thursday during an interview with Channels Television.

 

Recently, organised labour announced that the new minimum wage should be pegged at N615,000.

The proposal came amid ongoing minimum wage negotiations between federal and state governments on one hand, and organised labour on the other.

 

In 2019, the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari pegged the national minimum wage at N30,000.

After the new minimum wage was announced at the time, it took some states forever to implement the increment.

 

Asked during the interview if organised labour’s proposal of N615,000 is realistic, Ajaero said the amount is the “most realistic” given the galloping inflation in the country.

 

The NLC president said organised labour considered factors like transportation, housing, and feeding before arriving at the sum.

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“If you are talking about being realistic, the N615,000 demand is the most realistic. Being realistic is not about slave wage,” Ajaero said.

 

“However, N30,000 is big money if inflation is brought down, and at a single digit.

“Look at the indices that create inflation. If you check them, you can talk about being realistic. All other factors in the country are going high and wages remain constant.”

 

Asked if states can afford the N615,000 proposal, the NLC president averred that it is not about ability to pay but the priorities of states.

“I think we need to understand the issues of ability to pay and not getting the priority right,” he added.

 

“Most of the states that have shown willingness to pay the current minimum wage are not among those getting the highest revenue.

“During the time of Muhammadu Buhari, some states were declared not having enough money to pay and he released funds for them to pay.

READ  EFCC arrests nine internet fraudsters in Warri

 

“Those states still refused to pay. It is not the question of either the quantum of money that they have or not, it is what they decide to do with such money.

 

“If they get their priorities right, then a lot can happen.”

 

Organised labour has also threatened to embark on a strike if a new minimum wage is not announced before May 31, 2024.

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15-yr-old Kwara public school student scores 362 in UTME

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A student of a public secondary school, Government Secondary School, Omu Aran, Kwara State, Olukayode Victor Olusola, scored 362 marks in this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, to be among the contenders for the highest scorers in the examination.

Though the Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, Prof. Isaq Oloyede, organisers of the exam, had said the Board would not announce the highest scorer to avoid last year’s experience of confusing claims, Olukayode’s score is celebratory, as it is among the highest in recent years.

He scored 95 marks each in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry and 77 in English Language.

 

His exploit is coming against the backdrop of the poor performance of candidates in the exam in which 1.4 million scored less than 200 marks out of 400. The exam was taken by over 1.8 million candidates

Also, Olukayode’s excellent performance is coming at a time when confidence is greatly eroding in what public schools have to offer and some private schools are boasting of being the most expensive in the country.

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Olukayode was born in 2009 and hopes to study Electrical Electronic at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State.

 

His mother, Beatrice Tosin, while giving all the honour to God, also praised the studious and hard working nature of her child.

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