Troops of Operation Whirl Punch operating in the North-West zone have killed four bandits, including the notorious Dongon Bangaje, during fighting patrols in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

According to a statement by the Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs Samuel Aruwan, the troops first conducted the special fighting patrol over the weekend at Tumburku village. Then they projected the same to Sabon Sara, both in Giwa LGA.

He explained that the troops acting on credible intelligence, sighted bandits fleeing the latter location, and engaged the criminals in hot pursuit. During the process, the troops killed two of the bandits. They recovered a range of items including a motorcycle, a mobile phone, gas lighters, tobacco, assorted charms, and a polythene bag containing petrol.

In a similar operation conducted at Basurfe village, South-West of Kindandan, the troops fought through an ambush and neutralized two other bandits and also
dislodged a camp serving as a treatment area for the insurgents.

Recoveries made at the location included two AK-47 rifles, one pump action rifle, three magazines, 16 rounds of ammunition, one Improvised Explosive Device (IED), two radios, and one motorcycle, as well as cigarettes, drugs, and medical accessories.

According to the security report, one of the bandits killed in the operations was a notorious bandit leader known as Dogo Bangaje who was eliminated alongside a close associate yet to be identified.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, will today, arraign former minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, his brother, Ahmad Sirika and a company, Enginos Nigeria Limited, over alleged N10 billion airport contract fraud.

The arraignment comes barely a week after the anti-graft agency slammed similar charges on Hadi Sirika, his daughter, Fatima, and son-in-law, Jalal and another company, Al Buraq.

In particular, the former minister is to explain to Justice Belgore of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, why he awarded the huge contracts to his brother and company and conferred proceeds of crimes to his family without worrying about the crime and why he, his brother and the company should not be penalised in accordance with relevant laws of Nigeria.

Part of the charges reads: “That you Hadi Sirika, while being the Minister of Aviation, on or about August 18, 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon Enginos Nigeria Limited whose alter ego, Ahmad Sirika is your biological brother, by using your position to influence the award to them, the contract for the construction of a Terminal Building at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1.345billion and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.

Count two reads: “That you Hadi Sirika, while being Minister of Aviation, on or about 3d November, 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon Enginos Nigeria Limited whose alter ego, Ahmad Sirika is your blood brother, by using your position to influence the award to them, the contract for the establishment of Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre at Katsina Airport for the sum of N3.811billion and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.

Count three reads: “That you Hadi Sirika, while being Minister of Aviation, on or about 5 May 2023, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon Enginos Nigeria Limited whose alter ego, Ahmad Sirika is your blood brother, by using your position to influence the award to them, the contract for the Procurement and Installation of Lift and Air Conditioners and Power Generators for Aviation House, Abuja for the sum of N615.195million and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.

Count four reads: “That you Hadi Sirika and Enginos Nigeria Limited between August, 2022 and May, 2023 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, had possession of an aggregate sum of N2.337billion, which sum you knew indirectly represented the proceeds of criminal conducts of Ahmad Sirika, who was the Minister of Aviation at the time (to wit: use of office or position for gratification in respect of the said amount), and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 17 (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004 and punishable under the same section; and two other charges.

The Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun has filed a three-count charge against two persons before the Federal High Court, Lagos for alleged cyberstalking, illegal publication, and defamation of His Royal Highness, Oba Saheed Elegushi.

A copy of the charge dated April 30, 2024, showed it was filed by Nosa Watson Uhumwango, a senior legal officer at the State Criminal Intelligence Investigation Department, CIID, Yaba.

It lists the two defendants as Adesola James and Odunmosu Azeez Awiye.

It was gathered that the two will be arraigned tomorrow, Tuesday, May 13 before Justice Abimbola Awogboro.

In count 1, it was alleged that Adesola James, Odunmosu Azeez Awiye, and others at large, between the months of Dec. 2023 & March 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Honorable Court, did conspire together to commit a felony to wit: cyberstalking and thereby committed an ofence punishable under Section 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015.

In Count 2, it was alleged that, Adesola James, Odunmosu Azeez Awiye, and others at large, between the months of Dec. 2023 & March 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, did illegally and unlawfuly published by audible sounds and same exhibiting through your TIKTOK platform known as “ARIFANLA JOGUN OMO ODO AGBA” and “OKIKI_OSHUNT” respectively, a social network with the intention of a menacing character which is grossly offensive, false, indecent, obscene for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience danger obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, hatred or needless anxiety to the prejudice of His Royal Highness, Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi, the Elegushi of Ikate Kingdom, Kusenla IlI and the people of Ikate Kingdom in Lagos State and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 24(1)(b)(2)(a)(i) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015.

COUNT 3 says that, Adesola James, Odunmosu Azeez Awiye, and others at large, between the months of Dec. 2023 & March 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, did publish defamatory matters in your TIKTOK platform known as “ARIFANLA JOGUN OMO ODO AGBA” and “OKIKI_OSHUNT” respectively, a social network and which have been circulated and reported on other several social media platforms, including but not limited