Microfinance Bank Defrauds Over 200 Market Women in Lagos

Microfinance Bank Defrauds Over 200 Market Women in Lagos

 

"There was confusion at a certain microfinance bank located on Atitebi Junction on the Old Apapa Road, in the Oyingbo area of Lagos state when no fewer than 200 women got to the bank where they had allegedly opened accounts but discovered it was deserted.

According to Punch, the police in the State are on the trail of the employees of the said bank who allegedly defrauded the women of their savings.

The bank, which reportedly used a three-room apartment in a storey building at the junction, started giving out forms around September to the victims, who were mostly market women.

Reports say the aggrieved women who were given forms and account booklets where savings were ticked after each deposit, had been told by the bank to come last Monday to get loans after making three months’ savings, only to discover that the bank officials were nowhere to be found. While some of the women reportedly deposited N21, 000 hoping to be given loans of N150, 000, others were said to have paid in N15, 000 to be lent N100, 000. Some others also deposited N7, 500 hoping to be lent N50, 000.
 

However, trouble started when some of the women who had been told to come for their money on Friday, got to the bank at about 10am and met the rooms under lock and key. They were said to have raised the alarm and started to call other women who were customers.

Policemen from the Iponri division were said to have arrived to pacify the women and enjoined them to make a formal report for investigation, because the wailing women caused a gridlock on the road, during which some of them put calls through to the phone numbers on the form, but the lines were reportedly switched off.
 

Speaking on the incident, one of the women, who identified herself as Yakubu Rukayat, said she had deposited N15, 000, and brought her sister to contribute N21, 000 hoping to get the loans.
 

According to her, “Over 200 of us were affected. We were shocked to meet their doors locked on a Monday. The rooms are empty. The door is locked. Look at the form I filled and the passbook they gave me. I deposited N15, 000, and I also brought my sister to pay in N21, 000.

“Most of us are market women from Oyingbo, Makoko and Ebute Meta. On Friday, I still came to the bank and people were depositing the money. I noticed that one of the officials, a lady, asked people to hurry so that they could take their forms for processing. We did not know it was a scam. How will I get all my money back?”

One Iyaniwura, another victim, lamented she had hoped to use the loan to pay her house rent, and to expand her business. She claimed to have deposited N21, 000 too.

 

The police has invited the landlord of the building for questioning to help track down the fleeing fraudsters."

DSS asks court to discontinue Kanu’s trial

The Department of State Services (DSS) on Monday requested a Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates’ Court in Abuja to discontinue trial of Nnamdi Kanu, Director of Radio Biafra, charged with criminal conspiracy.

Kanu is standing trial on a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, intimidation and belonging to unlawful society, to which he pleaded not guilty.

At the resumed sitting of the case, prosecution counsel, Moses Idakwo, informed the court that after the arraignment of the accused, the complainant stumbled on some facts which took the matter out of the jurisdiction of the court. According to him, the complainant found out that the accused was involved in terrorism and has been financing it.

“The complainant is, therefore, applying to discontinue the matter under section 108(1) of administration of criminal justice act 2015.’’ Idakwo said that the DSS had also obtained an order from the Federal High Court, Abuja, dated Nov.10, to detain the accused in its custody for 90 days.

Objecting, Kanu’s counsel, Vincent Obetta, prayed the court not to discontinue the case because the prosecution did not present any information from the Attorney-General of Federation who had the authority to approve such. Obetta told the court that the DSS violated the order of the court which granted bail that was perfected but not granted, adding that the accused had been in DSS custody since he was arrested.
Subsequently, the magistrate, Mr Usman Shuaibu, after listening to both counsels, adjourned the matter until December 1 for ruling.

Legal Implications Of Abubakar Audu’s Death – Festus Keyamo

Legal Luminary and Human rights activists, Festus Keyamo examined the legal implication of the death of the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in the Kogi governorship poll, saying his running mate, James Faleke should automatically become the governorship candidate of the APC constitutionally.

Read the full statement as released by Festus Keyamo:

The reported death today, Sunday, November 22nd, 2015, of the APC candidate in the Kogi State Governorship elections, Prince Abubakar Audu, is extremely shocking and sad. I would like to express my condolences to the entire family of Audu and to the people of Kogi State.

However, the real question agitating the minds of everybody is the legal implication regarding the inconclusive Governorship elections at the time of his demise. To state it correctly he was said to have died AFTER the announcement of the results by INEC and after INEC had declared the elections inconclusive. Admittedly, this is a strange and novel constitutional scenario. It has never happened in our constitutional history to the extent that when an election has been partially conducted (and not before or after the elections) a candidate dies. What then happens?

This is a hybrid situation between what happened in the case of Atiku Abubakar/Boni Haruna in 1999 and the provision of section 33 of the Electoral Act, 2010.

In the case of Atiku Abubakar/Boni Haruna [which is now a clear constitutional provision of section 181(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended)] the Supreme Court held, in effect, that “if a person duly elected as Governor dies before taking and subscribing the Oath of Allegiance and oath of office, or is unable for any reason whatsoever to be sworn in, the person elected with him as Deputy governor shall be sworn in as Governor and he shall nominate a new Deputy-Governor who shall be appointed by the Governor with the approval of a simple majority of the house of Assembly of the State”.

In the case of section 33 of the Electoral Act 2010 it provides, in effect, that if a person has been duly nominated as a candidate of his party and he dies before the election then the political party has the right to replace him with another candidate and not necessarily the Deputy Governorship candidate.
Now, does the Kogi situation fit into section 181(1) of the Constitution as quoted above or section 33 of the Electoral Act mentioned above?

My simple position is that the Kogi situation fits more into section 181(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and as such James Abiodun Faleke automatically becomes the governorship candidate of the APC. This is because even though the election in inconclusive, votes have been counted and allocated to Parties and candidates. As a result the joint ticket of Audu/Faleke has acquired some votes already. James Abiodun Faleke is as much entitled to those votes already counted as much as the late Abubakar Audu. He has a right to cling to those votes going into the supplementary election.

There is only one problem, though. Who nominates Faleke’s Deputy? Unlike section 181(1) of the 1999 Constitution, he cannot approach the House of Assembly of the State to approve a nomination by him of a Deputy. This is because, in reality, he is not duly elected yet. Therefore it is only reasonable to conclude that it is APC (Faleke’s political party) that should submit the name of a fresh Deputy Governorship candidate to INEC for the supplementary election.

This is the only position in this situation that accords with reason and good sense.

How Kogi APC Governorship Candidate, Abubakar Audu, Died – Relative Reveals

 

 

According to a close source, the former governor suddenly took ill and was being rushed to Abuja preparatory to being flown abroad when he passed on.

New reports have it that there are indications the candidate of the All Progressives Congress for Saturday’s governorship election in Kogi, Abubakar Audu, may not have died as a result of the news of the declaration of Saturday’s election as inconclusive.

It was learnt that Mr. Audu’s health problem started on Saturday evening. A relative told Premium Times his problem started when he complained of stomach cramps on Saturday.

“He suffered a stroke this morning. Another one occurred this afternoon and that was fatal.”

Earlier, a close friend and close associate of the late politician had confirmed his passing and said; “Audu is gone,” the distraught associate said on the telephone.
The source said the former governor suddenly took ill and was being rushed to Abuja preparatory to being flown abroad when he passed on.

It can be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared the Saturday governorship election inconclusive, but Mr. Audu was in a pole position to be declared winner eventually.
Family members, friends, associates and sympathisers have thronged the residence of Abubakar Audu, in his hometown, Ogbonicha, in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

A family source told a correspondent that many people had gathered in his family home weeping over the sudden passing away of the APC governorship candidate.

“I am aware that right now so many people have gathered in his house and they are weeping seriously. As a Muslim he would be buried at 10 am tomorrow morning,” the source who would not want to be named, said.

PHOTO: Final Muslim prayers for late Prince Abubakar Audu

 

 PHOTO: Final Muslim prayers for late Prince Abubakar Audu

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4.  APC gubernatorial candidate Abubakar Audu is buried in his hometown according to Islamic rites. May Allah accept his soul.

Burial of Prince Abubakar Audu takes place today

  Burial of Prince Abubakar Audu takes place today

 

 

Grave diggers are currently digging up the grave site of Prince Audu Abubakar who died yesterday November 22, 2015. His burial has been officially fixed for today. See more photos below

 

 

 

Photo credit: Punch

Biafra supporters stage protest in Abuja over detention of their leader

  Biafra supporters stage protest in Abuja over detention of their leader

 

 

Briafra supporters staged a protest in Abuja today over what they described as the unlawful detention of Nnamdi Kanu, the director of Radio Biafra and the leader of indigenous people of Biafra. Kanu was arraigned before an Abuja court this morning. See more photos below