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Kenyan police arrest Binance executive who fled Nigeria

Bankole ABE
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Kenyan police arrest Binance executive who fled Nigeria

THE Kenya Police Service has arrested a Binance executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla, who escaped from custody in Nigeria on March 25.

According to the Punch, the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) is concluding plans to extradite him to Nigeria soon.

Anjarwalla had escaped from detention in Nigeria and reportedly fled to Kenya, where the Nigerian Government tracked him down.

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The ICIR reported that the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) confirmed Anjarwalla’s escape from custody.

In a statement signed by the head of strategic communication at the ONSA, Zakari Mijinyawa, the Office said a preliminary investigation showed that he fled Nigeria using “a smuggled passport”.

According to a Premium Times report, the Binance executive fled a guest house where he and his colleague were kept in Abuja on March 22.

Anjarwalla allegedly escaped after being brought by the on-duty guards to a nearby mosque for prayers in observance of the recent Ramadan fast.

He reportedly took a Middle East aircraft out of Abuja. However, it is unclear how he left on an international flight, given that the Nigerian government had seized his only passport – the British passport on him when he was arrested.

The Office added that the suspect escaped while under a 14-day remand order by a court in Nigeria and was scheduled to appear before the court again on April 4.

Binance employed Anjarwalla, a 37-year-old British Kenyan who serves as its regional manager for Africa, and Tigran Gambaryan, a 39-year-old US citizen who oversees the firm’s financial crime compliance.

The ONSA seized their passports after they were arrested.

The ICIR reported on Monday, March 25, that the Federal Government, through the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), filed criminal charges against Binance at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The charges accused Binance of a four-count tax evasion.

The trial judge, Emeka Nwite, sent Gambaryan to Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of his bail application.

The judge made the order after he pleaded not guilty to the money laundering charges the EFCC preferred against him on Monday, April 8.

The EFCC had charged Binance, Gambaryan, and Anjarwalla, who was on the run, with hiding the source of the $35,400,000 in revenue Binance made in Nigeria while knowing that the money was the product of illegal activities.

The FIRS stated that the action was intended to protect Nigeria’s economic integrity and maintain budgetary sustainability.

The ICIR reported on March 5 that Binance pulled its services out of Nigeria.

The platform asked Nigerians trading on it to remove all their naira assets, indicating that it was terminating its services in the country.

The Federal Government has been taking harsh measures against Binance management recently. 

In response to the severe actions taken against it by the Nigerian government, Binance, on Tuesday, March 5, deleted all assets linked to the naira.

Manufacturers seek fixed rate for Customs duty to address inflation

Harrison EDEH
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Manufacturers seek fixed rate for Customs duty to address inflation

MANUFACTURERS have called for a fixed Customs import duty-exchange rate to combat Nigeria’s rising inflation, currently at 33.02 per cent.

The nation’s inflation spike has been partly linked to the incessant hike in import duty, as the country is largely import-dependent.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has consistently fixed the exchange rate to reflect the official market rate on the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) window, hence the regular changes in rate.

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Analysts say this puts a lot of pricing uncertainties on businesses, which could spur “price gouging”.

“We should have a fixed rate for our Customs import duty. It should be a fixed rate of maximum of N1,000 and let it remain like that for the next six months or a year,” a Board Member of the Nigerian Customs Service and former Director-General of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Muda Yusuf, told The ICIR.

According to Yusuf, the fixed rate makes the whole system more predictable, reduces uncertainties in commodity pricing, and aligns the country with global trade facilitation.

“Different import duty puts different prices, week in, week out, and it’s not good for business.

“For purposes of trade, let’s stabilise the rate. Our tariff book is a seven-year book. The whole essence is to make trade predictable. We seem not to be following our tariff book on this, and it’s not good for trade,” he said.

He noted that the foreign exchange component for import duty disrupted trade certainty and did not position Nigeria well for global trade.

“We already have enough issues with FX volatility and currency management. For the import duty, we can fix the rate to ensure that international trade is more predictable. A fixed rate will help bring down import costs and help moderate inflation,” he added.

The Director-General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) Segun Ajayi-Kadir told The ICIR that the association was rooting for N800/$  as basis for the import duty calculations. This, he said, would make businesses make proper projections and have a moderate cost of production, which would bring down the cost of the end product.

“We have been engaging the government on this because if we keep having price uncertainties with the import-duty rates, it will be passed to the consumers at higher prices, leading to low sales. The disposable income of Nigerians  is low and prices  are up.

Commenting further, he said, “It will lead to moderate cost of production and raw materials inputs, and it will bring down cost of end products and  increase volume of sales. More production and sales means more revenue for the government  and overall moderate inflation.”

Concerned about consumer exploitation, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has intensified supermarket supervision to address possible price gouging concerns.

On Thursday, April 18, an enforcement team led by its acting executive vice chair, Adamu Ahmed Abdullahi, the FCCPC raided several supermarkets.

Before the raid, the FCCPC, on April 17, urged Nigerians to report businesses hiking prices of goods, saying that despite the naira appreciating against the dollar, costs of commodities were still soaring.

The commission said it would monitor and investigate price hikes in the markets to protect consumers from exploitation.

Checks by The ICIR showed that the rate has risen more than six times since the inception of Tinubu’s administration, raising concerns about possible arbitrary hikes in the prices of commodities by importers.

The NCS has reduced the exchange rate for import duties collection from N1238.1 to the dollar to N1,147/$.

The Customs exchange rate for duties collection has remained at N1238/$ for over a week now—the longest it has stayed at a particular rate in recent times.

An economist and business consultant, Franklin Akinyosoye, told The ICIR  that the Customs should focus on discouraging goods that could be produced in-country with higher import duties.

“I don’t have issues with the constant rate review for Customs duty. I wish they could do it more for only the goods and services we don’t need that much to discourage importing all sorts.

“There are items that shouldn’t have import duties at all, those goods we can’t produce at all in Nigeria. That way, items with high Customs duties will be discouraged. We are too dependent on foreign goods or items. I suspect the CBN is also using it to manage the foreign exchange rates, discourage imports of what we don’t need, and to also raise revenue to fund other aspects of the economy,” he said.

Is Air Peace the ‘largest’ African airline in terms of passenger traffic?

Fatimah QUADRI
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Is Air Peace the ‘largest’ African airline in terms of passenger traffic?

AN X user, @AfricaFactsZone, has claimed that Air Peace is Africa’s largest airline in terms of annual passenger traffic.

In the ratings, he listed Air Peace (Nigeria), Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopia), Air Algerie (Algeria), EgyptAir (Egypt), Kenyan Airways (Kenya), Royal Air Maroc (Morocco), South African Airways (South Africa), and Tunisair (Tunisia) as having the largest airlines by number of passengers annually.

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The post read:

Africa’s Largest Airlines by Number of Passengers Annually

1. Air Peace -14 million passengers

2. Ethiopian Airlines – 13.89 million passengers

3. Air Algerie – 7.2 million passengers

4. EgyptAir – 6.4 million

5. Kenya Airways – 5 million

Royal Air Maroc – 5 million

7. South African Airways – 4.6 million

8. Tunisair – 2.474 million

The post has garnered over 800,000 views, with over 8,000 likes and 1,700 reposts as of April 19, 2024.

CLAIM

Air Peace is the largest African airline in terms of passenger traffic.

THE FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub indicate that the claim is FALSE!

Screenshot of the claim retrieved from X. INSERT: False verdict.
Screenshot of the claim retrieved from X. INSERT: False verdict.

The 2023 air transport report released by the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), showed that the top 5 airlines with the highest passenger traffic are: Ethiopian airlines (11.3 million), Egyptair (8.2 million), Safair (6.6 million), Royal Air Maroc (5.7 million) and Air Algerie (4.7 million). While Air peace ranked 7th with 2.6 million passenger traffic on the list.

A 2023 report by Cirium, an aviation analytics company which highlighted Cirium Diio as its data source, ranked Ethiopian airlines (Ethiopia) as the busiest airline in Africa.

A 2024 report published by Simple Flying also noted that Ethiopian Airlines remains Africa’s largest carrier of air passengers as it played a critical role in the 20.7% increase on international passenger traffic by African airlines.

THE VERDICT

The claim that Air Peace is the largest African airline in terms of passenger traffic is FALSE; findings revealed that Ethiopian Airlines is the largest African airlines in terms of passenger traffic.

This is republished from the Factcheckhub.

Aiyedatiwa declared winner of Ondo APC governorship primary

Bankole ABE
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Aiyedatiwa declared winner of Ondo APC governorship primary

ONDO State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has been declared the winner of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Primary for the forthcoming November 16 governorship election.

The Primary committee chairman and Kogi State governor, Ahmed Ododo, declared him the primary election winner in the early hours of Monday, April 22.

By the declaration, he is now the party’s candidate in the coming governorship election in the state.

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The governor gathered 48,569 votes, while fellow contender Mayowa Akinfolarin polled 15,343, and Olusola Oke came third with 14,865 votes.

According to Ododo, the electoral process went” smoothly”, with little skirmishes recorded.

Aiyedatiwa won 16 of the 18 LGA, losing out on Ilaje LGA to Oke.

The primary, which took place on Saturday, April 20, saw several contestants allege the elections didn’t take place anywhere.

In addition, some party supporters staged protests in Akure’s streets, calling for Ododo to be removed as the committee’s chair and the exercise to be cancelled.

The protesters brought their grievances to the APC state secretariat in Akure, where they claimed that there had been anomalies in how the 203 state ward primaries had been conducted.

They called the procedure a “daylight robbery” and pleaded with the APC national leadership to prevent the state from becoming entangled in a conflict.

According to the ruling APC, 171,922 members from the 203 wards of the state’s 18 local government areas participated in the Primary.

Ododo, who chaired the organising committee, declared the election inconclusive late on Saturday.

Ododo noted that the exercise would continue on Sunday, April 21, especially in Okitipupa, where violence by rival supporters within the party disrupted the process.

The ICIR reported that rival supporters of two party aspirants stirred up violence on Saturday at Ward 1, Stella Maris College, Okitipupa.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the violence between two groups of supporters disrupted the voting process, leaving voters who had gathered at the ward scampering for safety even before the accreditation process began.

Eyewitnesses also told NAN that a party agent had arrived on the scene, snatched accreditation documents, and run away, leading to the unrest in the area.

Other irregularities during the process also led some aspirants to call for the exercise’s cancellation.

They alleged that the APC Electoral Committee, led by Kogi state Ododo, was not transparent and asked the party’s leadership to replace the committee chairman immediately.

The Ondo state governorship election is scheduled for November 2024.

Police probe alleged killing of man by officer in Lagos

Mustapha USMAN
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Police probe alleged killing of man by officer in Lagos

THE Lagos State Police Command has commenced an investigation into the death of one Anosikwa Patrick.

Patrick was allegedly stabbed by a police officer, now identified as Inspector Taofeek, at Skymall Shopping Mall in the Ajah area of the state on Saturday, April 20.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin made this disclosure in a statement issued on Sunday, April 21.

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An X user, NotMentus, had on Saturday, April 20, tagged the Force PRO, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a post, seeking assistance in obtaining justice for the demise of Patrick.

He wrote, “#Princemoye1, good morning sir, my brother got stabbed to death by one of the police officers attached to Skymall at Sangotedo, Lekki. 

“The officer is currently on the run. His colleague, too, is on the run.”

This alleged case of police brutality was coming a few hours after Abiriba-born businessman Emmanuel Michael Okocha was shot dead along Aba-Owerri road in Aba, Abia, state for refusing to bribe some policemen at a checkpoint.

The officer who killed Okocha was attached to the Abayi Police Division before the incident happened.

Reacting to the latest development, the Lagos police PRO said the manager and chief security officer of the mall are already in custody to assist with the investigation.

The statement partly read, “The manager and chief security officer of the mall are already in custody assisting with the ongoing investigation. 

“Meanwhile, the police officer has been identified as Inspr. Taofeek, member of visiting 12 PMF squadron to Lagos.

“The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Adegoke Fayoade, has directed detectives of the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department to ensure a speedy and diligent investigation towards ensuring that the culprit is brought to book.” 

The ICIR reports that the tragic killings of both Okocha and Patrick are not an isolated incident but a troubling pattern of police brutality and misconduct that has plagued the country over time. 

READ ALSO:

Over the years, The ICIR has documented several instances of police brutality in the country and how it has led to the loss of lives and properties.

In December 2022, The ICIR reported how Nigerians expressed outrage over the death of a female lawyer, Bolanle Raheem, who was shot by an assistant superintendent officer in the Ajah area of Lagos State on Christmas Day.

UDUS first-class graduates disappointed over lack of public recognition

Mustapha USMAN
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UDUS first-class graduates disappointed over lack of public recognition

SOME first-class graduates of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), have expressed their disappointment over what they described as the school management’s failure to acknowledge their outstanding academic achievements. 

This was despite many of them travelling to the university from various states, believing that they would be recognised and awarded prizes for topping their respective departments and faculties during the convocation.

The situation, which has now generated outrage among students, was tagged as a lack of oversight on the management side.

The ICIR reports that UDUS commenced its 38th, 39th, 40th, and 41st combined convocation ceremony on Monday, April 15, with a press briefing by the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lawal Suleman Bilbis, who is a professor of Biochemistry.

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On Tuesday, April, the university also engaged in Convocation debate and drama. Following that, a novelty football match and convocation lecture were scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday as part of the program of events.

On Friday, April 19, the university presented certificates and diplomas, conferred bachelor degrees, and commissioned projects. The following day, Saturday, marked the university’s convocation grand finale, which was slated to include prize presentations, granting higher degrees, and awarding honorary degrees.

Given the lineup of events, many first-class graduates, especially the best-graduating ones, had hoped that the university would publicly acknowledge their achievement on Saturday.

However, they were shocked when the management failed to call upon them and instead announced that the top-performing students would be recognised later in the press, with instructions for claiming awards at the Student Affairs Office.

Apart from the Vice Chancellor and the Registrar’s announcement of the best graduates from 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21, and 2022/23 sessions both on Friday and Saturday, the university was said to have spent the whole day conferring honorary degrees and handshaking of postgraduate graduates.

This, the students believed was unfair and lack of oversight by the management.

Speaking anonymously, several first-class graduates expressed their frustration over the incident.

Management deprives us of life-changing opportunities – first-class graduates 

With the presence of several dignitaries, including the Sokoto State Governor, Ahmad Aliyu; the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’adu Abubakar; other royals and the founder of Al-Qalam University, some of the graduates who spoke to The ICIR said that the university’s management had deprived them of opportunities that the dignitaries might have had for them.

A graduate who had spent over N30,000 on transport to attend the event said although he was not expecting something ‘big’ from the management, he was at least expecting a handshake.

“I felt so disappointed and bitter. I’ve never seen a convocation ceremony held like that. We see how other schools celebrate their best students in convocation. I believe convocation is a way to advertise the school’s achievements, and the most notable of all achievements is the production of excellent students. 

“Imagine giving prizes to best-graduating students behind doors instead of honouring them with the recognition they deserve. Even if it’s just the VC’s handshake they could get as prizes, I think it’s enough recognition. As the registrar said, I can agree that the names might be too tiring to call as there are more than 200 scholars over the 4 years combined. However, I believe the overall best students of each year were robbed of the honour and recognition they deserved, especially someone with a staggering 4.96-grade point,” a first-class graduate said.

Another first-class graduate explained to The ICIR that he had always believed convocations to be student-centred occasions where students are specially recognised, celebrated, and awarded. 

“Holding to my knowledge about how convocation should be, and experiences from convocation ceremonies by other progressive Universities in the country, I’m not without concerns for the development. It is so discouraging, and I’m not happy with the situation. Not only me, many graduates and students appear disappointed,” he added.

‘I travelled to Sokoto hoping to be rewarded for academic excellence’

Also, a 2022/2023 university graduate said he travelled over 500 km to the school, having heard about a possible reward for the best-graduating students, but was surprised when he and others were shunned by the management.

“All my life, I thought convocation was for the students, but that of UDUS seems otherwise — it was mainly for the dignitaries and elites.

“I travelled down here having heard that there’ll be a reward for efforts and the availability of the certificate, but as things stand now, the two seem unachievable. It’s quite unfortunate,” he said.

Meanwhile, when The ICIR contacted the university’s Dean of Students’ Affairs, Umar Aliyu, for his comment on the graduates’ claims, he explained that Saturday’s event was meant for the PhD graduates and conferment of honorary degrees while Friday was meant to celebrate the bachelor’s degree graduates, contrary to what was displayed on the event’s programmes.

When told that the management also failed to publicly call upon them on Friday, he claimed that he did not know the reason why that happened, noting that the students actually deserved proper recognition.

Kwara confiscates poisonous beef in Mandate market, begins probe

Ijeoma OPARA
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Kwara confiscates poisonous beef in Mandate market, begins probe

KWARA State Government has confiscated some of the beef being sold at the Mandate market, following allegations that they were gotten from cows that died after ingesting poison, whose meat is now being sold to unsuspecting members of the public.

This occurred on Sunday, April 21, following an alarm by the Kwara Monitoring Group (KMG) earlier the same day.

A statement by the government, co-signed by the Commissioner for Health Amina Ahmed El-Imam and Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Toyosi Adebayo-Thomas on Sunday, called for calm while assuring members of the public that efforts were being made to verify the allegations.

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“The government has immediately confiscated all the suspected meats for laboratory tests and confirmation of claims after initial engagements with the Mandate Market stakeholders. Further information will be given as may become necessary.

“The government urges members of the public to be calm while the team establishes the truth of the rumour of poisoned meat. It also commends the leadership of the market for their cooperation so far,” the statement read.

Earlier on Sunday, KMG issued a statement calling on the state government to act quickly and intercept the sale of poisoned beef to the public.

“Over 33 cows were suspected to be poisoned and died immediately, but surprisingly, the dead animals were slaughtered and distributed out to butchers to be sold. It happened along Atere Road (which leads to the Al Hikma campus) right inside the College of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Ilorin.

“It is our prayer that the concerned ministry and agency take appropriate action as nobody knows whose family the poisoned meat could be sold out to in the market,” the statement read.

Along with El-Imam and Adebayo-Thomas, officials of the state’s Ministries of Environment and Health were also present at the market on Sunday, including the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Environmental Protection Agency, Mrs Folorunsho Idayat, and the Director of Public Health, Oluwatosin Fakayode, among others.

SERAP threatens legal action against governors over FAAC spendings

Mustapha USMAN
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SERAP threatens legal action against governors over FAAC spendings

SOCIO-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has threatened to sue Nigeria’s 36 state governors if they fail to account for the trillions of FAAC allocations received by their state and the FCT since 1999.

The accountability organisation also asked the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister to provide them with a document of the FAAC allocations spending and to publish any such documents widely.

SERAP also urged them “to invite Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to jointly track and monitor the spending of FAAC allocations by your state and the FCT and to probe any allegations of corruption linked the allocations.”

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FG, states, LGCs shared N786bn FAAC allocation in May, the highest this year

FG, states, LGCs shared N786bn FAAC allocation in May, the highest this year

The organisation, in a statement on Sunday, April 21, emphasized that without this information, Nigerians cannot monitor the actions of their states and the FCT in Freedom of Information (FOI) requests dated April 20, 2024, and signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare.

SERAP requests followed reports that the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursed N1.123 trillion to the federal, state, and local governments for March 2024 alone. 

According to SERAP, the alleged mismanagement of trillions of FAAC allocations received by Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT poses a direct threat to the human rights of socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians, with significant human costs incurred as a consequence.

The statement quoted the FoI requests to read in part: “Secrecy in the spending of FAAC allocations received by your state and the FCT is entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international anti-corruption obligations.”

“Secrecy in the spending of FAAC allocations received by your state and the FCT also denies Nigerians the right to know how public funds are spent. Transparency in the spending would allow them to retain control over their government.”

“The documents should include the evidence and list of specific projects completed with the FAAC allocations collected, the locations of any such projects, and completion reports of the projects. The documents should also include details of the salaries and pensions paid from the FAAC allocations collected, as well as the details of projects executed on hospitals and schools with the FAAC allocations.”

It also noted that despite the increased FAAC allocations to states and the FCT, millions of residents in the states and the FCT continue to face extreme poverty and lack access to basic public goods and services. The removal of the petrol subsidy and the floating of the exchange rate by the Federal Government has translated into increased FAAC allocations to states and the FCT.

SERAP also stated that FAAC allocations received by each state and the FCT are reportedly characterised by mismanagement, diversion of funds, and abandoned projects. Additionally, FAAC allocations have allegedly been spent on other purposes, such as election campaigns and political patronage.

“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel you your state, and the FCT to comply with our requests in the public interest. 

“According to our information, the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) last week disbursed N1.123 trillion to the federal, state, and local governments for March 2024. State governments got N398.689 billion while local government councils got N288.688 billion. The mineral-producing states received an additional N90.124 billion (13% of mineral revenue). In February, states collected N336 billion,” the request added.

Ondo APC primaries inconclusive, to resume on Sunday

Ijeoma OPARA
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0
Ondo APC primaries inconclusive, to resume on Sunday

THE Ondo State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries, which commenced on Saturday, April 20, was declared inclusive by the Chairman of the electoral committee overseeing the exercise, Ahmed Usman Ododo.

In a statement late on Saturday, Ododo noted that the exercise would continue on Sunday, April 21, especially in Okitipupa, where violence by rival supporters within the party disrupted the process.

“Having received reports of the primary election from the 203 Wards in the 18 Local Governments of Ondo State, the Primary election Committee has decided that election will be conducted in all the 13 Wards of Okitipupa Local Government with total validated registered members of 9,515 because of validated reports that the exercise did not hold in the Local government due to late arrival of materials and personnel as a result of logistics challenges.

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“Election in Okitipupa Local Government shall be conducted at noon on Sunday 21st April 2024. The final collation of the results will be done thereafter,” Ododo stated.

The ICIR reported that rival supporters of two party aspirants stirred up violence on Saturday at Ward 1, Stella Maris College, Okitipupa.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the violence between two groups of supporters disrupted the voting process, leaving voters who had gathered at the ward scampering for safety even before the accreditation process began.

Eyewitnesses also told NAN that a party agent had arrived on the scene, snatched accreditation documents, and run away, leading to the unrest in the area.

Other irregularities that occurred during the process also led some of the aspirants to call for a cancellation of the exercise.

They alleged that the APC Electoral Committee, led by Kogi state governor Ododo, was not transparent and asked the party’s leadership to replace the committee chairman immediately.

The Ondo state governorship election is scheduled for November 2024.

Police corporal arrested for alleged killing of Abia businessman

Mustapha USMAN
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0
Police corporal arrested for alleged killing of Abia businessman

THE Abia State Police Command has apprehended an officer who killed an Abiriba-born businessman, Emmanuel Michael Okocha, in Aba.

According to reports, Okocha was shot dead along Aba-Owerri road in Aba, Abia, state for refusing to bribe some policemen at a checkpoint.

A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, Maureen Chinaka, on Saturday, April 21, revealed that Njok was attached to the Abayi Police Division before the incident happened.

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While describing the incident as ‘unfortunate’, the command said the corporal was apprehended, and necessary disciplinary procedures had been initiated.

The statement read: “Preliminary Inquiries into the matter reveal that a Police Corporal Obagi Njok, attached to Abayi Police Division under Abia State Police Command, shot at Mr Emmanuel Okocha along Aba-Owerri Road.

“The officer has been apprehended, and necessary disciplinary procedures have been initiated. Appropriate disciplinary actions and sanctions will be effected soonest, and he will face the full course of appropriate administrative and legal consequences.

“In this regard, representatives of the bereaved family and stakeholders will be carried along as the proceedings progress.

One too many…

The tragic killing of Okocha is not an isolated incident but a troubling pattern of police brutality and misconduct that has plagued the country over time. 

Over the years, The ICIR has documented several instances of police brutality in the country and how it has led to the loss of lives and properties.

In December 2022, The ICIR reported how Nigerians expressed outrage over the death of a female lawyer, Bolanle Raheem, who was shot by an assistant superintendent officer in the Ajah area of Lagos State on Christmas Day.

The police officer was attached to Ajiwe Police Station, Ajah.

The unnamed policeman and his team were said to have tried to stop Bolanle and her family members as they drove back home from a Christmas Day church service.

Bolanle was shot when the car conveying her tried to make a U-turn under the Ajah Bridge.

The victim was rushed to a hospital but was confirmed dead.

Bolanle’s death also came barely three weeks after a young man, Gafaru Buraimoh, was shot dead by police officers attached to the same station in Lagos.

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