Crime
Timi Frank sues Sylva, Seeks police order to probe Ex-Minister
The immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, has been dragged to the Chief Magistrate Court Abuja by former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over criminal complaints case he filed against him
His Counsel, Edward Omaga Esq. of Graylaw Practice LP chambers, Frank in the suit he filedurged the Chief Magistrate of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to cause a direct criminal compliant to be issued against Sylva over alleged inconsistencies in his name and doubts over his participation in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.
Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, averred that based on documents before him, the actual identity of the former minister seems to be in doubt.
The suit reads in part: “Over the years, the complainant (Frank) has also shown his resolve in fighting and exposing corruption in public places and holding public officers accountable to their oath of office.
“The defendant (Sylva) on his part once served as the Executive Governor of Bayelsa state between2008 till 2012 and recently resigned his position as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources sometime around 30th March 2023.
“Facts and documents available to the complainant reveal that the actual identity of the aforesaid defendant is in serious doubt.
“Recently, the complainant while undertaking a private investigation visited the United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania where Chief Timipre Sylva instituted a libel case against one Jackson Ude.
“In the course of hearing, Chief Timipre Sylva signed a verification of interrogatories answers dated April l, 2022 and attached various documents in proof of his identity.
“The said academic documents include a First School Leaving Certificate with No. 092915 dated 1st July, 1976 issued to Anagha Timipere who finished from Ajeromi Central School, Araromi-Apapa, Lagos State.
“Also, the defendant claims to hold a West African Examination Council (WAEC) General Certificate of Education with certificate No. PO851528 and Candidate No. 21735215 dated December 1981 issued to Marlin Anagha Timipre…
“The complainant equally discovered that the erstwhile Minister of State for Petroleum Resources parades a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English with Second Class (Upper Division) from University of Port Harcourt dated 19th August, 1986 issued to Anagha Timipre Marlin.
“The defendant equally holds a Doctorate in International Relations (Honoris Causa) from UBIS University in Geneva, Switzerland, dated 22nd September, 2011 and issued to Chief Timipre Sylva.
“The certificates mentioned above have visible anomalies and do not depict the true identity of Chief Timipre Sylva. It is confusing as to who Chief Timipre Sylva is.
“There is no evidence anywhere showing that Chief Timipre Sylva ever changed his name from Anagha Timipre Marlin to Timipre Sylva in 1986 after he purportedly graduated from University of Port Harcourt.
“Investigation by the complainant further reveals that there is also no record that the defendant has National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Discharge or Exemption Certificate, as the case may be, either in the name of Anagha Timipre Marlin or Timipre Sylva.
“Records abound in public domain that Chief Timipre Sylva intentionally presented the aforementioned inconsistent, conflicting or forged academic documents before the Bayelsa State Gubernatorial Screening Committee in 2007 as well as the Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives in 2019 under oath for purposes of screening into the positions of Governor of Bayelsa State and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.
“In a bid to escape the long arms of the law, Chief Timipre Sylva concocted a Deed Poll and Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette dated 11th and 12th May, 2022 to cover up his alleged offences.
“In the documents…Sylva attempted, albeit belatedly to make the general public believe that the manifestly conflicting names: Anagha Timipere, Marlin Anagha Timipre, Anagha Timipre Marlin and Chief Timipre Sylva appearing on the academic certificates he has been parading for decades all belongs to him.
“The complainant believes that the said Deed Poll and Official Gazette are nothing but mere pieces of paper…procured by Sylva to mislead people and wriggle himself out of being investigated, prosecuted and jailed for the alleged offence.
“The Complainant is worried like every other reasonable Nigerian as to why the defendant waited till May 2022 before procuring the Deed Poll and Official Gazette…
“That the complainant is crying for justice in this matter and only an intervention by the Court can answer the cry.
“That it will be in the best interest of Justice to bring the defendant to answer to the complaint.
“Based on the foregoing, the complainant humbly prays the Honourable Court to direct the Nigeria Police Force to carry out investigation of the alleged offences concerning the defendant.
“Whereof the action of the defendant constitutes the offence of forgery contrary to Section 366 of the Penal Code.”
***CP restates commitment to safety of lives, property in Kogi
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.
The Nigeria Police, Kogi State Command has confirmed the killing of two suspected kidnappers during a gun duel in Ankumi forest, near Obajana in Lokoja Local Government Area of the state.
A statement from SP William Ovye Aya, the Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO) on Tuesday in Lokoja said that the two suspected kidnappers were fatally wounded in an exchange of fire with the Police and died as they were being taken to the hospital.
Aya said the operation which was in continuation of the ongoing onslaught against banditry, kidnapping and other heinous crime in Kogi State also led to the recovery of one AK 47 Rifle with two magazines and two live Ammunition.
He explained that the operation was consequent upon a tip off received on Monday, May 27 at about 11:30hrs, that some armed hoodlums numbering about three were sighted inside Ankumi forest.
“Immediately the Divisional Police Officer of Obajana Division, CSP Oguche Richard, mobilized his patrol team in collaboration with the Fulani Vigilantes and moved to the area at about 14:30hrs”, he said.
According to the PPRO, on sighting the team, the hoodlums opened fire on them, attracting corresponding response from the team resulting in a gun duel that lasted a while.
Aya said, “Due to the superior firepower of the Police team, two of the hoodlums were fatally wounded while the other escaped with bullet wounds.
“Items recovered from the scene include, one AK 47 rifle with two magazines and two rounds of live Ammunition. Effort is on going to trail and apprehend the fleeing suspect.”
The Command’s Spokesman further told newsmen that the suspects were confirmed dead in a hospital at Obajana and their bodies were brought to the command headquarters in Lokoja.
He said that the bodies were deposited at the Federal University Teaching Hospital morgue in Lokoja.
Aya further said that the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Bethrand C. Onuoha, commended the officers for their unwavering commitment and dedication in sustaining the tempo in the ongoing onslaught against crime and criminality.
The Commissioner, he said, also assured Kogi people that the Police “is ever determined to sustain the tempo, in synergy with other Security Agencies, in ensuring the safety of lives and property in the state.” (Ends)
An unspecified number of workers of Dangote Cement Company Plc, Okpella, Etsako West local government of Edo state have been abducted after unknown gunmen Wayland the staff bus
The unfortunate incident was said to have happened on Monday.
The workers were in a staff bus conveying them back to Okpella town after the close of work when they were intercepted and abducted by the gunmen.
An eyewitness confirmed to this online newspaper that the incident happened after the gunmen laid ambush for the workers after emerging from the bush and forcing the bus to a halt at gunpoint before taking their victims into the bush.
“They were in a Coaster bus coming to Okpella after work when they were kidnapped by gunmen. But, we don’t know the numbers of the workers that have been kidnapped,” the source added.
The alleged rape of a female student of the Ajayi Crowther University by two security guards is not being treated with kids gloves as the authorities of the institution have commenced investigations
This was contained in a statement issued by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Olufemi John Atoyebi.
Atoyebi said, “Management of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo received with shock a report of an alleged rape of one of our female students last night, Thursday May 9, 2024 by two members of our vigilance group.
“The Management promptly handed over to the police, the two people alleged to have committed the crime while the university has set up its own internal panel of inquiry to investigate the allegation.
“The Management wishes to assure all stakeholders that ACU will not tolerate any act of misconduct capable of tarnishing its enviable image.
“Raising Godly intellectuals is our primary goal in ACU and we will not allow any act of misconduct capable of diverting our attention from our goal.
“Heavy penalty awaits anyone who is found culpable after our thorough investigation.
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