Michael Ojuroye Initiative (Ngo)

SEPTEMBER 17, 2013  BY SAMSON FOLARIN A 23-year-old man, Joseph Sarumi, has been arraigned before the Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, Lagos State, for allegedly raping and defrauding one Fatimah. The incident occurred on the Lagos Island area of the state. It was not certain what relationship existed between the defendant and the victim, but the police said Sarumi raped Fatimah and defrauded her of N25, 000, and a BlackBerry Torch phone, at Silverland Hotel in Adeniji Adele area of the state. He was also said to have collected N50, 000 from another victim, one Okikiola Elegbela. Sarumi was arraigned on  three counts of rape and stealing. The charges read in part, “That  you, Joseph Sarumi, on the 3rd day of September, 2013 at about 8pm, at an hotel on Glover Street, in Lagos Island in the Lagos Magisterial District did rape one Fatimah. “That you, Joseph Sarumi, on the 2nd day of September, 2013 at Silverland Hotel along Adeniji Adele in Lagos Island in the Lagos Magist...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE 17th Sept. 2013 A witness, in the on-going trial of the former Managing Director of Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank),Francis Atuche, Professor Pat Utomi, yesterday, told a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja that the loans granted by the former Managing Director of the Bank were ratified by the bank’s board of directors. Atuche, his wife and a former Chief Financial Officer of the bank, Ugo Anyanwu, are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly stealing N25.7 billion belonging to Bank PHB. While reading from the minutes of the Board of Directors’ meeting of Bank PHB on July 9,2008, Utomi, a former chairman of Bank PHB said the loans were ratified during  the meeting by the members. He said the credit facilities were granted to Extra Oil Ltd., in the tune of N3.9 billion; Tradjeck Ltd., N3.5 billion, Future View Securities Ltd., N3.5 billion; Petosan Oil and Gas Ltd, N4 billion and Falcon Securities, N8 billion. Utomi, who ...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE 17th Sept. 2013 The Chairman of Bali Local Government Area, Taraba State, Mr. Andy Yerima, said nine persons lost their lives in a boat accident on Sunday at Mayo-kam village. Yerima told the News Agency of Nigeria in Jalingo on Monday that the victims included five children and four women. An eyewitness, Alhaji Musa Isa, told NAN that no fewer than 50 commuters from Zude village were on board when the incident occurred. Isa said the boat, apart from the passengers, had cows, sugarcane and 150 bags of grains on board. He said the boat berthed safely at the harbour, but lost control after the boat driver anchored the rope, which suddenly cut off. Musa said the boat, in the process hit a bridge shattering into pieces while its passengers and goods were drowned. He said some of the men in the boat swam to safety while women and children on board were drowned. He said emergency personnel and rescue workers were not on ground to aid in search a...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE 17th Sept. 2013 Oyo State Police Command has arrested a man (names withheld) for allegedly raping a girl in Oluyole area of Ibadan. He was said to have been caught raping the girl in a bush. Vanguard gathered that the suspect allegedly lured the girl into the bush before forcefully having canal knowledge of her, while the victim was said to be shouting for help. The cry reportedly drew the attention of her father, who rushed to the scene and caught the man in the act. Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, Olabisi Clet-Ilobanafor, confirmed the story. She said: “The father of the victim, who reported the crime, said he heard his daughter screaming in a nearby bush and that when he rushed there, he saw the suspect on top of his daughter, having canal knowledge of the victim by force. “The father said he saw the suspect holding the girl by the neck.” After rescuing the victim, the suspect was arrested and taken to the State  Criminal Investigation...