Senate On Vengeance After Nigerian Customs Seized Senator Saraki’s Bulletproof Range Rover Over Fake Documents

BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORKMAR 18, 2017

SaharaReporters has learned that the Nigerian Senate’s current war against the leadership of the Nigerian Customs Service has its roots in the fact that Customs officials seized a bulletproof Range Rover Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) owned by Senate President Bukola Saraki. 

Our investigators discovered that Nigerian Customs officers in Lagos had on January 11, 2017, intercepted and impounded a Range Rover SUV which carried documents that claimed its chassis number was “SALGV3TF3EA190243.” Customs sources told our correspondent that the value of the car was N298 million, which meant that customs duty of N74 million should have been paid on the car. 

At the interception of the car, its driver claimed that the vehicle belonged to the Senate President and presented a letter from the National Assembly liaison office in Lagos, indicating that the driver of the luxury vehicle was authorized to drive the Senate President’s official Range Rover bulletproof car.

Our sources disclosed that when asked to show evidence of duty payment and an end-user certificate from the office of the National Security Adviser—a document required for bulletproof vehicles—the driver presented documents that were found to be fake. The reportedly fake documents provided by the driver indicated that a measly customs duty of N8 million was paid on the car. Customs officials said that, apart from the fact the customs duty was extremely low, they also determined that the presented document itself was fake. They consequently seized the vehicle. 

Later the same day, January 17, 2017, the Senate sent a letter signed by one Architect O.A. Ojo acting as the Secretary of Procurement, Estate, and Works of the National Assembly, requesting the release of the vehicle, which he claimed belonged to the convoy of the "Senate". In its response, the Nigerian Customs sent a letter signed by its Othman, A.S. Comptroller, Import and Export, the letter dated January 24 2017, again requested for the end user certificate as well as evidence of proper clearance before the vehicle could be released. Neither Mr. Saraki nor the National Assembly provided the required documents.

Investigations by SaharaReporters showed that the documents used by Mr. Saraki and the National Assembly to clear the car impounded by the Nigerian Customs might not belong to the vehicle or was outrightly forged. In addition, Senator Saraki and the National Assembly apparently undervalued the car by more than 50% to enable them to avoid paying proper customs duty. When our investigators checked on the website of Range Rover, they discovered that the vehicle whose paperwork was being used to drive the impounded car from Lagos to Abuja was manufactured in the UK in 2014. The price tag on that car was $142,000, but the importer gave the value as $64,516. The exchange rate at the time of car importation was N155 to $1. Curiously, the Customs officials that cleared the car passed it off as a "used" car, although the car was cleared in March 2103 customs papers clearly stated it was a 2014 car, which clearly meant it was a brand new car that should have attracted higher duty.

Shortly after the seizure of the car, the Nigerian Senate mounted a vigorous attack on the Nigerian Customs Service, demanding that the agency stops any further efforts to confiscate vehicles found to have evaded payment of duties. The senators also summoned the Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali, to appear before the Senate. In the letter of invitation, the senators specified that Mr. Ali, a retired Army Colonel, must wear the official Customs uniform when he appeared before them. Mr. Ali has so far refused to heed the order to wear the Customs uniform.Impounded Senate Range Rover SideSahara Reporters MediaImpounded Senate Range RoverSahara Reporters Media

Customs sources told SaharaReporters that the shady practice of importing vehicles meant for personal use with fake documents was widespread among Nigerian public officials, especially senators. The sources suggested that the attempt by Mr. Ali to check the practice had provoked the ferocious attacks against the Customs Service and its leadership. “Some highly placed Nigerians have for many years been evading the payment of proper duties on their imported luxury cars. They want to continue to get away with their habit which denies Nigerians a lot of revenues,” a senior official of the Customs Service claimed.

The Senate has forced Mr. Ali and the Nigerian Customs to suspend the policy of checking automobiles to ensure compliance with appropriate levels of duty. The senators’ stance has been popular with Nigerians who view the Customs as a pest on businessmen and women. However, our investigative findings also expose the fact that the attacks on the Customs have been inspired, and often led, by high profile Nigerians implicated in the use of fake customs papers to import cars and other luxury items into the country.Assessment ValuationSahara Reporters MediaBank payment receipt for dutySahara Reporters MediaCustoms Inspection NoticeSahara Reporters MediaSahara Reporters MediaGoods Exit CertificateSahara Reporters MediaLetter from Othman from Customs requesting for further and better documentsSahara Reporters MediaLetter from NAtional Assembly claiming vehicle belongs to the Senate convoySahara Reporters Media

Nigerian man arrested in US for exposing himself to women in parking lot while masturbating

Nigerian man arrested in US for exposing himself to women in parking lot while masturbating

22-year-old Nigerian man was arrested on Thursday, March 16th after he exposed himself to at least three women in a Shopko parking lot at 55 Lake Boulevard in Redding, US.

Kawan Okoye Gaidowsky admitted to the Redding Police Department he was driving a gray, 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt when he pulled up next to a woman in the Shopko parking lot, pulled out his penis and began to masturbate on Wednesday morning around 8:42 a.m., police said.

The woman, Ashlee Libolt, reported the car's description and license plate to police. An officer checked the car's records and found it was registered to Gaidowsky. He was feeling extra generous when he was interviewed by police and admitted he did expose himself to Libolt in the parking lot, but also exposed himself to two other female victims who were caught in his exposure spree, police said.

One exposure was last month and the other was not reported, according to Sgt. Les James. Okoye was subsequently arrested for investigation of indecent exposure and booked at the Shasta County Jail.

Police say there may be more victims, because Okoye admitted this isn't the first time he's exposed himself in public.

Police will continue their investigation and has asked anyone with more information can call the Redding Police Department.

Source: Redding Police Department

Nigerian man gets six years jail term for N7.8m love scam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Friday, secured the conviction and sentencing of an Internet fraudster, Akintunde Vincent Abiodun, a.k.a. Christopher Williams, before Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja. The 37-year-old convict was arraigned on January 23, 2017 on an amended 12-count charge of stealing and forgery to the tune of N7, 806, 093.00(Seven Million, Eight Hundred and Six Thousand, and Ninety Three Naira). 
Abiodun’s long walk to jail began after he presented himself as Christopher Williams to his victim, Dona Bonni, whom he met on a dating site on the Internet.

The convict, as part of his tricks, had told Bonni that he inherited gemstones worth $18, 050,000((Eighteen Million and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars) from his late father in the United Kingdom.

He also forged an American passport with which he convinced his victim of his purported nationality. Consequently, the convict dishonestly received various sums of money, at different times, from his victim. When he was arraigned, he pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him, thereby setting the stage for his trial.

The prosecution counsel, Ola Sesan, tendered several documents that were admitted in evidence and presented witnesses who testified against the accused. In view of this, the convict later filed an application for plea bargaining before the court.

Delivering his judgment today, Justice Ipaye, however, sentenced the accused to six years imprisonment. The convict was found guilty and jailed three years each on counts 1 to 11 of stealing. The sentences are to run concurrently. The convict was also found guilty and jailed three years each on count 12 of forgery. The sentences are to run separately from the date of arraignment.

Omg! Man tries to smuggle in 4 people from Mexico into US in the truck of his car

-

Border protection agents arrested a man after they found four people stuffed in the trunk of his car. 

Agents at the San Ysidro border stopped the car for inspection at the border from Mexico to the US and discovered the man was trying to smuggle the people in to the US.

When they opened the trunk, they found four Chinese nationals: three women and one man. 

The photograph from the scene shows the man and women, contorted to fit all together in the tight space of the Chrysler 200's trunk. The officer said the Chinese nationals had no authorization to legally enter the US. They were taken from the trunk into custody and will be removed from the country following criminal proceedings. 

The driver, a 24-year-old American citizen, was arrested and awaits federal charges. 

Wow! Nigerian man ordained 1st black Bishop of Woolwich, UK

Nigeria-born Woyin Karowei Dorgu has been ordained the 13th Church of England Bishop in the diocese of Woolwich in South-East London. Dorgu becomes the first black person to be ordained Church of England bishop in 20 years. Prior to his consecration, Bishop Karowei was Vicar of St John, Upper Holloway.  Born and brought up in Nigeria, he worked as a medical doctor before ordination. He was born in June 1958, Burutu, Nigeria attended the University of Lagos and London School of Theology, Oak Hill College

He is married to Mosun who is a Consultant Child Psychiatrist. He is a keen supporter of Arsenal Football Club. Bishop Karowei says:

‘I am pleased and privileged to be coming to work and share with the people of the Woolwich Area and of Southwark Diocese.

In the first few weeks and months I want to visit the parishes and get to know the priests and people of the Area as we begin to share our faith and lives with each other and to consider how best to be God’s people in this time and this place.  Mosun and I are delighted to be part of the vibrant community that is South London and look forward to spending time with  all those amongst whom we live and work’  

He has been the Bishop of Woolwich, an area bishop in the Diocese of Southwark, since his consecration on 17 March 2017. Wikipedia Born:

Shocking! Wrongfully convicted man released after 32 years in jail

"I've been inside for 32 years, three months and 14 days. It's been that long". These were the words of Andrew Leander Wilson as he walked out of jail haven been wrongfully convicted.

Wilson went in at the age of 30 when he was convicted of murder and now at 62 he is a free man because evidence had come to light that the prosecution withheld in the case all those years ago.

Superior Court Judge Laura Priver ruled Wilson had been deprived of his constitutional rights to a fair trial, vacating his conviction and ordering his immediate release.

His attorneys and students from the Loyola Law School Project for the Innocent worked to bring the new information to light. The information they found showed the prosecution had withheld information during the murder trial.

Wilson had maintained his innocence since the day he was arrested for the stabbing death of a 21-year-old man in 1984. The man was sleeping in his truck when he was fatally stabbed. His girlfriend Saladena Bishop was also in the truck. Wilson's attorneys said the prosecution withheld key pieces of evidence concerning the main witness.

He'll now have the chance to see his 96-years old  mother who had long fought for her son's release from her home in Missouri. 

Davido’s Alledged Baby Mama With A 4-Year Old Girl Speaks To Punch, Insists Baby Is His

Just last week, news made rounds that popular singer, Davido, impregnated a 24-year-old Georgia University undergraduate named, Amanda. This week, the young lad is in another paternity issue as another young lady, Ayotomide Labinjo, has stepped forward alleging that the ‘Dami Duro’ singer is the father of her daughter, three-year-old Aanuoluwapo.

In an exclusive chat with Saturday Beats, the 26-year-old lady alleged she had a sexual affair with the singer in 2013 and she got pregnant and had a baby girl.

Ayotomide alleged the pop singer had abandoned her and the baby and has refused to take up the responsibility of “taking care of our child.”


Labinjo alleged she met Davido at a night club in Ibadan in February 2013 where he approached her and spoke glowingly of her beauty. She alleged they ended up sleeping in a hotel that same night.  She also alleged that a month later, Davido visited Ibadan again for Gbenga Adeyinka’s Easter show and they hooked up again for a night out and slept together at a hotel in the upscale Iyaganku area of the city.

According to her, communication between them was intact until she told him that she was pregnant at the end of March 2013.

Labinjo said, “In February 2013, I met Davido at a club in Ibadan and he approached me and said he liked me. We became friends and got along. He only came to have a good time then. We left the club in his Range Rover Sports for a hotel around Challenge in Ibadan where we slept together. I left him there the following morning. Before then, I had no boyfriend so I was not used to going out but my friend invited me to the club that night.

“We only met twice in Ibadan and we slept together on both occasions. The third time I would see him again was when I and my mother went to his house in Lagos more than a year after the birth of the baby. He preferred to call me Enitan because that is my other name.

“When I told him I was pregnant at the end of March 2013, he said I should keep it but the following morning, he blocked me from his Blackberry Messenger list. I could not reach him throughout the period I was pregnant. On each of the days we met in Ibadan, he had a police and three body guards with him.

“On the day the baby girl was being named, he added me again on his BBM and I sent him her pictures. He asked me what I wanted and I told him that he should take up the responsibility of the child. But he blocked me from his contact list again the next morning. We named the baby Aanuoluwapo but he preferred to call her Vero and anytime I asked for anything, he would embarrass me.

“My mother was furious about his attitude so she wrote a letter to his father but he did not reply until our lawyer, the late Bamidele Aiku, wrote to him. That was when his father arranged for a DNA test and we went to Lagos for the test.”

But then, a copy of the test carried out at Clina-Lancet Laboratories, Babatunde Jose Street, Victoria Island, Lagos on September 2, 2014, showed that Davido was ‘excluded’ from being the biological father of the child.

However, Labinjo disputed the result. According to her, she alleged she saw Davido giving a ‘big’ envelope containing lots of money to one Alex Sogbola who conducted the test when she entered his office, alleging that the technologist was induced or compromised.

Backing her daughter’s allegations, Labinjo’s mother, Ropo, said she went to Lagos with her daughter to see Davido’s father, Adedeji Adeleke, in respect of the DNA test. According to her, the meeting was arranged after series of attempts to meet Adeleke and following the involvement of her family lawyer. She added that her husband, a professor of sociology at the University of Ibadan, died 16 years ago, leaving her and two children behind.

She said, “I wrote a letter to Davido’s father but there was no reply until our lawyer wrote to him. When he called me, I explained what happened between my daughter and his son and he arranged for the DNA. He said his son told him that he did not know my daughter.

“He later sent his driver to Ibadan to bring us to Lagos for the test. After meeting him, he told the driver to take us to Davido’s house. We met him and his brother Wale, his cousins B.Red and Shina.   Shina told him he would not be a party to this (paternity tussle).

“From there, we went to a hospital, Davido was in another car. I was suspicious of the whole set up because there was no indication that the facility could handle DNA test. My daughter was called upstairs with Davido and the child. My daughter was left outside a door but out of curiosity, she opened the door and saw Davido giving lots of money to the doctor after his father had already paid for the DNA test.

“Davido and the baby’s blood samples were only taken so I asked the doctor why he did not take that of my daughter because Davido’s father had told me that he paid for the three people at N65,000 each. They asked us to come back after two weeks but the result came out after seven days. Davido’s father sent a car to bring us to Lagos again for the result. Davido had left the country then. The result showed that Davido was not the father but my findings after that showed that only blood test was carried out and not DNA test.”

The widow said having lived in London before and having done DNA test before, she was sure that the test carried out was not a DNA. She said he had told Davido’s father that when she has the money, she would go to a government hospital to conduct another DNA.

“I have written Chief Adeleke to do me a favour by presenting Davido on the day of the test. From what I know, hair sample or saliva swab and not only blood sample are used for DNA test,” she said.

When Saturday Beats paid a visit to Clina-Lancet Laboratories and had a chat with Sogbola, the young man said he remembered the case and the test result was genuine.

He said it would be quite impossible for him to be dubious with a DNA result as the samples were taken to their South African branch for testing.

Sogbola said that he had handled all Davido’s DNA tests and so far, he has never had any problems. He also denied ever collecting any money from the music star.

He said, “I remember the case. If I should check the system, I am sure I would still have the details. We also have a sister company in South Africa where the blood samples were tested and if you go to South Africa, you would get the exact same result we gave her here in Nigeria. I have every record and if I bring my records out, I would show you the picture of the lady when she came, the baby’s picture and Davido’s own as well. I remember the lady’s mother. They came in from Ibadan and the samples were not taken here. It was done in Verdic Hospital in Lekki, they paid for home service so I had to go and take the sample from Verdic Hospital. We gave the result out and the day it was out, I cannot remember if the lady was there but Davido’s father collected the result from me. I remember the girl said she was in school and I asked her where she met Davido but I could not keep asking questions because it was none of my business. He might have come for a show in her school and something happened between them. Even her mother’s ring tone then was Davido’s song. Even Davido’s father said that he had been investing some money in them but they should give him some time to get the DNA done so that they could take charge of the child. That was what he said. Before the test was conducted, the man had been sending money to them. He sent a car to pick them from Ibadan for the test.

“The second DNA that was done for Davido’s baby, Imade, I also conducted the test. I can tell you that I have never collected any huge sum from Davido ever since I have come in contact with him. He has never given me even N2,000 despite the fact that he has money. I don’t know what the girl wants but if it is another DNA, then that is between her and Davido. She can have a re-test anywhere else in the world. I am sure she has a copy of that result. Even if there is a foul play here, would I do it as well with the people in South Africa? If I do a foul play with any DNA result, it would not only affect us here in Nigeria but also our office in South Africa. So if they are suing us here, they are also suing our branch in South Africa,” he said.

When Davido was contacted through his manager, Asa Asika, via an email exchange, he simply said that Labinjo’s claim is false.

He said, “Apologies for the delayed response, I have been flying. This is not a true story, thanks for reaching out to clarify. Thanks.”

Punch

Notorious Kidnapper King Solomon Caught In Lagos

A kidnap kingpin popularly called King Solomon, alleged to have been responsible for the abduction of several residents of Festac Town in Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos and environs, has been arrested by police in Lagos.

One of his victims, as gathered, included the female Customs Officer attached to Tin Can Command SDV, a bonded terminal of the Nigeria Customs Service, who was abducted in the presence of her two daughters at an eatery on 22 Road, Festac Town, last December.

Other victims include a pastor of a Pentecostal Church in Festac, identified simply as Pastor Nwachukwu, and two traders at Trade Fair.

The suspect, whose real name is Chukwudi Solomon, used his apartment on 46 Canal View Road as a den, where abducted victims were kept.

Vanguard gathered that he was traced by undercover policemen from Festac Division, led by the Divisional Police Officer, Chief Superintendent Olukole Oladeinde, Tuesday night.

On noticing police presence, Solomon, as gathered, attempted to stab the DPO, but was overpowered.

Three suspected members of his gang, who also attempted to prevent his arrest, were apprehended by policemen, who had cordoned off the building, while two abducted victims were rescued.

During interrogation, the suspect revealed that some of his members, who had gone on a kidnap operation, were coming with a victim yesterday morning.

Police sources further hinted that the suspect had several boys under his control, with members of other kidnap gangs bringing abducted persons to his apartment.

Confirming the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Police Command, Fatai Owoseni, said: “Police undercover agents have been working on information about this suspect.

“One of the victims rescued was traced to his house, which served as haven for criminal activities and den where kidnapped victims around Festac Town are kept.”