Photos: EFCC arraigns Ex-Nasarawa governor The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday, January 17, 2018 arraigned Mohammed Nuraini Adamu, son of former governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Adamu alongside one Felix Onyeabo Ojiako before Justice J. K. Daggard of the Federal High Court sitting in Kano on a 5-count charge of money laundering. Adamu's trouble followed a petition by one Atta Esin, Executive Director, Biolocks Technologies Limited who alleged that the defendants used his company’s name (Biolocks) to execute contract without his knowledge. Photos: EFCC arraigns Ex-Nasarawa governor He further alleged that the contract resulted in the accumulation of withholding tax to the tune of N1,311,519.99 (One Million, Three Hundred and Eleven Thousand, Five Hundred and Nineteen Naira, Ninety Nine Kobo). According to the petitioner, the contract worth was N26,230,399.60 (Twenty Six Million, Two Hundred Thirty Thousand, Three Hundred and Ninety Nine Naira, Sixty Kobo), but investigation into the alleged fraud revealed that the actual contract sum was N92,036,490 (Ninety Two Million, Thirty Six Thousand, Four Hundred and Ninety Naira Only). Adamu and his co-accused allegedly perpetrated the fraud by forging the board resolution of the company in order to open a new account in the company's name where the proceeds of the contract were subsequently deposited. The defendants pleaded not guilty when it was read to them. In view of their pleas, prosecuting counsel, B. M. Buhari asked the court for a date to commence trial. Adamu’s counsel, Mamman Lawal raised no objection but prayed the court to admit his clients to bail. Buhari opposed the bail application with a 7-paragraph counter affidavit. He, however, left the discretion to or not to grant the application to the court. Justice Daggard, thereafter, adjourned to February 7 for ruling on the bail application and ordered the defendants to be remanded in EFCC custody.

A Federal High Court sitting in Enugu has sentenced a woman, Onwe Nwakaego, 25, from Abakpa Nike Enugu, to six months imprisonment without the option of fine, for child trafficking.

Two defendants, Onwe Nwakaego (f)  and Onwe Ifeanyi (m), were arraigned on January 17th 2018 by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for engaging a 7 years old child as a domestic worker, an act contrary to Section 23 (1)(a) of the Trafficking In Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.

After listening  to the defendants and the prosecution, and viewing the necessary documents presented by the prosecution as exhibit in the case F.R.N Vs Onwe Nwakaego& Anor, the presiding Judge, Justice Abdullahi Mohammed Liman, found the first defendant guilty as charged and she was sentenced accordingly.

However, the second defendant, Onwe Ifeanyi pleaded not guilty and was subsequently admitted to court bail.

The Director-General of NAPTIP, Dame Julie Okah-Donli expressed her happiness over the conviction and used the opportunity to reiterate the Agency’s resolve to stamp out child trafficking and its accompanying forms of exploitative labour from Nigeria.

She warned the general public against employing children below the age of twelve as domestic workers, or engaging in any form of child labour or abuse, as she said the arm of the law will catch up with anyone who does such.

The NAPTIP boss further called on members of the public to report any suspected case of child trafficking and abuse to NAPTIP.