16/5/23

ELIZA D.O

Prominent Socialite Mona 4Reall or better known as Hajia4Reall has been extradited from the United Kingdom over her alleged involvement in a $2 million romance scam locally called ‘sakawa’ targeting older, single Americans.

According to Statement from the United States Attorney’s office, the 30-year-old model appeared in Manhattan federal court on Monday, May 15 for her alleged involvement in a series of romance schemes targeting older people who lived alone.

Mona Faiz Montrage pleaded not guilty to the charges.

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), announced the unsealing of a six-count Indictment charging Hajia4Real for her role in a series of romance schemes and for laundering the proceeds of those schemes.

Mona 4Reall is a public figure who rose to fame as an influencer through her Instagram profile, under the username “Hajia4Reall,” which at one point had approximately 3.4 million Instagram followers and was among the top 10 profiles with the most followers in Ghana.

She was arrested in the United Kingdom on November 10, 2022, and was extradited from the United Kingdom on May 12, 2023.

She was presented before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty, to whom the case is assigned Monday

FBI Assistant Director in Charge Michael J. Driscoll said, “We alleged today that Ms. Montrage participated in multiple romance scams – often targeting elderly victims – resulting in more than $2 million in fraudulent funds under her control.

“Romance scams – especially those that target older individuals – are of major concern. The FBI will be tireless in our efforts to hold fraudsters accountable in the criminal justice system.”

According to the court, from at least in or about 2013 through in or about 2019, the Influencer was a member of a Criminal Enterprise based in Ghana that committed a series of frauds against individuals and businesses in the United States, including romance scams.

The court said, “Many of the Enterprise’s romance scam victims were vulnerable, older men and women who lived alone. The Enterprise frequently conducted the romance scams by sending the victims emails, text messages, and social media messages that deceived the victims into believing that they were in romantic relationships with a person who had, in fact, a fake identity assumed by members of the Enterprise.

“Once members of the Enterprise had successfully convinced victims that they were in a romantic relationship and had gained their trust, they convinced the victims, under false pretences, to transfer money to bank accounts the victims believed were controlled by their romantic interests, when, in fact, the bank accounts were controlled by members of the Enterprise.”

The prosecution said, “Montrage received money from several victims of romance frauds whom members of the Enterprise tricked into sending money.

Among the false pretences used to induce victims to send money to Montrage were (i) payments to transport gold to the United States from overseas; (ii) payments to resolve a fake FBI unemployment investigation; and (iii) payments to assist a fake United States army officer in receiving funds from Afghanistan.

The court said in one incident with her victims she used her real name and spoke to the victim several times by phone.

“Montrage later sent the victim a tribal marriage certificate purporting to show that Montrage and the victim had been married in Ghana.

“The victim sent Montrage approximately 82 wire transfers totalling approximately $89,000 to purportedly help with costs associated with Montrage’s father’s farm in Ghana.”

It added that “In total, Montrage controlled bank accounts that received over $2 million in fraudulent funds from the Enterprise.”

Hajia4Reall is set to be released on home detention to her aunt’s New Jersey residence in the coming days on a $500,000 bond with GPS tracking via an ankle monitor, her lawyer and the prosecutor’s office have confirmed.

16/05/23

SHINA J.O

The Federal government has described as “unnecessary” the planned five day warning strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors following the failure of the Government to meet its demands.

The doctors are demanding an immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to the tune of 200 per cent of the current gross salaries of doctors among other demands.

In response to questions from State house correspondents at the end of the special meeting of the executive council of the Federation chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo Monday, The Minister of Labor and employment Chris Ngige said the parent body of the association, The Nigerian medical association is already engaging with relevant government agencies on the issue.

Also,The Council has approved a policy on the national home grown school feeding programme (NHGSFP) which seeks to address the issues of education, health, social protection and agriculture.

Minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development Sadiya farouq announced that the policy also seeks to address the issue of out of school children in the country.

She explained that through the programme their has been increased school enrollment nationwide.

The council also approved the sum of 14 billion naira for the engagement of four federal agencies for the training of the non- graduate N-power beneficiaries.

The agencies are National institute for hospitality and tourism,( NIHT), Nigerian Institute for transport technology (NITT), Industrial training Fund( ITF) and Hydrolic equipment development institute.

The Council gave approval for the ratification of six international maritime organisations conventions, treaties and protocols.

15/05/23

PRESS RELEASE

No fewer than 80 officers and men of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) have gone on trial for indulging in collection of illegal fees for the issuance of new passports and renewal of old

The Service Public Relations Officer (SPRO), Comptroller of Immigration, Tony Akuneme, who disclosed this in an interview in Abuja, also indicated that eight other officers have been dismissed from service for the same offence in the last one year.

He said the disciplinary measures under the passport reform, was part of the three-point agenda of the present Comptroller General (CG), NIS, Isah Jere, when he came on board.

Akuneme also said that the CG’s three-point agenda includes reform passport issuance, tightening border security and improving the welfare of NIS officers.

According to him, Jere has done this to the best of his ability in the last one year plus, and that is what has led to most applicants booking online for passports.

“We have tried as much as possible to eliminate third parties so that if you really want, you can process the application of your passport from the comfort of your room on your laptop, android phones and you can pay online.

“You don’t really need anybody whether immigration officers or agents which we usually call touts. They have upgraded and become agents. They are still third parties.

The problem we have is the use of third parties because no matter how much reform you put in, you will always see a learned and civilised person using a third party to process his or her application.

“And one thing they don’t understand is that third parties don’t have an idea of the information entered into your application. This can result in somebody having issues with his/her National Identification Number (NIN).

The NIS spokesman said that the CG has vowed to discipline officers who go out of their way to try to either engage or sabotage the reform process.

“We have continued to punish NIS officer and men who try to assist people for a fee. You can assist people genuinely but not extorting from them.

“We are committed to curbing corruption and other illicit acts in the service. You will appreciate the fact that if nothing else, the level of awareness has increased in the last few months.

“Don’t patronise agents, fill your forms yourself. We have officers watching and these agents know they are being watched. When they take money 

We are committed to curbing corruption and other illicit acts in the service. You will appreciate the fact that if nothing else, the level of awareness has increased in the last few months.

“Don’t patronise agents, fill your forms yourself. We have officers watching and these agents know they are being watched. When they take money from you, tell us. If we don’t take action, tell the world,” he said.

Credit: http://www.Pulse Nigeria.com

15/05/23

PRESS RELEASE

The Federal Government says it spends N1 million annually to cater for each of the inmates at the correctional facilities in the country.

Sola Fasure, the Media Adviser to the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, made this known in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

According to the statement, the minister said this while inaugurating a 20-bed COVID-19 Crisis Intervention Fund Hospital and Equipment at the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Port Harcourt.

The minister said that the project would be an enduring legacy and a testimony of the utmost importance the Federal Government had so far taken corrections, the welfare of inmates as well as the staff.

Aregbesola added that President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration had, to a large extent, addressed the problem of inmates contracting diseases in custodial centres.

“The custodial centres were frighteningly centres for contracting diseases like scabies and tuberculosis, among others.

“Happily, this has been addressed by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration and is now a thing of the past.

“We not only have well-manned clinics and well stocked pharmacies, the inmates at the custodial centres now have access to excellent medical cares beyond the centres,” he said.

The minister also decried the enormous challenges of running correctional services with huge demands for infrastructure, equipment and maintaining the welfare of inmates.

He, however, assured that the Federal Government had provided long term solution to the challenges.

“This centre in Port Harcourt, with a capacity for 1,800 inmates, presently houses about 3,067 inmates. This is just a reflection of the situation in most urban custodial centres where we have congestion at the moment.

“The facilities and even the personnel are overstretched, but we are coping and providing long term solutions to this challenge.

“One of such solutions is the construction of mega 3,000-capacity custodial villages in six geo-political zones of the country. The one for the South-South is in Bori, not far from here in Rivers.

“The ones for the North-West in Janguza, Kano and the North-Central, in Karshi, Abuja, are ready. Hopefully, we shall inaugurate the one in Kano in a few days, before our departure.

“Even work is steadily going on in the others and has reached appreciable level.

“Let me also reiterate that the Federal Government will stop feeding inmates incarcerated for breaching state laws. As you commence your budget process for next year, include feeding of your inmates,” he said..

Aregbesola said that he had no doubt that the facility would go a long way in addressing the medical concerns of inmates and correctional service personnel.

The minister commended the management and staff of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) for working hard to keep the virus away.

He added that the new hospital was an intervention aimed at making robust healthcare for those in custody and the NCoS staff.

Aregbesola said that the beauty of all the interventions in consonance with other reforms in the NCoS would obviously translate to security, peace and tranquility in and around the centres and ultimately the entire country.

Credit NAN

14/05/23

SHINA J.O

The Nigeria Emergency Management Agency, NEMA has announced suspension of the evacuation exercise with the 7th batch of 147 Nigerians airlifted from port Sudan to Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja by Tarco Aviation on Saturday, 13th May 2023.

Briefing Journalists in Abuja to give an update on the process, the Director General, mustapha habeeb said the remaining 167 claiming on social media to be stranded Nigerians in Port Sudan must present neccessary informations and documents of their citizenship as Nigerians to be airlifted.

Habeeb explained that Federal gotv didn’t ask any of the returnees to make payment for the evacuation unlike other countries which the citizens foot the bills of their traveling expenses to their various countries

The DG noted that in 3weeks, 15 flights had air transport 2,518 with 23 retunees medically confirmed sick while 10 were treated within the airport hospital
Including 8 days old baby treated for jaundice.

The last Airlift which is the 15th flights brings the total to 2,518 Nigerians in the exercise carried out by the federal govt with relevant key players to evacuate Nigerians in danger from conflict-ridden sudan back to the country in safety.

13/05/23

SHINA J.O

PRESS RELEASE

President Muhammadu Buhari has on behalf of the government, and people of Nigeria, saluted Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, for the wisdom of setting up the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in 1973.

According to a statement issued on Friday by the special adviser to the president on media and publicity , Femi Adesina, the President says the Corps has truly achieved the goal of national integration, by providing opportunities for cross cultural interactions, and establishing a bridge for improved understanding.

President Buhari congratulated the former Head of State, and all Directors General of the Corps, past and present, for inspiring and sustaining a 50-year legacy that has strengthened a web of solidarity, ignited loyalty to the nation, broadened the horizon of citizens, promoted civic responsiveness, created a better understanding of various individual and ethnic identities, their diversities and underscored the bottom-line of the common values of fairness, justice, peace and unity.

He expressed the belief that the NYSC remains one the strongest ideals of nation building, institutionally encouraging inter-cultural and inter-religious marriages, resettling of people of various tribes in different parts of the country, exploration of entrepreneurship and business opportunities in places, removing insularity among citizens, and enabling a new culture of oneness, brotherliness and neighborliness.

According to the statement, as the nation celebrates the 50th anniversary of the NYSC, President Buhari affirmed that the scheme must be sustained, with a constant reminder of the history, structure and purpose, that should not be abused, trivialized or undermined for any reason, by keeping a focus on the larger picture that Nigeria’s unity is a process and a collective responsibility that must not be negotiated.

It said that the President shared the joyous season of the milestone with all those that have enjoyed the adventures of the scheme, and have been sharing memories and pictures with nostalgia, while wishing potential corps members all the best as they move to different parts of the country, to share and explore new experiences of the diversity of Nigeria.

He recalled that one of the joys and highlights of his Administration has been the annual ritual of receiving corps members in his country home in Daura, Katsina State, during Eid-el-Fitr Sallah, and the conversations that follow in getting to know their various states, languages, family trees and educational institutions, and asking about their welfare, noting that two visiting Presidents from Niger Republic and Guinea participated and enjoyed such interactions.

The President thanked the Nigerian Army, Directors General of the NYSC, and various private and public institutions for providing the enabling environment for the success of the scheme.