Crime
EDO GOVERNMENT ASSURES COMMITMENT TO UNRAVEL INHUMAN TREATMENT OF UYI TINA BY EX-HUSBAND
The Edo State Government has condemned the inhuman treatment meted out to Uyi Tina by her former spouse, Osaro Awughian, and vowed to ensure justice is served. According to the Administrator, Office of the First Lady, Mrs. Edesili Anani, the state government will not leave any stone unturned in applying the necessary laws to prosecute the perpetrator.
Mrs. Anani visited Uyi Tina at the hospital where she is receiving treatment for burns sustained when her ex-husband allegedly set her house ablaze. “There is zero tolerance for Gender-Based Violence in the State,” Mrs. Anani said. “You will recover and bounce back, when there is life there is hope. I assure you justice will be served, we are standing with you.”
Uyi Tina, an international businesswoman, had returned to Nigeria from Europe on December 31, 2024, only to have her house set ablaze by her ex-husband on New Year’s Day. The incident occurred despite the fact that the couple’s marriage had ended and the bride price had been returned to the family.
The police have arrested Osaro Awughian and his accomplice, Odaro Oviarobo, who is also Uyi Tina’s elder brother. According to reports, Odaro had provided Osaro with information about Uyi Tina’s return itinerary and had also supplied him with petrol and a lighter to carry out the attack.
Uyi Tina has appealed for support, stating that she has nowhere to go when she leaves the hospital. “Everything I had suffered for in Europe for over 24 years was razed down,” she said.
The Edo State Government has reiterated its commitment to fighting against cultism and inhuman treatment in the state, with Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo stating that anyone found wanting of such acts would face the full wrath of the law.
A 30-year-old pregnant woman is currently receiving medical treatment after she was allegedly raped and assaulted by a 24-year-old suspect, identified as Ugwu Desmond, in Affa community, Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.
According to the Enugu State Police Command, the incident occurred on the night of March 14, 2026, when the victim was returning home from a neighbour’s house along a quiet path in Amokwo-Affa.
Police said the suspect, armed with a cutlass, reportedly trailed the victim before attacking her from behind. He allegedly forced her to the ground, attempted to strangle her, and covered her mouth to prevent her from raising alarm. The assailant then dragged her into an uncompleted building where he threatened to kill her before raping her and inflicting injuries.
The victim reportedly managed to survive the ordeal and reported the incident to authorities around 6:15 a.m. the following day, prompting swift action by operatives of the Affa Police Division, who arrested the suspect.
The police said the victim was immediately taken to hospital for treatment, while investigators processed the scene and recovered key exhibits, including the cutlass used in the attack and clothing suspected to contain blood and seminal stains.
The Command’s spokesman, SP Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed the development, adding that the suspect has confessed to the crime.
Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, described the incident as disturbing and assured that a thorough investigation is ongoing. He stated that the suspect would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.
Giwa also urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities promptly, stressing that community awareness is critical to preventing crime.
A Nigerian national, James Junior Aliyu, has been sentenced to 90 months (seven and a half years) in prison in the United States for his involvement in a large-scale wire fraud and money laundering scheme.
According to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Aliyu played a key role in a transnational cybercrime network that targeted business email systems and defrauded individuals and organisations of millions of dollars.
Investigations revealed that the fraud scheme involved hacking into corporate email accounts and using them to divert funds through fraudulent transactions. Authorities said the operation affected multiple victims and formed part of a broader business email compromise (BEC) conspiracy.
Aliyu was arrested in South Africa in 2022 following an international investigation involving Interpol and local law enforcement before being extradited to the United States to face trial.
The 30-year-old later pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. As part of the sentence, the court ordered him to forfeit $1.2 million and pay $2.4 million in restitution to victims.
Authorities also confirmed that Aliyu will be deported after completing his prison term.
Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested a suspected gunrunner, Kelvin Ebikeniye Dugo, in Cross River State, intercepting a cache of 850 rounds of live ammunition.
The arrest, which took place on March 16 at Ivara Esu Estate in Odukpani Local Government Area, followed credible intelligence on the suspect’s alleged plan to acquire the ammunition.
Security sources said Dugo was apprehended shortly after receiving the consignment, which had been concealed inside food items. The ammunition was reportedly supplied by another suspected gunrunner, Azenda Barnabas, also known as Jagaban, based in Aliade, Benue State.
Items recovered during the operation included 850 rounds of live ammunition and two empty AK-47 magazines.
The sources noted that the DSS has stepped up operations nationwide in a bid to dismantle gunrunning networks and curb the proliferation of illegal arms.
They added that the latest arrest underscores the agency’s ongoing commitment to tracking down and prosecuting individuals involved in arms trafficking across the country.