…As Court remands Offa Poly lecturer over alleged employment scam***
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ogun Command, said it had arrested a suspected vandal, (name withheld) at Ijumo-Ologboni village in Ewekoro-North Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of the state.
The Commandant of the Corps, Hammed Abodunrin, made the disclosure while addressing newsmen on Tuesday in Abeokuta.
Abodunrin said that the suspect was arrested on Oct. 12, following a tip-off from members of the community over vandalism and theft of armoured cable in the area.
He said that two members of the gang fled on sighting personnel of the corps while the suspect who hid inside a swampy water in the area was arrested with vandalised cables valued at over N1 million.
The commandant said the suspect, a motorcyclist,was hired by two persons to carry goods at Ijumo-Ologboni village.
He said that investigation confirmed that the suspect vandalised six armoured underground cables connected to the two poles of the newly constructed light rail across Asipa-Ilao and Ijumo-Ologboni communities.
“Our check reveals that vandals do invade the area during rainfall to perpetrate such crime, knowing quite well that movement is usually restricted at such times,” he said.
He also said that the village and its environs had since been thrown into total darkness due to the activities of the suspects.
The commandant said that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the other two suspects at large.
He commended members of the community for the information and co-operation, urging members of the public to emulate the community.
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In the meantime, a Kwara High Court sitting in Ilorin, on Tuesday, remanded a lecturer at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara, Mustapha Abdulwasiu, in Mandala correctional facility, over alleged employment scam.
The Judge, Justice Sikiru Oyinloye, gave the order sequel to the prayer of the prosecuting counsel, Mr A. A. Adebayo.
The defendant, who lectures in the Accounting Department of the institution, is facing a nine-count charge, bordering on employment scam and obtaining money under false pretence.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) counsel alleged that the 36-year-old defendant, had, at different times in 2019, defrauded many job seekers, especially couples.
Adebayo told the court that the defendant committed the fraud under the pretext of helping his victims to secure employment at the polytechnic.
He said that the defendant committed the offences between June and July 2018 at Offa, by fraudulently obtaining N600,000 from one Mr Oluwafemi Amubiaya.
The EFCC counsel said that the defendant claimed that he was in charge of employment at the polytechnic.
He said that the defendant obtained the money for the purpose of securing employment for Amubiaya and his wife, Remi.
The prosecutor further said that the defendant made a representation which he knew to be false.
According to him, the offence is contrary to Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, No. 14, 2006.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The defence counsel, Mr M. O. Balogun, opposed the remand application, and sought for adjournment, to enable the prosecution open its case.
Balogun made an oral application for the bail of the defendant on the grounds that “he was just being served with the charge this morning.”
Adebayo, however, refuted the claims, saying that the defendant had been served with the charge since Oct. 14.
Oyinloye, after confirming Adebayo’s statement, said that the bail application should be filed, and adjourned hearing in the case until Nov. 7.
The court remanded the defendant, pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.
