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When Danger Rides Beside You: The Evolving Face of ‘One Chance’ Crime in Abuja”

Published

11 months ago

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Habib Yakoob

Bad boys are getting more strategic and daring in Abuja these days. The “one chance” phenomenon is being redefined. It’s no longer just about jumping into a vehicle with four suspicious-looking men or women and finding yourself the lone “customer.” These days, even when you’re surrounded by strangers who look like regular passengers, you never can tell, you could still be walking into a trap.

A couple of weeks ago, a colleague of mine was robbed in a small Golf car along the Airport Road on his way to work. When he boarded the vehicle, only the driver and a man pretending to be asleep were inside.

He entered and took a seat. Another man immediately joined him behind, while a young man entered the front seat, bringing the number of people in the vehicle, including the driver, to five. They still needed two more passengers.

The driver drove a short distance, pretending to pick up passengers. Each time someone approached, he either asked if they had change or dismissed them for flimsy reasons. It all seemed normal. Until it wasn’t.

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Eventually, he picked one man who claimed to have change. That man entered and sat behind, making four passengers in the back. Another man slipped into the front seat. They are seven now: three at the front and four behind.

A few kilometres down the road, the driver suddenly veered to the shoulder, saying he needed to check the air in his tyres. That was when the man in the front turned to the other passenger beside him and asked for his phone. The passenger looked confused, until he noticed that his once innocent-looking co-passenger was clutching a dagger tightly.

My colleague, who sat behind, was about to raise the alarm when he felt something cold and hard pressed into his ribs: it was a locally made pistol held by the half-asleep man he had met earlier behind the driver. Now fully alert, the man growled, “Oya, your phone, laptop, anything.”

Only his phone and some cash were taken. The driver had parked in a way that somehow shielded the scene from passersby. At the same time, the man who had entered last in the back was now brandishing a small knife at the third passenger, demanding his belongings too.

And that was how four bad guys including the driver strategically positioned at every exit point of the vehicle, robbed my colleague and two other passengers. After collecting their phones and money, the bandits pushed them out of the car, while the man with the gun kept pointing it at them, daring anyone to make a sound. Then they zoomed off.

Till now, I doubt whether my colleague has recovered from the shock. He still isn’t sure how he could have avoided the trap. He has since reported the incident to the police. But as he told me, “Hmm, this country? We just have to be more cautious and prayerful these days!”

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JUST IN: Mustapha Abdullahi, DG of Nigeria Energy Commission, Arrested by EFCC

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12 hours ago

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May 13, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

 

 

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested the Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Mustapha Abdullahi, over alleged money laundering offences.

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A source within the anti-graft agency, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, disclosed on Wednesday that Abdullahi was arrested in Abuja and is currently in the custody of the commission.

 

According to the source, the alleged fraud involves funds estimated at N500bn.

 

“We have arrested the Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, for money laundering offences. He was arrested and is currently in our custody. The money is to the tune of N500bn,” the official said.

 

Efforts to get confirmation from the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, were unsuccessful as he could not be reached as of the time of filing this report.

 

President Bola Tinubu had on October 24, 2023 appointed Abdullahi as Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria.

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Ambassador Adesuwa Udo Rallies Support for Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf in Sabon Gari

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14 hours ago

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May 13, 2026

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Ambassador Adesuwa, Convener of the Sabon Gari Women and Youths Special Citizens Support Group for AKY Go Again and Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria, has led a major grassroots enlightenment campaign in Sabon Gari Market to mobilize support for Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration.

The outreach, fully sponsored by Ambassador Adesuwa Udo, targeted traders and market women across the Sabon Gari community.

During the rally participants received empowerment packages, cash support, and 300 branded apron jackets featuring the images of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, Deputy Governor Murtala Sule Garo, First Lady Remi Tinubu, alongside the APC logo and the group’s insignia.

Two individuals were also empowered with startup capital to begin their businesses, underscoring the initiative’s commitment to grassroots development.

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Speaking during the rally, Ambassador Adesuwa noted that the campaign was rooted in showcasing Governor Yusuf’s impressive record in governance. “Kano is enjoying peace under his administration. Civil servants now receive salaries before the end of the month, and the capital projects I have seen here are impressive compared to many other states. Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has written his name in gold, and Kano citizens need to support him and give him maximum cooperation,” she said.

She recalled that Kano had previously experienced unrest and riots, but under Governor Yusuf’s leadership, the state has enjoyed stability, infrastructural growth, and improved welfare for civil servants.

The campaign, she noted, was designed to enlighten citizens on the importance of sustaining this progress by rallying behind the governor.

Ambassador Adesuwa reiterated that service to humanity remains her guiding principle, and her passion for community development drives her support for Governor Yusuf’s progressive leadership. “Together, we can build a better Kano. Together, we can build a stronger Nigeria,” she affirmed.

Traders and community members at Sabon Gari Market echoed her sentiments, expressing their appreciation for Governor Yusuf’s leadership. Many acknowledged his impressive performance in governance, citing the restoration of peace, timely payment of salaries, and visible infrastructural development across the state.

They pledged their continued support for his administration, noting that his policies have brought stability and progress to Kano.

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Court Convicts Ex-power Minister Mamman for 75 Years Imprisonment over Money Laundering 

Published

17 hours ago

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May 13, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

 

 

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Thursday, convicted former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, on 12 counts amended charge, bordering on money laundering, filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

 

Despite Mamman’s absence in court, Justice James Omotosho held that the EFCC proved its case against the former minister beyond a reasonable doubt and consequently found him guilty on all the counts.

 

Mamman, who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari between August 2019 and September 2021, was prosecuted over alleged diversion and laundering of funds linked to the Zungeru and Mambilla hydroelectric power projects.

 

The anti-graft agency accused him of conspiring with officials and private companies to divert public funds meant for power sector projects.

 

Justice Omotosho said he was satisfied with the evidence led by the prosecution before convicting Mamman on all the charges.

 

Justice Omotosho described the prosecution’s case as overwhelming and the defence as almost non-existent.

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“The evidence of the prosecution is overwhelming as against the scanty and almost absent defence of the defendant. The defendant did not offer any credible evidence to rebut the prosecution’s case,” he held.

 

The court heard that most of the diverted funds were funnelled through Bureau de Change operators, who converted the money into foreign currencies before handing it over to Mamman.

 

The judge also took a swipe at the former minister’s tenure, lamenting that a man who held the nation’s power sector in his hands showed no interest in leaving a meaningful legacy.

 

“Little wonder that Nigerians have remained in darkness till today,” Justice Omotosho added.

 

The conviction was handed down in Mamman’s absence, forcing the court to defer sentencing. The EFCC immediately applied for a warrant of arrest.

 

His lawyer, Mr. Mohammed Ahmed, told the court that the defendant’s whereabouts had been unknown since last Tuesday when notice of the scheduled judgment was issued, adding that his personal assistant later claimed he was sick.

 

Ahmed’s bid to persuade the court to adjourn the judgment failed.

 

The trial judge, however, was unconvinced, referencing news reports showing that Mamman had recently been involved in political activities, including purchasing a form to contest the governorship election in Taraba State.

 

EFCC’s counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, urged the court to proceed, dismissing any justification for the defendant’s absence.

 

“My Lord should go ahead. If the judgment is in his favour, we know what to do. If it is against him, we also know what to do,” he said.

 

Mamman was first arrested in 2021, approximately four months after ex-President Buhari removed him from office.

 

The EFCC called 17 witnesses and tendered 43 exhibits before closing its case, alleging that he conspired with ministry staff to divert about ₦22 billion meant for the Zungeru and Mambilla Hydro Electric Power projects.

 

Investigations, the agency said, revealed that the funds were used to acquire choice assets both within and outside the country.

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