Crime
EFCC extradites Nigerian woman, Florence Onyegbu, convicted in US over $1.8m fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has extradited Florence Onyegbu, a Nigerian, to the United States, over the violation of law bordering on the offer and payment of illegal remuneration in a health care matter.
The anti-graft agency announced the extradition of Onyegbu in a statement released on Friday.
EFCC said the Nigerian was extradited following a request from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
On February 14, 2011, a US court sentenced Onyegbu to 46 months in prison and ordered her to pay approximately $1.3 million in restitution.
The US department of justice said Onyegbu pleaded guilty to a one-count charge of offer and payment of illegal remuneration in relation to her home health company — De-Promise Home Health Services — located in Dallas.
“Onyegbu admitted that from January 2008 to July 2010, she paid between approximately $100 to $200 per month to multiple beneficiaries in exchange for their Medicare information,” the US department of justice said in a statement released in 2011.
“She used the patients’ information to falsely bill Medicare approximately $1.8 million for purported home health services, including skilled nursing services, physical therapy, speech-language pathology services, and occupational therapy.
“Onyegbu admitted that these patients neither qualified for nor needed the treatment. Her false claims to Medicare resulted in payments totaling more than $1.3 million to De-Promise Home Health Services.”
EFCC said Onyegbu was arrested at her residence in the Ojodu area of Lagos on February 21, 2022.
“Upon her arrest, a national identity card with the name Janet Boi, as well as a Texas driver’s license with the name Florence Enwerim Onyegbu, were found on her,” the statement reads.
“The commission, on March 22, 2023, handed over Onyegbu to the FBI, following an extradition order granted by Justice Z.B. Abubakar of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on December 2, 2022.
“Onyegbu’s travails began after she was arrested on February 12, 2011, in the U.S. and subsequently sentenced to 46 months imprisonment, following a guilty plea, over the violation of the U.S. Law bordering on the offer and payment of illegal remuneration in a health care matter.
“Although she was ordered to report for service of her sentence on April 4, 2011, she failed to surrender on that date.
“Consequently, she was further charged with failure to surrender for service of sentence in violation of U.S. Law on March 4, 2013.”
Crime
UK prison officer, Linda De Sousa Abreu jailed over viral sex video with inmate
A former prison officer in the UK has been sentenced to 15 months in jail after being filmed engaging in sexual activity with an inmate.
Linda De Sousa Abreu, 30, was identified by senior prison staff when the footage surfaced online and quickly went viral.
Abreu was arrested at Heathrow Airport while attempting to board a flight to Madrid with her father.
She had previously admitted to misconduct in public office.
Andrew Davy, the governor of Wandsworth, expressed the broader consequences of Abreu’s actions in a statement to Isleworth Crown Court.
He stated that her behavior had undone “less than a day” the years of effort female staff had invested to build respect and trust in the all-male prison.
He also noted that many female staff members reported being “hit on” more frequently by inmates and now felt “considered fair game.”
The court heard that the incident captured in the viral video occurred between June 26 and 28, and further investigation revealed additional misconduct.
A recording of Abreu performing a sex act on the same inmate was discovered on her prison-issued body-worn camera.
She admitted to having sexual relations with the prisoner on another occasion as well.
Judge Martin Edmunds KC described the viral video as part of a pattern of repeated misconduct rather than an isolated incident.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that investigations into the two prisoners identified in the video are ongoing.
A spokesperson for the Prison Service commented: “While the overwhelming majority of Prison Service staff are hardworking and honest, we’re catching more of the small minority who break the rules by bolstering our Counter Corruption Unit and strengthening our vetting processes. As today’s sentencing demonstrates, where officers do fall below our high standards we won’t hesitate to take robust action.”
The Prison Officers’ Association, which represents prison staff, acknowledged that corrupt individuals like Abreu undermine the efforts of their colleagues but emphasized that such cases represent a small minority.
Crime
Police Arrests Cop-killer, Dismantles Child-trafficking Syndicate
As Operatives Recover Illicit Arms, Ammunition.
The Nigeria Police Force as part of its efforts to ensure the safety and security of all Nigerians by employing proactive, intelligence-driven strategies to combat crime have evolved improved strategies to combat crimes and criminality.
These efforts have led to the disruption of criminal networks and a notable decrease in incidents of organized and violent crime, enhancing the overall security situation in the country.
On the 1st of November 2024, operatives of the FID-IRT arrested one Ogaga Dickson ‘m’ 35 years, a member of a notorious armed robbery syndicate responsible for the death of CSP Hassan Jega, the DPO Agbarho Division, Delta State, who was killed on the 14th of October 2024, during a fierce gun battle between a team of police officers led by the deceased DPO and the assailants, after the team of police men had foiled one of their robbery operations.
The operatives had earlier stormed the gang’s den and engaged them in a fierce gun duel leading to the neutralization of 4 of the gang members. Upon Ogaga’s arrest, the police recovered one Ak 47 rifle, one English pistol, one locally made pistol, ammunition of various calibres and six exotic vehicles.
Similarly, police operatives apprehended a child-trafficking syndicate led by one Pastor Dayo Bernard ‘m’ of End Time Army Ministry, Bukuru, Plateau State on the 2nd of December 2024.
The operation led to the rescue of five children between the ages of 2-4, abducted from various homes in Jos, Plateau State, and the arrest of other members of the syndicate identified as Rita Agboeze ‘f’, Victoria Ugwu ‘f’, Nanman Puntel ‘f’, and Peter Ukwuani ‘m’. Upon interrogation, the principal suspect confessed to having abducted and sold 13 children at varying prices, all of whom have been recovered by the police and reunited with their families through the Plateau State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.
Furthermore, In line with the IGP’s directive to all police detectives to mop up every illicit arms and ammunition in circulation, operatives of the FID-IRT have successfully recovered 14 Ak-47 Rifles.
These operations exemplify the unwavering resolve of the Nigeria Police Force and highlight the effectiveness of our efforts to combat crime and enhance national security.
ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra, fCAI
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FORCE HEADQUARTERS,
ABUJA.
6th January 2025.
Crime
Lagos filmmaker, Emeka Emmanuel Mbadiwe arrested over cannabis trafficking case
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested one Emeka Emmanuel Mbadiwe, a US-trained Nigerian filmmaker, over alleged involvement in drug trafficking.
The NDLEA, in a statement on Sunday, said the filmmaker was apprehended at a hotel in Lekki, Lagos, on December 27, 2024.
It said the arrest came shortly after one Uzoekwe Ugochukwu James, identified as an associate of his, was apprehended earlier the same day at Ajao Estate, Ikeja.
The operatives revealed that James was intercepted at a warehouse retrieving a shipment of 33 parcels of “loud”, a potent strain of cannabis.
The shipment, weighing 17.30 kilograms, had arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on December 24 via a Delta Airlines flight.
The substance was concealed in “large wooden crates”.
The NDLEA disclosed a series of other arrests and drug seizures across the country.
Among them was Feyisara Ajoke Elediye, a 61-year-old Lagos socialite, who was apprehended at her mansion in Okota after operatives intercepted a truck loaded with over 1,500 kilograms of cannabis.
In Kwara state, two young women were arrested for producing drug-laced cupcakes allegedly targeted at students.
Similarly, in Rivers state, a joint operation at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex uncovered more than 300,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup.
In Kano, a separate raid led to the seizure of over 149,000 pills of tramadol and exol-5.
Buba Marwa, NDLEA chairman, said the agency is abiding by a “balanced approach to drug supply reduction and demand reduction”.
-
Business1 week ago
Air France deboards French national in Abuja airport for unruly behaviour
-
Entertainment1 week ago
Lala Akindoju loses dad
-
News1 week ago
‘He’s a dead man walking’ — military threatens to eliminate Bello Turji
-
News1 week ago
Celebrating Excellence in Nigeria: The Icons of Resilience, Leadership, and Innovation in 2024!
-
News1 week ago
Lagos state government to probe DJ Kulet’s husband over child molestation allegations
-
Business1 week ago
X to launch payment system this year
-
News1 week ago
Fire razes police station, three buildings in Lagos
-
News1 week ago
UNIMEDTH resident doctors in Ondo begin indefinite strike over poor conditions of service