Homeland Security has apprehended a Nigerian national from Germany to the U.S. for defrauding a multinational company.

The fraud suspect, Lotenna Chisom Umeadi, has pleaded guilty to defrauding a Sri Lankan company of $158,400 in an elaborate compromised email scheme after he was arrested and extradited to the United States upon arriving in Germany from Nigeria last year.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, Lotenna Chisom Umeadi was arrested by German authorities in September 2024 upon his arrival in the country on an arrest warrant issued by U.S. authorities following investigations by Homeland Security into the suspect’s illegal activities.

Mr Umeadi was immediately extradited to the U.S., where he was charged with two counts of wire fraud. As opposed to fighting the charges in a jury trial, the suspect decided to cooperate with authorities and confess to his crimes instead.

The 34-year-old confessed to soliciting and purchasing a webpage from a computer hacker that allowed him to illegally access people’s email passwords, which he then used to illegally access employees’ emails at a produce exporting company in Sri Lanka.

“Umeadi admitted soliciting and purchasing an online website from a computer hacker that allowed him to illegally gain access to people’s email passwords. Umeadi used those passwords to gain access to email accounts belonging to employees of a produce exporter in Sri Lanka,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Officials said Mr Umeadi then sent fake emails to imitate legitimate ones that would normally appear to have come from the exporting company, not knowing they were fraudulent emails from the suspect tricking his victims into redirecting payments meant for the company to bank accounts controlled by Mr Umeadi in the United Kingdom.

“Umeadi used those passwords to gain access to email accounts belonging to employees of a produce exporter in Sri Lanka. Umeadi then sent fraudulent emails, which appeared to legitimately come from the produce exporter but were, in fact, from an email account set up and controlled by Umeadi, directing payment on the Sri Lankan company’s accounts receivable be made to bank accounts in the United Kingdom, controlled by Umeadi,” officials added.

This scheme allowed Mr Umeadi to illegally scam his victims of thousands of dollars, including $158,400, which he tricked a New York-based produce importer into sending to his UK bank accounts on two occasions in 2016.

“As a result of the fraudulent emails from Umeadi, on two occasions in 2016, a produce importer in Plattsburgh, New York, wired money, totalling $158,400, to those bank accounts in the United Kingdom,” said a statement by the Justice Department.

Mr Umeadi faces 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. His sentencing was scheduled for later in July.

Source: Peoples Gazattengr

President Bola Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in Rivers state.

The president made the announcement on Tuesday in a nationwide broadcast over the political crisis and instability in the state.

Tinubu said Siminalayi Fubara, governor of the state; his deputy, Ngozi Odu; and all members of the Rivers assembly are “hereby suspended for an initial period of six months”.

“The latest security reports made available to me show that between yesterday and today there have been disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militant without the governor taking any action to curtail them. I have, of course given stern order to the security agencies to ensure safety of lives of the good people of Rivers State and the oil pipelines,” he said.

“With all these and many more, no good and responsible President will standby and allow the grave situation to continue without taking remedial steps prescribed by the Constitution to address the situation in the state, which no doubt requires extraordinary measures to restore good governance, peace, order and security.

“In the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State and the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State having failed to make a request to me as President to issue this proclamation as required by section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, it has become inevitably compelling for me to invoke the provision of section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State with effect from today, 18th March, 2025 and I so do.

“By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months.”

According to PREMIUM TIMES, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has obtained an arrest warrant against businesswoman Aisha Achimugu, preparatory to declaring her wanted for alleged money laundering and investment scam.

Aisha Achimugu, an astute industrialist, is the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, FELAK CONCEPT GROUP; a technical and professional consortium consisting of about 8 active companies in various sectors and industries such as Engineering, Maritime, Oil and Gas, ICT Learning and Development, and various other leading sectors, is believed to have fled Nigeria after she was billed to meet with EFCC interrogators on 5 March.

In the PREMIUM TIMES report, investigators discovered that she escaped from Nigeria sometimes between Thursday 6 and Friday 7 March.

Top-level anti-graft officials, who asked not to be named because they were not authorised to discuss the matter with the media, revealed the development to this newspaper.

The EFCC obtained a warrant of arrest from court following the socialite’s failure to honour the commission’s invitation on 5 March.

“Achimugu would soon be declared wanted by the commission,” an EFCC source said, adding that her escape from the country was a betrayal of the benefit of doubt extended to her that she would honour the agency’s invitation earlier in the month.

Meanwhile, last week, David Abakpa, who identified himself as Ms Achimugu’s aide, launched a media campaign to preempt her arrest by the EFCC.

Mr Abakpa, in a widely circulated statement, stated that he was responding to speculations on social media and on two blogs that Ms Achimugu was arrested by the EFCC.

The statement confirmed that Ms Achimugu had left the country, insisting that his boss’s arrest was the handiwork of unscrupulous elements.

He further urged the public to disregard the “fake news,” adding that “Mrs Achimugu is not in the country and so could not have been arrested by the EFCC.”

“It is a lie sponsored by enemies! Aisha Achimugu is never arrested or detained by the EFCC. Anyone can confirm from the commission,” Mr Abakpa added in the statement.

Meanwhile, a coalition of civil society groups, under the Public Accountability Watch (PAW), has dismissed claims that renowned Socialite and Entrepreneur Aisha Achimugu is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as spurious and the work of detractors.

Nigerians and her followers are eager to know why she fled the country amid the EFCC probe for alleged fraud as reported by the PREMIUM TIMES.

The year 2025 has witnessed a series of political challenges characterized by various intrigues within both ruling and opposition parties, resulting in notable setbacks for certain state leadership figures.

Individual and mass defections have emerged as central themes within several political parties across the nation.

In Rivers State end game has come as President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state, citing the protracted political crisis that has been rocking the oil-rich state since September 2023.

In a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, Tinubu announced the suspension of Governor Sim Fubara, his deputy, and all elected members of the state House of Assembly for an initial period of six months. ...Continue Reading.

But prophecies from a Nigerian-born prophet Julius Okonkwo, the presiding pastor of Kingdom Seeker in the United States, revealed that there are more governors that will face similar removal from office before of this year.

Prophet Okonkwo indicated that another governor from the Southwest region could also be removed unexpectedly, with the endorsement of those in power.

“Nothing will happen, Fubara will be impeached except Tinubu helps him, only President Tinubu can help Fubara. Wike has succeeded directly or indirectly but Nigerians will be shocked to see a popular Governor from a state in Southwest to be removed soon. There are moves already. The governor should keep praying, I see his removal without any noise,” Okonkwo said.

Men walk with bitter kola over missing male pen!s, full details emerge

Nigerian scholar, and professor of History, Toyin Falola is billed to deliver the maiden edition of Founder’s Public Lecture Series of Atiba University Oyo (AUO).

According to a statement by the institution, Falola, while responding to the institution’s invitation, said he was honoured to be part of the event.

“When contacted, he(Falola) said he considers it an honour for the privilege the management of Atiba University, Oyo State, Nigeria, extended to him to deliver a lecture to a team of highly cerebral teachers and students,” the statement said.

According to the organisers, the programme will be held on Wednesday, March 19, in the university.

The Founder/President of AUO, Dr. James Adesokan Ojebode and the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Sunday Olawale Okeniyi are hosts.

The event will be chaired by the Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Salihu Adelabu.

More than 700 Nigerians alongside nationals of other countries serving jail terms in different prisons across England and Wales may soon be repatriated to their various countries. National Director, Church God Chaplains Commission (NTCG, England & Wales) and Coordinator, Nigerian Overseas Prisoners Support Initiative, Rev. Michael Angley Ogwuche, disclosed this, among other revelations, in a chat with The Nation’s INNOCENT DURU.

Is it true that there are plans by the UK govt to deport more than 700 Nigerian prisoners and those of other nations?

A recent announcement by the UK government reveals a new £5 million investment aimed at accelerating the deportation of foreign national offenders (FNOs) from prisons across England and Wales. This development, which includes the deployment of specialist staff to 80 prisons, is part of a broader strategy to address overcrowding and reduce costs to British taxpayers. While this move promises significant benefits for the UK’s prison system, it also raises critical questions about its impact on Nigerian citizens currently incarcerated in the UK and the readiness of Nigeria to reintegrate these individuals.

Furthermore, the potential diplomatic hurdles involved cannot be overlooked. Foreign nationals currently make up about 12% of the UK prison population, with a significant portion being Nigerians. The UK government has intensified efforts to expedite the removal of these offenders, removing 2,580 foreign criminals since July 2024; a 23% increase compared to the previous year. The newly announced funding will create 82 specialist roles focused on speeding up deportations, with these officers set to be fully operational by April 1, 2025.

The 700 prisoners may not all be affected, as some may have legal grounds for remaining in the UK due to established family ties and may not have exhausted their legal appeals. Accelerated deportations could potentially infringe upon their right to due process.

What, in your view, gave rise to this?

According to James Timpson, the UK’s Minister for Prisons, Probation, and Reducing Reoffending, British taxpayers should not have to bear the cost of housing foreign criminals. He emphasised that faster deportations are a crucial part of the government’s plan for change, which aims to reform the prison system and enhance public safety. However, for the estimated 700 Nigerian citizens currently serving sentences in the UK, this development could significantly alter their circumstances potentially fast-tracking their return to Nigeria under the Early Removal Scheme. This scheme allows for the deportation of foreign offenders up to 18 months before the completion of their sentences.

How does this affect Nigerians?

Many Nigerian prisoners may not have exhausted their legal appeals in the UK. Accelerated deportations could potentially infringe upon their right to due process. Moreover, the speed of deportations might strain diplomatic relations between Nigeria and the UK, particularly if Nigeria is perceived as being unprepared to reintegrate these returnees.

Do you think Nigerian prisons have the capacity to handle this?

Nigeria’s prison system is already overstretched, with issues such as overcrowding and limited rehabilitation resources. An influx of deported prisoners could exacerbate these challenges, making reintegration and rehabilitation efforts even more difficult.

Furthermore, early deportation could lead to severe emotional and financial strain for those with established family ties in the UK, separating families across continents without adequate support mechanisms in place.

What economic and Social pressures could this cause for Nigeria?

Repatriating a significant number of Nigerian prisoners could burden Nigeria’s already overstretched correctional facilities and rehabilitation programmes. The economic cost of reintegrating these individuals many of whom may lack employable skills or support networks could pose an additional challenge.

Do you foresee any diplomatic strain between Nigeria and the UK?

In January 2014, the BBC reported that the UK and Nigeria signed a prisoner-exchange deal. The agreement was intended to allow citizens convicted in either country to serve their sentences in their homeland, promoting reintegration into the community upon release. However, it remains unclear whether this agreement has been fully implemented or what its impact has been on Nigerian prisoners in the UK. The speed and scale of the current deportation efforts could lead to tension between the two countries, particularly if deportations are seen as abrupt and lacking proper coordination. Ensuring a smooth and humane process would require extensive dialogue between the Nigerian High Commission in London and UK authorities.

Do you foresee any form of stigmatisation and reintegration challenge?

Returning prisoners often face significant stigma upon arrival in Nigeria, complicating efforts at reintegration. Without comprehensive support systems, these individuals risk becoming marginalised, which could increase the likelihood of recidivism or lead to other socio-economic problems. From the UK’s perspective, the financial savings and reduction in prison overcrowding are clear benefits. By removing foreign offenders faster, the UK could save millions in incarceration costs and free up prison spaces.

What is the economic implications for Nigeria?

For this new policy to succeed without causing undue strain on Nigeria’s resources, a strategic partnership between the UK and Nigeria is essential. This could involve capacity-building support for Nigerian correctional facilities; Funding for rehabilitation programmes to ensure effective reintegration of deportees; Bilateral agreements that clarify the responsibilities of both nations regarding deportation and reintegration.

In the coming months, it will be important to monitor how this new measure is implemented and to advocate for a process that respects the dignity and rights of Nigerian prisoners. The Nigerian Overseas Prisoner Support Initiative (NOPSI) will continue to ensure that the voices of Nigerian prisoners are heard and that their rights are upheld during this transition.

Lastly, the UK’s plan to speed up deportations may offer a short-term solution to its prison overcrowding crisis, but it also presents a significant challenge for Nigeria. The diplomatic and ethical dimensions of this policy cannot be ignored. Ensuring that deportations are conducted fairly, humanely, and in close cooperation with Nigerian authorities will be essential to preventing further strain on Nigeria’s correctional system and its diplomatic relations with the UK.