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Court Discharges, Acquits Onamade of Cybercrime Allegation

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Justice Olayinka Faaji of the Federal High High Court, Lagos, on Friday discharged and acquitted Ikorodu based chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC and owner of Western Funeral Home, Ijede, Oluwatosin Onamade of cybercrime charge filed against him by the former chairman of Ijede LCDA, Fatiu Jimoh Salisu.

The court acquitted Onamade of two counts charge of cybercrime brought against him by Fatiu who had accused Onamade of accusing him of being the mastermind of the murder of Godfrey Ifeanyi, a staff of Western Funeral Home in 2021 in the build up to the local government primary elections in which Fatiu was seeking a second term in office and Onamade was a contestant.

Ifeanyi was murdered after some thugs allegedly hired by Fatiu invaded Onamade’s office and attacked his staff.

Fatiu, in the charge before the Federal High Court claimed that Onamade committed cybercrime by circulating his name on various Whatsapp groups accusing him of being responsible for the murder of Ifeanyi thereby tarnishing his inage.

He had also claim Onamade granted a media interview where he mentioned his name as the sponsor of the attack.

He further claimed the allegation prevented him from getting his party’s ticket for a second term in office as council chairman which has affected his political career.

The charge read ‘that you, Oluwatosin Onamade ‘M’, sometime in May 2021 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did commit, an illegal act to wit; intentionally circulating a grossly offensive publication through your
Facebook/Instagram handle which you knew to be false, for the purpose of
causing insult to one Hon. Fatiu Salisu, ljede LCDA Chairman by accusing him
of the murder of late Tony Godfrey, you thereby committed an offence
punishable under section 24 of the Cyber Crimes Act, 2015.”

Count 2 of the charge also read ” that you, Oluwatosin Onamade ‘M’, sometime in May 2021 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court knowingly caused the transmission of communication through your WhatsApp to harass one Hon. Fatiu Salisu, ljede LCDA Chairman by falsely alleging that he sponsored the attack at
Western Funeral Home Limited office and murder of late Tony Godfrey, you
thereby committed an offence punishable under section 24(2)(a) of the
Cybercrimes Act, 2015.”

During trial, the prosecuton counsel, Omotayo Olatubosun, called two witnesses. The first witness, a Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP, Omaka Udodinma told the court that a petiton was forwarded to his team for investigation by the then Inspector General of Police, IGP, from the office of former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola.

In his ruling, Justice Faaji said that the prosecution failed to prove its allegations against Onamade.

The court noted that evidence presented by the prosecution did not show Onamade made such allegations and circulated them on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter(now X) as there was no evidence they were found on such social media platforms which would have supported the allegation of cybercrime.

It further noted that the alleged Whatsapp group chats did not show Onamade’s telephone number to suggest he was responsible for the circulation of the allegation.

The judge further ruled the first prosecution witness failed to conduct thorough investigations into the matter.

Justice Faaji noted that the two counts carry a punishment of 10 and 3 years imprisonment each if convicted or a fine of N7million and N25million each respectively.

The court therefore discharged and acquitted Onamade of all the charges.

The murder suspects; Olanrewaju Adebiyi a.k.a Maja, Atunrase Sodiq, Shittu Michael Olawale, Olaide Opeifa A.K.A. Ote and Jamiu Omosanya A.K.A. Orobo are presently standing trial for murder before Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja.

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US-Based Group Endorses Sunny Irakpo As Brand Ambassador

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United States of America based organizations, Dawkins Development Group Inc. and Flip These Bricks Academy have made a renowned Anti-drug advocate, Host/Producer Interview45 and founder/ president Silec Initiatives, a brand Ambassador for Africa, to champion developmental projects and Initiatives that will engage the teeming youth population into meaningful socio-economic activities that has the potential to grow the Gross Domestic Products (GDP) of Nigeria.

The Chairman/President, Dawkins Development Group Inc. and Flip These Bricks Academy in New York United States of America, Daniel Salem Dawkins made this known in an official letter addressed to Amb. Sunny Irakpo.

Dawkins Development Group Inc. New York United States of America, is a real estate and property development organization that specializes in design/building residential and commercial construction,land development, building remodeling, Roofing, restoration and handyman services for private and public clients and investors. The management of the organization stated that they are excited about the endorsement of amb. Sunny Irakpo, which to a large extent help create positive investment opportunities in the United States and Africa.

They added that your dedication and commitment to human and societal development which aligned with our organization’s values and vision to impact human lives , empower the younger generations to make the world a better place.

Responding to the endorsement, amb. Sunny Irakpo, thanked the Chairman of Dawkins Development Group Inc. and Flip These Bricks Academy for considering him for the noble venture to drive the next generation in job creation opportunities.

As part of his efforts to rid the country of drug abuse and addiction, the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State His Excellency Sen Douye Diri through the office of the Special Adviser on Trade and Investment to the Governor of Bayelsa State Mrs Owanari Rowland Harry recently , approved SILEC partnership to build the capacity of youth in the state.

Irakpo is of the view that with the endorsement by Dawkins, a testament that hard work and patience pays.

Irakpo added that the opportunity provided by Dawkins Development Group Inc. and Flip These Bricks Academy, development will further address social vices such as drugs and substance disorder amongst youth in Bayelsa State in particular and Nigeria in general.

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Springs of Joy Launches, Storms Ogun, Lagos for Widow’s Welfare, Distributes Wholesome Palliatives

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By Eric Elezuo

In furtherance of her activities geared towards affecting lives of the indigents, with special emphasis on widows, the Spring of Joy for Widows Foundation has once again spread its wings of kindness and passion to the widows of Nigeria. This was a follow-up to its earlier reach out conducted in May 2024 where over 250 widows were presented with food items in an event tagged Food Pantry and Medical Checkup for Widows.

In August 2024, the Founder of the Foundation, Mrs Anastasia Daniel, in company of her husband, arrived Nigeria from their base in the United States of America, and stormed some nooks and crannies of the nation with bags of smiles and hope for widows following a well attended launch of the Foundation in Surulere, Lagos.

It would be recalled that earlier in the year, at a well organized event held at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Christ Disciples Parish, Surulere, Lagos, which the Resident Pastor, Richard Umoren, graciously gave out, the Foundation released diverse and assorted food items to deserving widows, as well as conducted free medical checkups to ascertain the state of the health of the widows, using the best of medical personnels, drawn from the Christian Medical and Dental Association, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) chapter.

Kickstarting the avalanche of humanitarian efforts, Mrs Daniel and her team of Spring of Joy for Widows Foundation caregivers embarked on several impactful events to support widows in different parts of Nigeria, thereby furthering its mission of empowerment and care.

At a Food Pantry Event held at Ilogbo, Ogun State, the foundation conducted a food distribution event, where 133 widows were empowered.

According to Mrs Daniel, who consistently told her story of growing up with her widowed mother, each widow received essential food items, including rice, beans, garri, noodles and bags of sachet water.

“This initiative was aimed at addressing the immediate food needs of the widows and providing them with a sense of relief and support during these challenging times,” Mrs. Daniel said.

At the official launch of the Foundation, which was juxtaposed with a Fundraising ceremony in Surulere, Lagos, with about 100 guests in attendance, Mrs. Daniel assured stakeholders and guests of her Foundation’s readiness to spread good tidings to as many Nigerians in need as possible, maintaining that the day was specially designed to raise awareness about the foundation’s cause and generate financial support for its ongoing and future initiatives.

The event drew together notable television personalities, founders of other organizations, and influential individuals, giving it a high-profile status.

As a followup to the Launch, the Foundation undertook a Food Pantry Event at the Assemblies of God Church, Coker Orile, Lagos, where a remarkable 310 widows received free food items, ranging from rice, beans, garri, spaghetti, to bags of sachet water. Each widow present at the event received a generous helping of all the items. This event further extended the foundation’s reach, ensuring that more widows received the support they needed.

ABOUT SPRING OF JOY FOR WIDOWS FOUNDATION 

The Spring of Joy for Widows Foundation is a non-profit organization established to empower and uplift widows by providing them with basic necessities, emotional support, and opportunities for a better future.

Through these empowerment events, the foundation aims to ease the burden of widowhood, provide food security, and foster a sense of community and belonging among widows.

According to the Founder, “Each initiative is a step towards achieving a long-term empowerment opportunity for widows, ensuring they have the resources and support to lead dignified lives.”

The Foundation is an NGO committed to making a profound difference in the lives of widows, addressing their unique challenges, and ensuring they lead lives of dignity, independence, and purpose.

It is further rooted in a deep sense of compassion, equality, and social justice, with the goal of creating a world where widows are not marginalized, but celebrated for their resilience and strength.

Mrs Daniel, a Nigerian citizen of Enugu extraction, is an embodiment of compassion, who has taken it upon herself to contribute to the upliftment of the indigent, using the widows as a starting point.

She strongly believe that the fact that a woman has lost has husband, does not mean that she has lost her purpose, self-will and destiny goal, maintaining that “Every widow is still destined for greatness no matter the circumstances.”

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Connect Initiative Begins Membership Revalidation and Recruitment Exercise

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Connect Initiative, a socio-political organisation based in Akwa Ibom State has launched a thorough membership revalidation and recruitment exercise aimed at enhancing its membership and impact on the society.

The group whose main aim is to support and promote the projects and programmes of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno as encapsulated in his economic blue print, ARISE Agenda, intends to use this exercise to re-energize its membership.

According to the group’s International Connector, Dr. Frank Ekpenyong, “This exercise demonstrates our commitment to open our membership to persons that share our goal of supporting our Governor, Pastor Umo Eno.

Furthermore, it seeks to revalidate existing membership to ensure alignment with its standards., attract new talents to join the group and strengthen the organization’s capacity to deliver on its aims and objectives.

To participate in the exercise, which is strictly for registered voters in Akwa Ibom State, you are expected to click this link: https://support.umoeno.com and use the code: SG-CNRGKFF8SE.

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