Metro

UK court jails four Nigerians for forging over 2,000 marriage documents

Published

1 month ago

August 28, 2024

A court in the United Kingdom has sentenced four Nigerians to jail after they were found guilty of forging more than 2,000 marriage certificates to help people live in the country illegally.

The four convicts, Abraham Alade Olarotimi Onifade, 41, Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo, 38, Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi, 31, and Adekunle Kabir, 54, were all sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court in London on Tuesday.

According to the UK Home Office, the four Nigerians were part of an organised criminal group that made fraudulent EU Settlement Scheme applications for Nigerian nationals between 2019 and 2023.

“They carried out the enterprise between March 2019 and May last year, and were also found to have provided false Nigerian Customary Marriage Certificates and other fraudulent documentation to help applicants remain in the country,” court documents said.

It added that an investigation from the Home Office in the UK and Lagos found more than 2,000 false marriage documents were facilitated by the group, who themselves were Nigerian.

“This group was absolutely prolific in their desire to abuse our borders and have rightly been brought to justice,” Home Office chief immigration officer Paul Moran said.

“As with many gangs we encounter, their sole priority was financial gain. I am delighted that my team was able to intercept their operation, and I hope these convictions will serve as a warning to unscrupulous gangs who exploit people’s desperation to remain in the UK.

“We will continue to work tirelessly to secure our borders and clamp down on the gangs who prey on vulnerable people to make money.”

Describing the four convicts, the Home Office said Onifade, from Gravesend in Kent, and Shodipo, from Manchester, were both found guilty of conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry into the UK and conspiracy to provide articles used in fraud. They were jailed for six years and five years respectively.

Gbadamosi, from Bolton, was convicted of obtaining leave to remain by deception and fraud by false representation and sentenced to six years while Kabir, from London, was found guilty of possession of an identity document with improper intention but was cleared of obtaining leave to remain by deception. He was jailed for nine months.

Related Topics:Convicts Crime Featured Nigerians Sham Marriage UK

Click to comment

Metro

ZESCO says Zambians can enjoy improved power supply but offers condition

Published

9 hours ago

October 9, 2024

Isaac Dachen

State-owned Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (ZESCO) has assured Zambians of improved power supply spanning seven-hour daily, depending on the approval of its emergency tariff adjustment by the Energy Regulation Board (ERB).

ZESCO, which is Zambia’s largest power company producing about 80% of the electricity consumed in the country, made the commitment during a public hearing held at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka on Monday.

In his address, Victor Mapani, ZESCO’s Managing Director, stated that the proposed tariff increase would allow the company to raise $15 million monthly to import 300 megawatts (MW) of electricity.

“ZESCO’s ultimate goal is to add 788 MW of power to the 400 MW it currently imports from South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe,” Mapani said.

Also speaking at the forum, Mark O’Donnell, representing the Business Coalition Task Office, noted that ZESCO’s tariffs were more affordable than diesel generators, which many households and businesses had resorted to due to Zambia’s energy challenges.

He emphasized the coalition’s support for the tariff hike but urged ZESCO to ensure efficient use of resources.

Ashu Sagar, President of the Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM), raised concerns about ZESCO’s inconsistent load-shedding schedule, which he said had disrupted production planning and increased costs in the manufacturing sector.

On his part, ERB Board Chairperson, James Banda, announced that the board would make an independent decision on ZESCO tariff adjustment request on Thursday, devoid of political influence.

Metro

All the choices we have made are for sustainable, inclusive growth— Tinubu

Published

14 hours ago

October 9, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has reiterated that all the choices his administration has made since assuming office 17 months ago have been made to stop the country’s decline and put it on a path to sustainable and inclusive growth.

Tinubu, who made the assertion at the 54th Annual Accountants Conference in Abuja on Tuesday, said it was encouraging that Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product growth for the first and second quarters of 2024 was positive, giving credence to his reforms and policies.

The president, who was represented by Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Abubakar Bagudu, noted that it was gladdening that inflation was on a downward trend, and the foreign exchange market was stabilising, with encouraging investment signals.

“We are continuing with innovative reform measures: digitisation of revenue collection and government services, consumer credit system to boost manufacturing and enable access to goods and services,” Tinubu said in his address to the audience.

“Our reforms include removing punitive subsidies to the economy. Revenue bleeding has reduced, and the three tiers of government are receiving higher allocations, which enable more support to vulnerable populations.

“Social investment spending is increasing, the minimum wage has increased, student loans are available, and interventions to support NANO, MSME, farming, fishing, and the livestock sector have increased.

“Our collective vision for Nigeria’s future is anchored on strengthening our institutions and nurturing a pervasive culture of accountability,” he said.

He added that his government was committed to leveraging cutting-edge technologies to boost transparency and efficiency and cultivate strategic partnerships to pave the way for sustainable development.