Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, Detained in France

Russian-French billionaire founder and CEO of the Telegram messaging app, Pavel Durov, was reportedly arrested at Bourget airport outside Paris on Saturday evening, August 24.

TF1 TV reports that the 39-year-old was travelling aboard his private jet, when he was arrested at about 8pm local time (6pm GMT)l

According to the report posted on their website, Durov had been targeted by an arrest warrant in France as part of a preliminary police investigation. He is expected to appear in court on Sunday.

TF1 said the investigation was focused on a lack of moderators on Telegram, and that police considered that this situation allowed criminal activity to go on undeterred on the messaging app.

The encrypted Telegram, with close to one billion users, is particularly influential in Russia, Ukraine and the republics of the former Soviet Union. It is ranked as one of the major social media platforms after Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok and Wechat.

The Russia-born entrepreneur lives in Dubai, where Telegram is based, and holds dual citizenship of France and the United Arab Emirates.

Durov, who is estimated by Forbes to have a fortune of $15.5bn (£12bn), left Russia in 2014 after he refused to comply with demands to shut down opposition communities on his VK social media platform, which he sold.

GOV ENO CELEBRATES FRANK ARCHIBONG AT 49

GOV ENO CELEBRATES FRANK ARCHIBONG AT 49 

Akwa Ibom State Governor has has offered his hearty congratulations to the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Frank Archibong on the occasion of his 49th Birthday.

In a message of felicitation released by his Chief Press Secretary, Ekerete Udoh, Governor Eno, enjoined Hon. Archibong to continue to hold dear the ideals of “humility, service and faith in God”.

“On behalf of the Government and people of Akwa Ibom State, I join your family, friends, associates and  well- wishers to wish you a Happy 49th Birthday!

“God has been kind to you, given all that you have achieved in just 49 years.

“As you turn a year older today, my prayer for you, is that you remain true to the values you hold dear: humility, service and faith in God.

“ Happy Birthday once again, my dear Brother”!

Suspect Evading Capture for Two Decades Discovered Employed as Law Enforcement Officer in Hometown.

A 72-year-old Ohio man has been taken into custody twenty years after he was charged in a 2004 shooting death, and allegedly fled the country.

Antonio Riano, 72, has been on Ohio's "Most Wanted" list for 20 years now, since the 2004 shooting death of Benjamin Becarra, 25.

Riano's story was told on TV's America's Most Wanted in 2005 but he continued to evade law enforcement for nearly two more decades, even as he worked as one of them.

On August 1, 2024, Riano was finally arrested and taken in after US Marshals reported finding him working as a police officer in his hometown of Zapotitlán Palmas, State of Oaxaca, Mexico.

Riano was wanted for homicide by the Butler County Sheriff's Office after the December 2004 shooting, but allegedly fled to Mexico to avoid prosecution.

According to the US Marshals Service, the sheriff's office partnered with the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of International Affairs, who then worked with law enforcement in Mexico to arrest and extradite Riano.

He is now being held Butler County Jail without bond pending additional court proceedings. 

 

"The United States Marshal Service, through our violent fugitive task forces, assists our state and local law enforcement partners to apprehend the area’s most dangerous fugitives," said US Marshal Michael D. Black in the statement.

"This arrest is the result of the ongoing sharing of information between the agencies and the determination of the investigators who refused to give up on this case."

Dubbed "The Devil" as his story was featured on AMW, Riano's trail went cold after US Marshals attempted to capture him with a 2006 warrant.

They'd tracked him to his mother's house in Mexico, but by the time Marshals arrived, Riano was no longer there.

The cold case picked up heat in January 2024 when the Butler County Prosecutor's Office received its reapplication for the provisional warrant.

At that time, Chief Investigator Paul Newton and his team used social media, including Facebook, to track Riano down. While purportedly working as a police officer in Mexico, according to the US Marshals' release, Riano had left behind a wife and three kids in Hamilton, Ohio.

Newton said Riano "has been the most challenging just in the simple fact that he really dug in then and went underground."

After the 2006 attempt failed, Newton said Riano moved again.

"We really didn’t see any evidence of him until 2023," he said. "I think he thought he was home free."

Now that he's captured, Riano is facing two counts of murder and felony assault charges for the December 19, 2004 shooting of Becarra outside the Roadhouse Bar.

Police say they found the gun used in the shooting in a hidden compartment under the kitchen floor of Riano's apartment in Hamilton with bullets beside it.

Riano reportedly tried to step in to help a bartender after Becarra was asked to leave the premises since he'd been part of a fight there a few weeks back. As Riano and Becarra allegedly began to argue, the bartender purportedly asked them to take the dispute outside.

Shortly after, gunshots were heard and Becarra was found lying face down on the sidewalk. Surveillance footage at the time showed Riano leaving the scene, but authorities were unable to locate him.

PRESIDENT TINUBU TRAVELS TO FRANCE ON MONDAY

PRESIDENT TINUBU TRAVELS TO FRANCE ON MONDAY 

President Bola Tinubu will embark on a trip to France on Monday, August 19, departing from Abuja, the nation’s capital.

The President will return to the country after his brief work stay in France.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

August 18, 2024

"What God cannot do not exist is not the truth, people think I am jealous of Jerry Eze. it is not about sentiment, is about knowing what the truth is."

The belief that what God cannot do does not exist is not accurate. Some may perceive my feelings towards Jerry Eze as jealousy, but it is essential to differentiate between emotions and recognizing the truth based on facts.

Pastor Abel Damina, the founder of Power City International Ministry, has said he does not agree with his colleague, Pastor Jerry Eze of Streams of Joy International’s popular slogan ‘What God Cannot Do Doesn’t Exist’.

According to him, the slogan is “not the truth.”

Speaking in the teaser of the upcoming episode of ‘The Honest Bunch’ podcast co-hosted by actor Chinedu Ani Emmanuel aka Nedu, Pastor Damina said contrary to the impression of some people that he’s “jealous” of Pastor Eze, he can’t be jealous of him because he’s his junior in the ministry.

“‘What God Cannot Do Doesn’t Exist’ is not the truth… People think I am jealous of Jerry Eze. Jerry Eze is by far my junior in the ministry,” he said.

Pastor Damina also claimed that a lot of his colleagues are staging miracles.

“I believe in miracles, I believe in healings, but not all these arranged miracles we are seeing today,” he said.

The co-host, Nedu asked, “Are you saying that the miracles are staged?”

Damina replied, “Can’t you see most of those crutches are all the same colours and all brand new? In what world will people come for a crusade and have the same brand of crutches and also the same colour?”

Female Suspect Found With AK-47 Concealed Inside Bag of Garri

Operatives of the Special Tactical Squad have arrested a 30-year-old woman identified as Hauwa Yusuf for hiding one AK47 and four AK magazines inside a sack of garri.

While parading the suspect before newsmen in Abuja on Friday, August 16, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said Yusuf was arrested along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway during a stop-and-search operation. He said that Yusuf confessed that a notorious Bandit terrorising Katsina State, Aminu Basullube, sent her to take delivery of the arms in the Danum Madam Camp, area of the state.

“On August 14, 2024, just recently, acting on intelligence, operatives of STS intercepted one Hauwa Yusuf ‘F’ 30 years of Dutsin-Ma LGA of Katsina state. The suspect was arrested while in transit from Lafia Nasarawa State to Katsina State, inside a Sienna Bus along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.

A search was conducted and One AK-47 Rifle without breach Number and Four AK magazines concealed inside a white Sack of Garri were recovered from the suspect. “During the interrogation, the Suspect confessed that it was One Aminu Basullube, a notorious Bandit terrorizing Katsina State general axis who sent her to take delivery of the arms in Danum Madam Camp, Katsina State.”

When interrogated by newsmen, the suspect feigned ignorance of the gun in the sack. 

“I never knew that it was an arm that was inside. They asked me to go and bring millet. And unfortunately, they did not bring Gari for me. Even when I saw the thing, I was apprehensive. I was given 130,000 to take the garri to Katsina. My transport fare is ₦15,000. I made a mistake by not asking questions.”

Adejobi also said a team of operatives attached to the FID-STS left for Igbowo in Oyo state to investigate the activities of Musa Saidu on April 29. He said investigations revealed that the suspect had left his community for 5 years. Upon his return back to his community in Kigakwu, Kaduna state after his disappearance.

“He started spending money extravagantly, buying different brands of new motorcycles (BAJAJ) and twelve (12) cows in a day amounting to the sum of N5,000,000.00.

Upon interrogation, he confessed to the above-mentioned crimes, he further confessed that he is operating under the leadership of one Haruna ‘m’ in Birnin Gwari forest of Kaduna State. Throughout his operations under the gang Commander Haruna ‘m’ he was using AK 47 rifles.

That twenty-five (25) cows were given to him as his proceed of his above-mentioned criminal activities, and he sold the cows in Kaduna State, all at the rate of N4,700,000.00, that’s the money he used in purchasing the Bajaj motorcycles and twelve cows, ten female, two male in Igboho Oyo State,” Adejobi said. 

He explained that he became a cattle rustler after he fell victim. The suspect added that he was arrested after he travelled back home to enjoy the proceeds of his crime.

“I went to Oyo because there were too many problems in Kaduna. I had my cattle but they were rustled. I know cattle rustling is a crime but I did it because of what was done to me. After I made money, I stopped and went back to the village to spend my money,” he said.

President Tinubu and President Mbasogo Seal Deal for Gas Pipeline in Gulf of Guinea

BREAKING: PRESIDENT TINUBU AND PRESIDENT MBASOGO SIGN AGREEMENT ON GAS PIPELINE FOR GULF OF GUINEA

President Bola Tinubu and Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo on Wednesday evening in Malabo signed an agreement on Gulf of Guinea Pipeline Project, further affirming partnership for mutual development. 

The agreement covered legislative and regulatory measures for the gas pipeline, establishment and operation, transit of natural gas, ownership of the gas pipeline, and general principles. 

In his remarks at the event, President Tinubu, who is on a three-day official visit to Equatorial Guinea, said the signing of the agreement will open up new opportunities for gas exploration and employment.

The President stated that the two leaders had discussed issues related to the creation of employment, food security, multilateral relations, and conflict resolution mechanisms on the continent during a private meeting that preceded the signing of the agreement.

“Concerning Africa, conflicts and conflict resolution were discussed. We discussed various areas of conflicts and what we can do to promote peace.

“We talked about promotion of peace and stability in our countries, and growth and prosperity on our continent. 

“In the same way that Europe and America have kept themselves and found a solution for their conflicts, we have to look at both inadequate capital, industrialization efforts, research and development programmes, and enlighten our people, navigate our way through problems.

“Instead of the crisis and conflicts that we see in the Republic of Congo, and others, we have to look inwards to solve problems ourselves,’’ the President said. 

President Tinubu said the discussion with the President of Equatorial Guinea also covered challenges of security, African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA), and food security. 

“We are all going for it. Within Africa and the African Union, we have resolved that we will work together to make sure that the solution to many of our problems in Africa comes from within,’’ the President concluded.

In his remarks, the President of Equatorial Guinea said bilateral relations with Nigeria over many years have been rewarding and emphasized the need to deepen cooperation across salient areas. 

President Mbasogo said Africa’s vision of having a permanent seat in the Security Council of the United Nations is vital for the development of the continent, affirming that Equatorial Guinea will work with Nigeria to realize the objective. 

The President of Equatorial Guinea said the signing of the agreement was strategic for Africa’s development.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar of Nigeria, and Mr. Simeon Oyono Esono, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Equatorial Guinea, also signed the agreement.

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; Minister of Defence, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar; Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; Minister of State, Petroleum, Gas, Ekperikpe Ekpo, and Minister of Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Ibrahim- Biu were present at the signing of the agreement.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President 

(Media & Publicity) 

August 15, 2024