Alfa Accused Of Leaking N*d* Pictures Of Businesswoman, Bags 2 Years For N37.6m Fraud

An Alfa (Islamic Cleric), Awojobi Ganiu, was on Thursday
sentenced to two years in prison for defrauding a United
States-based businesswoman, Mrs Oluwatoyin Akinwole of the sum of
N37.6 million.

The Islamic cleric was convicted following a plea bargain
agreement after being re-arraigned by the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC) before an Ikeja Special Offences Court,
Lagos.

Ganiu, who was docked alongside a self-acclaimed oil marketer,
Adesanya Olufemi Paul, pleaded guilty to an amended charge of
stealing and obtaining money by false pretence.

The duo were alleged to have defrauded the businesswoman, leaked
her nude pictures on social media and thereafter reported that she
committed suicide by jumping over the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos
in 2017.

When the charges were read, during Thursday’s proceedings,
Ganiu, who was the second defendant, pleaded guilty but the 1st
defendant (Paul) still maintained his not guilty plea.

The Alfa was thereafter convicted after he pleaded guilty to two
out of four count amended charges of stealing against him.

… As Institute Moves to Tackle
Leadership Issue in Nigeria  

As part of strategies to encourage sound education in Nigeria
and bring the nation’s undergraduates up to speed with their
counterparts across the globe, the Nigerian Institute of Public
Relations (NIPR) has concluded plans to partner with the Microsoft,
a leading global ICT company to develop communication arts
undergraduates capacity for effective study and research.

This disclosure was made in Abuja by Chairman of the Institute’s
2019 Annual General Meeting/Conference, Mr. Franklyn Ginger-Eke,
while making a presentation on the Committee’s plans to the
leadership of the FCT Chapter.

Ginger-Eke said the partnership was one of the FCT Chapter’s
initiatives to expose the university students to practical digital
experience in partnership with multinational organizations to widen
their knowledge base for global competitiveness.

“In this digital era where education is changing the way we live
and study, Nigeria must make conscious effort towards empowering
her youths with modern day skills and functional knowledge capable
of putting them at par with their colleagues anywhere in the world,
and that is what we intend to achieve through this partnership with
Microsoft”.

He pointed out that capacity building was a collective
responsibility of all stakeholders, stressing that government alone
cannot shoulder the burden of education in the country.

Speaking on the Institute’s forthcoming AGM/Conference, the
Committee Chairman hinted that the FCT Chapter of the NIPR was
equally looking at leadership question in Nigeria with strong
assurance that the Institute intends to utilize the conference as
platform to address the leadership challenge confronting the
country.

In his remarks, the Chapter Chairman, Dr. Tayo Haastrup, said
the choice of this year’s theme “The Leadership Question: Search
for 21^st Century Leaders” was apt, noting that FCT
under his watch has always set agenda for national discourse.

“I am confident that this year’s conference like previous ones
will address the critical issue of leadership and awaken our
consciousness on the need for us as a nation to begin to set plans
to raise visionary leaders who will lead our country to
prosperity”, he said.

Haastrup emphasized that the Flagship Chapter’s conference has
become a veritable platform for reputable Nigerians to proffer
practical solutions to national issues.

He stated that credible personalities, who had honoured the
Chapter’s invitation in the last three years as keynote speakers
included: Amb. Maitama Sule (late), Bishop Hassan Kukah, Prof. Pat
Utomi, Mr. Frank Nweke Jr., Femi Falana (SAN), Dr. Walter
Ofonagoro, Basorun Seinde Aregbofa (OFR), among others.

Stanley Ogadigo

Public Relations Officer

Nigerian Institute of Public Relations

FCT Chapter