Crime
25 Banks, Hotels have been Sealed in Anambra Over Unpaid Taxes, Levies
Anambra State government has sealed off no fewer than 25 banks and hotels operating within the state capital, Awka, for failure to pay their taxes and levies to the state.
The facilities were sealed by the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service, (AIRS) over the weekend.
THISDAY gathered that the levies owed were mainly those of sanitation, business premises and sundry government taxes.
Head of the team and desk officer in charge of Anambra State Waste Management Authority (ASWAMA) in the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service, Mr. James-Morgan Ezeodili, said the enforcement was made following a court order on August 11, 2022 to seal off the businesses.
“This is because of their refusal or failure to appear in court, after being served with writ of summons, as they refused to pay stipulated levies to state government.
“The exercise (sealing of businesses) was part of the state government’s resolve to boost its revenue, and to ensure that the environment was clean by removal of wastes across the roads and streets in the state,” he added.
Some of the facilities sealed were the Nigeria Police Force, Microfinance banks, Mumbai Festus Hotel, Finotel Classic Hotel, and Shalom Hotel, all in Awka.
Others included Zaramax Hotel, New World Lounge, Summit Splendor Hotel, Ndiolu Micro Finance Bank, and Landmark Hotel Nibo, among others.
Meanwhile, Soludo has banned movement of cattle on foot in every part of the state.
Soludo who met with members of Anambra State Cattle Menace Committee at the Government House, Awka, at the weekend, said the ban was in compliance with the 2021 Anti-open grazing law of the state, adding that enforcement would begin from September.
“Now that we have a law banning open grazing, the law enforcement agents have been directed to implement it.
“Though the law has been in existence since almost one year ago, cattle rearers keep parading certain areas in the state in contravention to the law,” Soludo said.
Former governor of the state, Willie Obiano had assented to the Cattle and Other Livestock Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Bill of Anambra State in 2021, but failed to enforce the ban.
Soludo while speaking at the meeting said his administration would ensure implementation of the law by September.
He applauded members of the Anambra State Cattle Menace Committee for their devotion to duty, saying that Anambra people have largely lived in harmony with herdsmen, but the herdsmen must conduct their businesses within the ambit of extant laws.
The Anambra State Police Command has foiled a cult initiation ceremony in Nawfia, Njikoka Local Government Area of the state.
Spokesperson for the Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Awka.
According to Ikenga, the operation was carried out by police operatives around 9:30am on June 15, leading to the arrest of six suspects at the scene.
Recovered during the raid were one Jojef pump action gun, two cartridges, and a golden-coloured Lexus SUV with registration number ATN 202 AE. Other items found include two cutlasses, two scissors, a cap bearing the inscription of the Supreme Vikings Confraternity, charms, and substances suspected to be hard drugs.
“They are currently undergoing police interrogation to get more insight into their modus operandi, after which the case will be charged to court on the conclusion of the investigations,” Ikenga stated.
The police spokesperson reassured residents of the command’s unwavering commitment to fighting cultism and other related crimes across the state.
An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, on Wednesday, remanded two persons, Olaitan Fasasi and Kehinde Tobiloba in a correctional facility over alleged attempted murder.
Fasasi, 40, and Tobiloba, 26, whose addresses were not provided, are being charged with conspiracy, attempted murder and membership of a secret society.
The Magistrate, Mr L.A Owolabi, did not take the plea of the defendants for want of jurisdiction.
Owolabi directed the police to forward the case file to the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.
He thereafter adjourned the case until May 31 for mention.
The Prosecutor, Josephine Ikhayere, told the court that the defendants committed the offences at about 5.02p.m on Feb. 15, at Mushin, Lagos.
She said that Fasasi, Tobiloba and others now at large, attempted to commit murder by shooting at a resident, Alfred Ademola.
“They armed themselves with a locally made gun. They belong to Eiye Confraternity, a group proscribed by law,”, she said.
Ikhayere said that the offences contravened Sections 230(1) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2012.
He said that the actions of the defendants also contravened Section 2(3)(a)(b)(c)(d) of the unlawful societies and Cultism Law of Lagos State Law.
An Area Court in Jos, on Tuesday, sentenced one Jeptha John, to three months imprisonment for stealing a Redmi mobile phone valued at N165, 000.
The judge, Shawomi Bokkos, sentenced the John after he pleaded guilty to the offence.
The judge, however, gave the convict an option to pay N20, 000 fine and N50, 000 restitution to the complainant.
Bokkos said that if the convict defaulted in paying the restitution, three months should be added to his sentence to make it six months imprisonment.
Earlier, the police prosecutor, Insp Monday Dabit, told the court that the case was reported at the B Division Police Station, Jos, on Dec. 1, 2024, by Ms Nerat Danjuma.
He said that the complainant alleged that the defendant trespassed into her house and stole her mobile phone valued at N165, 000.
The prosecutor further told the court that the offence contravened the Plateau State Penal Code, Law of Northern Nigeria.
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