The Federal Government is looking for the Binance executive who escaped from its custody. The Defence Headquarters is also searching for the suspects involved in the Delta bloodbath. KFC was closed down after refusing service to a wheelchair user. Meanwhile, the abducted Kaduna schoolchildren finally regained their freedom.
Here are the main points from the biggest news stories of the week, from March 24 to March 30, 2024.
Binance executive escapes
Binance executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla
The Federal Government has reached out to the International Criminal Police Organisation and launched a search for Binance cryptocurrency platform executive Nadeem Anjarwalla, who escaped from custody.
Anjarwalla, detained for tax evasion and other Binance-related offenses in Nigeria, fled from a guest house in Abuja on March 22.
The government has apprehended the security personnel responsible for his escape and asserts that his fleeing will not affect the enforcement of a $10 billion fine imposed on Binance for money laundering.
Additionally, the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, emphasized that the escape does not exempt Binance from following Nigerian laws and regulations.
KFC: Closed and criticized
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria shut down a KFC outlet at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos following allegations of discriminatory treatment against Adebola Daniel, son of former Ogun State Governor, Gbenga Daniel. Adebola was told by a manager at the outlet that wheelchairs are not allowed.
KFC outlet, MMIA, Lagos State (@DebolaDaniel | X)
FAAN’s decision to close the outlet was based on the violation of Lagos State law on People with Special Needs. In response, KFC expressed regret over the incident, stating its commitment to inclusivity and respect, and announced plans to implement sensitivity training for employees.
Editor’s experience from ink to restraints
Segun Olatunji
Segun Olatunji, the abducted Editor of FirstNews Online Newspaper, recounted his experience at the hands of men of the Defence Intelligence Agency after being taken by military personnel on March 15, 2024.
Olatunji, who spent almost two weeks in DIA detention, described how he was blindfolded, flown from Lagos to Abuja, and kept in a cell where he was put in handcuffs and leg chains for days.
He highlighted the interrogation he faced regarding stories published by FirstNews, particularly one concerning the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila.
The Nigerian Guild of Editors, Nigeria Union of Journalists and International Press Institute exerted pressure for his release. The incident has been condemned as an attack on media freedom, sparking calls for further action against those responsible within the military hierarchy.
Kaduna schoolchildren's long journey to freedom
The abducted children from LEA Primary School and Government Secondary School Kuriga in Kaduna State were finally rescued after spending nearly three weeks in captivity. They were rescued in a coordinated operation involving the military, local authorities, and government agencies.
At first, it was said that 287 students were taken, but the Governor of Kaduna State explained that the real number was 137. The students were saved in Zamfara State and taken to Kaduna, where they were given to the state government and then to their parents.
DHQ manhunt
The Defence Headquarters has named eight people wanted for the brutal killing of 17 military personnel in Delta State. The incident happened during a peacekeeping mission in the Okuama community on March 14, 2024. The attackers, described as angry young people, assaulted officers and soldiers of the 181 Amphibious Battalion. Four officers and 13 soldiers were among the dead.
The military has escalated efforts to catch the guilty people, issuing a list of wanted individuals, which includes Prof. Ekpekpo Arthur, Andaowei Dennis Bakriri, Akevwru Daniel Omotegbo (aka Amagben), Akata Malawa David, Sinclear Oliki, Clement Ikolo Oghenerukeywe, Reuben Baru and Igoli Ebi.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Buba Edward, confirmed the military’s commitment to bringing the offenders to justice, pledging to spare no effort in their capture, even considering offering rewards for their capture if needed.
The announcement of the wanted individuals came after the burial of the killed soldiers at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja, which was attended by President Bola Tinubu and other important people, where Tinubu promised support for the families of the victims and revealed scholarships for their children, including those yet to be born.
Meanwhile, one of the wanted individuals, the Ovie of Ewu Kingdom in the Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, Clement Ikolo, Urhukpe 1, turned himself in to the police, who then handed him over to the military.
