The Court of Appeal, sitting in Lagos has upheld the ‘no case submission’ filed by a former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Patrick Akpobolokemi, over an alleged fraud of N2.6bn.

The three-man appeal court panel also discharged and freed Mr Akpobolokemi on all the 22counts and overruled the decision of Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court Lagos.

Justice Yargatta Nimpar, who read the lead judgment however held that other defendants who appealed the verdict alongside Akpobolokemi had a case to answer in relation to the charges.

The Police Command in Kebbi has arrested five persons for alleged diversion of a truck loaded with 132 veils of USAID mosquito nets meant for distribution in Bagudo Local Government Area.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP, Mustapha Suleiman, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Friday that the suspects were intercepted in April in Jega Local Government Area while trying to divert the truck.

“We have arrested five suspects in connection with the crime.

The army on Wednesday intercepted three container-loads of arms in Balogun village, near Egua in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The three trucks were intercepted by army officials at a check point along Owode-Ilaro Road.

It was further gathered that the drivers of the three vehicles and other occupants, upon sighting the soldiers, abandoned the vehicles and escaped through the nearby bush.

Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau has reduced the jail terms of two prisoners, one from life sentence to 21 years and the other from 10 years to two years. Lalong, who made the announcement in his State Broadcast on Tuesday to mark this year’s Democracy Day and 3rd anniversary of his administration, however, did not give the names of the prisoners.

The leaders of the robbery gang that struck banks in Offa in Kwara on April 5 are reported to be making startling confessions. The robbery led to the death of more than 30 persons, including policemen and loss of millions of Naira. As families of victims are mourning their loved once killed in the operation, the robbery gang leaders are making mind boggling confessions.

The Borno State Government has said that underage marriage of female children has now become a punishable crime in the state and that any parent found guilty will be prosecuted.

The state governor, Mr Kashim Shettima gave the warning on Wednesday while addressing parents whose children are beneficiaries of the free basic education introduced by his government.

The government also presented parents with incentives which included food items and wears, as part of efforts to encourage them to send their female children to school rather than selling them off to marriage.