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ampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Reginald Roberts (22, Lakeland), a/k/a/ “Rudy,” Nathaniel Keith Carr (28, Riverdale), a/k/a “Nate,” and Chrishawn De’Earl Butler (22, Brooksville), a/k/a “Baby,” have each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery, Hobbs Act robbery, and brandishing and discharging firearms in the commission of crimes of violence. Each faces a minimum mandatory sentence ranging from 14 to 21 years, up to life, in federal prison. Sentencing dates have not yet been set.

According to the plea agreements, and as depicted in the attached photographs introduced at the initial appearance hearing on May 12, 2021, between December 2020 and April 2021, Roberts, Carr, Butler and others engaged in a conspiracy to rob individuals they suspected of distributing narcotics. During that time, the conspirators engaged in numerous armed robberies in Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk, and Lee counties, some of which resulted in shootings. While committing these offenses, the conspirators impersonated law enforcement officers by wearing black clothing, gloves, and masks, often with law enforcement insignia, or vests with “Sheriff” affixed. In addition, during certain robberies, the conspirators drove a black Dodge Durango and white Chevrolet Malibu equipped with blue lights and sirens. 

Co-conspirator Jasmine Weber (28, Tampa) has also pleaded guilty, and is pending sentencing. Indicted co-conspirators Daniel Jackson and Darius Hudson are pending trial. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Bartow Police Department, the Lakeland Police Department, the Dade City Police Department, the Cape Coral Police Department, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, the Arcadia Police Department, and the Florida Highway Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Source-FBI

The funding of education is a major challenge in Nigeria.

Sadly, education funding has been reduced drastically over the years.

In addition, the poor remuneration of teaching staff at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels has also contributed to the deterioration of education.

Furthermore, the attitude of parents and guardians towards their children and wards' education is nothing to write home about, including the low quality of training teaching staff pass through have both contributed to the worrisome state of education in the country.

The quest for wealth is now the focus of parents and guardians at the detriment of the future of their children and wards.

All the above mentioned have impacted negatively on the academic performance of pupils and students at all levels of education.

It is high time the Federal Government increases the budget funding for education to the 26 per cent benchmark recommended by UNESCO.

Above all, the government should strengthen institutions to eradicate systemic corruption and also ensure that the recruitment of teaching staff is transparent based on merit.

Lastly, the trend is now to promote students who fail to enmasse. This is not good for education. Those who do not exhibit the capacity and capability to learn should either be made to repeat or shown the way out.

Dr. Amenaghawon is of the Department of Communication and Language Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Nigerians need to be grateful to God who gave us the opportunity to have a successful election exercise that eventually produced a President Elect against all odds and without fatalities.

The President Elect therefore needs to know the areas of credence and professional capability of his Vice, with whom he must work together for good.

The challenges ahead generally calling for earlier secession bid of some sections in the country, constitution amendment, need for ease of restructuring to aid and enhance accelerated development for the Nation under them must be promptly addressed.

The four major areas needing prompt attention and purposeful focus are:1. National Security 2. National Unity3. Effective Economic Management4. Foreign Affairs with good international relations principles.

It is of common knowledge to the lovers of Nigeria and their agitators' counterparts that Nigeria is already heading for the precipice due to value degradation and collapse of all agents of socialization.

Value restoration is therefore germane to effectively reinvent Nigeria into a rebranded Nation where democracy will work on the two legs of Justice and Equity for its dividend to produce Peace and Sustainable Development.Regeneration and resuscitation of our past Glory anchored on the theme of our National Anthem - that the efforts of our heroes past shall never be in vain, needs to be our guiding principles.

The expectations of all Nigerians are high based on the President Elect's antecedent of strategic planning that truly transformed Lagos State into the dream of a mega city for Nigeria and upon which your successors Governor of Lagos State build their feet.

Your being there as President Elect, therefore, is a matter of no lost hope and fulfilment of destiny for Nigeria to be rightly transformed.Right funding that would be enough to promote functional education is desired.  

Motivation for teachers and lecturers, and facility updates for dynamic educational institutions is primarily sacrosanct. Enhancement of orientation for students on self-employment with focus on vocation for SMEs as feeder packages for full industrialization is equally a necessity.

The APC government target on promotion of zero tolerance for corruption and institutional indiscipline must be pursued to sustainable realization point for true accelerated development with enhanced high indicators of development to be achieved.  

Dignity of labour too must be restored to avoid further waywardness and frivolities in wealth acquisition by Nigerians.

Above all, sanity must be restored in the key areas of human dynamics vis-a-vis cultural setting, institutional/professional ethics, religious institutions, as well as credibility in leadership for good governance.

When the socio-spiritual state is normal for all Nigerians, the environment will be able to enjoy the necessary spiritual interventions.May God, the Almighty Allah, bless Nigeria and endow  the President Elect with the knowledge , wisdom and power of a discerning mind to steer the boat of Nigeria safely into the right destination of restoring and reclaiming our cap of giant of Africa.

Your good performance in office will redeem our image abroad.

Prof. OlagokeJP is the Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide

God our creator knows our thoughts,difficulities and needs. Let us rely on HIM in all situations.

1(To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.) O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. 7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

The Oyo state council of the Nigeria Labor Congress has declared that some of its members decided to feature prominently in the second term campaign of the state Governor as a show of appreciation for meeting their demands.

This declaration was made by the secretary of the nlc, Comrade Adebayo Aritbatishe.

''The Governor has responded to their demands and they go in groups to campaign venues to show appreciation for what the Governor has done for them. It should be noted that affiliates of the union have various agitations and demands. These demands are tailored through the Joint Negotiation Committee(JNC). And when such demands or agitations are met, it is only proper to show appreciation. They have every right as affiliates.'' Comrade Artibatise also disclosed that the state Governor has paid three out of the five-month unremitted union dues deductions, adding,'' he has promised to pay the remaining at the end of the month.''

God always speaks to us through His Word, through the apostles and other faithful servants of old. Deuteronomy 30 : 1-20

1And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee, 2 And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; 3 That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee. 4 If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee: 5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers. 6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. 7 And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee. 8 And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day. 9 And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers: 10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. 11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. 15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; 16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. 17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; 18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. 19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: 20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

Defendant Conspired to Illegally Export U.S. Goods and Technology Without Required Export Licenses

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Kambiz Attar Kashani, a dual citizen of the United States and Iran, was sentenced by United States District Judge Eric R. Komitee to 30 months’ imprisonment for conspiring to illegally export U.S. goods, technology, and services to end users in Iran, including the Government of Iran, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).  The defendant has agreed to pay a $50,000 fine. Kashani pleaded guilty to the charge in June 2022.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and Joseph R. Bonavolanta, Special Agent-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division (FBI), announced the sentence.

“Kashani defied export restrictions and sanctions against Iran, a country that sponsors international terrorism,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “His scheme undermined U.S. foreign policy and national security interests, and warranted a substantial sentence of incarceration to deter others.”

“Kashani conspired to illegally export U.S. goods and technology for the benefit of the Central Bank of Iran, a designated entity that materially supports known terrorist organizations,” said Assistant Attorney General Olsen. “The Department remains vigilant against any efforts to circumvent our export control laws, which exist to protect the security of the United States and its people.”

“Kambiz Attar Kashani will now head to prison for strengthening the economy of one of the world’s most infamous state sponsors of terrorism to line his own pockets, while circumventing U.S. laws in place to protect our national security interests. He used two United Arab Emirates companies to procure items from multiple American technology companies, including one located right here in Massachusetts,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Bonavolonta. “Today’s sentencing should send a strong message that the FBI and its law enforcement partners will continue to pursue and hold accountable those individuals who illegally export our country’s sensitive information and technology to hostile nations such as the Government of Iran.”

Between February 2019 and June 2021, Kashani conspired to illegally export goods and technology to end users in Iran, including the Central Bank of Iran (CBI). The U.S. government recognizes CBI as an agency of the Government of Iran and the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has classified it as a Specially Designated National (SDN) acting for or on behalf of a terrorist organization.  According to the U.S. government, CBI has materially assisted, sponsored and provided financial, material or technological support, goods or services to Lebanese Hizballah, a terrorist organization, and to the Qods Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), which is a branch of the Iranian armed forces and represents the primary means of the Government of Iran to direct and implement its global terrorism campaign.   

Kashani and his co-conspirators perpetrated the illegal transshipping scheme through two separate United Arab Emirates (UAE) companies.  They used the UAE companies to procure electronic goods and technology from multiple U.S. technology companies, including one located in Brooklyn, for end users in Iran, including CBI, without obtaining required OFAC export licenses.  Certain of the goods and technology Kashani and his co-conspirators transshipped were classified by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security as information security items subject to national security and anti-terrorism controls.  Kashani and his co-conspirators intentionally concealed from the U.S. companies that they intended to send the items to Iran, falsely claiming that the UAE companies would be the ultimate end users.   

As set forth in court papers, by providing the Government of Iran and end users in Iran with sophisticated, top-tier U.S. electronic equipment and software, the defendant and his co-conspirators enabled the Iranian banking system to operate more efficiently, effectively, and securely.  In doing so, the defendant and his co-conspirators likely helped strengthen Iran’s economy and provided faster and more secure access to funds that enable the Government of Iran to further priorities including its nuclear program and terrorist agenda – exactly what the U.S. sanctions against Iran were intended to prevent.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander A. Solomon and Meredith A. Arfa are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney S. Derek Shugert of the Justice Department’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

Defendant:

Kambiz Attar Kashani
Age:  45
United Arab Emirates

Source-FBI

Concerned residents and indigenes of Ibadan, Oyo state have called on the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun,Alli Okunmade II, to, as a matter of urgency, scrap the title of Ezendigbo of Ibadanland.

They hinged their call on the attempt to desecrate the position of the Olubadan.

''We call on the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun to urgently scrap the title of Ezendigbo of Ibadan. If you are observant, they are covertly working to bring the Olubadan position to ridicule. In addition, the activities of the Ezendigbo should be comprehensively probed for the good of society'', they stated.

In most recent times, there has been an upsurge in lawlessness and all forms of criminality in several communities in the state capital.

However, those-in-authority are either complicit or lack the will to convincingly put an end to the ugly situation.

The Balogun Nidgbo of Ibadan land, Chief Alloysious Obi, had in an interview with The Sun accused Eze(Dr.)Alozie of desecrating the stool of Olubadan with the conferment of a chieftaincy title of Ezi Ogo Ukwu N’digbo Nala on Oba Balogun.

''He said: “I found it ridiculous that an individual would just wake up and say he is conferring a chieftaincy title on the occupant of the revered stool of Olubadan. For Anozie to do such, it is nothing but desecration of the Olubadan stool and it should be condemned by those who mean well for Ibadanland. It is my candid view that the people of Ibadanland should, this time around, come together and put a stop to what I can only describe as an insult to the Olubadan stool, as I know that Igbos have great respect for traditional institutions.”

However, in his reaction, the Eze Ndigbo of Ibadan and Oyo state Eze(Dr.) Alex Anozie insisted that his detractors were at work, explaining that he gave the Olubadan an award and not a chieftaincy title.

''Because of the love and understanding between us, Ndigbo and Kabiyesi Olubadan of Ibadanland and Ibadan people, we decided to give an award to Olubadan in appreciation for our cordial relationship and because he is our in-law as he is married to one of our daughters. So we gave him an award and this matter, that same yesterday, 14th February, I was called and myself and my council members held a meeting with the Olubadan-in-Council and a satisfactory explanation has been given and the matter has been resolved . The Igbos and Ibadan people and the whole Yoruba race have been living peacefully. All that we did was to show love and appreciation for all that has been happening between the two ethnic groups. But we know that detractors are behind all the noise, but thank God the matter was resolved yesterday. We know that our detractors are the ones fanning the members of hatred unnecessarily,'' Eze(Dr.) Anozie concluded.