From Jude Dangwam, Jos

The Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal Polytechnic Ny’ak, Shendam, Plateau State, Sistus Ukelina Abetienbe has disclosed that the new federal polytechnic will be admitting students’ by the end of the year 2022.

He said the polytechnic will take off in the temporary site donated by the Plateau State Government and appealed to Governor Lalong to intensify efforts towards the provision of basic infrastructure such as power, water, and access road to the permanent site.

Abetienbe stated this when he led members of the Governing Council of the new polytechnic on a courtesy visit to Governor Lalong at the New Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos the state capital.

He commended the governor for not only seeing to the establishment of the polytechnic, but also making sure that the institution was granted  ” a large parcel of land, and suitable temporary facility with quality infrastructure for take-off and the planned provision for basic infrastructure such as power, water, and access road  to the permanent site.”

He said the institution will give strength to courses in areas that Plateau has strong advantage such as tourism, agriculture and mining among others towards contributing to the growth of the State.

Governor Simon Lalong expressed delight with the news of the commencement of academic activities in the polytechnic, a dream, he said stakeholders in the state long to see come to fruition, “a desire that necessitated the donation of one of the Legacy Schools, the Model Secondary School Ny’ak for the commencement of the approved Institution,” the governor said.

Governor Lalong while congratulating members of the Governing Council on their appointment, expressed appreciation to the President Buhari, the Minister of Education and the National Assembly for approving the institution, pointing that there was a high hope that the Federal College of Education Pankshin will soon be upgraded to a University of Education once the president signs the bill for it into law.

Following his plea, the prosecuting counsel, M.S. Owede, gave a review of the facts of the case.

According to him, sometime in May 2021, the EFCC received intelligence report on the activities of internet fraudsters operating at Victoria Garden City, VGC, Lagos.

“Sequel to the intelligence, surveillance was carried out, and this defendant was arrested, with his tools of trade: iPhone X, iPhone 12 Pro Max, a Nokia phone, and a Hewlett-Packard laptop,” he said.

Owede further told the Court that investigation was extended to his email address and documents evidencing false pretence were discovered and printed out in his presence, which he also endorsed.

He, thereafter, tendered in evidence the statement made to the EFCC in the course of the investigation, the bundle of documents printed out from the defendant’s email and a cheque of N500,000 issued by the defendant as part of a plea bargain agreement brought before the Court, which was agreed to by both parties.

The documents were admitted in evidence against him and marked Exhibits P1a, P1b, P1c, P1d, P2, P3, P4 and P5.

Justice Abike-Fadipe, thereafter, found him guilty as charged and sentenced him to one year in prison, with an option of N1million fine and 40 hours of community service.

He is to forfeit to the Federal Government the devices recovered from him, including the N500,000 bank draft.