Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, arrested serving Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Ahmed Idris in connection with diversion of funds and money laundering activities to the tune of N80billion.
According to the commission, intelligence showed that the AGF raked off the funds through bogus consultancies and other illegal activities using proxies, family members and close associates.
The funds were reportedly laundered through real estate investments in Kano and Abuja.
Mr. Idris was said to have been arrested after failing to honour invitations by the EFCC to respond to issues connected to the fraudulent acts.
Ahead of the 2023 election, Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has ruled out the possibility of the Senate President and presidential aspirant, Ahmed Lawan refunding the N100m Naira expended in the purchase of APC nomination and expression interest forms to fellow aspirants stepping down for him ahead of the party’s presidential primary election.
Senator Kalu, representing Abia North had recently hinted that no fewer than nine presidential aspirants are ready to step down and support Lawan. قواعد لعبة البوكر
Kalu had recently dropped his presidential ambition and announced support for Lawan, a North Easterner, stating that it is the shortest route to actualizing Igbo Presidency after eight years. شرح 1xbet
Featuring on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Monday monitored by ABN TV, the former Abia governor that he is ready to take the aspirants to Senator Lawan for negotiation, stating he he is not aware of what their terms may be.
“I want to tell you, I have spoken to nine candidates running for president, and they are ready, already discussing to step down for Ahmed Lawan,” the lawmaker stated.
He added that he has told them to come with him and meet with the Senate President and negotiate face to face.
While refusing to list the names of the candidates in question, Kalu said he is certain that the individuals are ready to quit the race for Senator Lawan. شرح لعبة الروليت
Kalu further noted that he cannot tell what the negotiations and demands of the other candidates will be when they meet with Lawan but refund of the N100m not part of it.
“I made that one clear to them, nobody is returning any money to any one,” Senator Kalu buttressed.
The Abuja-Kaduna train service will resume on May 23, the Federal Government said on Monday.
Train services had been suspended on the route after terrorists attacked a train, fatally shot several persons, and abducted scores of passengers in March.
Most of those abducted are still in captivity.
In a statement signed by spokesperson Yakubu Mahmood, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) said the decision to resume services does not mean efforts to secure the safe release of those abducted will be put on hold.
The families of those abducted have threatened to resist the reopening of the train service.
” . . . the Government wishes to assure the relatives of the abducted citizens still in captivity that the safe rescue of these passengers is a top priority and not to misconstrue the resumption of train services, as abandonment or nonchalant attitude of the government towards their plight,” the NRC statement said.
“The Federal Government will never abdicate its responsibility in rescuing these valuable citizens, however, the government assures of its resolve not to succumb to threats by any faceless group.”
Improved security
In its statement, the NRC said additional security measures are being put in place to beef up security at the train stations and along the track.
“These measures are not only for the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service (AKTS) but also for all the passenger train services especially on the standard gauge railway lines,” the statement said.
“Consequently, the passengers are hereby enjoined to cooperate with the NRC in order to enjoin improved service delivery, safety and comfort by patiently complying with additional measures that will surely be introduced for the safety of our passengers, such as requesting for passengers National Identification Numbers (NIN) as part of our internal security check.”
The NRC said customers must present a Valid Photo Identification Card (ID) and a reachable telephone number of Next of Kin (NOK) or close relative before boarding a train.
Online and offline purchase of tickets must contain the passengers individual profile or identification data, the NRC said
Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva has withdrawn from the presidential race in the All Progressives Congress (APC) and returned to work.
A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who monitored development at the ministry in Abuja on Monday reports that Sylva said he withdrew his ambition having considered the enormous work at the ministry.
An official at the ministry who chose to remain anonymous said Sylva withdrew from the race to support President Muhammadu Buhari in his quest to achieve a robust oil sector.
“He promised to consult the leader of the country and his political leaders the day he was presented with the form.
“He believes that concentrating on his work will attract more investments for the oil and gas sector.
“He has consulted and he believes that the challenges at the ministry and oil and gas sector are enough issues for him to begin to deal with now than going to pursue presidential ambition at the expense of the nation.
“The oil and gas sector is the mainstay of the economy and it is not like any other ministry somebody can just come in and take over.
“It requires some measures of time for the person to understand what is happening in the system.
“For the interest of the industry and the nation, he has decided to wave that personal ambition to see what he can contribute in the remaining part of President Buhari’s administration.
“The implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 is very critical and he wants to continue to make his own contribution to the day-to-day running of the country and support Mr President for robust achievements,” the official said.
Meanwhile, Mr Horatious Egua, Senior Special Assistant to the minister on media, when contacted, confirmed to NAN that the minister was back to work.
The Anambra State Police officials, on Monday, killed two gunmen said to be enforcing sit-at-home in the state.
The incident happened along the Umunze Road, Orumba South Local Government Area, with the operational vehicle of the hoodlums recovered.
Confirming the development, the state police spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the gun-bearing hoodlums were killed by their operatives on crime prevention patrol.
He said, “The Anambra State Command Operatives on crime prevention patrol in the early hours of today, along Umunze road, Orumba South LGA, engaged armed-bearing gunmen allegedly enforcing sit-at-home in Anambra State.
“The Operatives neutralised two of the miscreants and recovered a white Toyota Hiace Bus with no registration number.
“Further details show that these miscreants were obstructing the movement of innocent road users going for their businesses.
“The hoodlums forcefully collect their motorbikes and tricycles, chase away the passengers and they set the motorcycle or tricycle ablaze.
“Meanwhile, the police have intensified more efforts towards prevention of crimes and normalcy has returned.”
Abia stakeholders and elders have cautioned the out-going Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu-led administation against taking any fresh loan, which, according to them will only worsen the debt burden of the state.
The warning is coming on the heels of speculations that the state is perfecting arrangements to take N6 billion fresh loan from a commercial bank ( name withheld).
A statement circulating online read:”Multiple sources confirmed that the Government wants to use a proxy to fraudulently obtain the loan since by law, and owing to unsavory circumstances, the Government is not qualified to borrow directly from any bank.
“To make matters worse, the company that Ikpeazu wants to use to obtain the dubious loan has been blacklisted by the EFCC and is unfit to obtain the loan.
“Currently, the Governor is said to be mounting pressure on the officials of Central Bank of Nigeria and management of the bank to approve the loan as the election is fast approaching.
“The Government is assuring the authorities that it will guarantee the loan since it is incapacitated from borrowing directly. They want to use that system to circumvent the rules guiding lending to Government.”
Meanwhile, the alleged move to obtain the said loan has generated angry reactions from Abians who allege it is a ploy by Government to raise funds to prosecute the 2023: elections.
Reacting to the development in an interview with Vanguard, the immediate-past Secretary to the State Government, Dr Eme Okoro, asked the Governor to jettison the idea as it would only amount to mortgaging the future of Abians.
His words: ” It doesn’t make sense for any Government to borrow N6 billion at the eve of an election year. It means accumulating debts for the incoming Government.
“If any bank approves of such loan we will go to bank and say no. The House of Assembly must be informed about it and should discuss it to determine the merit or otherwise.
“Over burdening our people with all these loan portfolios is not necessary”.
Asked if the court action was a threat, the former SSG said:”It’s not a threat; if any bank approves such a loan at this point, such a bank is taking a risk.
“I even heard it is N11 billion. I also heard they intend to give N2 million to delegates. And you know what that means to the state.”
Reacting also, former Senate President, Senator Adolphus Wabara, advised the Government to weigh the implications of such proposal on the future of the state.
He noted that it would not be the first time the state would be obtaining loans, and advised against reckless borrowing.
“I think we should be very careful. There is always tomorrow, and that Abia State will outlive all of us.
“Those who are there now are younger than I am, and that means that I will die before them but they should remember their children.
“The six billion they want to hang on the neck of Abia is the same way N2 billion was borrowed for Abia Polytechnic and this present Government came and cleared the N6 billion. So, who is fooling who?
“You can see the hand of Esau. Does that not suggest that the present Government and its leadership had a hand in the N2 billion that was illegitimately borrowed for Abia Poly which they came in and cleared.
” They should be very careful because there is a day of reckoning.”
In his reaction, former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uche Ogah, advised banks and commercial institutions not to go into any shoddy deals with Government as the incoming administration will not sweep any suspicious deal under the carpet.
” Let us pray for God to give us a change. If we get a good Government, these banks are going to vomit that money because we are going to trace what they used the money to do.”
Asked what he would do assuming he became Ikpeazu’s successor, Ogah said:”Once I look at the records and see that my predecessor used it judiciously, then the state will repay because Government is a Continuum.
“But if I discover it was borrowed and squandered, then it has to be vomited”.
Similarly, another APC governorship aspirant and former Diamond bank boss, Dr Alex Otti, said he would probe the loans and their disbursements if elected Governor in 2023.
Otti who spoke through his Media Aide, Ferdinand Ekeoma, described the fresh loan as very unnecessary, claiming that there is no development on ground to justify previous borrowings.
” There is no justification for another loan because Government has gotten enough funds from statutory allocations and internally generated funds, bailout funds, Paris Club refunds, and other cash inflows.
” Government has borrowed from different financial institutions and when you look at what is on ground you will find out that it is not commensurate what they have received.
” Government is still owing workers and pensioners for many months. Government cannot account for resources it received, we think it is dangerous for Government to continue with this endless borrowing spree. It’s not in the interest of the state.
” The truth is that borrowed funds are not free money. They will be repaid most times with high interest in dollars. There is absolutely no basis for the Government to borrow again.
” We are completely against it because it’s like mortgaging the future of the unborn generations of Abians. We are completely opposed to it”.
On what to do if elected to succeed Ikpeazu in 2023, Otti said:” Whoever takes over will look at the records and see how the funds were utilised.
” Then based on the available facts, we will engage those institutions that have the capacity to ask questions where necessary, recover funds where ever they are not properly utilised.
” It is something that must be done in the most responsibie, unbiased and democratic manner in line with what the law says.”
Reacting, the Leader of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, and member representing Aba South state constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Obinna Ichita, said he was not aware of any communication for the consideration of any loan request from the Government to the House.
He, therefore, said that “when the House resumes sitting, we will ask the right questions”.
The lawmaker advised Government to perish the idea of going for any fresh loan so as not to accumulate unnecessary debt for the in-coming administration, arguing that previous loans were not properly utilised.
” I would not want the out-going PDP Government of Abia State to accumulate unnecessary debt for the state, thereby, making things difficult for the next Government that will be formed by APGA..
” What have they done with the $56.4 million World Bank loan? All the roads for which that loan was given, non of them has been completed. All the projects – Ifeobara Basin is a disaster, Obeohia Road Aba has not been completed, Port Harcourt Road Aba is out of the way, Urattah Road is abandoned.
” All the roads for which the State Government received the $56.4 billion US dollars from the World Bank have been abandoned.
” Apart from that, and the money they received for Faulks Road is a total waste. A Road that is less than 5 kilometer, the State Government said it paid N5.8 billion to the contractor. It later said it paid additional N2 billion to the contractor totaling N7.8 billion.
“What it means is that in Abia the PDP Government constructs a Kilometer of road for over N1 billion.”
But in a quick response, Abia State Government dismissed the source of reports about the alleged loan as “baseless, frivolous and malicious”.
Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Eze Chikamnayo, who spoke for the State Government, claimed that most of those commenting on the alleged loan are members of the opposition who are biased.
Prodded to either confirm or deny the alleged move to obtain the loan, the Commissioner retorted”: When last did you ask the Federal Government to deny or confirm if they are obtaining or giving out loans?”
Continuing he said:” Those making those allegations are mostly members of the APC that has borrowed and over-borrowed until even their own National Assembly is trying to put a wedge on their borrowing spree.
“If they can’t question the Federal Government that has gone haywire with borrowing, what morality do they have to come and start looking for what?”
Statistics from the Debt Management Office, showed that as of December 31, 2015, the debt profile of Abia State was N37.55 billion but by March 31, 2021, it rose to N70.57 billion.
Some say it has now risen to over N90 billion but as at the time of filing this report, Abia’s current debt profile is not on display on the list of heavily indebted states that has Lagos State at the top with a whopping debt of NN658 billion followed by Rivers with N225.5 billion.
Popular Nollywood actor, Leo Mezie, has died at 46. Born Leonard Chimezie Onyemachi, it was gathered that he died on Saturday while recovering from a kidney transplant.
The death of the actor was announced on Monday by his colleague, Chioma Toplis via her Instagram account. Toplis revealed that the thespian died in a hospital in a hospital in Abuja.
Sharing some pictures of Leo Mezie, Toplis via the caption section wrote, “Actor Leo Mezie is dead. He died on Saturday in Abuja while recovering from a kidney transplant. His corpse has been moved to Umuahia his hometown. RIP Leo.”
Leo Mezie began his career in the Nigerian film industry in 1996, however, he shot into prominence in 2003, when he starred in the movie, Labista.
In 2010, the actor married his sweetheart, Maureen. The actor, in 2016 the actor voiced out to his friends and fans that he had a kidney problem and they rallied around him, hence, he went for surgery in London.
Sadly, in 2019, the ailment came up again and the actor was admitted to a Lagos hospital, where he was treated.
Ukraine’s biological warfare activities, carried out with assistance from Washington, are not unprecedented, they are part of the US’ bioweapons programs, a senior Russian Foreign Ministry official said Monday.
“Biological warfare activities, being carried out in Ukraine with assistance from the US, unfortunately, are not unprecedented,” Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said at a meeting of the Federation Council commission inquiring into the US-sponsored laboratories in Ukraine. They “are part of Washington’s years-, decades-long course aimed at developing biological warfare programs, opening and modernizing biolabs throughout the world, as well as gaining control over their research efforts,” Ryabkov said.
Such programs in former Soviet republics have drawn Russia’s closest attention, the diplomat said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he will inform the leaders of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states about the special military operation in Ukraine during the closed part of the summit that is currently taking place in the Kremlin.
“As for Russia’s special military operation, we will discuss it, of course. I will inform you in detail about what it is connected with, and how this combat work proceeds,” he said, speaking at the summit. “But we will do it behind closed doors, of course.”
Putin underscored that Russia will continue to contribute to deepening of relations of strategic partnership with all CSTO member states.
“We will do everything possible to improve and develop the efficient partnership, cooperation within the CSTO,” Putin said.
He assured that Russia will support the efforts of the incumbent Armenian CSTO presidency in this direction.
Presidential hopeful, Rotimi Amaechi has stated that creating jobs is a solution to crime.
Amaechi was quoted by his media office as saying this when he met with the Bayelsa state traditional rulers council in Yenagoa on Sunday.
According to the former governor, crime will be reduced when people have a source of income.
“For me, the solution to crime is to give people responsibility and make them have a source of revenue. Once people have a source of income, crime will reduce,” he said.
“So, the solution to crime is to create jobs and create a source of revenue because if you don’t create that source of revenue for them, they would create for themselves.
“If you don’t grow an economy that accommodates the people, that is inclusive and accommodates everybody, somebody who isn’t part of that economy will create one for himself.”
Amaechi said if elected, he would pursue the reclamation of lands for the Bayelsa people.
“Your Majesty, I’m from the Niger Delta, I know the problem of the Niger Delta and I governed one of the States of the Niger Delta. So I come to you with the full knowledge of the Niger Delta with one who has governed the Niger Delta,” he said.
“If given the opportunity to be President of Nigeria, I will reclaim land in Yenagoa to enable the people of Bayelsa to own lands with the support of the federal government. تكساس هولدم بوكر Your Majesty, I am home and I want your blessings, I want you to talk to our people to support me to be the president of the federal republic of Nigeria.
“I assure you that if given the opportunity to serve our country, there shall be changes and there will be progress. لعبة فلوس I assure you that you’ll be of special interest to the federal government.”
On his part, Bubaraye Dakolo Agada, chairman of the Bayelsa state council of traditional rulers, said Amaechi is experienced to be president
“We are delighted to have you. You are an aspirant who has come to do the needful and become the candidate of APC and the President of Nigeria,” Agada said.
“You are our son, I have never seen a resume or profile of your type. Two times Speaker, two times Governor and two times Minister, we must give you the needed support.
“When you became governor, I admired the way you faced the security challenges in Rivers state and brought everything to control, your pedigree, your profile says a lot. كازينو على الانترنت ”
Abians residing in Oyo State, have expressed deep appreciation to the Governor of Abia State, Alex Chioma Otti, for approving free transportation that enabled...
