Corper’s petition led in recovering N320m election fund – EFCC

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February 14, 2020

The Sokoto State Zonal Head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdullahi Lawal, has said that a petition over non-payment of N3,000 logistic allowance by a corp member led to a recovery of N320 million.

Lawal disclosed this on Friday at the ‘Nigerian Youth Walk against Corruption’ rally organized by the EFCC in collaboration with the National Youth Service Corps, among other partners.

He said that the petition was received after the 2019 election in Zamfara, adding that N65 million cash was recovered during an investigation at the Independent National Electoral Commission in Zamfara State.

According to him, the cash was deposited at the Central Bank of Nigeria while corp members who participated in the electoral duty were paid their allowances of about N300 million.

The EFCC zonal boss described youths as a vital army in the fight against all forms of corruption.

On his part, the NYSC Coordinator in Sokoto State, Philip Enaberue, said that the rally was aimed at facilitating more public awareness and involvement in the fight against corruption, especially among youths who are future leaders.

Midnight fire guts Delta State University hostel

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Alex Enemanna

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February 14, 2020

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A midnight fire, on Friday, gutted a two-storey Post-Graduate Hostel in Campus Three of the Delta State University, Abraka in Ethiope East Council Area of the state.

It was learnt that the fire started about 1:04 am, destroying about 10 rooms before help arrived.

But there was no casualty recorded in the inferno.

It was gathered that the parts of the hostel destroyed were on the first and second floors.

Details of the cause of the fire incident were sketchy as of the time of filing this report.

When contacted, the DELSU Public Relations Officer, Mr Eddy Agbure, confirmed the incident.

“Yes, it true. It is colossal damage,” he added.

Douye Diri receives Certificate of Return as Bayelsa Gov-elect

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Alex Enemanna

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February 14, 2020

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The Independent National Electoral Commission, on Friday, issued a Certificate of Return to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Douye Diri.

INEC earlier declared him as the winner of the November 16 governorship election held in Bayelsa State.

A few minutes after INEC’s pronouncement, Odiri and his deputy arrived at the electoral’s body headquarters in Abuja to receive the Certificate of Return.

Supreme Court had nullified the All progressives Congress victory of November 16 governorship election.

The Supreme Court had ruled that Lyon’s Deputy, Degi Ereminyo, submitted forged certificates that disqualified the joint ticket and nomination.

The court asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to them and reissue the same to the next party with the required constitutional spread.

Abiodun urges FG to make Lagos-Ibadan expressway 10 lanes

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Alex Enemanna

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February 14, 2020

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The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has asked the Federal Government to extend the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, to at least, a ten-lane road.

Abiodun made this call when he received the Senate Committee on Works in his office, in Abeokuta, on Thursday.

According to him, the road in question is arguably the busiest in the country. This, coupled with the population explosion, made the expansion of the road from six to ten lanes imperative.

He also said it was important for the Federal Government to consider alternatives like the Sagamu to Ikorodu road as well as the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta road.

The governor said, “What is required would be like, at least a ten-lane road pattern, at the minimum. That should be considered by the Federal Government.

“I want to call on you to help us declare an emergency on the state of our federal roads. It is as if, they are non-existent.

“We looked at these roads and we said it is important for people to be able to move between the states and the sub-region that share borders with us.”

Abiodun informed the committee of efforts being put in place by his administration and its Lagos State counterpart at ensuring that the two roads (Sagamu-Ogijo-Ikorodu and Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta) receive immediate attention.

In his response, the Chairman, Senate Committee for Works, Senator Adamu Aliero, said they were in the state to inspect all federal projects, especially road projects.

Ekiti Assembly passes Amotekun Bill into law

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Alex Enemanna

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February 14, 2020

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Ekiti State House of Assembly, on Friday, passed the bill for the establishment of Ekiti State Security Network Agency and Amotekun Corps into law.

The Speaker, Funminiyi Afuye, said, “Having passed through the third reading, the bill has become a law.”

Afuye, who lauded the lawmakers for their “leadership and commitment to the bill,” said the Assembly did not short-circuit any process that was required in law-making.

The Speaker said the bill would be transmitted to the state governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, for his assent.

The law passed through the first and second readings in the Assembly on Thursday and committed to the House Committee on Security for proper legislative scrutiny before the House adjourned sitting till Friday.

The lawmakers, who debated the bill exhaustively in the chambers on Thursday, spoke on the appropriateness of the proposed law in view of the security challenges facing the state, region and Ekiti State.

A public hearing was also conducted on the Bill later on Thursday.

At the resumed sitting on Friday, the House Committee of Security presented the committee’s report.

The report was adopted by the Committee of the House, then the Bill went into the third reading, which it passed through.

Alleged N700m fraud: Judge threatens to withdraw bail for Edo PDP chairman, 3 others

By

Alex Enemanna

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February 14, 2020

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Justice M.G. Umar, of the Federal High Court Benin, on Friday, threatened to revoke the bail granted to Mr Osagie Ize-Iyamu, State Chairman of the PDP, Dan Orbih and three others, if they delayed the trial.

Ize-Iyamu and others were arraigned on an eight-count charge of conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N700 million.

Justice Umar who threatened to revoke the bail condition, adjourned until March 2, for hearing.

The judge maintained that he would not tolerate any form of delays in the suit.

The offence runs contrary to section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended and is punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.

The EFCC alleged that the defendants received the sum of N700 Million prior to the 2015 general elections, from former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke.

Other defendants in the case are former Deputy Governor, Mr Lucky Imasuen, a former member representing Esan South-East and Esan North-East federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Tony Azigbemi, and one Efe Erimuoghae Anthony.

Justice Umar issued the threat after listening to arguments of defendants seeking a six months adjournment, due to ill health of Anthony.

Anthony had asked the court to give him until June, to stand for trial.

Lead Counsel to the first defendant, Mr Kingsley Obamojie, Second defendant’s counsel, Prof Osas Izebhiuwa and that of the third and fourth defendants, Mr Paschal Ogbome, pleaded with the court to grant Anthony’s application.

Ugbome urged the court to be fair to all parties and pointed out that, whereas it was inevitable for humans to be indispensable, they had actually striven very hard to ensure that the hearing commenced in earnest.

But the Prosecution Counsel, L.P. Aso, submitted that the defendants were unreasonable in their application for six months adjournment.

”The language of the application is an attempt to frustrate the prosecution through unwarranted delays,” he argued.

The EFCC had said the accused were alleged to have made a cash payment of N60,650,000 to one Henry Tenebe of Estako West Local Government Area and N61,647,000 to one Momoh Ojo of Akoko-Ed, without going through a financial institution.

In count five, six and seven, they were alleged to have made a cash payment of N83,473,000, N125,993,000 and N105,000,000 to Deacon Ezekiel Egharevba, Thomas Aroko and Scott Osagiede without going through a financial institution.

EFCC records 48 convictions, N8.5bn recoveries

By

Alex Enemanna

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February 14, 2020

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has recorded 48 convictions and recovered N8.5 billion in cash and assets within one year in Ilorin zone.

The Zonal Head of EFCC, Mr Isyaku Sharu, disclosed this during the Youths Walk Against Corruption, organised by the Commission in Ilorin on Friday.

The event has its slogan as: “Build the Youth, Build the Nation, Destroy the Youth, Destroy the Nation”.

“You would recall what the state Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said during the last International Anti-corruption Day, where he commended EFCC for assisting the state to recover N4.8 billion

“Tax refund at the eve of last handing/taking over, and that he would use it to fund part of 2020 budget.

“It is on record that we also handed over N111 million to the Governor and we presently have about N200 million for the state government, ready for collection.

“We are also on top of the case of light up Kwara, where over N3 billion was allegedly diverted and part of the diverted fund was to buy a property in Guzape, Abuja,” Sharu said.

The zonal head said that it was a great desire to build the youth who would fight corruption from the perspectives of alien, abhorrent and detestable to the culture.

“Corruption has eaten deep into every fabric of the society, manifesting itself from various forms and types, such as bribery, embezzlement, nepotism, cronyism, cyber-crime and money laundering.

“Its effect is being felt in various ways, like unemployment, institutional decay, infrastructural decay, poor health facility, poor education and insecurity,” he said.

Sharu said that the current administration under President Muhammadu Buhari had done a lot in its support to the fight against corruption.

“The commission under the leadership of Acting Executive Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, is at the forefront in this fight.

“This is evident from the overwhelming successes achieved by the commission with the number of convictions and recovery of assets worth trillions of naira.

“We still believe that some criminal elements who nearly bring down the country to its knees are still roaming the street,” he said.

The zonal head, therefore, urged the public to key into the Federal Government whistleblowing policy in order to expose the guilty ones.

“Some of the advantages of whistleblowing are to help the government in getting rid of corruption, and the blower will enjoy the stipends being promised,” he said.

The Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, also urged the corps members and Nigerian youths to support the fight against corruption, especially internet fraud, which he said was common among youths.

“As Corp members, your aim is to gain employment after youth service, and some that are unable to gain employment in civil service will want to get another opportunity in entrepreneur aspect.

“What is creating a labour market in Nigeria is corruption, from the university to the NYSC level and down to the youth labour market, the major problem is corruption.

“We need maximum support from Nigerian youths to be able to solve the disease of corruption, ’’ he said.

The Ilorin Zonal Office of EFCC is also celebrating its one-year anniversary.

Representatives of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), National Drug and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigeria Police Force and Gov. AbdulRazaq also participated in the walk.

Bandits, kidnappers operating in national parks, says Senate

By

Alex Enemanna

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February 14, 2020

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The Senate on Thursday lamented the infiltration of national parks by criminals.

The red chamber said the “evil elements” lived inside the parks and perpetrated banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling, which resulted in the killing of rangers and commuters.

The upper chamber, therefore, called for the mainstreaming of the National Park Service into the national security architecture in line with the resolution of the 12th National Council on Environment.

It also urged relevant security agencies in the country to be involved in park protection and surveillance, as well as training in firearms and ballistics, surveillance and intelligence information gathering for park rangers.

These were resolutions reached following the consideration of a motion on the need to mainstream the National Parks Service into the Nigeria security architecture, sponsored by Senator Suleiman Umar.

Umar said the country had seven national parks, covering 20,156km, which is about three per cent of Nigeria’s total area and served to protect the country’s diverse flora and fauna by ensuring that the natural ecosystem remained intact.

The lawmaker said, “These national parks are becoming a safe haven for criminal elements within society, who often use parks as a hideout. They come out to attack and return there for safety.

“The National Park Service has insufficient resources, personnel and training to cope with the current security challenges it is facing.”

INEC declares Sen. Diri winner of Bayelsa governorship election

By

Alex Enemanna

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February 14, 2020

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Douye Diri, as the winner of the Bayelsa governorship election in following Thursday Supreme Court judgment.

The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the declaration at a news conference on Friday at the commission headquarters in Abuja.

Yakubu said that INEC had received the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment of the apex court which disqualified the deputy governorship candidate of the APC and vitiated the joint ticket of the party earlier declared winner in the election.

The court also ordered the commission to “declare as the winner of the governorship election in Bayelsa state the candidate with the highest number of lawful votes cast with the requisite constitutional (or geographical spread).

“In compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court, the commission met this morning and reviewed the result of the election in which 45 political parties contested.

“Without the votes scored by the APC, whose candidates were deemed not to have participated in the election, the total number of lawful and valid votes cast in the election now stands at 146,999.

“Out of this figure, the candidate of the PDP scored the highest number of lawful votes with 143,172.

“Similarly, the party has scored more than 25 per cent of the lawful votes cast in all the eight Local Government Areas of the State.

“Furthermore, the total number of registered voters in places where the election was not held or cancelled as a result of sundry violations is 90,822. The candidate of the Accord party has the next highest scorer with 1,339 votes.

“The margin of lead between the candidates of the PDP and the Accord party is 141,833 votes. With this outcome, the election is conclusive at first ballot.

“Consequently, Sen. Diri and Sen. Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo of the PDP are hereby declared winners and returned elected as Governor and Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State respectively,’’

Yakubu said that detailed result would be uploaded on INEC’s website and social media platforms shortly.

He said that the commission was aware that the tenure of the incumbent governor of Bayelsa ended at midnight Friday, Feb. 14.

“Therefore, in fulfilment of the requirement of Section 75 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) the Certificates of Return to the Governor and Deputy Governor-elect will be presented to them immediately as ordered by the Supreme Court,’’ Yakubu said.