Crime Facts

Ayade orders commissioner to nurse ailing ex-senate president in London

Ben Ayade, governor of Cross River state, has ordered Betta Edu, commissioner of health, to oversee the treatment of Joseph Wayas, former senate president, in London, United Kingdom. The second republic senate president was said to have been battling undisclosed health challenges since 2013 and was flown to London for medical care. In a statement on Wednesday, Christian Ita, Ayade’s spokesperson, said the governor directed the commissioner to ensure that Wayas is nursed back to health. “Following information that former Senate President, Dr. Joseph Wayas is ill in London, His Excellency, Governor Ben Ayade has directed that the Cross River State Government takes over the management of his health immediately,” Ita said. “Consequently, His Excellency has ordered the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Betta Edu, to visit the ailing statesman in London and oversee his treatment. “The governor further directs the Commissioner to ensure that no expense is spared in the effort to nurse Dr. Wayas back to health.”

How Maina, ex-HoS Oronsaye stole N14bn pension fund – EFCC investigator

THE trial of a former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Force Team , Abdulrasheed Maina , proceeded in his absence at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’ s ninth witness testifying against the defendant. Maina is being prosecuted by the EFCC on 12 counts of money laundering, involving N 2bn. The ninth prosecution witness , Rouqquaya Ibrahim , an EFCC investigator, told the court presided by Justice Okon Abang that her team’ s investigation revealed how Maina and a former Head of Service of the Federation , Mr Stephen Oronsaye, allegedly used “ five modules ” to loot about N 14bn from pension accounts . Ibrahim , led by the prosecuting counsel , Mr Mohammed Abubakar , said EFCC investigations into the scam allegedly perpetrated between 2010 and 2011 revealed that Oronsaye was illegally operating 66 accounts in his office ’ s name. She said the Office of the Accountant -General of the Federation disclosed to the commission that there was no approval for the opening of the 66 accounts . “ Part of what our investigation revealed was that the Head of Service, Mr Stephen Oronsaye, at that time was operating 66 illegal accounts , ” she said . She added , “ They were stealing money from the pension accounts of the Head of Service of the Federation . In total , we were able to establish that N 14bn was stolen from the pension accounts . “ Pension funds would be paid into those accounts after which they would withdraw cash and hand over to the persons who asked them to give the account numbers. ” She said investigations revealed specifically that “ Abdulrasheed Maina was deeply involved in stealing pension funds ” running into billions of naira. Justice Abang adjourned till December 4 for Ibrahim to continue her testimony . A son of Maina , Fraisal , said to have jumped bail like his father , is also facing a separate money laundering case before the judge. The prosecution in Fraisal ’ s case closed its case after Ibrahim concluded her testimony as the third prosecution witness on Wednesday. The judge then adjourned till December 4 for the defendant to open his defence based on the assumption that “ he may change his mind and come out of his hiding” .

No serious northern group is against restructuring -NEF

The Northern Elders Forum on Wednesday distanced itself from the comments credited to Governor Nasir El -Rufai of Kaduna State that selfish Northern leaders were opposing the restructuring of Nigeria . The organisation said the governor could not have been referring to its leadership under Prof. Ango Abdullahi because it had campaigned restructuring more openly and more vigorously than any group or interest in the country. The NEF Director , Publicity and Advocacy, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said these in an interview with The PUNCH . El -Rufai had during a session at the 26th National Economic Summit said Northerners kicking against calls for the restructuring of Nigeria were not speaking for the North. But Baba- Ahmed said , “ The Governor of Kaduna State could not have been referring to Northern Elders Forum under the leadership of Prof. Ango Abdullahi . Our Forum has campaigned for restructuring more openly and more vigorously than any group or interest in the country. “ There are records of many statements made by the Forum or in conjunction with other groups in support of the imperative for restructuring as a vital requirement for the survival of our country as a united , functional , and just entity. “ We believe the North will be a major beneficiary of major changes in the manner our federal system is designed and functions. “ We do not know of any serious northern group that is against restructuring. If there are such groups , they must be speaking to the Governor in private, and they certainly do not represent the interests of the North. ”

I joined APC to become Adamawa governor in 2023 – Abbo

The Senator representing Adamawa North, Elisha Abbo , has explained that he left the Peoples Democratic Party to join the All Progressives Congress, in order to pursue his 2023 governorship ambition. Abbo, whose letter of defection was read on the floor of the Senate by the Senate President , Ahmad Lawan , on Wednesday , however insisted at a news conference after plenary, that there is a major crisis in the partly in Adamawa State . He also said he was not ready to resign as a Senator as was demanded by the PDP. National Publicity Secretary of the PDP , Kola Ologbondiyan , while reacting to Abbos defection said , “ Senator Abbo , is fully aware of the constitutional implication of his decision to defect to another party; which is that, he cannot continue to occupy the seat of the PDP in the Senate. “ The place of any Senators who changed parties except on the grounds provided by the Constitution is very clear and the PDP will not allow Senator Abbo to run away with our mandate. ” In response, Abbo said , “ Did they ask ( Governor Dave) Umahi to resign ? Go and ask them ( PDP ) . Governor Umahi just defected from PDP to APC as a sitting governor of Ebonyi State . Did they ask him to resign? “ There is a crisis in the ( PDP) party in my state. That is the truth . I believe internal democracy in the party has suffered in the last one year when the governor assumed office . “ As you all know , it is only in Adamawa State that we have reformed PDP. There is a crisis in the party in Adamawa State and the governor is the cause of the crisis . ” Earlier, the in his letter of defection which was read on the floor of the Senate by the Senate President , Ahmed Lawan, the Senator said , “ Today , I join the APC and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria , President Muhammadu Buhari , to build the Nigeria of our dreams . ” The APC now has 60 senators , while PDP has 42. There are currently six vacant Senate seats.

Niger Can’t Pay 100% Salary After Fall In Federal Allocation

Niger government says it can no longer pay full salaries to workers due to a reduction in its federal allocation. The state plans to pay workers 70% of their November salary across board—a development organised labour has kicked against. Secretary to the Niger State Government, Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, has disagreed with labour, saying the reduction was not a slash but the state’s inability to meet 100% salaries. There is no talk about slash in the salaries of civil servants. What we have discussed with the organized Labor was that because of the recession, our FAAC allocation has dropped to a level where we won’t be able to pay 100 per cent of the salary. “We called their attention to this, we opened our books in terms of how much we received, the existing commitments and what is left over,” he said Matane further confirmed that there will be a meeting with Labour to take certain positions on Thursday. But the Organizer Labour in the state may be embarking on an indefinite industrial action after meeting with the state government on Thursday if the government insists on slashing their salaries The stand of the Organized Labour in the state will be made known after meeting with government officials to state their stand regarding the intention to slash the salaries of the civil servants in the state due to shortcoming of the Federal allocation to the state. The Organised Labour and all the affiliated Unions during the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting held in Minna unanimously agreed that anything less than 100 per cent workers salary will not be accepted. They gave the state government to the end of November to conform to paying workers their full salaries stressing that refusal of the government to do that will lead to indefinite strike action. Labour is yet to take a stand, but the state chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Inusa Tanimu declared that any salary below 100 per cent would not be accepted by the Union adding that they have a meeting with the government on Thursday to state and emphasize on their stand. “We are meeting tomorrow [Thursday], we are still talking with them but one thing we have decided is that anything less than 100 per cent is a no to us.” In another development, One of the APC Chieftains in Niger state, Jonathan Vatsa advised Governor Abubakar Bello to slash the salaries and allowances of political office holders in the state to enable the government to cope with the present economic realities. Vatsa who was a former Commissioner for Information Culture and Tourism in the state said that the only option left for the government at all levels now is “a holistic structural adjustment” to be able to cope with the present realities. “We cannot pretend that things are bad and especially now that the country seems to have practically entered into the worst recession in history, so the present situation and structure calls for drastic adjustments in all aspect of our lives”.

EFCC warns Akwa Ibom officials against fraud

DCDS Edeh A. Uchenna, the Head of Uyo Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has warned procurement officers in the Akwa Ibom State civil service to steer clear of fraud. He gave the warning on Tuesday at the second edition of ‘Law and Finance Seminar’, organised by the office of the Accountant General of Akwa Ibom State. The seminar was themed: “Akwa Ibom State Public Procurement Law, 2019: Implications, Transparency and Public Office Holders”. Represented by Barrister Adebayo Soares of the Legal and Prosecution Department, Uchenna noted that preventing procurement breaches, violations and alterations will go a long way in stopping single source tendering, unjustified delay and bid tampering in public offices. Uchenna emphasized the need for all Akwa Ibom State officials involved in the procurement process to imbibe the culture of strict adherence to relevant laws. Especially, Section 16 of the Akwa Ibom State Procurement Act 2019, which spells out procurement rules of engagement and Section 16(3) which prohibits the disbursement of funds from government treasury or state account above the stipulated threshold. According to him, “The best way to prevent procurement infractions in the public sector is to strictly go by the law. If you do that, you would have guarded against any omission that can be held against anyone found culpable.” Meanwhile, he said that the EFCC would readily come for anyone found to have observed laws in breach.

APC will shock Nigerians with massive defections – Buni

Chairman, Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mai Mala Buni has said that the ruling party is about to shock Nigerians with an unprecedented number of defections that would remain the largest in the nation’s political history. Buni gave the hint on Wednesday while delivering a speech during a meeting between members of the Caretaker Committee and the APC Senate caucus which held at the National Assembly, Abuja. According to him, the Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Barnabas Gemade alongside others such as Senator Hamma Misau are among those that have found their way to becoming members of the ruling party. “Today, we are proud to say that the conflicts in most, if not all of the states have been settled. The party now proudly parades political heavyweights in their respective states that have either returned to the party or freshly joined the party. “We have the former Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Former PDP National Chairman, Senator Barnabas Gemade, several members of the National Assembly, Chief Jimoh Ibrahim, former Head of service of the federation, Mr. Danladi Kifasi, Sen. Isa Hamma Misau, Alhaji Salisu Takai, among others. “Many others have indicated their interest to return or join the party. In fact, I want to assure you all that APC would soon shock Nigeria’s political space with massive and unprecedented defections ever witnessed in the political history of our great country. And by the grace of God, APC will undoubtedly remain Nigeria’s leading political party”, Buni said. Speaking on efforts by the caretaker committee to reconcile aggrieved members, he said, “the reconciliation exercise by the committee as part of its interventions demands internal resolutions within the party, and calls for all court cases against the party to be withdrawn from the courts to allow internal settlement of the various disputes. “The caretaker committee has collected all such cases, including identifying the parties to the disputes and litigations, and has made schedules for immediate withdrawal of litigations, while equally setting out procedures for hearing out all aggrieved members, including creating a neutral ground for all to voice out their grievances. “As at today, the party has recorded a large number of resolved intra-party disputes while others are ongoing with strong prospects of resolving them,” he added.

Lagos police bust four suspected robbers

The police in Lagos have arrested four suspected armed robbers terrorizing Alakuko area of the State and its environs. Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement said the police operatives attached to Alakuko Station, with the help of members of some communities, arrested the four suspected armed robbers on 24th November, 2020 at about 12am. “The suspects have been terrorising and dipossessing residents of AMJE Bus Stop, Ajegunle, Masalasi and Dalemo communities in Alakuko Area of Lagos State of their belongings. ”One locally-made pistol with four life cartridges was recovered from them,” Adejobi said. The suspected armed robbers included Suleiman Babajide, 26; Mustapha Michael, 25 and Daniel Gideon, 26. Adejobi said the Commissioner of Police has ordered that the suspects be transferred to State CID, Panti, for thorough investigation, while he charged other police stations and operatives in the command to make Lagos incondusive for criminals and miscreants to operate or hibernate particularly during the ember months.

Investigation: Saraki used Kwara state money buy Ikoyi properties

An investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Olamide Sadiq said that former Senate President Bukola Saraki used Kwara state money to acquire two choice properties in Lagos. The properties are at 17 and 17A McDonald Road, Ikoyi, Eti-Osa Local Government Area. Saraki was former governor of Kwara State, between 2003 and 2011. The EFCC had secured an order of interim forfeiture of the properties which was published in The Nation Newspaper, on October 25, 2019 Subsequently, the anti-graft agency approached Justice Mohammed Liman of a Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, for a final forfeiture of the properties. The request prompted the Court to fix a date for both parties to call deponents and witnesses. Testifying before the Court on November 25, 2020, Sadiq, an operative of the EFCC, who was led-in-evidence by Nnaemeka Omewa, narrated how investigation indicated certain infractions relating to monies withdrawn from the state’s treasury during the administration of Saraki. He said: “As part of investigation, we wrote to GTB requesting for the bank statement of Dr. Bukola Saraki, and there was need to interrogate Mr. Bayo Abdulrahman Daudu. “In the course of interviewing him, I showed him the statement of account along with other documents including offer letters from the Presidential Implementation Committee for Land Property relating to the Ikoyi properties.” He further told the Court that findings necessitated the extension of investigation to the accounts belonging to the state, and to interview more persons believed to be in the know of how monies withdrawn from the accounts of the state, were paid into the GTB account of Saraki. He said: “There was need to interview Afeez Yusuf, who volunteered statement. “I asked him how many accounts the Kwara State Government House operated, which he obliged were domiciled with Zenith Bank and Access Bank [then Intercontinental Bank].” Sadiq informed the Court that the banks were contacted to furnish the EFCC with statements of account of the Government House. He further revealed that Yusuf, who worked as a cashier at the Government House was making withdrawals from the Access and Zenith bank accounts during the period under investigation. According to Sadiq, those interviewed during investigation said that there was a directive from Saraki that the money withdrawn be given to one Abdul Adama, a personal aide of the former governor. “We were able to lay our hands on some of the documents, but some had been mutilated; the documents showed several payments of money withdrawn from the state coffers and deposited at various times into the account of Saraki domiciled in GTB.” “From investigation, these properties in question were purchased with loan obtained from GTB which was paid off with money withdrawn from the state, deposited into Saraki’s GTB account to defray the loan.” “The same period the money were withdrawn from the Government House account, they were deposited into the account of Saraki,” he added. Earlier in the course of proceedings, Omewa had also called on Yusuf as a witness, who also corroborated his role in withdrawing money from the Government House account based on the instruction of his boss, Isiaka Kareem, then Controller, Finance and Account at the Government House, to be given to persons on a list given to him by Isiaka. About N1,160,000,000 withdrawn from the Government Account is alleged by the EFCC to have been diverted over the period of investigation. Saraki’s counsel, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN, while cross-examining the witnesses, however, argued that in his personal status as an accomplished businessman before becoming governor, Saraki was capable of acquiring properties without government money. The case has been adjourned till December 16, 2020 for “final written addresses.

Maradona To Lie In State At Argentina’s Presidential Palace

The body of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona, who died Wednesday, will lie in state at the presidential palace in Buenos Aires during three days of national mourning, the presidency announced. Maradona would lie in state at the Casa Rosada palace so the public could pay homage to the sporting hero “from Thursday until Saturday,” presidency spokesman Mario Huck told AFP. Diego Maradona’s Life In 10 Key Dates From his birth in 1960 to Argentina’s World Cup triumph in 1986 and his positive drug test at the 1994 finals — here are 10 key dates in the colourful life of Diego Maradona, who died on Wednesday aged 60: – October 30, 1960 – Maradona is born in Lanus, to the south of Buenos Aires. The son of Diego Maradona and Delma Franco, he is one of seven children. – October 20, 1976 – Makes his debut in Argentina’s top flight for Buenos Aires side Argentinos Juniors, just before his 16th birthday. He went on to win his first cap for Argentina in February 1977, selected by coach Cesar Luis Menotti for a 5-1 win against Hungary. His first goal for Argentina came in a 3-1 win over Scotland at Hampden Park in Glasgow in 1979. – September 7, 1979 – Wins the World Youth Championship, scoring the third goal as Argentina beat the Soviet Union 3-1 in the final in Tokyo. – June 13, 1982 – Now a Boca Juniors player, Maradona takes part in a World Cup match for the first time as the holders lose 1-0 to Belgium in the opening game at the tournament in Spain. After the tournament he joined Barcelona and two years later he signed for Napoli for a world-record fee at the time. – June 22, 1986 – Scores his two legendary goals against England in the World Cup quarter-final in Mexico, the “Hand of God” and then his stunning high-speed slalom that was later named “Goal of the Century” by FIFA. Argentina went on to win the trophy, beating West Germany 3-2 in the final. – July 8, 1990 – Captains Argentina to a 1-0 defeat against West Germany in the World Cup final in Rome. – June 25, 1994 – Skippers Argentina to a 2-1 win over Nigeria at the World Cup in the United States. After the match, he tests positive for ephedrine and is suspended for 15 months. He had already been suspended for 15 months for cocaine use in his Napoli days. Maradona retired from playing in 1997 and continued to struggle with drug and wider health problems. He underwent gastric bypass surgery in Colombia in 2005. – November 4, 2008 – Becomes coach of Argentina, leading them to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Eliminated in the quarter-finals by Germany, he departs after the tournament. – November 3, 2020 – Four days after his 60th birthday, Maradona undergoes brain surgery on a blood clot. – November 25, 2020 – Dies of a heart attack at home in the Buenos Aires suburbs as he recovers from brain surgery. AFP