Lagos Police Command have commenced investigation into how two teenagers residing at Iyana-Ipaja area sold their organs to a medical doctor in Abeokuta, Ogun state for N200, 000 without the consent of their parents. The teenagers allegedly connived with an adult member of the church and went to a medical doctor at Redwood Specialist Hospital, Abeokuta where their organs were sold for N100, 000 each. The bubble reportedly bust in September 12, 2022 when one of them started vomiting and she was taken to hospital by her father who thought it was typhoid or malaria and the doctor requested for medical test which later revealed that her anus and private part were damaged. It was gathered that the sick girl who became unconscious after her health condition was blown open regained consciousness and disclosed to her father that a female member of his church trafficked them to Ogun state where their organs were sold to a medical doctor. The teenagers further alleged that the trafficker convinced them to carry out the illegal act because the one whose father is a Bishop, is not paying them enough money and that she will take them to where they will be handsomely paid N100, 000. They also alleged that the trafficker warned them not to tell their father/parent, that if they do, she will ki*ll them. Giving details of how the transplant was carried out, the teenagers said that the trafficker, without the consent of their parents took them to Redwood hospital in Abeokuta Ogun State and conspired with the doctor identified as Dr. Durodola and injected them some drugs. They alleged that they were further forcefully taken to a PDF hospital in Surulere, Lagos where they were also coerced and their ovaries/eggs/organs were harvested illegally by the medical Doctor without their consent resulting in severe pains and bleeding. Based on the startling revelations, the teenagers were taken to another hospital in Surulere, Lagos where they were referred to a medical laboratory test and scan which revealed that their liver, uterus, urinary bladder, kidney, spleen, gall bladder were damaged as result of the procedure. When contacted, the Bishop father of one of the teenagers, said that when his daughter was taken to the hospital and the test was conducted, her younger ones told him that they knew their sister was sick as she frequented toilet with medical equipment and came out dripping blood. He said the major suspect, Mrs.Adeleke was staying with her mother in- law in the compound where the church is situated and often attends the church vigil. It was gathered that the other teenager, Favour, stays with the Bishop and he employed her as his secretary in the church with a salary of N20, 000 and his daughter, Precious who is a hairstylist makes Mrs. Adeleke’s hair and gets paid. The Bishop who was piqued by the ugly development reported the case at Iyana-Ikpaja police station and they later transferred it to State Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Bureau, SCIID, Panti, Yaba, Lagos for further investigation. However, the case took a different dimension after lawyer to the aggrieved Bishop, Barrister Ikechukwu Chiaha suspected that the police may have compromised over the case based on revelation by his client that the investigators were soliciting for amicable settlement and payment of N300, 000 which he alleged police will take N200,000. Based on this, Barrister Chiaha then transferred the case to National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, which has commenced fresh investigation. However, in her reaction, the alleged major suspect Mrs Adeleke said, the two girls volunteered to donate their eggs to the hospital after listening to my phone conversation with a doctor and in return, they were compensated with N100, 000, of which Favour gave me N20,000 for introducing them to the hospital.” When contacted, Lagos state Police spokesman, David Hundeyin said; “It was not organ harvesters, the operation was carried out by a professional doctor and the process was legal. All documents were signed and the girls stated in the document that they were above 18 years. The doctor told them about the consequences of feeling pain for two days after and they accepted and donated their organ. Unfortunately, they did not inform their father about it and the father is requesting for N200m as compensation.”

  The Senate has raised concerns about the latest Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy on cash withdrawals. Senate Minority Leader Phillip Aduda in a point of order during plenary on Wednesday called the attention of his colleagues to the new policy and demanded for caution as it will affect many Nigerians, especially small business owners. In his response, Senate President Ahmad Lawan cautions the CBN not to approach the policy by jumping into it at once as many Nigerians will be affected. He further noted that there is a need to engage the CBN in discussions to get more details of the policy and he directs the committee on banking to discuss this matter during the screening of the CBN Deputy Governors expected to hold before next week. The Senate has set next Tuesday to debate the new CBN policy. Under the new withdrawal policy, the CBN restricted the maximum cash withdrawal over the counter (OTC) by individuals and corporate organisations per week to N100,000 and N500,000 respectively.   The CBN stated, however, that withdrawals above the thresholds would attract processing fees of 5 per cent and 10 per cent respectively for individuals and corporate entities going forward. In addition, third-party cheques above N50,000 shall not be eligible for OTC payment while extant limits of N10 million on clearing cheques still remain. The new withdrawal regime further pegged the maximum cash withdrawal per week via Automated teller Machine (ATM) at N100,000 subject to a maximum of N20,000 cash withdrawal per day.

  THE Senate has given a one-week ultimatum to 100 ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs, to appear before it and explain how they spent the Service Wide Vote, SWV, allocations from 2017 to 2021. Speaking, Wednesday, in Abuja after raising a point of Order by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Matthew Urhoghide(PDP, Edo South) on the refusal of the MDAs to appear despite several correspondences to them, the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe North), threatened the 100 federal government-owned agencies with zero budget allocation in 2023, for not honouring invitations of its committee for explanations on service wide vote expenditure from 2017 to 2021. According to Lawan, the agencies must come and defend what they have spent against the backdrop that they appear before the Senate for budget defence, the National Assembly appropriates the money, they must honour invitations of the Senate when called for explanations. Urhoghide(PDP, Edo South) on the refusal of the MDAs to appear despite several correspondences to them, the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe North), threatened the 100 federal government-owned agencies with zero budget allocation in 2023, for not honouring invitations of its committee for explanations on service wide vote expenditure from 2017 to 2021. According to Lawan, the agencies must come and defend what they have spent against the backdrop that they appear before the Senate for budget defence, the National Assembly appropriates the money, they must honour invitations of the Senate when called for explanations. He added that any public officer who accepted to serve and spend any public funds appropriated must be here and any one who refuses to do that should quit. He said that in the next one week, “if the name of an agency is here, it should be invited and refusal to come, nothing should be given to the MDA in the 2023 budget.” The MDAs The affected 100 agencies included the State House, Presidential Fleet, Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning; Nigeria Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation; Ministry of Interior; Budget Office of the Federation; Ministry of Foreign Affairs; National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA; Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC; Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc(NBET); Ministry of Defence; Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria and Office of the Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs. Others are Ministry of Petroleum Resources; National Inland Water Ways, NIWA; Federal Ministry of Health; Presidential Amnesty Programme; Ministry of Agriculture and Development; Federal Civil Service Commission; Nigeria Nuclear Regulatory Authority; National Health Insurance Scheme; Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy; Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFUND; Ministry of Sports and Youth Development; Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Correctional Service Board; Border Communities Development Agency; Ministry of Environment; National Hajj Commission of Nigeria; Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission; Federal Ministry of Information and Culture; Nigeria Defence Academy; National Human Rights Commission; National Centre for Disease Control and National Security Adviser, NSA. Also affected are Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development; National Examination Coucil, NECO; Nigeria Police Acadamy; Ministry of Special Duties; Presidential AIR Fleet; Ministry of Science and Technology; Ministry of Mine and Steel Development; National Environmental Standards Regulatory Agency, NESREA; Standards Organisation of Nigeria; SON; North East Development Commission, among others. Earlier, Urhoghide came through orders 42 on Personal Explanation and 95( 5) ( a) of the Senate Standing Rules, Sections 61(1); 88(( and (2b); 89(1); 89(1) (c); 89(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended to complain to his colleagues on alleged recalcitrance of heads of the affected agencies to honour invitations sent to them by his committee for required appearance before it for explanations on service wide vote given to them by the Presidency totalling N1.9 trillion. According to Urhoghide, Service Wide Vote is extra-budgetary spending made to fill shortfalls in capital and recurrent expenditures, which are not audited by the Auditor General of the Federation and not known to various standing committees of the National Assembly. The Chairman of Public Accounts Committee who hinged his complaints on provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), said that heads of the affected agencies failed to honour several invitations sent to them to make required explanations on service wide vote spendings from 2017 to 2021.

  Legal practitioner to Oladapo Oyebanjo, otherwise known by his stage name, D’banj, has said that D’banj willingly submitted himself for interrogation and was not guilty of the accusations alleged by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC. Recall that the ICPC had earlier on Wednesday, confirmed the arrest of the oliver twist crooner, saying that he was brought in after snubbing several invitations by the ICPC to be interrogated by a team of investigators. The ICPC had said the investigations will be all-encompassing and also be extended to other collaborators of the fraud and the banks where the beneficiaries’ accounts are domiciled. However, Assistant Team Head, Litigation, Law Corridor, Maryam Musa, in a statement on Wednesday, rose to the defence of his client and said D’Banj only engaged in legitimate businesses. Musa said, “As a matter of policy, D’banj and his management do not engage in business dealings, unless they are legitimate, properly documented and obtainable in law. “Dbanj was officially invited by the ICPC in respect of the investigation a month ago, he sent in letters through his attorneys to the commission in respect of his schedule in South Africa and promised to visit the Commission when he returned. “On Monday the 5th of December, 2022, D’banj freely and of his law-abiding accord went to the Commission at about 2pm immediately he arrived Abuja. The Officers of the Commission advised that he returned the following day as it was late for any interview on said Monday. “D’banj returned to the Commission the following day being Tuesday the 6th of December, 2022 as earlier agreed and voluntarily submitted himself to the Commission to make their inquiry and investigation.” According to Musa, D’banj encouraged the Commission to carry out its investigation thoroughly to ensure that characters attempting to bring him into “ridiculous” activities are brought to book. “It is inconceivable that D’banj whose very career is a reference point for hard work, diligence and honesty would lend his reputation built steadfastly over the years to acts of such accusations which he must now stoically suffer through while clearing his name. “The general public are advised to resist the urge to buy into media sensationalism which is unsurprising but regardless harmful to the course for the truth which D’banj has willing set himself on by honouring the ICPC’s summons,” the lawyer said.

  The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide has asked the people of Southeast to resist a full reign of terror in the land, saying it will no longer allow terror to continue to reign. The organization spoke on the heels of a 5 day sit-at-home order by Simon Ekpa, a scribe of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB. Reacting to the order through a statement made available to Vanguard in Abuja on Wednesday by the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, the group said that said “It was now clear that Ekpa was being sponsored by enemies of Igboland. Nnabuike in the statement further said “How can any right thinking person ask people to sit-at-home for five consecutive days at a time the country’s economic woes were biting harder. “We are a few days away to the Christmas and New Year celebration, with a lot of bills for parents to pay, including house rent and school fees by January. “But someone who is in far away Finland, in the comfort of his room is telling parents and breadwinners to stay at home for five days. “It is even more curious that the said Ekpa has no regards for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyers, yet he claims to be Kanu’s disciple. The IPOB leader, Kanu spoke this week through his lawyer that he did not give order for any sit-at-home. He spoke on the economic implications on the same people he is fighting for their freedom. So whose interest is Simon Ekpa serving? “A clear analysis of his statement clearly showed that enemies of Ndigbo paid him to ensure a total destruction of the Southeast economy. Both Ekpa and his sponsors are enemies of Ndigbo and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. But we will no longer allow their reign of terror to continue. This will not be allowed to happen”. Nnabuike urged the people of the Southeast to ignore what he called “a baseless and senseless order. This is moreso as the IPOB leadership has also come out to declare that there is no such sit-at-home.”

  The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has commenced the auction of 435 cars, which are subjects of final forfeiture orders in Lagos, in line with the EFCC (Establishment) Act 2004; Public Procurement Act 2007 and the Proceeds of Crimes (Recovery and Management) Act 2022. EFCC in a statement by Wilson Uwujaren, Head, Media and Publicity, on Wednesday, said: “The exercise scheduled to take place across the Commands of the Commission, started on December 6, 2022, in Lagos, with inspection of items by members of the public, while the auction exercise began December 7 and continues on December 8. “The items are available in four locations: 40, Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; 15A Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; 14 Cameroon Road, Ikoyi Lagos and CVU Obalende, Ikoyi, Lagos. “Speaking during the opening ceremony yesterday, Dr. George Ekpungu, Secretary to the Commission and Chairman, EFCC Asset Disposal Committee, ADC, noted that the exercise, which is the first of the planned auction of forfeited properties across EFCC Zonal Commands and EFCC Headquarters, is being carried out in accordance with the (Establishment) Act, 2004, Public Procurement Act, 2007 and Proceeds of Crimes (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022. “It is being conducted in conjunction with the Bureau of Public Procurement to ensure compliance with all extant laws. “While welcoming the auctioneers to the centre, he expressed his gratitude to sister agencies, including the Nigerian Army, who were invited to provide adequate security and ensure orderliness. “Ekpungu also appealed to the members of the public present at the auction to listen carefully to the auctioneers and comply with all stipulated guidelines. “The nine auctioneers, who were allocated to the Lagos Zonal Command of the EFCC to dispose of the 435 cars at designated Centre on 14 Cameron Road, Ikoyi, Lagos are Rihanna Auction Limited; Kamyus Consult Limited; Areogun Resources Limited; BIS N JEG; Integrated Services Nig. Ltd; Mau & Sons Ltd.; Langar Aghaji & Co.; Fagobe Company Ltd and Musa Kira and Co. “The cars, which pictures were conspicuously displayed with allocated lot numbers for public inspection, were allocated to auctioneers based on assessed values and open ballot system. “The display was to provide an opportunity for interested bidders to view and indicate interest in any car of their choice.”

  Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has denied withdrawing N5 billion from the state’s accounts as well as awarding the reconstruction of the road leading to the Adeleke University in Ede, In a statement by his spokesman, Mallam Olawale Rasheed on Wednesday, he said the allegations being peddled on social media is a lie from demented minds. “The public will recall that Adeleke had, during his inauguration, announced the freezing of all state and local government area accounts. “That was done right at the venue of inauguration before he had any access to government’s records and finances. “How can such amount be withdrawn from state account on the day of inauguration when the new leader had no access to state accounts?” he asked He appealed to members of the public to ignore the rumour. Similarly, he said the attention of the state government had also been drawn to a report of award of contract by Adeleke for the reconstruction of the road leading to the Adeleke University, Ede. He said the story is a complete falsehood and product of malicious misinformation. “The new government is still settling down and has not awarded any contract. “The reconstruction of the said road is a project of the Federal Government to service the Federal Polytechnic, Ede. It has been ongoing since the time of Oyetola administration. “We urge the public to disregard the report as it is a failed attempt to undermine the integrity of the state governor and that of the administration. “We repeat, for the sake of emphasis, that Adeleke has not awarded any contract since assumption of office on Nov. 27.” (NAN)