News
Alleged N109.4bn fraud: Court cancels bail granted ex-AGF, Idris’ co-defendant
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sitting at Maitama, on Tuesday, revoked the bail it earlier granted to Mohammed Usman, who is the third defendant in the 14-count money laundering charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against the former Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris.
EFCC alleged that Usman, who was the Director of the Federation Account, and one Godfrey Olusegun Akindele, in connivance with the erstwhile AGF, diverted public funds to the tune of about N109.4bn, using the account of a company, Gezawa Commodity Market & Exchange Limited, which is the third defendant in the matter.
At the resumed proceedings on Tuesday, trial Justice Adeyemi Ajayi revoked the 3rd defendant’s bail following his failure to arrive at the court room on time.
Usman was absent when the trial Judge entered the courtroom around 9:20am, though his lawyer, Ibrahim Ishaku, SAN, notified the court that he was held up in a gridlock.
Dissatisfied with the excuse, Justice Ajayi revoked the Defendant’s bail and ordered hís remand at the Kuje prison.
It will be recalled that the court had on July 28, granted the former AGF bail in the sum of N5bn with two sureties which it stressed must be a Director and a Permanent Secretary.The court equally granted the 2nd and 3rd defendants bail in the sum of N2bn each with two sureties that must be Directors.
Justice Ajayi said she was inclined to adopt all the terms and conditions of the administrative bail the EFCC previously gave to the defendants.
As part of conditions, the defendants were barred from travelling out of Abuja, even as they were ordered to surrender their international passports and undertake not to procure alternate passports during the pendency of the case.
The defendants were equally ordered to depose to an affidavit of assurance to abide by all their bail conditions.
The first prosecution witness, PW-1, Mr. Hayatudeen Ahmed had in his testimony before the court, narrated how the defendants allegedly pilfered about N84.7billion out of $2.2bn that was meant for nine oil producing states.
The witness, who is an investigative officer, said the ex-AGF was arrested, following the outcome of an investigation into a petition that was lodged against him by the Federal Treasury Concerned Staff Association.
He told the court that investigation revealed that the defendants had after the Federal Account Allocation Committee, FAAC, approved $2.2bn for the nine oil producing states, surreptitiously diverted N84.7bn out of it under the guise that it was for the settlement of consultants.
He told the court that a company that was floated by the 2nd defendant, Akindele, who was a technical assistant to the former AGF, was approved as the sole consultant for the deal.
According to the witness, the defendants, sequentially withdrew funds from the Escrow account of FAAC and shared among themselves and other persons that included a former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari and a former deputy governor of Abia state, Chuks Akomas.
He told the court that his team of investigators uncovered that the former AGF used his own share of the loot to purchase properties like the Gezawa Commodity & Exchange Market Ltd, Gezawa Integrated Farms Ltd and Kano City Mall, some of which he said were acquired in the name of his family members.
Led in evidence by EFCC lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, the PW-1, said his team had in the course of the investigation, interrogated several persons, including a Kano-based Bureau-de-Change, BDC, operator, Beta. I. Kurah, who he said admitted that he received over N1.3bn from the former AGF, all in cash and in US dollars.
He said the BDC operator equally revealed that he made several payments, including the sum of N208m, into the account of Gezawa Commodity & Exchange Market Ltd, in Jaiz bank.
Two soldiers attached to the 14 Brigade, Ohafia, Abia State, have been killed by yet-to-be-identified gunmen who attacked their outpost at the Aba main motor park along Asa road.
Vanguard gathered that the incident which occurred at about 8 pm also took the life of a man suspected to be a keke operator.
The attack on the Army outpost is coming months after a military outpost at Ngwa road by No.1 Port Harcourt road, Aba, was attacked, with no life lost.
It was further gathered that other soldiers at the outpost repelled the gunmen.
However, the gang was alleged to have made away with the weapons of the deceased soldiers.
One of the soldiers was said to have died on the spot, while his colleague was declared dead at the hospital where he was rushed for medical attention.
Some shop owners at the Asa Road/ Park Road/ Milverton Avenue junction disclosed that they were greeted with rapid gunfire as the gunmen took the soldiers by surprise.
The situation caused panic at the adjoining Milverton Avenue which is the hub of luxury bus transport business in Aba as motorists and passengers scampered to safety.
Business owners around the General post office opposite the military outpost also abandoned their wares as soldiers took over the area.
A luxury bus transport operator said they could not load passengers going to Lagos and other parts of the country as they were not allowed to return to their loading bay.
As at the time of filing this report, movement of vehicles have been restricted between the main motor park and Bata Junction which hosts another military outpost, forcing motorists to abandon the Bata to Park axis of Aba-Owerri road, for alternative routes to other parts of the city. Only women are allowed to walk through the military barricades with their hands raised.
Efforts to get the reaction of the Army Public Relations Officer ,PRO,14 Brigade, Ohafia, Lt. Omale Innocent, was unsuccessful as he was yet to respond to messages sent to his mobile number.
An official of the Abia State government who declined to have his name because they were not authorized to speak on the matter, assured that the state government was doing all it could to restore calm in the area.
About 555 persons have been appointed to serve as chairmen and members of governing councils of tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
President Bola Tinubu, according to the Ministry of Education in an advertorial
signed by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, gave the approval of the pro-chancellors and chairmen of the Governing Board of universities, polytechnic and colleges of education.
He approved the appointment of Air Cdre. Emmanuel Jekada as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Board of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi State.
Members are Usua Charles Akpan, Sen. Lanre Tejuosho, Modu Mustapha and Olusegun Olufemi White.
Also, a former Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, was appointed as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Board of Bayero University, Kano, Kano State. Prof. Idris Nasiru Maiduguri, Prof. Uchenna Newi, Salisu Mohammed Birniwa and Ms Fola Akinsete are members.
The President appointed a former Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Martin Elech, as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Board of Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State. Members are Imamuddeen Ahmed Talba, Ismalla Monammed, Prof. Seun Liberty and Moses Osogi.
A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, was named the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Board of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State. Members are Opeyemi Aisha Oni, Rufus Bature, Wumi Ohwovoriole and Matthew Raymond Akpan.
For the University of Calabar, Cross River State, he appointed a former Governor of Adamawa State, Bala Ngalari, as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Board and Dr. Adebisi Obawale, Idowu Mafimisibe, Nbadiwe Emelnmna and Sadat Garba as members.
Also, a former Governor of Zamfara State, Aliyu Shinkafi, was made the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Board of the Federal University in Jos, Plateau State.
Members are Malandi Sabo, Chijioke Okeifufe, Ayo Afolabi and Mohammed Abdullahi
Tinubu appointed a former Governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda, as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Open University of Nigeria. Members are Mrs Betty Efekodah, Bawuro Bapetel Yahaya, Dr. Gidado Bello Kumo and Mr Bola Akinola
A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, was also appointed as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Board of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Sokoto State.
Members are Miss Mary Nyieor Yisa, R. O. Kazeem, Prof. Usman Musa and Dr. Anthony Usoro
Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, was made the Pro-chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Board of the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State. Members are Prof. S. E. Ogbeide, Rufai Chanchangi, Chief Mrs Glory Ekpo-Oho, and Patricia Seubittere Yakubu
See the list below:
By Chuks Collins, Awka
The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Ugochukwu Achebe, the Agbogidi, has appointed a celebrated Nigerian diplomat, a finance professional -Ojinnaka Azikiwe into the cabinet of the popular commercial city.
Azikiwe, from the Nigeria’s late former President and Owelle Osowanya Nnamdi Azikiwe lineage of Inosi Onira kindred hails from the Ogbeabo Quarters.
According to a statement from the palace and signed by Mr Osita Anionwu, Ike Akatakwuani/Chief of Staff to Obi of Onitsha, and made available to journalists disclosed the diplomat has “wide experience in the public sector”.
That he’s currently the Director of Budget; Treasury, in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission.
Also appointed into the Obi’s cabinet was Onwa Akpom of Omozele kindred in Umuezearoli quarters.
Akpom, the palace statement added, was before now an Attorney-at-law based in the United States of America.
Details of their formal investiture, the statement pointed out would be made public soon.
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