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Tag: Nigeria

  • Alleged N80.2Bn Fraud: How Kogi Governor Ododo Breached Security Cordon Around Yahaya Bello’s Abuja House To Whisk Suspect Away –EFCC

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said it will on Thursday, April 18, 2024 arraign a former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Adoza Bello before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

     

    According to the anti-corruption agency, Bello will be arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite alongside three other suspects, Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu.

     

    It, however, lamented that Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State breached the security cordon and took the suspect away in his official vehicle on Wednesday after the agency had laid siege to the Abuja residence of the former governor.

     

    A statement by the EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale said the accused persons will be arraigned on 19 counts bordering on money laundering to the tune of N80, 246,470, 088.88 (Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty-Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand and Eight-Nine Naira, Eighty-Eight Kobo).

    Bello’s arraignment comes on the heels of a warrant of arrest and enrolment order granted to the EFCC by the court on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.

     

    Count one of the charges reads: That you, Yahaya Adoza Bello, Ali Bello, Dauda Suliman, and Abdulsalam Hudu (Still at large), sometime, in February 2016, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to convert the total sum of N80, 246,470, 088.88 (Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand and Eight Nine Naira, Eighty Eight Kobo), which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit, criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended.”

     

    Count 17 of the charges read: “That you Yahaya Bello between 26th July 2021 to 6th April 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court aided E-Traders International Limited to conceal the aggregate sum of N3,081,804,654.00 (Three Billion, Eighty-One Million Eight Hundred and Four Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty-Four Naira) in account number 1451458080 domiciled in Access Bank Plc, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to wit, criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a), 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.”

     

    Count 18 of the charges reads: “That you Yahaya Adoza Bello sometime in November 2021 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court indirectly procured E-Traders International Limited to transfer the aggregate sum of $570,330.00 (Five Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Three Hundred and Thirty Dollars) to account number 4266644272 domiciled in TD Bank, United States of America which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to wit, criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15( 3) of the same Act.”

    The statement said, “The Commission’s attempt to execute the Warrant of Arrest lawfully obtained against Bello met stiff resistance on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. 

     

    “The security cordon around the former governor’s residence in Abuja was breached by the current Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo who ensured that the suspect was spirited away in his official vehicle.

     

    “As a responsible law enforcement agency, the EFCC exercised restraint in the face of the provocation, waiting for his arraignment on Thursday, April 18, 2024.

     

    “It is needful to state that Bello is not above the law and would be brought to justice as soon as possible.”

    Source

  • Holders Man City out of Champions League after shootout loss vs Real Madrid

    Defending champions, Manchester City have been knocked out of the UEFA Champions League after losing a penalty shootout against Real Madrid in the quarterfinals.

    Both sides had played a 3-3 draw in the first leg at the Bernabeu last week, and then played a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes at the Etihad Stadium.

    The game was gorced into extra time and the Spanish side clinched a 4-3 penalty shootout victory to advance to the semifinals.

    More to follow…

    Source

  • Despite Yahaya Bello’s Threat, EFCC To Arraign Ex-Kogi Gov Thursday Over Alleged N80.2bn Money Laundering

    Despite his threat of likely breakdown of law and order, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has announced that it will on Thursday, April 18, 2024 arraign the ex-Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

    Bello would be arraigned according to the EFCC over alleged N80.2bn money laundering when he was governor of Kogi.

    He had warned soon after he escaped from his home in Abuja on Wednesday that court orders should be respected otherwise it would be an invitation to anarchy.

    His warning followed what he said was a definite court order from the State High Court of Kogi.

    The Kogi State High Court had earlier granted the ex-governor interim injunction.

    But the EFCC said his arraignment would be as a result of another court order from the Federal High Court in Abuja on wednesday.

    Operatives of the EFCC had wanted to arrest Bello on Wednesday and were joined by the DSS and police when they laid siege to his House in Abuja.

    The governor stayed in his residential fortress until his predecessor, Usman Ododo came in and smuggled him away forcing the security operatives to fire warning shots in their bid to force him out.

    But the EFCC in a statement by its spokesman, Dele Oyewale, on Wednesday evening said Bello would be arraigned at the Federal High Court following a court order.

    The statement said he would be arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite alongside three others, the commission said are suspects.

    The anti-graft agency named the suspects as Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu all “on 19- count charges bordering on money laundering to the tune of N80, 246,470, 088.88( Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand and Eight Nine Naira, Eighty Eight Kobo).”

    The EFCC said count one of the charges is that you, “Yahaya Adoza Bello, Ali Bello, Dauda Suliman, and Abdulsalam Hudu( Still at large), sometime, in February, 2016, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to convert the total sum of N80, 246,470, 088.88( Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand and Eight Nine Naira, Eighty Eight Kobo), which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit, criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended.”

    Count 17 of the charges read: “That you Yahaya Bello between 26th July 2021 to 6th April 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court aided E-Traders International Limited to conceal the aggregate sum of N3081,804,654.00( Three Billion, Eighty One Million Eight Hundred and Four Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty Four Naira) in account number 1451458080 domiciled in Access BankPlc, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to wit, criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a), 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15( 3) of the same Act.”

    Count 18 of the charges reads: “That you Yahaya Adoza Bello sometime in November 2021 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court indirectly procured E-Traders international Limited to transfer the aggregate sum of $570,330.00( Five Hundred and Seventy Thousand , Three Hundred and Thirty Dollars) to account number 4266644272 domiciled in TD Bank, United States of America which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to wit, criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15( 3) of the same Act”.

    The Commission said its attempt to execute the Warrant of Arrest lawfully obtained against Bello met stiff resistance on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.

    “The security cordon around the former governor’s residence in Abuja was breached by the current Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo who ensured that the suspect was spirited away in his official vehicle.

    “As a responsible law enforcement agency, the EFCC exercised restraint in the face of the provocation, waiting for his arraignment on Thursday, April 18, 2024,” the statement added.

    It emphasised that, “It is needful to state that Bello is not above the law and would be brought to justice as soon as possible.”

    Despite Yahaya Bello’s Threat, EFCC To Arraign Ex-Kogi Gov Thursday Over Alleged N80.2bn Money Laundering is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

    Source

  • Business Development Officer at Woodgate Structure Limited April, 2024

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  • Oyo government demolishes Yoruba Nation agitators’ building

    Oyo government demolishes Yoruba Nation agitators? building

    The building where the Yoruba Nation agitators under the leadership of Modupe Onitiri-Abiola are operating from in Ibadan has been demolished by the Oyo state government. 

     

    The Nation reported that the building on Toye Oyesola Street in the Ibadan South West Local Government Area was demolished on Wednesday evening. 

     

    This is coming after some masked men suspected to be Yoruba Nation Agitators stormed the Oyo Government Secretariat on Saturday, April 13. 

     

    Security operatives later arrested them and they were arraigned on Wednesday morning. 

    Source

  • Gunshots Fired As Kogi Gov Ododo With Help Of Police Escorts Smuggles Yahaya Bello Out Of Abuja Residence Surrounded By Agents Of Anti-Corruption Agency, EFCC

    There were gunshots at the Abuja residence of former Kogi governor, Yahaya Bello as current state governor, Usman Ododo reportedly smuggled the former out of the premises which were laid siege to by the personnel of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

     

    A security source told SaharaReporters on Wednesday evening that “Ododo, aka Married Woman, escaped with Yahaya Bello,” adding that there was a “serious gun battle in Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4 in Abuja”.

     

    SaharaReporters earlier reported that policemen attached to Governor Ododo on Wednesday prevented the EFCC personnel from arresting Yahaya Bello.

     

    SaharaReporters earlier reported that EFCC operatives on Wednesday barricaded Bello’s house in Wuse, Abuja.

     

    Ododo visited the embattled former Kogi governor on Wednesday afternoon with a retinue of security operatives amid the siege at the latter’s Abuja residence.

     

    EFCC sources told SaharaReporters that policemen attached to Governor Ododo prevented the EFCC personnel from arresting the former governor.

     

    According to the sources, there would have been a bloody clash if they had gone head-to-head with the policemen.

     

    “The Inspector General of Police reportedly gave Yahaya Bello more reinforcement through Governor Ododo to thwart his arrest.

     

    “But we’re trying to avoid a bloody clash,” one of the sources said.

     

    SaharaReporters earlier reported that the EFCC was able to track Bello to Abuja by outsmarting him.

     

    It was learnt that Bello deliberately left his mobile phone at the Government House in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital to avoid being tracked to Abuja not knowing that EFCC operatives were already tracking the mobile phone of his aide which he used.

     

    Through his aide’s mobile phone, the former governor was tracked to where he was holed up in Abuja.

     

    “Yahaya Bello left his phone at the Government House in Kogi to avoid being tracked to Abuja.

     

    “But the mobile phone of his aide which he used was already being tracked to where he’s now trapped in Abuja,” a top security source told SaharaReporters.

     

    The EFCC siege came days after the former governor met with President Bola Tinubu at the State House.

     

    On Wednesday, a top source shared a photograph showing how EFCC operatives had barricaded the access road to Bello’s house.

     

    The source said: “EFCC barricades Bello’s house in Abuja. No movement in the area as EFCC barricaded the house. They are yet to gain access.”

     

    Although there was no immediate information available as to the reason why the anti-graft agency stormed the former governor’s residence, the anti-graft agency had filed fraud charges against him.

     

    The EFCC had charged the former governor with financial fraud to the tune of N84 billion.

     

    The EFCC had arraigned Bello’s nephew, Ali Bello, before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, for alleged money laundering to the tune of N10 billion belonging to the state government.

     

    EFCC, which joined Bello’s nephew Ali Bello, Dauda Sulaiman and Abdulsalam Hudu as co-accused, said it was prosecuting them on an amended 17 counts of money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N84, 062,406,089.88.

     

    The anti-graft agency claimed in the amended charge that former governor Bello was still at large.

     

    In December 2021, SaharaReporters reported that the EFCC had seized $760,910.84 that Bello paid to American International School, Abuja, as prepaid school fees for four children until graduation, over alleged money laundering.

     

    Documents obtained by SaharaReporters showed that Governor Bello through his nephew, Mr Ali Bello had entered an agreement with the school to pay tuition for his four children up to graduation in advance to secure their future.

     

    The agreement was signed and executed on August 23, 2021. Following the execution of the agreement, a total of $845.852.84 was paid into the school account in varied instalments.

     

    However, the anti-corruption agency as part of its oversight function, subsequently invited the school managers for a series of interviews in connection with the funds through a letter dated September 7, 2023, after about one year.

     

    Sources told SaharaReporters that during the interrogation of officials of the school, the EFCC noted that the advanced school fees were proceeds of crime. It said that the school was being used as an unwitting money laundering tool and demanded that it should refund the monies to the agency through a dedicated account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    Source

  • In counter ruling, Abuja court gives EFCC go-ahead to arrest Yahaya Bello

    Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) the go-ahead to arrest the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, and subsequent arraignment for alleged fraud.

    The anti-graft agency has resolved to arraign Bello on Thursday.

    The judge granted the order while ruling on a motion filed by the commission.

    Justice I.A. Jamil of the Kogi State High Court, Lokoja, had earlier on Wednesday, restrained the EFCC from arresting the ex-governor.

    The judge, who gave the order in a two-hour judgment delivered in suit no HCL/68/M/2020 filed by Bello on Wednesday in Lokoja, held that infringing on the fundamental human rights of the former governor was null and void except as authorised by the court.

    EFCC operatives laid siege on Bello’s residence in Abuja on Wednesday.

    The former governor has been under the commission’s watch for alleged corruption while in office.

    Source

  • EFCC Arraigns Cubana Chief Priest for Alleged Naira Abuse

    EFCC Arraigns Cubana Chief Priest for Alleged Naira Abuse

    EFCC Arraigns Cubana Chief Priest for Alleged Naira Abuse

    The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, arraigned a businessman and socialite, Pascal Okechukwu, a.k.a Cubana Chief Priest, on a three-count charge bordering on abuse of the Naira before Justice Kehinde Ogundare sitting at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos.

    Count one reads: That you, Okechukwu Pascal, on 13th February, 2024, at Eko Hotel Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while dancing during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500(Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.”

    Count two reads: “ That you, Okechukwu Pascal, sometime in 2020, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, during a social event tampered with funds in the denomination of N500( Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.”

    Earlier during the proceedings, defence counsel, Chikaozolu Ojukwu, SAN, notified the court of two applications: a preliminary objection and a summons for bail. He, however, prayed that the defendant be allowed to take his plea, and the said applications taken when they are ripe.

    He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to him.

    In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, Bilkisu Buhari, asked the court for a trial date. Responding, counsel to the defendant, Ojukwu informed the court of an application for bail.

    He said: “My lord, we have an application dated and filed 17th April, 2024 for an order admitting the defendant to bail in liberal terms.

    The order is predicated on eight grounds, 25 paragraph affidavit and a written address. We rely on the affidavit that the defendant has been on an administrative bail and has not breached the condition of the bail”.

    Continuing, Ojukwu stressed that, “the offence of which he is being charged is a misdemeanour for which the punishment is an option of fine or a sentence of not more than six months. I urge the court to exercise your kind discretion in favour of the defendant. I also urge my noble lord to give us 14 days to enable him perfect the bail condition, in the event that bail is granted.”

    Upon hearing the submission of the counsel, Justice Ogundare granted the defendant bail in the sum of N10m, with two responsible sureties.

    The sureties must be gainfully employed within the Federal or State Government Parastatal and must not be less than Grade Level 16 officers. They must possess landed properties and the documents verified by the prosecution.

    The Judge also ordered the defendant to submit his passport with the court and all addresses verified by the prosecution. The bail condition is to be perfected within seven days upon an undertaking by the defence counsel to produce him.

    The case was adjourned till May 2, 2024 for hearing of the application.

    Visit www.efcc.gov.ng for more stories


  • BREAKING: Gunshots As Kogi Gov Ododo Smuggles Yahaya Bello From Abuja Residence Amid Siege By EFCC, DSS

    Yahaya-Bello-right-with-Ahmed-Usman-Ododo

    The Wuse Zone Four Area of Abuja where the house of the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, is located was thrown into pandemonium on Wednesday as security operatives fired into the air several times to forcefully arrest Yahaya Bello over corruption allegations.

    The EFCC had laid siege to the house in their bid to arrest Bello, over corruption charges but failed to gain entry into the well-fortified house.

    The EFCC Operatives were later joined by the Police and Department of State Services (DSS) in their bid to arrest him, THE WHISTLER learnt.

    After many hours of failure, Bello’s successor, Governor Usman Ododo arrived and a few minutes later left the premises.

    When the security operatives learnt Bello was in Ododo’s car who had successfully smuggled him into his official vehicles, they fired warning shots in their bid to force the vehicles to a stop.

    The development threw the area into confusion with some residents mistaking the shots as those from armed robbers.

    People took to safety as some abandoned their vehicles and took cover in some plazas and security posts.

    It’s not clear where Bello was driven to but the security operatives did not give chase.

    BREAKING: Gunshots As Kogi Gov Ododo Smuggles Yahaya Bello From Abuja Residence Amid Siege By EFCC, DSS is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

    Source

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    • Provide screening and assessment on psychological trauma
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    • Attend all MHPSS/PFA-related trainings given by PUI
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