Ibom Focus

Category: News

A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart.

  • INEC To Declare Rep Nkwonta’s Seat Vacant –

    INEC To Declare Rep Nkwonta’s Seat Vacant –

    INEC To Declare Rep Nkwonta’s Seat Vacant

    Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has called on the Independent Electoral National Electoral Commission, INEC, to immediately comply with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution by declaring vacant the seat of Chris Nkwonta, the representative of Ukwa East/Ukwa West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

    The call by the PDP was in response to Nkwonta’s defection from the PDP to the APC on the floor of the House on Wednesday.

    A statement released by Jude Ndukwe, Media Adviser to the PDP Caretaker Committee in Abia, also asked INEC to conduct a new election within the constitutionally stipulated time to replace the defected member.

    Ndukwe in the statement said: “This call on INEC is for the electoral body to comply with the provisions of Section 68(1)(g) & (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) since Hon. Nkwonta’s defection did not meet the conditions precedent to the defection of a federal lawmaker as provided for by our laws.”

    Ndukwe said that there was no faction in the PDP either at the federal or state level, insisting that Nkwonta’s defection was illegal.

    However, a former Chief of Staff to the Governor of Abia State, Don Ubani, who is a member of PDP from the Ukwa-East and Ukwa-West Federal constituency, defended the defection of their son, saying that “we mandated him to join APC”.

  • BREAKING: Tinubu Government Announces New VAT Amid Hardship –

    BREAKING: Tinubu Government Announces New VAT Amid Hardship –

    BREAKING: Tinubu Government Announces New VAT Amid Hardship

    The Federal Government has announced the removal of the Value-Added Tax on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (cooking gas), Compressed Natural Gas, Automotive Gas Oil(Diesel) and other reliefs to boost investment and tackle economic hardship in the country.

    It also announced VAT reliefs for the importation of key energy products and infrastructure, including diesel, feed gas, electric vehicles, Liquefied Natural Gas infrastructure, and clean cooking equipment.

    The Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, announced this in a statement on Wednesday.

    The statement signed by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Mohammed Manga said the initiative is to lower rising living costs and accelerate Nigeria’s transition to cleaner energy.

    “The VAT Modification Order 2024 introduces exemptions on a range of key energy products and infrastructure, including diesel, feed gas, Liquefied Petroleum Gas, Compressed Natural Gas, electric vehicles, Liquefied Natural Gas infrastructure, and clean cooking equipment.

    “These measures are designed to lower the cost of living, bolster energy security, and accelerate Nigeria’s transition to cleaner energy sources,” he said.

    He explained that the notice of tax incentives for deep offshore oil & gas production provides new tax reliefs for deep offshore projects, stressing that, “This initiative is aimed at positioning Nigeria’s deep offshore basin as a premier destination for global oil and gas investments.”

    The development comes as the majority of Nigerians lament the rising cost of living in the country, occasioned by high inflation which stood at 32.15 percent in August 2024.

  • Give Tinubu 100 Years And He Still Won’t Know What To Do – Nigerian Lawyer –

    Give Tinubu 100 Years And He Still Won’t Know What To Do – Nigerian Lawyer –

    Give Tinubu 100 Years And He Still Won’t Know What To Do – Nigerian Lawyer

    A Germany-based Nigerian lawyer and consultant, Dr. Franklyne Ogbunwezeh, has said that President Bola Tinubu cannot revive Nigeria even if he is given 100 years to govern the country.

    The public intellectual revealed this during an appearance in the online interview programme, 90MinutesAfrica, hosted by Rudolf Okonkwo on Sunday.

    “President Tinubu does not have the capacity or the competence to govern Nigeria,” the former Director at the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR) in Frankfurt disclosed. “Even if you give him a hundred years, he won’t know what to do with the country.”

    The former Director for Genocide Prevention at the Christian Solidarity International (CSI) challenged the president to show Nigerians the policies he has introduced to curb the ravaging inflation or to halt the downward slide of the naira since he assumed office.

    Rather, the first thing he did “was to remove petrol subsidy without putting any measure in place to cushion the effects on the people, simply because the IMF instructed him to,” he stated.

    “Immediately after, the forces that are hell-bent on making a buck out of every bad situation in Nigeria took over, and now he is overwhelmed.”

    Commenting on the rumoured impending cabinet shakeup by the president, Ogbunwezeh said nothing would change so long as Mr. Tinubu does not have a clear agenda on how to govern the country.

    He argued that President Tinubu should set the tone for his appointees to follow; otherwise, no amount of reshuffling will change the present situation.

    “The truth is that the country has been captured. The legislature under Akpabio cannot put a check on the executive, and the judiciary is corrupt.

    “So Nigeria has been captured at every tier of government by people who don’t even know what to do with power. They are just there to make sure that money keeps lubricating their hands.

    “Nigerians should brace up because things are going to get worse,” the author of “Integral Development, Ethics, Governance and Human Rights in the African Context” said.

    He also accused the government of lacking in direction.

    “Now, the solution to every problem is to throw rice at the people. It has become a rice government,” he lambasted the Tinubu administration.

  • After Independence Day Naira Depreciates Massively Against Dollar –

    After Independence Day Naira Depreciates Massively Against Dollar –

    After Independence Day Naira Depreciates Massively Against Dollar

    The Naira depreciated significantly against the Dollar at the foreign exchange market upon resumption of trading after Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day holiday.

    FMDQ data showed that it weakened to N1669.19 per dollar on Wednesday from N1541.94 exchanged on Monday.

    This represents an N127.25 loss against the dollar compared to the N1541.94 traded on Monday.

    Meanwhile, at the parallel market, the Naira gained N10 to close at N1690 per dollar on Wednesday compared to the N1700 exchange rate on Monday.

    Ibom Focus reports that on Monday the depreciated marginally against the Dollar.

    For months now, the Naira has continued to fluctuate against the dollar and other foreign currencies.

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his Independence Day pleaded with Nigerians to be patient with his economic policies.

    On June 14 last year, the Central Bank of Nigeria floated the Naira at the FX market which saw the value of the Country’s currency drop.

  • Cabinet Reshuffle: El Rufai, Sani, Others To Get Ministerial Appointments –

    Cabinet Reshuffle: El Rufai, Sani, Others To Get Ministerial Appointments –

    Cabinet Reshuffle: El Rufai, Sani, Others To Get Ministerial Appointments

    As President Bola Tinubu has made his intention known on his plan to reshuffle his cabinet for service delivery and success, a group, the Mandate Protection Vanguard (MPV), has said that there is an urgent need for him to consider experienced and highly skilful human resource personnel as ministers in the coming cabinet.

    The group in a statement signed by its Co-ordinator, Comrade Gbenga Soloki sent to Vanguard, said “There is no doubt that several egg heads abound across the six geo-political zones that can add value and acceptability to the government.”

    “While no one is begrudging Mr President for appointing politicians and close allies as ministers and ministers of state, there are several other qualified Nigerians who have excelled in both private and public services, while some have served at the state level, others have been privileged to operate at the federal level.

    “The present economic challenges in the country deserve the services of credible and economically savvy ministers, who can deliver on their core areas of competence to make the programmes and projects of the administration popular and to achieve far-reaching results that will ultimately rescue the country out of the present quagmire.

    “Firstly is, Mallam Nasir el Rufai, who the group described as a cerebral politician from the northern part of the country, saying that though trained as a quantity surveyor, he obtained a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University.

    “He was Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, minister of Federal Capital Territory and the immediate past Governor of Kaduna state.

    “Another person is Senator Shehu Sani, who is one of the few personalities from the northern part of the country that joined forces with pro-democracy activists to fight for the restoration of democratic rule in the country,” the group said.

    “Ye another personality is the one-time minister of power in Nigeria, Prof Bart Nnaji. No doubt, Bart Nnaji is a seasoned administrator, who is also experienced in the power generation sector. He is a professor of Electrical Engineering, who was the minister of power, special adviser on power to the president and the Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

    The group also suggested Senator Adeleke Mamora, a medical doctor, former speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, a senator and former minister in the Buhari regime.

    According to Adebola, Dr Mamora is a cool-headed professional medical doctor with vast experience and considerable attachment to his callings.

    “He was a permanent secretary for years in Lagos State Governor’s Office from where he was subsequently appointed a Chief of Staff to the state governor human capital development and this was one of the key legacies he left behind in that office. He is a competent administrator and expert in finance,” the statement read.

  • Fresh Crisis Rock Rivers As Fubara, Wike In Serious Battle Over State Structures –

    Fresh Crisis Rock Rivers As Fubara, Wike In Serious Battle Over State Structures –

    Fresh Crisis Rock Rivers As Fubara, Wike In Serious Battle Over State Structures

    Amid the raging claims and counter-claims over the local government election coming up in Rivers State, AMAECHI OKONKWO, reflects on happenings in the camps of the major stakeholders in the state.

    With just days to the October 5 local government election in Rivers State and the insistence of the two leading political parties: the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) to boycott the exercise, a new kid on the block has emerged and is looking prepared to dominate the polls, which has already been enmeshed in all sorts of controversies. Enters the Action Peoples Party (APP). The party was little heard of during the 2023 general elections which more than a dozen political parties running for different offices on offer during that exercise. The APP has suddenly become the toast of the coming local government elections in Rivers State and the reason is not far-fetched. The doors to political prominence in Rivers were flung open to the APP by the intractable political disagreement between the Minister of the Federal Capital territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike and the state governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, both of the PDP.

    The crisis has their members lining behind each of the gladiators and refusing any amicable resolution thus tearing the PDP between Wike and Fubara in a war that has as its bone of contention, the desire of the former Governor Wike to continue to be in control of the party and by extension the state, trying to relegate the incumbent Governor Fubara to the background. All efforts, including the intervention of President Bola Tinubu and other stakeholders to resolve the impasse, have failed as none of the warring parties is ready to yield any ground in the war that has been raging since October 2023. So Wike, relying on his stranglehold on the PDP, both at the state and national levels, influenced the recent congresses of the PDP to ensure that his loyalists were “selected” as members of the PDP executives at the ward, local government and the state levels leaving Governor Fubara and his supporters without any platform for the coming local government elections.

    And because the election is the first major test of his popularity and a golden opportunity to mount a credible fight against Wike in the control of the political structure of Rivers and opportunity of gaining for himself a firm footing to administer the state, all eyes have been on Fubara and his supporters to see how they manoeuver this political corner. However, the governor, has as usual remained taciturn about whether he and his supporters would be participating in the elections or not, thus giving vent to the widespread speculations that he had asked his supporters, led by the 23 local government caretaker committee chairmen and councillors to join the election fray on the platform of other political parties.

    Shortly after the speculations began to make the rounds in the state, a hitherto unknown APP suddenly sprung into life, acquiring and renovating a new state office at the GRA part of the state capital. Even a dynamite attack on the office in the course of the renovation did not deter the party from continuing with its preparation for the election. It is currently also being speculated that all caretaker committee chairmen and their councillors, on the orders of Governor Fubara, have concluded arrangements to contest the election under the banner of the APP.

    Giving vent to this speculation is the governor’s continued silence, on the coming election, just as none of his officials as in several other times has deemed it necessary to utter a word as to his plans nor that of the government on the elections. Inquiries sent to Senibo Joseph Johnson, the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, went unanswered after failing to also respond to his telephone line.

    But, by its recent utterances and actions, it is becoming clear that indeed the APP is turning the beautiful bride of the gladiators in the political crisis in Rivers and the party to beat in the October 5 local government polls. Most of the supporters of Governor Fubara who are contesting the election have defected to the party.

    Two of the caretaker committee chairmen, Ezebunwo Ichemati, CTC chairman of Port Harcourt City Council and Marvin Yobana, his Khana LGA counterpart, have made their defection public.

    Ichemati’s poster is sighted conspicuously sitting on a large billboard in the heart of the state capital with APP logo, campaigning for chairmanship position while Yobana, the CTC Chairman of Khana LGA and his supporters have formally announced their defection to the APP.

    The CTC chairman of Port Harcourt City in his campaign message on the platform of the APP, assured that he and his councillors would provide credible leadership if elected into office.

    He was quoted as saying; “We will defend the interests of the party (APP) and the state if elected into office. We will also adhere to the directives to avoid engaging in negative campaigns”.

    Also speaking at an event in Khana Local Council, Yobana; who did not get the nod of Governor Fubara to return as Chairman, said: “I hereby announce that I have moved to APP and I introduce to you the person that would be sworn in after the October 5, election as the executive chairman of Khana, Mr. Martins Ibibo.” The chairman of the APP in Rivers, Sunny Wokekoro, who confirmed the development, said the local government election would be a new narrative, new frontier, new threshold in political leadership in the state. He added that the APP would entrench a new system of governance at the grassroots level that would touch the lives of the people and impact the society. It is the only party campaigning for the election with its train visiting all the three senatorial zones. It started its campaign on September 24, with Rivers Southeast senatorial district in Bori, going through Rivers West and ending with Rivers East senatorial zone on September 26.

    Not much has been heard of all the other political parties including the Labour Party (LP) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), which indicated interest in participating in the elections and has been part of the veiled election programme being implemented by the State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).

    On its part, the (APC) faction led by Chief Tony Okocha and the PDP at different fora had insisted that they would not be part of the exercise. The Okocha-led faction of the party reiterated its decision not to participate in the local government election, describing the planned exercise as a charade. The faction, which has the recognition of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC, insisted that the election would not hold, saying that holding the election would tantamount to an attempt to disrespect a court order that put on hold all activities in the council pending decision of the court on the tenure of its leadership. Okocha stated that there was no sign to indicate that the election would hold in October, stressing that a federal high court presided over by Justice Peter Lifu “has prevented the INEC from releasing sensitive materials for the election. The court also restrained the Police from involving in the election.” Restating that APC would boycott the elections, Okocha said: “Governor Siminalayi Fubara should stop deceiving Rivers State people because he is aware that election cannot hold when the party has a court case. He knows the order restraining activities at the LGA has not been vacated. The election will end in nullity.”

    Though the APC faction led by Chief Emeka Beke had said it would participate in the elections, there is no evidence to show that the party presented candidates for the elections. Besides, nothing has been heard from the party concerning campaigns or mobilising members of the party for the exercise. Meanwhile, the chairman of RSIEC, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd) had reassured that the scheduled date for the council elections is sacrosanct. Addressing participants at the training of master trainers for RSIEC Staff, in Port Harcourt, Justice Enebeli cited the state electoral law and the recent judgement of Supreme Court which empowers them to conduct the schedule elections. He emphasised that RSIEC was fully prepared and determined to conduct a free, fair, credible and violence-free election.

  • 20.2billion Litres: Local Refineries Remain In Coma –

    20.2billion Litres: Local Refineries Remain In Coma –

    20.2billion Litres: Local Refineries Remain In Coma

    A review of data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has shown that Nigeria did not produce a single drop of petrol locally in the whole of 2023 fiscal year.

    The details showed that zero litre of Petrol was refined between January and December of the year.

    This is despite the fact that Nigeria has its own refineries (which are non-functional).

    They are namely the Port-Harcourt refinery, Kaduna refinery and Warri refinery.

    Many promises of the government including setting dates for when the refineries would commence operations have failed, with a most recent promise that Port-Harcourt refinery will commence operations in August, 2024, failing.

    This development comes even as Nigeria imported 20.2 billion litres of petrol in the 2023 fiscal year.

    This detail is broken into two billion litres in January, 1.9 billion in February, 2.2 billion in March, 1.9 billion in April, 2 billion in May, 1.6 billion in June, 1.4 billion in July, 1 billion in August, 1.2 billion in September, 1.1 billion in October, 1.5 billion in November and 1.8 billion in December.

    Nigeria has been plagued with importation of petroleum in the absence of state-owned refineries, a development that worsens the price of available fuel and puts citizens on the edge.

  • Marketers Take Fuel To 774 LGAs At Cheaper Rate –

    Marketers Take Fuel To 774 LGAs At Cheaper Rate –

    Marketers Take Fuel To 774 LGAs At Cheaper Rate

    The Association of Mega Filling Station Owners of Nigeria (AMFSON), has called for a stronger partnership between the association and the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.

    This is just as the association said it can transport fuel to the 774 local government headquarters in the country at a cheaper rate in order to make the product available to the people at the grassroot levels and apparently reduce the current pump price.

    In a statement made available to journalists in Kaduna by the President of AMFSON, Davidson Nwankwo Ukatta following a meeting with members of the association in Abuja, said filling stations owned by his members can be found in all the 774 local councils of the country, making it easy for the public to access petroleum products at a cheaper rate.

    “There is the need for the management of NNPC and other critical stakeholders in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry to see AMFSON not only as business partners, but as partners in progress in the quest to deliver products to Nigerians at a cheaper and affordable rate.

    “AMFSON is well structured to help make petroleum products available to Nigerians, our members are located across the 774 local councils in the 36 states of the Federation and the federal capital territory (FCT)”.

    According to the association, while NNPC Retail filling stations are politically located in the capitals of the 36 states of the Federation and Abuja, AMFSON outlets can be found in multiple numbers in the 774 local councils of the country.

    “Therefore there is the need for all critical stakeholders to rally round the association in its bid to make petroleum products available across the country, there is also the need for NNPC Limited to deepen its relationship with AMFSON members as part of strategies to make cheaper petroleum products available to the public”.

    He further said AMFSON is the only group that can help NNPC Limited to drive the policy behind the establishment of NNPC Retail Limited, adding that their members are well equipped to drive the policy behind the setting up of NNPC Limited which is aimed at making petroleum products available to Nigerians at an affordable rate.

    “Our filling stations can be found in all the 774 local councils of the country, making it easy for the public to access petroleum products at a cheaper rate. We are happy at the opening of the national secretariat of the association, because the new secretariat would further create a more enabling environment to meet the needs of its members”

    Until now, the national secretariat of AMFSON was located in Gwagwalada, one of the far flung outskirts of Abuja. The relocating of the national secretariat to the Abuja city centre marks a new chapter in the annals of the association, the statement said.

  • How Tinubu Appointed Top Politician Facing EFCC Probe For Multi-Million Naira Fraud As University Governing Council Chair

    How Tinubu Appointed Top Politician Facing EFCC Probe For Multi-Million Naira Fraud As University Governing Council Chair

    How Tinubu Appointed Top Politician Facing EFCC Probe For Multi-Million Naira Fraud As University Governing Council Chair

    Prof. Shola Olakunle Adepoju, the former Director-General of Nigeria’s Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), accused of diverting government-owned vehicles for personal gain and multi-million-naira fraud, is one of the recently appointed chairmen of governing council of a federal institution of learning.

    Adepoju was the Director-General of FRIN from March 31, 2015 to March 31, 2023.

    However, he was appointed by President Bola Tinubu in June 2024 as Chairman, Governing Council of the Federal College of Education, Ilawe Ekiti.

    “The President expects the new members of the governing boards of these institutions to perform their functions effectively and creditably and within the ambits of their statutory responsibilities,” a statement by then presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale had read.

    Some documents revealed that Adepoju is currently being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The allegations against him include diverting government properties, specifically exotic vehicles meant for the institute’s operations, in collusion with the institute’s human resources director, Olufemi Michael Hastrup.

    A document revealed that a month after Adepoju’s appointment as the Chairman of the Governing Council of Federal College of Education, Ilawe Ekiti, the EFCC asked him to appear at its Ibadan office to give an account of the alleged fraud that took place under his watch as FRIN boss.

    According to an EFCC letter dated August 12, he was invited to the Commission’s office through a letter with Ref CR: 3000/EFCC/IB/SIT/FIR/VOL.2/069 and signed by Hauwa G. Ringim, Ag. Zonal Director, Ibadan, Oyo State.

    The invitation which was addressed to the Director General of FRIN stated, “This Commission is investigating a case in which the name of the above mentioned Former Director General of your organization, featured.

    “In view of the above. you are kindly requested to inform him to attend an interview with the undersigned through SIT Team on Monday, 26th August, 2024 at No: 16A Reverend Oyebode Crescent, lyoganku GRA Ibadan. Oyo State.”

    Earlier in a letter to Adepoju with Ref CR: 3000/EFCC/IB/SIT/FIR/VOL.1/069 dated April 22, 2024 and titled: “Investigation Activities,” the EFCC asked him to furnish the commission with the account details in which payments were received, citing previous correspondence.

    In the letter signed by ACE II Hassan Saidu, FDC for then Ag. Zonal Director, Ibadan, the commission noted that the request was made pursuant to Section 38(1) and (2) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment Act, 2004 and Section 24 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act. 2022.

    “Our letter with Ref: CR: 3000/EFCC/IB/SIT/FIR/VOL1/032 dated 19th March, 2024 and your response with Ref:CG.516/1/33 dated 4th April, 2024 refers.

    “In view of the above, you are further requested to furnish us with the account details in which the payments were received as requested in our earlier letter,” the letter partly read.

    When contacted for comments on the appointment, Adepoju asked, “Does an allegation prove the crime has been committed? If you allege that somebody did something, is that person guilty? They are just very mischievous.

    “You allege somebody, he has not been proven guilty, and you say the person is guilty; it is not done anywhere. They are just being mischievous. I don’t want to be prejudice to the EFCC investigation. The issue of selling exotic cars to myself is the allegations they (petitioners) made to EFCC.”

    As FRIN boss, Adepoju was at multiple times accused of awarding fraudulent contracts without recourse to procedure and due process.

    A source in the agency said that he ran the agency like a personal estate.

    “The Director-General, Professor Adepoju Olusola has been found doing the following; withholding of staff deductions (Contributions of over N50,000,000) to co-operative society for the month of October 2020. Confirmed by IPPIS,” a source had said.

    “Illegal removal or deduction from salaries of staff (This is done randomly) with no reason, explanation and move to refund (He does not listen to anyone) for same October, 2020.

    “Flouting of civil service rule in relation to promotion of staff. In the year 2020, promotion exercise was conducted, over 30%-40% of staff denied promotion even though they passed the examination, but he claimed there was no vacancy.

    “By January 2021, those who got promoted received their letters and were promoted appropriately. To our amazement, by June 2021, part of those promoted and served their letters were given another promotion. We found out that they are his partners in crime in the institute.

    “Imagine, someone got promoted to Grade Level 11 in January 2021 and received another promotion in June 2021 to Grade Level 13, in a space of five months.

    “All efforts to have him explain this move proved abortive as he will never give room for questioning. He’s above the law and people are afraid to challenge him.”

    In 2020, it was learnt that Adepoju returned N17 million, part of the over N50 million meant for cooperative societies in the institution which was diverted in 2020.

    Documents showed that the N17 million was returned on January 23, 2022, by the then FIRN boss into one of the cooperative societies’ account numbers- 0012099396 with Stanbic IBTC Bank.

    A recent report by Foundation of Investigative Journalism also revealed how Adepoju allegedly diverted government properties before leaving office in March 2024.

    According to FIJ, some exotic vehicles purchased for the smooth operations of the institute were diverted by the former FRIN DG and Olufemi Michael Hastrup, the institute’s human resources director.

    “Few months to the expiration of Adepoju’s second term, the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing undertook an inspection and valuation of some vehicles belonging to FRIN,” the report read.

    “According to a document exclusively obtained by FIJ, five vehicles were inspected and valued at disingenuously low rates. The mechanical division of the works ministry valued two Toyota Prado cars, a Toyota Hilux, a Volkswagen Bettle and a Kia Cerato at ridiculous amounts.

    “While the first valuation report containing details of the two Prado and Hilux vehicles bearing the stamp of the mechanical division was dated December 12, 2022, the second report bore the stamp of the Federal Comptroller of Works of the same works ministry and was undated.

    “As stated in the reports, the Toyota Prado purchased in 2019 at the rate of N78 million with the chassis number JTEBU3PFJ1KK172524 was determined to be worth N7 million.

    “The second Toyota Prado acquired in 2013 for N21 million with the chassis number JTEBU9FJ1D5002342 was determined to be worth N800,000.

    “The institute bought the Toyota Hilux with the chassis number MROHX8CD7K1389911 in 2018 for N18 million. In the valuation report, it was said to be worth N1 million.”

    “FIJ also gathered that the Volkwagen and Kia Cerato earlier mentioned were valued at N2,000 and N20,000 respectively. At the time of the report, both vehicles had been used for six years by FRIN. All of the vehicles mentioned in the reports have been illegally taken away by the former FRIN bosses,” a source told FIJ.

    “In particular, Hastrup was said to have bought a Land Cruiser carrying an official number plate FRIN-01FG belonging to the office of the director-general.”

  • Fresh Trouble Hits Wanted Yahaya Bello Over N110Billion Fraud –

    Fresh Trouble Hits Wanted Yahaya Bello Over N110Billion Fraud –

    Fresh Trouble Hits Wanted Yahaya Bello Over N110Billion Fraud

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed fresh 16-count charges bordering on fraud against the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, before an FCT High Court.

    The charges, which were filed by the Federal Government through counsels for the EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro, Rotimi Oyedepo both Senior Advocate of Nigeria and 7 other lawyers, also joined one Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalam Hudu as defendants.

    The fresh charges were coming on the heels of the former governor’s absence at a Federal High Court, Abuja where he was being tried for alleged charges to the tune of N80.2bn when he held sway in the state.

    Tinubu seeks UN perm seat, debt forgiveness for Nigeria, others
    Tinubu seeks UN perm seat, debt forgiveness for Nigeria, others
    In a fresh charge sheet obtained by Daily Trust Wednesday night, the anti-graft agency revealed that it had uncovered alleged fresh fraud against the former governor to the tune of N110,446,470,089.00.

    “That you, YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO, UMAR SHUAIBU ORICHA and ABDULSALAMI HUDU sometimes in 2016 in Abuja, within the jurisdictions of this Honourable Court agreed amongst yourselves to cause to be done an illegal act to wit: criminal breach of trust in respect of the total sum N110,446,470,089.00 entrusted to you,” the charge sheet partly read.