The Nation Newspaper

Tag: cash

  • Don donates cash, materials to the poor

    A philanthropist and lecturer at the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Olumide Oluwagbemi-Gabriel has urged individuals and corporate organisations to assist the less-privileged in the society, particularly the abused and abandoned children, widows and other physically-challenged people.

    He gave the advice while presenting cash, food and relief materials worth several thousands of Naira to children on admission at the Ondo State Specialist Hospital, Akure and Special Children Centre of the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation under the Nigeria Police ‘A’ Division, Akure as part of activities to celebrate his 40th birthday.

    Oluwagbemi-Gabriel was accompanied to the centres by his friends, colleagues and members of his family to appreciate God for sparing his life to attain the age of 40.

    He said he opted for unorthodox way to celebrate his birthday when it dawned on him that if as a member of the middle-class he could feel the impact of the current recession in the country, the poor and vulnerable in the society must be worst off.

    According to him, he decided that the only way he would celebrate his 40th birthday was not to throw party, but by giving back to the society.

    This, he said, was to emulate the philanthropic gesture of one of his mentors, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), the founder of ABUAD.

    The don, who tagged his gesture “Project 40”, revealed that 40 humanitarian projects spanning 40 persons and institutions are scheduled to be carried out in phases.

    The projects, he said, included donations of education materials to his alma mater, AUD Victoria Island, Lagos and Methodist Boys’ High School, Lagos, payment of school fees of some selected indigent students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) and Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo.

    Other areas of the project are empowerment for selected widows and physically-challenged cobblers as well as donation of relief materials and cash to hospitalised children and those at the Police Special Children Centre.

    Recipients of the celebrator’s gifts showered encomiums on him for coming to their assistance.

    The Head, Pediatric Ward, State Specialist Hospital, Akure, Dr A. Bello and the Officer in Charge, Police Special Children Centre, Yemi, praised the initiative of the don which they described as product of compassion, especially at this period of recession.

    The duo urged others; especially corporate bodies and individuals to come to the aid of the vulnerable in the society, stressing that government cannot do it alone.

    Oluwagbemi-Gabriel appreciated God, family members, colleagues and other supporters who supported his passion to give back to the society in commemoration of his birthday.

  • Diezani ‘paid $37.5m cash for Banana Island property’

    Diezani ‘paid $37.5m cash for Banana Island property’

    Ex-minister loses house, $2.7m, N84.5m to govt

    Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the interim forfeiture of a property on Banana Island, Lagos bought for $37.5m in 2013 by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

    Justice Chuka Obiozor, a vacation judge, made the order yesterday following an ex parte application by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) counsel Mr. Anselem Ozioko.

    The EFCC, in documents filed in court, described the property as Building 3, Block B, Bella Vista Plot 1, Zone N, Federal Government Layout, Banana Island Foreshore Estate. It has 24 apartments, 18 flats and six penthouses.

    The court also ordered the temporary forfeiture of $2,740,197.96 and N84,537,840.70, said to be part of the rent collected on the property.

    The funds were said to have been found in a bank account.

    Ozioko had told the judge that the EFCC reasonably suspected that the property was acquired with proceeds of Alison-Madueke’s alleged unlawful activities.

    He said the EFCC’s investigation revealed that the former minister made the $37.5m payment for the property in cash, adding that the money was moved straight from her house in Abuja and paid into the seller’s account in Abuja.

    Ozioko added: “Nothing could be more suspicious than someone keeping such huge amounts in her apartment. Why was she doing that? To avoid attention.

    “We are convinced beyond reasonable doubt because as of the time this happened, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke was still in public service as the Minister of Petroleum Resources.”

    The application was filed pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, No. 14, 2006 and Section 44(2)(k) of the constitution.

    Listed as respondents in the application are Mrs Alison-Madueke, a legal practitioner, Afamefuna Nwokedi, and a company, Rusimpex Limited.

    In a 41-paragraph affidavit attached to the application, an EFCC investigative officer, Abdulrasheed Bawa, averred that Nwokedi, in connivance with Mrs Alison-Madueke, incorporated Rusimpex Limited, on September 11, 2013 to facilitate the alleged fraud scheme.

    According to Bawa, when Nwokedi was questioned by the EFCC, the lawyer explained that he had approached the former minister for opportunities in the oil and gas industry but the ex-minister told him that being a lawyer, she did not have any such opportunity for him.

    She allegedly asked him whether he could in the alternative manage landed properties, an offer which Nwokedi accepted.

    Bawa stated that Nwokedi registered Rusimpex Limited at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). A lawyer in his law firm, Adetula Ayokunle, and a Russian, Vladmir Jourauleu, were listed as the directors of the company. The address of Nwokedi’s law firm in Ikoyi, Lagos was registered as the business address of Rusimpex Limited.

    The investigator added that when Ayokunle was questioned by the EFCC, he explained that he only signed the CAC documents on his boss’ instruction. Jourauleu denied knowledge of the firm.

    Bawa said: “Sometime in 2013, the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, invited Barrister Afamefuna Nwokedi, the Principal Counsel of Stillwaters Law Firm, to her house in Abuja for a meeting where she informed the said Barrister Afamefuna Nwokedi to incorporate a company and use same as a front to manage landed properties on her behalf without using her name in any of the incorporation documents.

    “She further directed Mr. Afamefuna Nwokedi to meet with Mr. Bisi Onasanya, the Group Managing Director of First Bank of Nigeria Plc for that purpose.

    “Mr. Stephen Onasanya was invited by the commission and he came and volunteered an extrajudicial statement wherein he stated that he marketed a property at Bella Vista, Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos, belonging to Mr. Youseff Fattau of Ibatex Nigeria Limited to Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke and Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke later bought the property from Mr. Youseff Fattau, through her lawyer, Mr. Afamefuna Nwokedi (who she introduced to him) and that payment for the said property was made through the Abuja office of First Bank of Nigeria Plc.

    “First Bank of Nigeria Plc, through Mr. Barau Muazu, wrote to the commission and also volunteered an extrajudicial statement in writing that they made the payments totalling US37,500,000 to Ibatex Nigeria Limited & YF Construction Development and Real Estate Limited on behalf of Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke and that they collected the entire cash from Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke at her residence of No. 10, Fredrick Chiluba Close of Jose Marti Street, Asokor, Abuja and paid into the First Bank of Nigeria Plc accounts of Ibatex and YF Construction Development and Real Estate Limited on her instruction.”

    After listening to Ozioko, Justice Obiozor ordered temporary seizure of the property and the funds.

    He directed that the order should be published in a national newspaper.

    Justice Obiozor adjourned till August 7 for anyone interested in the property and funds to appear before him.

  • Ikoyi cash: Rivers APC accuses Wike of fresh plot to tarnish Amaechi’s image

    Ikoyi cash: Rivers APC accuses Wike of fresh plot to tarnish Amaechi’s image

    •He was indicted, says governor

    The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC),  yesterday said it has uncovered a plot by Governor Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to tarnish the image of Minister of Transportation  Rotimi Amaechi, who is the leader of APC in the state, on the Ikoyi cash.

    Rivers APC, through its Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, noted that the plot to rubbish Amaechi, the immediate governor of the state, would involve manifest falsehood, soon to be placed in the media.

    Wike, however, alleged that Amaechi was indicted for stealing billions of public funds, by a court-approved judicial panel of inquiry, set up by his administration.

    The main opposition APC in Rivers also revealed that the plot against the transportation minister would involve extensive forgeries and fabrications of various seemingly-sensitive documents to further buttress the lie that the Osborne Road, Ikoyi money, confiscated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), belonged to Amaechi and that he allegedly obtained it from the coffers of Rivers government, while he was governor of the state.

    The party said: “Initially, when Wike claimed that the Osborne Road, Ikoyi money belonged to Rivers State, the EFCC presented an ample opportunity for the Rivers governor to step forward and provide evidence and possibly pick up the money, but he (Wike) chickened out, until the period granted by the court elapsed. Wike did not take advantage of that window, because he had no iota of evidence and he knew it. The present devilish efforts by Wike to pour tar on Amaechi will go the futile way of the governor’s previous efforts.

    “APC is saddened that more than two years after being sworn in as the governor of Rivers State, Wike is still hell-bent on destroying the image of his former boss, benefactor and predecessor. We wish to remind him that his evil plans for the man who gave him a lift in life will continue to fail to his grief.

    “We note that instead of aimlessly deceiving himself in his cocoon of self-delusion that he can bring down Amaechi, the APC would like the Rivers governor to settle the scores he has with his own dishonorable reputation of lies and deceit.

    “Wike stood before God and men in a church in Etche LGA of Rivers State to lie, when he claimed that the Federal Government was undermining his government by slashing the state’s monthly allocations. He refused to tell the truth that he had earlier pledged a good chunk of the state’s future monthly allocations as collateral security to commercial banks for the huge loans he took at double digit interest rate.

    “Like in the case of the federal allocations, the Rivers governor recently told another group of clergymen during a church programme that the Federal Government paid the state only N17 billion as refund on Paris Club loan and not N34 billion, as claimed by the Federal Government. However, evidence made available to the APC by officials of Federal Ministry of Finance indicates that Wike actually signed and collected N34 billion as Paris Club loan refund for Rivers State.”

    Rivers APC also stated that it was convinced that Wike, fearing that his lies were about to be made public, decided to raise spurious allegations against the minister of transportation, being his usual style of diverting attention and shifting the focus of public scrutiny from himself.

    It noted that if indeed the Rivers governor had any credible evidence that the Ikoyi cash belonged to Amaechi or Rivers government, he would have joyfully approached the EFCC and the court to claim the money, stressing that the present attempt to raise spurious claims, through concocted documents, was mere smokescreen to cover up the obvious lack of transparent governance by Wike.

    APC called on Rivers people in particular and Nigerians in general to disregard all forms of fabricated stories that Wike was about floating in the public space through print and electronic media, as well as on the Internet, maintaining that it would continue to deconstruct, demobilise and discredit the grand deceit that the Rivers governor and his mafia government represented.

    Wike, through Rivers Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr. Austin Tam-George, also accused Amaechi of relocating to Port Harcourt to impose a governor on Rivers state, through subterfuge and electoral gerrymandering in 2019, describing the actions as a classic case of a rapist returning to his victim to ask for love.

    Rivers governor said: “It is important to constantly remind a forgetful public, that Mr. Amaechi was indicted for stealing billions of public funds, by a court-approved judicial panel of inquiry, set up by the State Government.

    “Even by the standards of Nigerian political misbehavior, Mr. Amaechi’s record presents a unique and intriguing specimen.

    “Here is a man, whose brazen refusal to pay pensioners their entitlements for six months, contributed to the deaths of hundreds of senior citizens in Rivers State, between 2014 and 2015.

    “Mr. Amaechi’s thoughtless policies and reckless public spending literally broke the economic spine of Rivers State. His administration was marked by myth making and public deceit.

    “Throughout the 2015 political campaigns, the APC presented itself as a better alternative to the PDP. Mr Amaechi’s adjectival insistence that he is the ‘leader’ of the APC in Rivers State is the clearest indication of the moral carcass that the party of ‘change’ has become in Nigeria.”

    Wike admonished Rivers people and other Nigerians to ignore the lies of Amaechi and his factionalised APC.

  • Govt: looters bury cash in cemeteries

    Govt: looters bury cash in cemeteries

    SUSPECTED looters now bury cash in forests and cemeteries, the Federal Government claimed on Sunday.

    It said the anti-corruption agencies had been inundated with information on how looters resorted to hiding funds, suspected to have been stolen, in their backyards, deep forests and burial grounds.

    Information, Culture & Tourism Minister Lai Mohammed, in a statement in Lagos on Sunday, said the whistle-blower policy was achieving the desired results.

    According to him, the policy has led to the recovery of more looted funds in many currencies.

    The minister said all the recovered funds were safe and that the government will give full account to Nigerians.

    Thanking Nigerians for their enthusiasm and commitment in helping the government to tackle corruption through disclosure of useful leads to appropriate government agencies, Mohammed said: “Since we launched the whistle blower policy, we have received immeasurable support from Nigerians.

    “Yes, there is monetary reward for any information that leads to recovery of looted funds, but from what we have seen; most of the Nigerians who have come forward with useful leads were driven by patriotism rather than reward.

    “Nigerians, fired by a fervid resolve to help banish corruption from their country, have daily inundated the offices of the appropriate government agencies with valuable information.

    “We have been told how looters have resorted to burying stolen funds in their backyards, in deep forests and even in burial grounds.

    “Thanks to whistle-blowers, it is now clear that a rapacious few have pillaged the nation’s wealth through a vicious orgy of corrupt practices,” he said.

    The minister, however, noted that more funds were in the possession of looters than were available to government at all levels to meets its obligations including paying workers’ salaries and providing social amenities.

    He stressed that the government will not abandon the policy for whatever reason, but will continue to rejig it and make it more effective as an anti-corruption tool.

    The minister assured that as soon as the necessary reconciliation process and the litigation in some of the cases were concluded, government would give full account of the recovered looted funds to Nigerians.

    He re-assured Nigerians who have useful information on looted funds that the government will protect their identities and give them their stipulated reward.

  • EFCC probes Saraki’s aides over N3.5b Paris Club cash

    EFCC probes Saraki’s aides over N3.5b Paris Club cash

    Cash traced to Dubai jeweller

    Senate President: it’s mudslinging

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC) has frozen 15 accounts of some individuals and companies for the alleged diversion of N19billion from the London-Paris loan refund.

    Besides, about $183,000 (N71, 370,000) of  the loan refund has been traced to a jeweller’s account in Dubai.

    The anti-graft agency is probing a former  Heritage Bank Executive Director Mr. Robert Mbonu, three aides of Senate President Bukola Saraki and three others on how N3.5billion was wired into some accounts. The cash is said to be part of the  N19billion allegedly diverted from the N522.74 billion initial refund to states.

    The others are Melrose General Services Limited, the Relationship Manager to the Senate President, Kathleen Erhimu, Obiora Amobi, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Senate President, Hon. Gbenga Peter Makanjuola, Mr. Kolawole Shittu and Oladapo Joseph Idowu.

    Mbonu is said to be one of the consultants engaged by the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF).

    These highlights are contained in a March 10, 2016 report, which has been submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The report got to the Presidency about five days before the Senate’s rejection of Acting EFCC Chairman  Ibrahim Magu’s second nomination.

    The report may have fuelled Magu’s rejection by the Senate because some of Saraki’s aides were implicated, a source close to the investigation said.

    An EFCC source said: “This agency has frozen more than 15 accounts used to divert the N19billion remitted into the account of the Nigerian Governors Forum(NGF).

    “Some of these accounts include those of Bureau De Change, companies, mortgage firms, and personal types.

    “We have been able to recover some money from these frozen accounts. Also, some bankers have made useful statements to this commission.”

    In a report to the presidency, the EFCC confirmed that it had traced $183,000 into the account of a Dubai jeweler.

    The EFCC report said in part: “Mr. Robert Mbonu is alleged to have received N3.5billion  into his company’s (Melrose General Services Limited’s) account from the NGF through Account 0005892453 domiciled in Access Bank.

    “Investigation revealed that one Kathleen Erhimu is the Relationship Manager to Dr. Bukola Saraki’s account with Access Bank.

    “That Saraki at a meeting introduced one Joseph Oladapo Idowu and Gbenga Peter Makanjuola to her and Hon. Makanjuola thereafter introduced Mr. Robert Mbonu to Ms Kathleen Erhimu.

    “That Mbonu operates an account , Melrose General Services with Access Bank Plc 0005892453 and 0005653500 which was up till 13th December a business account.

    “That Halima Kyari , the Head of Private Banking Group stated in a letter dated 13th December , 2016 , Mr. Robert Mbonu requested a transfer of Melrose General Services Company account from Business Account to a Private Banking Group Platform as he was expecting huge funds into the account.

    “Subsequently, on the 14th December , the sum of N3.5billion was lodged into Melrose General Services Company account number 0005892453 domiciled in Access Bank from the Nigerian Governors Forum(NGF).

    “That thereafter Mr. Obiora Amobi and Hon. Gbenga Makanjuola were introduced to Access Bank as representatives of Melrose General Services Limited by Robert Mbonu to enable them cash withdrawals from the account.

    “That one Oluyemi Braithwaite, the MD/ CEO of Reinex Bureau de Change, Caddington Capital Limited and Westgate Limited also manages a BDC stated to have known Mbonu as a client and he requested for dollars in exchange for the Naira equivalent which were to be handed over to one Mr. Gbenga in Abuja.

    “That Ms Oluyemi Braithwaite contacted one Hassan Dantani Abubakar, the owner of Hamma Procurement Limited, Ashrab Nigeria Limited and Insoire Solar Application to make available  the dollars based on the Naira equivalent  as transferred from Robert Mbonu who she had introduced via phone to Hassan Dantani.

    “That on 16th December 2016, Melrose General Services transferred the sum of N246million to Hamma Procurement First Bank Accouny No. 2030756168 in exchange for the sum of $500,000 which was handed to one Mr. Gbenga in Abuja who acknowledged receipt of the same amount.

    “That on the 21st Dec 2016, Ms Oluyemi Braithwaite contacted Hassan Dantani Abubakar, requesting for another transaction of $370,000. Melrose General Services Company transferred the sum of N181m to Inspire Solar Application. The $370,000 was handed over to one Mr. Dapo in Abuja.

    “That on the 4th of January 2017, Mbonu through Melrose General Services Company transferred the sum of N248, 500,000 to Caddington Capital Limited belonging to Ms Oluyemi Braithwaite who transferred same to Hassan Dantani Abubakar’s FCMB account, Ashrab Nigeria Limited for the sum of $500,000. The dollar equivalent was handed over to Mr. Kolawole Shittu in Abuja

    “That on the 10th of January 2017, Mr. Robert Mbonu through Melrose General Services Company transferred the sum of N99,820,000 to Caddington Capital Limited belonging to Ms. Oluyemi Braithwaite who transferred same to Hassan Dantani Abubakar’s FCMB Ashrab Nigeria Limited  for the sum of $200,000. The dollar equivalent was handed over to one Mr. Peter in Abuja.

    “That on the 19th December, there was a cash withdrawal of the sum of N50million from Melrose General Services account via cheque by Hon. Gbenga Peter Makanjuola.

    “Also, the sum of $1,570,000 was received by the trio of Mr. Gbenga Peter Makanjuola, Mr. Kolawole Shittu and Mr. Oladapo Joseph Idowu at various times and locations at Abuja FCT.

    “That on the 29th December, 2016, Mr. Robert Mbonu called Mrs. Kathleen Erhimu of Access Bank requesting her to source for a customer that would have the sum of $500,000 in exchange for the Naira equivalent. She introduced Mr. Robert Mbonu to Acarast Commercial Limited and Capital Field Investment to help him source for dollars.

    “That on the 21st December 2016, GCA Energy Limited paid the sum of $25,000 to Asterio Energy Services Limited which subsequently transferred the sum of $23,200 to Cactus Communication Limited account with Access Bank.

    “The MD of Sought-After  International Synergy Limited, Julius Okedele stated that Mr. Kelechi Edomobi of Acarast Commercial Enterprises contacted him and requested to purchase dollars after the transfer of N73,950,000 to Sought-After  International Synergy Limited. Mr. Edomobi gave him the account number of Cactus Communication Limited Access Bank as the nominated account to receive the dollar equivalent of the sum of $149,000.

    “Investigation further confirmed that Cactus Communication Limited  is owned and operated by Joseph Oladapo Idowu, an aide to Bukola Saraki.

    “That Mr. Kelechi Edomobi also transferred the sum of N1m on the 15th of January, 2017, to Joseph Oladapo Idowu’s personal account number 0001679877 with Access Bank Plc.

    “That Asterio Energy Services Limited on 21st and 22nd December, 2016, transferred $100,000 and $85,000 to Bhaskar Devji Jewellers LLC  in Dubai respectively the same company that Dr. Bukola Saraki repeatedly made transfer to from his Black Card Account.

    “That Cactus Communication Limited on 30th December, 2016, paid the sum of $59,,660.67 to Bhaskar Devji Jewellers LLC  in Dubai.

    “That Asterio Energy Services Limited on 20/1/2917, 30/1/2017 and 31/1/2017 transferred $46,000, $39,000 and $37,620 to Cactus Communication Limited.”

    “That Mr. Obiora Amobi and Gbenga Makanjuola made cash withdrawals of various tranches of N5 million and N10 million.

    “Based on the foregoing findings, it is clear that Robert Mbonu, the Managing Director of Melrose General Services Company and his company were used to help divert proceeds of unlawful activities under the guise of payment for contractual obligations with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum ( NGF).

    “Suffice to apprise that all payments received by Melrose General Services Company from the NGF have hitherto been diverted directly via cash withdrawals and indirectly through transfers by Hon. Gbenga Peter Makanjuola, Kolawole Shittu and Oladapo Joseph Idowu who are principal aides of the Senate President.

    “Furthermore, other payments from Melrose General Services Company has also been linked to companies that Dr. Bukola Saraki has interest in and carry out transactions with.

    “This includes the sum of $183,000 which was transferred to Bhaska Devji Jewellers, Dubai, a company Dr. Bukola Saraki had repeatedly made payments to.

    “Also, the sum of N200 million was transferred to Wasp Networks Limited that subsequently transferred the sum of N170 million to Xtract Energy Services Limited, a company that routinely made deposits into Dr. Bukola ‘s Access Bank United States Domicilliary Account.

    “A prima facie case of conspiracy to retain the proceeds of unlawful activities  and money laundering contrary to Sections 15(3) and 18(9) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2004 can be established against the aforementioned suspects.

    “Additionally, investigation into their personal accounts is ongoing.”

    From the initial tranche of ofN522.74 billion, about N19 billion was remitted by states into two accounts of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) as commission to consultants.

    But the commission was found out to have ended up in the accounts of some of the seven governors, some public officers and some individuals who had no business with the refunds.

    It was also learnt that some consultants engaged by the NGF and some states have not been paid by the governors.

    Besides locating the two accounts where the N19 billion was allegedly remitted into, the EFCC has interrogated more than four people involved in hiring of consultants and payment.

    Some states remitted as much as N600 million into NGF’s emergency accounts for the commission.

    It was learnt that the two NGF accounts were hurriedly opened in defiance of the agreement.

    According to findings, reports made available to presidency by the EFCC and other security agencies showed that the governors did not keep to the terms for the refund.

  • Two brothers ‘steal’ cash, jewellery worth N33m

    Two brothers ‘steal’ cash, jewellery worth N33m

    Two brothers Rafiu and Olalekan Sodiq were yesterday arraigned before an Ikorodu Magistrates’ Court for an alleged N33 million theft.

    The brothers, who are cleaners, allegedly broke into their client’s home and stole his money and properties valued at N33,010,000.

    Rafiu 29, of 23, Popoola Banjoko Street, Ifako and Olalekan, 22, of 21, Harmony Land, Agbede, Ikorodu, were arraigned before Mrs A. O. Komolafe on a four-count charge of conspiracy, unlawful breaking, entering and stealing.

     Prosecuting Inspector Abbass Abayomi told the court that the defendants and others at large commited the offences at about 7:30pm, between last December 22 and January 31, at 8, Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

     The defendants pleaded not guilty.

     Responding to a question from the magistrate, Abayomi said the siblings were employees of a cleaning firm who were assigned to clean the home of a client, Mr Eke U. Eke, in Ikoyi, last December.

     After finishing their work, the brothers, he said, left Eke’s house through the back door.

     ”They pretended to lock the door, but wedged it with a piece of paper so that it was not properly shut,” Abayomi said.

     He alleged that they and their accomplices returned to the house from December 22 and stole money in various currencies as well as other valuables.

     The stolen items, he said, comprised gold and diamond jewellery valued at N20,000,000, seven ‘fashion belts’ valued at N2,450,000, two wristwatches valued at N1,200,000 and two Jimmy Choo handbags valued at N2,000,000.

     Other stolen items are $5,000 equivalent to N2,500,000, £1000 equivalent to N625,000, three iPads valued at N1,350,000 and two Bluetooth Speakers valued at N350,000, all properties of Eke.

     The total value of the properties, Abayomi added, was N33,010,000.

     Magistrate Komolafe granted the defendants N5million bail with two sureties each in the like sum.

     The sureties must be their relations and property owners. They are also to show evidence of three years tax payment.

     The case was adjourned till March 28.

  • We found $1m in Badeh’s wardrobe — witness

    We found $1m in Badeh’s wardrobe — witness

    A Prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of ex- Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh on Tuesday told the Federal High Court, Abuja that his team recovered one million dollar cash from Badeh’s house.

    Mr Goji Mohammed, the 15th witness to testify in Badeh’s trial, said he was part of the EFCC team, led by Mr Isyaku Sharu, that conducted the search in Badeh’s house in Asokoro, Abuja.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ex-Chief of Defence Staff is standing trial on money laundering offence he allegedly committed while serving as Chief of Air Staff.

    The witness also said the team recovered some bank documents, land documents, tax documents and few other instruments.

    Mohammed further said the commission received intelligence report on another property located at No. 6 Ogun River Street Maitama, which was  found to be Badeh’s property.

    He said they  accessed the building through the balcony by climbing, adding that they invited the security man of the neigbouring house to witness the search.

    “When we climbed in, we were in the living area upstairs so we used the stairs and went to the living area downstairs and started our search from there.

    “ When we got to the biggest room in the house, we saw a wardrobe, on opening it, we saw a bag and on opening it contained foreign currency.

    “We saw 16 bundles of 50 US dollars notes and two sealed bundles containing 100,000 US dollars which we estimated to amount one million US dollars.

    “On further counting the money in our office we discovered it was exactly one million dollars,’’ he said.

    He said they also found a red box which he could not precisely remember what was inside, adding that they also found two way bills of furniture supplied to the building.

    When the prosecution sought to tender the search warrant, the red box and the way bill as evidence, the move was objected to by the defence team.

    Mr Lasun Sanusi (SAN), counsel for the defendant objected to the admissibility of the items, saying they were purportedly obtained from an illegal search.

    Sanusi cited Section 115 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, which states that the occupant of a place searched or a relation shall be at the house and see the items seized.

    He said no provisions of law permitted state security agents to conduct search by looking for strangers on the street to witness it.

    Sanusi said the law gave the owner of the property the impetus to nominate a representative to witness such search if he or she could not be present.

    “My Lord, the witness had earlier confirmed that when they were to conduct search on the defendant’s house at Asokoro, they took him along to witness the search, why was this other one different.

    “It is on record that the defendant was still in detention when the purported search was done in his house at Maitama which is a clear violation of the law.

    “My Lord, we are not against the court admitting the search warrant as evidence but we vehemently oppose to the admissibility of the other items,’’ he said.

    On his part, the Prosecution Counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), argued that Section 149 and 150 of ACJA which deals with house search warrant permitted the presence of two witnesses.

    “This permission covers the person to whom the warrant is addressed and a neighbour within the neighbourhood the property is located,’’ he said.

    According to him, the provision allows the person to whom warrant is addressed to look for a witness in the neighbourhood.

    He, therefore, argued that no provision of the law compelled the property owner to be present before a search warrant can be executed.

    Justice Okon Abang, however, adjourned the matter till Feb. 22 for continuation.(NAN)

  • Best WASSCE student gets cash, schorlarship

    Best WASSCE student gets cash, schorlarship

    The overall best student in West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in 2015, David Babalola, has been honoured by the newly inaugurated School Governing Board (SGB), of Jericho High School, Ibadan.

    The Chairman of SGB, Jericho High School, Michael Ale,  presented N100,000 to Babalola, who is  studying Medicine at the University of Ibadan (UI).

    Babalola, who was also presented a cheque of N250,000 by Oyo State Govawarded a scholarship throughout the rest of his studies in UI.

    Ale, who is also the National President of Association of Water Well Drilling Rig Owners & Practitioners (AWDROP, said: “The more you encourage a child, the more he grows in knowledge, urging parents and guardians to tutor their children into excellence.”

    On his new appointment, he said: “As it is clearly stated in our letter of appointment not to meddle with the school law or the school education policy, but it’s for us to go through the policy that has been carefully selected.

    “I am very ready to use my acumen as a development practitioner, as a project manager to see beyond now. We shall look beyond now to five years to see that we bring value that is necessary, the value that we expected in a public school that will look more like private settings, especially my Alma Mata. Jericho High School brought me up to this level, it invested in me and has done a lot for me in the area of education, social interaction, ethics and moral value.

    “We will ensure that will turn the face of education around in the school from the area of decadence, and we will inculcate morals in the student. Within the next two years they will experience great transformation especially in the performance of the student and I can say very clearly that students can’t perform without teachers, so we are going to start our repositioning from the teachers. Teachers too cannot perform without an enabling environment, which we are going to start from an enabling environment, there cannot be an enabling environment without a cash support, so we are going to have a cash support, we cannot have a cash support relying on the government alone, there is going to be a kind of innovative way to be sponsored from the private sector, lobbying, and others to ensure that we have a type of school that we all wish.”

    Ale further note that he will not work on Jericho High School alone, but will collaborate with other schools and learn from their own way, copy and imitate good things from them.

    Babalola thanked Ale for his  donation, adding that it would prompt him to perform better.

    “I am able to be where I am today with the hekp of God, my parents and teachers who stood by me and discipline me when necessary. I will never disappoint you but will do more to achieve another feat,” he said

  • Access Bank Lagos City Marathon: Army contingent gets promotion, cash

    Access Bank Lagos City Marathon: Army contingent gets promotion, cash

    The Nigerian Army contingent at the just concluded Access Bank Lagos City Marathon 2017, has been rewarded with promotions and cash prize of N150,000 each.

    The Army team surpassed its performance in the  last edition in an event that featured world class marathoners  and accomplished athletes.

    The Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Usman, said in a statement that  in  view of the achievement, and to encourage them, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai, has directed their elevation to the next higher rank respectively and donation of cash gift of N150,000 to each of the athletes.

    Usman said: “This year, the first soldier to arrive,  Private Auwal Hudu,  came 10th overall,  within 2hrs 45mins, while Private Raymond Nanribet took 12th position and arrived within 2hrs 46mins. Private  Sanusi Husamat was number 13 and has the timing of 2hrs 48mins. Private Danjuma Stephen took 14th position and arrived within 2hrs, 56mins.

    “Others were Private Gyang Dalyop, who was  15th position overall, and  within 2hrs 58mins, Lance Corporal  Gyang Yakubu, 17th position within 2hrs 59mins and Private  Muplang Luwadet was 18th person to arrive  within 3hrs 3mins.

    “Among the female fielded athletes,  Private  Hannah Adewale was the first to arrive and took 8th position among all the female marathoners with a timing of 3hrs 52mins, while  Private  Naomi Yunana was number 9th, with a timing of 3hrs 56mins, Corporal  Eunice Waje came 10th and made it within 3hrs 58mins, while Private  Lange Rose took 11th position overall with a timing of 3hrs 59mins.”

  • Airlines unable to repatriate ticketing cash from Nigeria, others

    Airlines are complaining that dollar scarcity has made it difficult for them to repatriate ticketing cash from Nigeria, Egypt, among other countries.

    Ethiopian Airlines yesterday said it could not get cash out from some African countries, lamenting that it was unable to repatriate about $220 million held in local currency in Nigeria, Egypt and some other African countries because of foreign exchange shortages in the countries.

    Its Chief Executive, Tewolde Gebremariam, told Reuters that this was partly because countries, such as Nigeria, had been hit by recent falls in oil prices, which was reducing foreign exchange inflows. This also meant cash held in the local currencies was losing value, he said. “This is a huge challenge for us,” the CEO added.

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA)  last June, following the introduction of flexible foreign exchange policy.