Tag: suspended

Over N800 million fraud has been uncovered at the Ondo State Ministry of Education, it was learnt.

Sources said 10 officials allegedly linked with the fraud have been suspended.

It was gathered that the money, which was part of the ministry’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), was earmarked for the placement examination for public primary schools and purchase of shuttle buses to convey pupils to school.

Concerned indigenes have urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the fraud and prosecute the perpetrators.

The panel that investigated the fraud recommended that besides the 10 suspended officials, the Permanent Secretary and 10 Area Education Officers (AEOs) should also be suspended.

Sources said two of the officers earlier suspended provided information that more officials in the ministry were involved in the fraud.

The accused officers allegedly opened secret accounts with two new generation banks in Akure, the state capital, which they used to siphon the money.

The alleged fraud was discovered during a retreat organised by the state government for top officials in ministries and corporations at the National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) in Ondo, where Governor Olusegun Mimiko directed that the AEO in Ondo West Local Government should be summoned to shed more light on the issue.

The demarcation of the maritime boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon, which was to be carried out by members of the Joint Technical Team comprising the United Nations (UN) and officials of the two countries, have been suspended, it was learnt yesterday.

The officials, who were in Ikang on Wednesday to proceed to the ceded Bakassi Peninsula, were stopped by protesting youths.

Yesterday, the Coordinator of the Save Bakassi Group, Mr. Maurice Ekong, led another group of protesters to the Pyramid Hotel in Calabar, where the officials were lodged, to lay their complaint.

After some tense moments in which heavily armed policemen were invited, Ekong and another leader of the group, Ani Esin, were called into the hotel to speak with the officials.

Although members of the team evaded reporters, Ekong said the outcome of the meeting was “favourable”.

He said: “The leader of the delegation assured us that the demarcation stands suspended and asked us to forward the letter with our position to them for delivery to the UN.

“It is baffling why the UN is in a hurry to demarcate Nigeria and Cameroon when Nigerians have made it clear that there are still cases of extrajudicial killings and incarcerations in Bakassi Peninsula.”

THE People Democratic Party (PDP) has replaced its suspended national vice-chairman, North East, Girigiri Lawal, with a former member of the House of Representatives, Mohammed Wakil.

Lawal was suspended a few weeks ago by the party’s national leadership for allegedly flouting provisions of the party constitution and directives from the leadership of the party.

A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, yesterday directed party officials to comply with provisions of the party’s constitution with regard to the submission of names for election into public offices.

The statement called on the National Working Committee members, state governors, zonal officers as well as state chairmen and secretaries to always comply with Section 50 of the party’s constitution.

ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun at the weekend said the Olu of Itori, Oba Abdulfatai Akamo, remains suspended pending the government’s fight decision on the report of the panel set up to look into the allegation of “public brawl” involving Akamo and the Baale of Lapeleke, Chief Gabriel Akinremi, on October 1.

Amosun spoke with reporters in his office in Abeokuta, the state capital. He said the suspension would enable the panel perform its function.

The governor said Akamo’s fate would be decided by the government in conjunction with the state’s Council of Chiefs.

Akamo and Akinremi were said to have fought in Itori on October 1 and this prompted the state government to set up a one-man panel (Alhaji Samodu Adegbadun) to “look into the immediate and remote causes of the quarrel”.

Adegbadun was supposed to submit his report last Monday.

But the Olu Itori-in-Council, the highest traditional decision making body in Itoriland, insisted that Akamo did not fight with Akinremi.

They said the story was being spread by the monarch’s detractors.

They said: “Our Oba cannot fight, let alone doing it in public. It is so ridiculous that some people could come out with that kind of story.”

They said the “purported people of Onigbedu”, who protested at the Governor’s Office and demanded Akamo’s removal, were hired.

The Balogun of Itori, Chief Tajudeen Salawu, who spoke on behalf of the chiefs, said: “Why would the people from Onigbedu want the Olu of Itori removed from office, when Itori are not complaining?

“What is the connection between Onigbedu and Itori? Why should some people say because the Oba of Onigbedu is not giving them money so they should remove the Olu of Itori? If a tree falls in the forest, it does not kill someone at home. It can only kill someone in the forest. We, the people of Itori, are solidly behind our Oba.

“The protesters, who claimed to be from Onigbedu, were Egun and Igede people from Benue State. All that is being said about our Oba engaging in a brawl is false.

“This is what really happened. Kabiyesi shares the same birthday with Nigeria. He was born on October 1, 1960 and he celebrated his 52nd birthday on October 1. Over 400 guests came to celebrate with him and while the guests were preparing to go to their hotels, someone alerted Kabiyesi that the Oro cult had come out without his knowledge and was blocking the way to the hotels.

“If Oro wants to come out, why should it go and stay on the way to the hotels where guests lodged? Is Oro a lodger in those hotels? When Kabiyesi discovered those responsible for the development, he took the two of them to the police station.

“Later at the Police Station, somebody came out and said he was a Baale and was arguing with Kabiyesi and that was all. The following day, he went to town saying Kabiyesi slapped him and he slapped him back. Is it possible for Kabiyesi and the Baale to be fighting at the station and the Divisional Police Officer and his men would just be watching them?”