Emefiele Not Owner Of Firm That Awarded N1.2bn Contract – Witness 

The first prosecution witness, Samsideen Romanus, in the trial of the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, exonerated him of wrong doings in the Award of N1.2bn vehicle supply contracts by CBN under him. In his testimonial, an official of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) gave evidence on how the company, April1616 Investment Limited, was incorporated on August 1, 2016 and tendered several documents on how the company was floated. Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Emefiele on six counts charge bordering on alleged breach of procurement procedure in the award of the contract to April1616 Investment Limited. According to the witness, the shareholders of the Company are Aminu Idris Yaro, Maryam Aliyu Abdullahi and Saadatu Ramalan Yaro as joint owners of the entity. Led in evidence by the counsel to the Anti-graft agency, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, the witness said that Emefiele’s name was not in anyway connected with the company. The second witness, Remigious Ugwu, a Compliance Officer with Zenith Bank told the on how various sums of money in millions of naira were paid by the CBN into the April1616 Investment Limited. Specifically, he told Justice Hamza Missing how on October 19, 2020, a sum of N39, 060, 465. another N421, 953, 488 on November 6, 2020 and and the third one N304, 883, 720 was paid on November 23, 2020 to the same company by CBN. Similarly, he said that N304, 883, 720 was paid on January 1, 2021 and another N304, 883, 720 paid the same company on March 23, 2021 by the Central Bank of Nigeria. He admitted that non of the payments has any link Emefiele’s name while also that he did not know the purpose of the payments. The witness who tendered various documents on behalf of the bank said that the former CBN governor was not a signatory to the bank account of the company. The third witness, Oluwole Owoeye, a Deputy Director, Banking Services with CBN and former Secretary to Major Contract Tendering Committee MCTC of the CBN said that his body was responsible for ensuring of compliance with Procurement Act told the court by CBN in the award of contracts. Owoeye however informed the court that his committee was not involved in the vetting of bidding for the award of contracts that led to prosecution of Emefiele. The witness explained that another committee handled the bidding because it was above the thresholds of his own Committee “My Lord, all I know is through our records is that contracts for award of vehicle supplies were awarded to April1616 but I cannot say whether the contracts were executed or paid for because my Committee played no role”. He admitted that MCTC and Procurement Department were fully functional while Emefiele held sway as CBN governor.  Meanwhile, further trial has been adjourned till January 18 and 19 next year. The former CBN Chief was accused of conferring corrupt advantages on a staff of CBN, Mrs Saadat Ramallan Yaro through awards of vehicle supply contracts worth over N1.2 bn contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act 2000. He had denied the six count criminal charges.

Army Debunks CDS Christopher Musa’s Death Rumours

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has vehemently denied a report claiming the demise of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Christopher Musa.  In a statement released on Tuesday, DHQ clarified that General Musa is alive, in good health, and recently returned from an official assignment overseas. Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, Director of Defence Information, emphasized that the report alleging the death of the CDS is entirely unfounded and lacks credibility.  He further highlighted that the platform responsible for the initial publication has retracted the story and extended apologies to General Musa, his family, and the Nigerian Armed Forces. “The attention of the Defence Headquarters has been drawn to an unfortunate publication by an online newspaper alleging that the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa passed away yesterday,” the statement read.  “The report is unfortunate, unethical and lacks credibility.” The DHQ reaffirmed General Musa’s well-being, stating, “To put the records straight, the CDS, General CG Musa is alive and hearty. The Chief of Defence Staff who just returned from an official assignment outside the country has resumed work with more vigour to continue with his uncommon leadership style to prosper the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”

Gov Alia Wasn’t Stoned By Youths, Benue Govt Debunks Reports

The Benue State government has denied allegations that youths threw objects at Governor Hyacinth Alia during his visit to Vaatia College in Makurdi.  Reports had emerged on Wednesday that youths stoned the governor while protesting over plans to bury their proprietor within the school premises in their community. The proprietor, Engr Vaatia, who died two days ago, was buried today. Sir Kula Tersoo, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, labeled the reports as untrue and aimed at tarnishing the governor’s image. Tersoo clarified that the governor’s purpose at Vaatia College was to address incidents of vandalism and theft, directing authorities to apprehend those responsible.  He emphasized that Governor Alia’s visit was uninterrupted, highlighting the governor’s track record of moving around the state without harassment. In urging media professionals to verify news sources before publication, Tersoo emphasized the need for accuracy and investigative reporting.  He condemned the “ill-intended” nature of the reports and stressed the importance of ensuring the truthfulness of news before dissemination.

I Didn’t Issue Quit Notice To Hausa Traders In Abia- Gov Otti

The Abia State government has refuted claims that it instructed Northern cattle dealers at Lokpanta Market in Umunneochi Local Government Area to relocate to the North.  Earlier reports suggested that traders in the market had appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene and prevent their eviction from Lokpanta market by the Abia State government. These traders asserted that Governor Alex Otti’s administration had given them a two-week notice to vacate the market. However, Navy Commander MacDonald Ubah (retd.), the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, addressed the media in Umuahia and categorically dismissed these claims as baseless and malicious. Ubah clarified that the government had only implemented a policy to change the operational hours of the cattle market. Instead of being a residential area, it would now operate daily.  He accused those circulating the rumor of distorting the government’s straightforward directive to create confusion and tarnish the reputation of Governor Alex Otti’s administration. He explained that the governor had never issued an order for Northerners to leave the cattle market but had simply decided that the market would no longer function at night due to security concerns.  The decision was a response to the area’s history as a hotspot for criminal activities. Ubah elaborated, “Three weeks ago, we took deliberate and measured actions in response to persistent reports of kidnappings in the Uturu-Umunneochi axis. During our operations, we discovered shanty brothels with over 160 rooms. These were identified and demolished, and we confiscated millions of Naira suspected to be proceeds from kidnapping.” “Criminal elements had turned the median of the Expressway into a parking lot, creating artificial traffic congestion and using the opportunity to alert their fellow gang members about the approach of their victims. We made arrests, and investigations are ongoing. Our plan is to make the market a daily one, like any other market in the state. It is impossible to attract development to an area plagued by kidnapping, armed robbery, and other security issues.” He noted that the cattle market, once a place for peaceful cattle trade, had transformed into a hub for criminals, rogues, and kidnappers. It had relocated from the Garki area, now the site of the ShopRite, to Ubakala, and then to Okigwe in Imo State.

IReV Not An Election Result Collation System -INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says its results viewing portal is to enhance election transparency and not a result collation or transmission system. The INEC Director of ICT, Paul Omokore, gave the clarification in his presentation titled: “The role of BVAS, IReV for Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo Governorship elections” at a two-day capacity workshop for journalists on Monday in Akwanga, Nasarawa State. Omokore advised journalists and members of the public not to confuse uploading of PU results to INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) with electronic transmission of results. He said that INEC Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is only used to upload pictures of PUs results on form EC8A to IReV, which does not translate to electronic transmission of results. “Form EC8A is the result that we collated at the PUs. We use BVAS to snap this form and upload the same thing to the IReV portal for public viewing. “This is not a collecting system. It does not tally a system. What it does is to snap the EC8A which is the result at the polling unit and upload the same to the public view. That is all. “I know that 70 per cent of the populace think that the others have collected the figures. No. “All what it does is snapping the EC8A that the presiding officers have collected all the scores of the parties, signed and stamped and then sends this same picture to the IReV for public viewing. That is all. So it is not a collecting system,” he said. Omokore said that from inception of elections in Nigeria, results were transmitted manually, from the PUs to the collation centres. He said that technology deployment had proven to be an effective tool in achieving free, fair and credible elections. He said that while challenges were eminent, INEC had put in extra efforts to ensure that they were mitigated. “The role of BVAS is to ensure one-person-one-vote. “The role of the IReV Portal is to improve the openness and credibility of our elections,” he said. Ezenwa Nwagwu, who is also the Chairman, Partners for Electoral Reform, in his lecture titled: “Ethical Dilemma in Election Reporting: Navigating Bias, Balance and Promoting Transparency” urged journalists to uphold accuracy reporting. He said that the core issues in election reporting are Independence, unbiased and accuracy report by the media. “Accurate and transparent report is the only cure for fake news, which is the responsibility of the media,” Nwagu said. He advised the media to always investigate reasons behind some news being presented to the media by people with biased minds on electoral process and balance it with what the provision of the laws.

Theft Reports Of Railway Coaches In Maiduguri False, Clarifies NRC

The Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) has vehemently denied recent claims of an attempted theft of railway coaches in Maiduguri, Borno State. Mr. Fidet Okhiria, the Managing Director of NRC, issued an official statement to address this issue. In his statement, Okhiria clarified that the coaches in question were being relocated to the NRC running shed in Jos, Plateau, as part of a legitimate maintenance and refurbishment process to enhance their operational efficiency. He emphasized that the NRC is actively working on expanding Rail Mass Transit services across the nation. The reports circulating on social media regarding the alleged theft of NRC coaches led to concerns about security and infrastructure management in Nigeria. However, NRC has affirmed that the situation was misreported, and the coaches were undergoing necessary maintenance, not being stolen.

FG Denies N50bn Plea Bargain With Emefiele

The Federal Government on Sunday, distanced itself from a purported N50 billion planned non-prosecution plea bargain with the embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele. The detained ex CBN Boss was reported to have entered into a plea bargain with government on condition of surrendering N50b to facilitate his early release from the custody of the Department of the State Service DSS and cancelling his trial on charges comprising money laundering, breach of Public Procurement Act and abuse of office. However, on Sunday, the Attorney General of the Federation AGF and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi said neither his office or the Presidency have had anything of such nature with Emefiele. The position of the Federal Government was made public in a statement by the Director of Information in the Federal Ministry of Justice Mrs Modupe Ogundoro. The statement reads in part: “The attention of the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has  been drawn to a report by Sahara Reporters alleging that the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele and the Federal Government of Nigeria, have agreed to a non-prosecution plea bargain arrangement. “The report further alleges that Mr. Godwin Emefiele and the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, have signed a non-prosecution plea bargain agreement and that the agreement is awaiting the signature of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,  “The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice hereby states clearly that these reports are completely false.  “It would be noted that the legal team representing Mr. Godwin Emefiele had expressed their intention in court at the last hearing to initiate a plea bargain  arrangement.  “However, no such arrangement has been reached with Mr. Godwin Emefiele or his  representatives. “We wish to advise the media and members of the public to kindly disregard the said false report.  “The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice will continue to take all actions in the interest of the Nigerian public,” Fagbemi assured.

Stella Oketete not under our investigation- Code of Conduct Bureau

The Code of Conduct Bureau has denied reports making the rounds in some online media platforms that the Executive Director of NEXIM Bank, Stella Erhuvwu Oketete is under investigation by the Bureau. In a statement signed by the Director Investigation and Monitoring, Gwimi S.P. on behalf of the Chairman of the Bureau, and made available to the media, he noted that the information did not in any way emanate from their office, and as such, advised the general public to disregard the information. “The attention of the Code of Conduct Bureau, (CCB) has been drawn to the nefarious and deceptive letter with Ref No. CCB/HQ/11&M/NB/099 dated 21st March 2023 purported to have emanated from the Bureau on the above-named Public Officer being investigated by the Bureau in an online media, particularly published by the Sahara Reporters on the 29th July 2023. “The Code of Conduct Bureau wishes to state clearly that it has no hand in the information in circulation, as such the general public should disregard the letter and it’s content,” the statement said. NIGERIAN ANCHOR had reported that an Abuja-based human rights lawyer, Oladotun Hassan, asked the Nigerian Senate to disqualify one of the ministerial nominees, Stella Okotete, over allegations of corruption. Read more.. Similarly, the Nigeria Police Force also ordered a discreet investigation of Okotete over alleged falsification of documents and monumental fraud. The human rights lawyer ordered a proper investigation over the alleged use of various front companies as proxies to defraud banks of billions of naira and dollars. The petition called for a reversal of Okotete’s appointment, stating that she was not qualified to hold such a position. “Predicated upon our demand for the independent and conscientious thorough background investigation and profiling of the culprit’s academic credentials and sequence of events as stated in her unsubstantiated and ridiculously padded CV as follows: “To investigate her academic profile as regards her school’s records of exams, school fees payments and NYSC certificate, as well allowance payments during years of service. “To investigate her disqualification by the Senate and her noncompliance to Senate resolution and ruling is highly contemptuous and disobedience to the constituted authority of Senate,” the petition partly read. The Nigeria Police Force investigation order followed a petition by Barrister Aare Oladotun Hassan Esq of Juryman Associate Chambers against the ministerial nominee to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over alleged falsification of documents, fraudulent misrepresentation of qualification to hold Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN’s) statutory position, corrupt practice, monumental fraud and misappropriation. The lawyer in had in April, written a petition to the National Assembly through Akinyelure, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition to look into the issue of the Executive Director of Nexim Bank.