Majestic Grace Embassy International, Tenidire – Sango Ota, Ogun State will from Monday, March 25, 2024 begin its annual seven days of ‘The God of Performance’ crusade in Ifo and Sango – Ota, Ogun State. (more…)
Month: March 2024
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Sanwo-Olu, Anyaoku, Adebanjo, others reiterate call for new constitution
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Monday joined former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku; Afenifere chieftain, Pa. Ayo Adebanjo, members of the National Assembly, former governors and eminent national leaders to demand for a new Nigerian Constitution that would reflect true federalism and address the problem of the country. (more…)
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Ogun’s N5bn intervention palliative impacting lives of residents –Akinmade
The N5 billion Ogun State Intervention Palliative meant to cushion the impact of the current economic challenges in the country is having direct impacts on the people of the Gateway State. (more…)
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Lagos govt arrests 63 for crossing highways, illegal trading
The Lagos State Government under the operatives of Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) popularly called KAI, arrested 63 persons for crossing the highways and illegal street trading. (more…)
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Alleged arms deal: EFCC re-arraigns Ex-PDP chair, Bello Mohammed
Flowerbudnews
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, re-arraigned former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Chairman, Bello Mohammed, at a Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja.
Mohammed was re-arraigned before Justice Peter Lifu on a four-count charge bordering on his alleged role in the diversion of funds meant for the procurement of arms through the office of the ex-National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki.
He was arraigned alongside his company, Bam Projects and Properties Ltd, for alleged criminal breach of trust and money laundering.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dasuki served as NSA during former President Goodluck Jonathan government.
While the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN) is the complainant in the amended charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/389/2015, Bam Projects and Properties Ltd and Bello Haliru Mohammed are 1st and 2nd defendants.
The amended charge was dated and filed on March 18 by the anti-graft counsel, Rotimi Jacobs SAN.
When the matter was called on Monday, lawyer who appeared for EFCC, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, told the court that the matter was for the defendants to take their plea and that he was ready to proceed.
He said an amended charge had been filed and the defence had been served.
Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, the defendants’ lawyer, confirmed the receipt of the amended charge.
After the charge was read to the defendants, they pleaded not guilty to all the counts and Atolagbe applied for trial date.
Agabi, however, prayed the court to allow Mohammed continue on existing bail granted by Justice Ahmed Mohammed.
The senior lawyer said that Mohammed did not flout the earlier bail conditions granted him and that he would not jump bail.
Although Atolagbe did not oppose Agabi’s application, he however argued that his bail was once revoked for breaching the terms.
Justice Lifu, who admitted Mohammed to the bail earlier granted by a sister court, adjourned the matter until May 7 and May 8 for trial.
In count one, the company, the ex-PDP chair and his son, Bello Abba Mohammed (now deceased), was accused to have taken possession of the sum of N300 million paid into the account of Bam Project and Properties Ltd with Sterling Bank Plc from the account of the office of the NSA with the Central Bank of Nigeria on or about March 17, 2015.
The EFCC alleged that the funds formed part of the proceed of an unlawful activity of Col. Dasuki (rtd.) and that the offence is contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended in 2012) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
NAN reports that Mohammed was earlier arraigned before Justice Mohammed of FHC in Abuja on Jan. 5, 2016 and was granted bail on Jan. 7, 2016.
Although the matter had reached advanced stage, Justice Mohammed was however elevated to the Court of Appeal recently, making the case to start denovo (afresh).(NAN)(www.mamnews.ng)
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Delta Motorcyclists Protest Colleagues’ Alleged Killing By Task Force
Major roads and markets in Asaba and Okpanam in the Oshimili South and Oshimili North Local Government Areas of Delta State were, on Monday, taken over by aggrieved motorcycle riders protesting the death of their colleagues.
Eyewitness said the group of motorcycle riders took the streets in anger, destroying properties.
Businesses around the popular Midwifery market in Okpanam and the Delta State Post Primary Education Board along Summit Road Asaba were also attacked by the protesters.
According to the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, two motorcycle riders died on Sunday during an enforcement by the State Task Force.
The police spokesman also said that some police officers have been deployed to quell the protest.
“There was a violent protest this morning by Okada riders who had issue last night with the state task force that led to the death of two persons.
“They mobilised in the their numbers this morning destroying properties and beating people, hence our men were deployed to control the situation before it turns to something else,” Edafe wrote in a post on his X handle.
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Court orders Binance to release data of Nigerian users to EFCC
Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered Binance Holdings Limited to provide the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission with comprehensive information on all persons from Nigeria trading on its platform.
The court handed down the order in an ex-parte motion filed by the EFCC demanding information about Nigerians trading on Binance.
The suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/259/2024 and dated February 29 according to the anti-graft agency was brought pursuant to Sections 6(b), (h), (I), 7(1), (a)(2), and 38 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Establishment Act, 2004 and Section 15 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 (as amended).
In the affidavit in support of the motion deposed to by an operative of the EFCC, Hamma Bello, he stated that the Special Investigation Team of the commission domiciled in the Office of the National Security Adviser received intelligence that money laundering and terrorism financing was carried out on Binance.
He said, “The Special Investigation Team of the commission domiciled in the Office of the National Security Adviser received an intelligence stating the nefarious activities (money laundering and terrorism financing) on Binance, a cryptocurrency exchange platform.
“That on receipt of the intelligence, the team began an investigation by conducting surveillance of the activities of the platform.
“The team uncovered users who have been using the platform for price discovery, confirmation, and market manipulation, which has caused tremendous distortions in the market, resulting in the Naira losing its value against other currencies”.
Bello also said the team uncovered some users whose activities on Binance resulted in the country’s currency losing its value against other currencies.
He said, “That the team uncovered users who have been using the platform for price discovery, confirmation and market manipulation which has caused tremendous distortions in the market, resulting in the Naira losing its values against other currencies.
“That the damage the platform has caused was clearly explained to the operators of the platform, and they were requested to delist the Naira and avail the ONSA on the activities of the Nigerians on their platform.
That from the information afforded to the team by Binance shows trading volume from Nigeria in 2023 alone stood at $21.6bn.
“Attached and marked as Exhibit EFCC 1 is a copy of the document from Binance to the ONSA stating this fact amongst others.
“That the commission will ensure that investigation is conducted within such reasonable time,”
Bello stated that the requested data would help the commission complete its investigation.
According to a certified true copy of the ruling, which was delivered on February 29 but sighted by journalists on Monday, Justice Emeka Nwite granted the interim order.
Nwite said, “The applicant’s application dated and filed 29th February 2024 is hereby granted as prayed.
an order of this honourable court is hereby made directing the operators of Binance to provide the commission with comprehensive data/information relating to all persons from Nigeria trading on its platform.”
Binance is an online exchange where users can trade cryptocurrencies.
The Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, at a press briefing after the 293rd meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee in Abuja on February, disclosed that more than $26bn was channelled through Binance without traces in the last one year.
Financial Times had on February 28 reported that two executives of the company were arrested and detained after they flew into the country as a result of a ban on their website.
On March 12, 2024, the FT reported that the EFCC asked Binance to share data on its 100 top users in Nigeria as well as all transaction history for the past six months.
According to the report, the request is at the centre of negotiations between Binance and Nigeria.
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JUST IN: Soldiers bar journalists as Delta gov visits troubled community
Four days after the killings of military officers and civilians in the Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, on Monday, visited the troubled community to assess the extent of the destruction.
The military Joint Task Force, however, barred journalists from covering the governor’s assessment tour of the troubled community.
The JTF operatives barricaded the major entries to Okuama with an armoured personnel carrier tank, thus preventing vehicular and human traffic, including media men, from gaining access to the community.
But Oborevwori, who was received by the leader of the military JTF, General Officer Commanding 6 Division Nigeria Army, Major General Jamaal Abdulsalam.
They went for a closed-door meeting that lasted for about one hour.
Details later…
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Terrorists storm Kaduna in fresh attack, abduct 87
Terrorists abducted no fewer than 87 women, children, and others in a fresh attack on the Kajuru Station community in Kaduna State on Sunday night.
The community has been thrown into confusion and fear. Some residents were seen today, Monday, relocating due to fear of further attacks.
By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo
Terrorists abducted no fewer than 87 women, children, and others in a fresh attack on the Kajuru Station community in Kaduna State on Sunday night.
The community has been thrown into confusion and fear. Some residents were seen today, Monday, relocating due to fear of further attacks.
Kajuru has suffered several attacks in recent times, and some locals are still in captivity.
Speaking to journalists, an official of the Kaduna Kajuru-Station Youths, Harisu Dari, said the terrorists attacked at about 10 p.m. on Sunday.
He said they broke into some shops to steal food and other provisions.
According to Dari, “Two days ago, 15 women and a man were abducted in the Dogon-Noma community of Kajuru.
“For now, there is no contact yet with the 87 persons abducted on Sunday night.
“As of the time I visited the community this morning, security operatives have not been drafted to help restore the confidence of the villagers.
“The villagers are traumatised by the sad development. The government needs to re-strategise in tackling these terrorists,” Dari said.
Kaduna attacks
Kaduna has become a huge scene of kidnappings of recent.
On Thursday, March 7, the bandits invaded LEA Primary School, Kuriga, in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The terrorists shot one of the pupils and escaped into the bush with over 200 others. Among the victims were some secondary school students, and staff members.
Kidnappers of the Kaduna schoolchildren later contacted a spokesman for the families of the hostages. The Kaduna terrorists demanded N1 billion for the students’ release.
Meanwhile, last Friday, Kaduna Police Command claimed it arrested a 35-year-old man (name withheld), over alleged kidnapping in the state.
The Police also said they recovered arms and ammunition in a raid conducted at the suspects’ residence.
What they recovered, Police said, were a fabricated cartridge revolver rifle, a fabricated pistol, two Dane guns, six live cartridges, one discharge GPRG ammunition, seven discharge cartridges, and a blood-stained cutlass.
Gumi…
Earlier, last Thursday, while reacting to the kidnappings, controversial Islamic cleric, Sheik Ahmad Gumi, faulted the Federal Government on the continued use of force to secure the release of victims.
He especially mentioned the case of the over 200 pupils and teachers recently abducted from LEA Primary School.
Also, Gumi said the government ought to go closer to the bandits, study them, and provide them with better living conditions.
Gumi’s words: “You need a programme just like the Niger Delta (amnesty programme)… which will bring them out of their forests.
“Educate them, give them healthcare, give them a peaceful life. This is how you entice people to abandon violence and militancy.
“But when you continue dropping bombs, they will find no sympathy and empathy for our children. This is it. An eye for an eye.
“This is what is happening. So, we have to change our tactics, we have to change our styles.”