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NCDC: Akpabio Opens Up On Alleged $5m Bribe To Malami Over NDDC

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Godswill Akpabio, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, has reacted to reports of him paying $5million bribe to the Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami.

Akpabio has threatened to take legal action over the report he calls “fake news” which claimed that he paid $5 million bribe to the Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami and others to secure the appointment of a sole administrator for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

But, Malami had denied the report, saying those behind the report should provide evidence to backup their claim.

A statement over the weekend by his chief press secretary Anietie Ekong described the report as a “malicious concoction”.

The statement reads: “The story is a desperate attempt by some unscrupulous bloggers to impugn the integrity of the Honourable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and the Honourable Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami as the claim is not only spurious but utterly ridiculous.

“The fact is that in a suit number ABJ/CS/617/2020 filed by a Civil Society Organization, Forum for Accountability and Good Governance, at a Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice Ahmed Mohammed had granted an order restraining the Interim Management Committee of the NDDC from performing the functions of the board and accessing the Commission’s offices and files.

“The Order clearly listed the Managing Director Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei, Acting Executive Director of Projects Dr Cairo Ojougboh, Mrs Caroline Nagboh and Cecilia Akintomide as those restrained.

“The Order also asked that ‘the most senior civil servant or administrator in the Commission be appointed’ to take charge of the Commission.

“It was based on this order that President Muhammadu Buhari approved the elevation of the Acting Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Mr Effiong Akwa, being the most Senior Administrator to take over the headship of the NDDC as an Interim Administrator pending the completion of the Forensic Audit Exercise.”

It added: “The authors of the fake news should be ready to back up their claim or face the full wrath of the law.”

 

 

 

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Money Laundering: EFCC Declares Kogi Ex-Gov, Yahaya Bello Wanted

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has declared former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello wanted.

This followed the inability of the former governor to appear before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court Abuja on Thursday for his arraignment over alleged N84bn money laundering.

In a post on its official Facebook page on Thursday, the anti-graft agency urged Nigerians with useful information about Bello’s whereabouts to report to the nearest police station.

The post reads, “EFCC Declares Former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello Wanted. Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, is wanted by the EFCC for offences relating to economic and financial crimes to the tune of N80.2 Billion.

“Anybody with information as to his whereabouts should report immediately to the Commission or the nearest Police Station.”

Ahead of the planned arraignment, operatives of the EFCC, Department of State Services, Police and other security agencies on Wednesday besieged Bello’s Abuja residence.

He was, however, sneaked out of the building by the incumbent governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo.

 

 

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Kano Court Reverses Ganduje’s Suspension, Orders Status Quo

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A Federal High Court in Kano has halted the suspension of the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

The ruling came on Wednesday after Ganduje filed an ex parte motion seeking to enforce his fundamental right to fair hearing.

The respondents in the application are the Police, Department of State Services, DSS, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, and nine others.

On April 16, APC executives in Dawakin Ward, Tofa LGA of Kano State, suspended Ganduje over alleged corruption.

However, the State Working Committee, SWC, of the APC in Kano nullified the suspension and punished the ward executives.

But a Kano High Court presided by Justice Usman Na’Abba upheld the suspension.

In the ex parte order delivered on Wednesday by the Federal High Court and made available to newsmen on Thursday, a Kano High Court presided by Justice A. M Liman ruled that the suspension should not be implemented until the case filed by Ganduje is heard and determined.

“All the respondents, their servants, agents or privies are hereby restrained from implementing and/or giving effect to the purported decision reached during the purported emergency meeting of the alleged executive members of APC Ganduje Ward, held at Ganduje Ward of Dawakin Tofa Local.

“All the parties are hereby mandated to maintain status quo before the purported emergency meeting of the alleged executive members of APC Ganduje Ward, and to stay action in respect of this matter pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application,” Justice Liman said.

The judge subsequently fixed April 30 to hear Ganduje’s suit.

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Man Jailed Nine Months For Assaulting Lagos Official, Crossing Highway

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A mobile court in Oshodi has sentenced a man simply identified as Paul to nine months imprisonment for not using a pedestrian bridge and assaulting personnel of the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps.

According to the State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, who revealed this information through a post on his X handle on Thursday.

Wahab wrote, “Paul was apprehended on April 16 for not utilizing the pedestrian bridge at Agbado Oke Odo, during which he assaulted and injured the enforcement personnel of LAGESCOfficial (KAI).

The mobile court in Oshodi delivered a nine-month jail sentence on him.”

The Ministry recently cautioned residents about avoiding pedestrian bridges, labeling the act of pedestrians crossing major highways in the state as illegal.

According to PUNCH’s report on Tuesday, the state government apprehended and charged 76 individuals for ignoring pedestrian bridges in the Ojota, Ladipo, and Oshodi regions.

In a March report, it was mentioned that a 22-year-old woman named Fasia Ajoke was sentenced to seven months and three weeks in prison for assaulting a female LAGESC officer while on duty.

Ajoke was also found guilty of resisting arrest and refusing to use the pedestrian bridge.

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