Tag Archives: Returns

Vice Chancellor Docked For Alleged N800 Million Fraud Returns Money To EFCC

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The embattled Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta,  Olusola Oyewole, and others accused of corruption have refunded N6.5 million to the anti-graft agency, EFCC.

Mr. Oyewole is facing criminal charges for allegedly misappropriating N800 million belonging to the university. He was charged to court alongside the university’s Pro-Chancellor, Adeseye Ogunlewe, and Bursar, Moses Ilesanmi.

The three were accused of benefitting from various illegal allowances not approved by Nigeria’s Salaries and Wages Commission.

Investigation showed that Mr. Oyewole  refunded N2.5 million on December 6 from the illegal allowances he allegedly collected to finance his daughter’s wedding. Four other staff  of the university also refunded a total of N4 million from similar illegal allowances.

A spokesperson of the EFCC zonal office in Ibadan, Ayo Oyewole, confirmed that some money was returned by suspects in the matter.

“The Commission will ensure that everybody who benefited from the illegal allowances return whatever they collected to the coffers of the university,” he said.

The monies returned so far are, however, a far cry from the N800 million that the EFCC says Mr. Oyewole and others mismanaged.

The university’s spokesperson, Emi Alawode, declined comment saying the matter was already in court.

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INEC REC Returns N20m Poll Bribe After EFCC Grilling

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Abia State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC)  Sylvester Ezeani has refunded N20million to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The cash is part of the N23.29billion bribe given to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials to change the results of the 2015 election.

Three RECs have been named in the scandal. One of them is dead.

The EFCC has seized two choice shopping malls from a REC Gesil Khan.

Besides, the account of the REC with about N59million has been frozen by the anti-graft agency.

A retired INEC official, Sani Isa, was questioned for N406,206,000 bribe allegedly collected on behalf of the deceased REC in Kano State, Alhaji Mukaila Abdullahi.

The number of INEC staff invited and questioned by the EFCC has risen to 100.

INEC is awaiting a comprehensive brief from the anti-graft agency on the affected staff, it was learnt that  only President Muhammadu Buhari can determine the fate of the RECs.

Ezeani’s N20million came from the $115m(N23.29billion) which former Minister of Petroleum Resources Diezani Alison-Madueke is said to have provided.

A source in EFCC,  who spoke in confidence, said: “Faced by overwhelming evidence from our team, Ezeani has refunded to the commission N20million, which was traced to him.

“About N241million was allocated to INEC when Ezeani was the REC in Cross River State during the 2015 poll.

“We are working on other INEC staff to refund the cash credited to them from the slush funds. So far, about N503million has been recovered from INEC staff and politicians involved in the poll bribery scandal in Port Harcourt Zone alone.

“We are determined to retrieve a huge chunk of the N23.29billion bribe.”

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INEC REC returns N20m poll bribe after EFCC grilling

Majek Fashek, The Rainmaker, Returns With New Single

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Reggae star, Majek Fashek, is in the news again. This time, the musician’s numerous fans, especially in Nigeria, are excited that he has finally released the product of his much-publicised collabo with equally gifted singer, Tuface Idibia.

The single, which is available on the Internet, is a remix of Majek’s wave-making song titled, No more sorrow from his 1991 album, Spirit of love. Many music fans of the older generation are, no doubt, familiar with the song, which appeared to rock the music scene and of course, the radio waves almost ceaselessly in the 1990s.

For most fans of the reggae musician, who has had a long running battle with drug and alcohol addiction, the recent remix of No more sorrow signals Majek’s triumph over the forces that have delayed the progress of his career for more than a decade. It also announces his final return to the music scene, 10 months after he emerged from a rehab home in Abuja.

But it appears that the new song was released without the input of the musician’s benefactor, Chief Ayiri Emami, who single-handedly took responsibility for payment of Majek’s bills at the rehab home. Tuface Idibia’s manager, Efe Omorogbe, confirmed this on Thursday.

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Alleged N22b Fraud: Amosu ‘Returns N2.6b To Fed Govt’

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The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday heard that a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (rtd), charged with laundering N21billion, has returned N2.6billion to the Federal Government.

His lawyer Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), while arguing Amosu’s bail application after he was arraigned before Justice Mohammed Idris, said his client had returned “collossal sums”.

Amosu returned N2.6billion to the Federal Government, reporters learnt.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned him along with a former Chief of Accounts and Budgeting at the Nigeria Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Jacob Adigun, and a former Director of Finance and Budget, Air Commodore Olugbenga Gbadebo.

The companies arraigned with them are Delfina Oil and Gas Ltd, Mcallan Oil And Gas Ltd, Hebron Housing and Properties Company Ltd, Trapezites BDC, Fonds and Pricey Ltd, Deegee Oil and Gas Ltd, Timsegg Investment Ltd and Solomon Health Care Ltd.

EFCC accused them of converting N21billion from the Nigeria Air Force around March 5, 2014 in Lagos.

They were also accused of concealing “proceeds of crime” and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 17(a).

Arguing the bail application, Ayorinde said his client, who pleaded not guilty, had always been cooperative with the prosecution since his arrest in January and would not jump bail.

“He has remitted colossal sums of money to the Federal Government, although not in admittance of guilt, but out of cooperation with security agencies.

“My application is that bail be granted to the first defendant on self-recognisance. Let those terms be liberal. He has been reporting to the EFCC, sometimes twice a week. The first defendant will make himself available for trial,” the Senior Advocate said.

Adigun’s lawyer, Mr Norrison Quakers (SAN), also urged the court to grant his client bail on liberal terms. “Incidentally, the second defendant is on administrative bail by the commission. He will be available for trial,” he said.

Gbadebo’s lawyer, Mr A. Etuokwu also asked for bail for his client. Prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, did not oppose the bail applications, but urged the court to make the terms stringent.

Justice Idris granted them bail for N500 million with two sureties in same like sum. The sureties must be property owners within the court’s jurisdiction, he said.

Title documents of the properties must be submitted to the court’s registrar, which must be verified by the EFCC. The sureties must also swear to an affidavit of means which must be verified by the EFCC, the court ruled.

Justice Idris directed the defendants to submit their travel passport to the court’s Deputy Chief Registrar (DCR).

He ordered Amosu’s and Gbadebo’s remand in prison custody. Adigun is to be kept in EFCC custody because of his health condition pending when he fulfils his bail terms.

The defendants were accused of using the companies to convert and conceal the money.

Amosu and Adigun were said to have, between July 17 and September 16, 2014,  allegedly removed over N663.4million from the Nigerian Air Force accounts to buy properties at  50-52 Tenterden Grove, London (NW4 1TH) and at 93B Shirehall Park, LondonNW4 2QU, United Kingdom.

They were accused of buying 40A, Bourdillon, Ikoyi, with N900million, and a property at Sinari Daranijo on Victoria Island with N1.5billion.

EFCC said they also bought a property named as Cappadol Mall at Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Wuse II Abuja, for N750million, as well as a property worth over N1.7billion at Agobogba Street, Parkview, Ikoyi, Lagos, using the AirForce’s money.

Other properties they allegedly bought using the Air Force’s funds include one at Salt Lake Street, Maitama, Abuja; one at Agadez Street off Aminu Kano Crescent, Abuja; 61A, Lake Chad Street, Maitama, Abuja; and one at 1, River Street, Wuse II Abuja using alleged stolen funds.

Between last March 6 and April 30, the accused allegedly spent N428,139,539.00, allegedly removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force to renovate and purchase medical equipment for Solomon HealthCare Ltd situate at 24th Adeniyi Jones Street, Ikeja Lagos.

Count one reads: “That You, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu Nunayon (Rtd), Air Vice Marshal Jacob Bola Adigun, Air Commodore Gbadebo Owodunni Olugbenga, Delfina Oil and Gas Ltd, Mcallan Oil and Gas Ltd, Hebron Housing and Properties Company Ltd, Trapezites Bdc, Fonds and Pricey Ltd,Deegee Oil and Gas Ltd, Timsegg Investment Ltd And Solomon Health Care Ltd on or about the 5th day of March, 2014 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to commit an offence, to wit: Conversion of the sum of N21,467,634,707.43, property of the Nigerian Air Force, which sum was derived from stealing, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”

EFCC said the accused persons converted and concealed the sums, which they “reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: stealing.” They all pleaded not guilty.

Justice Idris adjourned till July 8 for trial.

Credit: Nation

Amosu Returns N2.3bn To FG- Report

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The immediate past Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (retd.), has returned N2.3bn to the Federal Government.

An impeccable source at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission told our correspondent that Amosu issued two bank drafts to the Federal Government as part of the funds allegedly diverted by his office as Chief of Air Staff.

The source said, “I can confirm to you that Amosu has returned N2.3bn. He raised two bank drafts. One draft was N2bn while the second was N300m.”

It was reported on February 11 that houses belonging to Amosu worth over N500m had been seized by the EFCC.

In Amosu’s Badagry home, the EFCC had also recovered about $140,000 in cash

It was also reported that the anti-graft agency recovered N381m from Amosu’s wife, Omolara. The money was recovered in three tranches of N180m, N101m and N100m.

The detective told our correspondent that the money was traced from the account of the Nigeria Air Force to the bank accounts of a company in which Amosu’s wife is a director.

Calculations by our correspondent on Tuesday showed that so far, the EFCC had recovered at least N4bn from Amosu in cash and assets.

Amosu and over 10 senior officers are being probed by the EFCC as part of the $2.1bn arms scam, especially in relation to the 10 contracts of the NAF, said to be worth $930,500,690.00.

Amosu and his predecessor, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (retd.) were in January arrested for the non-specification of procurement costs, absence of contract agreements, award of contracts beyond authorised thresholds, transfer of public funds for unidentified purposes and general non-adherence to provisions of the Public Procurement Act.

Ese Oruru Returns To Bayelsa State

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The allegedly abducted 14-year old girl, Ese Oruru, has arrived in Bayelsa State in company of her mother, Mrs Rose Oruru and some police officers from Abuja.

She was allegedly abducted in August 2015 by one Yunusa Dahiru, also known as Yellow, and taken to Kano where she was also allegedly married off.

The Commissioner of Police in Bayela State, Peter Ogunyanwo, confirmed Ese’s arrival.

He said she arrived few minutes before 8:00pm, local time.

On arrival, she was taken to the Officers’ Mess and went into a secret meeting with the Police Commissioner in Yenagoa.

The media was completely shutout from the meeting, as the police said she had been put through so much humiliation and should not be further exposed.

Credit: ChannelsTv

Amosu’s Wife Returns Stolen N381m To FG

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has recovered N381m from Mrs. Omolara Amosu, the wife of the immediate past Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu.

Sources within the EFCC said on Saturday that the money was recovered in three tranches: N180m, N101m and N100m.

The detective said that the money was traced from the account of the Nigeria Air Force to the bank accounts of a company in which Amosu’s wife is a director.

He added that Amosu’s wife is a signatory to the accounts.

He said, “We recovered N381m from Amosu’s wife, Omolara. Initially, we recovered N180m from her account before another N101m and then N100m. These were monies transferred from Air Force accounts.”

Explaining how the money was diverted, the detective added, “They (Air Force officers) sent the money to an account where their wives have interests or are signatories without doing anything.”

A second source within the EFCC said that more properties belonging to the immediate past Chief of Accounts and Budgeting of NAF, Air Vice Marshal J.B. Adigun, had been seized.

The detective said a property, which is a quarry located in Ogun State, had equipment worth about $600,000.

He, however, did not state the value of the property.

Credit: Punch

Olisa Metuh Slammed With Fresh Charges As EFCC Returns Him To Court

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is set to slam fresh charges on the spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh, less than 48 hours after the Federal High Court, Abuja, granted him bail over a seven-count charge of corruption.

The EFCC drove the embattled politician into the premises of the FCT High Court on Thursday morning, preparatory to slamming fresh charges on him.

Like on Tuesday, Mr. Metuh was in handcuffs when he was brought into the court.

The handcuffs were later removed as he waited to be taken before a judge.

Details of the new charges are unclear at this time, but the anti-graft commission had on January 12 accused Mr. Metuh of shredding a confessional statement he made to its operatives, indicating it would charge him separately for attempting to destroy a major evidence in the case against him.

“The tearing of statement is tantamount to willful destruction of government property and it is a serious offence,” the official had told this newspaper at the time. “Also the fact that he obstructed operatives from performing their job is also a criminal offence. We will explore the possibility of filling a separate charge against him at the Federal Capital Territory High Court.”

In the original case, Mr. Metuh is facing a seven-count charge of corruption.

He is accused of receiving N400 million from former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki. The amount is part of the allegedly diverted sum of $2.1 billion meant for the purchase of arms.

Credit: PremiumTimes

Nigeria Faces Further Revenue Slump As Iran Returns To Oil Market

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Nigeria’s dwindling oil revenue is expected to fall further as Iran is set to commence immediate exports of at least 500,00 barrels of crude oil per day (bpd) following the lifting of international sanctions against the country at the weekend, thus worsening the oil glut in the global market.

The federal government’s 2016 budget, which is predicated on an oil price of $38 per barrel, is already under threat as crude oil prices fell below $30 last week due to an estimated 1.5mbpd excess inventory in the oil market.

With the lifting of sanctions against Iran, the additional one million barrels per day that the country is expected to add to the global market this year will depress prices further, thus worsening Nigeria’s already precarious economic situation.
The United Nations Nuclear Agency on Saturday certified that Iran had met all of its commitments to curb its nuclear programme, and the United States immediately revoked sanctions that had slashed Iran’s oil exports by around 2mbpd since their pre-sanctions 2011 peak to a little more than 1mbpd.
There were strong feelers a month ago that the removal of sanctions would occur earlier than oil traders initially expected.
This fuelled a sell-off which sent the price of Brent crude tumbling 24 per cent since the beginning of the year, the biggest fall since the financial crisis of 2008.

Credit: ThisDay

The Sun Newspaper Returns N9million It Got From Dasuki

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The management of The Sun newspaper issued the statement below, Sunday, to announce its return of the N9million it received from the office of the National Security Adviser “as compensation for the seizure of its newspapers and stop­page of circulation during the Good­luck Jonathan administration in June 2014.”

It said the the N9million cheque had since been returned to the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, NPAN, for onward passage to the office of the National Security Adviser.

NPAN and N120 million compensation: Our position 1

In deference to public outcry and the need to protect its corporate integrity, the Management of The Sun Publishing Limited has re­turned the N9 million received from the Presidency through the Newspa­per Proprietors Association of Nige­ria (NPAN) as compensation for the seizure of its newspapers and stop­page of circulation during the Good­luck Jonathan administration in June 2014.

In a statement issued yesterday and signed by its Managing Director/Editor-in- Chief, Mr. Eric Osagie, The Sun said it took the decision following the controversies, which the payment of the compensation had generated and the need to come clean on the matter.

Credit: PremiumTimes

Normalcy Returns To Anambra As Pro-Biafra Protesters Leave Scene

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The pro-Biafra protesters who blocked the Onitsha end of the Niger Bridge in Anambra State have left the scene.

According to our reporter, some level of normalcy is returning as the road is now open.

The protesters numbering over 100 took over the entire road for over ten hours forcing travellers and motorists to remain on one spot.

According to an eyewitness, the protesters who were agitating for the release of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, have shown no sign of ending the siege.

Credit: PremiumTimes

DSS Continues Siege As Dasuki Returns To Court

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Operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, have continued to lay siege to the Abuja residence of former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (Rtd) and the former NSA would be in court today (Monday) to enforce his fundamental rights.

Dasuki’s house in Abuja has been under siege, with DSS operatives restricting the movement of the retired military colonel and that of other people coming into the residence.

The operatives are insisting on delivering personally, a letter of invitation for him to appear before a committee set up by the government to probe arms purchase while he (Dasuki) held sway as NSA.

“I told them that if it is just a letter of invite, they can drop it with my domestic staff, but they insisted that I must come out and collect it myself.

“I told them that unless they had a warrant allowing them to arrest me, I do not have to collect the letter from them and I am also not going anywhere without my lawyer,” Dasuki  has said.

Credit: ChannelsTV

90 Year Old Woman Who Donated 1M Naira To PMB Returns From Dubai Hospital

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The 90-year-old Hajiya Fati Koko, popularly called ‘Mai Talle Tara,’ who suffered a stroke while returning from Abuja where she had gone to witness the swearing-in of President Muhammadu Buhari on May 29, has returned to Nigeria from the United Arab Emirates city of Dubai where she received a government-sponsored medical treatment.

Mai Talle Tara, a popular businesswoman from Kebbi State, came to fame after she donated her N1million life’s earnings to support Buhari’s presidential campaign.

The Kebbi State government took the responsibility of her medical expenses and flew her to the Iranian Hospital in Dubai on October 4.

Mai Talle Tara returned on Sunday evening after spending two weeks at the Dubai hospital where she was treated for stroke.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Sunday night, Mai Talle Tara thanked President Buhari and the Kebbi State government for their efforts toward giving her adequate medical care.

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Ebola Returns To Sierra Leone’s Freetown

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Sierra Leone has announced the return of Ebola to its capital Freetown, dashing hopes that health authorities in the densely-populated city of 1.2 million had beaten the deadly outbreak.

The government’s National Ebola Response Centre (NERC) told AFP late on Tuesday three cases had emerged in the east-end slum of Magazine Wharf — three weeks after the last known infections in the capital.

Health officials said six people have been under observation since the first of the new cases — a casual labourer — tested positive on June 17.

Authorities are concerned that the case could lead to a mini-outbreak in the overcrowded fishing community, which has poor sanitation and is regularly hit by outbreaks of malaria and cholera.

Read More: vanguardngr

Former Gov. Lamido Of Jigawa Returns To Report At EFCC On Thursday

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Alhaji Sule Lamido, the immediate past Governor of Jigawa, on Monday, returned to the country from his foreign trip and promised to visit the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on Thursday.

Lamido stated this while speaking with newsmen in his Bamaina village in Birninkudu Local Government area of the state. He said that EFCC was anti graft agency of the government, recognised by law, therefore, he would not shun the invitation. “I am aware of the invitation.’’

According to him, he is always willing to honour this kind of invitation even when he is a governor that enjoys immunity. Lamido, however, said he would not join issues with the incumbent governor on the debt he left before leaving office.

It would be recalled that there was a conflicting figure on the debt inherited by APC-led government in the state. The former governor said that while leaving office, he held a special council meeting, where he briefed the press on the liabilities he left.

Credit: vanguardngr

Buhari Returns From UK

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President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari has returned to Nigeria from the United Kingdom, few hours to his inauguration as President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria on Friday, May 29. Buhari arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, in the early hours of Thursday.

He arrived via a British Airways flight from Heathrow Airport. Buhari during his trip to the UK held a meeting with British Prime Minister, David Cameron. Buhari departed the country early hours of last Friday in the company of two of his close aides.

Read More: NewMail

Keshi Finally Returns As Super Eagles’ Coach

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Stephen Keshi has been re-engaged as the coach the Super Eagles after nine months the initial deal expired. Keshi’s initial contract ran out at the end of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in July, after Nigeria crashed out in the Round of 16, losing to France.

A new administration of the Nigeria Football Federation was voted in in September with the promise that Keshi’s contract will be renewed without delay. But it too the Amaju Pinnick led NFF till April 21, 2015 to meet the promise, after almost sealing a replacement for Keshi.

Keshi in presence of top NFF executives and the media on Tuesday signed the contract to head the Super Eagles for a two year period. “We lost in the past, we drew and we won. But we have to move forward now. This is a new page in Nigerian football and what happened in the past has happened. I have what it takes to take d country forward,” Keshi said after signing his new two year contract.

“We need the media. I cannot do this alone. I will work with office of the NFF to move our football forward.”

NFF vice President Seyi Akinwunmi explained the reason behind the delay. “The delay in Keshi’s return was occasioned by the elongated and unwarranted crises we had last year. The NFF have agreed to continually sponsor Keshi on refresher courses.”

With the latest development, Keshi will now swing into action as the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup begins in June.

Read More: news24