by Admin | Mar 28, 2017 | Blog |
Follow @NigeriaPI The Benue Prisons Service on Monday confirmed that herdsmen invaded its Jato-Aka Farm Centre and killed an inmate, one Tersoo Agidi. ASP Stephen Nwanchor, Public Relations Officer, Benue Prisons Service, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makurdi that the incident took place on Saturday at the farm centre. Nwanchor said that the invasion was not a failed jail break attempt. “This is a new farm centre established in January, 2017. The herdsmen invaded the place, destroyed property, shot and killed one Tersoo Agidi, an inmate. “We have evacuated all the remaining inmates from the farm centre to Gboko, pending the outcome of the investigation. “We are not taking anything for granted. My Controller of Prison is on top of the issue, and all relevant security operatives in the state have been notified,” Nwanchor said. The PRO said the service was investigating the invasion to ascertain the remote cause, noting that no arrest had been made so far. Nwanchor said the service had tightened security in and around all its facilities in the state, assuring that there was no cause for alarm. Herdsmen attack had been on increase in the last twelve months especially in the North central...
by Admin | Mar 28, 2017 | Blog |
Follow @NigeriaPI Oficials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have formally named Senate President Bukola Saraki, a former Managing Director of Heritage Bank, Robert Mbonu, a firm, Melrose General Services Limited, the relationship manager to Mr. Saraki, Kathleen Erhimu, the deputy Chief of Staff to Senator Saraki, Gbenga Peter Makanjuola, as targets of an investigation into the embezzlement of as much as N19 billion that accrued as refunds to state governments that had made excess payments on loans obtained from international lenders, the London and Paris Clubs. Also named by the EFCC as players in the huge scandal are Kolawole Shittu, the supplier of a controversial Range Rover vehicle to Senator Saraki, as well as one Obiora Amobi and one Oladapo Joseph Idowu. In a report forwarded to the Presidency and obtained by SaharaReporters, the EFCC wrote, “Mr. Robert Mbonu is alleged to have received the sum of N3.5 billion into his company’s account (Melrose General Services Limited) from the [Nigerian Governors’ Forum] through Account 0005892453 domiciled in Access Bank.” The report identified “one Kathleen Erhimu [as] the Relationship Manager to Dr. Bukola Saraki’s account with Access Bank.” The elaborate EFCC report authenticates a series of reports in which SaharaReporters disclosed that Mr. Saraki as well as numerous governors colluded to pocket most of the billions of naira in refunds. Mr. Saraki had accused our website of fabricating the report, claiming that the EFCC was not investigating him in relation to the loan refund fraud. However, the document forwarded to the Presidency by the EFCC outlined Mr. Saraki’s deep involvement in the still unfolding embezzlement saga. A...
by Admin | Mar 28, 2017 | Blog |
Follow @NigeriaPI A 17-year-old Boko Haram suspect (Name withheld) said he was forced to kill 13 people in Chikingudu forest in Kalabalge Local Government Area of Borno, when he was held captive for three years by the insurgents. Newsmen report that the suspect was arrested by men of the Borno Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) after he was sent on a mission by his Commander to spy on Maiduguri. He told newsmen in an interview in Maiduguri that he was sent by the terrorists to assess situation in Baga Road, Monday market and Custom market in Maiduguri, and report back. “I was kidnapped in Marte by the insurgents when they stormed the town in 2013 and they took us away to Chikungudu forest in Kalabalge local government area. Boko Haram members “I was held captive for three years at Chikungudu. During those three years I killed 13 people in separate locations. “First was at Chikungudu where we were held hostage by the Boko Haram. They forced us to kill people, especially when they returned from a mission. “ They said they were testing us and, therefore brought some people and asked me to kill five people. “I initially declined but they threatened to kill me, so, I had no option but to kill them. He said the insurgents later came with three other people and forced him to kill them. “The second time was at a village called Burssari, they also brought five people and ask me to kill them, which I did. “I spent three years with the insurgents in Chikunguda and Kalabalge....
by Admin | Mar 28, 2017 | Blog |
Follow @NigeriaPI A Katsina State High Court on Tuesday adjourned hearing in the corruption trial involving a former governor of the state, Ibrahim Shema, till June 6. Shema is is standing trial for alleged conspiracy, forgery and diversion of N11 billion public funds. Arraigned alongside the former governor are former Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Sani Makana, former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government Affairs, Lawal Safana and former ALGON Chairman, Lawal Dankaba. The offences contravene Sections 312 and 364, Cap 96 of the Penal Code, Laws of Katsina State, 1991. When the case came up for hearing on Tuesday, Justice Ibrahim Bako said the adjournment became necessary following the defendants’ application challenging the court’s jurisdiction to try the case. He said the court stepped down the case until the appeal court rule on the matter. “The court has adjourned the case to June 6 for situation report on the matter,’’ the judge said. Earlier, Mr Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), the defence counsel, had told the judge that the Court of Appeal, Kaduna, would sit on the matter on May 25. SOURCE: THE...
by Admin | Mar 28, 2017 | Blog |
Follow @NigeriaPI An ongoing probe, ordered by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has uncovered a massive fraud in the Federal Government Youth Enterprise With Innovation In Nigeria programme. A reliable source in the ministry of finance told The PUNCH that investigators had already discovered that some senior civil servants gave out or facilitated slots worth between N7m and N10m each to their spouses, children and friends. Some of these awardees, the source said, would not have qualified for the grants if they were not aided by their “connections” within and outside the ministry. An original initiative of the ministry which began during the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, YouWin was conceived to help youth entrepreneurs grow existing businesses and create employment. The source, who insisted that the probe had not been concluded by the investigators, added that their initial findings were so worrisome that the minister had decided that the entire programme should be restructured. “The fraud uncovered in the programme made the minister to restructure the programme and turn its focus into enterprise education,” the source added. The source did not, however, state whether any of the country’s anti-graft agencies had joined the investigators whom our correspondent was made to understand were ministry of finance officials. At different times, the YouWin project had been dogged by allegations of nepotism and underhand dealings by top civil servants for years. The source in the finance ministry stated, “Actually, allegations were persistent that there was racketeering. Some of the applicants, especially those who lost out, claimed that some of the winners simply copied and pasted the plans of other...
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