metro
3 killed, many injured as bloody communal clash rocks Delta
3 killed, many injured as bloody communal clash rocks Delta
Three persons have reportedly died and many others injured and houses set ablaze following a bloody clash between Okuama community in the Ughelli South Local Government Area and Okoloba community in the Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta state.
The bloody clash which started since Thursday, it was gathered, has left so many residents homeless when yet-to-be-identified armed men in military uniforms allegedly invaded Okuama community in the early hours of Thursday shooting sporadically from a gunboat.
Speaking on the incident, the vice present general of the Okuama community, David Akata, confirmed that unknown gunmen arrived in the community at about 8am and started shooting sporadically at anyone in sight leaving three indigenes dead and several others injured.
The injured are currently receiving medication in an undisclosed hospital in the state, he said.
According to Akata, “The armed men carried out the genocide on the citizens of the community by setting their buildings and properties ablaze with chanting of war songs.
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“We woke up to see our community surrounded with men in military uniform numbering in their tens and without just no reason they started shooting at sight leading to the death of three promising youths of the community and several others injured from gun bullets. The same military men repeated their genocide actions on the innocent and law-abiding citizens of the Okuama community on Friday, March 15, 2024, leaving many buildings to their rumbles as they carried offensive arson on the community buildings.
“As I speak, the number of persons who died in the barbaric attack could not be ascertained as many of the aged men, women, and youths fled into the nearby bushes and, and we suspect that some women and children might have drowned in the river because many ran into the river out of panic. This is disheartening that the Delta State government and security operatives in the state with a lackadaisical approach have not been able to quell the crisis between the two communities. We entered a peace accord with the state government and security operative in the state.
“We stand by the accord but often times the Okoloba people harassed our people by assaulting them, and our pleas on the state government to expedite action and called the Okolobians to order fell on deaf ears allowing the Okoloba community people to use their mercenaries military uniforms and bandits to kill our people”.
The two communities had on January 27, 2024, locked horns, leading to the death of three of persons identified as, Igho Meshack, Godspower Awusa and Okiemute Agbabuleke.
As of the time of filing this report, all efforts to reach the Commanding Officer of 3 Battalion, Effurun and Commanding Officer, 181 Amphibious Battalion, Agbor, Delta State for comments proved abortive.
Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Delta state command, Asaba, SP Bright Edafe said he has not been formally briefed about the situation and could not make comments.
3 killed, many injured as bloody communal clash rocks Delta
(SAHARAREPORTERS)
metro
BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year
BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year
The federal government has unveiled a proposed budget of N47.9 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year.
Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, disclosed this to journalists on Thursday following the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.
Bagudu revealed that the council had approved the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for 2025-2027.
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According to the minister, the government has pegged the crude oil benchmark at $75 per barrel, with an oil production target of 2.06 million barrels per day (bpd).
The budget also sets the exchange rate at N1,400 per dollar and aims for a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 6.4%.
BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year
metro
EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud
EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told FIJ that they have arrested Timber Wabote, the former executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCMB), on the grounds of a failed $35 million Bayelsa refinery project fraud.
Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s spokesperson, confirmed this to FIJ on Thursday.
“It is true,” Oyewale responded to FIJ’s inquiries.
Wabote is accused of misappropriating public funds for a refinery project that should have improved local energy production.
Vanguard reported that the NCDMB under Wabote paid $35 million to support the development of energy infrastructure in the Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa, yet there was nothing to show for it.
The EFCC picked Wabote up following the arrest of Akintoye Adeoye Akindele, the Managing Director of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, for alleged misappropriation, money laundering and diversion of $35 million in public funds.
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“NCDMB under the watch of Wabote allegedly paid the $35 million to Akindele to build a 2,000 barrel per day (BPD), refinery, jetty, gas plant, power plant, data centre and tank farm at Brass free trade zone (FTZ), Okpoama Community in Brass LGA of Bayelsa State,” a source with the EFCC had explained.
Since December 2020 when the payments were made, Akindele abandoned the project with little or nothing to show for the huge sum he received.
Preliminary investigations showed that Wabote’s NCDMB financed 17 different projects, including the 2,000 BPD refinery in Brass LGA.
There has been a series of public fund misappropriation cases in the energy sector in recent times.
FIJ earlier reported that members of the House of Representatives summoned three ministers to defend how over $2 billion was spent on renewable energy with not much to show for it.
A recent FIJ report also recently detailed how residents of Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa, have not had power in their homes since July due to the vandalisation of the Ahoada-Yenagoa transmission towers caused by unidentified persons.
The Bayelsa state government told FIJ it was the federal government’s responsibility to provide electricity for residents. The state has no renewable energy options reliable enough to power its capital despite the multi-million-dollar NCMB energy project.
Transparency in the energy sector has become necessary at a time when Nigerians have suffered power instability due to frequent grid collapses.
EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud
metro
Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27
Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has requested an adjournment in the new case against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, stating that the 30-day window for the previously issued summons is still active.
The commission has granted administrative bail to his co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, and asked the court for an extension of time for Bello to appear.
At the resumed hearing before Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, EFCC Counsel Jamiu Agoro noted that the court’s order from October 3rd had not yet expired.
“In that wise, we feel it will not be appropriate for us to take proceedings while that 30 days is still running. So we have discussed and agreed to come back on the 27th day of November, 2024, my lord,” he told the court.
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He also mentioned that the previously set date of November 20th was not convenient for the prosecution counsels.
Counsel to the second defendant, Aliyu Saiki, SAN, confirmed that his client had been granted administrative bail by the prosecution and had no objection to the adjournment request. The third defendant’s counsel, ZE Abass, concurred.
The prosecution counsel also requested the court to allow the notice of hearing to be pasted on the last known address of the first defendant.
After hearing from all counsels, the judge granted the EFCC’s application for adjournment and the issuance of the hearing notice.
“I have considered the application for adjournment by the complainant and issuance of hearing notice and the submission by the second and third defendants. The application is granted,” she said.
Justice Anenih then adjourned the case to November 27th for arraignment.
The former governor, alongside Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are being prosecuted as 1st to 3rd defendants, respectively, in a fresh 16-count charge instituted against them by the EFCC.
Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27
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