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$6.2m fraud: Emefiele awarded contracts without bidding processes, says witness
$6.2m fraud: Emefiele awarded contracts without bidding processes, says witness
The 10th Prosecution Witness (PW10), Stephen Salau Gana, in the trial of former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, has disclosed before Justice Hamza Mu’azu of the Federal Capital Territory’s (FCT) High Court Maitama, Abuja, that the company, April 16 Investment Limited, belonging to Sa’adatu Ramalan Yero, a staff member of the apex bank, was awarded a contract for the supply of vehicles to the CBN, valued at N99.9 million by direct procurement without a competitive bidding process.
Led in his testimony by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, the witness who was head of CBN’s Procurement Office during Emefiele’s tenure, revealed that a CBN governor’s threshold of contract approval was N100 million and that direct procurement was adopted only in cases where there was only one sole manufacturer, distributor, or representative, or in cases of emergency or where the goods are available from only one source, adding, however, that none of these conditions applied to April 16 in the contract award. “April 16 was neither the sole manufacturer nor the sole distributor,” he told the court upon inquiry by the prosecuting counsel.
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Responding to a further enquiry on the possibility of April 16 having an exclusive dealership right on the vehicles supplied, he said, “No, they don’t have such rights.”
While the witness’s role as head of CBN’s procurement office was to provide leadership and oversee the procurement of goods and services, he told the court that he took no steps toward ascertaining if April 16 was the only available vehicle vendor.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting Emefiele before Justice Mua’zu on amended 20-count charges bordering on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, conferring corrupt advantages, forgery, and obtaining false pretenses to the tune of $6,230,000 (six million, two hundred and thirty thousand dollars).
The case was adjourned to November 13, 2024, for continuation of trial.
$6.2m fraud: Emefiele awarded contracts without bidding processes, says witness
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200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS
200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has disclosed that about 200,000 repentant terrorists have so far dropped their arms and surrendered to troops in the North East, noting that the twin strategy of kinetic and non-kinetic operations was responsible for this achievement.
The CDS made this known at the Security and Justice Symposium organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in collaboration with the British High Commission, which began at the National Counterterrorism Centre in Abuja on Tuesday.
He disclosed that the theme of the symposium, ”Securing Peace, Ensuring Justice, Protection, Conduct, and Accountability,” speaks volumes about the deluge of security challenges the armed forces and security agencies are facing.
His words, “All the challenges we are facing today have to do with fairness, equity, justice, and accountability.
“There will not be peace without justice, equity, fairness, and accountability. In our operations, we are conducting both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies, which have to a large extent yielded significant successes, and we want to particularly thank the National Security Adviser for his great support in this regard.
“Nigeria is going through so many challenges, and we feel we’re able to address this, and everybody has a sense of belonging. A lot of the security challenges we are having, we are sure, will go down. I want to thank the National Security Advisor for all the support he’s given us, both the kinetic and the non-kinetic.
“We have said it; the kinetic aspect is just less than 30%. The non-kinetic has a lot to play. The non-kinetic, because when you have democracy, people must have the evidence of democracy. As long as it tells people to sleep well and be peaceful, and they are hungry, their children cannot eat, and all this creates more problems.
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“The issue of informants. We have to look at how we tackle this issue of informants. Because these are the people who have created the issue.
200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS
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Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police
Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police
The spokesperson for the police in Delta State, SP Bright Edafe, has confirmed the death of two robbery suspects in the state.
Mr Edafe, who disclosed this to journalists on Tuesday in Warri, said that the deceased were killed from the bullets shot by their gang members.
According to him, the incident occurred on Wednesday at Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of the state.
Mr Edafe explained that the deceased were leading the police surveillance team attached to the Ekpan Division to their hideout when they were caught during a shoot-out.
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“The suspects were arrested at Effurun roundabout with a bag containing 57 live cartridges and other items. They were leading the surveillance team to their hideout at Warri/Sapele road when their gang members, on sighting the vehicle of the police team, engaged them in a shootout.During the gun duel, the arrested suspects that were leading the police team were fatally wounded by the gun shot of their colleagues. The two injured suspects were taken to the hospital and later died while receiving treatment,” he said.
Mr Edafe said that items recovered from the hoodlums hideout included: one English pump action gun, one locally made cut-to-size gun and eight live cartridges.
Others were: six iPhones, Smart phones and a Rolex wrist watch.
He said that the command had intensified manhunt on the fleeing members of the gang.
Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police
(NAN)
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