metro

Probe Me Over $16bn Power Spending If You Have Evidence – Atiku Dares FG

Published

6 seconds ago

August 26, 2026

Probe Me Over $16bn Power Spending If You Have Evidence – Atiku Dares FG

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has thrown down the gauntlet to President Bola Tinubu’s administration, demanding that it substantiate allegations linking him to alleged wrongdoing in the controversial $16 billion power sector expenditure or cease what he describes as a campaign of political distraction. In a statement released on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku insisted that he should be investigated and prosecuted if the government possesses credible evidence against him, stressing that political accusations cannot replace proof. The former Vice President accused the Tinubu administration and its supporters of reviving decades-old allegations to divert public attention from pressing questions surrounding the management of government revenues following the removal of petrol subsidy.

Atiku noted that the National Assembly had previously investigated the power projects, but he was never invited to respond to any allegations of misconduct. “The National Assembly investigated the power projects. I was never invited to answer any allegation of wrongdoing,” he stated. He acknowledged that he chaired the National Council on Privatisation while serving as Vice President but clarified that he did not oversee the implementation of the power project. “Yes, I chaired the National Council on Privatisation as Vice President. But on the power project, I disagreed with its concept and did not preside over its implementation. The responsible minister did. The same applies to the Aluminium Smelter matter,” Atiku explained.

READ ALSO:

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 election declared that he had repeatedly made himself available for investigation since leaving office in 2007. “I have repeatedly asked to be investigated. I left office in 2007 and have spent much of the period since then opposing governments in power. If there is evidence that I stole public money, why has no government produced it before a court?” he queried. Atiku challenged the authorities to reopen the matter if they believed there was a genuine case against him. “It is still not too late. Investigate me. Invite me. Produce the evidence. Prosecute me if you have a case. But propaganda cannot substitute for evidence,” he said.

The former Vice President linked the renewed allegations to his persistent criticism of the Federal Government’s handling of the economic consequences of petrol subsidy removal. He argued that Nigerians had been promised that eliminating the subsidy would free funds for development, but citizens had instead faced higher costs of transportation, food, and other essentials. “Today, petrol is more expensive, transportation is more expensive, food is more expensive and the purchasing power of the Nigerian worker has been devastated,” he said. Atiku further questioned how additional government revenues were being deployed, alleging that tax incentives, waivers, credits, and concessions continued to benefit powerful economic interests. “So our question remains brutally simple: where is the people’s money?” he asked. He accused the government of hypocrisy for withdrawing economic relief from ordinary Nigerians while maintaining interventions that benefited major corporate interests. “You cannot take relief away from the poor, celebrate the resulting revenue and then tell the same impoverished citizens that government intervention on their behalf is economically irresponsible while interventions benefiting powerful interests are called incentives. That hypocrisy is precisely what we are challenging,” Atiku stated.

Atiku dismissed what he described as sponsored social media attacks, insisting they would not prevent him from demanding transparency over public finances. “The people who removed subsidy from the poor cannot frighten us into silence by resurrecting allegations that governments with all the investigative machinery of the Nigerian state have had nearly two decades to establish,” he declared. He challenged the government to either substantiate the allegations or address questions over the use of funds generated after subsidy removal. “If you have evidence against Atiku, bring it. If you have a case, prosecute it. But if you have neither, stop manufacturing distractions and answer Nigerians: You removed the subsidy. You collected the savings. Where is the money?” he demanded.

Probe Me Over $16bn Power Spending If You Have Evidence – Atiku Dares FG

Related Topics:Atiku Featured Power probe

Don't Miss

20-Year-Old Arrested for Allegedly Macheting Father to Death in Anambra

metro

20-Year-Old Arrested for Allegedly Macheting Father to Death in Anambra

Published

12 minutes ago

August 26, 2026

Trends Admin

20-Year-Old Arrested for Allegedly Macheting Father to Death in Anambra

A 20-year-old man, Pascal Ogbogu, has been arrested by the Anambra State Police Command for the alleged murder of his 56-year-old father with a machete in Abatete, Idemili North Local Government Area. The suspect reportedly attacked his father on the evening of Tuesday, August 25, 2026, inflicting a deep machete wound to the throat before fleeing the scene. Following a distress report, police operatives from the Eziowelle Police Division, with the assistance of family members and the Abatete Vigilante, promptly mobilised to the scene. Upon arrival, they discovered the lifeless body of the deceased in a pool of blood. The remains were subsequently evacuated to a mortuary for preservation and autopsy.

The suspect, who fled after the attack, was apprehended in the early hours of Wednesday, August 26, 2026, through coordinated efforts by the police and vigilante personnel. His arrest was facilitated by timely information and cooperation from community members, who assisted security operatives in tracking and locating him. The spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident and the arrest in a statement on Wednesday, August 26. Ikenga stated that preliminary information revealed the suspect committed the crime on Tuesday evening, and the father’s remains had been evacuated to the mortuary.

READ ALSO:

The Commissioner of Police, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, commended the prompt response of security operatives and the support provided by community members. He particularly praised the family members, community residents, police operatives, and vigilante personnel for their cooperation. CP Ama emphasised that effective community participation, timely information sharing, and strong collaboration between security agencies and local communities remained essential to successful policing and the protection of lives and property. While commiserating with the family of the deceased, the CP directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further investigation and comprehensive review. He assured the family and the public that the investigation would be conducted professionally, thoroughly, and diligently, in accordance with the law, and that the suspect would face due process upon conclusion of the investigation.

The motive for the alleged attack has not yet been established, as investigations are ongoing. The suspect remains in police custody while the case is being reviewed by the State CID.

20-Year-Old Arrested for Allegedly Macheting Father to Death in Anambra

metro

How Filling Station Sold Me Water Instead Of Petrol – Lagos Resident Recounts Ordeal

Published

24 minutes ago

August 26, 2026

Trends Admin

Oluwaseyi Oluwabiyi

How Filling Station Sold Me Water Instead Of Petrol – Lagos Resident Recounts Ordeal

A Lagos resident, Oluwaseyi Oluwabiyi, has shared her shocking experience of how a filling station allegedly dispensed water into her vehicle’s fuel tank instead of petrol, causing her car to break down just 10 minutes after she left the premises. The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) intervened, held the station responsible, and secured compensation for damages and repairs. Oluwabiyi, who shared her experience in a testimonial video released on Wednesday by the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA), said she realised something was wrong when her vehicle stopped about 10 minutes after she left the filling station. According to her, she contacted a mechanic who inspected the vehicle and discovered that there was no petrol in the tank—only water had been dispensed into it. “I bought fuel from a filling station and unfortunately, they fueled my tank with just water. There was no fuel at all in what was put in my tank,” Oluwabiyi said.

Oluwabiyi said she immediately lodged a complaint with LASCOPA the same day, submitting pictures, videos and other evidence relating to the incident. Following her complaint, LASCOPA directed her to obtain an estimate of the cost of repairing the vehicle, after which the agency invited both parties for a mediation session. According to her, the filling station was held responsible for the incident and was made to bear the cost of repairing her vehicle as well as additional damages. “They were made to pay the cost of me fixing my car and extra damages. This was all thanks to LASCOPA. My car was fixed. It was reinstated to the position it would have been before the incident,” she said.

READ ALSO:

Oluwabiyi described LASCOPA as one of the “hidden gems” provided by the Lagos State Government to protect consumers and resolve disputes outside the conventional court system. She noted that the agency’s intervention demonstrated the importance of alternative dispute resolution in resolving consumer complaints promptly while helping to reduce the burden on the courts. “If you have any disputes, I strongly recommend, or you have any complaints, I strongly recommend that you report it to the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency, which will ensure that the issues are dealt with and resolved promptly,” she said. She expressed appreciation to the Lagos State Government and LASCOPA for the initiative, urging residents to make use of the agency whenever they encounter consumer-related disputes.

The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency has been actively expanding its reach across the state. In June 2026, LASCOPA commenced operations at annex offices in Ikorodu, Badagry, Bariga, Ikoyi-Obalende, Ojo, Epe, Agege, and Isolo to improve residents’ access to consumer protection services. The agency’s General Manager, Afolabi Solebo, noted that the decentralisation aims to enhance service delivery and facilitate prompt resolution of consumer disputes. LASCOPA handles complaints across various sectors, including electricity distribution, automobile services, food and beverages, healthcare, banking, telecommunications, and oil and gas services. The agency has recovered millions of naira in refunds from service providers, including over N156.2 million from Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company and more than N30.1 million from Eko Electricity Distribution Company.

This is not an isolated incident. In Ebonyi State, the government sealed the Shafa Oil and Gas Station after its tank developed a fault, allowing water to flow into the underground petrol tank. A video surfaced showing a driver complaining that petrol purchased from the station was watery, resulting in the vehicle stopping a few metres from the station. Similarly, in Abuja, customers at the Azman Oil and Gas Ltd filling station in Wuse Zone 5 reported that their vehicles broke down after they were dispensed water instead of fuel. Motorists who had queued to buy fuel were left distraught, with some accusing the station’s attendants of delivering water into their tanks. A staff member explained that the fault might have been with their supplier.

Experts suggest that water contamination can occur when rain seeps into underground fuel storage tanks if not properly sealed, or when fuel suppliers use water to test for leaks in tankers, and mistakes occur during delivery. Consumers are advised to be vigilant and report any suspicious fuel purchases immediately. The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency advises consumers experiencing unfair trade practices to lodge complaints through its official channels, including a toll-free line: 08000052726.

How Filling Station Sold Me Water Instead Of Petrol – Lagos Resident Recounts Ordeal

metro

EFCC secures forfeiture of over $500m in cash, assets — Olukoyede

Published

2 hours ago

August 26, 2026

Trends Admin

EFCC secures forfeiture of over $500m in cash, assets — Olukoyede

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the forfeiture of cash and assets worth more than $500 million to the Federal Government over the past three years, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede has disclosed.

Olukoyede made the disclosure on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, while speaking at the 43rd International Symposium on Economic Crime in Cambridge, United Kingdom, where he highlighted Nigeria’s growing use of asset recovery and non-conviction-based forfeiture in the fight against economic and financial crimes.

“Within three years of my assumption of office, we’ve been able to forfeit both cash and assets worth over half a billion dollars to the government,” Olukoyede said.

The EFCC chairman explained that Nigeria’s legal framework enables law enforcement agencies to pursue the forfeiture of suspected proceeds of crime without necessarily waiting for a criminal conviction.

According to him, the process can begin when the commission approaches a High Court with reasonable suspicion that particular cash or assets represent proceeds of crime.

Olukoyede said the success of the EFCC’s asset recovery drive has been supported by the ability of investigators to trace suspected illicit assets, cooperation from the judiciary and access to credible intelligence.

He cited the recent forfeiture of an aircraft allegedly linked to a $30 million bribery case involving an individual connected to the monitoring of a Nigerian power project.

According to the EFCC chairman, the aircraft was forfeited about three months ago and has since been added to the Presidential Air Fleet.

READ ALSO:

Olukoyede also highlighted the forfeiture of a property comprising approximately 753 housing units linked to former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Godwin Emefiele.

He said criminal proceedings involving the former CBN governor were pending before three courts while discussing the case.

The EFCC chairman further disclosed that an investigation involving former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, led the commission to trace 57 properties allegedly linked to him.

Of the 57 properties, Olukoyede said 48 had been forfeited following the investigation, which he said began last year after the commission developed what it considered reasonable suspicion of criminal abuse of office.

The EFCC has also indicated that it intends to challenge a court decision concerning nine other properties allegedly linked to Malami.

Another case cited by Olukoyede involved a private university allegedly linked to a director in the Federal Ministry of Health. He said the official voluntarily surrendered the property following the EFCC’s investigation.

Olukoyede said these cases demonstrated the importance of non-conviction-based asset forfeiture in preventing suspected proceeds of crime from remaining in the hands of individuals while related legal proceedings continue.

He attributed the commission’s ability to secure forfeiture orders to three key factors: stronger investigative capacity, cooperation from the judiciary and credible intelligence.

The EFCC chairman also called for increased international cooperation to help Nigeria trace and recover assets allegedly taken abroad as proceeds of corruption and other financial crimes.

He urged individuals with credible information about Nigerian assets allegedly hidden or transferred to foreign jurisdictions to provide intelligence to the commission.

Olukoyede said the EFCC had introduced incentives for whistleblowers whose information leads to successful asset recovery.

According to him, individuals whose information results in the recovery of Nigerian assets could receive between 2.5 per cent and 5 per cent of the recovered assets, subject to the applicable conditions.

“If any of you is privy to where Nigerian assets are stolen or taken to anywhere in the world, we have an incentive for you. Between 2.5 and 5 percent is going to go back to you upon recovery,” he said.

He stressed that stronger whistleblower protection, reliable intelligence, effective investigations and international collaboration were essential to Nigeria’s efforts to combat economic and financial crimes.

The EFCC chairman’s disclosure comes as Nigerian authorities continue to intensify efforts to trace, recover and secure the forfeiture of assets allegedly acquired through corruption and other financial crimes.

The commission has increasingly focused on following the financial trail behind suspected crimes, with asset recovery and forfeiture becoming a major component of its enforcement strategy.

However, allegations concerning individuals and properties mentioned in ongoing investigations remain subject to the judicial process, and affected persons are presumed innocent unless found guilty by a competent court.