Police arrest house help for allegedly stealing employer’s $51,000 in Lagos – Newstrends
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Police arrest house help for allegedly stealing employer’s $51,000 in Lagos

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Police arrest house help for allegedly stealing employer’s $51,000 in Lagos

A domestic worker, Blessing Effiong, has been arrested by operatives of the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Zone 2, Onikan, for allegedly stealing her boss’s $51,000.

The money is approximately N81.6 million when converted from dollar to naira.

Blessing was arrested with her husband, Bassey Effiong by detectives of the Zonal Criminal Investigation Department (ZCID) who trailed them to Cross River State where they fled to after committing the alleged crime in Lekki, Lagos.

According to the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer (ZPPRO), SP Ayuba Umma, the couple conspired and committed the offence on December 26, barely three days after Blessing started working as a domestic help at the owner’s Lekki residence.

Umma, in a statement, said the couple was arrested on January 31, adding that they already used the money to acquire properties for themselves.

Asked who the owner of the money was and whether he/she was interrogated for hoarding such amount of foreign currency at home, Umma answered in the negative, stressing that the information he provided was all he knew.

“Blessing Effiong was recommended for employment by an agent named Anthony and began working as a domestic staff on December 23, 2023.

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“Only three days into her employment, she absconded with $51,000 USD and fled with her husband to Cross River State.

“Following intensive investigation, both suspects were apprehended on January 31, 2024.

“During the investigation, it was revealed that Blessing Effiong had approached Anthony under false pretenses, providing misleading contact information and using registered phone numbers not associated with her identity.

“She failed to complete her employment application form, indicating her fraudulent intentions.

“Despite initially denying the full extent of stealing, Blessing Effiong eventually confessed to stealing Thirty Thousand United States Dollars ($30,000 USD), admitting to giving Twenty Thousand United States Dollars ($20,000 USD) to her husband, Bassey Effiong.

“Bassey Effiong, in turn confessed to receiving the stolen funds, part of which he used for settling his late mother’s medical bills, purchasing a tipper truck, two motorcycles, and completing a construction project in Cross River State.

“Both suspects have been charged and brought before the court following the completion of the investigation, under the directive of the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2 Command. AIG Olatoye A. Durosinmi.

“AIG Durosinmi encourages members of the public to exercise vigilance and conduct thorough background checks before hiring domestic staff for their safety and to prevent falling victim to criminal elements,” Umma said.

Police arrest house help for allegedly stealing employer’s $51,000 in Lagos

(NATION)

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BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

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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

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EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

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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

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Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

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Yahaya Bello

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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