Five Katsina tax officials arrested over N1.3bn fraud – Newstrends
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Five Katsina tax officials arrested over N1.3bn fraud

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Five Katsina tax officials arrested over N1.3bn fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kano Zonal Command have arrested five officials of the Katsina State Board of Internal Revenue over alleged diversion of N1,294,337,676.53 (One Billion, Two Hundred and Ninety Four Million, Three Hundred and Thirty Seven Thousand, Six Hundred and Seventy Six Naira, Fifty Three Kobo) belonging to the Katsina State Government.

Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesman on Monday revealed this in statement.

The suspects are, Rabiu Abdullahi, Sanusi Mohammed Yaro, Ibrahim M. Kofar Soro, Ibrahim Aliyu and Nura Lawal Kofar Sauri.

They were arrested following a petition from the Katsina state government alleging that the suspects colluded and diverted the sum of N1,294,337,676.53) accruing to the state from the World Health Organization, Medicins Sans Frontiers, Alliance for International Medical Action, ALIMA.

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Preliminary investigation by the Commission showed that Rabiu Abdullahi, a former Director of Collections of the Board and current Permanent Secretary of the Board authorized the opening of a a bank account in the name of ”BOIRS” at Sterling bank where he allegedly designated Sanusi Mohammed Yaro, Director of Revenue Account and Ibrahim M. Kofar Soro as sole signatories to the account. Subsequently, the account became the primary channel through which all the funds were allegedly funneled to the main beneficiary NADIKKO General Suppliers, a company owned and controlled by Nura Lawal Kofar Sauri, an Assistant Director of Career Skills/Staff Welfare of the Board.

Investigation further revealed that Nura Lawal and his company ”NADIKKO” became the principal conduits used to launder the stolen funds. These laundered funds were traced to the various bank accounts of the suspects.

The suspects are currently being detained at the Kano Zonal Command of the EFCC.

They will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.

 

Five Katsina tax officials arrested over N1.3bn fraud

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LAGESC removes street traders, demolishes shanties on Cele-Ilasa drain

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LAGESC removes street traders, demolishes shanties on Cele-Ilasa drain

*Operation will last till Sunday – Corps Marshal

By Dada Jackson

 

The Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) in conjunction with the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has embarked on a 3-day clearance operation to remove hundreds of street traders occupying the base of the Cele Bus Stop Flyover situated along the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway.

The team also carried out the demolition of illegally-erected shanties around System 6C Cele-Ilasa Drainage Channel on Friday.

Corps Marshal of the agency, Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (rtd), spoke with journalists on exercise at the command headquarters, Bolade-Oshodi.

He said, “I recall being with the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, on Wednesday during an assessment tour of the System 6C Drainage Channel and we made it clear that traders occupying the base of the Cele Bus Stop Flyover must vacate immediately.

“We extended our operations to the banks of the channel to remove illegal structures in the same vein, which has become a hideout for criminals to perpetuate illegalities which we would not tolerate. Hence, the reason for commencing the 3-day clearance operation.”

Cole decried the alarming level of filth, sheer disregard for public health discovered during the clearance operation which lasted for hours.

He affirmed the resolve of operatives to consolidate on the success of Friday’s operation and continued until Sunday. This, he stressed, would make it easier for LAWMA to load the debris to the dumpsites.

He also appreciated the collaborative efforts of the LAWMA for the 3-day exercise, citing the agency’s strategic mode of debris clearance as effective and proactive.

Cole also read the riot act to street traders and hawkers involved in the negative acts of displaying wares for sale in traffic, on road setbacks, verges, medians, gutter slabs, open defecation and urination which stands in opposition to the State Environmental Laws, warning that defaulters would be apprehended and made to face the law.

Underscoring the need for commuting pedestrians to embrace safety always, the retired Major echoed the need for Lagosians to make appropriate use of pedestrian bridges in the stead of crossing highways which remains a safer option to avoid being hit by speeding motorists.

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Many burnt to death as petrol tanker explodes in Niger

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Many burnt to death as petrol tanker explodes in Niger

 

Many people, including women and children, were on Saturday killed in a tanker explosion at Dikko in the Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State.

The incident, it was learnt, occurred when some residents were scooping fuel from a petrol-laden tanker fell on the road around 9am.

Apart from the dead, scores of other persons also sustained injury, some of them taken to Suleja General Hospital as well as Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Hospital, Sabon-Wuse town.

“The tanker fell opposite the Government Girls’ Secondary School, Dikko, around 9am but it didn’t explode immediately until after people had gathered to scoop the fuel that was pouring on the ground,” said an eyewitness.

Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, confirmed the explosion in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim.

The governor described the incident as worrisome and heartbreaking.

He sympathised with the families of the victims and prayed that Allah would repose the souls of the departed and heal the injured.

He directed all the relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to do what is necessary while urging the Security Agents to ensure security in the area.

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I consulted Ifa oracle that chose new Alaafin, all kingmakers consented – Prof Abimbola

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I consulted Ifa oracle that chose new Alaafin, all kingmakers consented – Prof Abimbola

Fresh details of how Ifa oracle played a major role in the final selection of Abimbola Owoade as the new Alaafin of Oyo have emerged.

Wande Abimbola, a 92-year-old Yoruba language and literature professor and Ifa priest, said he was involved in the entire process.

The former vice chancellor of University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile Ife, said all the Oyo kingmakers were present during the Ifa consultation that chose Abimbola Owoade as the new Alaafin.

Abimbola spoke in an interview with the Nigerian Tribune on Saturday.

The selection of the new Alaafin of Oyo has become controversial after the death of the former monarch in 2022.

Although the state governor, Seyi Makinde, has announced and presented a staff of office to a new Alaafin Owoade, five out of seven Oyomesi members/kingmakers are backing Prince Luqman Gbadegesin for the position.

They are threatening legal action if the governor failed to rescind the decision.

But the Ifa priest (Prof Abimbola) recalled that the governor had asked him to conduct the Ifa consultation for the new Alaafin because “the kingmakers were fighting among themselves”.

“I was happy and surprised too that we could find a governor who says that we should consult Ifa. A year or two ago, we divined and it was so easy to pick someone, anyone — I didn’t want to know the person,” Abimbola said.

“That was how Ifa selected a person. We did it and for a long time, we didn’t hear anything again.

“Actually, I came home for the marriage of one of my sons in Lagos. When the governor heard that I was around, he said he was just about to send for me again because he was ready, and the kingmakers were fighting among themselves.

“Even in modern times, culture demands that they would ask Ifa also. That may not be the primary method of selection, but they would ask Ifa, and that is our own tradition.

“Now, it is not the case that the kingmakers were bypassed; they were there while we consulted Ifa to choose the best. The Oyo Mesi were there only they had split into two. And one section took the governor to court; that he must take the candidate they presented. There were five kingmakers. They used to be seven. Two of them had died, remaining five.

“I did not insist on the choice of the candidate, the kingmakers approved him. It turned out that the candidate is a good man when his file was presented.

“We did the divination a long time ago and as an academic, I wrote a 21-page report on the divination process. When they called me four or five days ago, I asked for the report.”

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