metro
Hajj 2022: Several intending pilgrims stranded as officer diverts funds in Niger
The Pilgrims Officer (APO) of Bida Local Government Area of Niger State, Nma Ndagana has left intending pilgrims from the State stranded as several would not be performing this year’s Hajj in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA due to the officer’s failure to remit millions of naira paid into his account.
According to reports, about 150 intending pilgrims had paid into the APO’s personal bank account.
Ndagana had allegedly directed that the Hajj fee be paid into his personal bank account instead of the official designated account domiciled in the Jaiz Bank.
Confirming the development, the Secretary of the Niger State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Umar Maku Lapai, told newsmen that a committee had already been instituted to investigate the matter.
However, Lapai did not give the number of affected intending pilgrims. But the Secretary explained that the committee had received batches of complaints, with more people still coming forward with similar complaints.
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The Secretary of the Committee also said that the APO registered more than the allocation given to his local government, adding that Ndagana only remitted for the assigned number of people for Bida local government.
Lapai said, “There are two ways to do it. For us in the Niger State Pilgrims Welfare Board, we have paid money for the 2, 265 people but we are yet to receive complete visas. It is the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria that is responsible for giving us the visas.
“In the case of Bida, the number of pilgrims that he (APO) registered were above the slot he was asked to register. Those that he paid their money to us have been given visas. Those that paid their money to his account were the ones with problems.
“We have set up a committee to find out what actually happened. The committee is still investigating. The affected people are coming in batches. In the first place, we registered 28 complaints. Later more people came and they are still coming,” he said.
Meanwhile, if the allegations were found to be true, the Secretary said the officials involved would not be allowed to travel, adding that the board would not take responsibility for money paid into individual accounts.
Lapai, however, could not explain the whereabouts of Ndagana.
VANGUARD
metro
Ramadan ends in Nigeria, Sultan announces March 30 as Eid-el-Fitr
Ramadan ends in Nigeria, Sultan announces March 30 as Eid-el-Fitr
Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar Sa’ad, says the crescent moon marking the end of Ramadan fasting has been sighted.
The Sultan, who is president of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSIA), said in a broadcast on Saturday night, “Today marks the end of the Ramadan fasting and Sunday, March 30, is the Eid-el-Fitr celebration.”
metro
Embrace environmental sanitation during Eid-Fitr, LAGESC boss tells Lagosians
Embrace environmental sanitation during Eid-Fitr, LAGESC boss tells Lagosians
By Dada Jackson
The Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) has urged Lagosians to embrace proper environmental practices and obey the state’s environmental laws ahead of the Eid-l-Fitr festivities to mark the end of the Ramadan fast by Muslim faithful around the world.
Corps Marshal of the agency, Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (retd), sounded the call at the agency’s command headquarters at Bolade-Oshodi.
He said, ‘‘The Ramadan fast is a testament to the willingness of Muslim faithful to adhere to the pillars of their faith and it is enjoined that cleanliness is an important religious practice in all faiths, which is why we admonish Lagosians to imbibe proper waste disposal and keep their environment clean during the celebration.”
Cole also advised Lagosians to make proper use of pedestrian bridges for their safety instead of crossing highways to prevent ‘hit and run’ cases by speeding motorists.
He equally read a riot act to miscreants in the habit of converting pedestrian bridges to sleeping areas which deters Lagosians in transit, pedestrians vowing that anyone caught w be made to face the state Environmental laws as amended
The KAI boss also revealed that the agency had recorded giant strides and would not relent in ridding pedestrian bridges across Lagos of criminal obstructions, traders and hawkers with daily arrests made alongside secured prosecutions by the Courts.
The Corps Marshal also warned Lagosians to desist from street trading, use of Styrofoam pack, hawking in traffic, patronage of cart pushers for refuse disposal, and erection of illegal structures on laybys, setbacks, medians, road verges, kerbs or around public schools in the state.
The KAI head said offenders would be made to face the consequences via prosecution in a competent court of appropriate jurisdiction.
metro
Mother, daughter who stole ponmo, stock fish in Ogun jailed six months
Mother, daughter who stole ponmo, stock fish in Ogun jailed six months
A Magistrates’ Court in Abeokuta, Ogun State yesterday sentenced a mother, Falilatu Amidu, and her daughter, Ayisatu, to six months imprisonment each for stealing dry ponmo, stock fish and dried meat valued N1 million
The defendants, who reside at No 21 Ago-Oko area of Abeokuta, were convicted on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.
The Magistrate, Mrs O.O. Odumosu, held that the evidence presented by the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt that the convicts were guilty of the offence as charged.
Odumosu sentenced both mother and daughter to six months in prison each with an option of N5,000 fine.
She ordered that the convicts should refund N100,000 each to the complainant as restitution before accessing the N5,000 fine option.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp. Kehinde Fawunmi, had told the court that the defendants committed the offence at Lafenwa market sometime in August 2024.
Fawunmi explained that Falilatu conspired with her daughter, Ayisatu, to steal a big sack containing stock fish, dried ponmo and dried cow meat valued N1million, belonging to one Mrs kafayat Alao.
According to him, one of the defendants, Falilatu, used to help the complainant to carry load from her store in Lafenwa to where the complainant sells her items.
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“The complainant asked her to help her pick some goods from the store. She waited for over an hour and did not see the defendant, which made her to go to the store to check on her.
“On getting to the store, she did not find Falilatu, and she noticed a big bag containing dried meat, ponmo and stock fish was missing while the defendant was nowhere to be found,” he said.
Fawunmi further explained that Falilatu stole the goods and gave it to her daughter (Ayisatu) to sell. He said Ayisatu received the goods from her mother, knowing that they were stolen.
The prosecutor noted that the offence committed contravened sections 516, 390(9) and 127 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun 2006.
Mother, daughter who stole ponmo, stock fish in Ogun jailed six months
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