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I’ve no regrets probing Magu – Ayo Salami
Justice Ayo Salami, chairman of the presidential panel investigating Ibrahim Magu, suspended chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says he does not regret his appointment to serve on the panel.
Magu is being investigated over allegations of abuse of office and mismanagement of recovered assets from May 2015 to May 2020 — the time he acted as chairman of the anti-graft agency.
Magu’s lawyers have always disagreed with the panel.
In a memo on Tuesday, Salami accused the lawyers of planting reports in the media that he regretted chairing the panel.
“The reports were a figment of the wild imagination of the reporter, the two lawyers quoted as his sources and the medium that published the story,” he said.
“There was no time anything near the unthinkable scenario painted in the false story occurred in any meeting between myself and the lawyers to Magu or any other person, for that matter, since the Judicial Commission of Inquiry began its sittings.
“I have no cause to express any regret over my chairmanship of the commission, not to talk of betraying any form of emotion before anyone about it. I see my appointment to serve as the chairman of the commission of inquiry as an honour and call to service, thus my decision to accept diligently and patriotically discharge this responsibility.
“I have never appointed any of the two lawyers or any other person(s) to speak on my behalf as I can express myself without recourse to the lawyers of the persons we are probing. As an eminent jurist, who retired as the President of the Court of Appeal, I have handled much more complex cases than the current one before the commission. There is no doubt that the false reports were aimed at causing mischief and tarnishing my hard-earned reputation and integrity. I remain resolute and committed to the service of the nation and ready to champion the ideals of justice and fairness.
“I want to point out that such wild claims against me and the commission are not strange to me, given the manner in which the lawyers to Magu have been carrying on in the conduct of their client’s case before the commission. Planting such lies in the media about proceedings at the panel has been their pastime. They believe that it is by engaging in such media propaganda against the commission that their client can be easily absolved of the various allegations that have been brought against him.”
The retired president of the appeal court also said the “lies and blackmail” would not deter him and other members of the panel from discharging their duty.
He said the panel would continue its investigation of the allegations against Magu with a view to unearthing the truth and ensuring that justice is done.
News
Kano anti-corruption agency slams fresh charges against Ganduje
Kano anti-corruption agency slams fresh charges against Ganduje
The Kano State Anti-Corruption and Public Complaints Commission has filed a fresh corruption charges against former Governor of Kano Abdullahi Ganduje.
The commission’s chairman, Muhuyi Magaji disclosed this in an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Tuesday.
According to Magaji, investigations uncovered the diversion of N51.3 billion from local government funds to unauthorized individuals during Ganduje’s tenure.
Magaji alleged that the Ganduje administration withdrew N1 billion monthly from state coffers before its tenure ended in May 2023, purportedly for road renovation, but diverted to Bureau de Change operators instead.
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He also cited a case involving N4 billion transferred to an agricultural company from Kano’s consolidated revenue account.
“What is happening now is a tip of the iceberg. As I am talking to you, we are investigating a case whereby N51.3bn local government funds were directly taken from the government coffers (and) sent to other individuals, and we traced it to people.
“We have filed a series of cases. We have a case whereby N1bn in April last year (2023) was removed from government coffers under the allocation of renovating 30 roads in the metropolis, and it was taken away and sent to Bureau de Change.
“We have a case of N4bn whereby it was sent from the consolidated revenue account of Kano State to an agricultural company. All these cases are before the court,” he said.
Recall that the state government has said it will arraign Ganduje, alongside his wife and son, for money laundering, later this week.
Kano anti-corruption agency slams fresh charges against Ganduje
News
Ooni of Ife dismisses agitators of Yoruba nation
Ooni of Ife dismisses agitators of Yoruba nation
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on Tuesday, urged Nigerians to ignore the Yoruba nation agitators, who invaded the Oyo State government secretariat last week, describing them as attention seekers.
Speaking when he received in audience members of the Yoruba Council Worldwide, who paid him a courtesy visit at his lodge in Eko Hotels, Victoria Island in Lagos to inform him of the sixth annual Omoluwabi festival which holds on April 27- 28, 2024, in Ile Ife and the grand finale holding in Lagos at LTV 8 Blue roof on May 1, 2024, the monarch commended the president of Yoruba Council Aare Oladotun Hassan for promoting Yoruba culture and extolling the good virtues Yoruba are known for.
Oba Ogunwusi, however, advised Nigerians not to give the Yoruba nation agitators any attention.
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He said: “We should not give those people relevance, they are achieving their aims just to seek attention,we are having challenges here and there in the country, this administration is really trying her best.
“Under President Bola Tinubu, he is doing very well, he is doing exceptionally well, by trying to fix the economy,we should give him benefit of doubt and also to engage people, very important we should be engaging people to talk to others about success recorded by the government in power.
“For us, we will continue to uphold and support the government, to support the president to ensure everything he does is to our advantage not as a race, but to our advantage as a nation, irrespective of where you come from Yoruba land or anywhere.”
Speaking on the importance of organising the Omoluwabi day, the president of the organisation, Mr Hassan said the essence is to rekindle the fast dieing Yoruba morals and values and as well inculcate it into the youths.
He said: “Yoruba Council Worldwide is registered organisation with Corporate Affairs Commission with vocal point of promotion of Yoruba cradles Omoluwabi ethos, National development, ensuring due dividend of democracy.
“The organisation was established 18th March 1999,just celebrating the sixth edition of world omoluwabi day.
it is a unique day, every May 1 declared by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi and late Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, the late Alaafin of Oyo. We receive countless of support from all the monarcs in Yoruba land, and this to us is an engagement and conversation to rekindle that Omoluwabi ethos that is fast dying in our society.”
Ooni of Ife dismisses agitators of Yoruba nation
News
Jubilation as FG begins disbursement of N200bn palliative loans
Jubilation as FG begins disbursement of N200bn palliative loans
The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment says it has begun disbursement of the Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme to verified applicants after an exhaustive selection process.
The government, through the Bank of Industry, had said it would be disbursing three categories of funding totalling N200bn to support manufacturers and businesses across the country.
In a progress report posted on the trade minister’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday, Doris Aniete stated that an unspecified number of beneficiaries have received their grants, adding that by Friday, April 19, another significant disbursement will be made to a substantial number of verified applicants.
She said, “We are pleased to inform you that the disbursement process for the Presidential Conditional Grant Programme has officially commenced. Some beneficiaries have already received their grants, marking the beginning of our phased disbursement strategy.”
“By Friday, 19th April 2024, a significant disbursement will be made to a substantial number of verified applicants. It is essential to understand that disbursements are ongoing, and not all applicants will receive their grants on this initial date. However, rest assured that all verified applicants will eventually receive their grants in subsequent phases.”
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This is coming more than eight months after President Bola Tinubu announced the grant for manufacturers and small businesses and two weeks after applicants were directed to submit their National Identification Numbers as part of the requirements to obtain the grant earmarked to cushion the effect that recent economic reforms have had on businesses in the country.
In the address, the president said he was determined to strengthen the manufacturing sector, increase its capacity to expand, and create good-paying jobs.
“We are going to spend N75bn between July 2023 and March 2024. Our objective is to fund 75 enterprises with great potential to kick-start sustainable economic growth, accelerate structural transformation, and improve productivity.
‘’Each of the 75 manufacturing enterprises will be able to access N1bn credit at 9 per cent per annum with a maximum of 60 months repayment for long-term loans and 12 months for working capital,” Tinubu said.
The programme, riddled with multiple delays and a complex registration process, had received several criticisms from prospective beneficiaries.
The President of the Association of Small Business Owners, Femi Egbesola, had decried the slow pace of data collation by the supervising agencies, alleging that genuine businesses were being deliberately discouraged from accessing the loans.
Jubilation as FG begins disbursement of N200bn palliative loans
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