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N4.6bn shared to organise prayers against insecurity — EFCC witness
N4.6bn shared to organise prayers against insecurity — EFCC witness
An officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Kazeem Yusuf, shocked the nation on Tuesday when he told an Abuja high court that N4.6 billion was spent to organise prayers against in Nigeria.
Yusuf spoke while testifying as the second prosecution witness (PW2) in the trial of a former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda.
Yuguda is standing trial alongside former National Security Adviser; Col Sambo Dasuki (retd); former Sokoto State governor, Attahiru Bafarawa; his son, Sagir, and Dalhatu Investment Limited, a company owned by Bafarawa.
The defendants are facing 25 counts of misappropriation, criminal breach of trust and receiving stolen property.
Led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, the witness said an investigation was carried out after the commission received a petition from the Office of the National Security Adviser.
He said the investigation revealed that “Dalhatu Investment Limited was one of the 78 companies alleged to have received money from ONSA without any documents to show that they bided for contracts.”
Yusuf said an analysis of the statement of account of Dalhatu Investment Limited by EFCC from UBA revealed that the company got N4.6 billion from ONSA.
He added that the amount was paid in instalments between 2014 and 2015, noting that N783 million, being part of the money, came from the SAS account.
Yusuf said in a written statement, that Sagir, who represented the company, told the EFCC that “the money was meant for prayers for the country because of the insecurity prevalent at that time.”
He said Sagir later gave a breakdown of how the N4.6 billion was spent, including a list of beneficiaries.
The witness said Senator Abdallah Wali, who received N580 million from the company, told EFCC that the money was meant for his governorship election campaign in Sokoto in 2015.
He also told the EFCC team that former secretary of the Pilgrims and Welfare Agency, PWA, in Sokoto State, Muazu Madawaki, received N322 million, which he claimed was for payment of hajj seats for some Sokoto indigenes.
The witness said other beneficiaries are former Sokoto chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ibrahim Maigoma, who received N111 million; Yahaya Dada (N327,549,000); Sani Kabir (N159 million); INEC (N293,500,000), among others.
The witness added that the money received by Wali was sent through a company, Development Strategies International Limited, owned by Islam Wali and Mohammed Wali, who are cousins to the former senator.
The witness told the court that parts of the money meant for supplies of security equipment, including hand-held devices, were used to procure a Lexus car, a Hilux van and 16 Peugeot 206 cars which were distributed to PDP local government chairmen in Sokoto.
However, he stated that 14 of the Peugeot 206 vehicles were recovered in the course of the investigation.
The witness said one Amanze Obi received N15.3 million for political publicity for Bafawara’s 2015 presidential campaign.
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May Day: A’Ibom gov increases minimum wage to N40,000
May Day: A’Ibom gov increases minimum wage to N40,000
Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has said the least paid worker in the state will henceforth go home with N40,000 monthly, instead of N30,000.
He made this announcement in his address to workers on Wednesday during the celebration of this year’s Workers’ Day at UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar.
He said he increased the wage based on economic reality as well as the lean federal allocations accruing to the state.
Otu said his government was very appreciative of workers even though their industrial output was only five per cent which was very poor.
He said, “Government considers its workforce as the driver of lofty projects and programmes for the common good of the people.
“Workers in the state are always held in high esteem to achieve good results, prompting the payment of salary and pension up to date.
“The state government is presently on the verge of concluding necessary arrangements for the staggered payment of outstanding gratuity to its retired workers. I therefore sue for a little patience from the pensioners in this regard.”
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However, the organised labour in the state have accused the state government of neglect and deceit, calling for open recruitment of employable youths to fill up various vacant positions.
Chairman of TUC, Comrade Monday Ogolodom, said the administration deceived the senior citizens when it failed to deliver its promise to clear the backlog of gratuities since 2013.
Addressing workers, Ogolodom said, “Payment of gratuity in the state has become a mirage. I recall on the 4 of October, 2023, during the swearing-in of the Head of Service, Innocent Eteng, His Excellency, the Governor made a very welcoming, sweet and promising speech, saying “before the end of December, 2023 all backlog of Gratuity in the state shall be cleared.
“Today is the 1st May, 2024, 4 (four) months after, nothing has started,” adding that this had portrayed the governor in bad light.
He appealed to him to set up machinery towards actualizing the promise as some of the elder statesmen and women were dying due to lack of funds for medication.
He alleged that bribes for promotion were now rampant, adding that it was appalling and discouraging for industrious and qualified workers.
He described as unending the verification that was supposed to weed out ghost workers in the state, saying this has denied workers overdue promotions.
He called on government to officially embark on recruitment exercise instead of secret recruitment.
May Day: A’Ibom gov increases minimum wage to N40,000
News
El-Rufai ignored us for 8 years, Kaduna NLC praises Gov Sani
El-Rufai ignored us for 8 years, Kaduna NLC praises Gov Sani
The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kaduna state, Comrade Ayuba Magaji Suleiman, has hailed Governor Uba Sani for personally attending the May Day rally in Kaduna.
Speaking at Murtala Square, Kaduna, on Wednesday, Suleiman said the last time a governor personally attended the rally was nine years ago.
“Your Excellency, we want to thank you for personally attending the May Day Celebration. Labour has not witnessed the presence of a governor at such an occasion in the last nine years,” he said.
Malam Nasir El-Rufai, Sani’s predecessor, spent two terms of eight years as governor.
While commending the governor for prioritizing workers’ welfare through prompt payment of salaries and allowances, as well as involvement of the labour unions in decision making in the state, the NLC Chairman expressed hope that workers would enjoy favorable working conditions.
In his speech, the governor assured the workers of his support, saying development is about the people, just as governance is also about the people.
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He said governors were working with NLC to come up with decent and acceptable pay for workers.
The Government under my leadership will continue to prioritize workers’ welfare and equip them appropriately within available resources, conscious of the fact that a committed and motivated workforce is critical to the achievement of our Rural Transformation Agenda. Human capital development and poverty reduction will continue to receive robust government attention through investment in education, health, agriculture, housing, micro, small and medium enterprises, as well as support to security agencies as they tackle terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes.
“Nigerian Governors, under the platform of Nigeria Governors Forum, are in consultation with Labour Unions at the federal and state levels in order to come up with a decent and acceptable salary increase for state and local government workers. As a comrade and veteran of the struggle for better working conditions for Nigerian workers, I will not rest on my oars until we agree on a wage package that will put smiles on the faces of our workers.
“As we ramp up our Rural Transformation Drive and implement innovative programmes to reinvent our economy, we seek the cooperation and total commitment of Kaduna State workers. Increased productivity and sustained industrial harmony will help reposition our economy and put our government in good stead to frontally tackle our myriad security and developmental challenges.”
El-Rufai ignored us for 8 years, Kaduna NLC praises Gov Sani
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Umahi replies Obi over Lagos-Calabar coastal project criticism
Umahi replies Obi over Lagos-Calabar coastal project criticism
Minister of Works, David Umahi, has accused Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra State, of inciting the people of the South-East to rebel against the Federal Government over the Lagos-Calabar coastal road project.
Umahi disclosed this on Wednesday at a road project stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos.
The Lagos-Calabar coastal road, which will pass through eight other states including the beach resorts along Lagos’ beachfront, has had its construction process commenced by the government.
The project has generated controversy and concerns about funding and the businesses that would be affected during construction.
On Tuesday, Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, criticised the federal Government over the project, describing it as a misplaced priority.
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The former Anambra governor said the “insensitive” demolition of structures for the project was “heart-wrenching”.
Responding to Obi’s comment, Umahi said Obi supported the demolition of structures for road infrastructure while he was the governor of Anambra.
The minister condemned Obi for criticising the Federal Government over the project, adding that affected property owners are already being compensated.
“When you condemn people, you bring judgment upon yourself and that is what he has done,” Umahi said.
“I think he is inciting some of the South-East people that are not well informed. He is inciting and getting them into trouble and he does not go to fight for them.
“Wisdom is a defence. It gives light to those that practise it. I want our people to have wisdom because I’m involved.”
Umahi added that the Federal Government did not destroy the facilities of Landmark Beach, noting that only shanties on the right of way were removed.
He said the owners of Landmark Beach were not unfairly treated in the construction of the project.
The minister accused Paul Onwuanibe, chief executive officer (CEO) of Landmark Africa Group, of politicising the issues arising from the project.
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