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N450m Fraud: You have case to answer, court tells former minister, four others
N450m Fraud: You have case to answer, court tells former minister, four others
Justice Fadima Aminu of the Federal High Court sitting in Damaturu, Yobe State, ordered a former Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Abdul Bulama and four others to enter their defence in the N450 Million fraud charge preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. EFCC.
Ruling on a no-case submission by the defendants, Justice Aminu held that, “based on the testimonies of witnesses and exhibits tendered before the court”, the prosecution had established a prima facie case against the defendant to warrant them to enter their defence.
The court consequently adjourned till October 19-20, 2023 for the defendant to open their defence.
The Maiduguri Zonal Command of the EFCC is prosecuting Bulama on a seven-count charge of criminal conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N450 Million (Four Hundred and Fifty Million Naira).
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Bulama was re-arraigned on Monday, November 8, 2021, alongside Hon. Mohammed Kadai, a former Commissioner for Integrated and Rural Development in Yobe State, Abba Gana Tata, Muhammad Mamu and Hassan Ibn Jaks.
The ex-minister served as the Coordinator of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2015 re-election Campaign Committee in Yobe State, while Kadai was his Deputy, with the other three defendants as members. They were alleged to have received the said sum in order to influence the outcome of the 2015 Presidential election.
Count one of the charges reads, “That you, DR. ABDU BULAMA, HON. MOHAMMED KADAI, ABBAs GANA TATA, MUHAMMAD MAMU AND HASSAN IBN JAKS on or about the 27th day of March 2015 at Damaturu, Yobe State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did agree among yourselves to do illegal act, to wit: conspiracy to commit money laundering and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended”.
Upon re-arraignment, the defendants pleaded not guilty to all the counts and the matter proceeded to trial. In the course of trial, counsel for the prosecution, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed presented five witnesses and tendered several documents in evidence before the court before closing its case.
Rather than open their defence the defendants opted for a no case submission, arguing that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against them
N450m Fraud: You have case to answer, court tells former minister, four others
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How Access Bank staff secretly filmed 400 colleagues naked in office
How Access Bank staff secretly filmed 400 colleagues naked in office
A former quality assurance specialist at Access Bank’s contact centre in Oniru, Lagos, (name withheld), has found himself at the centre of a disturbing scandal involving the secret filming of hundreds of his colleagues.
According to a report by FIJ, the suspect allegedly secretly recorded about 400 colleagues, particularly women, naked inside the office restrooms.
Sources told FIJ that he was apprehended inside the female restroom around 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
Although Access Bank subsequently called for his arrest and a raid was conducted at his residence, he was later released from custody.
Some of the affected staff, whose nude images were found among the videos, have voiced concerns about their chances of getting justice, especially since the suspect has been dismissed and is no longer detained by the authorities.
Questions linger over how the suspect was able to carry out such acts undetected.
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According to FIJ, the Access Bank contact centre operates a shift system, meaning some employees often spend the night at the office, where they also bathe and freshen up.
“He snuck into the ladies restroom. I believe he wanted to hide his camera as usual, so he noticed ladies coming and hid in one of the toilets beside the bathroom,” a source told the online newspaper.
“Mind you, the men’s restroom is not too close for him to have mistakenly entered the one for women.
“He was found when a lady taking her bath noticed a phone recording her from the toilet cubicle, which is directly by the side of the bathroom. She noticed someone closed the water closet seat, and was making a video. She just saw the camera by chance.”
Upon raising the alarm, more staff members gathered, demanding that the person inside open the door. Eventually, he emerged.
“That was when people saw it was Stephen. He said he didn’t know how he got to the ladies’ toilet, but couldn’t explain the part of him making videos,” a witness recounted.
Later that day, after more footage showing both male and female colleagues naked in the restroom was discovered on his devices, he was taken into custody. A further search of his home uncovered over 400 such videos stored on his laptop.
In an even more unsettling twist, reports suggest that Ijezie may have been profiting from the exploitation.
Despite these revelations, those who previously worked with Ijezie described him as an unlikely perpetrator.
“He was so cool and would always ask after people. That aside, he was an exceptional agent. No one would ever have thought this would come from him,” a former colleague shared.
How Access Bank staff secretly filmed 400 colleagues naked in office
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Shootings, pandemonium as gunmen disrupt pro-Wike rally in Bayelsa
Shootings, pandemonium as gunmen disrupt pro-Wike rally in Bayelsa
There was pandemonium on Saturday at the rally ground of NEW Associates, a pro-Wike political in Bayelsa State, as gunmen suspected to be political thugs shot sporadically at the crowd and disrupted the programme.
The gunshots caused pandemonium as the crowd dispersed and scampered for their safety. Although there were no casualties but it was confirmed that some persons sustained gunshot injuries.
at the Church of God Mission Camp at Igbogene, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The rally organised by the supporters of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, in appreciation of President Bola Tinubu for appointing sons and daughters of the state into positions in government, was also aimed at declaring support for Wike, who is the grand patron of the group.
It could be recalled that the rally earlier fixed for April 12 was shifted to April 26, after supporters of Governor Douye Diri also fixed their rally at the earlier date and venue. Though both groups also shifted their rallies.
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The supporters of NEW Associates who had thronged the Church of God Mission Camp arena, venue of the rally, as early as 8 am, were already seated when the gunmen began shooting sporadically from the nearby bush.
The supporters, however, ran for their lives while the combined security personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) and DSS engaged the hoodlums to retreat.
They also combed the surrounding bushes to forestall any further attacks.
Speaking shortly after the incident, the Secretary of NEW Associates and former spokesman of Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe, accused the state government of trying to scatter their peaceful rally, vowing to continue with the rally.
He said the put up the peaceful rally to appreciate President Bola Tinubu for appointing sons and daughters of the state in positions of responsibility in his government, wondering why somebody should feel threatened with a peaceful rally.
Shootings, pandemonium as gunmen disrupt pro-Wike rally in Bayelsa
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Police bust human trafficking ring in Oyo, 84 victims rescued
Police bust human trafficking ring in Oyo, 84 victims rescued
The Oyo State Police Command has uncovered a human trafficking ring in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The police stormed the building where 83 individuals and a child from a house in the Orogun area of the city, were being held against their will.
Preliminary reports suggest that the victims, believed to be nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo, were lured to Nigeria under the pretence of being offered employment opportunities.
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There are also claims that the perpetrators extorted significant sums of money, reportedly in dollars, from the victims’ parents and relatives as part of the elaborate scheme.
The rescued individuals are currently at the Police Headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, where authorities are conducting further investigations to ascertain the full details of the case.
Police bust human trafficking ring in Oyo, 84 victims rescued
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