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NDDC audit: We’ll recover every kobo, prosecute culprit, says Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari has said “every kobo” will be recovered, following the conclusion of the forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The President said this on Thursday in Abuja while speaking at the virtual commissioning of the NDDC Prototype Hostel at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom.
Buhari said the concluded forensic audit was being reviewed with a view to recovering “every kobo that was recoverable”, while those found culpable would face the law.
He said it was regrettable that the special development fund of the entire region was squandered by a few for more than 20 years, leaving many in penury.
“The Niger Delta Development Commission needs to demonstrate that it can achieve the objectives it was conceived for and make its impact felt all over the Niger Delta Region. The lives of the people of the Niger Delta could be so much better, if the funding received by this commission since its inception, in billions of naira over the last 20 years, have been judiciously deployed in service of the people.
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“The serial abuse, lack of delivery and what had become an entrenched institutional decay, was the reason why I called for the forensic audit. Therefore, going forward we shall ensure every recoverable kobo, is recovered for use in service of the people of this region and those found culpable shall face the Law.
“Consequently, I want to use the opportunity of this commissioning to direct all statutory contributors to the NDDC to remit all outstanding funds to the Commission, and to ensure this is done transparently and according to laid down procedure and process,” he said.
Buhari, in a statement issued by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, directed that all abandoned projects that directly impact the livelihood of the people should be revived and completed.
The President said the contract for the building of 1,050 capacity hostel for male and female students was awarded in 2004, and like many others, it was abandoned.
Buhari said across many public universities and institutions of higher learning children face accommodation challenges, while private investors were taking advantage of the gap to provide accommodation, unfortunately tasking the resources of parents and guardians.
“Many of them are located far away from school premises and come with their own peculiar challenges. It is good that such an infrastructure gap is being addressed, by providing accommodation for students that would be affordable, well built, and in a secure environment,’’ he said.
The President noted that the Vice- President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on his behalf, commissioned the Special Protections Unit Base 6 Barracks in Omagwa, Rivers State, which was built and donated by NDDC to the Nigeria Police Force.
In his remarks, Sen. Akpabio said the completion of the NDDC headquarters complex and other projects clearly showed the President’s commitment to improving the livelihood of people in the Niger Delta.
The Sole Administrator of NDDC, Mr Effiong Akwa, thanked the President for always honouring the institution by commissioning three projects in a year.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Prof. Nyaudoh Ukpabio Ndaeyo, and the Student Union also appreciated the President for the intervention, with presentation of awards.
Daily Trust
News
BREAKING: Panic at Lagos airport after fire outbreak, flights diverted
BREAKING: Panic at Lagos airport after fire outbreak, flights diverted
Following a fire at the facility, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has diverted flight operations from Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos to the D Wing.
The fire outbreak occured at the E54 Passenger Air Bridge at the domestic wing of the Airport.
The incident occurred at 5:29hrs on Thursday, according to a press release issued by Obiageli Orah, FAAN’s head of public affairs and consumer protection.
According to the statement, the fire, however, was brought under control by the Airport Rescue and Firefighting Services (ARFFS) at 06:41hrs while efforts to ventilate the smoke from the building were in progress.
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“At 05:29 hrs, smoke was detected billowing from the E54 Bridge, leading electrical engineers to immediately cut off power to the entire E Wing. The Airport Rescue and Firefighting Services (ARFFS) team was quick to respond, arriving at the scene by 05:30 hrs. Initial suspicions point to sparks from an electrical unit as the cause, but a thorough investigation is ongoing to ascertain the cause of the fire.
“The incident, which had escalated into a fire, was brought under control by 06:41 hrs. Efforts to ventilate the smoke from the building are in progress. In the meantime, all flight operations in Terminal 1 of MMA have been diverted to the D Wing. More details will follow shortly,” Orah stated.
BREAKING: Panic at Lagos airport after fire outbreak, flights diverted
News
Why we withdrew appeal against Kogi court order on Yahaya Bello – EFCC
Why we withdrew appeal against Kogi court order on Yahaya Bello – EFCC
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a notice to withdraw an appeal against an order of a Kogi High Court restraining it from arresting the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.
The EFCC said the withdrawal notice dated April 22 was based on the fact that events had overtaken the appeal.
The commission also admitted that the appeal was filed within the time allowed by law.
“The appellant herein intends to and do hereby wholly withdraw her appeal against the respondent in the above-mentioned appeal,” the notice partly read.
“This notice of withdrawal is predicated on the fact that on the 17th of April 2024, the application filed by the appellant herein was overtaken by the decision of the same high court of Kogi State.
The EFCC is prosecuting Bello on 19 counts bordering on alleged money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion. The matter is before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
News
EFCC hands over recovered transmission equipment, buildings to Enugu govt
EFCC hands over recovered transmission equipment, buildings to Enugu govt
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Wednesday, released 14 properties initially forfeited to the Federal Government to Enugu State Government, following the request by the Governor Peter Mbah administration.
The properties were handed over to the Governor Mbah, by the Executive Chairman of EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede, during a brief ceremony at the agency’s corporate headquarters in Abuja.
This was even as Governor Mbah assured that the recovered assets would be used to the optimum benefit of the people of Enugu State.
Speaking at the event, Olukoyede, who disclosed that the road to the forfeiture dated back to 2007, said the event spoke of the mutually beneficial relationship existing between the federal government and states.
Commending Dr. Mbah “for the great work he is doing in Enugu State”, the EFCC Chairman said the President was very much interested in the state-of-the-art hospital that the Mbah administration proposed to build in Enugu State, saying the structures for medical facilities among the released assets would go a long way in helping to realise the Mbah vision for the benefit of not just Enugu State, but the entire country and beyond.
“What we are witnessing today testifies to a symbiotic relationship that should exist between the federal government and the state governments. The essence of our meeting here today is for us to handover properties that were forfeited to the federal government, which of course belong to Enugu State people, back to the people. It shows that governance can work in Nigeria.
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“If you look at the history of this particular matter, it takes us back to 2007 when we started the prosecution. So, we are looking at about 17 years since the matter has been on. Eventually some of the properties were forfeited and since then, the EFCC has been managing those properties even though the titles of quite a number of the properties have been revoked by the Enugu State government,” Olukoyede said.
Earlier in his remarks, Governor Mbah, who noted that the properties were forfeited not to his state but to the federal government, expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for making it possible for the assets to be returned to the government and people of Enugu State.
“The importance and significance of this event can never be lost on us and we do not also take it for granted. Those assets were forfeited to the federal government. And this brings me to another gratitude that I want to convey here today. So, I want to acknowledge and recognise the important role played by the President, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Without the proactiveness and speed at which he acted on our request to cede these assets back to the people and government of Enugu State, we wouldn’t have been here today. Therefore, I want to thank him most sincerely for granting our request for these assets that were forfeited to the federal government to be ceded back to Enugu State.
“I want to assure us that those properties would be used for the benefit of the people of Enugu state. All the assets without any exemption, and they would be deployed to optimum use for the benefit of the people of Enugu state.”
He also lauded Olukoyede’s initiatives at making the EFCC a strong institution and the role of the EFCC in the release of the properties to the state.
“I will not end this remark without acknowledging the work the EFCC chairman and his team are doing in strengthening this very important institution. Thank you very much particularly for the effort that you have put in to make today a reality,” the governor stated.
The properties comprise houses, transmission equipment for radio and television stations, a building for medical operations, among others.
EFCC hands over recovered transmission equipment, buildings to Enugu govt
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