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Kano state government files 8-count charge against Ganduje for receiving $200k from contractor

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4 weeks ago

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The Kano government has filed an eight-count charge against Abdullahi Ganduje, former governor of the state, for allegedly collecting $200,000 from a contractor.

In a charge sheet seen by newsmen and filed before the Kano high court, the state government said the offence contravened Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Commission Commission Law 2008.

The defendants in the case are Ganduje, Hafsat Umar, Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited, and Lesaga General Enterprises

The state government also accused Ganduje of collecting $210,000 kickback from “people and entities seeking or holding the execution of Kano State Government contract and or project for the remodelling of Kantin Kwari textile market as a bribe through one of the contractors (agent)”.

“That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje sometime between the period of September 2020 and March 2021 or thereabout, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, together with one Hafsat Umar (your spouse) and Abubakar Bawuro, a Businessman, Safari Textile Ltd, a limited liability company, wholly owned and maintained by the 3rd Defendant, agreed to do an illegal act to wit: dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of N1,376,000,000.00 (One Billion Three Hundred and seventy-six million Naira) through account No. 7085982019 belonging to the 3rd Defendant being monies earmarked and approved for the purchase and supply of face marks and other hospital equipment for the health sector, thereby causing wrongful loss to the people and government of Kano State and thereby jointly committed the offence of Criminal Conspiracy contrary to section 96 and punishable under section 97 of The penal code (as amended) CAP, 105, Vol.2. The Laws of Kano State of Nigeria, 1991,” part of the charge sheet reads

“That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, sometime between the period of September 2020 and January 2022 or thereabout, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, together with one Hafsat Umar (your spouse) and Abubakar Bawuro, a Businessman, Safari Textile Ltd, a limited liability company, while entrusted with the sum of N1,376,000,000.00 (One Billion Three Hundred and seventy-six million Naira) or dominion over the said sum, earmarked for the purchase and supply of face masks and other hospital equipment dishonestly misappropriated and/or converted the said sum to your own use through account No. 7085982019 belonging to the 3rd defendant, thereby jointly committed the offence of Criminal Breach of Trust contrary to section 311 and punishable under section 312 of The penal code (as amended) CAP, 105, Vol.2.

“That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje sometime between the period March of 2021 or thereabout, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, while serving as the Governor and being a public servant in the government of Kano State for your own benefit and that of your immediate family conspire with the 4th defendant (Umar Abdullahi Umar) being your biological son using 6th defendant (Lamash Properties Ltd) a company owned and or operated by members of your family including the 4th defendant and dishonestly allocated 501 (five hundred and one) high-density plots of lands you hold in trust for the benefit all Nigerians at Zawachiki layout No. TP/KNUPD/256B in the name of the 6th defendant company under the pretext of site and services arrangement in the land compulsory acquired by you being the Governor of Kano State from destitute members of the public (peasant farmers) where it was sold and the proceed part of which the sum of #700,000,000.00 (Seven Hundred Million Naira) was deposited in the account of Bureau de change operator vision Steel link Ltd No. Domicile at Access Bank where dollar equivalent was given to the 4th defendant to the detriment of the people and government of Kano State thereby jointly committed the offence of Criminal Conspiracy contrary to section 96 and punishable under section 97 of The penal code (as amended) CAP,105, Vol.2. The Laws of Kano State of Nigeria, 1991.

“That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje sometime between the period March of 2021 or thereabout, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, while serving as the Governor and being a public servant in the government of Kano State for your own benefit and that of your immediate family conspire with the 4th defendant Umar Abdullahi Umar, being your biological son using 6th defendant Lamash Properties Ltd a company substantially owned and or operated by members of your family including the 4th defendant and dishonestly allocated 501 (five hundred and one) high-density plots of lands you hold in trust for the benefit all Nigerians at Zawachiki layout No. TP/KNUPDA/256B in the name of the 6th defendant company under the pretext of site and services arrangement in the land compulsory acquired by you as a governor of Kano state from destitute members of the public (peasant farmers) which was sold and the proceeds, the sum of #700,000,000.00 (Seven Hundred Million Naira) was deposited in the account of Bureau de change operator vision Steel link Ltd No. 7816362026 Domicile at FCMB where dollar equivalent was given to the 4th defendant thereby causing wrongful gain to yourself and causing wrongful loss to the people and government of Kano State thereby jointly committed the offence Criminal Breach of Trust contrary to section 311 and read together with section 79 and punishable under section 312 of The Penal Code (as amended), CAP. 105, Vol. 2. The Laws of the Kano State of Nigeria, 1991.”

The state government said a forensic expert would analyse the video, showing the former governor receiving dollar notes from a contractor.

BACKGROUND

Ganduje, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), served as governor of Kano from 2015 to 2023.

In 2018, Daily Nigerian, an online newspaper, published a video of Ganduje allegedly receiving bundles of dollars from contractors, which he stuffed into his “babanriga”, a traditional outfit

The newspaper said the former governor requested $5 million as a bribe from the contractors who recorded the video.

In 2023, the Kano state Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) invited Ganduje for questioning over the incident in the video.

The former governor did not honour the invitation and instead instituted a suit against the agency.

In March, a federal high court in Kano stopped the agency from inviting or questioning Ganduje over the bribery allegations.

The court ruled that the agency lacks the power to invite or investigate Ganduje over the allegations.

Abdullahi Liman, the presiding judge, said the alleged infraction is a federal offence that cannot be prosecuted by the state anti-graft agency.

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Lagos state government uncovers 86 under bridge rooms where tenants pay N250k annually

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4 hours ago

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May 2, 2024 9:03 am

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Tokunbo Wahab, commissioner for environment and water resources, says the state has uncovered apartments under the Dolphin estate bridge where tenants pay N250,000 in annual rent.

Wahab disclosed that 86 rooms partitioned into 10×10 and 12×10, and a container, were discovered by an enforcement team of the Lagos ministry of environment.

In a post alongside videos posted on X on Wednesday, the commissioner said the illegal structures have been destroyed.

“A total number of 86 rooms, partitioned into 10×10 and 12×10, and a container used for different illegal activities, were discovered under the Dolphin Estate bridge,” the commissioner wrote.

“They have all been removed by the enforcement team of Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.”

Commenting on the incident, Kunle Rotimi-Akodu, special adviser on environment to the Lagos governor, said 33 persons have so far been arrested by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC).

“The bridge has hitherto housed 86 rooms, partitioned into 10×10 and 12×10. Squatters there have been paying an average rent of N250k p.a,” he said.

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Court fines EFCC N10m for unlawfully declaring Christ Embassy pastor wanted

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5 hours ago

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May 2, 2024 8:36 am

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A federal high court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, has fined the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) N10 million for unlawfully declaring Οyinmiebi Biribena, a pastor, and his wife Beatrice, wanted.

Isa Dashen, presiding judge, gave the declaration while ruling on a matter marked FHC/YNG/CS/132/2022 filed on June 10, 2022, by the applicants seeking the enforcement of their fundamental human rights.

The couple had amongst several reliefs, sought a declaration that a publication made by the commission on June 8, 2022 via Guardian Newspaper on page 36, declaring them wanted without a valid court order, constituted a “breach of their fundamental rights to personal liberty, freedom of movement, right to private and family life and dignity of human person as guaranteed by Sections 34(1), 35(1) 37 and 41(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As amended), and Articles 4, 5, 6 and 12(1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Cap A9, Laws of the Federation, 2004”.

Biribena is the pastor in charge of Christ Embassy Church in Kumasi, Ghana.

The judge agreed with the applicants and granted all the reliefs sought.

The judge also made an order directing and compelling the EFCC to offer a public apology to Biribena and Beatrice, for the “unlawful and unconstitutional” publication.

He also gave an order “restraining the EFCC from inviting, harassing, arresting and detaining Οyinmiebi and Beatrice Biribena, pending the determination of a suit marked FHC/YNG/CS/125/2022”.

However, instead of the N100 million sought by the applicants, the judge awarded N10 million as exemplary damages against the EFCC and Wilson Umujaren, former spokesperson of the commission.

Although the judgment was delivered on March 22, 2024, the certified true copy was obtained on April 30.

Meanwhile, in a sister case marked FHC/YNG/CS/125/2022 between Bliss Multinational Perfections Limited and Οyinmiebi Biribena vs the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Dashen, while ruling on the originating summons filed on June 7, 2022, granted some declarations in favour of the applicants against the EFCC.

The judge declared that “by virtue of the provisions of Sections 49 and 50 of the Nigeria Co-operative Societies Act, 1993, Cap C.35, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004; and Section 51 of the co-operative Societies Law of Bayelsa State Cap C11, 2006, members of Baraza Multipurpose Co-operative Society cannot report any dispute arising from transactions between themselves and the Co-operative Society, to any security agency or resort to any court of law without first reporting to the Registrar/Director of Bureau of Co-operative Societies, Bayelsa State”.

The judge further declared that the “EFCC cannot interfere in any dispute between members of Baraza Multipurpose Society arising from the registered business objects of the co-operative society”.

He declared that by the provisions of the EFCC Act, 2004, the commission “is not empowered to wade into disputes borne out of civil transactions arising from the registered business objects of the cooperative society and that by the provisions of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act, 2004, the EFCC cannot seize properties belonging to the plaintiffs which are clearly not proceeds to crime”.

Dashen gave a declaration that the “seizure and sealing of Bliss Multinational Perfections Limited’s property situated at No. 1 Otiotio road, Yenezue-Gene, Yenagoa, Bayelsa (known as Bliss Emporium) not being proceeds of any crime, by the EFCC is wrong, unlawful and ought to be returned”.

He also declared that the “seizure and sealing of the jointly owned property of Bliss Multinational Perfections Limited and Οyinmiebi Biribena, situated at No. 57, Green Villa Road, Biogbolo, Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, not being proceeds of any crime, by the EFCC is wrongful, unlawful, and ought to be returned”.

He ordered that the applicant’s bank accounts should be unfreezed.

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‘Four days free ride’ — FG inaugurates PH-Aba train service

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1 day ago

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May 1, 2024 11:23 am

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The federal government has inaugurated the 62-kilometre (km) Port Harcourt-Aba train service.

FG also declared a 4-day free train ride from May 1-4, to encourage and drive the usage of the train service.

Commercial services are expected to kick off from May 7.

In a statement by the federal ministry of transportation on Tuesday, Saidu Alkali, minister of transportation, said transportation is one of the eight key priorities of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, hence, his focus on the eastern rail corridor project since taking office.

Alkali said the commencement of the train service is part of the intensified drive by FG to facilitate trade, enhance mobility, and accessibility, as well as ensure connectivity between regions.

“With the completion of the rehabilitation of the Port-Harcourt to Aba rail corridor, the Ministry will continue to vigorously drive the contractor Messrs CCECC towards the speedy completion and delivery of the 181 kilometres Aba-Enugu stretch,” Alkali said.

“The fare for the Port-Harcourt to Aba train service has been pegged at #1000 for VIP & #800 for economy class.”

Fidet Okhiria, the managing director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), said the locomotives and coaches used for the flag-off are refurbished ones.

Okhiria said the contractor is expected to deliver 50 narrow gauge locomotives and 100 narrow gauge coaches to be deployed along existing train corridors in the country.

On March 2, FG said the train services would commence by the end of March.

However, on March 29, the launch was postponed to April.

The rail line is a section of the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri railroad project initiated by former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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