An Ikeja special offences court in Lagos has issued an arrest warrant against Ahmed Kuru, a former managing director of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), after he failed to appear for trial.

Kuru was due to face arraignment on a six-count charge of theft and abuse of office.

On Tuesday, Kuru and his legal team were absent from the court, prompting the trial judge, Mojisola Dada, to order his arrest.

An Ikeja special offences court in Lagos has issued an arrest warrant against Ahmed Kuru, a former managing director of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), after he failed to appear for trial.

Kuru was due to face arraignment on a six-count charge of theft and abuse of office.

On Tuesday, Kuru and his legal team were absent from the court, prompting the trial judge, Mojisola Dada, to order his arrest.

The case stems from a petition filed by Femi Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria, on behalf of Johnson Arumemi, the founder of Arik Air, and the airline’s shareholders.

THE ALLEGATIONS

Based on the charge sheet, EFCC accused Union Bank of “making false statements” to AMCON regarding Arik Air’s loans and bank guarantees, resulting in the transfer of a sum of N71 billion to AMCON.

The anti-graft agency accused Kuru, Omokide, and Ilegbodu of stealing and “fraudulently converting N4.9 billion for the use of NG Eagle Limited in 2022”.

The EFCC also accused Kuru and Omokide for intentionally incorporating a company — NG Eagle Limited — for the purpose of obtaining undue advantage for themselves and cronies.

The anti-graft agency alleged that Kuru, Omokide, and Ilegbodu authorised the destruction of 5N-JEA aircraft valued at $31.5 million on February 12, 2022.

“That you, UNION BANK NIGERIA PLC, sometimes in 2011 or thereabout, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with the intention of causing and/or inducing unwarranted sale of Arik Air loans and bank guarantees with Union Bank, made false statements to the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) regarding Arik Air Limited’s performing loans following which you transferred a bogus figure of N71,000,000,000.00 (Seventy- One Billion Naira) to AMCON,” the charge sheet reads.

“That you, AHMED LAWAL KURU, Kamilu Alaba Omokide as Receiver Manager of Arik Air Limited and CAPTAIN ROY ILEGBODU Chief Executive Officer of Arik Air Limited in Receivership, sometimes in 2022 or thereabout, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently converted to the use of NG Eagle Limited the total sum of N4,900,000,000.00 (Four Billion Nine Hundred Million Naira only), property of Arik Air Limited.

“That you, CAPT. ROY ILEGBODU as MD/CEO of Arik Air Ltd in receivership, in May, 2024 or thereabout, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did steal the sum of N22,500,000.00 (Twenty-Two Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) by fraudulently converting same to the use of Magashi All Mohammed property of Arik Air Ltd.

“That you, AHMED LAWAL KURU as Managing Director of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and KAMILU ALABA OMOKIDE as Receiver/Manager of Arik Air Ltd. being public officers, on 11th July, 2019 or thereabout in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, directed to be done in abuse of the authority of your offices an arbitrary act, to wit: intentionally and in violation of the discharge of your functions incorporated a Company called NG Eagle Limited, RC Number 1600277 for the purpose of obtaining undue advantage for yourself and or cronies.”

Just two months after the public presentation of his book, “The Catalyst: Nigerian Tech Evolution Through a Journalist’s Lens”, the immediate past Editor of The PUNCH, Dayo Oketola, has been named Editor of the Year at the prestigious Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME).

Oketola was adjudged Editor of the Year at the 33rd edition of DAME. At the same time, Niyi Adesina, Editor of The Nation, and Femi Adekoya, Editor of The Guardian, emerged as first and second runners-up, respectively.

The PUNCH was also adjudged the Newspaper of the Year, among other awards.

Commenting on the industry accolade via his social media handles, the consummate editor, said, ” I attended the 33rd edition of the DAME in Lagos on Saturday, November 30, 2024, as a guest. I had no inkling that I was nominated and never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would be standing on the podium as the Editor of the Year. It was an incredible surprise, and I am truly grateful to God for the opportunity.

“I was a runner-up at the DAME last year and today, the award is in the bag, following our exploits at the Nigeria Media Merit Award in 2023. It’s a huge testament to our capacity, consistency, and grit as well as an objectively unbiased assessment of our contributions.”

In his remarks, the organisers of the awards,  Mr Lanre Idowu, said the awards were tokens of appreciation for good work and a source of encouragement for greater productivity.

Idowu, also the Chief Executive Officer of Diamond Publications Ltd. and Editor-in-Chief of Media Review, said that DAME was in pursuit of excellence and would maintain high quality.

He said that DAME had to drop 10 categories of the awards because there were no quality entries on them.

He urged those willing to participate in subsequent editions of the awards to work harder.

“Indeed, the central message of the stories that have been nominated for awards today is one of hope, of the need for a better society, and of a belief that Nigeria can and will be better,” he noted.

Recall that the erstwhile Editor, The PUNCH  recently held an exaugural lecture to mark the end of his assignment as Editor of The PUNCH and the public presentation of his book.

The event featured an impressive lineup of speakers, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo; former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; and founder of the Love of Christ Generation Church, Reverend Mother Esther Ajayi.

At the event, Obasanjo emphasised Nigeria’s potential to attract investment and foster economic growth. He underscored the importance of creating a conducive environment for investment and called for a commitment to character, understanding, and knowledge to transform Nigeria into a prosperous nation free from insecurity and hardship.

Oketola had recently embarked on #thecatalystbooktour, an international platform  to engage with readers and friends while talking about tech, innovation, and advocating for the reading culture in local communities

Talking about his book already online and in bookstores in Abuja and Lagos, the former PUNCH editor, said, ” The book offers a comprehensive chronicle of Nigeria’s telecommunications evolution, which began with the introduction of GSM in 2001, to the vibrant and competitive industry we witness today.  It also highlights the bold initiatives that opened the sector to private investment, leading to over $70 billion in capital inflow and the creation of over 500,000 jobs.”

The origins and visionaries behind Nigeria’s mobile revolution were explored in the book, according to him, adding that the work highlights the exclusion of people with disabilities, advocating for more inclusive design.

“It further examines the Nigerian Communications Commission’s role in regulating and advancing the sector and investigates the operational challenges faced by NigComSat-1R. The vital role of social media in combating Ebola, the empowerment of female farmers through mobile technology, and the contributions of prominent Nigerian women in tech were also discussed,” Oketola noted.

“The book not only provides valuable insights into strategies for unlocking the full potential of the digital economy while promoting inclusive growth, but it also serves as a testament to the extraordinary progress achieved and a poignant reminder of the ongoing efforts required to ensure that the benefits of this revolution reach every citizen. For your copies, please visit https://rhbooks.com.ng/product/the-catalyst-nigerian-tech-evolution-through-a-journalists-lens/. You can also visit my website – https://dayooketola.com/books/,” he added.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says its operatives have uncovered an illegal production site for counterfeit alcoholic beverages on Lagos Island.

In a statement on Monday, the agency said its team, acting on a complaint, discovered a shop repurposed for producing and packaging fake alcoholic drinks on Offin Road in the Balogun area of Lagos Island.

“Assorted bottles of the offending products were destroyed on-site, while packaging materials, empty bottles, and repackaged drinks were confiscated,” the statement reads.

“The estimated value of the destroyed and seized items exceeds N30 million.

“NAFDAC has initiated further investigations and advises consumers to buy alcoholic beverages only from reputable vendors and to report any suspicious products and activities to the nearest NAFDAC office.”