News

N2.17bn Money Laundering: EFCC closes case against almond projects boss, Gbenga Obadina

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, February 26, 2024 closed its case against Olugbenga Obadina and his company, Almond Projects Limited before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja.

Obadina and Almond Projects Limited are standing trial on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, official corruption and money laundering to the tune of N2,17,190,000 (Two Billion, Seventeen Million, One Hundred and Ninety Thousand Naira), being payment received from the Office of the National Security Adviser on November 28, 2015 without any contractual agreement or approval.

Count three of the charge reads: “That you Olugbenga Obadina and Almond Projects Ltd on the 3rd of April, 2014 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, directly took possession or control of the sum of N 648,000,000.00 (Six Hundred and Forty Eight Million Naira) paid into the account of Almond Projects Ltd with Zenith Bank Plc Account No: 1010921116 from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser with the Central Bank of Nigeria without contract award when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (rtd), the then National Security Adviser (To wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2), (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”

Prosecution counsel, Ibrahim Buba closed his case, after presenting four witnesses, thus setting the stage for the defendant to enter his defence.

In his statement, Obadina who is the Chairman/CEO of Almond Projects Limited stated that he owned Almond Projects Limited, Intraflow Consulting, Terminal Zero Development Limited, Sunphos Africa Limited, Green Cowrie Energy, Giganorth East Limited, Ancient International, TES Power Limited and also a Director in Woks and Koi Oriental Restaurant.

He disclosed that he was invited by the former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki(retd) sometime in 2013 to discuss developing a Solar Farm Project. He confirmed the receipt of NGN 2, 017,190,000 from ONSA between 13/05/2013 and 16/04/2015. He disclosed further that there was no contract award, agreement or Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Government.

He revealed that N271,600,000 (Two Hundred and Seventy-One Million, Six Hundred Thousand Naira) was transferred to his personal account with Zenith Bank, stating that the balance in the N2,17,190,000 (Two Billion, Seventeen Million, One Hundred and Ninety Thousand Naira), were expended on the purchase of a plot of land in Parkview Ikoyi, purchase of a vehicle, purchase of foreign currencies from bureau de change and transfer of the procured foreign currencies to offshore accounts.

Obadina listed other expenditures made with the fund to include purchase of shares, payment of office rent, office running/payment of salaries, oil and gas investment, payment to travel agents, payments to his wife and to Yobe Solar Project.

In all, the funds were deployed to private use, with no evidence of any contract execution.

Justice Dimgba adjourned the matter to February 29, and March 1, 2024 for continuation of trial.

News

Bandits kill one, kidnap district head, eight others in Kebbi

Bandits have kidnapped Alhaji Isah Daya, the district head of Kanya under the Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

The bandits kidnapped the monarch and eight others when they stormed his village on Saturday, October 5, 2024.

The bandits also k!lled one and injured three persons during the attack.

The spokesperson for the State Police Command, Nafui Abubakar, who confirmed the attack, gave the name of the deceased as Sherriff Alhaji Almu.

According to the PPRO, a combined security team led by the police has launched a manhunt on the abductors of the monarch to rescue the abducted persons.

He noted that the Kebbi State Government has provided the needed logistics to tame banditry in the affected towns, particularly Kebbi South, Zuru Emirate.

The attack came a few days after bandits k!lled the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Suru Local Government Area of the state.

News

FG mobilises Julius Berger to complete N820b road projects

The Federal Government has told Julius Berger Nigeria Plc to fast-track the completion of the rehabilitation of the 82-kilometre Section II of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano dual carriageway and the construction of the Bodo-Bonny road with bridges across the Opobo Channel, Route 430 in Rivers State.

Works Minister David Umahi said the government could not continually negotiate with the contractor over the same projects.

In a statement in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media, Uchenna Orji, during a meeting with Julius Berger, represented by its Executive Director for Projects, Benjamin Bott, and the Head of Contract Management, Omonigho Brown, the minister stressed the need for contractors handling Federal Government’s projects to exhibit corporate nationalism in price negotiation in the face of the daunting economic challenges facing the country.

Umahi said the Federal Executive Council (FEC), at its meeting on September 23, approved the re-scoping and downward review of the contracts.

He said: “We have Section II, which is 82 kilometres by two, which is the section that JBN Plc is working on.

“And so, if you check what FEC approved on September 23, FEC had approved that the total contract sum within the scope of Berger would be N740 billion. This means that if you remove N391 billion paid already, you now have about N340 billion remaining. This is the scope of their work for the 164 kilometres.”

The minister urged the contractor to mobilise for work on the four sections of the Abuja-Zaria-Kaduna-Kano project to finish the job within 14 months.

News

Police thwart plan by armed men to kidnap a foreigner in Anambra, recover four dead bodies

Police Operatives in the morning of Sunday, October 6th, 2024 thwarted the abduction/kidnapping plan of a foreigner by suspected armed secessionist members in Ogbunka village.

The Operatives courageously engaged the hoodlums in a gun battle and saved the VIP.

SP Tochukwu Ikenga, Police Public Relations Officer who disclosed this in a statement said during the gun duel, two Police Operatives who were hit by bullet escaped with the foreigner.

He added that they are stable and are currently receiving treatment in a hospital.

Meanwhile, Operations are ongoing in the area for the possible arrest of the Armed men.

Also, Police operatives attached to Nimo Police Station responded to a distress call on 6/10/2024 by 8:25 pm of a suspected cult clash at Umuka, Nawfia. The Operatives upon arriving at the scene, found four lifeless bodies of young men in a pool of blood with suspected multiple gunshot injuries lying on the road.

The victims were confirmed dead by a doctor on duty and have been deposited to the morgue.

They were later identified as one Ebuka Nwaonkwube Ekenta of Mmimi village Nawfia, Nnatuanya Junior A.K: A Starboy of Mmimi village Nawfia, Aniemena A.K.A Osama of Umuariam Village and one Ahmed Auwal.

Information from eyewitnesses and some villagers reveal that the victims are known for their nefarious activities and are always in rivalry with another cult group in the area.

Furthermore, Joint patrol with Operatives of the Special Anit Cultism Squad (SPACS) has been intensified in the area.

In another development, the Commissioner of Police *CP Nnaghe Obono Itam* has ordered
immediate investigations into the gruesome murder of a 17-year-old girl suspected of being used for ritual purpose.

The girl’s lifeless body was found in a bush at Omasi village on 6/10/2024 by 4:25 pm and she was later identified as one Chinasa Adigwe from Umueje village and her private parts were cut off in a bush at Omasi Village before Police were alerted. The body has been recovered and deposited in a morgue.

The CP while condoling with the family, friends and Community of the deceased states that the Police shall do everything possible to make sure that those behind the barbaric act are arrested and justice served.