News

Allegations Of Fraud Against Ndiomu Baseless, Infantile, Group Replies Ex-agitators

Published

3 years ago

March 15, 2023

A group, the Niger Delta Peace Advocates has dismissed the allegation by ex-agitators of the Phase 2 of the Presidential Amnesty Programme of the existence of fraud within the office, calling it “tissues of lies fabricated in the infantile minds of the promoters of such narrative.”

An Online report had quoted the ex-agitators as congratulating President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and asking him to sack the Interim Administrator of the Programme, Major Gen. Tariye Ndiomu (rtd).

In their congratulatory message, the group alleged that Ndiomu was corrupt and never meant well for the oil-bearing communities since he assumed duties as Interim Administrator.

But a statement jointly signed by the group Chairman Ebitimi Kurowei; Secretary Amangiye Thomas; Vice Chairman, Fred Ekpebugha and the Publicity Secretary, Ekpe Ekpe-Ekere said Gen. Ndiomu has since he assumed duties brought a regime of reforms in the Programme, “initiatives that have blocked the leakages and conduits through which many of those accusing him of fraud have been profiting and stealing money meant for the genuine ex-militants.”

The statement added: “We have noticed a pattern in the orchestrated attacks on the person of Ndiomu. Each time the Administrator pushes through a reform, he got pelted with attacks. Each time he insists on audit of operations of the Programme, the corrupt mob who have been cheating through the system will launch a tirade and cheap media attack to discredit the Administrator”.

“The latest in the series of such very unintelligent media lynching of Ndiomu was a poorly scripted press statement credited to a section of bad tempered ex-agitators in which they urged Tinubu to sack Ndiomu on account of fraud”

“We can confirm that the reform of probity, accountability and transparency instituted by Ndiomu is yielding anticipated fruits” the group noted.

“The forensic audit carried out on the operations of the Programme which exposed monumental fraud bordering on flawed payment systems and contract inflation has ruptured the nerves of some persons who have been chief beneficiaries of the criminally bloated payments to ghost agitators. This is why they are fighting the Interim Administrator. He has stopped them from stealing from the system. He has ended the era where one BVN is attached to over 30 bank accounts for the purpose of siphoning money from the Programme to private pockets.”

The group urged the President-elect and the general public to see “this platoon of ex-agitators for who they are: A gang of never do well who would rather appropriate the money meant for the Programme to themselves than have it spent on the genuine ex-agitators for who the Programme was instituted to address their challenges for the general good of the Niger Delta and it’s people.”

It added: “In barely six months, Ndiomu has saved the Programme over N1.5 billion from bizarrely inflated contracts; he has restored sanity in the payment system and he has effectively positioned the Programme towards achieving its core mandate by addressing the needs of delegates rather than meeting the needs of a few emergency contractors who lack both competence and capacity.”

The statement maintained that the initiatives introduced by Ndiomu are strategic ways of positioning the PAP towards a sustainable transition to something more permanent.

“We therefore urge Tinubu and President Muhammadu Buhari to ignore the allegations of these ex-agitators. They are not crying because of the people, they are crying because of their selfish and misguided ambition to bring the Programme to its sour past where anything goes has been busted. These complaining ex-militants deserve to be chastised for preferring evil over good”, the statement added.

News

Tinubu Approves Portfolios For 5 NCDC Executive Directors

Published

9 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has approved portfolios for five executive directors on the board of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC).

Mr Segun Imohiosen, Director, Information and Public Relations, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), made the announcement in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja.

The appointees and their portfolios are: Hajiya Biliquis Jumoke- Administration and Human Resources, Mrs Aisha Rufai Ibrahim-Commercial and Industrial Development.

Others are, Mr James Abel Uloko-Corporate Services, Prof. Muhammad Bashar-Finance and Atika Ajanah-Projects.

The president urged the executive directors to work closely with the governing board of the commission to promote and coordinate sustainable development of the North-Central geopolitical zone.”

News

Court Orders Arrest Of 2 Lawyers Over Alleged Forgery, Impersonation

Published

9 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sitting at Apo, on Monday, issued a bench warrant against two lawyers charged with forgery and impersonation.

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie made the arrest order following repeated failure of the defendants- Victor Giwa, and Ibitade Bukola- to appear before the court to enter their plea to the charge that was preferred against them by the Inspector General of Police.

In the charge marked: CR/150/25, the duo were accused of conspiring to forge a legal document purportedly issued by the chambers of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Prof. Awa U. Kalu, with the intent to mislead the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF.

According to the three-count charge, the alleged offence occurred on June 28, 2024.

The prosecution alleged that the defendants forged and signed a letter on the official letterhead of the SAN, requesting the AGF to suspend a scheduled arraignment.

The contentious letter, titled “Urgent and Solemn Appeal to Suspend the Arraignment of Our Colleague Victor Giwa on Charge Number: CR/222/2023”, was allegedly addressed to the AGF.

It allegedly sought intervention of the AGF to halt an arraignment that was scheduled before trial Justice Samira Bature of the high court.

The IGP, in the charge, maintained that the two lawyers committed offences punishable under Section 97, 179 and 364 of the Penal Code Act, 2004.

At the resumed proceeding of the court on Monday, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Eristo Asaph, noted that the defence lawyer told the court that the 1st defendant was bereaved, hence his absence for the scheduled arraignment.

The prosecution counsel further noted that it was on the strength of an application by the defendant that the case was adjourned.

He, therefore, wondered why the duo were also absent in court for the case to proceed.

Responding, the defence counsel, Mr. Ogbu Aboje, told the court that the 1st defendant, Giwa, wrote a letter that was accompanied with a medical report dated September 3, indicating that he had a health challenge he described as “Degenerative disorder of the lumber vertebrae,” in addition to his hypertensive condition.

He added that the 2nd defendant equally went to the hospital on Monday morning to keep to a routine appointment for the immunisation of her daughter.

More so, he drew attention of the court to an application the defendants earlier filed to challenge its jurisdiction to entertain the case.

Dissatisfied with the developments, the prosecution counsel urged the court to issue a warrant for the defendants to be arrested y security agencies and produced for their trial.

In his ruling, Justice Onwuegbuzie held that having listened to both parties, he was minded to accede to the prosecution’s request.

He court stressed that the medical report did indicate that the 1st defendant would not be able to attend court, adding that the 2nd defendant did not adduce any material to justify her absence.

Consequently, relying on the provision of section 266 (2) and 352 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), Justice Onwuegbuzie issued a bench warrant for the defendants to be arrested and produced before the court on October 8.
(VANGUARD)

News

Community Attributes Access Road To Reduction In Maternal Mortality In Bauchi

Published

13 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

A cross-section of residents in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State has attributed the reduction in maternal mortality to the ongoing construction and rehabilitation of the Kirjaule–Lame roads.

Mr. Samila Jauro, who spoke on behalf of the community, made the disclosure during a media tour of ongoing Bauchi State projects in the area.

He explained that in the past, no fewer than 50 pregnant women and their babies had lost their lives due to delays in accessing healthcare caused by the poor condition of roads.

“We have lost many of our pregnant women and their unborn babies in the past because of bad roads.

“But the present administration has changed our lives through its infrastructural development,” Jauro said.

While commending the state government, he appealed for the electrification of Kirjauke community.

“We are grateful for the road project, but we still call on the governor to provide us with electricity.

For the past 18 years, we have had no source of power,” he added.

The Bauchi State Government, through the Ministry of Works, in 2023 awarded a 40.5-kilometer road construction and rehabilitation projects in the aforementioned sites.

Speaking on the progress of the projects, the Site Engineer, Mr. Ado Shehu, said the project had reached 75 percent completion.

“The Kirjaule–Lame and Magama–Gumau roads were awarded at the end of November 2023.

“Some portions are already completed, while others are at the second layer and shoulder stage to ensure a successful outcome.

“The duration of the project according to the contract is 36 months.

” But with 75 percent already completed, the project will be finished ahead of schedule,” he said.