News

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

Published

3 years ago

March 15, 2023

Editor

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

‘We Cure Madness With Madness’: Five Things To know About Taye Currency

Published

11 hours ago

September 28, 2025

Editor

The name ‘Taye Currency’ has continued to trend on social media following the Fuji music artiste’s performance at the coronation of the 44th Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, on Friday.

Taye Currency, during his performance at the coronation event which took place at Mapo Hall in Ibadan, rendered a line in Yoruba, “Were la fi n wo were,” which translates to “we cure madness with madness.”

The line, which seems not to have sat well with many Nigerians, particularly those of Yoruba heritage, has continued to generate a lot of criticism, with many opining that such lyrics were not befitting for the occasion, which had in attendance dignitaries including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, governors, ministers, traditional rulers, and other crème de la crème of society.

Reacting to the development, the Olu of Kemta Orile in Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State, Oba Adetokunbo Tejuosho, criticised Taye Currency for what he described as “classless and unbefitting lyrics.”

According to him, the musician failed to accord the coronation its due respect, describing his lyrics as unbefitting of the sacred ceremony.

He said, “The throne of our ancestors is not a stage for mockery, nor the coronation of a great monarch a subject for careless entertainment.

“Kingship is sacred, adorned with honor and guarded by tradition. It demands reverence, dignity, honor, class and the utmost respect from all who stand in its presence.

“Listening to the musician (Taye Currency), who was invited to render music before the Crown, as a matter of fact before the entire world, to serenade the audience and sing in a way to express admiration, singing songs like (were lafi n wo were) We use madness to cure madness.

“Such lyrics were classless and unbefitting of such occasions, it is insulting to the sacredness of the gathering.”

While Taye Currency is well known among Fuji music lovers, especially those from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, his performance at the Olubadan coronation has made people want to know more about him.

In this article, Tribune Online takes a look at five things to know about the trending Fuji musician.

1. Full Name and Age

His full name is Taye Akande Adebisi. Apart from his popular stage name, Taye Currency, he is also known as ‘Apesin.’ He celebrated his 50th birthday on December 17, 2024.

2. Appointment as Special Adviser on Culture and Tourism

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, appointed him as Special Adviser on Culture and Tourism in 2019 during the governor’s first tenure.

3. Father of a Lawmaker

In 2019, Taye Currency’s son, Yusuf Oladeni Adebisi, was elected into the Oyo State House of Assembly to represent Ibadan South-West Constituency 1, which earned Taye Currency another nickname, ’Baba Honorable’ (Honourable’s father). He was re-elected in 2023 as a lawmaker on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

4. Financial Setback

In April 2025, Taye Currency publicly lamented that he lost N10 million to CBEX, a crypto/investment scheme many now regard as a collapsed Ponzi platform. He explained that he was convinced to invest by close associates, only to see the scheme crumble shortly after.

5. Affiliation with Pasuma

Taye Currency has often maintained that although he never learnt Fuji music from his senior colleague, Wasiu Alabi Odetona, popularly known as Pasuma, whom he first met in 1993, he still considers him a boss.

News

JUST IN: PENGASSAN Strike May Trigger Nationwide Blackout, Thermal Plants Shut Down

Published

13 hours ago

September 28, 2025

Editor

Nigerians may face a nationwide blackout from Monday as power generation companies have raised the alarm over an imminent shutdown of thermal plants following directives from the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria.

The Executive Secretary of the Association of Power Generating Companies, Joy Ogaji, raised the alarm over the imminent blackout in a WhatsApp message on Sunday.

She revealed that gas suppliers had issued notices to halt supply to thermal power stations in line with PENGASSAN’s strike resolution.

“Good day, all. Thermal GenCos have received notification from our gas suppliers to shut down our thermal power plants following directives from PENGASSAN. The Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company has specifically requested GenCos to comply,” Ogaji said in the post.

She warned that the development could plunge the country into darkness, as hydroelectric dams alone cannot sustain the national grid.

“Please all be notified of the imminent darkness, as hydros alone cannot sustain the system,” she added.

The warning comes hours after PENGASSAN announced that it would commence a nationwide strike on Monday to protest the dismissal of over 800 workers at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

The oil workers’ union, after an emergency National Executive Council meeting on Saturday, directed its members in all oil and gas installations to down tools until the sackings were reversed.

The action could cripple crude production, fuel supply, gas distribution and now electricity generation, worsening the hardship faced by Nigerians.

With thermal stations accounting for more than 70 per cent of Nigeria’s electricity supply, industry experts say the shutdown will trigger widespread outages, stretch hydro plants beyond capacity and heighten the risk of a nationwide system collapse.

News

Customs Launches One-stop-shop To Cut Cargo Clearance To 48 Hours

Published

15 hours ago

September 28, 2025

Editor

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has officially introduced its ‘One-Stop-Shop (OSS)’ initiative aimed at reducing cargo clearance time to 48 hours.

NCS spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Maiwada said the initiative was unveiled recently during a meeting between NCS management and Customs Area Controllers, chaired by the Comptroller-General (C-G), Adewale Adeniyi, in Abuja.

He said the meeting deliberated on the service’s modernisation agenda and the role of leadership in driving reforms across commands.

Maiwada quoted the C-G as describing the OSS as a “transformative shift” which aligned with global best practices and the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business policy.

Adeniyi said the reform was designed to sanitise operations, reduce duplication of efforts and ensure predictability in customs procedures.

“The OSS initiative will not only shorten clearance time from 21 days to 48 hours, but it will also strengthen trader confidence, restore transparency and make our operations more business-friendly,” Adeniyi said.

The C-G acknowledged the role of technology in customs operations but also emphasised the importance of physical engagement with officers.

“As much as technology has helped us, it has its limits. There are moments when physical presence, coming together under one roof, adds weight and value to our deliberations,” he said.

The NCS boss said the reform would be piloted at Apapa, Tin Can Island and Onne Ports before being rolled out nationwide.

He added that the initiative was constitutionally supported by the NCS Act 2023 and aligned with the World Trade Organisation’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).

“This is not just a policy. It is a statement of intent that reflects our determination to build a modern, transparent and trader-friendly Customs Service,” he said.

The spokesperson said that under the OSS framework, all customs units would work jointly on flagged declarations, eliminating multiple checks and reducing delays.

According to him, consignments cleared under the OSS will not be subject to re-interception, thereby reducing costs and enhancing trade facilitation.

He said the meeting also provided a platform to review the NCS accountability framework, including a new central dashboard that tracks clearance times, interventions and stakeholder satisfaction.