News

Alleged N95bn LG Fraud: Edo To Prosecute Obaseki, PDP Leaders, Others, Says Okpebholo

Published

8 months ago

February 16, 2025

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo, Benin

The Governor Monday Okpebholo-led government of Edo State is set to prosecute former Governor Godwin Obaseki, some PDP leaders in the state and former local government chairmen allegedly indicted for “looting the local government treasuries, running into over N95 billions.”

This is contained in a statement signed by Fred Itua, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor and made available to newsmen in Benin on Sunday.

According to the statement, the governor made the revelation when he received the report of the Administrative Panel of Enquiry set up to investigate the financial dealings of the “impeached 18 Local Government Chairmen in Edo State from 4th September, 2023 to November, 2024.”

Recall that after taking the baton of leadership on September 12, 2024, the Okpebholo-led Edo State Government on the 18th of December, 2024, set up an Administrative Panel of Enquiry to investigate the financial dealings of the 18 local government chairmen who were allegedly impeached.

Receiving the report in the statement, the governor noted that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will prosecute all those involved in the alleged crime.

Okpebholo, while expressing satisfaction with the committee’s manner of professionalism, declared that the days of financial recklessness and lack of transparency in public office were long over.

He added: “Nigerians need to start demanding accountability from elected public office holders.”

He further stressed that “it was the only way to fight corruption and ensure development.”

The Governor, while expressing dismay at the findings of the report, vowed to petition the EFCC on the findings of the report for immediate prosecution.

Okpebholo said: “I want to thank you for a job well done. I carefully listened to the submission of the report.

“The truth is that the administration of former governor Godwin Obaseki took Edo people for granted. They took everything belonging to Edo people and channeled it for their personal gains.

“We thank God for helping us to change the narrative to benefit Edo people. We also thank the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, because without his support, we will not be witnessing the kind of development we are experiencing in Edo today.

“A lot has happened. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) looted the treasury of the Local Governments and stole our collective patrimony, and nobody went after them or took action. This time, things are different. We will go after them and retrieve what they have stolen from Edo people.

“They will be made to pay for it. I will personally take this document to the EFCC and ensure that justice is done for this wrong done to Edo people.”

Earlier, Chairman of the panel, Barr. Solomon Imohiosen, while submitting the report and recommendations Okpebholo, noted that findings and forensic investigations uncovered that huge sums amounting to N96 billion was either mismanaged and/or diverted to private accounts.

The panel observed that N95 billion (N95,080,676,687.86) was received from the Joint Allocation Account Committee (JAAC) by the 18 Local Government Area Chairmen for the period investigated.

The panel, however, reported that the funds were not judiciously utilized as no meaningful projects were on the ground to justify the amount received.

Confirming fraudulent diversion of Local Government funds to political godfathers in the state, the panel reported that over N10 (10,433 658,452.00) was fraudulently siphoned, using the psudo name, “Security, Environment and Training.”

The panel report added that the 18 Local Government Area Chairmen contributed to the account, using it as a conduit pipe to drain government resources, as money were transferred from there to various individuals and companies.

The panel outlined some challenges faced during the course of the assignment, which included late submission of financial records by various Local Government Councils, incomplete submission of records, deliberate obstruction of the investigation by Council personnel who failed to comply on time, but brought hefty sacks as an after-thought to dazzle panel members.

“The panel’s investigation uncovered significant irregularities in the financial activities of the 18 Local Governments Councils. The recommendations outlined in the report aim to address these issues and promote transparency and accountability in the Local Governments finances.”

News

Back To School: Lions Club Distributes Educational Materials In Edo Schools

Published

8 hours ago

October 4, 2025

Editor

The Benin Etete Unique and Edo Heritage Lions of the International Association of Lions Club on Friday jointly distributed educational materials to two schools in Benin City as part of the association corporate services to humanity.

The two clubs in District 404-A4 Lions Nigeria, jointly carried out the distribution of notebooks, maths sets, school bags and sandals, pens and other writing materials to excited pupils in Ivbioba Primary School and Oghede-Ivioba Primary School, Ugbighoko, Egor Local Government Area, and Evbiyenava Primary School, in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.

Themed, Back to School Project, pupils were also engaged in Reading Action Program (RAP) and Spelling Bee Competition, after which winners were presented with special prizes.

In their remarks, Lions Darlington Uyi and Franca Nikoro, presidents of Benin Etete Unique and Edo Heritage Lions Clubs stated that the vision of the Lions International is to serve humanity.

They, therefore, tasked pupils on commitment to their studies in order to attain their fullest potentials in life.

“Emulate Lions in your visions for tomorrow. We have various professionals as members, and if you are committed to your studies, obedient to your parents and teachers, you will attain great heights,” Lion Uyi Darlinton Stated.

“Our vision is to serve, and we are here like we do every period to ensure Literacy is inculcated in pupils to enable them to attain their full potential. It is our earnest desire that you grow into well rounded personalities. Literacy is important in order to actualize that aspiration,” Franca Nikoro stated.

Earlier, in his address, Lion Sir Dede Henry Idemudia, Zone 6A Chairperson, tasked the pupils on good conduct, honour to parents and guardians and obedience to instructions of school authority.

News

NAFDAC Gives Nigerian Food Companies 18 Months To Cut Trans Fats

Published

9 hours ago

October 3, 2025

Editor

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has set an 18-month grace period, effectively giving food companies until early 2026 before facing full enforcement of regulations to eliminate industrially produced Trans-Fatty Acids (TFA).

The initiative, launched as a comprehensive strategy and roadmap for TFA regulation, moves Nigeria from simply having the policy to enforcing its world-class standard: a regulatory limit of no more than two grams of industrially produced trans fat per 100 grams of total fat or oil.

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, emphasised that the roadmap moves the country beyond policy creation to aggressive enforcement and implementation.

This was contained in the NAFDAC DG’s keynote speech posted on the agency’s official X (formerly Twitter) on Friday.

Adeyeye stressed the moral imperative of the Agency’s mission.

“The removal of industrially produced trans fats from the food chain is not only a technical achievement, but a moral imperative.

“Eliminating industrially produced trans fats is possible, achievable, necessary, and urgent,” Adeyeye stated, calling for national collaboration.

The moratorium period is designed to allow manufacturers to exhaust existing stock with outdated labels and reformulate their products to comply with the legal limit.

NAFDAC’s action targets a dangerous dietary risk factor strongly linked to cardiovascular disease, stroke, and premature death globally.

Adeyeye emphasised the significance of the move beyond technical compliance, noting, “The removal of industrially produced trans fats from the food chain is not only a technical achievement, but a moral imperative.”

This aggressive step builds upon Nigeria’s existing reputation; the country was recognised by the World Health Organisation in 2023 for adopting best-practice TFA elimination policies.

The new roadmap is key to securing WHO validation of Nigeria’s full TFA elimination programme, establishing the nation as a regional leader in public health interventions.

News

Mohbad’s Father Urges Lagos AG To Prosecute Wife, Nurse, Others

Published

9 hours ago

October 3, 2025

Editor

Joseph Aloba, the father of late singer Mohbad, has urged the Lagos State government to initiate criminal proceedings against individuals named in the coroner’s inquest into his son’s death.

Mohbad passed away on September 12, 2023, following an injection administered by auxiliary nurse Feyisayo Ogedengbe.

Despite being buried the next day, public outcry and ongoing investigations led to the exhumation of his body on September 21, 2023, for an autopsy.

In a letter dated October 3 and addressed to the attorney general of Lagos State through his lawyers, Aloba demanded that criminal charges be filed against those indicted within 14 days.

“Specifically, we refer to persons indicted by the coroner’s verdict hereunder: Miss Ogedengbe Fisayo, indicted for unlawful medical practice and gross medical negligence; and Mrs. Omowunmi Aloba, indicted for negligence,” the letter reads.

“This includes Ibrahim Owodunni, a.k.a. Prime Boy, and others who either facilitated the invitation of the auxiliary nurse or refused to take him promptly to a recognised medical facility for treatment.”

Mohbad’s father said he was concerned that despite the coroner’s clear verdict, no prosecutorial steps had been taken against those indicted nearly three months after the judgment.

He asked the attorney general to exercise prosecutorial powers within the 14 days, or, in the alternative, grant him and his legal team a fiat to prosecute the matter on behalf of the state.

“Our Client, as a bereaved father desirous of ensuring that justice is done and seen to be done, is deeply concerned that notwithstanding the clear indictments contained in the Coroner’s Verdict, no prosecutorial steps have been taken against the aforementioned persons since the delivery of the Verdict on 11th July, 2025,” the letter reads.

“The judicial observations amount to clear indictments warranting the prosecution of the said individuals in order to give full effect to the Coroner’s findings and recommendations, and to ensure that justice is manifestly and adequately served in this matter.

“We request that you exercise your prosecutorial power on the above subject matter within 14 Days Next, in view of the high sensitivity of this matter and the public attention and outrage it has generated.”

In October 2023, Naira Marley and Sam Larry were arrested over allegations linking them to Mohbad’s death, but were released on bail after five weeks in detention.

By February 2025, a magistrate court cleared them of any involvement in the singer’s demise.