News

Drama In Court As Maina’s Sister, Testifies Against Him

Published

6 years ago

December 11, 2019

…Distances Self From Companies, Bank Accounts Linked To Her

There was a mild drama at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday when Fatima Abdullahi, a younger sister of Abdulrasheed Maina, was giving evidence as a prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of the former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team.

Fatima, a civil servant and resident of Kaduna, told the court that she and Maina shares the same parents.

She gave evidence behind a screen where her face was only seen by the judge, Justice Okon Abang, while her voice could be heard through the public address system of the court.

However, while her evidence in chief was going on, Adeola Adedipe, counsel for Common Inputs & Investment Nigeria Ltd (2nd defendant), raised observation that he suspected that the witness was reading from a prepared document.

When asked by the court registrar, the witness said, “Well, I am not reading from any paper. They are free to come and check as I only have my bag with me. The reason why I am slowing down is because the judge is taking down his notes.”

ALSO READ: Judge Orders El Zakzaky To Kaduna Correctional Centre

The judge ruled that the court did not see the witness reading from any document.

In her evidence in chief, the witness said she had never heard of a company called Common Input & Investment Nigeria Ltd.

She gave the narrative of how she found out about the company thus: “Sometimes in August, 2019, I went to the ATM of Diamond Access Bank to withdraw some money.

Unfortunately, I could not. So, I went inside the bank to see the manager to complain. The manager told me to hold on, that he would find out the reason..

“After waiting for an hour, the manager told me that I was under arrest and he took me to an office and asked me to wait for the EFCC official to come and take me to their office in Kaduna.

“That was when the manager told me that my accounts were blocked. So when the EFCC official came, they took me to their office for questioning. When we got there, the officials were asking me if I know any company by the name Common Input, to which I told them I do not. In fact, that was the first time I was hearing about the name.

“They told me that there was a transaction in Common Input and I told them I am not aware of the transaction. So, they made me to write a statement.

“Afterwards, I was given an administrative bail on the same day and that I should proceed to the EFCC office in Abuja the next day.

“The next day, I went to the Abuja office together with my lawyer. The officials also asked me if I know any company by the name Common Input, to which I say I do not. So, they presented a CAC incorporation form of the company where the name Fatima Samaila Abdullahi was stated together with my date of birth but the phone number on the form is not my own.

Even the name as stated on the form is not my name as my full name is Fatima Abdullahi.”

The witness continue her evidence, stating that even her signature was not the one on the form, as well as the one on another CAC form for Kangolo Digital and Drew Investment.

“The name is my name, but the signature is not mine,” she said.
“So, I was asked to write a statement, which I did.

“Also, I was shown an account opening package of Common Input and Drew Investment with UBA. I was shown a BVN, which is my BVN and I told them I don’t know anything about those accounts. I was never given any form to sign in respect of those account. And I have never made any deposit or withdrawal from Drew Investment, Common Input and Kangolo.

“I have never opened any account with UBA. The other accounts I have are in GTBank, Access, Fidelity and First Bank.

All my genuine accounts were blocked together with those fictitious accounts. Even my salary account was blocked and I can not access it,” she said.

The witness also denied knowledge of shares bought in her name in the companies, adding that the photograph attached to the documents was a younger version of her before she got married.

Meanwhile, the matter has been adjourned to December 16 for cross examination and hearing of the bail variation application filed by Maina.

(Daily Trust)

News

JUST IN: Dino Melaye Resigns From PDP, Cites Party’s ‘Lack Of Potency’

Published

5 hours ago

July 31, 2025

Editor

Former Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, has formally resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party, citing the party’s inability to provide credible leadership and deliver good governance to Nigerians.

In a resignation letter shared on his official X account on Thursday, dated July 4, 2025, and addressed to the chairman of the PDP in Ward 1, Aiyetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Melaye announced his immediate withdrawal from all party activities.

“I hereby tender my resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party at all levels of involvement.

“This decision has become imperative due to the lack of potency and capacity by the party to deliver the Nigerian people from the prevailing political cankerworms that have eaten deeply into the fabric of our dear nation”, the letter partly read.

Melaye, who once served as the PDP’s candidate in the 2023 Kogi State governorship election, said his decision followed deep reflection on the party’s current state and trajectory.

“Having carefully reflected on the state of the party, I can no longer in good conscience participate in the activities of the parties or lend my support to her agenda”, the letter continued.

He further requested that his resignation be treated as a formal and total withdrawal from all party levels and structures.

“In view of the above, please consider this as my formal withdrawal from the party and all its activities at all levels with immediate effect”, the letter added.

In his closing remarks, Melaye expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve under the party’s platform during his time as a member.

“Thank you for the opportunity to serve under the platform during my period of membership,” the letter concluded.

News

JUST IN: Tinubu Approves Tenure Extension For Customs CG

Published

6 hours ago

July 31, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has approved a one-year extension of the tenure of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.

Adeniyi, whose tenure was initially set to expire on August 31, 2025, will now remain in office until August 2026.

According to a statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the extension is aimed at allowing Adeniyi to consolidate ongoing reforms and complete key initiatives of the Tinubu administration.

These include the modernisation of the Customs Service, implementation of the National Single Window Project, and Nigeria’s obligations under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) protocol.

“President Tinubu recognises Mr. Adeniyi’s steadfast leadership and commitment to service.

“The President is confident that this extension will further strengthen the Nigeria Customs Service in achieving its strategic mandate of trade facilitation, revenue generation, and border security,” the statement read.

Tinubu appointed Adeniyi as the CG of the Nigeria Customs Service in October 2023.

Adeniyi, who took over from former CG Hameed Ali in June 2023, had initially been appointed in an acting capacity before his confirmation in October of the same year.

News

[OPINION] The Gaffe And The Uproar: Okpebholo In The Public Eye

Published

7 hours ago

July 31, 2025

Editor

By Tony Abolo

It was widely circulated. The statement by Senator Monday Okpebholo at the welcoming of Hon. Marcus Onobun back into the APC in Uromi about a week plus ago. Sadly the statement that he escalated loud himself on Peter Obi got more traction than the event itself. And the reason is simple. It was an unnecessary bile against Peter Obi who had come to make a philanthropic gesture at St. Philomena Hospital, gifting their School of Nursing, in his characteristic manner, nationwide.

Only Senator Okpebholo can tell his intentions in stating that “if H.E Obi came to town, to Edo State without his permission informing him prior, then came the clIncher- “anything wen he see, let him take it”.”There is a new Sheriff in town” One can only surmise Okpebholo’s intentions. Wanting to placate his Supreme Court award of Governorship through the kind courtesy of, well, you know who. He wants to please Tinubu in anyway he can. This must be one of them. Ensure, the Obedients do not pose any build up inside Edo State as a form of opposition to Tinubu’s ambition in 2027. But was it necessary as at this time? By the fact of freedom of movement, any Nigerian can be anywhere he or she chooses. Peter Obi was not on a state visit and besides, both being on opposite ends of politics, was it going to be comfortable or necessary for any prior information before Peter Obi comes into town? As a Nigerian, could he not slip into town as he has done when Barrister Osaigbovo Akpata was contesting for the Governorship position under the Labour party? He even traversed Edo State, and there was no problem. So what is special when he comes to do charity in Edo State? Instead of being applauded, Okpebholo thought it mindful to chide Peter Obi.

Too many things come to mind. When H.E Gregory Peter Obi was Governor in Anambra State, where was Okpebholo? That was when he was doing his WEAC in which he passed only maths and flunked five on the papers. Then there is the issue of thoughtfulness. The occasion in Uromi did not warrant the outburst. But even if for security reason, or being solicitous over the safety of Peter Obi, was it not better it was an issue handled diplomatically, through phone calls, person to person conversation or a Governor to a former Governor and a former Presidential Candidate, a position, Okpebholo could and would never attain even if Nigeria came down to a Democratic Republic of the Congo or a run down South Sudan or Yemen.

What rankles more is the uncouth and uncivilized language Okpebholo used in issuing his rude remarks about “those wen no get shi shi, where e see N1.5million, N15million to give” or the entirely needless asking Peter Obi to clear with him otherwise “anything wen e see, make e take am”. Where Nigeria’s morality and discipline not so run down, how could a sane country choose a neophyte, a barely literate and a less exposed person, to become a Governor in a state in Nigeria, more so, Edo State with its long tradition of quality and excellence in leadership since 1963. There is a language of dignity and of decorum expected of a personage of a Governor. Okpebholo fell so far below and off the mark.

The situation was made worse when the whole country rose up in utter shock and disbelief at the gaffe of Senator Monday Okpebholo and his media aides offered limp and lame defences, egged on, no doubt by his two enablers, Wike and Oshiomhole, he was still quoted as saying that
P byhe was not sorry for what he said against Obi. The rebuttal only reveals who Edo state has as Governor, a man who neither can act the part, nor has a mind of his own. His enablers and trainers now urged him to sound brave, a courage which ho does not have. To Nigerians, he only stood worsted and a sorry sight. To Edo State, he only brought us lower in National esteem and estimation. It only shows, we must all stand akimbo in shock as more gaffes are coming and we should be less shocked as this is all we have and must endure for another three years and three months. We didn’t bargain for this. Tinubu brought this on us.