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Edo Guber: Group Drags Federal Legislator To EFCC Over Alleged Corruption

Published

2 years ago

February 10, 2024

A pro-democracy group, ‘Guardians of Democracy and Development Initiative’ has petitioned the National Assembly to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over allegation of advanced fee fraud by, the member representing Ovia Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives.

The petition dated February 19, 2024, and signed by Comrade Momoh Prince, convener, and Comrade Igwe Ude-Umamta, Director, Research, Strategy and Documentation of the group, the duo said its relied on a 2015 administrative report by the administration of Senator Adams Oshiomhole, when he was the governor of Edo State.

The petition was titled: ‘PETITION AGAINST HON. DENNIS IDAHOSA OVER ALLEGATIONS OF INVOLVEMENT IN INTERNATIONAL FRAUD LEVELED AGAINST HIM BY EDO STATE GOVERNMENT WHILE IN OFFICE AS A COMMISSIONER, CONTRARY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION, EFCC.’

The petition reads: “We write on behalf of ‘Guardians of Democracy and Development Initiative’ with reference to the subject matter above. It has been brought to our attention as a group committed to democratic best practices and sanity in the public space, that Hon. Dennis Idahosa was reported in 2015 by the administration of Senator Adams Oshiomhole, while he was governor of Edo State, to be involved in international fraud which led to an unceremonious exit from the State Executive Council as Commissioner for Investments and Public/Private Partnership.

“The State government traced his exit to allegation that Mr. Idahosa was engaged in fraudulent activities (popularly called 419).

“According to the State Government report, the state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole had received a series of petitions, mostly from overseas, alleging that Mr. Idahosa was engaged in fraudulent activities on an industrial scale.

“The petitioners purportedly to be his victims, alleged they had been swindled of huge sums of money. Disturbed and consistent with his zero tolerance for corruption or any conduct that might tarnish the image of Edo State or bring the country to international odium for that matter, Comrade Oshiomhole had late last year (2015) set up a high-level administrative panel to look into the grave allegations discreetly.

“After weeks of forensic investigations, the panel’s findings were startling. Last week, Mr. Idahosa became aware that the administrative panel was on the verge of formally requesting him to answer those weighty charges.

“As a matter of fact, last Thursday (January 29, 2015), Mr. Idahosa had attended APC Mega Presidential rally at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium that was well attended in his capacity as Commissioner. Curiously, he dramatically reappeared barely 24 hours later at the secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), announcing his defection.

“We do not want to join the speculation that Mr. Idahosa’s defection was designed to pre-empt the report of the administrative panel or his action motivated by an external offer of protection.

“However, in the name of decency and justice and the international image of our country, we can only encourage Mr. Idahosa to come out in the open and answer the sundry allegations of 419 leveled against him.

“Otherwise, the long arms of the law, though may be delayed by his new powerful friends, will ultimately prevail,” the report stated.”

The group added in the petition: “Edo State government added that, shortly after the above report was made public, Idahosa made a sudden u-turn and returned to the fold of All Progressives Congress”

The anti corruption group lamented that, Idahosa was later elected a member of the Federal House of Representatives.

“Presently, he is contesting for the governorship of Edo State, despite the sordid story concerning the serious weight of Edo State 2015 administrative report which indicted him.

“In the light of these developments, your office is duty bound to invite him to clarify that he is, or is not a person of corrupt antecedent.

“Mr. Chairman would agree that these allegations are very weighty, especially coming from a State Government. It is therefore a matter of patriotic duty that it is thoroughly investigated. And since the State Government led by Adams Oshiomhole (now Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) claimed that it received several petitions and also have a Panel Report thereto, the Commission may in addition to other of its investigative strategies call for those documents and invite His Excellency Senator Adams Oshiomhole. This is particularly in line with the powers and duties of the EFCC.

“We are disturbed by the open knowledge of Mr. Idahosa’s activities in Canada where he had sojourned for several years, before his unceremonious return to Nigeria.

“More disturbing is the fact that, Idahosa has gone ahead to occupy public offices and has been cleared by the APC now to contest for the highest office in Edo State under the Political Platform whose government allegedly indicted him for fraud.

“Then, there is an odious dimension to it, which your commission should unravel. For instance, Nigerians may wish to know whether the State Government willfully lied, or it is the case of a criminal who has settled the political class and his ‘sins’ are ‘forgiven.’

“The unraveling of this possible criminal riddle is the task before you, Mr. Chairman. And this could also lead to a resolution as to whether the Edo State Government of 2015 willfully defamed a person and lied to the public which are offences.

“We urge you to act in your usual swift and firm manner to reassure Nigerians that persons of criminal antecedents will not be allowed in public offices. This investigation may also lay to rest, these allegations if they can no longer be substantiated. We await your actions and report,” the group lamented.

Contact on phone , spokesperson the Idahosa, Prince, Kassim Afegbua, described the group as fictitious, saying ‘such documents do not exist’.

News

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

Published

43 minutes 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

2 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.

News

SEC Warns Nigerians Over AI-generated Investment Scams

Published

3 hours ago

September 28, 2025

Editor

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has warned Nigerians to be cautious of a rising wave of artificial intelligence (AI)-driven scams that are targeting unsuspecting investors with promises of guaranteed profits and fake celebrity endorsements.

The Commission, in a statement, recalled that platforms such as CBEX, Silverkuun, and TOFRO were operating illegally by advertising AI-powered trading systems that promised unrealistic returns.

“These platforms are not registered or regulated by the SEC, yet they continue to mislead the public with false claims of AI-driven investments. They pose serious risks to investors; hence, the Commission issued a series of disclaimers against their activities,” the Commission stated.

The SEC explained that fraudsters are increasingly turning to deepfake videos and AI-generated content to lure victims, noting that manipulated videos featuring politicians, celebrities, and television hosts are being shared through Facebook adverts, Instagram reels, and Telegram groups to give fraudulent platforms an air of credibility.

According to the Commission, “Scammers are exploiting AI to fabricate endorsements and testimonials that appear genuine. This has made traditional fraud detection methods less effective, hence the need for tech-enabled regulation and greater public awareness.”

To counter the growing threat, the SEC explained that it is adopting advanced surveillance systems capable of detecting fraudulent activity in real time, adding that partnerships with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) are being strengthened to enable data sharing and joint enforcement actions.

“We are moving from reactive to predictive oversight. This is essential in combating fraud and systemic risks in our market,” the Commission emphasised.

The regulator said it has also engaged social media companies to clamp down on misleading adverts and cautioned influencers against promoting unlicensed investment schemes.

“Any influencer or blogger found to be complicit in promoting illegal platforms will face regulatory sanctions or even prosecution,” the SEC warned.

The Commission urged Nigerians to take extra precautions before investing, stressing that any scheme promising daily profits, zero risk, or celebrity-backed endorsements should be treated with suspicion.

It stated: “Any investment that guarantees unrealistic returns or uses manipulated videos of public figures should immediately raise a red flag.”

The Commission further encouraged Nigerians to verify the registration status of any investment platform on its website, where a list of licensed Capital Market Operators is available.

It added that investors should confirm that registration numbers displayed on company websites match the details on the SEC portal and avoid platforms that only operate through Telegram or WhatsApp without a verifiable office address.