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

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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.’

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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.

READ ALSO: APC Releases Timetable For Edo Guber Primary

“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.

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“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.

READ ALSO: Edo Poll: APC Clears Air, Says No Aspirant Disqualified 

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“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”

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

READ ALSO: Edo Poll: Wike Reportedly Insists On Level-Playing Ground As Obaseki Meets Him Over Ighodalo

“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.

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“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.

READ ALSO: Edo PDP Ward Congresses Run Into Storm As Makinde Rejects Appointment As Chairman

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“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’.

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Old Clip Of Wizkid’s Father’s Claim On Helping Alaba Get Electricity In 1972 Sparks Outrage

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Muniru Balogun, Wizkid's Father

Muniru Balogun, the father of multiple award-winning musician Ayodeji, popularly known as Wizkid, claimed to have sorted the electricity problem of the Alaba area in Ajegunle, a commercial community in the Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State.

Wizkid’s father said he went to the defunct National Electric Power Authority in 1972 to reach an agreement that helped the area enjoy electricity till today.

The claim has since been greeted by netizens’ outrage after the clip resurfaced two years later.

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In the video recorded by GoldMyne TV in 2022, Balogun was presented with the Ajeromi Ifelodun Heroes and Icons Award.

READ ALSO: Anambra Teaching Hospital To Commence Mass Burial Of Abandoned Corpses

Wizkid’s father, speaking on his contribution to the community, said, “I came to Ajegunle in 1972. At that time, there was no light in Alaba. So, I went to NEPA and lured them to come and make a survey of the area to give them light.

“So when they presented it. I did the survey; I did the draft, and the sketch of the whole of Alaba. They presented it to their board at that time (1972), and it was approved within two weeks, after which light was given to the area.

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“So that is my contribution. I am the Baba Adinni of Alaba Central Mosque and also the former Chairman of APC for 14 years. I thank God that I’m still alive and that my son, Wizkid, is still doing well. I thank God.”

He further advised the community’s youths to shun social vices, adding that if they don’t have an education, they should have something to do while urging them to develop their talents in football, music, and the rest.

READ ALSO: Pandemonium During Church Service As Man Pulls Gun, Attempts To Shoot Pastor [VIDEO]

However, the interview has been greeted with backlashes and tribal outrages from netizens who claimed that the Igbo in Alaba developed the community into the commercial city it is today and not Wizkid’s father as claimed.

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A Tweep, Mayowa David, who identifies as @kkiiikk on X, said, “But Alaba is Igboland Nannuuu….”

Another user, Phemmy, tweeting with the handle @phemifem, said, “The colonial master paid for the light in advance.”

Carter of Remo, who tweets as @Biola_carter, opined, “It’s a lie…Aguiyi Ironsi paid for it.”

One Chiefnwosu_store on Instagram queried, “Which of the Alaba? Suru Alaba or Alaba International Market?.”

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READ ALSO: JUST IN: Ikeja DisCo Slashes Band A Tariff

Solarklips on Instagram also wrote in Pidgin English, “He gave Alaba light ke? na him be governor or LG chairman…Ok. accepted. People must have contributed money for the transformer, but he didn’t mention them. No man can single-handedly give a village electricity not to talk of Alaba.”

This is coming on the heels of the reignited long-standing feud between Wizkid and David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido which was accompanied by fiery social media exchanges.

In the early hours of Monday, April 29, 2024, Wizkid made some controversial tweets, which became the major topic of discussion in the entertainment industry for the week.

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READ ALSO: How Driver Saves Passenger From Committing Suicide In Calabar

Wizkid had posted the embarrassing video, which had surfaced on the Internet some weeks back, in response to a fan who had asked him to release a new song.

He stated that his fans must beg him for a new song the same way Davido was pleading in the video before he would consider their request.

However, the singer did not stop there. He also threw ‘shades’ at Peruzzi, an artiste signed to Davido’s record label. Perruzi is believed to have written many of Davido’s songs, a fact that the latter has confirmed on different occasions. In one of the controversial tweets, Wizkid wrote, “You and all your crew, plus your pant washer songwriter, go to sleep at night thinking you actually got anything on me in music. Wish you all well.”

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Responding to Wizkid, Perruzi dared him to swear that he had not also sought for him. On his part, Davido responded, “You’re a sick man.” In a now-deleted tweet, Davido also called Wizkid a woman beater.

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Anambra Teaching Hospital To Commence Mass Burial Of Abandoned Corpses

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The mortuary at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Amaku-Awka, Anambra State, has reportedly been filled up.

As a result, the institution said it would commence the evacuation, disposal and mass burial of corpses abandoned at its facility since 2014.

The Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Henrietta Agbai, disclosed this in a statement sighted by our correspondent on Monday, adding that the exercise would commence from July 2024.

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READ ALSO: Pandemonium During Church Service As Man Pulls Gun, Attempts To Shoot Pastor [VIDEO]

The three-paragraph statement was issued on behalf of the Chief Medical Director of the institution, Dr Josephat Akabuike, and the Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee of the hospital, Dr Emmanuel Mba.

Agbai said the decision followed the approval granted for the action by the state government.

She said, “His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has approved the disposal of abandoned corpses at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Coouth Amaku-Awka.

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“To this end, the management wishes to inform the general public that COOUTH Amaku-Awka intends to conduct mass burials of the abandoned corpses in its mortuary from 2014 to December 2023.

READ ALSO: 75-year Old Man Arrested For Defiling 8-year-old Girl In Anambra

“Therefore, those whose relatives are missing should visit the hospital’s mortuary for possible identification and collection of such corpses within one month of this publication.”

The COOUTH is located at the centre of Awka, it is usually the first port of call for health emergencies in and around the state, especially in cases of road accidents, gunshot injuries and critical situations, among other.

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It was gathered that most of the victims of these health emergencies do not eventually make it, and the corpses are usually moved to the hospital’s mortuary.

According to The PUNCH, the development has resulted in the hospital’s mortuary being overloaded with corpses, most of whom are unidentified, as far back as 2014.

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Gunmen Kill One, Abduct Seven Travellers On Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode Expressway

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Gunmen numbering up to seven have reportedly killed one person and abducted seven other travellers along the Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode expressway.

The gunmen armed with A.K 47 rifles were said to have waylaid and attacked the travellers in between the Ilisan, Ceplast industry and Iperu junction axis of the expressway on Friday.

A viral audio from one of the victims of the tragic incident, who was apparently a driver heading to Lagos, detailed how the gunmen stopped their vehicles with sporadic shooting and later marched them into the bush.

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He said, “This incident happened at past five in the evening, they were armed to the teeth with A.K 47 rifles shooting heavily. They even killed one person who was inside a Lexus car. So, they marched about seven of us inside the bush and when I saw that they were speaking Hausa, I started speaking Hausa to them begging them not to kill me, so they asked if I was a northerner but I said no, that I have once lived in Kebbi and Sokoto.

READ ALSO: Edo Police Arrest Two Minors, Others For Allegedly Up Uploading Woman’s Nude Video Online

“They kept taking us further inside the bush, later they asked if I had any money, so I gave them the N103,000 and my phone. There was another driver from the east who said that the kidnappers had collected N120,000 from him just as we were abducted. They later set the two of us free while the other five people abducted were still with them”.

Speaking with our Correspondent on Monday, the Spokesperson of Ogun State police command, SP Omolola Odutola confirmed the incident.

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Odutola said that the police could not confirm the number of people that were abducted but noted that the gun-wielding hoodlums killed one of the travellers yet to be identified.

She said the incident which happened on May 3, around 6:55 pm was incidented as a case of armed robbery, murder and kidnapping.

Odutola said: “We have information that about seven people whom we don’t know with A.K 47 suddenly blocked the Benin-Sagamu expressway.

READ ALSO: Woman Wins $1million Lottery For Second Time In 10 Weeks

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“The DPO of Ilisan when he got to the scene of the incident saw two vehicles pierced with bullets; a Lexus Jeep 300 with registration number LND 640 DY, the driver’s name is Chilaka Lugard and another Lexus Jeep 350 with registration number LSR 996 JF belonging to Kingsley Chineme. Inside this Lexus 350 car was found a cross bag with N113,000, two iPhones; an iPhone Six and an iPhone Eleven Promax.

There was also a corpse of an unidentified man who was shot in the head.

“The third vehicle was loaded with plantains and the driver who was among those abducted, regained freedom and was later allowed to go with the vehicle. The other Lexus vehicles have been taken to Ilishan Police Station.”

Odutola said the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu was not happy with this security breach and had in an emergency meeting summoned on Monday, directed the tactical commanders and the mobile squadron to go after these undesirable elements.

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READ ALSO: Edo: Suspected Killers Of 200-level Student Of Delta Varsity Arrested

She said ‘the CP had been to the scene of this incident, and a lot of work is ongoing to fish these people out and let them answer for their criminality, I can assure you that, these criminals will be apprehended just very soon.”

About three weeks ago, some rampaging eight gunmen had stormed Ajadeh Event Centre along the Iperu-Sagamu road and snuffed the life out of Professor Yinka Olomojobi, a lecturer with Babcock University, Ilisan Remo.

Olomojobi, a Professor of Human Rights and Gender Law was reportedly shot dead on the fateful day around 9 pm by these daredevil gunmen for allegedly resisting his abduction.

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The lecturer and others were at this relaxation centre when these hoodlums began disturbing the serenity of the environment with their heavy shooting.

By the time the dust settled, Olomojobi had been killed while two others, one Dare and another unidentified person had been whisked away.

The police however said that one Awada Ishaya from Plateau State had been picked up as prime suspect of the sordid act.

Ishaya was said to have just been employed two weeks ago as a security guard when the event centre was opened.

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