Metro

EFCC Arraigns Ondo Speaker, Two Others Over Alleged Fraud

Published

2 years ago

April 25, 2023

Editor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned the Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly, Bamidele Oloyelogun, and two others before the state High Court in Akure, over alleged N2.4 million fraud belonging to the Assembly.

Their arraignment followed the ruling by an Akure High Court that it has jurisdiction over the trial.

Consequently, the three lawmakers and one civil servant were arraigned before Justice Adegboyega Adebusoye for the alleged fraud sequel to the dismissal of the preliminary objection filed against their trial by the EFCC.

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The fund (N2.4 million) was meant for a seminar, which the lawmakers and the civil servant were meant to attend, but didn’t.

The two others arraigned on a two-count charge of fraud, alongside the Speaker, were Felemu Bankole (Akoko South-West Constituency 2), and a civil servant, Segun Oyadeyi Bankole.

They, however, pleaded not guilty to the allegations levelled against them.

At the commencement of the trial, the counsel to EFCC, Kingsley Kudus, asked the court to remand the defendants at the Olokuta Correctional Facility.

But reacting, counsel to the defendants, Femi Emodamore, asked the court to strike out EFCC’s prayer for remand, arguing that the administrative bail application on the defendants was still active.

Emodamore said that the second defendant (Oleyelogun) was having a health challenge that needed urgent medical attention.

He equally asked the court to caution the nominal complainant (former Deputy Speaker, Iroju Ogundeji) in the case for allegedly sending messages to the Speaker in an attempt to annoy him.

According to him, “If Ogundeji did not desist from such action, he would be prosecuted as his actions towards the Speaker is against the law.”

In his ruling, Justice Adegboyega Adebusoye asked the defendants to enjoy their administrative bail till the next hearing date.

Justice Adebusoye, therefore, adjourned the case till May 18 for a proper hearing of the trial.

Recall that when the case came up for hearing in February, the lawmakers argued that EFCC lacked the power to prosecute offences affecting the finances and assets of the state as there exists a law enacted by the Assembly to tackle corruption allegations in the state.

The defendants in the preliminary objection filed to the EFCC charges by their counsel, Mr Femi Emodamori, asked the court to decline jurisdiction and strike out the charges against them because the EFCC has no right to prosecute them as the assets they were facing trial for belonged to the state.

Emodamore said the EFCC has no right to prosecute the defendants for alleged corruption in view of the State Public Complaint Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption Commission Law passed into law and signed by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in January 2022.

But the counsel to the EFCC then, Mr Fredrick Dibang, said that the court has jurisdiction, because the state law enacted by the state assembly is contrary to the acts of the National Assembly that establish EFCC and once there is a conflict between the law of a state and that of the National Assembly, the law of the state is suspended.

Dibang said the Assembly passed the law with the intention of frustrating the trial of the lawmakers and the civil servant for the alleged abuse of office and corruption.

However, in his ruling, Justice Adebusoye put the state law in abeyance and held that the EFCC has the power to investigate and prosecute the lawmakers for the alleged fraud, which they were charged with.

Adebusoye said: “The offences against the defendants are not state offences promulgated by the state legislation but a federal offence, having being promulgated by the National Assembly, though relates to finances of Ondo State.

“Without wasting the time of this court, it settles that the complainant is empowered to investigate and prosecute the three defendants on the two counts charge as stated in the information file, being federal offences and even though the alleged ones involved belong to the Ondo state government.”

The judge, therefore, dismissed the preliminary objection as filed by the defendants and assumed jurisdiction to adjudicate on this matter.

Metro

20-year-old Mother Buries Newborn Alive

Published

7 hours ago

September 3, 2025

Editor

Kebbi State Police Command has arrested a 20-year-old mother, Maryam Atiku, for allegedly attempting to kill her newborn baby girl by burying her alive in Kamba, Dandi Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

According to a police statement, made available to newsmen on Wednesday by the command spokesman, CSP Nafiu Abubakar, “the incident occurred on June 25, 2025, when Maryam allegedly tied the baby’s neck with wrappers, covered her mouth, and buried her in a shallow grave at Malam Yaro bush.

“The following day, June 26, a farmer, Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad, while working on his farm near the area, discovered a patch of disturbed soil resembling a fresh grave.

“He raised an alarm and, with the help of nearby residents, exhumed the baby, who was found alive. The infant was rushed to General Hospital, Kamba, where doctors confirmed her condition as stable after receiving medical attention”

The statement said police detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department promptly arrested Maryam, who confessed to the crime during interrogation.

“Commissioner of Police, CP Bello Sani, described the act as “inhuman and unacceptable,” reiterating the Command’s zero tolerance for child abuse, exploitation, and gender-based violence.

”He urged parents, guardians, and community leaders to protect children under their care and not compromise their future due to poverty or other pressures.

“The Police Commissioner commended the wife of the Kebbi State Governor, Hajiya Zainab Nasir Idris, for supporting the welfare of the rescued baby and praised Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad for his timely intervention.

“The suspect will be arraigned in court, where she will face prosecution aimed at serving as a deterrent to others.”

Metro

Fresh Boat Accident Kills 29 In Niger

Published

7 hours ago

September 3, 2025

Editor

29 persons have been confirmed dead in a boat accident that occurred on Tuesday in Niger State.

The incident happened in a community called Gausawa in Borgu LGA. at about 11:30am.

The boat was loaded with 90 people including women and children who were going for a condolence visit in another community.

The cause of the accident was attributed to overloading and collision with a tree stomp, according to The PUNCH.

It was learnt that the passengers were not wearing any life jacket when the boat accident occurred.

An anonymous source in the ministry of transport disclosed that the boat passengers were not wearing life jacket, pointing out that if they were wearing life jackets more people would have been rescued.

“The passengers were obviously not wearing life jackets, because if they had been, more, if not all of them would have survived the accident.

“Borgu is very far and a lot of these passengers do not like to wear the life jackets for reasons best known to them,” the source said.

As at the time of filing this report, 29 corpses had been recovered with 50 persons rescued alive while two people are said to be still missing.

The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Abdullahi Baba-Arah confirmed the accident saying search and recue operation was still ongoing.

He said, “NSEMA has received a report of boat mishap incident at a community called Gausawa in Malale area/ward of Borgu LGA.

“According to our desk officer who led the search and rescue operations, the boat took off from a community called Tugan Sule in Shagunu ward with 90 people on board which includes women and children on the boat heading to Dugga for a condolence visit”

NSEMA DG added that, “The incident happened yesterday, 2nd September 2025 at about 11:30am and the cause was attributed to overloading and collision with a tree stomp.

“As at the time of filling this report 29 dead bodies have been recovered with 50 persons rescued alive while 2 people are still missing.

“Search and rescue operations are still on going for possible recovery of missing persons.”

This is the second boat accident in Niger State in 2025.

The first one happened in July and was attributed to tree stomp.

The National Inland Waterway Agency had distributed life jackets in Mokwa after the flood incident which killed over 200 people.

Metro

Three Lagos Labourers Found Dead In Makeshift Apartment

Published

10 hours ago

September 3, 2025

Editor

Three yet-to-be-identified male adults have been found dead in their apartment on Olateju Street in the Lekki Phase One area of Lagos State.

According to The PUNCH, the incident happened in the early hours of Sunday, where the victims reportedly lived together in a makeshift room.

It was gathered that the deceased were casual workers who earned a living by running errands and taking up daily labour within the neighbourhood.

A resident who identified himself simply as Alfred but pleaded not to be identified because he was not permitted to speak with the media said the victims were asleep when the attackers stormed their room.

According to him, the attackers dragged them out of the room and macheted them to death in the process.

He said, “The boys lived in a makeshift structure erected on the premises of a building on the street. We knew them to be labourers who also ran errands for people. But on Sunday morning, one of their colleagues who also stayed around there raised the alarm over an attack on the boys. When people rushed there, the three of them were found lying in a pool of blood with machete cuts all over their bodies. We were told the assailants dragged them out of the room before killing them.”

Another resident, who is a member of the Lekki Estate Residents Association but asked not to be named, said the incident threw the area into panic.

He said no such incident had ever been recorded on the street, adding that the police were immediately invited to the scene of the incident.

“We are now more cautious with the security situation around here. Security measures are also being stepped up as I speak to you,” he added.

As of press time, the motive behind the killing was still unclear.

However, it was learnt from other sources in the community that it might be linked to cult clashes or a dispute involving the deceased.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, could not be reached for confirmation, as calls to his phone were not responded to.

A text message sent to him had yet to be replied to as of the time this report was filed.

The PUNCH reported in August that a skit maker identified simply as Austin was found dead with machete cuts in the Lakowe community of Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area of the state.

It was gathered that some suspected cultists stormed the area in the early hours of the day in search of the deceased

On locating his apartment, they allegedly dragged him out of his room and hacked him to death on the spot.