Metro

EFCC Re-arraigns Ex-Kwara Gov, Abdulfatah Ahmed, Over Alleged N5.78b Fraud

Published

10 months ago

October 21, 2024

Former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State was on Monday re-arraigned alongside his finance commissioner, Ademola Banu, on a 14-count charge bordering on alleged stealing and mismanagement of N5.78 billion public funds.

The Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, arraigned them before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin.

Their re-arraignment was sequel to the transfer of the former trial judge, Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin to another division, according to a statement by Dele Oyewole, Head, Media and Publicity of the anti-graft agency, on Monday.

The duo were first arraigned on a 12-count charge of mismanagement of public funds before Justice Anyadike on April 29, 2024, to which they pleaded not guilty. However, the presiding judge was transferred in the course of trial. Hence, the case has to start afresh.

While the name of the ex-governor featured in all the 14 counts, Banu’s name did not appear in count seven where only Ahmed was accused of failure to fill assets declaration form offered him by officers of the EFCC upon arrest contrary to Section 27(3)(c) of the EFCC Act No. 1 of 2004.

Former governor Abdulfatah among sundry issues allegedly spent an aggregate sum of N1,610,730,500.00, meant for the security and administration of the state to charter private jets through Travel Messengers Limited, contrary to Section 22(5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.

The erstwhile governor and his finance commissioner were accused of conspiring to steal money meant to pay salaries of teachers working with the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board and also to provide security and other infrastructural facilities for the people of the state, among others.

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Count one of the charge read, “That you, ABDULFATAH AHMED (while being the Governor of Kwara State) and ADEMOLA BANU (while being the Commissioner of Finance of Kwara State), on or about 14 January, 2015 in Ilorin, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, did illegally spend the sum of N1,000,000,000.00, to pay salaries of civil servants in Kwara State which sum was originally domiciled in the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) matching grant account and which sum formed part of the funds allocated for the execution of the projects stated in the action plan for the year 2013 and approved by the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEC) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.”

Count four read, “That you, ABDULFATAH AHMED (while being the Governor of Kwara State) and ADEMOLA BANU (while being the Commissioner of Finance of Kwara State), between 25th July, 2016 and 7th September, 2016 in llorin, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, in such capacity having dominion over certain property, to wit; the sum of N990,545,883.64 committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said sum, when you dishonestly transferred the said sum from the Kwara SUBEB matching grant account into Polaris Bank for the repayment of loan facilities granted to the Kwara State Government by the said bank contrary to the direction of the Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act, 2004, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 315 of the Criminal Code and punishable under the same section.”

When the case was called on Monday, counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, told the court, “My Lord, we have a 14-count charge dated 15th day of October 2024, and filed on same date. We urge your Lordship to accept the charge and allow it to be read to the defendants.”

Responding, the lead counsel to the defendants, Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN and Gboyega Oyewole, SAN, did not object to the application.

Justice Abdulgafar therefore granted the application and ordered that the charge be read to the defendants.

The duo pleaded not guilty.

Thereafter, the defence counsel sought the leave of the court to move oral applications for the bail of the defendants.

They told the court that the case had started since 2019 and the defendants were granted administrative bail by the Commission, which they had never jumped.

They urged the court to exercise its discretion and admit the defendants to bail as all the offences levelled against them are bailable.

Ruling on the applications, Justice Abdulgafar admitted Abdulfatah and Banu to bail in the sum of N100 million, with two sureties each. One of the sureties must be a Permanent Secretary, serving or retired.

The case was adjourned till December 4 – 5, 2024, for commencement of trial.

Metro

12 IDPs Suffer Snake Bites In Benue Camps

Published

9 hours ago

August 31, 2025

Editor

No fewer than twelve Internally Displaced Persons from Agagbe camps in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State have suffered snake bite between January and now.

Terna Ibaah, also an IDP who spoke to our correspondent on Sunday from one of the camps in Agagbe, said that the latest victim was a 14-year-old Chagu Terhemen who was bitten by a snake last Friday without medical treatment.

Ibaah said, “Snake has bitten Master Chagu Terhemen, 14 years, who was displaced from his village, Tse Abian, in the Sengev Council Ward of Gwer West LGA.

“The 14-year-old boy was going to the farm with his father, Tse Kyomke Mbapupuu, in Gaambe Ushin Council Ward when he was bitten by a snake.”

He added that they had applied traditional treatment, but it seems not to be working, as the victim, as of Sunday afternoon, started convulsing.

He added that the fear of losing the young man necessitated the alarm raised, and added that the medical personnel only visit the IDP camps between Monday and Thursday.

When asked if there had been frequent snake bites of IDPs in Agagbe community, Ibaah said, “From January this year till now, we have recorded 12 victims of snake bites in Agagbe among the IDPs. Fortunately, no one has died.”

Ibaah, who is also a displaced person who claimed that most of the victims of snakebite were being treated with traditional medicine, accused the representative of the State Emergency Management Agency in the camp of neglecting the victims of the snakebite.

“The camp manager said that they cannot treat him because he is not staying in the camp, but he knows that due to congestion in the camps, some of the registered IDPs stay with the host community. The victim registration number is 81XO1649,” Ibaah said.

Ibaah said that there are five places where IDPs are camped in Agabe, namely, RCM Primary School, Sisters Convent, Saint Francis Secondary School, the old police station and Adzequa store, all in Agagbe and added that they were all congested.

When contacted, the Information Officer of SEMA, Tema Ager, said that the agency had a Memorandum of Understanding with the State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, where they could rush the patient for treatment.

Ager said, “But SEMA has an MOU with the State University Teaching Hospital, where they can rush the patient for treatment.”

The Information Officer, however, said that as long as the victim is a registered IDP, he should be allowed to be taken for treatment at the Teaching Hospital.

Metro

Mob Lynches Woman Over Alleged Blasphemous Utterance In Niger

Published

9 hours ago

August 31, 2025

Editor

The Niger State command of the Nigeria Police Force has confirmed a lady, simply known as Ammaye, was burnt to death by a mob over an alleged blasphemous utterance against the Islamic faith before security reinforcement could arrive.

Spokesman of the Command, Wasiu Abiodun, who revealed this in a statement on Sunday, said efforts are ongoing to identify, arrest, and prosecute all those involved in the crime.

Ammaye, a food seller, was lynched and set ablaze in Mariga Local Government Area of the state by suspected angry youths over alleged blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad.

According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred at Kasuwan Garba in the council area, when the lady, a Muslim faithful and well-known food seller, was said to have engaged in an exchange of words with a young man said to be her nephew.

The young man was said to have jokingly told Ammaye that he wanted to marry her to “fulfil the Sunnah”. The lady was said to have made comments considered blasphemous.

This was said to have outraged the young men in the neighbourhood. The matter was taken to the palace of the District Head of Kasuwan Garba, where the lady was interrogated, and she allegedly repeated what she had earlier said.

The District Head was said to have handed Ammaye over to security operatives for further investigation, but a crowd of agitated youths overpowered the security operatives, insisting on her immediate execution.

It was learnt that before security reinforcement could arrive, the mob, made up of young men, had stoned Ammaye to death.

Niger State Police spokesman disclosed that the tragic incident occurred on 30th August, 2025, at about 2:00 pm.

According to him, “a report was received that one Amaye, a female resident of Kasuwan-Garba in Mariga LGA, allegedly made some utterances considered offensive to the Islamic faith. Her comments quickly provoked anger among members of the community.

“Unfortunately, it led to a mob attack, and the woman was set ablaze before the reinforcement of security teams could arrive at the scene,” Abiodun stated.

The spokesman said that while normalcy has since been restored to the area, the Police Command strongly condemns the act of jungle justice and assured that efforts are underway to identify, arrest, and prosecute all those involved in the crime.

Abiodun appealed to members of the public to remain calm, avoid taking the law into their own hands, and allow security agencies to handle sensitive matters in line with the provisions of the law.

The Chairman of Mariga Local Government, Abbas Adamu, who also confirmed the incident, reaffirmed that calm has since been restored to the area.

Metro

Police Arrest Suspected Fake Lawyer In Ogun

Published

11 hours ago

August 31, 2025

Editor

The Zone XI Police Headquarters has arrested a suspected fake lawyer identified as Emmanuel Odeh, parading himself as a qualified attorney for almost 10 years mostly in Lagos and Abuja.

According to The PUNCH, Odeh has been allegedly duping unsuspecting Nigerians under the guise of legal representation, estate agency, and public consultancy.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday by the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, Ade Ogunyemi, who disclosed Odeh was arrested by operatives of the X-Squad Section of the Zone, led by ACP Akinloye Oyegade.

He explained that Odeh was arrested on Thursday at a court in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while appearing as counsel for a client.

“Emmanuel Odeh was arrested on Thursday, August 28, 2025, at a court premises in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while standing as a legal representative for an unsuspecting client.

“ACP Oyegade stated that the self-acclaimed lawyer had been under investigation for impersonation and fraud.

“Investigations revealed that the suspect operated under the name A O EMMANUEL, LEGAL PRACTITIONER AND PUBLIC CONSULTANT,” the statement partly read.

Ogunyemi said the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone XI Headquarters, Osogbo, Emuobo Ekokotu, urged Nigerians to always verify the authenticity of legal practitioners before engaging their services.

AIG Ekokotu described the case as another clear example of why Nigerians must be vigilant.

“This case underscores the dangers of dealing with unverified legal practitioners.

“Victims of such impostors risk losing their hard-earned money, suffering inadequate legal representation, having their cases compromised, and even facing damage to their reputation,” he said.

He warned that the police will not hesitate to bring impersonators to justice.

“This incident should serve as a deterrent to criminal-minded individuals who falsely present themselves as lawyers in order to exploit innocent citizens.

“The long arm of the law will always catch up with them,” Ekokotu stated.

Ogunyemi confirmed that the suspect would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.