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Ekweremadu: Ohanaeze Knocks EFCC, Says We Have Been Vindicated

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Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, on Sunday, came hard on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over its role in the ongoing trial of former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

The group’s statement signed by its National President, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike was in reaction to the revelation that the EFCC wrote a letter to the United Kingdom court where the lawmaker is standing trial.

Ohanaeze said its earlier position that there is more to the London travail of Ekweremadu than meets the eye had now been justified by the revelation in court on Thursday by the lawmaker’s legal counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), that the EFCC authored a letter with which the London Metropolitan Police scuttled the Senator’s bail in the ongoing organ harvest trial and also concealed vital information from the Federal High Court Abuja to obtain an ex-parte interim assets forfeiture order against the lawmaker.

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The organisation also expressed outrage over what it described as the EFCC’s decision to ignore petitions against former executive office holders with well known corruption allegations to hunt after Ekweremadu, who as a lawmaker, had not been in a position to administer public funds.

These were contained in a statement issued by the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, on Sunday.

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Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth said: “The revelation in court that the EFCC indeed armed the London Metropolitan Police with the letter with which it scuttled Chief Ike Ekweremadu’s bail has justified our November 2022 statement that the anti-graft agency was working hand in glove with foreign and local interests to to detain and nail the lawmaker at all cost.

“We disagree with the EFCC that the said letter was a mere routine to a counterpart government agency and that the asset forfeiture proceedings instituted against Ekweremadu only after exchanges of communication with the London Police and while in detention was a mere coincidence.

“Even if no legally stipulated timeframe for the EFCC to initiate forfeiture proceedings or criminal charges against a suspect as claimed by the agency, is it patriotic, professional, ethical, and auspicious for the anti-graft agency to go after a man they claim to have been investigating since 2008 only when he was detained in London?

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“Would the London Metropolitan Police arm the EFCC with a letter to sabotage the bail application of a British citizen, let alone Member of Parliament, in a Nigerian court, pledge its readiness to go to court against that citizen in London while in Nigerian detention, and go ahead to do exactly that?

“Is it honourable on the path of the EFCC to have withheld from the Federal High Court the fact that it had investigated Ekweremadu for well over a decade and that the lawmaker is in detention in a foreign land and would not be available to defend himself, knowing that the hoourable court would be guided by such information in making a just decision on whether or not it should indeed grant the interim assets forfeiture which it ordered against the lawmaker which in October?”

It described as a shameful the fact that while developed democracies, including the UK and USA, were known to embark on diplomatic overdrive to secure respite and freedom of their citizens facing drug-related and more heinous charges in foreign lands, the EFCC is injecting itself malevolently into Ekweremadu’s overseas trial in a clearly unrelated matter.

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“From Nuhu Ribadu to Farida Waziri, Ibarahim Lamorde, Ibrahim Magu, and now Abdulrasheed Bawa, the chairmanship of the EFCC has permanently resided in one part of the country since its inception, thereby resulting in a clear pattern of persecution, humiliation, and assets stripping of southern people and businesses by the agency.

“Besides, it is most unfortunate that the EFCC has overlooked its Augean stable most recently relating to the humongous allegations of corruption against its last Chairman as well as other issues of alleged mismanagement of recovered or seized assets but only to hunt after a distinguished Nigerian lawmaker in detention and facing trial in a foreign land,” it concluded.

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Bauchi Govt Sanctions 4 Senior Officers For Gross Misconduct

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The Bauchi state Civil Service Commission (CSC) has sanctioned four senior officers for gross misconduct in the discharge of their service.

This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Bauchi on Friday by Mr Saleh Umar, the Public Relations Officer of the Bauchi state Civil Service Commission.

According to him, the decision, which was made during the Commission’s plenary session, was in its continued effort to sanitise the State’s Civil Service.

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He listed the names of the officers that were sanctioned to include; Garba Hussaini, a Director, Education and former Provost, Haruna Umar, a Deputy Director, Administration and Human Resources.

READ ALSO:Bauchi Board Laments Low Teacher Turnouts In Training Exercise

Others included; Umar Yusuf, Chief Executive Officer (Account)- Bursar and Mohammed Usman, Chief Clerical Officer – Cashier, all attached to Bill and Melinda Gate College of Health Sciences Technology in Ningi Local Government Area of the state.

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Umar explained that the interdicted officers have been placed on 50 per cent of their salaries with effect from 28th October, 2025 until the end of the full investigation.

The Commission’s decision was taken to allow further investigation into the allegations laid against the officers.

“The Officers were found guilty of misconduct that contradict Bauchi State Public Service Regulations – 0327 (x) and (xxii) and interdicted under rules 0329 (i), (ii) and (iii) to further distance them from their duty posts for seamless and smooth investigation.

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“In a light-hearted part, the Commission has promoted 21 officers to their next grades of Deputy Chief Librarian, Assistant Chief Librarians and Principal Librarians to grade levels 15, 14, 13, 12 and 10 respectively.

“Others were Assistant Chief Executive Officer and Chief Confidential Secretary on grade levels 13 and 14,” said Umar.

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The Public Relations Officer added that Dr. Ibrahim Muhammad, the Chairman of the Commission, reiterated the Commission’s unwavering commitment to the rules of law under his watch.

He noted that while promising to continue to uphold integrity, transparency and fairness in the commission, the Chairman also expressed dismay over the nonchalant attitude of some Civil Servants not knowing the disciplinary procedures in civil service and its consequences.

Chairman also called on all workers to be conversant with the do and don’t in carrying out their assignments to avoid unnecessary offense,” he said.

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Don’t Take Law Into Your Hands – NYSC Warns Corps Members

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The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has warned all corps members serving their fatherland not to take laws into their own hands during and after their service year.

Mr Umoren Kufre, the Bauchi state Coordinator of NYSC gave the warning during the swearing-in ceremony of the 2025 Batch ‘C’ stream 1 corps members at the state’s NYSC permanent orientation camp, Wailo in Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state on Friday.

“I urge you to obey all the rules and regulations governing the NYSC. In case you notice any irregularity, do not take the laws into your hands.

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READ ALSO:NYSC Deploys 1,900 Corps Members To Bauchi State

“Always ensure that you follow the proper channel of communication to express your grievances.

“Let me assure you again that management will ensure that the basic amenities you need in the camp are provided for you. Your safety and comfort remains our utmost priority,” he said.

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Kofre, who explained that a total of 2,050 corps members were posted to the state for the one year compulsory service, said there has not been any serious problem since the commencement of the course and the prospective corps members were participating actively in all camp activities.

He appreciated Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state for his continuous support to the scheme in the state as well as the complete renovation of Corps Members hostels and the construction of a brand new Multipurpose Hall in the camp.

READ ALSO: PDP NWC Suspends Legal Adviser, Anyanwu, Others Amid Convention Crisis

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The NYSC boss, however, called on the governor to help them rebuild the part of the camp perimeter fence that collapsed about a year ago.

Declaring the orientation camp exercises open, Gov. Bala Mohammed urged the corp members to take the lead and advocate for national development and transformation.

Represented by Mr Mohammed Umar, the State’s Head of Service, Mohammed called on them to take the noble call with utmost seriousness and commit themselves to achieving the scheme’s objectives of national unity and development.

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While administering the oath of allegiance, Justice Rabi Umar, the Chief Judge of the state who was represented by Abdullahi Yau, Deputy Registrar, High Court of Justice, charged the corps members to maintain law and order towards the peaceful orientation exercises

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17 Nigerian States Implementing CPS As PenCom Assets Rise To Over N26trn

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The National Pension Commission hassaid only 17 Nigerian states are currently implementing the Contributory Pension Scheme as its assets rose to over N26 trillion in September 2025.

Ms Omolola Oloworaran disclosed this during an event in Benin, Edo State.

Oloworaran, who was represented by the Commission’s Inspectorate Commissioner, Chief Samuel Chigozie Uwandu, stressed that CPS plays a vital role in national economic development.

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According to her, CPS has evolved beyond a retirement policy and has become a symbol of a national shift towards financial discipline and long-term planning.

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Oloworaran noted that the scheme illustrates “a decisive break from past dependencies on state-provided old-age financial security to a new culture of retirement savings and forward planning.

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A contract between the worker and the employer, with the assurance that a lifetime of labour would be rewarded with financial security in old age.”

“Seventeen states out of the 36 states in the country are currently implementing the Contributory Pension Scheme. Twelve states have not started at all, while seven states are at various stages of establishing their pension bureaux.”

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