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Lawyer, Two Others Arraigned In Kogi Over Alleged N2.4m Fraud

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A legal practitioner, Chukwueze Ewerem, has been charged, alongside two others, Samuel Adeola and Alfa Umar before the Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital for complicity in a N2.4m fraud.

He was arraigned on an alleged offence of fraud bordering on criminal conspiracy, breach of trust and forgery. The crimes were allegedly perpetuated against the judiciary of the state.

The co accused, Samuel Adeola and Alfa Umar are both staff of the court’s Process Unit under the Litigation Directorate, while some others are said to still be at large.

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They all pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge brought against them which are punishable under sections of the state’s penal code.

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The offences reeled by the prosecution counsel are “criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust by clerk or servant using as genuine forged document and causing disappearance of evidence contrary to sections 97(2), 314, 366 and 167 of the Kogi State Penal Code”.

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The case is an offshoot of the discovery of the fraud of N2.4m in revenue that should have been due to the High Court of the state which was reportedly diverted into private accounts.

The crime was reported to have been orchestrated through a syndicate that has been steadily used to defraud and deny the third arm of government revenues due to her.

Upon the discovery and submission of the report of the fraud by the newly created Revenue Services Directorate of the court, the acting Chief Judge of the state, Justice Josiah Majebi, had, in line with his reformative policy to sanitize and restore the integrity of the state judiciary, ordered a thorough investigation of the matter to bring perpetrators to book.

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He had constituted a Revenue Task Force to further scrutinize the revenue generation processes of the court to possibly unravel such other frauds in the court’s revenue generation while promising that those involved would not go scot-free.

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The report had revealed that the sum of N2.4m, said to have been paid into the court’s account as judgement debt revenue sometime in October 2022 with the bank teller presented as evidence of payment was not paid despite the evidence of payment showing so. It was gathered that the payment did not reflect in the court’s bank statement for the month.

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In line with the Chief Judge’s vow to sanction and hand over anybody, whether staff or members of the public found wanting in the crime to the police for necessary legal action, the matter was reported at the Kogi State Command of the Nigeria Police which quickly swung into action and subsequently took the defendants to court upon completion of investigations.

After the charge was read to them, the defendants who were respectively represented by counsels pleaded not guilty to the offences levelled against them.

According to the Prosecution counsel, G. O. Otowu, the crime was committed around the 25th of October, 2022 in Lokoja within the jurisdiction of the Court.

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The charge states that the defendants fraudulently diverted the sum of N2.4m meant to be paid to the Kogi State Judiciary account.

The defendants were, however, granted bail by the court after the presiding Magistrate, Musa Mopah, considered their application.

“I am of the opinion that the application has merit. I admit the three defendants to bail in the sum of N400,000 each and a surety each in like sum. Two recent passport photographs of a surety are to be lodged at the registry of the court.

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“The surety should each deposit original title documents with statutory Right of Occupancy of land situated at Lokoja and must have a fixed and traceable address.

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” He should depose to an affidavit of means. Both defendants and their sureties are to avail the registry of the court their bank account numbers and BVN” the Judge ruled.

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Also, the Judge asked both defendants and sureties to report at the registry of the court every Monday and Friday throughout the pendency of the case.

The case was thereafter adjourned to the 7th of December 2022 for the continuation of hearing while the defendants were conditionally released after perfecting their bail bonds.

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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.

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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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