Metro

N1.3bn Alleged Fraud Sparks Protest In Enugu APC

Published

1 year ago

January 9, 2023

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Enugu State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has been embroiled in controversy over a N1.3 billion fraud allegation.

The allegation sparked a protest on Monday when aggrieved members in their numbers protested at the national secretariat of APC to seek intervention from national officers.

The aggrieved members fingered the Enugu State chairman of the party, Ugochukwu Agballah and the governorship candidate, Uche Nnaji as those behind the alleged fraud.

Leading the protest, Adolphus Ude and chairman, Concerned Members of Enugu State APC, said they were at the secretariat in Abuja to vent their concerns fearing that the APC as an opposition in Enugu will be threatened if their concerns are not addressed.

Ude who claimed to be the chairman of mainstream Enugu APC said he was the pioneer deputy chairman of the party in Enugu State, and alleged that there had been “impunity, gross misconducts, fraudulent administration, embezzlement of party funds” perpetrated by the state chairman and the governorship candidate.”

He added that their hard work to ensure a strong APC in Enugu State helped to field strong characters which in turn helped the party to generate N283 million through sales of nomination and expression of interest forms. He alleged that the fund has been embezzled.

The $1.5 million he claimed had been embezzled was meant for allowances for Enugu State delegates in the 2022 national convention and presidential election. The national secretariat, he stressed, must address the situation before things go awry in Enugu APC.

He also avowed that the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu who was the former Chairman of the APC Reconciliation Committee, was aware of some ugly developments that brought about the emergence of the new state executive currently in court.

He recalled how some leaders of APC in Enugu State protested to the National Secretariat in August 2022 where they submitted a petition calling for the removal of Ugochukwu Agballah as the state party chairman and appointment of a caretaker chairman to save the state chapter of the party from destruction and disgrace.

Reacting to the allegations, the Director-General of Nwakaibe Uche Nnaji Campaign Organisation, Fidelis Edeh, enjoined journalists to ask the national headquarters of APC to confirm if such funds were released.

“APC should be the one to confirm and not the candidate,” he said.

Similarly, Enugu State APC chairman, Agballah, insisted that the claims are untrue, as the party is yet to be mobilised financially by the national leadership.

“We’re yet to get any money. The governorship candidate is the person funding the campaigns,” he said.

Metro

Police Rescue Three Toddlers Locked Up In Lagos Home

Published

4 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Editor

The Lagos State Police Command has rescued three toddlers allegedly locked up in a room at Agodo-Egbe in the Ikotun area of the state.

According to The PUNCH, the children, which included a girl and two boys between the ages of two and four years, were locked inside for some time by one Fatimo Ganiyu said to be their grandmother.

Some members of the community who became curious about their whereabouts were said to have immediately alerted the police on Wednesday.

Following the tip-off, a team of policemen visited the scene and forced the door open, thereby leading to the discovery of the children in the room.

It was learnt that the kids were found looking malnourished, while the suspect was arrested on the spot.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident.

He said, “At about 4 pm on Wednesday, information was received at Ikotun Police Division that three children, a girl and two boys between the ages of two and four, were locked up by their grandmother, one Fatimo Ganiyu, around Agodo Egbe, Ikotun.

“The DPO immediately led a team of anti-crime detectives to the scene, and the children were rescued and taken to the station.
“They were looking malnourished and unhealthy. The suspect was arrested while the infants were transferred for proper treatment and care. The investigation is ongoing.”

Metro

Edo: NAPTIP Arrests Fake Rev. Sister For Allegedly Trafficking 38 Children

Published

4 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Editor

The Edo Zonal Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has arrested a fake Reverend sister over the alleged trafficking of 38 children in Delta State.

It was gathered that the suspect, Ikejimba Maryvianney (alias Oluchi) 40 years old, and one Chidera, now at large, handed over the children to two orphanage homes under the guise of giving them better care.

The children, it was learnt, were handed over to the suspects by their parents at a farm community in Enugu-Awka camp by Monastery, Ilah, Delta State.

Maryvianney was reportedly arrested by the NAPTIP following a tip-off.

When contacted, the NAPTIP Zonal Commander in Benin, Nduka Nwanwenne, who confirmed the incident said the suspect was in custody.

He said the suspect claimed to be trained in Ghana as a Rev. sister while their headquarters is in the Philippines.

She said she came to meet the parents and persuaded them to allow their children to follow them to their orphanage homes and that they would be given better care.

He added, “To convince the parents when they were handed over the first batch of the children, he said the suspects asked two of the parents to follow them to know the two orphanage homes the children would stay’.

“32 of the children have been recovered by the agency while six who are between the ages of three and six years old are yet to be recovered

“The suspect claims that three of the six children are in Badagry while the other three are in Ogun State but later said they have been adopted by people in the East.”

He said the agency was still on the trail of the other suspect who is at large and that the suspect would be charged in court as soon as the investigation is concluded.

He warned parents to be vigilant and never trust anybody with their kids without asking fundamental questions.

Metro

JUST IN: Police Allegedly Arrest Rivers Lawmaker, Fubara Loyalist In Abuja

Published

5 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Editor

Two loyalists of the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, including the lawmaker representing the Aboada West Constituency of the state House of Assembly, Sokari Goodboy; have been arrested at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Also arrested by the police was a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state identified as Ezebunwo Ichemati.

The duo was allegedly arrested by policemen outside the venue of the National Executive Committee meeting of the PDP in Abuja on Thursday.

In a viral video seen, a lady who claims to be a member of Fubara’s media team, said the two men were arrested on the orders of a Local Government chairman in Rivers State.

She stated, “All of us, the media team that came from Rivers State were together. The next thing – he (the LG Chairman) pointed out that they should arrest the present serving Assembly member who is representing the good people of Aboada West.

“The next thing that came up again, he started giving them instructions he attacked Ezebunwo and tore his shirt.

“We don’t even know what we are doing here because he has ordered that they should arrest all of us.”

It was gathered that the two governor’s loyalists were taken away by the security operatives.

When contacted, the Governor’s Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Jerry Omotsegunwa, confirmed the incident and called for their immediate release.

He stated, “They were there in solidarity so why should they be arrested? Going there to show solidarity, they were not the only ones.

“A lot of Governors also came there with their people and coming to picket some people on the orders of an individual is not it at all. So they should be released immediately.”

Of the present 31 lawmakers of the State House of Assembly, 27 led by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule are loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, while the remaining four are loyal to Fubara.

Of the four, one and former factional Speaker, Edison Ehie, resigned from the state House of Assembly and was later appointed as Fubara’s Chief of Staff, following the protracted political crisis rocking the state.

The State House of Assembly has 32 constituencies, but one of the lawmakers Dinebari Loolo who represented the Khana Constituency 2, died in 2023.

However, a by-election had yet to be conducted to fill the vacant seat.

When contacted, the Force Public Relations Officer, Adejobi Olumuyiwa picked up the call but dropped it immediately our correspondent introduced himself.

He had yet to reply to a text message sent to his mobile as of the time of filing this report on Thursday evening.