Metro
Two Witnesses Testify As EFCC Opens Case Against Ex-Gov Obiano

Two witnesses testified on Tuesday at a Federal High Court, Abuja as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) opened its money laundering case against former Governor of Anambra, Willie Obiano.
A commercial banker staff, Mr Tochukwu Aloysius Nnadi, and an Onitsha-based businesswoman, Mrs Chinwe Patricia Egbunam, were led in evidence as 1st and 2nd prosecution witnesses by EFCC’s lawyer, Mr Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, before Justice Inyang Ekwo.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Obiano was Anambra governor between March 2014 and March 2022.
The former governor, in a nine-count charge, was alleged to have among others, misappropriated over N4 billion from the state’s treasury.
When the matter was called, Nnadi, the 1st prosecution witness (PW-1), told the court that he was a bank manager at Awka, the capital of Anambra.
The witness said: “My lord, as part of our responsibilities, we manage customers’ accounts and interface with various security and anti-graft agencies in terms of enquiry on a customer’s account.
“We usually comply by providing the requested information.
“I know the defendant in this matter. He is the immediate past governor of Anambra State.
“In April 2022, I was informed by our compliance unit that I was needed at EFCC in respect of activities of the past administration of Anambra State.
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“I went there with two of my colleagues. The EFCC told me that my invitation was in respect of an ongoing investigation.
“I was told that it was because I was the manager of the branch that handled most of the financial activities of the then state government.
“The state government maintains various accounts with our bank and one of such accounts was for security votes.”
According to him there was really nothing special about the security votes account.
“It was like every other account that we managed for the state government.
“The account was mostly funded by the office of the Accountant General of the state and bulk of the funds came from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state.
“Payments into the account was made on weekly basis and all transactions out of the account were always based on the advice of the account operators.
READ ALSO: Ex-Anambra Gov, Obiano Loses Bid To Stop Trial In N40bn Fraud Charges
“The payments we made out of the account were to various entities and corporate organisations.
“We supplied documents containing names of all the beneficiaries to the EFCC,” the witness added.
However, he declined request by the prosecution counsel, Tahir, to mention names of some of the beneficiaries in the open court.
Nnadi said doing so would amount to a breach of his “oath of secrecy.”
He said the accounts were mostly funded every week.
“Cash withdrawals, manager’s cheques, transfers and drafts were instruments that were used to remove the funds, based on instructions from the operators of the accounts.
“Some of the documents I submitted to the EFCC, included the certified true copies (CTCs) of the statements of account, cover letter for the statements of account, packages used to open the account, as well as certificates of identification for each of the accounts,” he said.
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Meanwhile, the bundle of documents from the bank, totaling 794 pages were tendered and admitted in evidence by the court as Exhibit PW-1 (A1- A 794)
Another bundle of documents dated June 1, 2023, showing the debits that were made from the accounts, were also admitted in evidence.
Obiano’s lawyer, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, said his client would reserve his objections to the Exhibits and raise them in his final address.
When the witness was asked to read to the court, from the exhibit, some of the names on the list of beneficiaries of funds that were transferred out of the account, he mentioned; “Moment of Peace Ventures, Easy Diamond Integrated Links and Nasda Ventures.”
When being cross-examined, Nnadi told the court that all the transactions that involved his bank, were done in compliance with the mandate on each account.
He said the mandates were also in accordance with the banking practice.
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Shortly after Nnadi concluded his evidence and was dismissed, Mrs Egbunam.mounted the box and testified in the matter.
She told the court that she is a trader that specialised in “Turkey wears.”
She told the court that she had on May 20, received a call that she was needed at the EFCC office over some funds that passed through the account of her company, C.I. Party Ventures Nigeria Limited.
“When I got to the EFCC, I told them that I did not know anything about the money but that I knew that I told my account officer, Mr. Ugochukwu Otibelu, to help me to upgrade my account to enable me to meet requirement of the Embassy of Turkey.
“It was to upgrade the account to enable me to be able to travel and the upgrade was for him to help me and post money into my account.
“My account officer accepted my request and collected my company account and cheque.
READ ALSO: Police Hunt For Killers Of Retired Army General Slain In Abuja
“However, at the EFCC, I was told that about N156. 8 million passed through my account from the Anambra State Government,” she said.
While being cross-examined, the witness told the court that the arrangement was for her account officer to facilitate the inflow of funds into her company’s account.
She told the court that she did not touch the money that was wired into the account as it did not belong to her.
More so, the witness told the court that the directors of the company’s account were her family members.
“Outside the fact that the defendant was the governor of Anambra State, I never had any dealings with him,” she added.
Asked to tell the court about the security situation in the state while Obiano held sway as governor, the witness said: “I currently stay in Anambra. There is usually no movement in the state every Monday because of a sit-at-home order.
“I know ESN and IPOB and they operate fully in Anambra State.”
She said during Obiano’s tenure, the former governor worked with organisations and churches to maintain peace in the state.
“This was because churches, organisations and even mosques were under threat during that period,” the witness added.
Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until Wednesday for trial continuation.
Metro
NDLEA Arrests 54 Suspected Traffickers, Seizes 1,506.57kg of Drugs In Edo

Operatives of the Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested 54 suspected drug traffickers with 1,506.57kg of various narcotic drugs.
The state commander of the agency, Mitchell Ofoyeju disclosed this on Tuesday while presenting the operational scorecard of the command in Benin City.
Ofoyeju said the seizure of the drugs and arrest of the suspects took place in the month of September.
He added that a total of 66,078,57kg of skunk cannabis were destroyed by the Command in the period under review.
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The Commander, who said that the command recorded significant successes in its operations within the month, added that it was part of its concerted effort to combat drug trafficking and abuse in the state.
He gave the breakdown of the arrested suspects to include 43 males and 11 females.
He also added that during the operation six illicit plantations spanning over 26.43 hectares were destroyed.
Ofoyeju explained that the destroyed plantations were located at Ugbogui Forest, Ovia South West, Ataroro Forest, Owan West, Urohi Forest, Esan West, and Ogu Forest, Igueben Local Government Areas of the State with an estimated yield of 66,078.5715 kg of skunk cannabis.
READ ALSO:NDLEA Busts Cartel, Recovers ₦6.4bn Drugs From Kingpins
“The command also intercepted 1,506.57kg of illicit drugs,” Mitchell stated while emphasising the command’s commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks operating within the state.
“The breakdown of the seized drugs is as follows: Cannabis Sativa 1,502. 26 Kg, psychotropic substances 4.27kg including tramadol 3.964kg, nitrazepam 0.087kg, Swinol 0.0445kg, Danabol (Molly) 0.1163kg, methamphetamine 0.0184 Kg, cocaine 0.028 Kg and heroin 0.014kg”, he said.
The NDLEA Commander in the state while expressing determination in the command’s campaign against drug trafficking, reiterated the importance of strategic operations in safeguarding communities and reducing drug demand.
He posited that the successs signified a critical step toward reclaiming the safety and health of citizens, as Edo State continues to grapple with the pressing issues of drug trafficking and abuse.
Metro
Army Officer Dies After Wife Allegedly Sets Him Ablaze In Akwa Ibom

A Nigerian Army officer, Lieutenant Samson Haruna, has died after sustaining severe burns when his wife allegedly set him on fire during a domestic dispute in Akwa Ibom State.
The incident reportedly occurred on September 22, 2025, at the Wellington Bassey Barracks in Ibagwa, Abak Local Government Area of the state.
According to a report shared on X by counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama on Tuesday, the late officer, who served as a Regimental Medical Officer with the Army’s 6 Battalion, had a heated altercation with his wife, identified as Mrs. Samson Haruna, which escalated violently.
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Sources cited by Makama alleged that during the argument, the woman doused her husband with petrol and set him ablaze.
Lt. Haruna was first treated at the military medical unit within the barracks before being transferred to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, where he later died from his injuries despite efforts by medical personnel to save him.
Military sources confirmed that the suspect has been arrested and remains in custody as investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Metro
Stop Using Edo Money For Federal Roads, Residents Tell Okpebholo

Residents of Benin, the Edo State capital have urged Governor Monday Okpebholo to stop using money accruing to the state on federal government projects.
The residents, who frowned at the governor’s unrelenting efforts in fixing federal roads, lamented that most state-owned roads are in the state of disrepair.
According to the residents, roads in the Government Reservation Area (GRA) have failed and are not motorable, adding that several other state-owned roads have failed and are in need of urgent repairs.
An Activist and head of Talakawas Parliament, in Edo State, Kola Edokpaiyi, said it was ‘busy body’ that made Okpebholo to abandon state-owned roads that are crying for attention in favour of federal roads.
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He said, “There are so many deplorable state roads in Edo State that are not motorable. We expect the Governor of Edo State to quickly give attention to them all before considering Federal Roads if the state is too rich.
“The Minister of Works, Mr. David Umahi has visited federal roads in Edo State about two times to ascertain how deplorable the roads are. He has already given the brief to Mr. President. We expect the Minister to swing into action based on the huge finance allocated by Federal Government to get the work done.
“I want to appeal to His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo to address the so many state roads that are bad.”
READ ALSO:Okpebholo Warns Companies Against Fuelling Edo–Delta Boundary Dispute
Also, a commercial driver, who plies between Ring Road and Ebvuotubu, Joseph Ikpigho, said he spent more money to fix his car due to bad roads.
Recall that Okpebholo has embarked on reconstruction of 23 kilometres of the Sapele Road axis of the East-West road.
He is also assisting the Federal Government to fix failed portions of the Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi highway.
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