The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has reopened money laundering cases against 13 former governors and some former ministers, with the amounts involved running into over N853.8bn.

Sunday PUNCH findings revealed that the amount at stake in the high-profile cases involving the former governors and ex-ministers was not less than N772.2bn, however, the anti-graft agency is currently investigating the N81.6bn that was allegedly looted in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

However, another $2.2bn was alleged to have gone missing through money laundering, fund diversion and misappropriation in recent times. The $2.2bn was allegedly diverted by a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki; late media mogul, Raymond Dokpesi; former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa; and former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda, and others.

According to the EFCC, the money was meant for arms procurement in support of the war against terrorists, but it was laundered, diverted, and misappropriated.

While Dasuki was in custody of the Department of State Services in 2015, the EFCC arrested Dokpesi, Bafarawa, Yuguda and others.

They were all arrested after being indicted by a presidential committee that investigated arms procurement under former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

The committee said about $2.2bn was diverted for purposes other than arms procurement.

The affected persons include two former Ekiti State governors, Kayode Fayemi and Ayo Fayose; former Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle; two former Enugu State governors, Chimaroke Nnamani and Sullivan Chime; former Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Adamu; former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Others are former Rivers State governor, Peter Odili; former Abia State governor, Theodore Orji; former Gombe State governor, Danjuma Goje; former Sokoto State governor, Aliyu Wamako; former Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva; and former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido.

Matawalle, who is currently serving as the Minister of Defence in the administration of President Bola Tinubu, is being probed for alleged N70bn money laundering; while Fayemi, who served as Minister of Solid Minerals Development in former President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet from November 11, 2015 to May 30, 2018, before resigning to contest the governorship election for his second term, is being investigated for an alleged N4bn fraud, while Fayose, a two-term governor of Ekiti State, is being investigated by the anti-graft agency for an alleged N6.9bn fraud.

Nnamani is being probed for an alleged N5.3bn fraud; Chime is being investigated over an alleged N450m campaign fraud as part of the N23bn allegedly shared by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, while Adamu is under probe for alleged N15bn fraud.

Kwakwanso is being probed for alleged non-remittance of N10bn pension fund; Orji is being investigated over alleged N551bn money laundering; while Odili is similarly being probed for alleged N100bn fraud. It is not yet clear how the probe of the ex-Rivers State governor will be handled as he obtained an order of perpetual injunction restraining the EFCC and other security agencies from a Federal High Court in March 2008, which has not been vacated to date.

Goje is being probed by the commission for an alleged N5bn fraud; Wammako is being investigated for allegedly diverting N15bn; Sylva, a former Minister of State for Petroleum under Buhari, is under probe for alleged N19.2bn money laundering; while Lamido is being investigated over an alleged N1.35bn fraud.

Diezani is being probed over several alleged money laundering cases running into several billions of naira and millions of dollars.

Sources privy to the development told our correspondent on Friday that the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, was reviewing all the high-profile cases, and had since his assumption of office reappointed investigators to take up the several probes without prejudice to the suspects’ social or political status.

“The chairman is reviewing all high profile cases, and he has ordered the investigators not to treat anyone differently, especially politically exposed persons, such as former governors and ministers, who were indicted for money laundering,” PUNCH reports.

The EFCC had also recently commenced the probe of some former ministers, Olu Agunloye (power, mines and steel), Olu Agunloye, over an alleged $6bn fraud on the Mambilla Power Project; and Sadiya Umar-Farouk (humanitarian affairs), over an alleged N37.1bn fraud.

Agunloye and Umar-Farouq served under former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari, respectively. The EFCC is probing both former ministers and arraigned Agunloye, who was remanded in a custodial centre pending the perfection of his N50m bail.

The commission is also probing the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, and the embattled Coordinator of the suspended National Social Investment Programme Agency, Halima Shehu, over alleged N81.6bn fraud uncovered in the ministry.

The commission was also probing the chief executive officers of several banks, civil servants, and contractors in connection with the humongous fraud uncovered in the ministry.

Olukoyede had on Friday declared that all high-profile cases would be reviewed and revisited, while noting that indicted former or incumbent public officials’ corruption cases would not be overlooked or abandoned by the commission.

He made the declaration in Abuja through the acting Director of Public Affairs, EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, who spoke to journalists following a protest by members of the Zamfara Alternative Forum at the commission’s headquarters in Jabi, Abuja.

Members of the group had urged the anti-graft agency to revisit the probe of the immediate past governor of the state, Matawalle, over alleged N70bn money laundering.

Responding to the request of the protesters, Uwujaren revealed that Olukoyede had reviewed all inherited high-profile cases since he assumed office, adding that the commission would proceed with the probe of every indicted high-profile person.

He said, “I want to assure you that, as far as the commission is concerned, nobody is above the law. What the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, has done since assuming office is that he has reviewed all the high-profile cases he inherited.

“And the EFCC Chairman has asked me to assure you that this case, like others, will not be an exception. The case will be reviewed, and the chairman assures you that something will be done under the law, and no one is above the law and no case shall be swept under the carpet.

“Rest assured that these cases will be revisited because the EFCC believes that no case should be swept under the carpet. If you have done something wrong and if our investigation is able to establish that you have a case, we will proceed with the matter.”

On May 18, 2023, the EFCC, through its spokesman, Osita Nwajah, had said Matawalle was being investigated by the commission over allegations of monumental corruption, award of phantom contracts, and diversion of over N70bn.

He stated, “The money, which was sourced as a loan from an old-generation bank purportedly for the execution of projects across the local government areas of the state, was allegedly diverted by the governor through proxies and contractors, who received payment for contracts that were not executed.

“The commission’s investigations revealed that more than 100 companies received payments from the funds, with no evidence of service rendered to the state.

“Some of the contractors, who had been invited and quizzed by the commission, made startling revelations on how they were allegedly compelled by the governor to return the funds received from the state coffers back to him through his aides after converting the same to United States dollars.”

The Director-General for Obi/Datti Presidential Campaign Council, Akin Osuntokun, has revealed why the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, couldn’t pay party agents during 2023 elections.

Osuntokun in an interview with Punch revealed that Obi could not pay the agents because they never had the money to do so.

According to Osuntokun, the party had a situation in which people that performed the role of agents, and polling agents were not enumerated.

He said, “I don’t know. We are not in a position to pay all our polling agents. That is the truth. We never had the money to do so. We had to narrow it down to where we can.

“We had a situation in which people that performed the role of agents, and polling agents were not enumerated.

“It was just their initiative to do so in most parts of the country. It is a fact that we couldn’t pay many of the agents.”

Speaking on the claims that the party had money to pay the agents, Osuntokun said, “Well, I don’t know where the information that the funds were available came from. Some funds were available but it was used to offset and didn’t go around the country.

“In any case, for anybody who is a party agent, should that be the concern if you truly love the party you are working for? Unfortunately, the Labour Party platform is a mixed flag.

“We have the likes of many of the people in the Labour Party who are there as machinery and things like that.

“They are not used to the idealism that the ‘Obidients’ represent. The Lamidi Apapa and Arabambi are typical of the Labour Party of the past.

“This is a problem. We have people with different motives. In the short period that we had to put everything together, there was no room to separate the wheat from the chaff.”

Former Nigerian football team captain, Mikel Obi has blamed former Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh for the early retirement of Vincent Enyeama from the senior national team.

Mikel labeled Oliseh as “absolutely clueless” and “easily the worst manager he played under.”

According to Mikel, Oliseh was the brain behind the exit of Enyeama; and also brought about division in the national team.

“I remember the first day he came into the camp. Then we reported to the camp for International duties, then he came straight at me and Vincent Enyeama, the goalkeeper, who also was very powerful back then." Mikel said m on his ObiOne podcast,

“He came straight at us and Elderson Echiejile, and he said a few things. He said he heard there was a lot of player power with us.

“Then Enyeama was like, ‘What’s wrong with you? Where are you getting all of these from? We are a nice group, and you just come in, and the first thing is to attack us?

“He was like ‘I heard about you guys.’ And then Enyeama stood up and told him he couldn’t say that because we had been here for so many years. They started arguing, and literally, they were going to have a fight.

“He took Enyeama out of the team, and he came at us saying he was going to take us out of the team. He said he was going to take us out of the team; he said he was going to make sure we didn’t play anymore.”

“Enyeama could not take it, and despite my pleas, he left the camp angrily and never came back.”

“He (Oliseh) had absolutely no clue of how a manager is. He was a fantastic guy in his playing days, but as a coach, he was very terrible. He had no clue what he was doing.

“The players never understood anything he was doing, and he did not know what he was doing. He was just confused because he just came in and destroyed the team’s togetherness.

“His excuse when he got fired was that the people and FA did voodoo on him not to succeed. He was easily the worst manager I played under.

“He was so bitter with everybody, jealous with everybody, and had no respect for speaking to anybody, whether the physio or anybody,” he added.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, says his camp has fulfilled every condition parties involved in the political crisis in Rivers State agreed with President Bola Tinubu for the return of peace in the state.

The Minister made this comment during a visit to the Oba of Ogbaland in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, His Royal Highness Eze Nnam Obi III, on Saturday.

Wike, who assured the king of his commitment for peace in the state, also said he is not going to disappoint the traditional ruler.

“We accepted whatever decision Mr President has taken and we have on our own part fulfilled every condition given by Mr President because I told you I will not let you down.

“It just to let you know that your request of making sure there is peace in the state of which you asked Mr President to intervene, we have accepted. And I want you to use this opportunity to continue to pray for Mr President for God to continue to give him wisdom to pilot the affairs of this nation,” the former Rivers State governor said.

Commending Tinubu for his intervention in the political face off between him and his successor in office, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Wike added, “He is not from this state. So many people have piloted the affairs of this country, crisis has engulfed other states and you hardly would see somebody to come out and say irrespective of the political party, I need peace in the state.

“If there is peace in the states, it will help peace in Nigeria. So, I will urge you and your council to continue to pray for Mr President for God to continue to give him wisdom to pilot the affaires of the country.”

The Minister was accompanied to the Palace of the Oba of Ogbaland by Senator Sam Anyanwu, Senator Barinada Mpigi and Chief Victor Giadom.

Also in his entourage were Timipire Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum, Senator Heinekin Lopobiri and Felix Obuah.

Tinubu’s Intervention

President Tinubu had to wade into the Rivers political crisis to restore peace, convening a meeting with Wike and Fubara.

The political gladiators reached a truce on Monday, December 18, 2023, after another round of meeting with President Tinubu at the Aso Villa in Abuja.

Also at the meeting were ex-Rivers governor, Peter Odili; and some traditional rulers from the state.

Vice President Kashim Shettima; and the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila were also part of the meeting.

Resolutions

However, after Monday’s meeting, the warring parties agreed that all matters instituted in the courts by Fubara, and his team, be withdrawn immediately.

Fubara, Wike, Amaewhule and other gladiators in the crisis signed the agreement made available to Channels Television. The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, also signed the document.

The Wike camp also agreed that all impeachment proceedings initiated against the governor by the Rivers State House of Assembly be dropped immediately

The parties in the feud resolved to recognise the leadership of Martin Amaewhule in the Rivers State House of Assembly and not that of Edison Ehie.

The two camps agreed to recognise Amaewhule and his 26 allies who recently resigned from the PDP to the APC.

Other resolutions state thus:

“The remunerations and benefits of all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and their staff must be reinstated immediately and the Governor of Rivers State shall henceforth not interfere with the full funding of the Rivers State House of Assembly

“The Rivers State House of Assembly shall choose where they want to sit and conduct their legislative business without interference and/or hindrance from the Executive arm of Government

“The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Fubara, shall re-present the state budget to a properly constituted Rivers State House of Assembly

“The names of all commissioners in the Rivers State Executive Council who resigned their appointments because of the political crisis in the state should be resubmitted to the House of Assembly for approval

“There should not be a caretaker committee for the local governments in Rivers State. The dissolution of the Local Government administration is null and void and shall not be recognised.”

A former Nigerian military President, Ibrahim Babangida, says he is convinced that there would not be any interference from the military again which may truncate the progress of democracy in the country.

Nigeria witnessed a lot of military incursions in its politics after independence, with men in uniform ruling the country more years than civilians until 1999. Babangida was one of the military men that led the country during that period, ruling for eight years from 1985 to 1993.

Speaking in an interview on Channels Television’s Inside Sources, the former military leader stated that military interference robbed Nigeria off true federalism, adding that the era of military dabbling into politics has come to an end because Nigerians have become more interested in becoming a truly democratic nation.

“I think that is (failure to achieve true federalism) one of the effects of the aberration that the military regime, it countered the democratic process.

“Such things happen, but I believe it will not happen again because Nigerians are becoming more interested in becoming a truly democratic nation in Africa and such thing, I don’t think it will happen,” Babangida said. 

He, however, said that as a military leader, he freed the economy by allowing the private sector to be the hub of economy of the country.

I Believe In Restructuring

The argument that Nigerian needs devolution of powers has gained momentum in recent years and calls for restructuring also growing; Babaginda has added his voice to that, saying that time has come for Nigeria give more powers to the states.

“I believe in restructuring, devolution of powers to the states to give the more powers and that means you are going to give them more resources to run their own affairs so that we run a federal government the way federation is run all over the world,” he said.

Ending Japa syndrome

The mass immigration of Nigerians to other countries causing a lot of brain drain, the former military leader has suggested how the Nigerian government could end the trend.

According to him, creating an enabling environment that can motivate the citizens to enjoy working for their country the way they enjoy working for other countries. This, he said, will see Nigerians choose to remain in their country rather than going to look for greener pastures elsewhere.

“I think the environment should be created in such a way that people will be motivated to work for the country. So, I share the view very much that we made names in a lot countries, US, UK; Nigerians are doing very well in all professions.

“Why not do the same here in our own country? So we have to create an environment that is suitable for this sort of service that Nigerians have to give to their own country, I think it is possible.”

Nigerians Will Reject One Party State

Babangida also allayed fears that Nigeria may be heading to a one party state, saying that Nigerians will not allow that to happen.

“I have been in a military regime and the Nigerians I know won’t allow a one-party state. I have been a military man and I know dictatorship can’t survive in a civil society.

“The Nigerians I know will not allow it; they will talk you out of it. You can say okay, I don’t want and forget about it,” the ex-military leader said.

He advocated for a two-party state as that would save Nigeria a lot of funds and problems associated with a multi-party state.

Babangida equally suggested that in additional to two major political parties, independent candidates could also be allowed to contest for political offices.

“One can contest as an independent candidate if the person is strong enough to get supporters,” he said

Iyabo Ojo, the popular Nollywood actress, has opened up, revealing that she prefers alcohol as breakfast to tea or coffee.

According to her, she loves “to drink beer a lot.”

Speaking in the latest episode of Celebrities Quickies posted on comedian AY Makun’s YouTube page, Ojo explained that she has two bars in her house because of her love for alcohol.

She said, “Once I wake up, the first thing I do is drink water. I’m not a fan of coffee or tea. I’m a shekpe [alcohol] lady [laughs].

“I love whiskey, brandy and Azul. And I love beer, Goldberg. I’m a beer person, I love to drink beer a lot. That’s why you can see I’ve two bars.”

Ojo also disclosed that if she could do a s*x scene with an actor, it would be Richard Mofe-Damijo.

“If I’m to do a love scene with an actor in Nigeria, it would be RMD. I used to love RMD a lot. So love scene, RMD still or probably, Ramsey Nouah,” she said.

The thespian added that RMD, Ramsey Nouah, and American actor, Denzel Washington were her celebrity crushes growing up.

President Bola Tinubu has approved N683,429,268 billion as the 2024 intervention fund for public tertiary schools in the country.

The Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, Sonny Echono, made this disclosure on Friday at the Fund’s strategic planning meeting with heads of beneficiary institutions in Abuja.

According to him, from the total, 90.75 per cent is earmarked for direct disbursement, 8.94 per cent for some designated special projects, and 2.27 per cent is budgeted for response to emerging issues.

He also disclosed that each university shall get for the Year 2024 intervention cycle, the total sum of N1,906,944,930.00, polytechnic N1,165,355,235.00
while each College of Education has N1,398,426,282.00.

The intervention fund is expected to go a long way in addressing the long the decades-long calls for better funding of schools in Nigeria. Lecturers in the country’s public schools have often resorted to strikes to drum home their demands which also included better pay and improved facilities for learning institutions.

In late 2022, university lecturers suspended an eight-month strike over pay, welfare, and crumbling facilities, the latest industrial dispute to hit Africa’s most populous nation.

The strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had shut down federal government-owned universities since February 14 that year despite talks with the government to find a truce.

That strike was the second longest by ASUU, known for its work stoppages. In 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the university teachers went on strike for nine months.

The demands of the lecturers are the same as in previous strikes — higher pay, improved welfare, increased funding, and upgraded facilities.

Former Nigerian military president, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB), has reiterated his long-standing proposal for a two-party system, arguing it would streamline governance and reduce financial burdens.

Babangida, who ruled Nigeria from 1985 to 1993, made the remarks during an interview on Channel TV’s Inside Sources.

Nigeria currently boasts 19 registered and operational political parties, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). This multiplicity has sparked debate, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar alleging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) aims for a one-party state. However, the APC denies such claims.

During the interview, Babangida advocated for a system with just two dominant parties, alongside the possibility for independent candidates.

“Someone strong enough to gather support can contest independently,” he stated.

A former Edo State Governor, Senator Adams Oshiomole, has said President Bola Tinubu’s removal of the petrol subsidy has put an end to a regime of making ‘overnight billionaires” in the oil and gas sector.

The Edo North Senator said this on Friday while commissioning a tank farm owned by a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Chief Ayirimi Emami, in the Ifie community in Warri, Delta State.

He said the end of the fuel subsidy has effectively put an end to a system where having a connection in the oil sector could instantly transform someone into a billionaire.

He said: “Now, with the withdrawal of subsidy, you either work, sell and prosper, or you don’t, and you perish. This is the level playing field President Tinubu has created by the policy.”

Oshiomole commended Emami for the investment, noting that it would create jobs for people in the area, especially at a time when the petrol subsidy had been removed.

After touring the tank farm facility, Senator Oshiomole stated that a lot of courage and foresight went into the establishment in such a swampy area.

He enjoined young Nigerians to, rather than lament about not being given chances to thrive in the Nigerian economy, face the challenges by “turning obstacles into opportunities”.

“Nigerians have never sat down to ask themselves how come the Lebanese, the Indians are coming in droves to find jobs here. Nigerians are not seeing the opportunities in Nigeria. Let’s not cry; go for opportunities,” Oshiomole said.