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Abidemi Rufai : Federal marshals moving him to Washington state, trial begins in August

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Abidemi Rufai, the suspended aide of Ogun State Governor, now detained in New York, will be transported by federal marshals to Washington State for trial.

The trial will begin in Tacoma 31 August.

U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle of Tacoma gave the order on Friday while overruling Rufai’s request for bail, pending trial.

Judge Settle agreed with federal prosecutors that the 42 year-old Rufai represented a flight risk.

He thus cancelled a previous order in New York granting him pretrial release.

Rufai was arrested May 14 at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport as he prepared to fly to Nigeria by way of Amsterdam, federal authorities said.

He was charged after allegedly stealing over $350,000 in jobless benefits from the Washington state Employment Security Department in 2020.

He was also accused of trying to defraud the Internal Revenue Service of nearly $1.6 million, authorities said.

A federal judge in New York in May ruled that Rufai could be released before trial on a $300,000 “surety” bond, but delayed the release to let federal prosecutors appeal.

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In his decision Friday, Settle found that the “defendant poses a serious risk of nonappearance.”

Tacoma attorney Lance Hester, one of Rufai’s lawyers, said Rufai could ask the court to reconsider Friday’s ruling if there were changes in his circumstances.

Federal officials have called Rufai the first “significant” arrest related to Washington’s fraud.

Washington state was severely victimized by fraudulent claims for pandemic-related benefits.

It likely paid out more than $647 million in such fraudulent claims, though $370 million was recovered, according to state officials.

Another lawyer for Rufai, Michael C. Barrows, has said his client “denies any involvement in these transactions.”

The case has shed light on how criminals were able to file bogus unemployment claims in dozens of states.

Rufai allegedly employed a feature of Gmail, Google’s free email service, that let him use a single email account to file multiple unemployment claims in Washington and elsewhere using stolen Social Security numbers and other personal data.

READ  Dapo Abiodun's aide arrested in US over state's $650 million unemployment fraud

That same technique was allegedly used by Chukwuemeka Onyegbula, a 38-year-old IT engineer at a Nigerian oil company, Pan Ocean Oil Corporation to steal roughly $290,000 in unemployment insurance benefits from Washington and other states.

He also stole around $53,000 in federal disaster loans, according to an indictment returned Wednesday in federal district court in Tacoma.

Prosecutors have, however, not suggested a link between the two men. Court documents have not listed an attorney who might comment on Onyegbula’s behalf.

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Don’t condemn or curse Nigeria in your sermons — this is a beautiful land, Tinubu urges clerics

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President Bola Tinubu has appealed to religious leaders to desist from laying curses on the nation in their sermons.

The president spoke on Thursday while breaking the Ramadan fast with traditional rulers and religious leaders at the presidential villa.

Tinubu harped on the significant role of religious leaders in shaping public opinion and promoting unity in the country.

The president asked the clerics to be constructive in their criticisms of government officials, saying his administration is determined to address Nigeria’s challenges.

 

“The love of the nation is in your hands. Pray for our country. Educate our children. The sermons we preach to the members of our churches and mosques are important,” Tinubu said.

 

“Do not condemn your own nation. As a Yoruba man and as our fathers will say: ‘no matter how slippery the bottom of your child is, you must leave the beads there’.

 

“Leave the beads there. This is your country, do not condemn it in sermons, and do not abuse the nation. Leadership is meant for changes.”

READ  BREAKING: Tinubu appoints new ICPC Chairman, Secretary

 

Tinubu said instead of condemning the country, “bad” leaders should be shown the exit during elections.

 

“Yes, this leader is bad, fine. Wait until the next election to change him, but do not condemn your country. Do not curse Nigeria. This is a beautiful land,” Tinubu said.

 

Also speaking, Kashim Shettima, vice-president, advised religious leaders to continue to “build bridges that transcend ethnic and religious divides”.

 

“The president means well for the nation, and he has continued to redefine the meaning and concept of modern leadership,” he said.

 

”For many years, fuel subsidy was an albatross. The president took a bold decision from day one, and he hit the ground running. Now the economy is turning the corner.”

 

Speaking on behalf of the Traditional Rulers Council of Nigeria, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ooni of Ife, said the monarchs are in support of Tinubu’s administration.

 

“You are not alone, Mr. President. The prices of food items and goods are gradually coming down. You are doing your best on security, and we cannot allow you to do it alone. We will join hands to support your vision for the betterment of our nation,” Ogunwusi said.

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Ahmed Bamalli, Emir of Zazzau, who spoke for the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), said Ramadan is a period of reflection, empathy, and unity.

 

“I am happy to see representatives of Muslim and Christian communities in this room. I pray God Almighty blesses the president for him to do more to take the country to the Promised Land,” he said.

Samson Fatokun, general secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), commended Tinubu for fostering unity in the country.

 

”We are encouraged that your administration has shown great determination in tackling the challenges of kidnapping and banditry and bringing to justice the perpetrators of this dastardly act,” he said.

”We shall continue to show our support to your administration so that you can execute your noble intention for the nation.”

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Tompolo rejects Tinubu’s wish for low-key birthday, buys out frontpage of dailies

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Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, has rejected President Bola Tinubu’s wish for a low-key birthday celebration by buying the frontpages of a slew of national newspapers to celebrate the 72nd birthday of President.

Tompolo is the chairperson of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, an oil pipeline surveillance firm that tackles crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region.

 

Last Sunday, the presidency announced that Tinubu will not celebrate his 72nd birthday on March 29 “in deference to the challenging times” in the country.

The presidency said the president “does not want any of his associates and numerous well-wishers across the country to organise any celebratory event on his behalf or in his name”.

Tinubu also “enjoins friends and associates who may wish to place goodwill advertorials to kindly donate the money to charity organisations of their choice in his name”.


However, on Friday, Tompolo placed birthday messages for Tinubu on the frontpages of at least eight national dailies.

READ  BREAKING: Tinubu appoints new ICPC Chairman, Secretary

TheCable understands that a frontpage newspaper advert of the size Tompolo splurged on costs an average of N10 million.

 

This is not the first time the Tantita boss will use the frontpage of dailies to celebrate Tinubu.

In October 2023, after the supreme court affirmed Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 presidential election, Tompolo bought the frontpages of several dailies to celebrate the judgment.

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Delta monarch declared wanted over murder of 17 soldiers turns himself in

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Clement Ikolo Oghenerukevwe, monarch of Ewu-Urhobo kingdom in Delta, has reported to the police, hours after the military named him as one of the wanted persons for the murder of 17 army personnel in Okuama.

Bright Edafe, Delta state police spokesperson, confirmed Oghenerukevwe’s surrender.

Edafe said the monarch turned himself in on Thursday.

“We have already handed him over to the military, they were the ones that declared him wanted,” the spokesperson said.

The Defence Headquarters had on Thursday declared Oghenerukevwe among eight persons wanted in connection to the murder of the army personnel.

Among those declared wanted are Ekpekpo Arthur, a professor of physics at the Delta State University; Akeywiru Omotegbono, Andaowei Bakrikri, Igoli Ebi, a lady; Akata David, Sinclear Oliki, and Reuben Baru.

Before turning himself in, the monarch released a statement to plead his innocence.

 

“I am very surprised that my name as the monarch of the kingdom will appear in the list of wanted persons. I have no hand in the killings, I have no hand in encouraging anybody to kill anybody, it is against my philosophy as a human being and my faith as a Catholic,” he said.

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“It is a serious crime against humanity and they need to look at the appropriate places and do thorough investigation to know all those who have committed this and bring them to book and let justice prevail.

 

“I am not a party to this and like I have said earlier, the state government is aware of the turbulence I have been going through and as I speak, an arrangement was made by the government to invite the opponents recently just before this happenings.”

After the killing of the army personnel, President Bola Tinubu and the military high command promised that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.

 

Speaking during the burial ceremony of the late personnel, Taoreed Lagbaja, chief of army staff (COAS), said it was “highly demoralising” that the soldiers were killed by those they were equipped to protect.

 

The army chief added that it took over 72 hours of search to recover the vital organs of some of the deceased soldiers.

READ  Fresh troubles for Ekweremadu as Abuja court orders interim forfeiture of 40 property

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