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EFCC releases detained ex-governor on bail

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has granted bail to a former governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji, earlier arrested by operatives of the anti-corruption agency on Thursday.

Orji was granted an administrative bail after facing hours of interrogation at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja at about 9 p.m. on Thursday, sources familiar with the case told our reporter.

He was, however, asked to return to the EFCC office for further interrogation on Friday.

The ex-governor, who had for long been on the commission’s watchlist, was intercepted at the Nnamdi International Airport, Abuja at about 10 a.m., and driven to the headquarters of the EFCC in Abuja.

He was quizzed alongside his son, Chinedu, the current speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, who turned himself in this afternoon upon learning of the arrest of his father.

However, it could not ascertain if Chinedu was granted an administrative bail like his father on Thursday.

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Orji, a current senator, and his sons, Chinedu and Ogbonna, have for months been under EFCC investigation for alleged misappropriation of public funds and money laundering.

The ex-governor is alleged to have received N500 million monthly as security vote for eight years as governor of Abia between 2007 and 2015.

Other allegations against him include an alleged mismanagement of N2 billion Ecological Fund and mismanagement of Sure-P Funds.

EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the detention of the former governor and his speaker son. He, however, declined further comments on the issue.

The EFCC had in February 2020 interrogated Orji and his son over allegations that they diverted N521 billion public funds.

The investigation followed a petition dated March 17, 2017, filed by a group, Fight Corruption: Save Nigeria Group.

The petitioners had accused Mr Orji of diverting ”N383 billion revenue from the Federation Account, N55 billion Excess Crude revenue, N2.3 billion Sure-P revenue, N1.8 billion ecological funds, N10.5 billion loan, N12 billion Paris Club refund, N2 billion agricultural loan, and N55 billion ASOPADEC money while in office.”

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According to the petition, the N500 million the former governor allegedly withdrew monthly was “not part of the security funds expended on the Nigerian Police, the Nigerian Army, DSS, Navy anti-Kidnapping Squad, anti-robbery Squad, purchase of security equipment and vehicles for the security agencies.”

The petitioners also accused Mr Orji’s son, Chinedu, of owning about 100 accounts in different banks.

They alleged that the accounts, which run both as corporate and individual, received ”so much deposit in cash without evidence of job or services rendered.”

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Good morning! Here Are Some Major News Headlines In The Newspapers Today: FG requires $10bn yearly, to revive power sector – Minister

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1. Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has said $10 billion is needed yearly for the next ten years to revive the nation’s power sector and nip in the bud the challenges bedeviling it. The minister said this when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Power for investigative hearing over the recent electricity tariff hike by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC.

 

2. Former Super Eagles winger, Finidi George, has been named senior men’s national team’s new head coach by the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF. The 52-year-old former Real Betis and Ajax Amsterdam attacker was given the reins after the NFF Board approved the suggestion of its Technical and Development Committee, according to a statement released on Monday, April 29.

 

3. Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an interim order empowering the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to freeze about 1,146 bank accounts belonging to individuals and companies. The EFCC claimed it was investigating the affected accounts over allegations of unauthorised dealing in foreign exchange, money laundering and terrorism financing.

READ  Court remands Mompha in EFCC custody

 

4. The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has released the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, results. The examination, which began on Friday, April 19, ended today, Monday, April 29.

 

5. Some supporters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, stormed the Secretariat of the ruling party in Abuja on Monday to register their displeasure with those allegedly plotting anarchy in the party. The protesters alleged that some external forces were behind the recent purported suspension of the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Ganduje.

 

6. A High Court in Kano State, on Monday, fixed May 16, 2024, for ruling on whether the court will allow service through substituted means to respondents in the case between the Kano State government and former governor, Abdullahi Ganduje and eight others. Ganduje, his wife, Hafsat and son, Umar and five others are defendants in the suit.

7. National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has described the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, as a party of failed politicians. Speaking while addressing a coalition of support groups who were at the APC national secretariat on a solidarity visit, he alleged that NNPP leaders were sponsoring protest as part of efforts to remove him as APC helmsman.

READ  DSS releases Bawa after four months in detention

 

8. A Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal, CCPT, sitting in Abuja, on Monday, restrained MultiChoice Nigeria Limited from increasing its tariffs and cost of products and services scheduled to begin on May 1.

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Tribunal stops MultiChoice from increasing DStv, Gotv subscription rates

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A competition and consumer protection tribunal (CCPT) in Abuja has stopped Multi-Choice Nigeria Limited from increasing its tariffs and cost of products and services scheduled to begin on May 1.

 

A three-member tribunal led by Saratu Shafii gave the interim order following an ex-parte motion moved by Ejiro Awaritoma, counsel to Festus Onifade, the applicant.

 

The tribunal, in the ruling, restrained Multi-Choice from going ahead with the impending price increase pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed before it.

 

“The 1st defendant is hereby restrained from taking any step(s) that may negatively affect the rights of the claimant and other consumers in respect of the suit pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice,” Shafii ruled.

Shafii also directed all parties in the suit to appear before the tribunal at 10 a.m. on May 7 for the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

 

READ  N2. 475B fraud: Court remands Ogun Speaker in EFCC cell with N300m bail

Onifade, a legal practitioner, filed the suit marked CCPT/OP/2/2024, against Multi-Choice Nigeria Ltd and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) on Monday.

 

On April 24, Multichoice Nigeria announced an increase in the cost of subscriptions for its DStv and GOtv packages.

The pay-TV firm cited the rise in the cost of business operations as the rationale behind the price increase.

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How to check 2024 JAMB UTME results

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released modalities for the checking of the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results via SMS.

For candidates who took part in the 2024 UTME organised by JAMB, the examination body said the results of the exercise can be checked following some simple steps.

 

“Candidates are advised to use the phone numbers they used to register to text UTMERESULT to 55019/66019. There is no need to approach any CBT centre or cybercafé to check results,” JAMB said.

 

“The following are the responses to be expected hence, a candidate with a result will receive the message: ‘Dear ‘Candidate X’, your result is as follows (and the details will be provided).’”

READ  SINS NOT FORGIVEN: JAMB rejects apology from ex-candidate involved in malpractice 21 years ago
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