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EFCC arraigns ex-gov Obiano for alleged ₦4bn fraud

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned former Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, on nine counts of alleged N4bn fraud during his time as governor of the South-East state from March 2014 to March 2022.

 

The 68-year-old was arraigned today (Wednesday) before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja.

Obiano pleaded not guilty for the money laundering charges levelled against him.

 

Counsel for the EFCC, Sylvanus Tahir, asked that he be remanded in the custody of the anti-graft agency.

Obiano is currently on administrative bail granted him by the EFCC, which includes providing two sureties who are directors in civil service, own landed properties in Abuja.

 

Justice Ekwo adopted the administrative bail and added that Obiano remains within Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and travel documents be summited to the court going forward.

 

The court also stated that the immigration be alerted that all travel documents are with the court.

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The Police Command in Lagos State has confirmed the sudden death of a man, who came to watch television at a beer parlour in the state.

 

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed this to the Newsmen on Sunday.

 

Hundeyin said that the owner of the beer parlour, whose name was not mentioned, reported the case to Elere Police Division on Wednesday at about 7.00 p.m.

 

He said that the report revealed that a customer (now deceased), whose name and address were yet unknown, in his 50s, came to the beer parlour located along Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway at about 6.15 p.m.

 

The image maker said the bar owner said the customer walked into the open bar to sit and watch television like any other customers, while some were drinking.

 

“He was later observed to be sleeping on the chair and there was an attempt to wake him up, but they discovered that he was lifeless.

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“The scene was visited by detectives of the division and the body was seen lifeless on the chair without any mark of violence.

 

“The body has been removed to Mainland General Hospital Mortuary Yaba, Lagos for autopsy. Efforts to trace his family is in progress,” he said.

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Okuama: Women protest return of armed youths

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The women of Okoloba community in Bomadi local government area, weekend, protested against what they called the return of armed youths of Okuama in Ughelli South local government area, who they alleged were threatening the peace of the riverine area.

 

The placard carrying women, led by the chairlady of Okoloba community, Mrs Timipakebi Goodwin, and secretary, Mrs Mary Koibi, staged a peace protest on black attires along the coastal fringe of Okoloba community, chanting against violence and bloodbath, as well as sending an S.O.S. to the federal government to come to their aid.

 

Some inscriptions on the placards read: ‘We say No to violence’, ‘Enough of the killings on our land’, ‘Armed Okuama youths returning in a commando style’, ‘We say No to the return of armed youths of Okuama’, ‘Resettle Okuama people among their Ewu brothers in Ughelli South LGA’, ‘We mourn the killing of the 17 soldiers’ and among others.

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The chairlady of Okoloba, Mrs Goodwin, speaking to newsmen with a written address that was made available to security apparatuses, which include the police, DSS, NSCDC, JTF as well as the acting chairman of Bomadi local government council, noted that the latest killing by the youths of Okuama showed that they could kill human beings at the slightest provocation.

The women’s presentations as well as the written address read in part: “First, we the women of Okoloba community sympathize with the killing of 17 soldiers and officers of the Nigerian army on a peace and rescue mission to Okuama, following the kidnap of our son. We sincerely mourn their untimely death and pray for the repose of their souls. We also pray for their families.

 

“However, less than 24 hours after the exit of the troops from Okuama, fresh crisis erupted with another neighbouring community, culminating in the killing of one person while three other persons were seriously injured. The person who was killed and those sustaining machete wounds were alleged to have gone there to loot.

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“The latest killing showed that the people of Okuama can kill a human at the slightest provocation; the sanctity of human life means nothing to them. It also shows that neighbouring Ijaw communities like Okoloba are not safe.

 

“So, resetting the people of Okuama in their present location, which is in-between communities in Bomadi local government area, is an attempt to encourage further communal clashes and bloodbath.

 

“Just last week, youths of Okuama community came out of the Mein-toruabubor creek, which leads to Ewu, on three speedboats and all of them on camouflage. They shot sporadically in the air before proceeding to OKuama. They moved to and fro the creek three times, and at every time they shot their guns in the air at the entrance of the creek.

 

“We are calling on the federal government to come to our aid, and the panacea to these incessant clashes and killings is for the government to relocate Okuama to Ewu clan in Ughelli South Local Government Area, where they truly and rightly belong.

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“Resettling them among their own people in Ewu clan of Urhobo land will foster mutual trust among themselves as they are of the same ancestry and speak the same dialect”.

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EFCC hands over $22,000 recovered from convicted fraudster to FBI

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Friday, handed over $22,000 recovered from a convicted internet fraudster, Hakeem Olanrewaju, to the Federal Bureau of Investigations, in Lagos.

 

 

Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos had, on August 15, 2023, ordered that the money recovered from Olanrewaju, who was sentenced to two years imprisonment for identity theft and impersonation, be restituted to his victim in the United States of America.

 

The spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, revealed the development in a statement on Saturday.

Oyewale noted that, speaking during the handover ceremony in Lagos, the acting Director, Lagos Zonal Command of the EFCC, Michael Wetkas, reaffirmed the commission’s dedication to combating crimes and restoring sanity to the nation.
“We are delighted to be handing over this proceeds of crime today.

 

“The EFCC is willing and always ready to do more,” Wetkas was qouted as saying.
Responding, the FBI Legal Attaché, Charles Smith, said, “The EFCC and the FBI work collaboratively together, and it is thanks to the EFCC that we can recover funds of this nature, especially from Business Email Compromise.”

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He noted that, “This type of crime cripples businesses in the US, and for them to recover the money within one to two years gives hope to the affected companies and brings some level of justice, even if not all subjects have been identified.

 

“We hope our relationship continues and fosters a more cohesive partnership between the two agencies. If there’s anything the FBI can do to support this investigation, we will do so.

 

“We appreciate this on behalf of the FBI and thank the EFCC.”

 

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