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EFCC to invite Ondo Speaker over N200m for phone calls, investigates N11.5b allocation to finance ministry

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has started investigating the allocation of N11.5 billion as a security vote for the Ondo State Ministry of Finance in this year’s budget.

Vanguard gathered that personnel of the EFCC have arrived in the state to verify the budget details.

The leadership of the State Assembly would soon be summoned to provide further insights into the budget’s passage, particularly the N11.5 billion allocation for the Finance Ministry as a security vote.

The allocation of N11.5b and others for the finance ministry has raised concerns about transparency and accountability in the state’s financial management regime.

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Also, in the Ministry of Finance 2025 budget, an additional allocation of N250 million was budgeted for honorarium and sitting allowances and N1.5 billion for contingencies.

Recall that the state governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on December 10, 2024, presented a N655 billion budget to the Ondo State House of Assembly.

Aiyedatiwa on December 30, 2024, signed into law the budget passed by the Assembly after it had been increased by N43.4 billion, bringing the total budget to N698 billion.

Meanwhile, The Nigerian Anti-Corruption Network (NACN) has condemned the inclusion of the N11.5 billion security vote.

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In a statement signed by its National President, Comrade Mike Aderosoye, the group expressed outrage over what it described as an “affront to the sensibilities of Ondo State citizens.”

Aderosoye said that “It is unacceptable for a commissioner, who reports to the governor, to appropriate a security vote budget head when the governor is already receiving one.

This raises suspicions of gross mismanagement and deliberate looting of public resources.

It also criticized Governor Aiyedatiwa for failing to prioritize meaningful governance.

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“It is shameful that a governor who has not commissioned a kilometre of road in the past year and has abandoned countless projects would allow his commissioner to insert such an outrageous sum into the budget for personal gain,” the group stated.

The NACN urged the EFCC to thoroughly investigate the matter, warning against any attempt to sweep it under the carpet.

“The EFCC must prove its commitment to fighting corruption. We will not hesitate to seek legal redress if this case is abandoned,” it said.

The group called on the state government to redirect the N11.5 billion to developmental projects, including roads, healthcare, and education.

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“This money belongs to the people of Ondo State and should be used to alleviate their suffering, not to fund dubious security votes.

A top civil servant staff who spoke on condition of anonymity described the allocation as “strange.”

A source in the EFCC said that “We are investigating whether such an amount has ever been allocated to the ministry in previous budgets.

We are also interested in understanding the purpose of this allocation and how it will be spent, especially since the governor already receives a security vote package which is not disclosed.

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“This is not a witch hunt but a clear way of trying to find out the truth of the matter on the case at hand.

Several anti-corruption bodies have called and made inquiries on the matter like you are also doing right now”

Meanwhile, members of the public have expressed concern over the allocation of N200m to all members of the Assembly on phone calls and also that of the speaker which is to gulp N280,000,00 in the fiscal year among other expenses accrued to the Assembly including travelling and Security.

In an interview, civil servants said that “the allocation is nothing but misplacement of priorities on the part of the Assembly members and that of the government.

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They said further that, the constituencies of the members are nothing to write home about in terms of infrastructure and Education

“it’s a pity that we are where we are today in the state. According to her ” She said the state is the least developing state in terms of infrastructure in the southwest, that the assembly members can not fight for this but rather to be sharing the commonwealth of the people.

The Finance commissioner, R S Omowunmi Isaac, could not be reached for comment.

But a top officer in the ministry said that the allocation to the finance ministry has been thoroughly scrutinized by the assembly and passed.

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He said that there is no reason to raise unnecessary alarm.

Also, efforts to speak with the Speaker, Rt Hon Olamide Oladiji proved abortive.

A lawmaker who spoke in confidence said that the members are not afraid of the EFCC officials since they don’t have skeletons in their cupboards.

The anti-graft agency officials are not lions. We’ll open our books for them to scrutinise. The budget is now a public document. There’s nothing to fear.

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Twin babies found dead in Anambra drainage, parents arrested

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The lifeless bodies of abandoned twin babies have been found in a drainage channel along Cooperative Street, Nwokedi, Okpoko, Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The bodies, according to residents, were found on Sunday morning wrapped inside a box with baby clothing by some passersby, who immediately alerted personnel of the Okpoko Police Division.

A resident, simply identified as Uche, who was among those who first saw the bodies and raised the alarm, said the lifeless bodies of the infants were disposed of in a manner that made them easily visible to passersby.

She said, “This is shameful and must not be encouraged as people now engage in such act at will. How can someone in her right senses do this type of thing in this age when we have many orphanages around?”

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Another eyewitness said the babies might have been dropped by an irresponsible girl, lady or woman who may not have been ready to take up the responsibility of their upbringing.

The spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident in a press statement released on Sunday.

Ikenga said the biological parents of the infants have been traced and arrested and are currently in police custody assisting investigators in unraveling the circumstances surrounding the incident.

He said the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Ikioye Orutugu, described the discovery of the lifeless bodies of the twin infants as a “disturbing case of man’s inhumanity to man” and a gross violation of the sanctity of human life.

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According to him, the CP commended police operatives for their swift response and diligent investigative efforts that led to the arrest of the parents of the deceased infants shortly after the incident was reported.

He said, “The Police operatives attached to Okpoko Divisional Police Headquarters, in the early hours of Sunday, June 21, 2026, received information about the discovery of two lifeless infant twins abandoned in a drainage channel along Cooperative Street, Nwokedi, Okpoko.

“Following the report, operatives immediately swung into action, secured the scene, gathered vital evidence, and commenced investigations.

“The preliminary investigation led to the identification and arrest of the biological parents of the infants, who are currently in police custody and assisting investigators in unraveling the circumstances surrounding the incident.

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“The Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, condemned the act in strong terms, noting that every child deserves protection, care, and the opportunity to live.

“He reiterated the Command’s commitment to ensuring that anyone found culpable in the incident faces the full weight of the law.

“Investigation into the matter is ongoing, and further developments will be communicated in due course.”

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Sad: Unidentified lady slumps, dies on Ajah bridge in Lagos

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An unidentified woman collapsed and died at the Ajah Bridge area of Lagos this morning

According to eyewitness accounts and the widely shared footage posted by the X account @chude, the woman suddenly slumped while apparently walking across or near the bridge. She was surrounded by bystanders, many of whom appeared to focus on recording the scene with their phones rather than providing immediate assistance.

No ambulance or emergency medical personnel are visible in the video. Critics on social media have expressed outrage, pointing to the lack of basic first aid attempts, such as CPR, pulse checks, or swift transport to a nearby hospital.

Many commenters suggested the collapse could have stemmed from a treatable condition like low blood sugar, anemia, seizure, or cardiac arrest, and that timely intervention might have changed the outcome.

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The original post urges the public to share the video widely in hopes that friends or family members will recognize the woman possibly returning from a market, based on items near her and come forward to claim her body.

As of this hour, her identity remains unknown. There has been no immediate official statement from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), police, or other authorities.

Watch Video below:

https://x.com/Chude_ND1/status/2068737056709238841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

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Kidnappers Demand N100m Ransom For Abducted Ondo Businesswoman

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Suspected kidnappers who abducted the wife of an Irele-based motorcycle dealer, Mrs Morenike Falona, have reportedly contacted her family and demanded N100 million ransom for her release.

The 35-year old woman was abducted in her home on Wednesday night, June 17, 2026 in Ode-Irele, headquarters of Irele Local Government area of Ondo State, in the presence of her family members.

A source close to the family disclosed that the abductors contacted the family and demanded the sum of N100 million.

The source revealed that the kidnappers did not make contact until about 48 hours after the incident and eventually called one of the family members at about 5.30pm on Thursday to make their demand.

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The spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Abayomi Jimoh, who confirmed the abduction said the command was not aware of any negotiation between the suspected kidnappers and the victim’s family.

He, however, said that concerted intelligence-driven efforts were ongoing in collaboration with other security agencies and non-conventional security outfits to ensure the victim was rescued safely and unharmed.

Jimoh denied knowledge of any contact between the suspected abductors and the family of the Irele-based businesswoman, assuring that she would be rescued without payment of ransom.

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