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Reps summon Gov. Alia’s Aide, others over missing N20bn Benue LG funds

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The House of Representatives has summoned the Special Adviser to the Benue State Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dennis Akura and others, for interrogation over alleged embezzlement of 20 billion naira belonging to the 23 local government councils of the state.

Other persons to appear before the House with Akura are, the Directors-General Services and Administration (DGSAs) in the 23 local governments of Benue State, Cashiers and other key staff of the Benue State Government who will answer questions bordering on gross abuse of office and massive fraud.

Governor Hyacinth Alia’s Special Adviser, Akura and the others will be quizzed by the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions on Tuesday, 5th March, 2024 over the reported missing N20bn local government funds.

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The letter summoning the LG Bureau Adviser and the others read that the petition will be heard and determined in their absence if they fail to honour the invitation on Tuesday.

“Whereas the above named petition is now pending before this Committee and the particulars aforesaid are already within your knowledge, and whereas, the petition has been assigned to be heard by the Committee for determination.

“YOU ARE HEREBY required to note Sections 88 and 89 (e) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and appear in person before this Committee on Tuesday, 5th March, 2024 at 2.00pm or so soon thereafter as the Committee shall direct.

“AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you do not attend the hearing as required, the case may be heard or determined in your absence”, the letter read.

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The summon of Governor Alia’s Special Adviser by the House followed a petition brought to it by a pro-democracy, anti-corruption civil society organization, Global Integrity Crusade Network (GICN).

The group had written to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Department of State Services (DSS), as well as the National Assembly, demanding that the Special Adviser to the Governor Hyacinth Alia on Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Akura and others be arrested, interrogated and prosecuted for alleged diversion of local government funds.

In the said petition also sent to President Bola Tinubu, GICN, a group made up of lawyers, private investigators, human rights activists, media professionals and policy analysts, accused Akura of supervising brazen embezzlement and diversion of over N20 billion, being part of aggregate Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) funds which accrued to the 23 Local Government Councils in Benue State between June to November, 2023.

It said the LG Bureau under Governor Alia has been using some of its staff and privately owned companies to syphon the funds meant for local government councils in the state.

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“From the records attached as APPENDIX 2A and 2B, the aggregate FAAC allocation received in the State Joint Local Government Account (SJLGA), maintained pursuant to Section 162(6) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) for onward disbursement to the 23 Local Government Councils within the period under review totals N55, 897,592,592.81 only.

“Out of the above sum, only N35,849,988,725.37 was disbursed to the 23 Local Government Councils. This left a balance of N20,051,603,867.44, which remains undisbursed, even though the SJLGA is supposed to be a transit account and not a savings account. It happened that Dr. Dennis Akura under the strict directives of Governor Alia, allegedly diverted the aforesaid N35,849,988,725.37 using staff of the Bureau as well as some companies they have registered mainly for that purpose…” the group stated.

The group urged the House, security agencies and anti corruption agencies, to ensure that Akura and others fingered in the petition are brought to justice and made to account for their actions.

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“I am not happy Iran, Israel violated ceasefire deal -Trump declares

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US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that a ceasefire between Iran and Israel was holding, shortly after he lashed out at both countries and cursed as he accused them of violating the truce.

In a fast-moving series of declarations, the 79-year-old Republican, who was on his way to attend a NATO summit in The Hague, posted on his Truth Social app that “the Ceasefire is in effect!”

“ISRAEL is not going to attack Iran. All planes will turn around and head home, while doing a friendly ‘Plane Wave’ to Iran. Nobody will be hurt,” Trump wrote.

Minutes earlier, he had castigated Iran and also close US ally Israel for violating a ceasefire he had originally announced late Monday.

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The two countries have been “fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the fuck they’re doing, do you understand that?” the president told reporters at the White House.

Iran violated the ceasefire, “but Israel violated it too,” Trump told reporters on the White House’s South Lawn as he departed for the NATO summit.

“So I’m not happy with them. I’m not happy with Iran either. But I’m really unhappy if Israel is going out this morning.”

“I’ve got to get Israel to calm down,” he said. “Israel, as soon as we made the deal, they came out and dropped a load of bombs the likes of which I’ve never seen before.”

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Trump’s unusually public display of anger at Israel saw the US leader apparently trying to cajole his ally to call off warplanes in real time.

A man looks at items found in the rubble of a destroyed home in the northern Arab-Israeli city of Tamra, on June 24, 2025, days after an Iranian ballistic missile slammed into the neighbourhood. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP)

Earlier the same morning, he had posted on Truth Social: “ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS” — without it being clear which bombs he was referring to.

“IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW!”

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If it holds, the truce would be a big political win for Trump in the wake of his risky decision to send US bombers over the weekend to attack three nuclear facilities in Iran that Israel and the United States say were being used to build an atomic bomb in secret.

The US leader had said the truce would be a phased 24-hour process beginning at around 0400 GMT Tuesday, with Iran unilaterally halting all operations first. He said Israel would follow suit 12 hours later.

Israel has been bombing Iran in an offensive that began June 13. The United States joined the attack with a mission starting overnight Friday to Saturday against the deeply buried Fordow complex and two other sites.

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Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump insisted that the US bombing mission was a success.

“I think it’s been completely demolished,” he said, savaging US journalists for “fake news” and calling two networks “scum” for reporting that it remains unclear whether the Iranian nuclear infrastructure was truly dismantled.

“IRAN WILL NEVER REBUILD THEIR NUCLEAR FACILITIES!” he posted separately on Truth Social.

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Just in: Senate extends 2024 budget cycle to December 2025

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A bill for an Act to amend the 2024 Appropriation Act to further extend deadline for the capital component of the Act and for other related matters 2025 was passed into law by the Nigerian Senate on Tuesday.

The bill was passed into law by the Senate after it passed third reading, following a motion moved by Senate Majority Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, that was seconded by Minority Leader, Abba Moro.

The Nigerian Senate, during a plenary session presided over by Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, amended the 2024 budget and further extended the deadline set for implementation of the capital component from 30 June 2025 to 31 December 2025.

A bill for an act to amend the 2024 Appropriation Act to further extend the capital component of the Act from 30th June 2025 to 31st December 2025 and for other related matters 2025; third reading taken and passed,” the Deputy Senate President declared.

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The Nigerian Senate, during a plenary session presided over by Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, amended the 2024 budget and further extended the deadline set for implementation of the capital component from 30 June 2025 to 31 December 2025.

A bill for an act to amend the 2024 Appropriation Act to further extend the capital component of the Act from 30th June 2025 to 31st December 2025 and for other related matters 2025; third reading taken and passed,” the Deputy Senate President declared.

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Thugs invade SDP headquarters over chairman, others’ suspension

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Violence erupted at the national headquarters of the Social Democratic Party in Abuja on Tuesday as a group of armed thugs dressed in black outfits stormed the premises, unleashing violence on journalists and party staff.

The attack comes amid a deepening crisis within the party, triggered by the suspension of key national officers, including the National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Gabam.

The party’s National Working Committee had announced the suspension of Gabam, National Auditor, Nnadi Clarkson, and National Youth Leader, Chukwuma Uchechukwu.

They were accused of gross financial misconduct, including embezzlement, misappropriation, and unauthorised diversion of party funds running into hundreds of millions of naira.

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Journalists who had gathered at the party office for a press briefing were caught in the fray as hoodlums descended on the premises.

Cameras and phones were seized while some reporters, including our correspondent, were physically assaulted, before security agents intervened.

The violence became public knowledge after the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba, released a statement announcing the suspensions.

“The decision followed resolutions made by members of the NWC, where overwhelming evidence was presented linking the suspended officials to a series of unauthorised financial transactions, personal enrichment schemes, and movement of funds from the party’s accounts without the committee’s approval,” the statement read.

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According to the party’s leadership, the situation escalated when Gabam allegedly submitted an unauthorised financial statement to the Independent National Electoral Commission and caused a summary of the accounts to be published in the media.

This, insiders say, prompted alarm within the party’s inner circle.

“The NWC resolved to alert law enforcement agencies and commence a full-scale internal investigation,” Aiyenigba revealed, emphasising that the party “has zero tolerance for corruption and abuse of office.”

In the wake of the crisis, the NWC has appointed Dr. Sadiq Abubakar, Deputy National Chairman (North), as Acting National Chairman, pending the outcome of ongoing investigations.

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Aiyenigba also disclosed that an interim investigative panel has been constituted to audit all financial records and recommend possible legal action against those found culpable.

The committee is expected to scrutinise all transactions, especially those related to the proceeds from nomination forms sold ahead of the 2023 general elections, funds believed to have been misappropriated.

“The party will not shield any individual found guilty.

“Our goal is to restore public confidence in the SDP as a credible alternative for national leadership,” Aiyenigba added.

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The suspensions have already been formally communicated to INEC and other relevant agencies.

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