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Alleged N2.2bn Oil Subsidy Fraud: EFCC Presents Additional Witness Against Mamman Ali, One Other

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, March 25, 2024, presented another prosecution witness, Popoola Olayiwola, a staff of the Debt Management Office, DMO, against Mamman Nasir Ali and Christian Taylor, who are being prosecuted for an alleged N2.2bn oil subsidy fraud, before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.
They were arraigned alongside Nasaman Oil Services Limited on amended 49-count charges bordering on conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence, contrary to Section 8 and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006; obtaining money by false pretences, contrary to Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006; forgery, contrary to Section 363 (3)(j) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011; and use of false documents contrary to Section 364 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
One of the counts reads: “Nasaman Oil Services Ltd, Mamman Nasir Ali, Christian Taylor, Oluwaseun Ogunbambo (now at large) and Olabisi Abdul-Afeez (still at large), on or about the 9th day of November 2011 at Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division, with intent to defraud, conspired to obtain the sum of N749,991,273.36 (Seven Hundred and Forty-Nine Million, Nine Hundred and Ninety-One Thousand, Two Hundred and Seventy-Three Naira Thirty-six Kobo) from the Federal Government of Nigeria by falsely claiming that the sum of N749,991,273.36 represented subsidy accruing to Nasaman Oil Services Ltd under the Petroleum Support Fund for the importation of 10,031,986 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), which Nasaman Oil Services Ltd purported to have purchased from SEATAC Petroleum Ltd of British Virgin Islands and imported into Nigeria through MT Liquid Fortune Ltd of British Virgin Islands and imported into Nigeria through MT Liquid Fortune Ltd Ex MT Overseas Lima, which representation you knew to be false.”
Another count reads: “Nasaman Oil Services Ltd, Mamman Nasir Ali, Christian Taylor, Oluwaseun Ogunbambo (now at large) and Olabisi Abdul-Afeez (still at large),on or about the 11th day of April 2011 at Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N1,480,074,125.61 (One Billion Four Hundred and Eighty Million, Seventy-Four Thousand, One Hundred and Twenty-Five Naira Sixty-One Kobo) from the Federal Government of Nigeria by claiming that the sum represented subsidy accruing to Nasaman Oil Services Ltd under the Petroleum Support Fund for the importation of 20,492,982.50 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS),which Nasaman Oil Services Ltd purported to have purchased from SEATAC Petroleum Ltd of British Virgin Islands and imported into Nigeria through MT Liquid Fortune Ex Mt. Hellenic Blue and Ex MT. Milleura, which representation you knew to be false.”
They pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges when they were read to them.
They were initially standing trial before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.
However, Justice Onigbanjo withdrew from the case,thereby prompting the re-assignment of the case to Justice Dada.
At the resumed sitting on Monday, the prosecution witness, Olayiwola, told the court that his designation was Operations Officer 1 as at the time the Sovereign Debt Note, SDN, in contention was issued.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, S.K. Atteh, Olayiwola said: “I’m Assistant Chief Operations Officer in the DMO now. In 2012, I was in charge of preparation of SDN in favour of oil marketers for their subsidy claim. I also prepare letters of issuance notification to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and supervise the collection of SDN by oil marketers”.
Olayiwola told the court that he was also in charge of preparing redemption letters at the maturity of SDN to the CBN. “I also do reconciliation with CBN on the SDN,” he added.
Olayiwola explained that SDN was the short term financial instrument issued by the DMO under the Petroleum Support Fund, which was operated by the Federal Government of Nigeria between 2010 and 2015.
He further highlighted the various features of the SDN, which he said included the crest of the Federal Government, which is the issuer of the SDN; the amount of subsidy claimed/dues to oil marketers, a serial number that distinguishes each SDN in a batch of subsidy claim.
He said: “It also has an issue date, the maturity date, signature of the Director General, and DG of the DMO. When it is collected from the DMO, a photocopy of the ID card of the person who collected it is taken with a copy of the SDN.”
He also testified that he knew the company, Nasaman Oil Services Limited, as one the companies that he prepared SDN for in 2012.
“I got to know the company during the course of my duty at the DMO.
In total, according to the record available at the DMO, about five SDNs were prepared for Nasaman Oil Services Limited,” he said.
He, thereafter, identified in the open court two copies of the SDN, which were already before the court as Exhibit P13. “I can confirm that the two in contention were issued to Nasaman Oil Services Limited,” he said.
According to him, “Based on the exhibits before me, I can confirm that the person who collected the said SDN from the DMO is Christian Taylor, and he also acknowledged receipt.”
Identifying the two SDNs in contention, he said: “The amount involved for SDN with serial number FGN/2011/01/Y110586 is N749,991,273.36. “For the second SDN with serial number FGN/2012/01/B12B/0692, the amount is N1,480,074,125.61.”
The witness identified Christian H. Taylor in the dock, saying , “ He collected the two SDNs.”
News
World Athletics Relay: China Denies Blame in Nigerian Athletes’ Withdrawal Over Visa Issues

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Embassy of China in Nigeria has pushed back against claims that visa delays were responsible for Nigerian athletes’ withdrawal from the upcoming World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China.
In response to reports and a public statement by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), which cited delays in visa processing as the reason for the country’s withdrawal from the event scheduled for May 10–11, the Chinese Embassy released a detailed clarification asserting that it acted swiftly and professionally to facilitate the process.
According to the Embassy, it received a formal request for visa support from Nigeria’s National Sports Commission on April 24—two weeks before the competition—following a letter dated April 22. The embassy stated that it immediately communicated with the Commission and provided guidance on required documentation.
The visa application materials were submitted to the China Visa Application Centre on May 6, the embassy noted. In response, it activated expedited procedures and completed visa issuance by May 8, just two days later.
“The Embassy of China in Nigeria has always actively supported people-to-people and sports cooperation between the two countries,” the statement read. “We have consistently assisted Nigerian citizens in visa applications in an efficient and professional manner.”
The Embassy also underscored that visa issuance is a matter of national sovereignty and requires applicants to follow standard procedures and timelines. It described the AFN’s statement as “clearly inconsistent with the facts.”
News
New NUJ FCT Officers Urged to Uphold Welfare, Integrity and Transparency

By Gloria Ikibah
Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Comrade Grace Ike, has charged newly elected executive members to prioritise journalists’ welfare and uphold values of accountability, integrity, and professionalism.
Speaking after the swearing-in of the new officers on Saturday, Comrade Ike reminded them that service in the union demands unity, transparency, and a firm commitment to ethical journalism.
“This union stands on the pillars of welfare, integrity and professionalism. You have been chosen to serve, not to be served,” she said.
The by-election, held to fill three vacant positions unoccupied since the last NUJ-FCT elections on December 4, 2024, saw 54 accredited members cast their votes in a peaceful atmosphere.
Comrade Sharon Emephia of the Correspondents Chapel emerged as Assistant Secretary with 52 votes, while Comrade Daniel Henry Abimiku from the Information Chapel secured the Financial Secretary position with 52 votes as well, and Comrade Ukoko-Tega of Aso Radio/TV Chapel was elected Internal Auditor, also polling 52 votes. A few ballots were declared invalid in each category.
Chairperson of the election committee and Chairman of the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Comrade Bassey Ita Ikpang, announced the results alongside committee members Comrade Tony Akowe and Comrade Nkechi Onyeneke. The winners were administered the oath of office by Barrister Ehidiamen Isibor and issued certificates of return.
Comrade Ike commended the electoral committee for conducting a transparent process and thanked union members for their active participation. She officially dissolved the committee following the successful completion of its assignment.
The current leadership of the NUJ-FCT also includes Vice Chairman Comrade Ndambabo Yahaya, Secretary Comrade Jide Oyekunle, Treasurer Mrs. Sandra Udeike, and Ex-Officio member Comrade Ebriku John Friday.
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Trouble brewing as Trump’s supporters move against Pope Leo, give reason

Catholicism has rarely been more prominent in US politics as the Trump administration openly embraces advisers and officials who proudly say faith has shaped their politics.
But any jubilation on the American Make America Great Again right about the new Pope this week quickly dissipated as key voices from Donald Trump’s Maga movement came to a disappointed conclusion: the first American Pope does not appear to be “America first”.
Little is known about the political leanings of Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago.
He has voiced concerns for the poor and immigrants, chosen a name that may reference more liberal church leadership, and he appears to have both supported the liberal-leaning Pope Francis and criticised the US president’s policies on social media.
But the president so far has said only that Leo’s election was a “great honour” for the US. Still, some of Trump’s most prominent supporters were quick to attack Pope Leo, lambasting him as a possible challenge to Trump and on the perception that he will follow Pope Francis in areas like immigration.
“I mean it’s kind of jaw-dropping,” Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon told the BBC on Friday, speaking of Leo’s election.
“It is shocking to me that a guy could be selected to be the Pope that had had the Twitter feed and the statements he’s had against American senior politicians,” said Bannon, a hard-right Trump loyalist, practising Catholic and former altar boy.
And he predicted that there’s “definitely going to be friction” between Leo and Trump.
The Pope’s brother, John Prevost, told The New York Times that he thinks his brother would voice his disagreements with the president.
“I know he’s not happy with what’s going on with immigration,” he said. “I know that for a fact. How far he’ll go with it is only one’s guess, but he won’t just sit back. I don’t think he’ll be the silent one.”
Recent survey data shows that about 20% of Americans identify as Catholic, according to the non-partisan Pew Research Center.
About 53% identify with or lean towards the Republican Party, though there’s plenty of nuance, too: America’s two Catholic presidents, John F Kennedy and Joe Biden, were both Democrats. And nearly two-thirds of US Catholics believe abortion should be legal in all or most circumstances – a departure from the Church’s current stance.
US Catholics also broadly supported Pope Francis: 78% of those surveyed in February viewed him favorably, including a majority of Catholic Republicans.
A number of Catholics In the new Pope’s home city of Chicago, on Thursday, aired disappointment with President Trump and said they hoped Pope Leo XIV would follow the path of his predecessor.
“We hope he’ll continue with Francis’s agenda going forward,” said Rick Stevens, a Catholic deacon from New Jersey who happened to be visiting Chicago when he heard the news.
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops, which leads and coordinates US Catholic activities, celebrated Pope Leo’s election and the message it sends.
“Certainly, we rejoice that a son of this nation has been chosen by the cardinals, but we recognise that he now belongs to all Catholics and to all people of good will,” the conference said in a statement. “His words advocating peace, unity, and missionary activity already indicate a path forward.”
Though Maga supporters represent a small subset of US Catholics, it’s one with outsized access to conservative media and Trump’s ear.
On Bannon’s War Room podcast – known for its hard-right, pro-Trump bent – one guest after another heaped criticism on the new Pope.
“This guy has been massively embraced by the liberals and the progressives,” said Ben Harnwell, a journalist who led Bannon’s efforts to establish what he calls a “gladiator school” for the “Judeo-Christian West” outside of Rome.
“He is one of their own… he has [Pope] Francis’s DNA in him,” Harnwell said.
Jack Posobiec, another Maga commentator dialing in from Rome, was blunt: “This choice of the American cardinal was done as a response, as a message to President Trump.”
The full picture of what led to Pope Leo’s selection on Thursday is still emerging and church decisions don’t map neatly onto US politics. Still, watchers around the world have pored over Pope Leo’s social media profiles in search of clues about his leanings and beliefs.
An X account under his name, with tweets going as far back as 2015, shares links to criticism of Trump’s approach to immigration and hints at other political views, such as stricter gun control.
In February, the account sharply rebuked the US vice-president by posting a link to an opinion piece titled “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others”.
The account also posted a link to a letter from Pope Francis after he clashed with Vance over church doctrine and immigration. Vance – a Catholic convert – had given an interview in defence of the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
Vance has routinely invoked his faith in defense of the administration, particularly immigration policies, which the White House has said put “America first”.
“There is a Christian concept that you love your family and then you love your neighbour, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens, and then after that, prioritise the rest of the world. A lot of the far left has completely inverted that,” Vance told Fox News.
But US Democrats were not spared either on the account, which has more than a decade of posts. They appear to support Catholic employers who refuse to pay for contraceptives via employee health plans, and following the 2016 US presidential election, one post links to an article accusing Democrat Hillary Clinton of ignoring pro-life Catholic voters.
The BBC asked the Vatican to confirm the account was Leo’s, but did not receive a response.
Vice-President Vance told conservative broadcaster Hugh Hewitt on Friday: “I try not to play the politicisation of the Pope game.
“I’m sure he’s going to say a lot of things that I love. I’m sure he’ll say some things that I disagree with, but I’ll continue to pray for him and the Church despite it all and through it all, and that’ll be the way that I handle it.”
The new Pope’s LGBTQ views are also unclear, but some groups, including the conservative College of Cardinals, believe he may be less supportive than Pope Francis.
Matt Walsh, a commentator with the conservative Daily Wire, wrote: “There are some good signs and bad signs with this new Pope. I want to see what he actually does with his papacy before I pass any kind of judgment.”
But some of the most dedicated Maga supporters already have made up their minds.
Laura Loomer, a far-right influencer who has Trump’s ear, swaying the president on top personnel decisions, called the new Pope “anti-Trump, anti-Maga, pro-open Borders, and a total Marxist like Pope Francis”.
Bannon, who had suggested Leo as a dark horse for the papacy, predicted tensions between the White House and Vatican – and said they could even tear apart American Catholics.
“Remember, President Trump was not shy about taking a shot at Pope Francis,” he said.
“So if this Pope – which he will do – tries to come between President Trump and his implementation of the mass deportation programme, I would stand by.” BBC
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