By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

A Nigerian national residing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of theft of government property, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced on Wednesday.

The one-count indictment names 43-year-old Funke Iyanda as the sole defendant, reportedly without legal status in the United States, a statement issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Pennsylvania on Wednesday, said.

According to the indictment, between May 27, 2020, and May 24, 2021, Iyanda allegedly prepared and submitted a false application for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits using another person’s identity.

The fraudulent claim, submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor, resulted in Iyanda unlawfully receiving approximately $40,980 in benefits.

If convicted, Iyanda faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. The actual sentence would be determined based on the federal sentencing guidelines, considering the severity of the offence and any prior criminal history.

Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci is handling the prosecution on behalf of the government.

The U.S. Department of Labor and the Department of Homeland Security conducted the investigation that led to the indictment.

An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

The Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, on Thursday, granted an interim injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from receiving a petition to initiate a recall process against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from the Senate.

The Court also restricted INEC staff members, agents, privies or assigns from accepting or acting on any petition containing fictitious signatures of purported members of Kogi Central Senatorial District and conducting any referendum upon such pending the determination of the Motion on Notice to the same effect.

The court, according to the order paper made available to journalists on Friday morning, granted the application following an ex-parte application for interim injunction supported by an affidavit of wxtreme urgency together with other court processes sworn to by Anebe Jacob Ogirima for himself and four others who are registered voters and constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District of Kogi state.

The application was moved by Smart Nwachimere, Esq of West-Idahosa, SAN & Co.

The case has been adjourned to May 6, 2025, for a report of service and further mention.

Reacting to the development, a pressure group, Action Collective, praised the judiciary for granting the order.

The group’s coordinator, Dr. Onimisi Ibrahim, said in his reaction that, “the order will further expose impunity of some sponsored individuals behind the failed plot to recall Senator Natasha.”

…hails Tinubu’s Emergency Rule in Rivers

The Federal Government has yet to commence direct allocation to Local Government Areas (LGAs) due to ongoing procedural processes, according to Hon. Odunayo Alegbere, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON).

Alegbere disclosed that LGAs have been instructed to open accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to facilitate the implementation of direct allocation. While the process is still underway, he commended the Federal Government for its efforts, citing the Supreme Court’s ruling on financial autonomy for local governments.

He assured that direct allocation would help eliminate poverty at the grassroots by granting local governments greater control over their finances and projects.

Alegbere acknowledged that while the journey towards full financial autonomy is not yet complete, steady progress is being made. He also criticized the current system where state governments conduct local government elections, arguing that it often results in selections rather than genuine democratic processes. However, he assured that ongoing constitutional amendments by the National Assembly would soon address this issue.

“We are happy with the president, and though we have not yet reached our goal, we are making steady progress,” he stated.

The ALGON chairman emphasized that direct allocation to LGAs would help eradicate extreme poverty at the grassroots level.

“If you look at the grassroots level, the level of abject poverty is alarming. But with this new arrangement, we are confident that we will eradicate and stamp out poverty,” he said.

Alegbere also advocated for removing the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) from the constitution and replacing it with a national body to oversee local government elections, ensuring a fairer process.

Alegbere linked Nigeria’s growing insecurity to the failure of the local government system. He argued that restoring local governments’ autonomy and involving traditional institutions in governance would significantly enhance security efforts.

“Unless and until we revisit the older system, addressing insecurity will remain a challenge,” he stressed.

He urged the government to integrate traditional rulers into the local government framework to strengthen grassroots security.

On the crisis in Rivers State, Alegbere commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for declaring a state of emergency in the state, stating that the intervention helped prevent a potential civil war.

Alegbere also addressed the claim of a fractional group to the ALGON Secretary-General position, warning that any such claimants are impostors. He reaffirmed that ALGON has a clear leadership structure and dismissed any disputes over its leadership.

He expressed optimism that the Federal Government would continue implementing the Supreme Court’s ruling and strengthening local government administration.

“We are the umbrella body of the 774 local governments in Nigeria, and we will continue to support the president in ensuring that the local government system functions effectively,” he concluded.