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Anambra’s money paid into private firms’ accounts, witness tells court
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A Federal High Court in Abuja heard yesterday that funds in the Security Vote Account of the Anambra State government were moved into private companies’ accounts.
A prosecution witness, Ugochukwu Otubelu, said this while testifying at the resumed hearing in the money laundering case involving former Governor Willie Obiano.
He was led in evidence by prosecuting lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir (SAN). Otubelu, who said he used to be a banker, told the court that he managed the state’s security vote account as an Account Officer.
Otubelu identified the private companies as Nazotal Ventures; C. I. Party Ventures Nigeria Limited; Moment of Peace Ventures; Youdoo Ventures and Eazy Diamond Limited.
According to him, the companies were among the entities whose accounts he managed.
When asked whether there were ever inflows to the companies’ accounts from the Security Vote Account of Anambra State, Otubelu said yes.
Asked what happened to the funds thereafter, he said: “It was used to process transactions for the Principal Secretary to the defendant.”
He also told the court that the money did not go to the owners of the accounts.
Earlier, the witness identified Obiano’s Principal Secretary, Willy Nwokoye, and the Government House accountant, Theophilus Nwez, as signatories to the security vote account. According to him, Nwokoye gave directives on how funds in the account should be disbursed.
Otubelu also said he knows Obiano and has dealt with him on some occasions, including taking cash to him in both naira and dollars.
He added: “Still on the transactions of the Principal Secretary, he gives instructions on who payment should be made to. Sometimes, he instructs us to take cash directly to the defendant.”
Under cross-examination by defence lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), Otubelu said the Anambra State government was not part of the account, it did not open the accounts and did not operate them.
On whether it was his idea that accounts of the six companies should be used for the instructions given by the Principal Secretary, Otubelu said no. He insisted it was the Principal Secretary who requested for the accounts for discreet security transactions
Another witness, Hayatu Adejo, a bureau de change (BDC) operator, said he was shown evidence that one of his companies – Connaught Nigeria Limited – received funds from Anambra State government.
According to him, the funds were paid into his account by a colleague, one Ayuba, who he sold dollars to.
He said: “I sold dollars to one Ayuba and he asked for my bank account details which I gave him. When the payment was done, I handed the dollars to him, but the payment narration said ‘MC Payment’, meaning Mangers Cheque Payment.
“That is why I did not know the money is from any state account.”
Under cross examination, Adejo denied ever dealing with Obiano.
Further hearing in the case was adjourned till October 7.
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BREAKING: Jubilation As PDP Wins All 30 LGs In Osun State(See winners)
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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSSIEC, has announced that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, won all the local government and councillorship positions in the just concluded local government elections in the state.
The Chairman of the Commission, Hashim Abioye, made this announcement via a Facebook Live broadcast on Saturday evening.
Abioye stated that PDP candidates secured all the councillorship seats in all 332 wards in the state, as well as the chairmanship elections in all 30 local government council areas.
The names of the PDP chairmanship candidates and their respective local government council areas:
Babalola Wasiu Kayode – Boripe
Okunade Oluwafemi Adesanya – Egbedore
Adeyenuwo Rotimi John – Ife Central
Agboola Francis Olajire – Obokun
Azeez Lateef Adeniran – Isokan
Aina Abayomi Adesina – Boluwaduro
Sodiq Samuel Oluwapelumi – Ola Oluwa
Ajibade Oluwatoyin S. – Irepodun
Adebanjo Oladiti Tunmininu – Ilesa West
Ibironke Alade Adegboye – Atakumosa East
Aroke Muyiwa Aderemi – Ife South
Kolade Obafemi Kolawole – Olorunda
Moshood Adekunle Kabiru – Iwo
Awotunde Abiodun Sarafadeen – Ifelodun
Akande Taiwo Adekunle – Osogbo
Dada Feyisayo Ajibola – Atakumosa West
Amodu Taiwo – Ede North
Atolagbe Kayode Olayinka – Ifedayo
Akande Michael O. – Ife North
Adeyekun Taiwo Adebayo – Oriade
Adeniran Adenike Felicia – Ayedaade
Afolabi Oyekola Lukman – Ede South
Odunyemi Haruna Bukola – Ife East
Jooda Ambali Babajide – Irewole
Adewale Adeyinka Oluwaseun – Odo Otin
Ogunbiyi Solomon Akinyemi – Ayedire
Raimi Adenike Nafisat – Ejigbo
Adebisi Jayeola Nasir – Ila
Ilesanmi Taiwo Sunday – Ilesa East
Alade Aderemi Fatai – Orolu
News
DSS arrests three for assaulting operatives during LSHA crisis
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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested three persons linked to the alleged assault on its officers during the crisis that rocked the Lagos State House of Assembly, following the removal Mudashiru Obasa, as Speaker
Apparently sensing danger, some lawmakers had mobilized their supporters to the Assembly Complex, but these supporters allegedly attacked some DSS officers who were invited by the Assembly leadership to secure the facility. Security sources revealed that “after extensive analysis of CCTV footage, we were able to clearly identify three of the suspects”.
“The suspects, Ibrahim Olanrewaju Abdulkareem, a photographer and two others attached to the Assembly’s Seargent at Arms, Adetu Adekunle Samsudeen and Adetola Oluwatosin Fatimoh, a lady, were consequently tracked and arrested during the week in different parts of Lagos,” The trio have since confessed to the crime and will soon be charged to court, the source said.
It would be recalled that the Lagos Assembly had in a leaked memo dated 14th February, 2025 and addressed to the DSS Director in the State, and Heads of other Security Agencies in Lagos State, told the Security Agencies in Lagos that, there was credible information to the effect that, Obasa had planned to forcefully reinstate himself today, February 18, 2025.
Accordingly, the Assembly management, held the view that, the development posed “a potential security threat” to it and its members.
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Police seal OSSIEC office, officials nabbed, says chairman
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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), Hashim Abioye, has claimed that the police have sealed off the headquarters in Osogbo.
In a video post on the OSSIEC X handle, Abioye accused the police of also arresting election officials and blocking journalists from covering the local government election.
According to him, several OSSIEC officials were detained while on their way to polling units on Saturday.
Attempts by our correspondent to reach Abioye for further details proved abortive as his telephone line was switched off.
The OSSIEC chair, in the post, assured voters that materials had been deployed to affected areas.
So far so good, the reports have been positive and the conduct has been very smooth and peaceful as against the false alarm raised by the police. Everywhere is calm,” Abioye said.
“The only thing is that in some of the areas in which materials are supposed to have arrived for voters to cast their votes, we had reports of police arresting our officials.
“I don’t know on whose order because there is no court order that warranted the arrest of officers of our officials.
“As it is, we have deployed materials to those units because we have enough on the ground.
For our people in the media community, I want to apologise for the inadequacy of the tags and the jackets because we have enough but the police sealed our office and that was not warranted at all.”
Abioye’s comments come after police had called for the local government election to be called off by the state government, citing a security threat.
In a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Friday, the Police said it received credible intelligence indicating a likelihood of violence and significant security threats should the planned elections proceed.
The police explained that reports gathered from joint intelligence gathering revealed that various groups, including political elements and other interested parties, are mobilising to instigate unrest, disrupt public peace and undermine the democratic order.
However, the Osun State government acknowledged the police’s advice but insisted on going on with the election.
Channels Television reports that the election eventually went on as scheduled on Saturday.
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