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Major reason EFCC stormed our office-Dangote
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, says January’s visit by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to the Lagos Head Office of the Dangote Group was intended to embarrass his company.
Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg and monitored on Tuesday, Dangote stated, “They visited the office but didn’t talk to anybody, nor did they arrest anyone. It was just to cause embarrassment (sic).”
The visit by the anti-graft commission to the company was part of a probe into alleged preferential allocations of forex to the Dangote Group and 51 other companies under the Emefiele-led Central Bank of Nigeria.
Dangote meanwhile maintained that despite the challenges, their operations remain “100 per cent clean,” given their significant role in Nigeria’s economy.
He also emphasized his company’s reputation as the highest-paying organization in Nigeria, adding that Dangote Group pays more taxes than the banking sector.
EFCC had earlier written to the 52 companies directing them to provide documents supporting the allocation and utilisation of foreign exchange sold to them at official rates in the last 10 years.
The anti-graft commission had asked the firms to submit Form A and Form M which detailed the forex allocations to them between 2014 and June 2023.
But while some companies complied with the directive, several others were said to have asked for time to get the proper documents.
However, a Dangote official claimed the firm had honoured the EFCC’s request and wondered why the commission chose to embarrass them.
“We don’t know why they (EFCC officials) came to our office again; we had earlier been invited to the office of the EFCC. As such, the Dangote officials took along all the documents and submitted them. We don’t know why they eventually decided to visit our office again.
“The question we are asking is what did they come to take from our office when we had honoured their invitation? They left with empty hands because all the documents they wanted from us had been taken to them. The same EFCC that came to our office is the one giving information to the media that they are investigating us,’’ the official said.
Before the raid, Dangote Industries had in November 2023 refuted allegations that it was involved in forex malpractices and money laundering involving a staggering $3.4bn allegedly facilitated by Emefiele.
It denied the claims that the money was funnelled to its non-Nigerian subsidiaries, prompting illicit financial flows and round-tripping.
The company referred to past approvals granted by the CBN between 2010 to 2018, allowing it to purchase forex totalling $3.755bn for funding of its projects across Africa, of which only 47.70 per cent was utilised.
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Wike inspects new ministry of livestock site
By Francesca Hangeior.
The Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, says President Bola Tinubu has directed the FCT Administration through the Federal Capital Development Authority to refurbish the former Ministry of Agriculture building for the newly created Ministry of Livestock.
The minister stated this following an inspection tour of the ministry’s building in the Central Business District of Abuja, and the ongoing construction of the Kugbo International Market along the Abuja-Keffi Expressway, on Wednesday.
Wike, while addressing journalists after the inspection, described the project as “an emergency work” and said the FCTA would invite companies to assess the building and give quotation for the project.
He added that an integrity test had been conducted on the building, which came back “okay”.
“Well, it is the former Ministry of Agriculture, and we have a directive from Mr President to go and immediately refurbish the place and furnish it for the new Ministry of Livestock, and that is why we went there to see things for ourselves. We will get some companies to come and look at it, and quote for it. It is an emergency work because the creation of the Ministry of Livestock is a welcome development, and you can see people are happy, waiting for it to start.
“We are bringing some companies to look at it, and then we will take the best, or what do we call it, the most responsive builder that we know that the government will afford to handle. But don’t be in a rush, what is important is that we have gone there to see for ourselves, and the job will soon start,” he said.
The minister also said he had directed the Department of Development Control to demolish buildings obstructing a road corridor leading to the Kugbo International Market from Mpape.
Noting that the market was constructed under a Public Private Partnership, Wike added that the administration will also liaise with the investor to make the completed first phase of the project affordable to traders, to dissuade roadside trading in the FCT.
“This is an investment that should be encouraged, as an international market of this standard. There are a lot of problems, there is encroachment, and I have directed the Development Control to immediately demolish anything that will cause an impediment. This is a road corridor, and we will not allow that, and the Development Control Director is here, he has been ordered to move in with his men to demolish whatever is an obstacle.
“Somebody invested his money. But that is not why we should allow traders to be on the road, we must take into cognisance all of those things. An investor must also make profits. I mean, we are not running a socialist economy. People should know, that when you invest your money, you don’t expect that the investor will just come, open it for you, and then you pack in for free, nobody does that, and we should not encourage that. And that is not why I will allow people to sell on the road.
“Anyway, we will not also allow the investor to take advantage of that, and then people cannot afford it, no. We will look into that, we will do the costing and we will ask the MD and Chief Executive of Abuja Investment Company to sit down with the investor, to see what agreement we can reach. And we can put our stake to see that people get allocations there,” he stated.
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I can’t go home’, VeryDarkMan cries out for safety after house address goes public
By Francesca Hangeior.
Popular social critic, Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has expressed fears for his safety after his home address was leaked online.
In a recent video, VDM revealed that he discovered his current residence in a cease and desist letter shared on social media.
The controversy stems from a legal letter issued by Mrs. Esinjemiyotan Uruneyonjueyi Atsepoyi, the wife of Mr. Freedom Okpetoritse Atsepoyi, popularly known as Mr. Jollof.
The letter, which has circulated widely, contains a threat of legal action against VDM in response to allegations he made against Mrs. Atsepoyi.
VDM clarified that while the letter was not sent directly to him, it was addressed to him or his legal representatives.
However, he raised concerns about the public disclosure of his address, claiming that it has now put him in danger.
In the emotional video, VDM said, “I can no longer go home, my current address has been compromised. I have to start looking for another house. I am living in a hotel, and I am scared to even go home to pick up my clothes.”
This incident follows another controversy involving VDM, who previously leaked an audio recording in which Nigerian cross-dresser Bobrisky allegedly claimed to have paid EFCC officials N15 million to have money laundering charges against him dropped.
The viral audio stirred significant reactions on social media, further elevating the public attention surrounding VDM.
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