News
Ex-Minister, Agunloye Got N5.2m From $6bn Mambila Project Fraud – EFCC Reveals
A court has been told how former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye allegedly received N5.2 million from Jide Sotirin Abiodun, a staff of Sunrise Power and Transmission Ltd in multiple transfers and Automated Teller Machine, ATM, withdrawals.
The revelation was made by an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC witness, Adewale Agunbiade.
Agunloye is being prosecuted by the EFCC on seven-count charges, bordering on official corruption and fraudulent award of the Mambilla Power Project contract to the tune of $6 billion to Sunrise Power and Transmission Ltd.
The witness, who appeared before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, sitting in Apo, Abuja, was a Compliance Officer, formerly with Guaranty Trust Bank, GTB.
During his examination, Agunbiade revealed that GTB received an EFCC inquiry in October 2022 about customers Olu Agunloye and Jide Sotinri’s accounts.
He generated account statements and Certificates of Identification, cosigning the response letters. Exhibits showed six transactions on Sept 10, 2019, including five N30,000 ATM withdrawals and a N3.6m transfer from Jide Sotinri to Olu Agunloye.
“On page two of Exhibit 2b is the statement of Jide Sotirin Abiodun and the Certificate of Identification prepared by me on the statement of the account. On the 10th of September 2019, there were six transactions.
“The last five transactions were ATM cash withdrawals of N30,000 (Thirty Thousand Naira) each. The last transaction on 10 August 2019 was a transfer of N3,600,000.00 (Three Million, Six Hundred Thousand Naira) from Sotirin Jide Abiodun to Olu Agunloy”, he said.
Speaking further, he disclosed that Agunloye received significant financial transfers in 2019. On October 22, 2019, he got N500,000 from Sotirin Jide Abiodun. Another transfer of N1,121,000 came from Leno on November 13, 2019, also from Jide Sotirin.
Also, Agunloye’s account showed an inward transfer of N3.6 million (Three Million, Six Hundred Thousand Naira) from Sotinrin Jide Abiodun on August 10, 2019.
“As of 22 October 2019, a record of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) was transferred from Sotirin Jide Abiodun to Olu Agunloye. On 13 November 2019, a record of N1,121,000 (One Million One Hundred and Twenty-one Thousand Naira) from Leno in favour of Agunloye Olu from Jide Sotirin.
“On 10 August 2019 was an inward transfer of N3,600,000.00 (Three Million, Six Hundred Thousand Naira) from Sotinrin Jide Abiodun. On 22 October 2019, there was an inflow of N500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) from Sotirin Jide Abiodun.
Also on 13th November 2019 was an inflow of N1, 121,000 (One Million One Hundred and Twenty-one Thousand Naira) in favour of Agunloye Olu from Jide Sotirin.”
The case was adjourned till October 21, 2024 for cross-examination.
News
Tinubu Approves Fresh Appointment Amid Cabinet Reshuffle Plan
President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, reappointed Bitrus Chinoko as the Director General of the Centre for Management Development (CMD).
According to reports, the appointment was disclosed by the Minister for Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Abubakar Bagudu in a letter dated Aug. 28.
“Further to your letter, CMD/DGO/ABJ/02/2024, I am pleased to inform you that His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President, Federal Republic of Nigeria has approved your re-appointment as Director General, Centre for Management Development, for a second term with immediate effect,” the letter read.
It should be recalled that former President Muhammadu Buhari confirmed the appointment of Chinoko as substantive CMD DG on April 28, 2020.
The appointment is for a final term of four years.
Chinoko took over from Dr Kabir Usman, whose two terms of four years each, ended at the time.
Meanwhile, NewsPOnline Nigeria reports that his appointment is coming at a time when the presidency has confirmed that a cabinet reshuffle is on the horizon, with indications that up to 11 ministers could soon be relieved of their positions.
This development was shared during a media briefing at the Presidential Villa in Abuja by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Joining Onanuga at the briefing, O’tega Ogra, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital and New Media, did not provide a specific timeline for the reshuffle but hinted that an announcement could be made later this week.
Insiders who spoke with the Guardian noted that the long-anticipated changes were postponed following the conclusion of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Monday.
“It’s true President Bola Tinubu has plans to reshuffle his cabinet, but I can’t say specifically whether that will be done before the Independence celebration on October 1,” Onanuga stated, emphasizing that the President initially appointed his ministers in August of last year.
News
FG To Toll Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Second Niger Bridge, Others
Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, says the Federal Government will toll all major roads in the country upon completion of construction and renovation.
“We have the Lagos-Ibadan (Expressway), we are completing it and we are tolling it,” Umahi said on Thursday in Abuja at an Inter-Ministerial Press Briefing, part of activities to mark Nigeria’s 64th independence anniversary.
He listed some of the roads as Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Second Niger Bridge, Abuja-Kano Road, and Makurdi-9th Mile, among others.
The former Ebonyi State governor said the tolling of federal roads “is going to bring a lot of money to the Federal Government”.
Umahi said private sector members have been engaged “to bring in funds, construct these roads, work with the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission and the Ministry of Works to toll these roads”.
The minister said the government would start with the Keffi-Makurdi Road that has been completed, stating that his ministry has been engaging with the Ministry of Finance for a paperless mode of payment.
He said, “For example, we are completing the Lagos-Ibadan, we are working on Makurdi to 9th Mile in Enugu State, we are working from Abuja to Lagos. These roads are going to be tolled. But we are not just tolling them, we are bringing confidence in the use of these roads.
“If people can travel at night because we are bringing security, where the response time will be 10 minutes on the entire corridor, where you have solar light permanently there and then reduce travel time, and through the tolling, the roads are maintained, then, there will be confidence because Nigerians will pay if the roads are good.”
He said before now, road developments have not been handled as investments but the administration of President Bola Tinubu has been handling road developments more professionally.
He said the present administration inherited a total of 300 damaged roads and bridges, adding that more road constructions would commence from October 1, 2024, across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
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