The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned Gimba Ya’u, former chief executive officer, of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), for allegedly diverting $65 million housing fund.

The money was for the construction of 962 units of residential houses at the Goodluck Jonathan Legacy City in Kubwa, a satellite town in Abuja.

Ya’u was arraigned alongside Bola Ogunsola, ex-FMBN director, and Tarry Rufus, managing director of T-Brend Fortunes Nigeria Limited, before Justice James Omotosho of the federal high court in Abuja, on Tuesday.

The ICPC, in a five-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/333/24, accused the trio of contravening the public enterprises regulatory commission act and the money laundering (prevention and prohibition) act, 2022.

The ICPC accused Ya’u of authorising the payment of N3.78 billion to Good Earth Power Nigeria Limited, a contractor “lacking execution capacity”.

It added that the project remains incomplete “as of today thereby amounting to economic adversity for the bank and in violation of Section 68(1) of the public enterprise regulatory commission act, CAP P39, laws of the federation, 2004”.

The commission alleged that the project’s decade-long incompletion has incurred substantial financial losses for the bank.

The ICPC also accused the defendants of securing a N14 billion loan from Ecobank Nigeria PLC in 2012 for the project and mismanaging the funds.

One of the charges also detailed how the defendants allegedly converted N991 million into $3.55 million and “handed it in cash to Jason Rosamond, a foreign associate,” who is reportedly at large.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.

Following their plea, Omotosho granted them bail on liberal terms and adjourned the trial to February 6, 2025.

A Finnish district court has fixed May 2025 for the prosecution to file charges against Simon Ekpa.

Last Thursday, the pro-Biafra agitator was arrested by law enforcement in the northern European nation.

He was subsequently sent to prison by the district court of Päijät-Häme for “spreading terrorist propaganda on social media”.

Ekpa was said to have committed the crime in 2021 in Lahti municipality.

He is accused of instigating violence and inciting terror in the south-east of Nigeria through his social media pages.

Nigerian authorities have been demanding the extradition of Ekpa, a dual citizen of Finland and Nigeria, for prosecution.

THE TRIAL

In an email sent to Punch, Mikko Laaksonen, the senior detective superintendent at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Finland, said investigations into Ekpa’s activities are ongoing.

Laaksonen said the next hearing on the remand can be held in the next two weeks if Finnish authorities or Ekpa seek re-evaluation from the court.

“Due to the ongoing investigation, no further details can be disclosed,” the superintendent said.

“The date for bringing up possible charges by the prosecution was set by the district court to May 2025.

“In a basic situation regarding the remand, the next possible hearing can be held no earlier than two weeks from the previous hearing, should the parties in question seek for the matter to be re-evaluated by the district court.”

The House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution will hold a national dialogue on local government autonomy on Monday, December 2, 2024.

The Deputy Speaker of the House and Chairman of the Committee, Benjamin Kalu, disclosed this on Thursday while chairing a brief meeting of the panel at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.

The Deputy Speaker, who represents Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State, stated that the national dialogue aims to consolidate ideas for a robust discourse on the independence of local government administration in Nigeria.

He said: “Distinguished colleagues, I would like to remind us of the upcoming national dialogue on local government and constitution amendment scheduled to be held on Monday, December 2, 2024, in Abuja. This event is a vital platform to consolidate ideas and strategies for achieving a robust local government framework, which is critical to our constitutional review efforts.

“In addition, other engagements that we will be having include public engagement on tax reforms as it concerns the constitution amendment and a public engagement with political parties.

“As we continue in this historic undertaking, let us remain guided by our shared commitment to strengthening our democracy, deepening our federal structure, and fostering unity and prosperity for all Nigerians.”

The Deputy Speaker also disclosed that the committee would commence zonal public hearings in January 2025.

This followed the resolution of the committee on the locations of the public engagements.

According to him, the hearings will hold as follows-North East: Gombe and Borno States; North Central: Nassarawa and Niger; North West: Kaduna and Sokoto; South East: Enugu and Imo States; South-South: Bayelsa and Cross River States; and South West: Lagos and Ondo States.

He also spoke about the significance of inclusivity in the task of the committee, saying, “There are locations in all the geo-political zones for our public engagements next year. Those who are from these states, engage your colleagues in the House, engage your governors and members of your Houses of Assembly.

“Draw up your own local plan and let us have it so that we can integrate it into our own plan to guide us. We expect a full hall.

“The stakeholders’ engagement list must be drawn to cut across all the relevant stakeholders of the country from your states. Please, do not discriminate against the political parties. No religious biases. No tribe discrimination. Everyone who is a Nigerian should be in that room and then find a way of itemising your opinion on the 161 areas we are currently looking at.”