₦airaland Forum

An official of the Federal Pay Office, Abeokuta, is currently assisting investigators from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, to recover over N100m meant for the use of three government colleges in Ogun State, which he diverted for personal use.
The suspect, Olusegun Lawal, stole the funds budgeted for students’ meal subsidies and also payment of contractors carrying out developmental projects in the three schools.
The schools affected are Federal Government College, Odogbolu, Federal Government Girls College, Sagamu, and Federal Science Technical College, Ijebu-Mushin.
The suspect, over a two-year period, carried out an elaborate scam, whereby funds channelled to the three schools were diverted through the use of companies operated by him and his cronies.
Between February, 2014, and March, 2015, Mr. Lawal allegedly diverted the monies sent to the three schools via the Zenith Bank account of the Pay Office and another Central Bank of Nigeria account and utilized the funds for personal purposes.
The amount he allegedly stole through the pay office account with Zenith is N61, 150, 691.75 while he also diverted a total of N42, 520, 755. 00 from the CBN account.
In all, he stole a total of N103, 671, 466. 75.
Apparently, Mr. Lawal came up with the ingenious scheme to divert the schools’ funds after the other official signatory of the accounts operated by the pay office, one Mrs. Iyabode, was redeployed from the Abeokuta office in 2012.
Mr. Lawal neither informed the relevant authorities of Mrs. Iyabode’s transfer nor did he ask for another co-signatory to be deployed or assigned to the school.
Subsequently, Mr. Lawal alone regularly signed checks for withdrawals of funds from the two accounts, contrary to civil service rules.
The elaborate scam that Mr. Lawal allegedly orchestrated involved the setting up of fake companies, opening an account for them and then the transfer of huge sums into the accounts purportedly for either supplying food or executing contracts.
Some of the companies investigators said he established to defraud the system are Oris Fish Industry Nigeria Ltd, SOG Best Concept, Oris Farms and Food and Toyinlolu Gbade and Sons.
Checks at the Corporate Affairs Commission show that none of the companies was registered to do any kind of business.
The companies received various bulk sums of money from the suspect at various times between February 2014 and March 2015 for undisclosed jobs.
While the elaborate fraud was going on, developmental projects were stalled at the three schools due to lack of funds to pay the relevant contractors.
The schools also could not subsidize the feeding of their students and staff due to financial difficulties occasioned by the diversion of funds allocated to them by the federal government.
When officials of the schools approached the suspect to know why they were not receiving monies due to them, they were told by Mr. Lawal that the government had not remitted the statutory funds into the pay office accounts.
Investigations revealed that whenever the bursars of the affected schools raised vouchers for the schools’ financial needs and sent same to Mr. Lawal to credit the institutions’ accounts as was the usual practice, Mr. Lawal always claimed that he had not received any funds from the federal government.
Matters, however, got to a head when contractors started abandoning ongoing projects due to the inability of the schools to fund such work.
Perhaps, unconvinced by the weak explanations given by Mr. Lawal, the principal of one of the affected schools was said to have made independent investigations to find out why the schools were no longer receiving funds via the pay office.
She was said to have also travelled to the Federal Ministry of Education and later to the Accountant General of the Federation, AGF’s office in Abuja where, curiously, the AGF’s office initially did nothing until the pressure and complaints from the schools became unbearable. That was when the office forwarded a petition to the ICPC, which launched an immediate investigation into the alleged scam.
The initial findings of ICPC revealed a shocking scheme whereby the suspect regularly moved funds meant for the three schools from the pay office account and the CBN dedicated account into account owned by fictitious companies.
This led to his subsequent arrest by the operatives of the commission.
He was said to have confessed to the crime while promising to refund the looted funds.
As at last week, the ICPC, it was learnt, had recovered about N50 million from the suspect.
Investigations reveal that the suspect has equally paid N26, 237, 603.40 into the Federal Pay Office account, using one of his companies, SOG Best, to issue the payment.
With a total amount of N76, 237, 603.40 already refunded by the suspect, he is yet to account for the balance of N27, 433, 843.35.
Mr. Lawal has been granted administrative bail by the ICPC to enable him pay back all the money he allegedly stole. Even as officials try to recoup the stolen funds from him, there are so many questions still begging for answers.
What kind of system allows a civil servant divert so much funds for so long without raising suspicion? How did a key signatory to an account be transferred from his/her post without being replaced? So many questions but few answers.
Attempts to get the principals of the schools to speak on the matter were fruitless as they declined comments. A. N. Bassey – Duke, the principal of the Federal Governement College, Odogbolu and A.A. Owolabi, principal of the Federal Government Girls College, Sagamu, said they were civil servants and directed the reporter to the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja.
When our reporter visited the ministry to seek explanations, he was directed to meet the deputy director, Press and Public Relations, Olu Lipede, who however was not available for comments.
However, an assistant in the Press/Public Relations Unit of the ministry, who simply identified himself as Abubakar, said he was not aware of the details of the case so could not comment.
“I can’t comment on a case I don’t even know anything about. And certainly I can’t even issue an official statement without the express permission of my boss or the ministry,” he said.
The reporter also made efforts to get officials of the office of the Accountant-General to comment on the matter and explain the delay in acting on the initial petition it received but no one was ready to talk to him.
The deputy director, Press and Public Relations, Kenechukwu Offie, took down the reporter’s enquiries and promised to get back to him.
In a telephone interaction a few hours later, she said the office would not comment on a matter still under investigation.
She added that at the appropriate time, when investigations have been concluded by the ICPC, the OAGF would issue a statement if it deemed it necessary.

This report was first published by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. We have the permission to republish here.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/188668-how-civil-servant-allegedly-stole-n103-million-meant-for-feeding-students-in-federal-govt-colleges.html?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

Nicepoker:
and how about saying clueless family. How is that ur statement adding value to our economy.

I only stated a fact

Funny, isn't it??

wiseoneking:
Like ur famile? Just asking

Carbon copy of ur family

stankezzy:
slayer of yolobas ,this man continues giving yolobas nightmare since 1840

For ur info, M nt a Yoruba dude

tunde1200:
That guy Bleep me up big time.. Due to his clueless.

He plunged dis Nation into more mess

Advice ur father

tunde1200:

Forever clueless!!.

U knw Watsup

MadCow1:
Buhari should probe that boy..


He looks like Wetin dem dey use smuggle stolen monies abroad

Constructive joke

Nicepoker:
I can feel ur pain.

I knew some taniods will quote me bt pls lemme be, I, WE are busy restructuring dis country dat ur so-called Mr Transformation destroyed

Clueless family

Tell'em. They keep on forming trash online

This poo made front page?? U kidding me?? SMH for d mods

Lastly, these female celebs will end up marrying ugly men... Who fine boii don help

He made sense wiv dat statement

Cool

kossyablaze:
Yes o,We nid am in Anambra badly

There's an ongoing construction at Nnewi

This babe looks very familiar to me. Well, she claims to b a virgin, lemme keep shut n observe

She still looks manly

sigiyaya:
Amaechi Amaechi Amaechi how many times did i call you?


you see your life.....

U must b high on some cheap weed... Wetin concern Amaechi wiv a federal hospital? U just wanna politicize everything

Guess most of u saw d thread dat made fp last wk bouh University of Ghana, Legon. Saw hw neat n beautiful d university is. I weep for OAU, I weep for Nigeria's education system

FrankValency:
OP na wa for u o,u nearly cut my liver o,as I come rush in ,e come be say na Ordinary O'level holder,na wa u o,u no read the letter well.

Oya talk true,wch business center u dey run? Phone booth or fuel station? because the writer indicated it there? So far say na "Tall O'level",the applicant is more than qualified.

By business center, he means computer business center where he types, prints, photocopy, spiral binds, laminates etc

Where's Odion Ighalo?

God, pls guide n protect her frm harm. May she b found hale n healthy soonest

With the burial formalities of the immediate past Ooni of Ife, Okunade Sijuwade, now completed, a titanic succession battle has kicked off in Ile-Ife.
An insider in the Ife ruling house expected to fill the vacant stool told PREMIUM TIMES a selection progress was already underway and that those desirous of the revered position have been asked to formally indicate interest.
There are four ruling houses in Ile-Ife – Lafogido, Giesi, Ogboru, and Oshikola.
Oba Sijuwade, who reigned between 1980 and 2015, is of the Ogboru royal lineage.
The next Ooni will most likely emerge from the Giesi ruling house which last produced an occupant to the position – Ooni Derin Ologbenla – between 1880 and 1894.
The other royal houses have also taken turns to produce Obas for the ancient town at various times.
The Ogboru lineage produced Oba Adelekan Olubuse I, who reigned between 1894 and 1910, with the Lafogido ruling house producing his successor, Oba Ademuluyi Ajagu (1910-1930).
Oba Sijuwade’s predecessor, Adesoji Aderemi, who reigned between 1930 and 1980, came from the Oshikola ruling house.
Believing that it is their right to produce the next Ooni, members of the Giesi ruling house have begun a flurry of activities they expect would culminate in one of them succeeding Mr. Sijuwade.
They met Saturday, August 15 at the Akodi Agbedegbede family house in Ile-Ife, a source said.
An Insider told PREMIUM TIMES the meeting, presided over by Pa Aderibigbe, a 91-year old elder in the ruling family, was well attended by hundreds of princes, princesses and elders of the royal lineage.
“The meeting, called only after the formal announcements by the Ife chiefs, was in respect to the laws and tradition of the royal families, Our source said.
“Tributes were paid to the long and happy reign of Oba Alayeluwa Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II and prayers were said for the repose of his soul with his fore fathers.”
He said at the meeting, the elders of the Giesi ruling house “announced and affirmed that the time is now for the process of filling the gap created in the Kingship of Ile-Ife to commence”.
The legal process and content of the law that guides the selection of the Ooni was publicly presented to all the princes and princesses present, he said.
He added, “First it was established that Giesi ruling house is set and in-turn to produce the next Ooni of Ile-Ife. Secondly, it was communicated as stated in the law, that 14 days from when the vacancy occurred, the ruling house is obliged to make a presentation of candidate(s) to the local government.
“Thereafter it was communicated that the basis of the selection will be from male children who are offspring of both male and female children of Giesi ruling house.
“An invitation was given to all interested princes of Giesi ruling house to obtain and complete the prescribed form, return the form to the family within the next couple of days after which they will be screened. Elders then screen and select as many as they feel comfortable with.
“Post screening, the names will be submitted to the kingmakers within a period of 14 days from the vacancy of the stool. The kingmakers make consultations with the oracle before forwarding their approved list to the local government.
“The emergence of the Ooni will depend on how quickly the oracle selects the appropriate occupier to the throne of Ife.
“This is the correct process and procedure and nobody is precluded.”
Our source said one of those interested in the position is Oba Bankole Adewale Ojutalayo, the Laroka of Wankin, and a great grandson of Ooni Derin Ologbenla.
Mr. Ojutalayo is said to have, in the last five years, worked in Ile-Ife to maintain peace, develop townships and was instrumental in the installation of a number of Obas within the Ife kingdom.
He is also said to be prominent in the council of Sookos, contributing to the progress and development of that council.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/188532-ooni-of-ife-with-oba-sijuwade-interred-titanic-succession-battle-begins.html

Horrific sight. RIP to the dead

After being arrested, they will look so innocent n plead for mercy

Cultism is evil. Still d youths won't heed to dat wise saying

sweetgala:
He did claim stealing is not corruption, and a goat would always eat the yam left at it's mercy. So therefore all GEJ cohorts are goats because their actions in 6 years was inhumane

Afterall, he appointed them

Jonathan's administration n corruption, a name synonymous to each other

MINNA— TWENTY-TWO years after annulling the June 12, 1993 presidential elections, former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), yesterday, said he still misses the winner of the historic polls, late Chief Moshood Abiola, who died in government detention in 1998.
To show how he sorely miss his erstwhile friend, Babangida, who turned 74 today, said last week he searched for one of the letters Abiola wrote him and re-read it.
Babangida spoke at an interactive session with journalists in Minna, Niger State ahead of his 74th birthday anniversary.
Asked if he was missing his friend, MKO Abiola, Babangida said: “Let me see, last week, I dug out one of the letters he wrote to me and I read it. So, that shows that I still miss him.”
In the engaging interview, the former military ruler also opened up on his response to the coup plot led by Major Gideon Orkar in April 1990, the Dimka coup plot in 1976, his assessment of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration and comments that he is from  Oyo State instead of Niger State.

General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd),
Babangida, who commended the Federal Government on its renewed offensive against the Boko Haram insurgency, also gave the government high marks in terms of performance.
He said: “So far, I am confident that they are doing well. They have identified the problems and they look resolute in confronting these problems head-on and there are a lot of people in the society who are offering a lot of sound advice on what to do.”
On PDP
Asked how he felt as a leader of a former ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that is now in the opposition and whether the PDP could return in 2019, he said: “I think one of the good things we are experiencing in this country is that for 16 years there has been democracy and democratic practices in the country.
“A lot of things must have gone wrong somewhere and the right judges are the people and the people have spoken. I think it is natural they needed a change after 16 years and they did what is right. They did not go wild, they did not fight anybody; they used their ballot papers to change the government. I think this is the beauty of what happened.
“I look forward to such practices in the next 50 years of democratic practice in this country. I hope they learn from their mistakes, what they did wrong, what they did right and what they can do now to re-launch their party.”
On his reaction to President Buhari’s vow to recover stolen funds from the nation’s treasury, Babangida said: “During the tenure of my boss, President Obasanjo, he had a similar strategy and to be fair to him, he made a lot of recoveries. So, we should support this present Federal Government, which is trying to do the same to achieve the same objective. If that objective is pursued reverently, I believe it will achieve some degree of stolen funds.
“You talk about oil theft, I am sure President Buhari is resolute to stamp out all those and to bring to book all those who have tampered in stealing our oil.”
How I escaped  Orkar coup
On how he escaped death during the Gideon Orkar coup, he recollected: “I can remember very well that I had some loyal officers, who were supposed to be my protectors and my bodyguards. Initially, they told me to leave but I told them no, I am not leaving anywhere but they remained steadfast and later I took my family outside Dodan Barracks and joined my guards.
“So, we went out of Dodan Barracks and we went to a safe house where we got in contact with loyal troops. May God bless Sani Abacha. Sani Abacha was the Chief of Army Staff. He got in touch with me, I got in touch with him and we sat down and talked on what we were going to do. Abacha and I rallied the loyal troops and then I left my safe house and joined Abacha in his house. That was how I escaped.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/i-still-miss-abiola-says-ibb-74/

The Federal Government has designated six federal tertiary hospitals as oncology centres of excellence.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Director Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Health, Ayotunde Adesugba, and made available in Abuja.
It said that the policy was taken in collaboration with the Cancer Education and Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria and ROCHE Products Limited.
Mr. Adesugba said one hospital from each of the six geopolitical zones of the country will be upgraded.
The hospitals are Usmanu Danfodio University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, (North West), University Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri (North East) and University College Hospital, Ibadan (South West).
Others are UTH Benin (South South), University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu (South East) and ABU Teaching Hospital, Zaria.
Mr. Adesugba quoted the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Linus Awute, as saying that the upgrade will be done in line with the Public Private Partnership. He said the PPP is the best legacy of the health ministry and an important strategy for addressing the challenge of non-communicable diseases and cancer care in particular.
The statement said that the ministry will seek further collaboration with private sector practitioners like Roche on the Nigeria National Cervical Cancer Screening Scale up project.
Mr. Adesugba also quoted the Country Manager, Roche Products Ltd, Herman Addae, as saying that while cancer is a leading cause of death; not enough attention is given to it.
He said cancer became a major killer disease due to the unavailability of data, lack of enough medical specialists, poor funding and inadequate sensitisation, among others.
The country manager enumerated intended possible areas of intervention to include training of healthcare professionals, provision of infrastructure, access to therapy and establishment of a Health Journalist Academy.
(NAN)

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/188394-nigeria-designates-6-hospitals-as-oncology-centres-of-excellence.html