₦airaland Forum

It appears that the Federal government may have shot itself on the foot with the formation of an Interim Management Committee (IMC) to sanitize the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) of corruption as the commission under the purview of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs headed by Senator Godswill Akpabio may have become the corruption itself.

A strongly worded petition by the Conduct and Due Process Group revealed that the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer Prof. Kemebradikumo Daniel Pondei and the Executive Director Projects Dr Cairo Ojougboh, as well as the late Executive Director Finance and Administration, Mr Ibanga Bassey Etang, became proficient in signing and giving approvals to fictitious and fake contracts to either non-existent or incompetent mushroom companies.

Under the guise of attempting to curb the spread of Cholera in the Niger Delta region, the NDDC under the supervision of Senator Godswill Akpabio through the MD, Pondei in collaboration with Mr Cairo Ojougboh among others approved an emergency contract for the supply of Cholera Vaccine at a whopping N680,000,000 (Six Hundred and Eighty Million Naira) to various unqualified companies.

Perusing through the statistics of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) by the group, data gathered revealed that the disease was nowhere close to an epidemic as only nine (9) cases of Cholera was reported in the Niger Delta region from...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/rogues-godswill-akpabio-nods-while-nddc-awarded-contracts-worth-n680million-for-just-9-cases-of-cholera-to-bulb-sellers/

Senator Philip Aminu Aduda, representing the Federal Capital Territory at the red chamber has brazenly converted the Karu Town Hall FCT which gulped N100,000,000 (Hundred Million Naira) in 2016, N75,000,000 (Seventy-Five Million Naira) in 2017 and another N50,000,000 (Fifty Million Naira) in 2019 to his personal property in contravention of the provisions of the 1999 constitution as amended.

It was gathered that while residents at Karu were joyous and appreciative to the Senator for heeding to their voices in providing a Townhall for the community which gulped an earth-quaking sum of N225,000,000 (Two Hundred and Twenty Five Million Naira), they were greeted with a rude shock when contractors who worked for the Senator stormed the hall removing the initial inscription on the top of the wall which read ‘Karu Town Hall’ and replacing it with another signage ‘Jummai Adum Youth Centre’ and the picture of the Senator’s mother engraved to it.

The project which is said to have now become the official property of the Senator as it was yet to be officially handed over to the community before the change of name was alleged to have been facilitated by the Ministry of Water Resources.

A source also squealed the Gabriel Tanimu Aduda, who is a brother to the Senator, as well as a Federal Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, may have also joined forces with his elder brother to...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/rogue-leader-how-senator-aduda-converted-town-hall-to-private-property-to-immortalize-his-mother/

The crisis rocking the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) may have taken a new twist with more revelations showing the deeply rooted fraud allegedly perpetrated by the Interim Management Committee (IMC) who keep accusing external forces of trying to frustrate the audit process ongoing in the commission while using fraudulent tactics to enrich their pockets.

A document obtained by SecretReporters revealed that contrary to claims on national TV by the Executive Director of Projects in the Interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Mr Cairo Ojougboh, that no contract was awarded relating to COVID-19, the committee have been engaging in alleged clandestine deals as it was recently discovered that a contract was awarded to a company called Julius Dinga Nig Ltd for “consultancy for the provision of publicity on the prevention of the spread of Coronavirus”.

Despite a record of been listed among tax and mining defaulters in Nigeria, the dubious contract according to the document was approved on April 21, 2020, at a mind-blowing sum of N112.4million for the Edo state-based company registered on November 18, 2009, which specializes in machinery lease, stones and dust quarry. Ironically, a company that has no idea of media services but only into mining of quarry and stones was given the award for such job at inflated cost.

The N112.4million surprisingly was just for payment for consultancy service only and not for the provision of the publicity service which according to sources will cost much more than the amount earlier approved. Findings from the document further hints on well-orchestrated embezzlement, theft, corruption and fraud as all approvals were endorsed on the same day, meaning the file went round all approving authorities same day.

It however, remains a shock how the same NDDC through the interim Executive Director Projects, Cairo Ojougboh was criticizing the former board of financial recklessness while they and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio was using the guise of the lockdown to milk the commission dry as calls abound for the disbandment of the IMC who had a mission to correct the financial mess by the former board but has decided to enrich their pockets with mind-blowing looting.

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/born-liar-nddc-awards-n112-million-to-a-mining-company-for-mere-media-consultancy-yet-cairo-ojugboh-lies-that-they-awarded-no-job/

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Established with the sole responsibility of developing programs that cater for the running of ICT related activities in Nigeria, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) under the leadership of Isa Ali Ibrahim also known as Sheikh Pantami has become a shadow of itself.

Pantami who was made the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy by President Muhammadu Buhari perhaps owing to his numerous qualifications in Information Communication Technology is alleged to be an empty barrel who makes so much noise as to what he can do but never implements any.

Having been appointed as DG/CEO of the National Information Development Agency (NITDA) from September 2016 to August 2019, it was discovered that instead of using his office to transform the Nation into a digitally viable entity, Pantami created multiple loopholes in the Agency through which he looted it dry of every penny without batting an eye.

Upon resumption of office at NITDA in 2016, it was alleged that not wanting to waste any time in setting his looting agenda in motion, Pantami collected a whopping N20,000,000 (Twenty Million Naira) from the coffers of the...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/digital-looter-how-communication-minister-isa-pantami-allegedly-looted-nitda-treasury-as-dg-and-continues-same-as-minister-ahead-of-his-governorship-ambition/

A legal practitioner, Mr. Ojeh Godwin, has lamented what he called flagrant abuse of statutory procedure and due process, calling for an urgent investigation of the activities of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

‘’It is disheartening that the leadership of the Interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) which was supposedly set up to restore sanity and rescue the body has taken over the same acts of corruption and fraudulent transactions with which the erstwhile leadership of the Commission were alleged.

The Interim Management Committee which came on board and confidently accused the past leadership of the NDDC of lacklustre performance, abandoned projects, poor project delivery and so on is now enmeshed in acts of pervasive corruption, blatant illegality, flagrant abuse of power and flagrant abuse of statutory procedure and due process’’ He particularly accused former Acting Managing Director of NDDC, Gbene Dr Joi Nunieh of throwing caution to the winds.

‘’It is saddening that Gbene Dr Joi Nunieh, Ag EDP of the Interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, the Ag. EDFA of the Interim Management Committee of the NDDC, Mr. Ibanga Bassey and other members of the Management Team of the Interim Management Committee of the NDDC who are to oversee the forensic audit of the NDDC as ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari, in a spate of few months in office have done nothing but to betray the trust reposed in them.

Rather than stemming or exposing the corruption they had accused their predecessors of, they had thrown caution to the winds and don the toga of corruption to perpetrate fraudulent acts and abuse of laid down statutory procedure under the NDDC Act and Public Procurement Act.

The so much acclaimed contract verification Committee led then by Gbene Dr Joi Nunieh, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, Mr. Ibanga Bassey and other members of the Management team approved the sums of money to the tune of over N4billion on spurious contracts in the name of supplying “Maternity Delivery Kits”, “Cholera Vaccines”, “Lassa Fever Kits” and “Outstanding Science Equipment’’.

In a petition to the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Femi Gbajabiamila and others, the Benin based lawyer accused Nunieh of dispensing fund not captured under any budgetary allocation/appropriation. ‘’It is pertinent to state at the outset that Gbene Dr Joi Nunieh, Ag. EDP of the Interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Dr Cairo Ojougboh, the Ag EDFA of the Interim Management Committee, Mr. Ibanga Bassey and other members of the Management Team unilaterally approved huge sums of payments without any prior budgetary appropriation.

This is reflected in the Memo dated January 17, 2020 where they directed the approval and also directed that the Summarised Information on the Health and Education Projects listed in a Memo dated...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/twin-thieves-account-numbers-and-details-used-in-defrauding-nddc-of-n4-billion-by-akpabio-and-cairo-ojugboh-revealed/

There is a major crack in the Delta State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party. It may just be the crack the opposition needs in the state. Some PDP Local Government Party Chairmen, last week, engaged the State Chairman, Barr. Kingsley Esiso, in a showdown which almost ended in fist cuffs, in defiance to his decision to select their executives for them.

A new faction of the leadership has covertly broken out. Local Governments Chairmen of the party are aggrieved. They are not happy with a decision of the embattled State Chairman of the Party, Barrister Kingsley Esiso. Esiso had, allegedly in a guerilla take over, foisted on them, the leadership of their revered forum.

Something unthinkable and unheard off in the history of the forum since 1999, one of the chairmen has lamented.
Delta Political Vanguard (DPV), a body described as the political family of the State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has been fingered for the ploy.

While the Chairman, Esiso has been quoted, for asking the aggrieved Chairmen ‘to go to hell’, he had said during a last week’s Wednesday meeting...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/delta-trouble-looms-as-pdp-lg-chairmen-create-faction/

Following the onset of the global pandemic that is currently ravaging the world and crippling economies, various world leaders have come up with stratagem to support her citizens with Nigeria not left out as the Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning had announced fiscal measures to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on the economy and households.

This was in form of a N50 billion Targeted Credit Facility (TCF) introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria as a stimulus package to support and cushion the effects on households affected by the pandemic and disburse cash to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through the Nigerian Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System For Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL).

With the managing director of NIRSAL microfinance bank, Mr Abubakar Kure stating at a briefing in April that it had received 80,000 applications for the facility of which 40,000 were households and with the bank affirming in a run-up to the disbursement, that it had informed stakeholders that they do not charge any fee, either for application or processing, it has come as a rude shock that investigations carried out to check the accountability of the disbursement by NIRSAL revealed ongoing corruption and...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/intervention-fraud-applicants-for-n50billion-cbn-covid-19-intervention-fund-allegedly-asked-to-pay-n20000-by-nirsal/

While many ladies chose to engage in it as a means of cushioning the boredom occasioned by the coronavirus-induced lockdown across the country, the Bop Daddy challenge introduced by rapper Falz has landed five female immigration officer in forgotten state commands ravaged by banditry and insurgency as disciplinary action by the Nigerian Immigration Service.

According to a document obtained by this online news medium dated May 12, 2020, with reference number NHS/HQ/ADM/4422/V/684 from the office of the Deputy Comptroller General Nigerian Immigration Service headquarters, one of the female officers, Priscilla Irabor, currently serving in the Lagos state command LASC has been transferred to the Nigeria Immigration Training School, Kano (ITSK) rumoured among officers to be a land of no return and a forgotten ground as there is no redemption once you are posted there.

The posting order which was duly stamped and signed by Iam Haliru Assitant Comptroller General HRM for the service also saw Ockiya Eneni reposted from the FCTC (Abuja) Command to the Akwa Ibom State Command AKSC.

Catherine Bakura was moved from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Enugu to...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/exclusive-female-immigration-officers-who-participated-in-bop-daddy-challenge-posted-to-forgotten-state-commands-as-punishment/

Following investigations on the activities of the Aisha Dahiru Umar-led National Pension Commission PENCOM, more reports are beginning to emerge as it was recently uncovered that since her assumption into office on acting capacity, she has been cruising in multiple corruption alligations, including diversion of Pension funds, operation of an illegal account outside Nigeria and another questionable sum of N33billion which cannot be accounted for.

The whereabouts of the money which was released from the Central Bank of Nigeria into PENCOM account Number 0020165241027 on 28th April 2017 and another staggering sum of N22billion, sources squealed have been shrouded in secrecy with Information obtained from the office of the Accountant General of the Federation and the Central Bank of Nigeria confirming that the funds were released into PENCOM’s account.

It was discovered that the amount received from CBN never corresponded with the amount claimed to have been disbursed to Pension Administrators following the disbursement of the funds which became obscure moments after it left the CBN to PENCOM’s account, code-named “Transit Account”. Further investigations into the uncurbed activities of the commission which has been without a board of directors for several years, revealed another likely hoax in the N9trillion so-called pension net value, alleged to be a far cry from the amount obtainable in the commission’s account.

This was established in a submission by the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association NECA, to a probe panel stating that the acclaimed N9trillion net worth of PENCOM may be far from what obtains while expressing fears that even if the amount was intact as claimed, it was...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/queen-of-corruption-more-than-n50billion-pencom-funds-nowhere-to-be-found-under-ag-aisha-dahiru/

Following SecretReporters expose on the recent activities of SCC Limited, a construction company engaged in mining activities in Nigeria, the company overly uncomfortable with the publication has reacted while threatening actions. S

peaking on behalf of the company, Mr Samuel Umoh, who earlier refused to comment or identify himself as the Public Relations Officer when contacted to get his company’s reaction to the allegation, expressed dissatisfaction over the reports which he claimed was damaging to the image of his company.

According to the P.R.O who earlier gave a peevish reply on the matter, due efforts were not made regarding the allegations before publication as he quizzed why his initially remark that an official enquiry in person be made at the SCC office was not taken into consideration. He, however, stated that the reason behind his cold-response to the allegations then, was because...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/unhappy-merchants-scc-limited-threatens-secret-reporters-for-exposing-them-after-initially-refusing-to-comment/

The various incentives by the Federal government to woo foreign investors into the country in other to fast track developments seems to have become a curse instead of a blessing to many Nigerians as these foreigners in most cases have been alleged to subject Nigerians to harsh inhumane working conditions while they benefit massively from the natural deposits of the country.

In a petition by some human rights NGOs and investigative journalists, SecretReporters gathered that Nigerians who work with SCC Nigeria Limited; a mining company operating in Zurak, Plateau State, are subjected to the most inhumane working conditions in the history of foreign companies operations in the country.

Findings showed that while these supposed expatriates retire to their posh comfortable residence after the day’s mining activity, Nigerian workers are jam-packed into an open container without any beddings, mosquito nets or mobile hospitals while others sleep in the open mining site under life-threatening cold as Plateau state is...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/demonic-foreigners-how-scc-turned-nigerian-workers-to-slaves-defraud-fg-and-import-prostitutes-to-warm-their-beds/

Isa Yuguda who ordinarily should not be seen close to the corridors of power due to his clear lack of interest for the development of his constituency was regrettably positioned with an exclusive key to the Bauchi State’s financial vault as Governor of the State from May 29, 2007, to May 29, 2015, giving him leeway to carry out monumental frauds in collaboration with the Secretary to the State Government Ahmed Ibrahim Dandija.

Landslide corruption mingled with fraudulent awards of contracts to companies owned and operating for the erstwhile Governor and the SSG at inflated amounts is no tale in the 8 years administration of Isa Yuguda’s administration.

Among the numerous illegal contracts awarded to themselves was the award of a contract for the reconstruction and expansion of the Sa’ad Zungur Primary School described as the oldest primary school in the state at a whopping sum of N1,100,000,000,000 (One billion One Hundred Million Naira) to M/S Current MEC Engineering Ltd allegedly owned and operated by the Governor and his SSG by proxy.

On September 8, 2008, the Special Adviser (Project) Mohammed Sirajo Garba in an internal memo referenced “Re-construction and expansion of Sa’ad Zungur Primary School” addressed to the erstwhile Governor through the Secretary to the State Government Ahmed Dandija, it was revealed that M/S Current MEC Engineering alleged to be owned and operated by Isa Yuguda by proxy, was recommended to...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/hard-crook-how-isa-yuguda-others-allegedly-embezzled-over-n3-6-billion-as-governor-of-bauchi-state/

Proceeds of oil sales gotten from the oil-rich Niger Delta region is said to be the major financier of the Nigerian budget and continues to do so, largely because of the huge oil deposit in the region and the nation’s reliance on it.

While this is supposed to translate into massive development for the region, the reverse is the case, as oil spillage and chemical leakages generated by multinational companies have sniffed life out of the fishing business which is the major source of livelihood of the people.

Sadly, while efforts are still been made to clean up Ogoni land with the billions of Dollars released so far for the herculean task, Foropa Community located in Southern Ijaw Local Government Bayelsa State has become the latest victim of yet another hazard allegedly orchestrated by Chevron Nigeria.

In a tweet made by one of the affected victims, it was revealed that the coastal shores of Foropa Community, which we learned, houses the largest deepwater operation in the country have been littered with dead fishes along the...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/corporate-venom-many-hospitalized-after-alleged-chemical-leaks-from-chevron-nigeria-contaminates-foropa-community-in-bayelsa-state/

If corruption in public procurement is not curbed in our society, the dream of many states especially one dubbed to be the ‘Land of promise’ may not see the light of the day if its resources are continuously defalcated in the guise of the erection of monumental structures aimed at elevating its industrial and structural status by those saddled with the responsibility of ensuring appropriate management of tax-payers money.

This is evident in the Governor Udom’s led administration in Akwa Ibom State and the construction of a 21 Storey Office Building at Banking Layout off Udo Udoma Avenue Uyo which has recently come under scrutiny over the tremendous amount of money earmarked for its execution.

A look into the 2020 budget under the ministry of special duties for the building revealed that N2.6 billion was set aside for perimeter fence/gate even though the fencing of the project had been carried out since 2019 with only plastering left while the intended mansion-like Gate House is secured at N221,197,360 (Two Hundred and Twenty-One Million, One hundred and Ninety-Seven Thousand, Three Hundred and Sixty Naira).

Interestingly, the office Building which last year under the description ‘superstructure’ got N8 billion from the budget, will also see...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/tower-of-babel-21-storey-business-tower-by-akwa-ibom-state-govt-to-gulp-another-n13billion-in-2020-budget/

PRESS STATEMENT 4th March 2020 The Senate must reject the Anti-Social Media Bill, as it is unconstitutional and inconsistent with Nigeria’s international obligations Ladies and gentlemen of the Press, Fellow citizens, We are gathered here today to report the summary of the people’s and civil society’s analyses of the Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulations; and for Related matters Bill, 2019 (SB.132), ahead of the Senate public hearing slated for 9th March 2020.

We are glad to inform the members of the Senate and the International Community, that the Anti-Social Media Bill 2019 (SB.132) has been widely and popularly rejected by the people. It has come to the understanding of the people that the Senate Bill 132 (Internet/Social-Media) Bill is a draconian and modified version of the defeated “Bill for an Act to Prohibit Frivolous Petitions and other matters Connected Therewith, 2015 (SB.143), sponsored under the 8th National Assembly.

The bill which also targeted the internet and on-line media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, and the like, was dropped by the 8th Senate following an outcry by the people in 2016. The latest attempt by the Senate to resuscitate an obnoxious bill that had been hitherto unanimously rejected by the people, constitutes an assault on the people and a flagrant assault on the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) which guarantees the human rights of everyone including to freedom of expression. The people have overwhelmingly rejected any attempt to police the internet and gag the right to freedom of expression through back doors.

It has been affirmed severally in various courts of law that the right to freedom of expression is a constitutional and fundamental right; inviolable under the 1999 constitution. Section 17 (1) of the Constitution expressly states that: “The State Social order is founded on ideals of Freedom, Equality and Justice,” while in section 37, it protects “The Privacy of Citizens, their homes, correspondence, telephone conversations and telegraphic communications is hereby guaranteed and protected.” We invite the Senate to take a serious constitutional note of section 37, as the SB.132 clearly violates this provision.

It has also come to the knowledge of the people that it is a bill that seeks to give the executive arm of government outright powers to regulate the internet and control communications, but which has been disguised as a private member bill in the Senate. It is therefore instructive, to remind the 9th Senate of the publicly stated position of President Muhammadu Buhari before the first version of the bill was dropped in 2016, and also the position of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Internet/Social Media regulations. According to the President, “Free speech is central to democratic societies anywhere in the world. Without free speech, elected representatives won’t be able to gauge public feelings and moods about governance issues. As a key component of democratic principles, people in democratic societies are so emotionally attached to free speech that they would defend it with all their might.”

According to the Vice President, “I don’t think that government regulation is necessarily the way to go, but I believe that we as persons of faith and we, as leaders, and those of us who use the social media actively owe a responsibility to our society and to everyone else, to ensure that we don’t allow it to become an instrument of conflict and instrument of war.” Media freedom in Nigeria remains under attack, as shown by several cases of arrests and detention of journalists, bloggers and social media activists in the last four years. This trend suggests a disturbing trend toward repression of right to freedom of expression and media freedom in the country. The Internet/Social Media bill, the fast-shrinking civic space and the clampdown on critics of government have shown a rising pattern of suppression.

The 9th Senate is therefore urged to take historical note of how previous sessions of the National Assembly had sided with the people and resisted executive overbearing and repression, thereby safeguarding the civic space, and ensuring respect for Nigeria’s international human rights obligations including under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Nigeria has ratified both treaties and has even gone ahead to domesticate the African Charter as part of Nigerian laws. This apparently executive plot pushing, manipulating and exploiting the Senate to regulate the social media and internet, will expose people to increased intimidation, harassment, arbitrary arrest and detention, and exacerbate the growing attacks on journalists, human rights defenders and activists. The National Assembly must immediately and publicly reject this illegal and unconstitutional bill, ensure full and effective compliance with Nigeria’s international human rights obligations and commitments. We as people and civil society reject this bill as both politically motivated and self-serving.

At a time when the United States has placed Nigeria on Visa restrictions and Special Watch-List (SWL) for governments that have engaged in or tolerated severe violations of religious freedom, the European Union has also urged? the Nigerian authorities to guarantee full respect for human rights, the United Nations and Amnesty International have expressed? serious concerns about human rights violations in Nigeria, it is expected that the Senate will not do anything that will portray Nigeria as a repressive state with no regard for human rights and the rule of law.

The bill is a threat to constitutionally and internationally guaranteed human rights. At a time when corruption is endemic and Nigeria has dropped on Transparency International ‘s yearly corruption perception ranking, moving two places down to rank the world’s 34th most corrupt nation, the Social Media/Internet bill will further worsen the position of the country, as it would be seen as a self-serving plot by politicians to block the public demand for transparency and accountability. Whereas, Section 15 (5) of the constitution states that “The state shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power.”

The SB.132 constitutes an abuse of power and will impede the fight against corruption, which would lead to violations of human rights. In addition, the Senate is also urged to take consider the provisions of Section 22: “The press, radio, television, and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people.” Any attempt to regulate the internet/social media, will directly impede this provision. The Senate should also note that there are enough existing laws in the country’s statute books on defamation, privacy, libel and slander to protect public and private individuals along with the 2015 Cybercrimes Act. The SB. 132 Bill, therefore,...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/senate-must-reject-the-anti-social-media-bill-coalition-of-civil-society-organizations-for-protection-of-civic-space/

N35 billion arms

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is investigating a case of diversion of public funds totaling N35bn at the Ministry of Defence. The money was reportedly meant for the procurement of items and equipment for the military in peacekeeping missions. [PUNCH]

N14.4bn Trade facility
Coronation Merchant Bank said it partnered with International Finance Corporation to launch a N14.4bn Trade Finance Guarantee facility to boost financing for local businesses and enhance inter-continental trade. A statement said the IFC is a sister organization of the World Bank and a member of the World Bank Group. [PUNCH]

N91.3 bn Oil Palm
Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration in Edo State is reviving the Urhonigbe oil palm belt with N91.3 billion provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and private investors, for the cultivation of oil palm on 51.8 hectares in Urhonigbe, Orhionmwon Local Government Area under the first phase of the Edo State Oil Palm Programme (ESOPP). [THE SUN]

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/efcc-probes-n35bn-arms-procurement-fraud-in-defence-ministry/

After a long battle in court with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) spanning almost 8 years over an alleged fraud of N25 billion, the former governor of Gombe state now a Senator representing Gombe Central in the 9th assembly, Danjuma Goje, maybe enjoying some form of political immunity since his case file was transferred from the EFCC to the office of the AGF on alleged instructions from the Aso Rock Villa.

With charges bordering on conspiracy, money laundering and embezzlement of funds belonging to Gombe state government, the EFCC earlier arraigned senator Goje on offences relating to the fraudulent supply of food items to government house and public auction of government vehicles. Goje on January 25, 2019, we learned denied the 21 count allegations which the commission has been prosecuting for almost eight years and asked that the case be struck out.

Surprisingly, a new twist was introduced when the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Mallami, was reported to have taken over the case from the EFCC allegedly on orders from his masters.

This was evident when the case came up for an emergency hearing before Justice Babatunde Quadri of the Federal High Court II in Jos, as the EFCC’s counsel Mr Wahab Shittu notified the court that he was...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/political-nicodemus-after-alleged-meeting-with-buhari-danjuma-gojes-n25-billion-fraud-case-stalled/

Considered a star politician by the northern oligarchs such that the then President Late Umaru Yar’Adua, gave his third daughter Nafisa, to him as his fourth wife in October 2007, Isa Yuguda’s corruption track record has grown steadily to an endemic level with assorted nauseating manifestations in his State.

Anti-corruption agencies who barraged television screens and social media platforms with his trial, seem to have become complacent in prosecuting him perhaps due to his move to the ruling party or a marching order from the supposed cabals.

SecretReporters learnt that Isa Yuguda’s trouble started when a high-powered committee set up by the Bauchi State government to carry out forensic audit of all major contracts awarded by his administration from June 2007 to May 2015 as it concerns the Bauchi State Universal Basic Education Board, Ministry for Local Government Affairs, Bauchi Specialist Hospital, Ministries, Departments, and Agencies indicted him on account of over N212,000,000,000 (Two Hundred and Twelve Billion Naira) expended by his administration within the period under review.

Findings by the forensic audit report showed that the amounts expended by the Governor in executing projects was not in tandem with the records of amounts accrued to the state from June 2007 to May 2015 from the...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/astute-looter-how-fmr-gov-of-bauchi-state-embezzled-over-n212-billion-naira-from-states-coffers-in-8-years/

As Delta State legislators undergo legislative training in Isokoland, SecretReporters has gathered that it may be the last training that will be organized by the Speaker, Sheriff Oborowheri, unless the State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa quickly wade in. Insider plots available to this medium reveals that seventeen lawmakers have decided to move for impeachment against Sheriff while six are undecided but may be swayed to join the pro-impeachment group.

According to credible sources, the Speaker’s crime is his inability to arm-twist the Governor into releasing money for them to play around with and share to followers and constituents as was done in the past. They described the Speaker as “too docile for the executive and slavish”, which another lawmaker who spoke to us kicked against, stating that “Sheriff is not ready to join them to share Delta State money. Maybe because he had excess money before coming to the house and does not value the money attached to the Assembly”.

The impeachment plot which has reached a crescendo will see one of the arrowheads who used to be a motor park tout to become the Speaker. If removed from Office, the lawmaker representing...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/sealed-delta-lawmakers-move-to-impeach-speaker-sheriff-oborowheri-this-march-for-motor-park-lawmaker-to-take-over/

To say that supposed saintly individuals who can barely feed become voracious in looting and pilferage when they are appointed or elected into office might be an understatement when this is brought in tandem with Kenny Martins who has not only shown mastery in brazen display of ill-gotten wealth and frantic mismanagement and misappropriation of state funds but have also mastered the art of exploring judicial and executive loopholes to escape prosecution.

The Police Equipment Trust Fund (PEF) which was conceived with a sincerity of purpose and a vision to consolidate and empower the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) viz a viz the procurement of artilleries and equipment for the upgrading of the force became the Achilles heel for Kenny Martins and his cohorts to milk the nation’s treasury dry leading to the eventual comatose of the Trust.

Kenny Martins, we learned as the defunct chairman of the Police Equipment Trust Fund within a few months allegedly coordinated the withdrawal of N7,740,000,000,000 (Seven Billion Seven Hundred and Forty Million Naira) belonging to the Trust fund along with three other persons: Ibrahim Dumuje, Joni Icheka and Cosmas Okpara from all the 774 local governments councils in the country; proceeds of millions of dollars gotten from...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/trusted-crook-how-kenny-martins-diverted-n7-74-billion-police-equipment-trust-fund-without-prosecution-for-years/

Despite efforts by the Federal government to position the nation’s military and paramilitary apparatus resulting in the approval of various bumper packages, increment of salaries, as well as the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage, unscrupulous elements who sit as Heads of paramilitary organizations with the Ministry of Interior acting as their birthing place, have devised various devious means to diverts these packages to their private pockets while paying peanuts to officers and workers in the Ministry.

This is as the Ministry of Interior under the leadership of Rauf Aregbesola, despite having purview over these Paramilitary Organizations have turned a blind eye to this alleged malfeasance being carried out by the Head of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corp (NSCDC), as well as the Nigeria Correctional Service formally known as the Nigeria Prison Service (NPS) as the duo have become progenitors in the art of looting and pilfering.

Sources reveal that following the full implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage, and the order by the Federal government to pay arrears to all its employees, Heads of these paramilitary organizations immediately activated ‘project defraud the Federal government’ as they allegedly began paying meager arrears which were in no way commensurate to the actual amounts they were supposed to pay to their subordinates while diverting the difference to their private pockets.

Findings also reveal that in December 2019, while employees of the Federal government received alerts on their phones showing payments of their arrears amidst smiles, men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corp (NSCDC), and the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS) amongst others were greeted with a...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/brood-of-crooks-paramilitary-officers-laments-illegal-deductions-of-minimum-wage-arrears-while-rauf-aregbesola-looks-on/

N-POWER BENEFICIARIES THREATENS TO GO ON NATIONWIDE STRIKE
It has been pain and agony mingled with hunger for beneficiaries of the N-power programme introduced by the Muhammadu Buhari led administration as their hope seemed to have waned due to the non-payment of their N30,000 stipends by the Federal government for the month of February 2020 while the month of March is almost grinding to an end.

Some beneficiaries of the scheme who have since down tools disclosed that this was not the case when the scheme was under the purview of Vice President Osinbajo as stipends were paid on or before the end of every month.

Sadly, since the appointment of the purported ‘second Wife in waiting’ of President Buhari Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq as the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management and Social Development in 2019 and the subsequent transfer of the Social Investment Scheme to her purview, payment of the N30,000 stipends has become likened to a camel passing through the eye of a needle.

While a larger number of the initial beneficiaries have been laid off, the remaining few have been subjected to a situation of ‘Monkey dey work, baboon dey chop’. This is following insinuations by some beneficiaries that Hajia Farouq may have paid their salaries into her fixed deposit account in other for it to yield some interest running into millions of naira before the capital will eventually be withdrawn and disbursed to them as she affirmed earlier this month that funds for the payment of the N-power beneficiaries have been sent to the Ministry by the Federal government.

While the N30,000 stipends is yet to be paid, supervisors from the various Local Education Authority as well as officials of the Scheme across the country are seen like flies hovering around a dead corpse visiting schools as though taking attendance on an almost daily basis while names of those who are absent are immediately removed from the scheme.

While some beneficiaries have down tools until the stipend is paid with others threatening to follow suit, a group under the aegis of Volunteer N-Power have called on the Minister Hajia Farouq via a letter to resign on the grounds of incompetence.

Countless corruption cases filed before criminal courts across the country; but many appears to have been left unattended to, mainly because those involved have begun singing ‘kumbaya’ in the ears of those who are empowered by law to let down the sledgehammer of justice for the people. Sitting in the front pew of such cases is no other than a former Minister of education and two-term governor of Kano state in Nigeria, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau.

Born November 1955 and currently representing Kano central senatorial district, the 64 years old billionaire from the centre of commerce is rumoured to be worth over $29 Million according to sources who squealed that his source of income is mostly by being a Professional Politician.

With a case filed against him and other accused persons by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Shekarau in May 2018 was arraigned before the Federal High Court sitting in Kano together with Bashir Wali, a former minister of foreign affairs and Mansur Ahmad, Ex-President Jonathan’s campaign Director on six counts bordering on conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N950million.

It was revealed from investigations that Shekarau allegedly with his partners in crime between March 26 and 27, 2015, in Kano, conspired and...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/proffessional-politician-n950-million-naira-efcc-case-against-senator-shekarau-in-limbo/

In a sane society, the Acting Managing Director of the NDDC, Mrs Joi Nunieh should be facing interrogators for bringing shame to herself, deceiving the nation and earning fat pay for the few days she has been in charge of the juicy interventionist agency.

But this is Nigeria where might is right and criminals are allowed to flourish and even given protection by the powers that be.

No one really knows much about the lady in charge of NDDC. Despite her long years in the corridors of power, right from former President Goodluck Jonathan days, no one has a biography of her. Her educational background is like a secret cult, just as her work history is shrouded in secrecy. We need not talk about her alleged marriage to three men as that will be passing through the camel’s eyes. The only thing known about her is that her father was a Senator and indeed, the man was a man of integrity. How he ended up fathering a lady who lacks what he cherishes most should be a debate for her family. For weeks, she has been accused of not possessing NYSC certificate.

She has not only been accused but dared by the accusers to produce it if she truly has one. There is no denying the fact that she is a lawyer, which in my view is still subject of contest. In Ogoniland where she hails from, her only claim to fame is being among the lawyers who defended Ken Saro-Wiwa, though a baby lawyer then. It was not a case they...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/acting-nddc-md-joi-nunieh-a-national-disgrace-unfit-to-even-head-a-whatsapp-group/

When tales of 21st-century tyrants and Executive rascals will be read to generations unborn, Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State will no doubt top the list of Governors who take pleasure in trampling on the rights of her citizens whose only crime was going to the polls to elect them.

Following reports from this online news medium which exposed the executive lawlessness of the Ebonyi State Governor Dave Umahi, who illegally detained the Founder/ Executive Director of Economic Strategic Growth and Development Initiative of Africa (ESGADIA) Obinna Agommuo, the hand of the Governor has been forced to immediately release the Economic investor but not without running amok with his customary show of greed and impunity.

In a petition seen by SecretReporters dated 6th February 2020, Obinna Agummuo alleged that while he was illegally detained at the Ebonyi State DSS facility in Abakaliki, the Director of the Command Chief Maduagwuna, in carrying out the orders of the Governor made several attempts to assassinate him to pave way for the diversion of a loan worth over $148million equivalent to about N52,200,000,000 (Fifty-Two Billion Two Hundred Million Naira) meant for the construction of an...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/local-tyrants-gov-umahi-and-dss-boss-tried-to-assassinate-me-while-i-was-in-custody-ogammuo-speaks/

With the ongoing forensic audit by the Federal Government over the operations of the Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC) that was established since 2000 with the mission of facilitating the rapid, even, and sustainable development of the Niger-Delta region into an economically viable, socially stable and politically peaceful place, accusations and counter-accusations have been emanating with the removal of the head of the interim management committee Dr Yimebe Joy Nunieh, the stake for the game.

SecretReporters in its investigation learned that the interim boss of the NDDC addressed as the Gbene of Nyokhana Kingdom owing to her dogged fight for the interest of Ogoni people may have been singled out for daring the cartel that once held the commission to the jugular with her years as the National Coordinator of HYPREP another twist to the drama.

The Accusations In 2012, Joi Nunieh was made the Acting Coordinator of Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), an agency set up by the Federal Government to implement the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report towards the restoration of Ogoniland and other parts of the Niger Delta affected by years of oil pollution.

As a daughter of the first lawyer in Ogoniland, she was believed to be upright in running the affairs of HYPREP meant to serve her people, by employing only qualified and approved personnel, but this was not to be according to sources after she fell out with the supervising Ministry of Petroleum Resources, which was then superintended by Diezani Alison Madueke. Joi Nunieh was accused of running the place like an emperor, which prompted the government to hire PriceWaterhouseCoopers Nigeria one year after setting up the agency to conduct a staff audit to know the identity of staff recruited for the scheme.

The terms of the audit included checking staff nominal roll, employment letters, salary schedules, bank statements and staff files. The audit allegedly uncovered a huge disparity from 2012 to 2013. In 2012, the sum of N188 million was the salary strength of HYPREP but astronomically reached N2.8 billion the next year.

This was revealed from the alleged list of 201 names submitted by Joi Nunieh, made up of 142 regular and 59 contract staff, who would draw a total of N2.8 billion as salary. It was also alleged that more than two-thirds of...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/forensic-lies-as-scandal-in-hyprep-blows-open-nddc-acting-md-joi-nunieh-opens-up-on-her-time-as-coordinator/

On the 21st December 2019, during the Akwa Ibom State Christmas carol held at Ibom Hall, Uyo, His Excellency, Mr. Udom Emmanuel gave a stirring speech celebrating his re-election victory and affirmation at the Supreme Court of Nigeria. As it concerns the topic of this article, here is an excerpt of his speech: And so, today, standing here as the overwhelmingly re-elected and supremely affirmed Governor of this piece of God’s own real estate, a State that is after God’s own heart, run by a Christ-centric servant-leader.

I want to give thanks and praises to our only God, whose blessings saw us through the year. Can I hear you scream loud and clear: ONLY GOD? Yes ONLY GOD Just reading this excerpt one will think that His Excellency, Mr. Udom Emmanuel is a Governor in the mould of Nehemiah, the Governor of Judah, who inspired the people of Judah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem after their return from Babylonian captivity.

Our Governor even christened himself as a “Christ-centric servant leader.” As one who is very knowledgeable of the scriptures, he even positioned himself in obedience to the words of Jesus Christ, our Lord who admonished: …The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

Luke 22:25,26 Jesus said to His disciples, “But ye shall not be so.” That is, his disciples should not lord it over those they lead, instead they should serve. That was what His Excellency, Mr. Udom Emmanuel was projecting and selling to Akwa Ibomites during the Christmas carol. But unbeknownst to Akwa Ibomites while the State was preparing for the Christmas carol, the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly was working on the 2020 budget for the state; and since the State applied to be a beneficiary of the World Bank incentive –State Fiscal Transparency Accountability and Sustainability fund- of N10 billion, as a condition to receive this fund, it has to publish online the full budget details after it was passed by the House of Assembly and assented upon by His Excellency, Mr, Udom Emmanuel.

This publication of the budget online, revealed so much that will make a conscious, objective and intelligent mind go mad. The allocation of the numbers made the clarity between lording it over and true service to the people. The Akwa Ibom State budget 2020 reveals that the Government House alone gulps a budget of N39.3billion.

This is excluding a special budgetary allocation of N25.9billion for the Governor’s lodge unit. What that means is that Government House alone rakes a total of N65 billion in a total budget of N597.7 billion which is 10.8% of the budget. Interestingly too, we observed that the budget of the Government House in 2015 was N26.9 million when Mr. Udom Emmanuel took over government. Then in 2016 the budget rose to N4.73 billion, then to N5.47 billion in 2017 and a further rise to N6.45 billion in 2018.

In all these years there was no budgetary provision for capital expenditure. Then in 2019, the election year, the Government House alone gulped N30.58 billion. The 2019 budget introduces capital expenditure of N24.1 billion in Government House budget, with questionable expenses. The Governor came up with constituency development project for the 26 state constituencies which gulps N1.63 billion.

It is like money shared to the 26 state legislators representing the 26 state constituencies for them to deliver their individual state constituency during the elections. This same project is still in 2020 budget with a budgetary provision of N1.5 billion. Ordinarily, constituency projects should be in the House of Assembly budget not the Government House.

This is nothing but a special favour to State House members. Another curious expenditure is what the government tagged: “implementation of special development project” with a provision of N3.06 billion; and it is repeated again in 2020. What is this special development project? Where can we find it? N3.06 billion naira is not a small sum that we should wish away.

Come to think of it if it is shared to 3,000 start-up entrepreneurs each will get N1million. So, why the waste! What is Christ-centric about this project? Also disturbing is the vote for security. The security expenses take half of the capital expenditure with a budget of N12 billion both in 2019 and in 2020. Then similar to this is a budget for security equipment and logistics which takes...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/spiritual-looter-gov-udom-turns-state-budget-into-cash-cow-using-security-vote-and-governors-lodge-as-conduit-pipes/

Gombe state which is known as the ‘Jewel in the Savannah ’ has made their mark in the short period of years they were created to be a state, from producing strong political stalwart to becoming a force to reckon with in the scheme of things especially in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria.

Ironically, while the state has produced strong political stalwarts, strong treasury looters have also emanated from it, with Senator Saidu Umar Kumo standing tall in this regard.

Born November 1959, Saidu Umar Kumo was elected Senator of the Gombe Central Constituency in 1999 and was a well-known Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) stalwart and staunch supporter of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar before he decamped to the APC in 2019.

Before his controversial move to the APC, Saidu Kumo and his counterpart Hon Nuhu Poloma were arraigned before the Federal High Court in Gombe on five counts charge bordering on conspiracy and money laundering.

The duo were arraigned before Justice Nehizena Afolabi as the EFCC alleged the two politicians had conspired and received cash...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/fearless-crook-how-senator-saidu-kumo-allegedly-collected-n450million-to-rig-2015-elections/

“A public office holder shall not except where he is not employed on a full‐time basis, engage or participate in the management or running of any private business, profession or trade.” section 6(b) of the Code of Conduct Act.

Born in July 1949 in Katsina State without any work experience outside the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Abubakar Lawal Yar’adua who joined the NNPC as a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) at the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company KRPC, in 1976, proved to be an expert in flouting the rules of sections of the fifth schedule as contained in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended during his days as Group Managing Director (GMD) of the company.

Mr Abubakar after his appointment as the GMD of NNPC in August 2007 according to investigations turned the Corporation into his cash cow as he acquired a 5 bedroom property located at 28A North Crescent, London after paying over £890,000 for the property which is now estimated to worth over N414,632,755.00 (Four Hundred and Fourteen Million Six Hundred and Thirty-Two Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty-Five Naira).

The building which is located in a freehold estate on Finchley, London N3 3LL and registered under title number NGL624398 we learned has an...

Read more at: https://secretsreporter.com/chief-thief-how-ex-nnpc-gmd-abubakar-lawal-yaradua-acquired-properties-worth-millions-abroad-while-in-public-service/