Some gunmen on Tuesday morning, at 2 am, stormed the residence of retired Air Vice-Marshal Mohammed Maisaka at Makarfi Road, Rigasa in Rivers State.
When DAILYPOST visited the residence around 1.00 pm on Tuesday, everywhere remained calm, as few people were seeing discussing in groups.
A source told DAILYPOST that: “How they gained entrance into the compound, went straight to the boys quarter remain a mystery.
“They didn’t break the gate, as it remained closed. They went to the boys’ quarter where they first picked his physiotherapist, who is also a Nigerian Airforce Personnel.”
He said the gunmen believed that as a physiotherapist to Maisaka, who was paralyzed from a medical condition for about three years and in rehabilitation, he should know where he is being kept.
Due to fear, he led them to the room, where they shot both of them dead.
The sister pleaded with gunmen to also kill her, but they responded, “we did not come for you.”
The Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Muhammad Jalige, confirmed the incident, adding that the deceased’s gateman suffered injuries in the attack.
FIRSTBANK LAGOS AMATEUR OPEN GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP, THE LONGEST-RUNNING GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP IN NIGERIA BEGINS
FirstBank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s premier and leading financial inclusion services provider, has announced the commemoration of the 2021 and 60th edition of its annually sponsored Lagos Amateur Golf Championship. The tourney is scheduled to Tee-Off at the golf section of Ikoyi Club 1938 on Thursday, 18 – Sunday 21 November 2021.
The FirstBank Lagos Amateur Open Golf Championship is a World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) listed competition that attracts the best golfers from the amateur scene, not only in Nigeria but across the continent and indeed the world. Participating in the competition contributes to the points for golfers to aid their WAGR rankings.
Preceding the competition will be a press conference, scheduled to hold on Wednesday 10th November 2021 at the Ikoyi Club House Terrace, where the CEO of FirstBank Nigeria Limited, Dr. Adeola Adeduntan will unveil the landmark edition of the longest-running known golf competition sponsorship the 60th FirstBank Lagos Amateur Open Golf Championship.
The highlights of the press conference are the unveiling of the “Corporate Golf Challenge”, “CEO’s CUP”, ProAm and Ladies Invitational. The Corporate Golf Challenge for Charity will be participated by twenty-Five (25) corporate teams of 4 players to compete in a networking environment of corporate hospitality designed to drive corporate social responsibility goals. It holds on Thursday 18th November, while the official competition will Tee-Off on Friday, 19th November through to the Championship Finals on Sunday, 21st November 2021. The net proceeds from team entry fees will be disbursed to charities under the FirstBank SPARK initiative. SPARK, an acronym – Start Performing Acts of Random Kindness – is a values-based initiative designed to raise consciousness that we can choose to be kind.
In addition, the “CEO’s CUP” is a newly introduced prize for the overall gross winner of the championship to recognise this indelible landmark and the unbroken legacy at the diamond jubilee.
The ProAm event, scheduled for Sunday 21st November 2021 is earmarked to recognise Professional Past Winners of the competition. Tagged ROLL OF HONOUR, the past winners play with invited amateur guests for a cash prize of US$5,000.00 (Five Thousand Dollars) as well as trophies and other prizes. The LADIES INVITATIONAL is a subset event of the ProAm, comprising female guests invited by the Bank.
Speaking on the landmark event the Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Ms. Folake Ani-Mumuney said “at FirstBank, we are excited to celebrate the landmark diamond jubilee of the Lagos Amateur Open Golf Championship which is indeed the longest sponsored golf championship in the country and arguably, the continent. For decades FirstBank has been at the forefront of the growth and development of sports in Nigeria, cutting across various and notably sporting events in the country. Sponsoring sports reflect our belief in the role of sports as a major vehicle for social development, whilst also being a unifying force of individuals, irrespective of language, culture, religion and social strata in any given society.
To continuously encourage and develop the game of golf, a series of professional coaching clinics and skills competitions are held during the Championships. The clinic will be facilitated each day, from Friday, 19th to Sunday 21st November 2021 at Ikoyi Club 1938 Golf Club Driving Range. Participants in the clinic include school children as well as advanced golf players that want to learn and/or improve their golf game. Participants are also able the exhibit their skills in Beat the Pro – Longest Drive and Beat the Pro – Nearest-To-the-Pin competitions.
Other FirstBank sponsored sporting events include the Georgian Cup of Kaduna Polo Tournament, sponsored for 102 years; the Dala Tennis Hard Court in Kano Club for over 30 years; the Obasanjo Pro-Amateur Golf tournament of Abeokuta Club now in its 5th year. The Bank’s influence in the development of sport in Nigeria is under its First@Sport initiative.
An Army Commander, alongside soldiers deployed to protect Ihiala LGA, during today’s supplementary election to decide who becomes the next governor, stopped Mr Victor Umeh, chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, from entering Ihiala LG Headquarters.
The army commander whose name could not be ascertained was leading heavily armed detachment of soldiers to secure the area.
The Anambra governorship election was declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Sunday.
A supplementary election is being held in Ihiala LGA beginning from 10am.
Umeh is APGA’s state agent for the governorship election. He arrived at the local government headquarters around 10:30 am in the company of other party members, but was turned back by the army commander.
“You are not supposed to be here,” the military officer screamed at Umeh who said he was at the LG HQ “to ensure things go well”.
“You are a state agent, not LGA agent,” the senior military officer responded to Umeh.
The Anambra election is expected to be concluded on Tuesday.
Chukwuma Soludo, APGA candidate, is leading the pack with 103,946 votes while Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, trails behind with 51,322 votes.
Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the Anambra State Governorship election 2021, on Tuesday declared that the race is “over”.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that following the declaration of the Anambra State Governorship election as inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), there is tension in Ihiala Local Government Area (LGA) as the electoral umpire holds supplementary poll in the area today.
Per the results declared by INEC on Sunday in 20 local government areas, APGA’s candidate, Prof Soludo, is leading in 18 with a total of 103,946 votes, followed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) Valentine Ozigbo with 51,322 and the All Progressives Congress (APC’s) Andy Uba with 42,942.
The election held on Saturday, and was declared inconclusive by INEC the following day.
The supplementary election in Ihiala is holding today, November 9, 2021, and Soludo insists nothing can stop his triumph.
“Let’s do a simple math. Ihiala has 148,000 registered voters but only 42,000 voters picked up their PVC. So INEC statistics shows that you won’t get more than 42,000 votes in Ihiala. It is game over,” a post on Soludo’s known Facebook page reads on Tuesday morning.
Popular Nigerian rapper, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, professionally known as Mohbad, has been arrested in Cyprus.
The rapper disclosed this after he was stuck at the Cyprus Airport Prison.
He accused the promoter of a show of messing him up.
Mohbad in a post on his Instagram account wrote, “I’ve been stuck at the Cyprus Airport Prison at the Early hours of today November 6, 2021.”
He further stated, “The show promoter fucked me up.”
The talented rapper who performed at some shows in the United Kingdom, arrived in Cyprus for a show before announcing he was arrested in the country.
Mohbad is signed under Naira Marley’s record label and caught the attention of music lovers with his hit single ‘Feel Good.’
In another development, Nigerian singer, Damini Ogulu, with the stage name Burna boy has gifted his fan a personal item.
The singer gave his LV belt to a young boy who sang his song “pree me” word for word during a live performance.
To show his appreciation for such outstanding dedication to his song Burna Boy gave the fan his belt.
THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has announced that the supplementary election for Ihiala Local Government will commence today at 10am and end at 4 p.m.
According to a statement signed on Monday by Barrister Festus Okoye, National Commissioner & Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, the decision was taken following a careful review of the prevailing situation in Anambra state and is in consonance with the stakeholders including security agencies.
“The Commission urges political parties, voters, election duty officials, election observers, the media and the general public to note this slight modification. We also appeal to citizens to conduct themselves in an orderly manner to ensure that the election is brought to a peaceful conclusion,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP), in the Anambra governorship election, Mr Valentine Ozigbo, has said today’s supplementary election will be in his favour.
He said with last minute consultation with relevant stakeholders across party line in Ihiala Local Government Area, victory is sure for him, PDP and the people of Anambra. INEC had announced the election result of 20 out of 21 local government areas in the state, with the candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) leading, followed by Ozigbo.
Ozigbo, while addressing the press, on Monday, in Awka, advised co-contestants to shun sentimental politics, stressing that such practices will hinder the state from development.
“My happiness is that the election is not yet over, and I believe that with the ongoing consultation with Ihiala people, based on my long time relationship with them, I will be declare the winner, by God’s grace.
“We have the statistics, and know the areas where INEC could not conduct election on Saturday, and we call on them to ensure they do so.
“With over 248,000 votes at stake in Ihiala and other places where election did not take place, the party still has hope of producing the next governor,” Ozigbo said.
He appealed to the people of Ihiala and other areas to come out en mass to vote for PDP as a better alternative in the state governance.
Palpable fear has enveloped some government officials and politicians that were reportedly fingered in the mismanagement of funds meant for development projects in the Niger Delta.
THE WHISTLER investigations revealed that tension has been building up since September when the Presidency received a report from the forensic audit committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC).
Investigations by THE WHISTLER revealed that highly placed present and former members of staff of the NDDC have been making frantic efforts to scuttle the probe, amid calls by concerned groups on the Presidency to make the report public.
Top politicians, some of whom are influential members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), opposition members of the People’s Democratic Party, civil servants, community leaders and corporate organisations linked to the contract scam at the Commission are sweating over their fate due to the weighty allegations.
Findings by this website revealed that those culpable have been trying to lobby Presidency officials in a manner that will ensure that the forensic audit report does not see the light of the day so as to save their political career and avoid prosecution.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who is personally supervising the implementation of the Presidential directive, is however unperturbed as he tries to mask those behind the looting of NDDC.
It was gathered that Malami has been discretely trying to ensure all efforts are geared towards unmasking those highly-placed officials that are involved in the mismanagement of the NDDC.
Key findings of the forensic audit report had revealed amongst others that “between 2001 and 2019, the Federal Government approved the sum of N3,375,735,776,749.93k as Budgetary Allocation and N2,420,948,191 as income from Statutory and Non-Statutory Sources, which brings the total to approximately Six Trillion Naira to the commission.”
The report stated, “There has been colossal loss of resources in the form particularly, uncompleted and unverified developmental projects,” adding that “out of a total of 13,777 Projects (spread across the Nine States of the Niger-Delta Region) only 6,830 Projects have been completed.”
The audit report also revealed that “contrary to the TSA Policy of the Federal Government, the NDDC maintained 362 Bank Accounts with lack of proper reconciliation of the accounts,” while also pointing out “absolute violation of Due Process on Award of Contracts and Variations leading to massive Waste of Public Funds.”
According to a Presidential directive to the Attorney General which was sighted by THE WHISTLER, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) would be required to carry out “personnel audit and review of management and governance structure of the NDDC in-line with all applicable Laws and International Best Practices.”
According to the Presidential document, “The ICPC should also be required to review the processes, operational guidelines and financial manual (vis-a-vis provisions of the Public Procurement Act and other relevant Act) for the implementation of proposed financial management reforms to ensure effective compliance.”
The document, according to findings would also require the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) “to take all necessary steps, permitted by Law to recover all payments made for projects executed for private use; and to contractors who have abandoned the projects, not achieved reasonable milestone or milestones commensurate to payments already received.”
The document further revealed that “The EFCC would equally be required to reconcile and recover outstanding 3% contribution from oil companies (estimated to be in the region of $4bn), and to recover all NDDC converted Projects from individuals and put to the use/purpose(s) originally intended.
“EFCC would be required to review and reconcile all the 362 Bank Accounts maintained by the NDDC and ensure proper harmonization in accordance with the Federal Government’s TSA Policy.”
THE WHISTLER understands that the Presidency has further empowered the anti-corruption commission to “investigate and profile all contractors and individuals involved in issues relating to over-payment and to recover funds received from the Commission as may be necessary.”
The Presidential directive also requires the Code of Conduct Bureau/Tribunal “to investigate and, as may be necessary, prosecute any staff of the commission at the Code of Conduct Tribunal; including all active and retired persons who have been howsoever involved in cases of contract splitting, overpayment of contracts, and general incidences of conflict of interest in violation with the code of conduct for public officers.”
Further investigations also revealed that the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) have also been mandated “to ensure the enforcement of the extant provisions of Presidential Executive Order #06 on the Preservation of Suspicious Assets connected with corruption and other relevant offences.”
With his directive, the Nigeria Immigration Service is on alert to track and block the travel documents of suspected culprits trying to flee the country.
Similarly, the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) would be required to “cooperate with any Agency of Government involved in the investigation of any transaction connected with the NDDC Report and Lift the Veil of Incorporation on any company identified to have violated any of the relevant Laws,” according to the presidential document sighted by THE WHISTLER.
The Presidential document also directed the AGF to take steps to review and ensure the amendment of the NDDC Act to correct anomalies clogging efficiency and bring it up to modern realities, and (coordinate the activities of all Agencies of the Federal Government involved in the Presidential directives.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Silva and the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mele Kyari are to also ensure full compliance by Oil Companies with the NDDC Act in terms of Fund contributions
Meanwhile, some stakeholders are demanding the immediate release of the forensic audit report and unmasking those behind the plundering of the NDDC resources.
An advocacy group, the South-East, South-South Professionals of Nigeria (SESSPN), in a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, requested that the report should not be swept away.
The group President, Hannibal Uwaifo and the Publicity Secretary, Collins Steve Ugwu said, “We expected that the submitted report will quickly trigger a sequence of actions to preserve such a special development vehicle like the NDDC, from ever being so criminally abducted by rogue elements, for such aggravated rape and plunder visited on it.”
They demanded that the report should be attended to swiftly, to punish the culprits and to placate people of the Niger Delta who have suffered the consequences of the contract scam.
With the current story making the round about seasoned businesswoman Princess Toyin Kolade, Iyalaje Oodua, the head honcho of Fisolak Global Resource over an alleged fraud case relating to her client, the business woman has distanced herself from the said case, claiming she has been exonerated in the past but the Police Special Fraud Unit, SFU over the years.
The report claimed that she and her company is currently enmeshed in some fraudulent act but to set the records straight, she averred that; she was contacted by the said foreign national to clear some goods for them which she did and got paid for the services her company rendered.
The said Indian nationals who supposedly got loans from the bank at no point involved Princess Toyin in their dealings and whatever transpired between the Indian nationals and the bank is not in anyway her concern. As we speak, the Indians forfeited their properties and other valuables which the bank sold to recover their debt they have also left the country.
The philanthropist also disclosed that; “I am never a fraudulent nor dubious person and those who know me well can attest to the fact. I have been audited and exonerated by the Police Special Fraud Unit whom after thorough investigation found out that the issue had nothing to do with me. They wrote to me and my company in person and pleaded. The case ended more than 5 years ago. It was recently revisited and they are still attaching me and my company to the legal process which should originally not be so. I am just clearing agent who only worked for the accused and got paid. I keep records and I have the documents still intact till date for records purpose. So the unnecessary clamor for my detractors to exploit this avenue to make disparaging comments and unfound assertions about me is uncalled for. The said story is being syndicated by an individual with questionable character who feels intimidated by my numerous achievements ever since I was conferred with the title as Iyalaje Oodua by the Ooni Of Ife.”
“The more they throw their punches it won’t still get to me. I know the person behind it and I pray they heal very fast and come to bear in mind that who God has blessed no man can curse. I am a moving train and I am not intimidated nor perturbed by the lingering rumors. They are all lies from the pit of hell. I am not a fraudster. I work hard for my money. I have instructed my lawyer to take a legal action against those responsible for the inclusion of my name in this issue when the court finally exonerate me.”
Thorough findings further confirmed that the mischievous report flying about town was just concocted based on the unavoidable absence of her lawyer, Barr. Olapade Awowole, who couldn’t make it to the court on Thursday, 4th of November.
However, the legal counsel, Awowole had reiterated his determination to attend the court proceeding tomorrow, 9th of November to get his client’s name off the mess.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has given a close view into the crimes committed by Ex-Pensions boss, Abdulrasheed Maina.
The anti-graft commission, in a statement made available to POLITICS NIGERIA on Monday evening, disclosed that huge sums of Money were discovered in accounts linked to Maina coupled with several choice properties scattered all over Abuja and Dubai.
Below is a list of these assets believed to have been acquired with stolen funds;
Cash deposits of N300million, N500million and N1.5billion in Two Nigerian Banks accounts
Property in Abuja paid for with $1.4 million Cash
50 cars in Dubai
Plush Villa in Dubai
$2 million property in Jabi, Abuja
Colster Logistics, belonging to Maina received inflow of $400,000 in Cash
Kangolo Dynamic, another company belonging to Maina with over N500 million found in its account. The company has never carried out any service or contract.
Several Choice Properties in America and the United Arab Emirates
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced ex-pension boss, Abdulrasheed Maina, to eight years imprisonment having convicted him of stealing monies belonging to pensioners.
Justice Okong Abang sentenced Maina on all the 12-count charge instituted against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission but noted that the jail terms would run concurrently.
“The fact of this case portrays the national decadence of the society we live in. It is unpleasant, immoral and dirty.
“Over 2.1 billion naira of pensioners funds was stolen; it is a clear case that the convict is inhumane. Some have suffered and died while waiting for their rewards on earth.
“Whereas the convict was feeding fat on their sweat, buying choice properties, driving bullet proof cars and living in affluence beyond his legitimate earnings.
“Dishonesty is an endemic disease in this country that requires urgent treatment to get at its roots,” he said.
The judge also observed that the financial institutions that Maina used to commit the fraud ought to have been arraigned in court as well.
“This is case where Fidelity Bank and UBA should have been arraigned. The license of Fidelity Bank and UBA ought to have been withdrawn, they have benefitted from the defendants illegal transaction.
“UBA and Fidelity Banks provided the channel in which the defendant defrauded pensioners fund worth 2.1 billion just to shore up deposits.
“It is inhumane that the defendant used family members as a shield to defraud pensioners, some who have died,” he said.
Justice Abang held that the failure of the respective banks to probe the validity of the accounts left much to be desired.
“The bank failed to carry due diligence to carry out investigation on the real owner of the account,” he said.
He observed that without conducting requisite customer due diligence, the banks aided Maina to contravene the Money Laundering Act.
“I find the first defendant guilty in Count 1, 5, 8 and accordingly convicted.
He also convicted Maina on Count 2, 6, 9 which stated that he opened about 5 anonymous accounts with UBA and Fidelity Banks, thereby violating the money laundering Act.
The judge said that about N171,099,000 was paid in cash to a UBA account and the source of the funds was unknown.
“It is my view that the it is the pensioners funds that the defendant stole,” he said.
The term of imprisonment for the counts is not less than 2 years or not more than 3 years.
On Count 3, 7, 10, Maina was accused of taking about N1.5 billion from the accounts when he knew that they formed part of the proceeds of unlawful acts.
“Defendant is guilty and according convicted in count 3,7,10,” he said adding that jail term ranges from 7 to 14 years.
“It is clear that the first defendant is the buyer and the payment was made above the statutory threshold of 5 million naira and this has not been challenged by the first defendant counsel,” the judge held.
“In conclusion and the evidence left, it is my firm view that the prosecution has proved their case beyond reasonable doubt.
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