Category Nigeria News

Ola Olukoyede, the executive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has given a fraud victim named Daniel Babatunde Attiogbe three properties, two exotic cars, and the sum of N1.1 million that the Ibadan Zonal Directorate’s Advance Fee Fraud Section has recovered as proceeds of crime from a fake spiritualist and advance fee fraudster, Fatai Olalere Alli.

The three properties are a five-bedroom duplex with a three-bedroom bungalow located in Kasumu village in Odo-ona, Elewe, Ibadan, a two-bedroom bungalow, a two-bedroom apartment building on plot 182, block D, Lapiti layout, Akanran road, Amuko, Ibadan, and a three-bedroom bungalow located at Idi Ayunre village, Oluyole local government area, Ibadan, according to a release

A Toyota Corolla Saloon with Chassis No. 2HKY18414H621545 and LND 696 CK are the other vehicles. 2T1BU40E49C142502.

In a brief reception held in the Directorate’s Conference Hall, the Ibadan Acting Zonal Director and Assistant Commander of EFCC, ACE 1 Hauwa Garba Ringim, made the presentation on behalf of the Executive Chairman.

Rear Admiral Abbas’s Navy will invest more technology and drones to combat maritime crime.

Olukoyede said the recoveries are released to the victim as the court had requested while handing over the property and paperwork to Attiogbe, &nbsp.

As a federal agency, we are aware of the importance of obeying court orders, which is what we are doing right now. This demonstrates that the EFCC’s activities fall under the purview of the law. This also serves to reassure Nigerians about the Commission’s commitment to accountability and transparency.

“I want to assure you that the EFCC will continue to fight economic and financial crimes head on and make no mistake about it,” he said. “I want to assure you that any dishonest person who besmirches the country through their actions will be punished.”

Attiogbe thanked the EFCC for its unwavering support and diligence in the fight against economic and financial crimes as well as the professionalism and integrity that officers of the Commission displayed in carrying out their official duties after receiving the “Letter of Release” and the property documents.

Sincerely, I want to thank the EFCC for its unwavering support of the fight against corruption, particularly the Ibadan Zonal Office. He said, “But the EFCC revived my hope after I submitted my petition, and we are now at a position where I almost gave up.”

Following Justice Uche Agomoh’s final forfeiture order from the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, the recoveries were handed over to the victim. In a fraud case that began in 2019, Alli was found guilty of conspiring with his syndicate and dishonesting the victim of his legitimate income of more than N200 million under the pretext of performing spiritual cleansing to prevent and erase visions of the victim’s untimely death. The verdict was delivered on November 13, 2024.

Alli initially faced a thirty-three-count charge at the start of the case, but the trial eventually changed to a one-count charge.

Rear Admiral I. Abbas, the commander of the Naval Staff, has pledged to use cutting-edge technology in naval operations.

Also read: Gen Shaibu’s ruling over the Nigerian Army’s service chiefs:

Abbas made the statement while responding to questions from the Senate on Wednesday during his hearing on how drone surveillance and other technologies can help reduce maritime crimes.

“We will use drones, along with more technology, to combat maritime crime.

“Boats are currently wasting a lot of resources fueling remote areas,” the statement goes. He said, “Technology will enable us to respond more quickly and effectively.”

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North, questioned the necessity of creating a coast guard.

However, the new naval chief argued that creating a new agency would result in duplicate work.

The Nigerian Navy already serves those duties, so we don’t need a separate coast guard.

“Effective efforts would be duplicated by creating another agency. He claimed that it is preferable to use those funds to boost naval operations.

Abbas described the persistent issue of oil theft as a challenge largely confined to remote, accessible areas.

“The theft may seem minor at first, but it grows significant as it gets accumulated.

The senior military officer continued, “We’re exploring drone technology to monitor and remediate these leaks.”

He also spoke out against the deradicalization of repentant criminals, agreeing with the Chief of Army Staff regarding the potential benefits but recognizing the emotional strain it places on victims’ families.

The Chief of Naval Staff-designate made a conclusion to his remarks by emphasising the need for greater coordination between the armed forces and other security organizations.

Abbas was one of the new service chiefs Bola Tinubu appointed last week.

Major General Waidi Shaibu, the commander of the Army’s (COAS), has pledged to fight the terrorist organization that is wreaking havoc in some parts of northern Japan.

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At his screening by the Senate on Wednesday, Shaibu, who was just appointed by President Bola Tinubu, made the statement.

He cited his military career and fieldwork, highlighting his significant role as a commanding officer in Borno State’s counterinsurgency operations.

He told the lawmakers, “We defeated Boko Haram insurgents in 2015, and a sizable number of terrorists gave up during my rule.”

He continued, “We used technology to improve operations, and for the past five years, I have actively participated in missions that have resulted in the destruction of many terrorist elements.”

“Security Not Cheap”

He added that the Nigerian Army would give priority to the welfare of its soldiers and enhance career advancement over the long term.

“The Army will approach Lakurawa, a new bandit organization with all seriousness.” A whole-of-society perspective is required.

Although security is not inexpensive, he said, “We will ensure effective management of available resources.”

Senators asked Shaibu to take a bow and depart (temporarily) as the screening of the film continued.

One of the new service chiefs that President Bola Tinubu has appointed is Shaibu.

Rear Admiral I. Abbas has been appointed as the new Chief of Naval Staff, while Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede has been appointed as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), and Air Vice Marshall S. K. Aneke has taken over as the Chief of Air Staff.

The Ondo State Government has refuted the claim that state council chairpersons receive $5 million to run the city’s affairs.

Idowu Ajanaku, the commissioner for information, made the statement on Wednesday’s episode of Channels Television’s The Morning Brief in response to an allegation that some councils do not receive their statutory funding.

READ MORE:  Ondo Gov. Allays Fear Over Security Alert By DSS

He claimed that there is no proof that the state government hacked into the council’s finances.

If councils didn’t run joint accounts with state governments, he added that the funding gap between local governments could be fixed.

Ajanaku claimed that “the Ondo State Government has never received a single penny from the state government,” according to Ajanaku.

Joint Account Problem

If councils didn’t run joint accounts with state governments, he explained, the gap in funding between local governments could be fixed.

The commissioner says that despite the Supreme Court’s ruling, there are still many constitutional issues that need to be resolved, including the issue of a joint account between local governments and the state, which has not yet been repealed due to delayed implementation of the Supreme Court decision.

Open to the public

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) are both interested in a probe of the LG accounts, according to the commissioner.

The government of Ondo State has no authority to change a penny in the Ondo State’s local governments’ accounts. I’m not sure where they learned that the Ondo State government is providing $4 million or $5 million in information.

Let them present proof, if they have it. And if any of these local government chairmen have filed that complaint, they should submit proof that they are doing so, he continued.

LG Autonomy

There are 18 local government areas in South-West Ohio.

In states, funding for councils has become a recurring issue because it is regarded as having the most cleavage of all forms of government.

Following a lawsuit brought by the Federal Government through the Federation’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General, the Supreme Court granted autonomy to all the nation’s 774 local government areas in July 2024.

However, according to a former gusher of Lagos State, it is unrealistic to expect the local governments of Nigeria to operate independently under the current Constitution.

Local councils are unable to carry out their responsibilities because of the interference of state legislatures and state governments, according to Fashola, who spoke on Channels Television’s&nbsp, Sunrise on July 19, 2025.

The state houses of assembly making laws for local governments is a form of external influence, according to the former minister of power, works, and housing, that is incompatible with autonomy.

“I believe that the issue that needs to be resolved is whether or not we actually want autonomous local governments. It’s necessary to have a debate about this. It is unattainable to anticipate autonomy for local governments established by the Constitution today.

After reading through some of the Constitution’s provisions very carefully, I’m of the opinion that they were not intended to be autonomous. Some of those provisions, he said, include provisions that state legislatures make for local governments in their economic activities and all of that, he said.

Siminalayi Fubara, the governor of Rivers State, has pledged to work with his federal constituency’s major focus groups to unlock the state’s coast region’s vast blue economy and tourism potentials, with Andoni, a local government area, at the top of his list of priorities.

Governor Fubara made this statement on Tuesday during a visit to the 1352-kilometer Ngo-Atlantic Beach-Oyorokoto Road, a brand-new access route connecting the Andoni Local Government Headquarters to a beach that faces the Atlantic Ocean.

The project, according to the Governor, is a deliberate attempt to diversify the state’s economy through tourism and marine-based opportunities.

Read more about Rivers LG’s Commission’s efforts to eliminate ghost workers through biometric verification.

“We are conducting yet another inspection today. Governor Fubara referred to this as a virgin road, which is 13.52 kilometers of a brand-new path to the blue economy.

“We were planning to construct a road to Oyorokoto Beach, one of the area’s top tourist attractions. However, as we advanced, we discovered a second beach with a direct ocean view. It became clear that development shouldn’t be restricted to a single website. As part of our wider strategy to grow the blue economy, we want to use this new beach front.

He claimed that the road, which cuts through challenging coastal terrain, will promote both tourism, hospitality, and other coastal businesses along the coast. It is said that it will also encourage marine and fishing activities in Oyorokoto, which is regarded as West Africa’s largest fishing settlement.

“You can tell for yourself that it’s a brand-new road in very challenging terrain, similar to the Trans-Kalabari Road that we saw yesterday. But I firmly believe that it will be overcome. According to what we’ve seen so far, MCC, the contractor, is doing their best, and by the end of the year, or at least by March, we will have the cause to commission this project and give God the glory, the Governor stated.

Despite the difficulties with the terrain, Governor Fubara praised the contractor, MCC, for its high standard of work and expressed hope that the road would be finished by March of next year.

In his Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the Governor also inspected the 5.2-kilometer Kalaibiama–Epellema Road.

Former deputy governor Omobayo Godwins has received a one-week ultimatum from the Edo State government to return all of his personal property and possessions.

The governor’s press secretary, Fred Itua, signed a statement on Tuesday that contained the order.

The state government issued a warning that Omobayo would face arrest and restitution of all of his property if he didn’t follow the deadline.

Also [VIDEO] Shaibu and Omobayo Clash Over Edo’s Representation At Former Deputy Governors’ Forum

Further, the statement reads, “The government has observed with dismay that Mr. Despite numerous formal reminders, Omobayo has not yet been turned over to the appropriate authorities during his brief and illegitimate tenure.

The Edo State government repeatedly states that the state must be legally redeemed after serving in office for all assets acquired or used for public service. Any person who continues to hold onto such property does so in violation of the law and is in violation of the law to possess state assets.

Mr. Omobayo is hereby required to comply fully by returning all government property to the Office of the Secretary within seven (7) days of the date of this release.

The Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, will be required to arrest him and ensure the immediate recovery of all State assets in his possession using legal means if the government fails to comply within the specified time.

The Edo State government is committed to upholding the laws of the land and to protecting public property.

No person is permitted to unlawfully acquire or keep property belonging to the people of Edo State, regardless of their previous political affiliation or position.

Under Senator Monday Okpebholo’s leadership, the administration will continue to uphold the principles of accountability, integrity, and transparency in the public service, ensuring that all public officers are held to the highest standards of accountability and probity.