Ex-Gov gave me $5,000 to relocate away from EFCC searchlight- Witness gives confession
Ex-Gov gave me $5,000 to relocate away from EFCC searchlight- Witness gives confession
A Prosecution Witness, Mr Ismail Lawal, on Tuesday told a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court that former governor of Taraba, Darius Ishaku gave him 5,000 dollars to relocate to Lagos.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Sept. 30, 2024, arraigned Ishaku and former permanent secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state, Bello Yero for fraud.
Both are being prosecuted on a 15-count charge, bordering on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy and conversion of public funds to the tune of N27 billion.
Testifying, Lawal alleged that Ishaku gave him the money to relocate when he learned that the EFCC was investigating him.
Lawal informed the court that he worked as a system analyst in 2011 with Excelarc Partners, owned by the former governor.
He added that he was later called in 2012 to work as a personal assistant to Ishaku when he (former governor) was appointed Minister of State for Power.
The witness said that when Ishaku became governor of Taraba in 2015, he invited him to work with him as personal assistant.
“I was in charge of the former governor’s mails. I ran errands for him as well as collect money from the accounts section of the Government House in Jalingo and followed the governor’s instructions on what to do with the money,” he said.
He was in his evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs SAN .
Lawal added that he was paid a monthly salary of N130,000 in cash by the former governor.
“I was informed that the EFCC needed me for questioning on June 12, 2021.
“I was ready to show up but I was later told by the former governor not to appear in the EFCC office. He said I should stay away.
“I was in Lagos for close to two years. I moved from one hotel to another. I don’t know how the EFCC officials traced my whereabouts to my hotel in Magodo, Lagos,” he said.
The witness said that upon his arrest, he was transferred to Abuja from Lagos.
”I was shown a CCTV footage of how I collected money from the UBA branch at Jabi in Abuja and also shown my bank statement in Zenith Bank current and savings accounts,” he said.
In spite of objection by the defence counsel P.H.Ogbole ,SAN for Ishaku and Adeila Adedipe SAN, for Yero, the prosecution counsel, Jacobs tendered the statements of account of the witness, which were admitted by the court as exhibits.
He told the court that each time money was paid into his account, he gets a call afrom either Permanent Secretary, Government House, Jalingo, Mr Chindo Audu or the Director of Finance, Mr Galenya Lydia.
“They always tell me that they sent money meant for His Excellency and that I should withdraw and give it to him (Ishaku).”
Justice Sylvania Oriji adjourned the case until Jan. 28 for continuation of hearing.(NAN)
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President Tinubu returns to Nigeria after Abu Dhabi outing
President Tinubu returns to Nigeria after Abu Dhabi outing
President Bola Tinubu has returned to Nigeria after participating in the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW 2026).
Presidential spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja.
The president attended the summit alongside some members of his cabinet.
On the sidelines of the summit, Nigeria signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The agreement is aimed at deepening economic cooperation, boosting bilateral trade and investment, and enhancing technology transfer.
It will also expand collaboration in key sectors, including energy, infrastructure, agriculture, mining and renewable energy.
In his address at the summit, Tinubu announced that Nigeria and the UAE would jointly host INVESTOPIA in Lagos in February.
The initiative is designed to attract global investors and accelerate sustainable investment inflows into Nigeria.
Tinubu also said Nigeria targets mobilising up to $30 billion annually in climate and green industrial finance.
He said the funds would support energy transition reforms and expand nationwide access to electricity. (NAN)
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APC clears air on receiving letter of defection from another State Governor
APC clears air on receiving letter of defection from another State Governor
The Zamfara chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied receiving a letter from Gov. Dauda Lawal seeking to defect to the party.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there were speculations across the state over Lawal’s move to defect to APC.
A statement issued in Gusau on Saturday by the state APC Publicity Secretary, Malam Yusuf Idris, described the speculations as fabricated.
“The party came across a fabricated report purported to have emanated from one Tambarin Gusau claiming that Go Dauda Lawal has sent a letter to the party wanting to join the APC.
“The report is malicious, unfortunate, unfounded, mischievous and showed the unprofessional manner which some people can go in misleading others and causing chaos in a stable and a peaceful party like the APC.
“The APC has responsible channels where everything is done in a guided manner,” Idris said.
According to him, the party has not received any letter from Lawal as claimed through the imagination of the writer nor was the party aware of any recent moves by the governor to defect from the PDP to the APC.
“All members of the party and indeed the public especially in Zamfara should therefore disregard such report.,” Idris added.(NAN)
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282 Passengers safe as plane makes emergency landing in Lagos
282 Passengers safe as plane makes emergency landing in Lagos
A Qatar Airways passenger plane on Friday made an emergency landing at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos after developing a technical fault mid-flight.
The aircraft, which had 248 passengers and 12 crew members on board, was forced to land abruptly after the malfunction was detected while it was operating within Nigerian airspace.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed the incident in a statement released by its Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu.
According to him, the agency was alerted to the situation through its 767 and 112 toll-free emergency lines, prompting an immediate response from emergency officials.
He explained that upon receiving the distress call, the LASEMA Response Team (LRT) was swiftly deployed to the airport to assess the situation and provide necessary support.
“Upon arrival at the scene, the LASEMA Response Team confirmed that the aircraft was in distress,” the statement noted.
“The pilot executed a safe landing on the runway at Murtala Mohammed International Airport with LASEMA Response Team and other emergency responders standing by on extreme high alert on the runway.
“Collaborative efforts of the multi-agency responders were coordinated. After proper check by the pilot and the engineering crew, the aircraft was moved to the apron for detailed inspection and prompt repairs.”
“All passengers of the distressed airplane were evacuated safely; no injuries reported, no loss of lives,” the statement said.
Despite the technical issue and the emergency landing, the agency stated that there was the aircraft experienced no major damage.
“The aircraft has been secured on the apron. Recovery activities have been completed,” the statement added.
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