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Gov. Yahaya Bello and the N60 Billion Cash Withdrawal Scandal

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By Matthew Eloyi

There is a popular axiom that “If this country does not kill corruption, corruption will kill it.” The axiom
gained wider currency as a result of the level of impunity with which public officials fritter funds running
into billions, without any serious consequence and the resultant retrogression, it foisted on the nation’s
development.

Recently, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) alleged that a serving Governor in
Nigeria withdrew N60 billion from his state’s purse, saying this was done within his six years in office.
Though the EFCC did not directly disclose the identity of the governor, it hinted that he is domiciled in
the North Central of the country.
However, developing stories on the issue have it that EFCC sources anonymously disclosed that the
the agency could authoritatively confirm that the Governor accused of withdrawing N60 billion cash from his state’s purse is Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.
If this is true of Gov. Bello who is perceived as having a presidential ambition, then Nigeria still has a long way to go as far as corruption is concerned.
It would be recalled that the EFCC in mid-November also confirmed that the Central Bank of Nigeria
(CBN) acknowledged the receipt of the sum of N19,333,333,333 recovered by the commission from the
Kogi State Salary Bail-out account.
Before the confirmation by the EFCC, it was previously reported that the controversial N20billion –
meant for workers’ salaries in the state – was stashed away in a commercial bank account by the state
government led by Governor Yahaya Bello.

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The Kogi State Government, however, denied ownership of the money allegedly returned to the CBN by
the EFCC and threatened to take legal action, if the EFCC did not within 48 hours, retract the statement
that the fund it allegedly returned to the CBN, belonged to the state.

According to an anti-corruption watchdog, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP),
the trend of corruption and the failure by Anti-graft Agencies to effectively check the menace has
hampered the ability of the government to meet the needs of citizens.
To negate the above notion by SERAP, the EFCC is hereby urged to officially reveal the identity of the
said the governor and ensure that he is prosecuted according to the provision of the constitution of the
country, and that the money is recovered for the development of the state.

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Crime

Police Foil Cult Initiation in Anambra, Arrest Six Suspects

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The Anambra State Police Command has foiled a cult initiation ceremony in Nawfia, Njikoka Local Government Area of the state.

Spokesperson for the Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Awka.

According to Ikenga, the operation was carried out by police operatives around 9:30am on June 15, leading to the arrest of six suspects at the scene.

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Recovered during the raid were one Jojef pump action gun, two cartridges, and a golden-coloured Lexus SUV with registration number ATN 202 AE. Other items found include two cutlasses, two scissors, a cap bearing the inscription of the Supreme Vikings Confraternity, charms, and substances suspected to be hard drugs.

“They are currently undergoing police interrogation to get more insight into their modus operandi, after which the case will be charged to court on the conclusion of the investigations,” Ikenga stated.

The police spokesperson reassured residents of the command’s unwavering commitment to fighting cultism and other related crimes across the state.

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Crime

Court remands 2 over alleged attempted murder

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Court discharges man accused of burning father’s house in Abuja

An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, on Wednesday, remanded two persons, Olaitan Fasasi and Kehinde Tobiloba in a correctional facility over alleged attempted murder.

Fasasi, 40, and Tobiloba, 26, whose addresses were not provided, are being charged with conspiracy, attempted murder and membership of a secret society.

The Magistrate, Mr L.A Owolabi, did not take the plea of the defendants for want of jurisdiction.

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Owolabi directed the police to forward the case file to the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.

He thereafter adjourned the case until May 31 for mention.

The Prosecutor, Josephine Ikhayere, told the court that the defendants committed the offences at about 5.02p.m on Feb. 15, at Mushin, Lagos.

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She said that Fasasi, Tobiloba and others now at large, attempted to commit murder by shooting at a resident, Alfred Ademola.

“They armed themselves with a locally made gun. They belong to Eiye Confraternity, a group proscribed by law,”, she said.

Ikhayere said that the offences contravened Sections 230(1) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2012.

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He said that the actions of the defendants also contravened Section 2(3)(a)(b)(c)(d) of the unlawful societies and Cultism Law of Lagos State Law.

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Crime

Man jailed 3 months for stealing mobile phone

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An Area Court in Jos, on Tuesday, sentenced one Jeptha John, to three months imprisonment for stealing a Redmi mobile phone valued at N165, 000.

The judge, Shawomi Bokkos, sentenced the John after he pleaded guilty to the offence.

The judge, however, gave the convict an option to pay N20, 000 fine and N50, 000 restitution to the complainant.

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Bokkos said that if the convict defaulted in paying the restitution, three months should be added to his sentence to make it six months imprisonment.

Earlier, the police prosecutor, Insp Monday Dabit, told the court that the case was reported at the B Division Police Station, Jos, on Dec.  1, 2024, by Ms Nerat Danjuma.

He said that the complainant alleged that the defendant trespassed into her house and stole her mobile phone valued at N165, 000.

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The prosecutor further told the court that the offence contravened the Plateau State Penal Code, Law of Northern Nigeria.

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