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Breaking: Emiefele associate and former MD of MINT plunges into mental illness:

by Leading Reporters October 7, 2024

written by Leading Reporters

The former Managing Director of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting MINT and an associate of the embattled erstwhile Central Bank Governor Abbas Umar Masanawa is currently undergoing treatment for mental illness, a close family member has told on LeadingReporters. The source said his mental illness may have followed his failed political ambition and series of money, property and investment seized by President Bola Tinubu-led government.

The source said that Mr. Masanawa was thoroughly de-cashed by the DSS and other anti-corruption agencies over official embezzlements that characterized his leadership when he held sway in MINT.

Mr. Masanawa is one of the associates of Godwin Emiefele who he picked along from Zenith Bank when he was appointed the Central Bank Governor. Godwin Emiefele promoted him to the position of the Managing Director of MINT.

Mr. Masanawa resigned to contest Governorship Election in his home state, Katsina. His political outing hit a bend as he lost the guber ticket to the former MD of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria SMEDAN Umar Dikko Radda.

As soon as he failed in his political attempt, Emiefele offered him a job in the Central Bank of Nigeria as his aide after which he was moved to NIRSAL, another affiliate of CBN to head the agency.

The source told LeadingReporters that Masanawa was among those indicted for official corruption that characterized Godwin Emiefele-led CBN and its affiliates. This led to his detention in the facilities of the DSS. His interrogation led to the uncovering of large sums of money he had hidden away in different locations.

“He was de-cashed. All the money he stole and hid was dug up and seized by the government. He lost property and investments worth billions of Naira. His investments in different banks were also seized and recovered by the government. These could have led to the current mental illness he is suffering. He was in a fast lane before he hit a bend. A lesson for many public office holders to learn from”. The source said.

October 7, 2024 0 comments

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Group calls on President Tinubu to probe Aisha Dahir-Umar for diversion of PENCOM funds using her relatives – Umar Farouk and Umar Rayyan

by Leading Reporters July 16, 2024

written by Leading Reporters

A Non-governmental organisation, ProJustice and Development Observers Initiative has reiterated its readiness to engage with the anti-corruption agencies and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that the immediate past Director General of National Pension Commission Aisha Dahir-Umar faces the full weight of the law for diverting hundreds of millions of PENCOM money using her relatives.

The group said it has privileged information that Aisha was using her GTBank Account No 0022939309 to receive monies from PENCOM account under phony guises such as “Holiday allowance”, “Payment for cars” “Motor Vehicle Grant”, “Foreign Flight Tickets Allowances”, and others which in turn were diverted to her relatives’ account, namely Umar Farouk and Umar Rayaan.

Speaking exclusively with Lead Investigation Editor, LeadingReporters, the group said that President Ahmed Tinubu-led government would not be fair to Nigerian pensioners if his government turns deaf ear to countless atrocities that occurred under the watch of Ms Dahir-Umar in PENCOM. It further said that Ms Aisha continued to allocate resources to herself from PENCOM account and that the peak of that anomaly was from 2015 to 2023.

“For instance, Ms. Aisha unilaterally awarded herself vehicle grants, four times within months totaling over N100,000,000. This is even though the DG has official vehicles allocated to her.

“Again, every national holiday, Ms. Aisha pays herself millions of money as her Holiday allowance. She uses her personal account to receive monies for her international flights, against the norm where tickets for official travels are arranged by the office.

“The implication is that Aisha despite being provided tickets for her offshore travels (official and personal) went ahead to collect monies for the same reason.

“The worrisome pattern is that no sooner these illegal funds are mopped up than they were moved from the former DG’s account to her relatives, namely Umar and Rayyan Farouk Account. These relatives accounts have been constantly stuffed with hundreds of millions from Ms Aisha.

Giving what the group described as a brief analysis of the perennial rot and untamed fund diversion committed by the immediate past PENCOM DG, the organisation expresses its readiness to do the needful by engaging with the anti-corruption agencies and other allied agencies to ensure that such official corruption does not go unpunished to serve as a deterrent to those who come to high government offices as a way of self-enrichment.

Few examples include the following, according to the group include:

“On the 5^th of May, 2017, the former DG received the sum of N18,440,052.14, described as “Motor Vehicle Grant”

“On the 24^th May, 2017, she received the sum of N8,397,066.97 described as payment for “Shortfall of paid holiday allowance” and another payment of N18,713,052.13 was made into the same account which was described as “Sundry Allowances” on the 29^th September, 2017

“She also received on the 25^th January, 2017, the sum of N6,750,000 described as “Second Car Grant. The same date she received the sum of N9,000,000 described as “First Car Grant”. She received the total sum of N15,750,000 in one day as “First and Second Car Grant”

“The former DG received the following sums N11,432,510, on the 30^th March, 2017 described as “allowance adjustment”, another N15,972,343.26 on the 12^th December, 2017 described as “Paid Holiday Allowance”; and yet another N17,102,077.73 was received into her account on 23^rd October, 2017 described also as “Arears of Annual Allowances”. The following day being 24^th October, 2017, she received another total of N12,015,758.65

In the same vein, On the 11^th June, 2017, she collected the sums of N22,057,478.62 and N28,603,112.78 respectively described as “Shortfall on Motor Vehicle Grant” While on the 1^st of January, 2019, she received the sum of N18,434,890 as Holiday Allowance the same day she received N13,377,000 and N5,893,142 as furniture allowance and air ticket to Washington DC for a meeting respectively.

These are few examples of the financial atrocities that occurred in PENCOM while Ms. Umar-Farouk reigned as DG.

July 16, 2024 0 comments

Heartless Billionaires: How Dangote Rice, Floormill Nig., Bua Rice, Golden Agri Inputs, Wacot, others pocketed N5.7b meant for IDPs in North-East Leading Reporters

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Heartless Billionaires: How Dangote Rice, Bua Rice, Golden Agri Inputs Ltd, Wacot Ltd, others pocketed N5.7b meant for IDPs in North-East

by Leading Reporters February 21, 2024

written by Leading Reporters

The least may not have been heard about how “Aso Rock” used the erstwhile Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emiefele to soothe the untamed financial appetite of Dangote, Bua, and those linked to the powers that be within the corridors of power.

This follows a new revelation on how the then Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, through former Minister of Finance Kemi Adeosun ordered the erstwhile Governor of the Central Bank, Godwin Emiefele to release the sum of N5,865,671,389.29 to Dangote, Floormill Nigeria, Bua Group, Golden Agri Input, and Wacot Limited under the guise of providing food to the internally displaced persons IDPs within the North-East Region.

According to a letter from the then Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun addressed to Godwin Emiefele dated 2^nd June,2017, with Ref. No. HMF/FMF/CBN/FOOD/1/2017, directing him to release the said fund to the following beneficiaries: (1) Dangote Rice Ltd, Zenith Bank Account No 1014006586. Amount: N936,196,800 (2) Golden Agri Inputs Limited, GTbank Account No. 0198931211. Amount: N1,384,554,236.26. (3) Bua Rice Ltd, Sterling Bank Account No 0062487976. Amount N1,322,273,520. WACCOT Limited on the other hand received the sum of N453,674,296 and N939,946,081 into her First Bank Account No 2006409434 and Zenith Bank Account No 1010592718 respectively.

Recall that Godwin Emiefele has been under investigation for his reckless mismanagement of national funds when he held sway as the Governor of Nigeria’s Central Bank.

His tenure as the CBN governor was characterised by the diversion of funds through cronies, especially the political associates of former President Muhammadu Buhari and others on the good books of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Many believe that the reckless mismanagement of the economy and finances led to the current economic depression that Nigerians are facing.

To ensure that some of these diverted funds are returned to the national treasury, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu hired a private investigator, Jim Obazee to dig up the whereabouts of funds looted from the national treasury.

February 21, 2024 0 comments

MD of Printing and Minting Squanders Over N200m on Bullet Proof Car Leading Reporters

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Aisha Buhari’s Brother and MD of Printing and Minting Squanders Over N200m on Bullet Proof Car

by Leading Reporters October 23, 2023

written by Leading Reporters

While the fortune of the Nigeria Security, Printing and Minting company popularly called MINT continues to dwindle, the Managing Director of the company, Mr. Halilu Ahmed has acquired for himself a bullet proof car worth over N200m, according to an insider information uncovered by LeadingReporters.

Mr. Halilu who is the elder brother of Nigeria’s former first lady, Aisha Buhari was said to have secretly acquired the car under the disguise of using same for MINT operations.

According to a discreet source, Mr. Halilu Ahmed instructed the Executive Director Finance and the Procurement Director to offset the payment of the bullet proof car under the guise that it would be used for official operations.

It was further learnt by this news platform that the vehicle was acquired and taken to his home state in order to keep it from the knowledge of the staff and other officers.

Meanwhile a pro good governance group, The League of Patriots has called on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to make good his promise to clean the perennial corruption that characterized the Central Bank of Nigeria under Mr. Godwin Emiefele and his proxies in MINT and NIRSAL.

Speaking after a zoom consultative meeting consisting of Zonal Leaders of the League in America, Europe and Nigeria, the group said that President Tinubu should take a step further at ensuring that Emiefele stooges in MINT and NIRSAL are not only booted out of office, but are made to give account of their stewardship to Nigerian people.

Aisha Buhari’s Brother and MD of Printing and Minting Squanders N200m on Bullet Proof Car

While the fortune of the Nigeria Security, Printing and Minting company popularly called MINT continues to dwindle, the Managing Director of the company, Mr. Halilu Ahmed has acquired for himself a bullet proof car worth N200m, according to an insider information uncovered by LeadingReporters.

Mr. Halilu who is the elder brother of Nigeria’s former first lady, Aisha Buhari was said to have secretly acquired the car under the disguise of using same for MINT operations.

According to a discreet source, Mr. Halilu Ahmed instructed the Executive Director Finance and the Procurement Director to offset the payment of the bullet proof car under the guise that it would be used for official operations.

It was further learnt by this news platform that the vehicle was acquired and taken to his home state in order to keep it from the knowledge of the staff and other officers.

October 23, 2023 0 comments

Exclusives

Mele Kyari to be sent packing November ending: Sack letter Already with SGF: Presidency Source

by Leading Reporters October 23, 2023

written by Leading Reporters

According to a very discreet source, the Group Chief Executive Officer GCEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kolo Kyari may be shown the way out of the company he has long called the shot by the end of November.

The source said Kyari’s sack letter has already been prepared and is currently with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF Senator (Dr) Goerge Akume who will present it to him come end of November.

The source further hinted that a specific anti-corruption agency has received briefings by the President on some activities of Kyari who would be expected to give account of this stewardship.

Kyari is believed to have been involved in activities that costs Nigeria fortune, especially in his days as the Group Managing Director GMD of NNPC under President Buhari.

The GCEO is, according to the source, lobbying among top associates of the President for either an honourable exit or for retention. A move the President is currently resisting, insisting that the likes of Mele Kyari should not be allowed to walk away untouched.

The source said that President Tinubu is not buying into the appeal by his associates to let Mele Kyari go without accounting for his stewardship.

President Tinubu is said to have a rattling intel on Krayi which he is not ready to let go. He may likely deploy the Department of State Security Services DSS against Kyari before handing him over the Economic and Financial Crime Commission for possible prosecution.

October 23, 2023 0 comments

Emiefele Escapes Nigeria through Seme Border: Zenith Bank-Cult boys in MINT, NIRSAL, others jittery over a can of worms being unearthed LeadingReporters

Exclusives Headlines Investigation

Breaking: Emiefele Escapes Nigeria through Seme Border: Zenith Bank-Cult boys in MINT, NIRSAL, others jittery over a can of worms being unearthed

by Leading Reporters August 30, 2023

written by Leading Reporters

Goerge Emiefele, the younger brother of the embattled Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emiefele has escaped to London en route to the United States of America, through Cotonou, LeadingReporters can exclusively report. His escape follows his inability to secure a court order interdicting the Department of State Security Services and the Attorney General of the Federation from arresting and prosecuting him.

Goerge who until his escape worked with NEM Insurance PLC, through the help of the Central Bank Governor had unfettered access to the coffers of the Nigeria, Security and Minting Company, popularly called MINT where the sum of N1.5billion was constantly wired to him under the guise of Annual Premium.

Our investigation further revealed that George Emiefele who, until his escape was the DGM marketing in NEM Insurance collected the sum of N80million every month from Tawada Nigeria Limited (an affiliate of CBN responsible for the production of inks and raw materials used in printing currencies and other security documents) as coverage for marine insurance.

To ensure that such transaction was not traced to him, Goerge in connivance with the former Managing Director of Nigeria Security, Printing and Minting Mr Abbas Umar Masanawa (who is currently under investigation by the Department of State Security Services DSS), and the current MINT MD, Halilu Ahmed, fronted another insurance company called Assured Capital Insurance Brokers Limited from where the monies are paid and forwarded to him.

A source who is in the know of the behind-the-scenes deals revealed to LeadingReporters that Goerge ran the deal with his kinsman Joseph Ebete, the general manager of Assured Capital Insurance Brokers Ltd. Goerge as well extended his looting spree to other agencies, companies, and affiliates of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

George Emiefele, according to information unveiled by LeadingReporters leveraged his relationship with Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emiefele milked all the agencies and companies affiliated with the Central Bank of Nigeria such as MINT, Tawada, NIRSAL,

Meanwhile, information available to LeadingReporters has revealed that Godwin Emiefele’s boys, popularly referred to as Emiefele Zenith-Bank-Cult boys in top management positions in MINT, NIRSAL, Tawada are all jittery. A source said that Emiefele boys are doing everything possible in MINT and NIRSAL to cover links and alter records in favour of the embattled Central Bank Governor Godwin Emiefele.

An insider source who is part of the team investigating Godwin Emefiele hinted that a lot happened under the watch of the embattled CBN Governor and that soon, Nigerians would be surprised to know the level of impunity, recklessness and untamed corruption that occurred under Emiefele’s Watch.

August 30, 2023 0 comments

Exposed: How Ribadu’s Report on El-Rufai’s 2017 presidential plans halts El-Rufai’s ministerial chances Leading Reporters

Exclusives Headlines Investigation

El-Rufia ministerial chances ruined as Ribadu leaked his 2027 Presidential Ambition

by Leading Reporters August 9, 2023

written by Leading Reporters

The immediate governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is having a tough time convincing President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and Tinubu’s associates that he was coming to serve rather than to scheme. This follows an intel detailing how El-Rufai is planning to unsettle President Ahmed Bola’s Tinubu government by drumming tribal and religious sentiments that may pit the North against President Tinubu.

The alleged report was said to contain detailed El-Rufai’s secret activities which may negatively affect President Tinubu adversely if allowed to fester. The plan was to de-market Tinubu in the North should he plan to run for a second term. Part of El-Rufai’s plan, according to the source is to unleash tarnishing content against the president using second parties, all in a bid to cause disaffection and thus pave way for El-Rufai’s presidential ambition come 2027.

A discreet source said that Tinubu was flabbergasted at such devious schemes after El-Rufai has severally assured him of his support.

The source said that El-Rufai felt it was easier to spoil from within by serving under President Tinubu. He was said to have desperately desired to be appointed Chief of Staff to the President or Secretary to the Government of the Federation under Tinubu where he would stay and plan the President’s political downfall.

“He believes that being in the inner circle of the President’s kitchen cabinet would give him ample opportunity to understand the plans and directions of Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government, and thus plan counter strategies that would see his personal ambition materializing.

El-Rufai was said to have mobilized some religious hardliners who would in turn begin to stir religious sentiments that would make President Ahmed Tinubu look like a less-serious Muslim.

“He has perennially leaned towards religious sentiments and tribal bigotry as a way of self-marketing his political plans. He understands how to unsettle a system using the sentiments of religion and he has marshalled out his strategy to unleash religious threats that may see Tinubu as a weak Muslim in the eyes of the North. Such plans include sponsoring activities that would see the North branding Southwestern Muslims as weak Muslims. He intends to weaponize that strategy”. The source said.

August 9, 2023 0 comments

Exclusives Headlines

President Tinubu vows to appoint an Abuja indigene as the next Minister of the Federal Capital Territory

by Leading Reporters June 20, 2023

written by Leading Reporters

The days look good for the indigenes of the Federal Capital Territory FCT as President Ahmed Bola Tinubu has vowed to appoint a native the next Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

A discreet source who hinted on this said that President Tinubu countered all pressures on him to appoint one of his ‘loyalist’ into the juicy position of FCT minister.

“Several names of party stalwarts were presented to the President to choose from as the Minister of FCT. His first question was if the names given to him were all indigenes from FCT. When he was told that the names were his friends, close associates and that of his ‘loyalists’, the President was said to have vowed that if he or she is not an indigene of FCT, he or she does not stand a chance to be appointed an FCT minister under his administration”

The President was also quoted to have told his advisors, and associates that it was only natural, fair, and wise to appoint an Indigene as the next Minister of FCT.

He was said to have hinted that even though Abuja is the Federal Capital Territory, he believes in giving honour to whom it is due.

Furthermore, the source said that the President may go beyond party affiliation to appoint an FCT Minister. He was said to be looking for a grassroot mobilizer and a stabilizer who will help him push for the policies he has for the FCT.

One of the names being pushed forward, according to another source is the immediate past Senator of FCT, Senator Philip Aduda. Senator Philip Aduda is seen as the voice of the indigenes and is loved across boards among the indigenes. Senator Aduda lost to the Labour Party Candidate Senator Ireti Kingibe in the last election.

June 20, 2023 0 comments

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Tinubu to go after Mele Kyari for refusal to remit Trillions of Naira despite several letters from RMAFC

by Leading Reporters June 19, 2023

written by Leading Reporters

Mele Kolo Kyari is one public office holder that felt larger than life under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in his official capacity as the former Group Managing Director GMD of the government-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC, now NNPC LTD. Despite receiving seven letters from the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, directing him to remit trillions of unremitted government fund, Kyari refused to render account of his stewardship. He never honored any of the invitations by RMAFC nor replied to any of the agency’s letter to him.

But the tides have changed and this time, they are hauling against Mele Kyari. A reliable source in the Presidential Villa has hinted that Mele Kyari refusal to remit hundreds of millions of Naira into consolidated Account, despite repeated appeal by the leadership of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission to remit the money into Federation Account will land him in troubled waters any moment from now.

The discreet source told LeadingReporters that President Tinubu on enquiry, after being sworn in as President, found out that the leadership of NNPC under Kyari was enmeshed in perennial mess, untamed corruption, outrageous abuse of office, violation of Code of Conduct Acts as well as reckless diversion of Government funds under different guises. It was learnt that the President found out despite several letters of invitation extended to Mele Kyari by the leadership of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission to remit an undisclosed sum running into trillions of Naira, Kyari refused to appear before the commission.

“I can confirm to you that a total of seven letters were written by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission to Mele Kyari to remit government’s money into the consolidated account. An order he did not even violate but refuse to honour. He did not even reply to any of the seven letters written to him. That was the height of impunity under Kyari as the GMD of NNPC”

The source hinted that Emiefele’s case may be a child’s play compared with the rot that have been uncovered in NNPC under Kyari. It was further learnt that the President has vowed to do all he needs to do to ensure that those who bled the treasury will not go unpunished even if it means stepping on powerful toes.

“You know President Tinubu is a die-hard person who will go all out and achieve what he wants to achieve. This is one of such times and moments that the President would not mind getting all the logs that have hindered smooth inflow of revenue off the way. It will entail pushing the logs off the way and bringing to book those who have perennially placed the log on the way. Kyari days of impunity is over”. The source assured.

June 19, 2023 0 comments

Femi Falana to head EFCC Leading Reporters

Exclusives Investigation

Breaking: Femi Falana to head EFCC

by Leading Reporters June 19, 2023

written by Leading Reporters

President Tinubu goes on high pedestal in his anti-corruption fight

Unless anything happens to the contrary, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu has settled for the foremost Nigerian human right lawyer and good governance advocate, Barrister Femi Falana to head one of Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, popularly known as EFCC

A discreet villa source that does not want his name on print hinted exclusively to LeadingReporters that President Tinubu has settled for Femi Falana to head the Economic and Financial Crime Commission. The source revealed that part of the decision is to rejig the anti-corruption agency and restore its original glory just like the days of Nuhu Ribadu.

Meanwhile the appointment of Falana into the foremost anti-corruption agency is expected to send shivers among top government functionaries, politicians and others who have perennially seen Nigeria as a cash cow to milk at will.

“The anti-corruption fight will be total. Steps would be stepped on and trillions previously stolen would be brought back to government coffers. Falana has the will and knows the way. That is why he was the preferred of the President.

The source said that the choice of Falana would rekindle the anti-corruption consciousness in the country and send a positive signal to the international community that Nigeria, under President Tinubu is here for business.

“The idea is to rejig the anti-corruption stand of Nigeria. With someone like Falana, Nigerians are going to sit up to the reality that it is not going to be business as usual. Again, it will be a positive signal to the international community that unlike yesteryears, anti-corruption in Nigeria would not end at media noises, one-sidedness, nepotism, favouritism and godfatherism.

The source as well said that Falana emergence would help President Tinubu recover most of the stolen funds from top government functionaries, especially Buhari associates who squandered the treasury unhindered.

“Falana is known to step on toes. It is going to be a bad time for political fraudsters and public office holders who keep stealing untamed from the government coffers. Falana’s emergence will inhibit corruption and corruption tendencies.

Recall that Senator Ben Murray Bruce recently warned fraudsters and fraudulent public office holders to brace for tough times under President Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

Breaking: Femi Falana to head EFCC: President Tinubu goes on high pedestal in his anti-corruption fight

A discreet villa source that does not want his name on print hinted exclusively to LeadingReporters that President Tinubu has settled for Femi Falana to head the Economic and Financial Crime Commission. The source revealed that part of the decision is to rejig the anti-corruption agency and restore its original glory just like the days of Nuhu Ribadu.

“The idea is to rejig the anti-corruption stand of Nigeria. With someone like Falana, Nigerians are going to sit up to the reality that it is not going to be business as usual. Again, it will be a positive signal to the international community that unlike yesteryears, anti-corruption in Nigeria would not end at media noises, one-sidedness, nepotism, favouritism and godfatherism.

Recall that Senator Ben Murray Bruce recently warned fraudsters and fraudulent public office holders to brace for tough times under President Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

June 19, 2023 0 comments

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President Tinubu goes on high pedestal in his anti-corruption fight

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