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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday quizzed Abubakar Ahmad Sirika over an alleged N8.06 billion contract fraud in the Federal Ministry of Aviation.

Abubakar is the brother of immediate-past Minister Hadi Sirika, believed to have awarded the contracts to his sibling.

Abubakar’s arrest on Sunday was part of the ongoing probe of alleged fraudulent practices in the Ministry of Aviation during the tenure of the ex-minister.

EFCC is probing allegations of conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds, contract inflation, criminal breach of trust and money laundering.

Of the contract sum, about N3, 212,258,930.18 has been traced to Engirios Nigeria Limited, owned by Abubakar, who is a Level-16 officer, a deputy director, in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.

It was learnt that four big contracts were awarded to Abubakar’s Engirios Nigeria Limited when his brother was in charge of the ministry.

According to EFCC investigators, Abubakar Sirika is listed as the company’s Managing Director (MD)/Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Besides, it was found out that he is the sole signatory to the two accounts linked to the firm with two banks.

The four contracts the ex-minister awarded to his brother are:

• Construction of the Terminal Building in Katsina Airport (N1,345,586,500.00);
• Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre in Katsina Airport (N3, 811,497,685.00);
• Procurement and installation of elevators, air conditioners and power generator house in Aviation House, Abuja (N615,195,275.000);
• Procurement of Magnus Aircraft and simulator for Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria (N2, 296,897, 404.00).

A top official of the anti-graft agency said: “In connection with the ongoing probe of the Ministry of Aviation during Hadi Sirika’s tenure, EFCC’s crack team was able to uncover four contracts, worth about N8,069,176,864.00, which were not executed.

“The sum was for four aviation contracts from the former minister to Engirios Nigeria Limited, owned by his sibling.

“While profiling the contracts, there was a payment of N3,212,258,930.18 out of the total contract sum to Engirios Nigeria Limited, which is owned by the younger brother of the ex-Minister of Aviation.

“Apart from being listed as the company’s MD/CEO, Abubakar is the sole signatory to the company’s two accounts.

“Investigators further discovered that upon the receipt of the payment, Abubakar allegedly transferred it to different companies and individuals.

“There is no trace of work done on any of the contract items to date.

“These developments led to the arrest and detention of Abubakar on Sunday by the EFCC.

“He was grilled for several hours yesterday. He is providing the commission with additional useful information on the financial activities of the Aviation Ministry under the supervision of his elder brother.”

It was learnt that the contract awards and the timelines were between August 2022 and May 2023.

A document obtained by The Nation reads in part: “It is suspected that the ex-Minister, Hadi Sirika awarded the contracts to his brother Abubakar, knowing that he is a senior civil servant, working since 2000.

“The first of the controversial contracts awarded to Engirios Nigeria Limited was on August 18, 2022, for the construction of the Terminal Building in Katsina Airport.

“The second was awarded on November 3, 2022, for the establishment of the Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre in Katsina Airport.

“The third contract was on February 3, 2023, for the procurement and installation of elevators, air conditioners and power generator’s house in Aviation House, Abuja.

Lagos witnessed severe traffic congestion on Monday as motorists flocked to filling stations, forming long queues outside the forecourts amidst growing concerns of an imminent scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol.

Leading reporters gathered that there was significant traffic gridlock along the Ikorodu Road axis, where motorists endured long queues at filling stations, waiting to purchase petrol.

The Total Filling station at Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way also experienced heavy queues, leading to congestion around the Ikeja axis.

Numerous filling stations along the Ikeja axis, particularly along Obafemi Awolowo Road, were observed to be closed.

The situation prompted some motorists to hike their fares, reflecting the challenges faced by commercial transport operators.

A driver plying the Unilag-Jibowu axis in Yaba confirmed the fare increase, telling Punch, “Do you know how long it took me to buy fuel today? Anybody who doesn’t want to enter should stay out.”

Additionally, all the filling stations along Ogunnusi Road inbound Berger reportedly did not dispense petrol to customers.

The cause of the sudden resurgence of fuel queues in Lagos remains unclear. However, reports suggest that the queues were prominent in major filling stations known for selling at lower rates.

Filling stations owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway were also reported not to be dispensing fuel.

National Vice Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Hammed Fashola, acknowledged the queues in some filling stations in Lagos. However, he suggested that the queues might be a result of panic-buying among customers.

“I am not in Lagos as we speak. But I heard about it too that there are queues in Lagos. It may just be panic buying. I am not sure there is fuel scarcity. People are just panicking. However, I will find out what the problem is,” he said.

The wife of the slain Olukoro of Koro Ekiti in Kwara State, General Segun Aremu-Cole (retd), and two others who were kidnapped have reportedly regained their freedom.

They were said to have been released late on Monday.

“The news just received from home confirms that Olori and the girl have been released and have returned to Koro about 30 minutes ago,” the Asiwaju of Koro, Chief Samuel Ayobola told National Pilot

The monarch was killed by the kidnappers as he prepared to have his dinner on February 1, 2024.

The gunmen were said to have stormed the palace at about 9 pm and after killing the monarch, they took his wife and two others in the palace with them.

Initially, the abductors demanded a N100 million ransom, which was reduced to N40 million.

Details later…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested the General Overseer of Faith On The Rock Ministry International,  Theophilus Ebonyi, over allegations of defrauding church members and other Nigerians.

EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, who made this known in a statement on Monday in Abuja, said the pastor was arrested for allegedly using fake grants from the Ford Foundation to the tune of N1,319,040,274.31.

The statement read, “Ebonyi was arrested for defrauding his victims, comprising non-governmental organisations and individuals by advertising an intervention project through his NGO, Theobarth Global Foundation, claiming that the Ford Foundation was offering a grant of $20 billion to assist the less-privileged in the society.

“He allegedly beguiled his victims to subscribe as beneficiaries of the phoney grant by asking them to pay for registration forms and clusters.

“Through this arrangement, Ebonyi allegedly raked in N1,391,040, 274.31.

“His subscribers are innocent and unsuspecting Nigerians and NGOs across the country.”

Oyewale said investigations by the EFCC showed that the Ford Foundation had no arrangement, grant, relationship, or business with the general overseer.

“The Foundation pointedly disclaimed him and his NGO, stressing that it had no link whatsoever with them.

“The commission has also traced five properties he acquired as proceeds of his criminal dealings.

“Ebonyi is still reportedly reaching his subscribers on some social media platforms to market his spurious grant from Ford Foundation.

“He would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” he said.

Yet-to-be-ascertained number of travelers from Umuahia, Abia States, in two luxury buses have been kidnapped in Inyele Eteke in the Olalamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State.

Our correspondent gathered that the incident happened on Friday, February 3, 2024.

A social media influencer, Chude Nnamdi, who broke the news on his X handle, said that the two buses belong to GIG and ABC Transports.

Chude said that his wife was in one of the hijacked buses but could not ascertain the number of persons in the two buses.

The Kogi State Police Command, while confirming the incident, also could not ascertain the number of people in the buses.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP William Aya, said  the area commander who led his team to the area saw the two buses but did not see the occupants and, therefore, could not ascertain the number of people on the two buses.

“Yes, the incident happened, but the DPO, local vigilantes, and hunters have been in the bush in an effort to rescue the victims” Aya said in a statement issued on Monday in Lokoja.

The PPRO added, “The CP has deployed additional Tactical Squad consisting of Quick Response Unit, Police Mobile Force, Counter-Terrorism Unit, as well as conventional police personnel to the area to continue with the bush combing and to ensure all victims are rescued unhurt.”

“The report reaching me this morning is that a GIG and ABC transport buses heading to Abuja were hijacked by kidnappers yesterday in Kogi State.

“The GIG bus left Umuahia at 7:30am and was hijacked at Kogi State. GIG company said they have contacted security services and they are tracking them. The kidnappers phoned this morning via my wife’s phone and were demanding N15 million,” Chude said.

Veteran actor, and folk singer, Jimi Solanke, is dead.

The legendary poet and playwright died on Monday at the age of 81.

He was said to have died while being rushed from his country home at Ipara Remo in Remo North Local Government Area of Ogun State to Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilisan when he succumbed to the cold hand of death.

Chief Solanke was said to have been in and out of hospital from December until he died on Monday morning.

Jimi Solanke celebrated at 80 with week-long events

 I ran away from home to fulfil my dream of becoming a thespian –Jimi Solanke

Hon Dickson Awolaja representing Remo North State Constituency at the state Assembly confirmed the exit of the highly gifted artiste to our Correspondent.

Hon Awolaja said “I got wind of the demise of Pa Jimi Solanke not long ago. His death is no doubt another big loss to us in Remo North and Ogun State as a whole given his worthy contributions to the development of our dear nation. May his soul rest in peace”.

He is known for Kongi’s Harvest, Sango, Shadow Parties, and many more. He is also referred to as Uncle Jimi.

(NAFDAC) has banned alcoholic beverages produced in sachets less than 200ml.

The agency said the five-year window given to the manufacturers of the products to stop producing the drinks in sachets and pet bottles which began in 2028 elapsed on January 31, 2024.

She said enforcement of the ban commenced on February 1, 2024.

The director-general of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, while addressing the media over the development in Abuja on Monday, February 5, said the ban was not a sudden development but a result of a multilateral Committee that agreed that the ban would be in phases whereby production would be reduced by 50 percent by 2020 while outright ban would be on January 31, 2024.

Given that decision, the DG said NAFDAC did not issue renewal licenses exceeding January 2024 to any manufacturer of the products.

According to her, the agency took the route of wiping out the drinks in such sachets because of the negative effects on underage children.

She said because the drinks come in pocket-friendly sizes, accessible and affordable, children easily fell for the packages only to face the consequences in the future.

She said: “This decision was based on the recommendation of a high-powered committee of the Federal Ministry of Health and NAFDAC on one hand, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and the Industry represented by the Association of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE), Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN), in December 2018.

“As a commitment to the decision reached at the end of this Committee meeting, producers of alcohol in sachets and small volume agreed to reduce the production by 5 percent with effect from 31st January 2022 while ensuring the product is completely phased out in the country by 31st January 2024”.

According to her, the future of the country supersedes other considerations in the enforcement of the policy.

Noting that saving Nigerian children and protecting the health of the larger society is paramount, Adeyeye said: “The people who are mostly at risk of the negative effect of consumption of the banned pack sizes of alcoholic beverages are the under-aged and commercial vehicle drivers and riders.

She said in the course of enforcing the ban it was discovered that some manufacturers were still in production of the banned products and still had stacks of both finished products and packaging materials of the products in their possession.

She noted: “This situation is of course not acceptable, and the Agency views this as flagrant disobedience to the laws of Nigeria. NAFDAC views this matter seriously and will engage all statutory means, which may include prosecution, to deal with the matter”.

She warned that there is no going back on the decision, saying, “I want to use this medium to ask all holders of alcohol in sachets, PET and Glass bottles, empty sachets, PET bottles, empty Glass bottles, and other packaging materials of these banned products to immediately report to the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of NAFDAC for hand-over of same to NAFDAC for destruction, to prevent sterner measures including prosecution.

“NAFDAC is resolutely committed to the strict implementation of the regulations and regulatory measures towards safeguarding the health of Nigerians, particularly the vulnerable youth, against the dangers of reckless consumption of alcohol.”

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has come under scrutiny for allocating N1.95 billion in the 2024 appropriation bill to purchase new Toyota Prado SUVs for the 24 state House of Assembly members.

The budget of N521.5 billion, signed into law, allocates N414.3 billion (79%) for capital expenditure and N107.2 billion (21%) for recurrent expenditure.

According to Sahara Reporters, the specific allocation of N1,950,000,000 for the “Procurement of Toyota Prado jeep for newly elected House members” has drawn criticism, especially considering the state’s economic challenges.

However, critics have described Mbah’s action to buy cars for lawmakers as a “misplacement of priority” for a state said to be cash-strapped.

They claimed residents of the state like other Nigerians are going through a spike in cost of living and hunger.

Nigeria’s First Lady, Olufemi Tinubu, is currently having a crucial meeting with the wives of state governors in Abuja.

During the meeting she laid out the agenda for intervention in agriculture, health, education and women empowerment in 2024.

More to follow…