Courts Grants Fayose’s Associate Abiodun Agbele N50m bail, Slams N5m Damages Against EFCC

 An FCT High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja has ordered the release of Governor Ayo Fayose’s ally, Abiodun Agbele from Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) custody, PUNCH reports

Justice Olukayode Adeniyi delivering his ruling, said that the “wrongful and illegal detention” of the suspect without a competent court order and without being charged to court is a “gross violation” of his human right.

He therefore awarded N5m as damages against the EFCC.

Agbele was arrested on June 27 in connection with the alleged N1.2bn Ekiti governorship campaign scandal.

The EFCC on June 30, obtained a remand order from a Magistrate Court in Ogba to hold Agbele for 14 days.

Agbele’s counsel, Mike Ozekhome said that the EFCC renewed his detention after the given grace period of 14 days lapsed.

Adeniyi said that since the EFCC transferred Agbele to the FCT, the remand order no longer stands.

He admitted Agbele to N50m bail with one surety who must be at least a director in either the federal civil service or the FCT Administration or any of their agencies of the Federal Government or the FCTA. Adeniyi said that alternatively, the surety could be a responsible Nigerian with verifiable residential address in Abuja, and with title documents of property in Abuja.

He ordered that should the anti-graft commission fail to prefer charges against the suspect within 21 days, all his personal belongings seized by the EFCC should be released to him.

Gov Ambode's Wife Bolanle Donates Items To Pregnant Women.

Wife of Lagos state governor Mrs Bolanle Ambode reached out to pregnant women in need and is said to have given them things they need....

Meet Nigeria's Tallest Male Model

20 year old "Bakare Olalekan Mubarak is the acclaimed tallest male model in Nigeria who stands at an outstanding 6ft8". He shares same height with the tallest female model in the world. Mubarak is a model, actor and he is the current Mr Kwara 2015 champion. More pictures of him below

...

The 20year old model has bagged numerous awards to his credit and he's still waxing strong in his chosen career. Having acted in numerous movies and walked on various runway, he has decided to put out new pictures of him in a bid to rebrand himself and also to celebrate is recent feat in the modeling industry.

Mr Kwara International as he's fondly called is ready to take on the challenges the future throws at him.

Abuja residents Lament Over Increased Distruption Caused By Herdsmen And Cattle Grazing Along Major Roads

Residents in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory have reported an increase in disruptive encounters by herdsmen and cattle grazing along major roads. One resident who spoke to Sahara Reporters said the illegal grazing activities by herdsmen which has been obstructing vehicular and pedestrian movement, is just one of many problems facing Abuja. Street hawkers, unemployed youth, and street urchins have taken over every nook and cranny of the city. View more pictures below...

Source: Sahara reporters

"The Trrorists Ran After Us But Couldn't Keep Up" - How A Young Girl & Others Escaped From Boko Haram

Ace photographer TY Bello, who recently went on a 6-day visit to Borno State, shared this story of how an internally displaced 15 year old girl she photographed - narrated how she and others escaped from Boko Haram. Titled: Dorcas Musa: The Smile, Ty wrote;


"There's something about the smile of this 15 year old . .. I can never forget her face .. Dorcas is from Baga in Borno state.. Bokoharam abducted her and many others and took them to unknown village ,holding them captive for a week.They managed to escape in the middle of the night .. The terrorists ran after them but couldn't keep up. They went back to Baga and were transported to the camp from there . Dorcas also wants to be a doctor. #tybellophotography #internallydisplacedpersons #borno #portrait #blackbeauty"

Man Narrates How Some Police Officers In Lagos Followed Him To The ATM To Collect N10k Bribe

Television and film producer Benjamin Ogunbodede, has narrated how some police officers in Lagos followed him to the ATM to collect a N10,000 bribe on July 16th. Speaking to Sahara Reporters, Benjamin said he was on his way home last Friday July 15th when he picked up a lady who was going his way. As he approached his destination, he drove into a checkpoint mounted by some mobile police officers. He was puled over and asked to hand over his drivers license which he gave to them.

They also asked for him to open his boot which he did. Seeing that he had nothing incriminating on him, the next question was his connection with the lady in his car. He said she was just someone he offered a lift. The officers then accused him of kidnapping and human trafficking.
"I told them I was just giving her a lift since I was going in the same direction," he said
Not impressed with his explanation, the police officers ordered him to get into his car and drive to the Ajuwon Police Station, while the woman was asked to get into their patrol van. His plea that he should be allowed to call a family member fell on deaf ears as they seized his phone and other belongings. At the station, a police officer searched through his laptop and phone and found nothing incriminating. In their investigation, they found out his car had a different plate number
"I explained that the former owner wanted to have his number plate back since it was registered in his name, so I had to make a change of ownership, got a police report and a new number plate. That also did not impress them" he said
The police officers afterwards accused him of adultery, alleging that the lady whom he gave a lift said she was a sex worker and he was taking her to his place and will be paid N8,000 for her services.

Ogunbodede said he challenged them to bring the lady to him to repeat the allegation in his presence. He told them he is unmarried and could not have committed adultery. The police officers then told him to forget all his explanations and just "settle them" or he will be locked up.
“Guy, leave story and settle us or you will be here longer than you can ever imagine” Ogunbodede quoted them as saying.
They forced him to write a statement. He asked what the settlement they desired was and they responded N50, 000. He slept in their cell and in the morning of Saturday July 16th, he told them he could only pay N10,000. The excited police officers then delegated one of them to follow him to the bank where he withdrew N10, 000 from an ATM at Ajuwon/Akute- Alagbole in Lagos.
"That done, I filled their bail form, and all my properties were released to me. The officers on duty made sure I didn’t get the Divisional Police Officer’s contact details posted on the walls of the station"he said

New GMD Of NNPC, Maikanti Baru Pays A Visit To President Buhari

President Buhari on Monday received the New Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Maikanti Baru, in the State House, Abuja.

Idris Is A Big Liar, I Didn't Steal Police Vehicles - Ex-IGP Arase

A former Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase on Monday in Abuja described as lies the allegation by his successor,Ibrahim Idris that he took away 24 police vehicles. According to him, Idris should cross check his handover notes which contains every information needed by his successor on vehicles bought by the police.

The ex-IGP in a statement issued from London, United Kingdom, United Kingdom, where he went for his son's graduation. also denied getting any letter from Idris since he has been out of the country.

According to him, all vehicles bought by the police under him were distributed to the state commands and other appropriate units of the Nigeria Police Force. The statement reads:
"I suspect there must be a disconnect somewhere because every information needed by my successor are provided in my hand-over notes. I'm also not aware that any letter was written to me because if there was any dropped in my house, someone would have alerted me. "It's unfortunate that this matter is being made a media issue because my successor has my telephone number and could have called me for any clarification or even sent me a text message rather than addressing the media on an issue well documented in my hand-over notes."
Idris had claimed that Arase went away with 24 police vehicles while the seven Deputy Inspectors-General of Police, who retired alongside him, also carted away between seven and eight cars each.

Idris said that he had written Arase to return the cars, which included two official bullet-proof BMW 7 series cars, adding that the retired police chief and his DIGs had yet to return the vehicles.

He had explained that a special investigation team was already looking at the records of police vehicle purchases in the last three years as well as how they were distributed. Idris had said, "If you look through the windows of my former office and from the report from my (Force) transport officer, you would see cars but a week to the day I would resume, all these cars disappeared.

Mercy Aigbe And Follower Exchange Words On Instagram

Nollywood actress mercy Aigbe posted her wares on instagram, some followers commented on the post which turned out to exchange of words..... read their comments below....

Court Grants Ex Imo State Gov, Ikedi Ohakim, Permission To Travel

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted former Imo state governor of Imo, Ikedi Ohakim, permission to travel abroad for medical treatment. Ohakim, who is standing trial on corruption and money laundering charges, applied for permission from the court to travel abroad to seek medical attention.

The presiding judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba granted the permission following an application made by Ohakim’s counsel, Gordy Uche (SAN).

Ohakim is expected to return his passport to the registrar of the court not later than 48 hours upon his return next month.

EFCC Seizes N1.350b Properties From Fayose

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has seized six choice properties allegedly acquired by Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State with stolen public funds.


The duplexes, estimated at N1.350billion include four in Lagos and two in Abuja.
They were allegedly acquired for him by his associate, Abiodun Agbele and sister. Mrs. Moji Ladeji.

A furious Mrs. Ladeji has approached the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti laying claim to one of the Abuja duplexes.

EFCC, according to impeccable sources, believe that the properties were bought with public funds including the N1.219billion slush fund from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) handed over to Fayose by former Minister of Defence, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro, and bribe money from contractors.


Part of the funds came from the N4.745billion which was paid into Obanikoro’s company, Sylva Mcnamara by ONSA for the 2014 Ekiti governorship poll.

Operatives of the anti-graft commission have located and marked the duplexes as follows: 44, Osun Crescent and 32, Yedseram Street in Maitama, Abuja; and houses 3, 4, 6, and 9 in Plot 100, Tiamiyu Savage Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
EFCC sources said the funds were wired to pay for the duplexes.


While the duplex on Osun Crescent was allegedly bought for N200million from Skye Bank Plc, the one located in Yedseram Street in Abuja was purchased for N270million from a businessman, Rabi Kundili.

All the houses in Lagos were paid for by Abiodun Agbele, the detained associate of the governor who is currently under investigation.
Agbele allegedly paid over N880 million for the Lagos properties.
Sources said the duplexes were “acquired within 180 days in office by Fayose.”
“We have discovered that he paid for the houses through his associate’s company, De-Privateer Limited of Agbele.

“De-Privateer remitted slush funds into three accounts including FCMB (0519693019), First Bank of Nigeria (1000070240) and Zenith Bank (1014016919).
“The payments were made as follows:

First Bank—N40m (29/1/15);
N39.5m (30/1/15);
N132.5 (30/1/ 15);
N3.2m (4/2/15);
N980, 000(4/2/15);
N200m (17/2/15);
N47m (13/2/15);
N50m (13/2/15).

“The lodgements in an account in Zenith Bank (1014016919) included
N42.5m (9/4/15);
 N25m (23/4/15);
 N229m (6/3/15).
“About N200million was paid into FCMB account 0519693019 on March 9, 2015.”

He said the anti-graft agency seized the properties by invoking sections 28 and 34 of the EFCC (Establishment Act) 2004 and Section 13(1) of the Federal High Court Act, 2004 which empowers the anti-graft agency to invoke Interim Assets Forfeiture Clause.
“Section 28 of the EFCC Act reads: ‘Where a person is arrested for an offence under this Act, the Commission shall immediately trace and attach all the assets and properties of the person acquired as a result of such economic or financial crime and shall thereafter cause to be obtained an interim attachment order from the Court.’
Section 13 of the Federal High Court Act reads in part: “The Court may grant an injunction or appoint a receiver by an interlocutory order in all cases in which it appears to the Court to be just or convenient so to do.
(2) “Any such order may be made either unconditionally or on such terms and conditions as the Court thinks just.”

The source added: “One of the suspects in custody, Agbele, has been linked to the purchase of most of all these properties. In fact, funds for the purchase of these mansions were laundered through the account of Agbele’s company called De-Privateer.

“Since the houses are under investigation, we have decided to invoke the assets forfeiture clause in our Act.”
Responding to a question, the source said: “The EFCC has secured a fresh court order to keep Agbele in custody because the on-going investigation has not been concluded.

“So, the governor’s associate is still in detention because we have invited more people linked with the money laundering for the governor.”
The source confirmed that Fayose’s sister, Mrs. Moji Ladeji has filed an affidavit in court claiming that she is the real owner of the property on Osun Crescent, Maitama District, Abuja.
“We will meet her in court with all the evidence at our disposal,” the source added.

The EFCC had secured a court order from Justice M. B. Idris of the Federal High Court, Lagos to freeze the accounts of Fayose, a development which the governor is already challenging in court.

In an affidavit by an Investigating Officer, Tosin Owobo, the commission said: “That the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in the exercise of his statutory mandate contained in Section 34 of the EFCC Act having satisfied himself that the various sums of money in the account No. 1003126654, 9013074033, 1010170969 and 1013835888 domiciled with the 2nd Respondent were made through the commission of the an economic and financial crimes to wit: stealing and receiving gratification approached the Federal High Court Lagos Judicial Division, for an order directing the Manager of the 2nd Respondent to freeze the said accounts.
“That in his wisdom, Hon. Justice M.B Idris granted the 1st Respondent’s application wherein an order of interim attachment was made on the aforementioned accounts. Attached and marked exhibit EFCC 09 is a certified true copy of the said order.
“That the said order was a preservative order to prevent further dissipation of proceeds of crimes.”


The EFCC also had succeeded in establishing money laundering link between Fayose and Agbele.
Investigation revealed as follows; “The N1, 219, 490,000 was not deposited in any account but it was kept in a vault in the bank. It took the bank officials about 10 days to count. The bankers refused to make entry until it was counted.
“Shortly after confirming the figure, Abiodun was used to coordinate the disbursement of the funds. On June 26, 2014, the wanted associate (Abiodun Agbele) paid N137million into Ayodele Fayose’s account 10003126654 with Zenith Bank through Teller-0556814. Fayose’s BVN on the teller is 22338867502. On August 22, 2014, he paid N50million into the same account. By the records from the bank, Abiodun paid another N118, 760,000 into Fayose’s account on 27/8/14.


“Based on the transfers, Fayose moved N300million to a Fixed Deposit Account No 9013074033 with Zenith Bank at 15, Olusola Abiona Street, Olorunda Estate, Alapere Ketu. He has the same BVN-22338867502.
“After that, Abiodun deposited another N100million from the N1, 219, 490,000 into Spotless Hotel Account run by Fayose and his wife, Helen Olayemi Fayose with Account No. 1010170969, Fayose’s BVN is 223338867502 and his wife’s BVN in the account is 22298990256.
“The governor and his wife are the two directors and signatories of Spotless Hotel account.”

In the course of the investigation, the EFCC team dug up how De Privateer Limited (a company owned by Abiodun Agbele) with Account No. 1013835889 received the sum of N219, 490,000 on June 18, 2014.
“On June 19, 2014, the same account received N300million and another N200million on June 23, 2014. The BVN of the account is 22235692890.”


The Nation

Minister Of Youth And Sports, Solomon Dalung Holds Talks With Niger Delta Militant, The Avengers

Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, took to his twitter handle to state that he held talks with members of the militant group, Niger Delta Avengers. No other detail was given.

Touching Images Of A Policeman Coming To The Aid Of A Soldier In Turkey Goes Viral

These images show the moments a Turkish policeman came to the aid of a pro-coup soldier. Just before these pictures were taken, the soldier was stamped on, punched and pelted with rocks by an angry crowd. Then, amid the violence, the policeman above saw what was going on, boarded an armoured vehicle and hugged the soldier (pictured without a weapon or helmet) and urged the angry crowd to calm down. The anonymous policeman, wearing a gas mask and carrying a rifle, then helped the man up.
Death toll caused by the attempted coup has risen to 250 according to a Turkish local newspaper and a Turkish official.

EFCC Questions Obanikoro’s Daughter Over N800m Bank Transaction

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Friday drilled Shalewa Obanikoro, the daughter of a former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, over a transaction of N800m she allegedly made.

Investigators said that Shalewa was drilled at the Lagos office of the EFCC for several hours alongside her mother, Moroophat.

An impeccable source at the anti-graft agency said as part of investigations into the N4.7bn allegedly paid into the company account of Obanikoro’s sons – Babajide and Gbolahan – by the Office of the National Security Adviser, the commission started investigating some other members of the family.

The detective said, “Obanikoro’s wife came to our office on Friday morning as part of investigations into the N4.7bn paid into Sylvan McNamara, a company owned by her sons. During the investigation, we stumbled on the account of an oil company. We then discovered that Obanikoro’s daughter was a signatory to the account of the oil company and that millions of naira was paid into the account at different times.

“We then invited the daughter, and she came to meet us at the office. During investigations, we found out that the daughter gave a standing order to the bank that N800m should be moved into another account. We wondered why such a young girl would have access to such funds, so we started quizzing her.
“This is a whole new dimension to the case, and we will continue to investigate to find out if it is related to the arms probe or not.”

Obanikoro and his sons, who are citizens of the United States, have remained in the US for over a year.

However, the EFCC swiftly seized the US passport of Shalewa to prevent her from towing the path of her father and brothers.

The investigator said, “We were told that she was planning on travelling to the US soon, so we swiftly seized her passport because she is vital to our investigation. However, we told her to be coming from home.”

Apart from the N4.7bn arms scam rocking the Obanikoro family, it will be recalled that MOB Integrated Services Ltd, a company headed by Obanikoro’s second son, Gbolahan, was implicated by the Aigboje Imokhuede-led Presidential Committee on Verification and Reconciliation in 2012.

The company was said to have made three transactions valued at N5, 393, 592,906.62. However, investigations revealed that the company only made one transaction valued at N3, 261,263,992.52 verified as legitimate.
The difference of over N2bn was said to have been embezzled as MOB did not make the needed oil supply.

However, sources at the commission said that after Obanikoro was appointed the Minister of State for Defence, the case was mysteriously suspended indefinitely.

The latest revelation may be the missing piece of the puzzle, detectives believe.
However, the former minister said in a statement that his wife had high blood pressure and other heart-related ailments and asked security agents not to drag her into the arms probe as she knew nothing about the case.


Obanikoro also denied media reports that his wife was arrested with incriminating evidence.

Sahara reporters.



*One thing just came to mind..since this anti corruption crusade started,no one mentioned has ever agreed that they embezzled any monies and the song now is to cry that all attempts is politically motivated...SO WHO TOOK ALL THE MISSING MONIES if everyone is innocent?

Obanikoro should come home and clear his name since his entire family has been dragged into this..I feel so sorry for his wife who knows nothing to be dragged into this mess....See how his family has been separated for a year because he is yet to go and challenge the EFCC....

He should come home and fight the EFCC if he is Innocent.

FFK's Wife, Precious Celebrates His Return Back Home

After over 2 Months in Detention, Femi Fani-Kayode was finally released yesterday. His wife took to Social Media to celebrate his return. She shared a photo of them together at home and captioned it,
"Guess who is home. God is faithful and gracious. A huge thank you to everyone that prayed for and with me during these trying times. Only God can pay back your every kindness... #grateful #happywoman"