CODIFIER

The Shepherd Superintendent of the Household of God Church, Lagos,Rev Chris Okotie,has urged Nigerians to use the occasion of the nation's 64th Independence Anniversary to reinforce their faith in God's sure promises. In a press release circulated in Lagos yesterday by Rev Okotie's media adviser, Ladi Ayodeji, the cleric,who quoted profusely from the Bible in his main text on the story of Abraham,urged Nigerians to be hopeful always for better days as God does not abandon his people. Below is the summary of his goodwill message: "These are perilous times. “Our faith in God must become the Gyrostat which keeps us afloat as we navigate the tempestuous waters of our convoluted reality. Nigeria is a client Nation for God. Nigeria has a prophetic destiny.  “Therefore the sovereign superintendence of Almighty God is assured.  “Nigeria is strong. Nigeria will survive.  So Hope on. Hope ever . Hope on. Hope ever !" Rev Okotie has always said that Nigeria enjoy...

The Save Nigeria Coalition, a renowned anti-corruption group, has criticised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over its handling of the prosecution of former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello.  The group alleged that the EFCC's actions are a "shameful outing" and a "media trial" that suggests a predetermined outcome. Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Dr. Felicia Eneh Daniel, its Country Director, said the EFCC's failure to detain Bello after he voluntarily presented himself for questioning raises questions about the agency's intentions.  The Save Nigeria Coalition also slammed the EFCC for allegedly writing "barefaced lies" and making "irreconcilable blunders" in its attempt to prosecute Bello. Furthermore, the group questions the EFCC's selective prosecution, citing cases against Senator Danjuma Goje, former governors Abdullahi Garden Grove and Samuel Ortom as well as Senator Godswill Akpabio...

The Media Office of the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has accused the EFCC of being desperate to execute a hatchet job for unknown interests bent on tarnishing the image of the former governor for political reasons and other considerations best known to them. The media office, in a statement on Wednesday night, signed by its Director, Ohiare Michael, said this had been made evident by the various operational and procedural blunders committed by the anti-corruption agency since the inception of its alleged money laundering case against him. It described the statements released by the EFCC the same Wednesday, titled, "Yahaya Bello Must Have His Day in Court" as "a face-saving but badly scripted statement." The former governor's team specifically noted that the EFCC had already shown to the world that there was more to its fixation on Kogi State and the ex-Governor Bello than its purported fight against corruption.  Ohiare ...

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday adjourned the alleged money laundering case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, until Oct. 30, 2024. The adjournment by Justice Emeka Nwite came as ex-Gov. Bello moved to the Supreme Court to file an appeal seeking to set aside the arrest warrant issued by the trial court on April 17. When the matter came up for hearing, the Defence Counsel, A.M. Adoyi, drew the court's attention to the fact that the issue of arraignment of the defendant was the subject matter of an appeal already entered by him at the Supreme Court. He said he would like to draw the court's attention to the appeal by virtue of the affidavit of record filed on September 23. "The appeal number is SC/CR/847/2024 and SC/CR/848/2024. That means the most appropriate thing to do is to await the decision of the Supreme Court in the aforesaid appeal before taking...

Calls for sack of Olukoyede  The Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sack the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, saying the anti-graft agency, in its current state, is "grossly incompetent". The CUPP said in a statement on Tuesday that there was no excuse valid enough for committing those two errors of judgment by the EFCC on the day the former governor reportedly submitted himself to the Commission.  The statement was signed on behalf of the Coalition by 10 members of its Media, Strategy, Steering, Financial Contact and Mobilisation Committees and made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja. The CUPP statement reads: "It is with utmost disappointment that the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, has viewed the ongoing drama between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.  "We are a...

By Ibidapo Balogun   That the former governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, alias White Lion, is a crafty, devious and dodgy character is an under statement. Those who know him know that he is more ignominious than that when a proper character sketch of him is drawn. His character traits are easily discernible in an encounter with him. This is unmistakable. As governor of the Confluence State of Kogi for eight years, Yahaya Bello’s carriage, conduct, actions and inactions exemplified a despicable character trait. He ruled over the hapless people of Kogi State with a iron hand. He trampled upon them and their rights. He oppressed them and dipped his hands in the till as he wished. He silenced the opposition and the people only to turn round to present himself as the oppressed, the innocent one. When he was done with them, he imposed his cousin, his lackey, on the state as governor the same crooked and oppressive manner he had emerged their governor- the ta-ta...

.Insists Kogi's money is not missing The Kogi State House of Assembly has called for the immediate removal of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, over his unprofessional handling of the case against the immediate past Governor of the state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.  The legislators, during plenary in Lokoja, the state capital, on Monday, condemned what they described as the EFCC operatives' unprovoked attack on the Kogi State Government Lodge, saying it was an attack on the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, and the entirety of the Kogi people. The lawmakers accused the EFCC of assassination attempt on the former Governor and the incumbent, stressing that the persecution of the former governor had gone on for too long and must stop. This followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Hon. Akus Lawal, representing Ankpa 1 State Constituency. Hon Jacob Olawunmi, Mopamuro State Constituency, seconded the motio...

A huge crowd of women from Kogi State took to the streets on Saturday to protest what they described as the alleged persecution of the former governor of the state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.  They called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call the EFCC to order, insisting that the former governor had done more than any governor of the state for the people since its creation.  The women, led by various community leaders and party faithfuls, converged on the state capital, Lokoja, to condemn what they also described as a "witch-hunt" by the EFCC. They called on the President to urgently intervene in the matter by directing the EFCC to allow the courts to do their jobs.  They argued that with the actions of the EFCC on Wednesday, it was clear that the agency's allegations against Bello were politically motivated and aimed at tarnishing his reputation, adding that they would not fold their arms and watch him lose his life...

The treatment of Yahaya Bello, the immediate past governor of Kogi State, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has raised alarm over the agency's approach to its duties. The EFCC, tasked with investigating corruption and financial misdeeds, must be careful not to tarnish its own credibility through actions that appear more political than procedural. Accused of money laundering and mismanagement of state resources, Yahaya Bello took the proactive step of presenting himself at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, accompanied by Governor Usman Ododo and several supporters. Despite this gesture, he was told to leave without facing any interrogation. In a baffling twist, the agency later issued a public statement declaring Bello a wanted man. Matters escalated further that night when EFCC agents allegedly surrounded the Kogi State Government Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, with the aim of arresting the former governor. According to his media aide, Michael Ohiare, shots...

The Campaign for Democracy has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately relieve the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, of his job, saying he has demonstrated lack of capacity to hold such office. CD, a frontline Civil Society Organization in Nigeria, said it was unimaginable that the former governor, who the same EFCC had placed on watchlist, who the Commission enlisted security agencies in Nigeria and Interpol to help fish out, walked into the EFCC premises, waited for about three hours and no arrest or interrogation happened.  "Instead, they told him to go, that they would get back to him only to issue a laughable statement that he was still a wanted man," the President, Campaign for Democracy, Comrade Ifeanyi Odili, said in a statement on Thursday. According to him, EFCC's excuse that they couldn't arrest him because a sitting governor accompanied him to their office is the main reason Olukoyede should b...

By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko The police on Wednesday arraigned one 47-year-old Adegbola Adeleye before a Grade ‘A’ Customary Court, Ibadan, for allegedly driving recklessly. Adeleye, whose address was not provided, was charged with reckless driving, to which he pleaded not guilty. The prosecutor, Mr Philip Amusan, told the court that Adeleye committed the offence at Academy area of Ibadan on Monday, at about 7.10 a.m. Amusan said the defendant allegedly drove dangerously on a highway, causing the death of one 38-year-old Monrufat Ayoade and two unknown others. Amusan said the offence contravened Section 4(1) of Reckless Driving Laws of Oyo State, 2000. The court president, Mrs Sukurat Yusuf, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum. She, thereafter, adjourned the case until Oct. 29, for hearing. (NAN)

By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko One Onyekachi Emmanuel, 30, on Wednesday, appeared before a Grade ‘A’ Customary Court in Ibadan for allegedly stealing phones and a necklace. Emmanuel, whose address was not provided, was charged with conspiracy and stealing, to which he pleaded not guilty. The prosecutor, Mr Philip Amusan, told the court that the defendant committed the offences at Oremeji expressway, Ibadan, on Aug. 7 at about 8.30 a.m. Amusan said the defendant conspired with others to steal two phones and a necklace with a pendant, all worth N1,094,500. According to him, the stolen items belong to one Suliat Salako. He said the offences contravened Sections 517 and 390(9) of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State, 2000. The court president, Mrs Sukurat Yusuf, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in like sum. She, thereafter, adjourned the case until Oct. 9, for hearing. (NAN)

Former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has honoured the invitation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.  The Director of Yahaya Bello’s Media Office, Ohiare Michael, disclosed this in a statement released on Wednesday.  The statement read, “This decision was made after due consultations with his family, legal team and political allies. “The former Governor, who has great respect for the rule of law and constituted authority, had, all the while, only sought the enforcement of his fundamental rights in order to ensure due process.  “The case has been before a competent court of jurisdiction, and Alhaji Yahaya Bello had been duly represented by his legal team at every hearing. It is important for the former Governor to now honour the invitation of the EFCC to clear his name as he has nothing to hide and nothing to fear.  “The former Governor believes firmly in the efforts of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to place Nigeria...

The Ekiti Justice Group (EJG) has described as strange, the granting of exparte order by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, barring the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from probing the ex-Ekiti Procurement Director General, Seun Odewale and Ariyo Oyinkolawa Adesola over their alleged embezzlement of funds budgeted for the Ekiti Airport project, among other alleged atrocities. The group said it was disturbing that the same Justice Nwite, who issued a bench warrant for the arrest of former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, despite the pendency of an order of a High Court stopping his arrest and prosecution, could stop the EFCC from investigating Ariyo Adesola and Odewale, who served as Director General of the Bureau of Procurement when Dr Kayode Fayemi was governor. In a statement on Tuesday, by its Coordinator,  Comrade Tunji Oluwasanmi,  the EJG, accused Justice Nwite of double-standard, wondering why what was good for the goose in...