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The Brazil Fans’ Village Scandal Latest: NTDC DG, Ms Sally Mbanefo gets query….

Published

7 years ago

on

Following series of allegations and counter allegations, the supervising ministry of Culture and Tourism has finally issued a query to the embattled Director General of Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) Ms Sally Mbanefo. Apparently irked by many allegations and petitions received on the Brazil’s FansVillage, the ministry is demanding explanation from the DG on how the event ought to promote Nigeria has degenerated into a monumental scandal.

It was exclusively gathered by Society Reporters NG that no sooner had she received the query than she assembled her strategist to work on how the entire scandal could be managed without media attention. A major step she finally took was a press briefing with news editors where she begged to be blacked out of the unfolding scandal. One of the editors who attended the briefing informed that majority of the editors were miffed at such request that they should not write anything about her except those emanating from her consultants.

The alleged one room show tagged Fans Village in Brazil

The alleged one room show tagged Fans Village in Brazil

Apart from the controversy surrounding the alleged Memorandum of Understanding between the NTDC and Za Entertainment, the ministry is equally worried about how the event ought to be a crowd pulling event ended being a one-room show.
It was gathered that the board of NTDC gave an approval for 12 persons to travel with the DG to Brazil for the tournament and the Duty Tour Allowance (DTA) had been paid for that number of persons. Contrarily however, it was alleged that Mrs Mbanefo travelled to Brazil with about three journalists, the Chairman of the NTDC staff union, her daughter and Omo-Agege, without any member of the NTDC project unit in the entourage. It was still unclear who the DTA was paid to, a matter the ministry is trying to unravel.

One of the management staff of the corporation being dragged into the crisis is Fatima Obadakin whom the DG is alleging to have introduced the Za Entertainment to her. A top source however countered the allegation that Fatima’s department had since be outsource technically to a consultant simply identified as Ola Wright.

The DG and her escort without the fans.

The DG and her escort without the fans.

It would be recalled that the first international exhibition this year was FITUR held in Madrid, Spain in January. The country was expected to be represented at the event but just at the last minutes, the DG cancelled and pulled out of the event without any official explanation for such an act although reports emanating from the Abuja office attributed the withdrawal to lack of fund.

Many of the operators and even staffers of NTDC were shocked by this development as this event was captured in its budget. Therefore to many, the excuse of lack of fund was untenable as she was berated for what some observers say was her lack of understanding of the importance of global exposure for the development of a destination, particularly that of Nigeria; Which is still struggling for attention.
If many thought that what happened with FITUR in January would not repeat itself again, then they were utterly proved wrong when Ms. Mbanefo again cancelled and pulled out of the ITB Berlin event, which held between March 5 and 9. Again, reports from the Abuja office blamed lack of funds for this action.
Even though observers are beginning to notice-an emerging partner with her handling of tourism affairs, especially with international events, what many of the operators find so worrisome and disturbing was the fact that two days into the Berlin event NTDC DG flew to Berlin with about 10 persons made of a member of the board of NTDC, her staff, journalists and a member of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN).

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Not as exhibitors as the allocated stand for Nigeria (Stand 21/118) at the Africa hall, was empty as the country has recorded ‘no show’ but as ‘observers.’ Many wonder why she would show up as an observer to an event that the country has exhibited in at least in the last one decade without fail.
Reports from the event pointed out that attempt by the Nigerian team led by her to hoist a solitary flag of the country at the empty stand or stay around was re­buffed by the organizers who were miffed by the ‘no show’ act of Nigeria after the space booked for by NTDC was reserved. This development it was gathered made the tourism ministry to write international agencies that henceforth, the ministry shall take charge of international tourism activities like exhibition.
All efforts to speak with the DG was unsuccessful as all calls made to her mobile 0706***4030 were not answered.

Part of the 'village'

Part of the ‘village’

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The Empty Village

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The Empty Village that has just Ms Sally  in it

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EFCC: 58 Ex-Govs Embezzled N2.187 Trillion [Full List]

Published

10 hours ago

on

May 4, 2024

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According to the EFCC’s allegations, a significant number of former governors, totaling at least 58, have alleged to been involved in the misappropriation, embezzlement, or laundering of approximately N2.187 trillion over a span of 25 years.

This amount does not include properties seized worldwide or those currently being investigated, which amount to billions of Naira.

The amount of N2.2 trillion that was looted is similar to the combined budgets of Lagos State and the South-East states for 2024, totaling N2.25 trillion and N2.29 trillion respectively. This figure exceeds the budgets of the North-Central states and North-East states for 2024, which are N1.89 trillion and N1.60 trillion, by several billion.

The EFCC is currently investigating, probing, and prosecuting 58 ex-governors from various regions of the country. Since the restoration of civilian government on May 29, 1999, there have been at least 170 governors serving in the 36 states of Nigeria.

The 58 ex-governors who are currently or have previously faced investigations by EFCC, with alleged amounts in question, consist of:

late Abubakar Audu (N10.966 bn),

TA Orji and sons (N551 bn)

Yahaya Bello (N80.2 bn)

Chimaroke Nnamani (N5. 3 bn)

Sullivan Chime (N450 million)

Kayode Fayemi (N4bn)

Ayo Fayose (N6.9 bn)

Abdullahi Adamu (N15bn)

Danjuma Goje (N5bn)

Aliyu Wamakko (N15 bn)

Sule Lamido (N1.35 bn)

Joshua Dariye (N1. 16 bn)

Timipre Sylva (N19.2 bn)

Saminu Turaki (N36bn)

Bello Matawalle (N70 bn)

Lucky Igbinedion (N4. 5 bn)

Musa Kwakwanso (N10bn)

Peter Odili (N1000 bn)

Jolly Nyame (N1.64 bn)

James Ngilari (N167 m)

Abdulaziz Yari (N84 bn)

Godswill Akpabio (N100bn)

Abdul fatah Ahmed (N9 bn)

Ali Mode-Sheriff (N300bn)

Willie Obiano (N43 bn)

Ibrahim Dankwambo (N1. 3bn)

Darius Ishaku (N39bn)

Ramalan Yero (N700m)

Achike Udenwa (N350m)

Rochas Okoro ha (N10. 8bn)

James Ibori (N40 bn),

DSP Alamieyeseigha (N2.655bn)

Gabriel Suswam (N3. 111bn)

Samuel Orton (N107bn)

Murtala Nyako (N29bn)

Rashid Ladoja (4.7bn)

Christopher Alao-Akala (N11. 5 bn)

Abdulkadir Kure (N600m)

Babangida Aliyu (N4bn)

Abubakar Audu (N10bn)

Idris Wada (N500m)

Ibrahim Shekarau (N950m)

Adamu Aliero (N10bn)

Usman Dakingari and wife (N5. 8bn)

Attahiru Bafarawa N19. 6bn)

Jonah Jang (N6. 3bn)

Aliyu Doma (N8bn)

Tanko Al’Makura (N4bn)

Boni Haruna (N93bn)

Bindow Jibrila (N62bn)

Adamu Muazu (13bn)

Isa Yuguda N212bn)

Mohammed Abubakar (N8. 5bn).

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Dangote University explains how female student died in her off-campus apartment

Published

11 hours ago

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May 4, 2024

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Tragedy struck on Thursday at the Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil, Kano State, when a female student, Aishat Yahaya Olabisi, was found dead in her off-campus apartment.

Olabisi, a 300-level female student of Food and Science Technology, was said to have been found dead after she returned to her room from the school.

The deceased student was said to have written her first examination in the ongoing first-semester examination at the university on the fateful day.

One of the male students who spoke to PUNCH Online on condition of anonymity on Saturday blamed her sudden passing away on examination pressure.

“The deceased was hale and hearty before she went out to write her first examination in the ongoing first-semester examination,” the student said.

However, following reports in the media that the female student died in the university students’ hostel, the Management of the university clarified the misinformation.

In a statement by the Dean, Students Affairs of the university, Prof. Abdulkadir Dambazau, dated 3rd May 2024, refuted the media claims.

The statement titled “Clarification Regarding False Statement About Student’s Death” read, “It has come to our attention that a recent statement made by DLC Hausa and some media outlets regarding the discovery of a student’s corpse at the students’ hall of residence is entirely false. We wish to address this matter promptly and unequivocally refute these claims.

“On 23 April 2024, we received news about the untimely passing of Yahaya Aishat Olabisi, a diligent and bright student of ADUSTECH Wudil. Aishat spent her last evening engrossed in her studies, diligently preparing for upcoming examinations. The following morning after a shared breakfast with her roommate and a heartfelt conversation with her father, she expressed her intent to rest briefly before resuming her studies. However, destiny had a different plan.

“In the early afternoon of the same day, concerns arose when Yahaya Aishat Olabisi did not respond to attempts to reach her. Upon investigation, it was discovered that she had passed away in her sleep in her off-campus residence. Immediate measures were taken, and she was swiftly taken to the university clinic, where her passing was confirmed by medical professionals.”

The statement added that Olabisi’s remains had been transferred to the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital for postmortem analysis.

“Given the circumstances, her remains were transferred to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital for postmortem analysis to ascertain the cause of her sudden demise. Meanwhile, her grieving parents, who hail from Ilorin arrived the following day to bid farewell to their beloved daughter.

“In honouring her memory and bidding her farewell, Aishat was laid to rest on 24 April 2024, surrounded by family, friends, and members of the academic community who mourned her loss deeply,” the statement added.

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Court Sentence FCMB Branch Manager to 121 years in Prison for embezzling Customers Funds

Published

19 hours ago

on

May 4, 2024

By

FCMB is a leading financial institution in Nigeria has received a big shock of the year as one of its staff has been thrown to prison for fraud and embezzlement.

Justice S. Odili at the Anambra State High Court in Onitsha, Anambra State, sentenced Mr Nwachukwu Placidus, a bank manager at First City Monument Bank FCMB, Onitsha Anambra State to 121 years in prison for embezzling N112 million from a customer’s fixed deposit account.

The Honorable justices delivered the verdict resulting in the conviction and sentencing of a former manager at the First City Monument Bank’s branch in Onitsha, who has now been sentenced to a total of 121 years in prison for misappropriating fixed deposit funds totaling N112,100,000 from a customer for personal use. This is tantamount to a breach of trust by the former manager which has attracted a huge jail term.

 

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