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Exposed: How ex-Gov. Yari colluded with Accountant-General Idris in alleged N84 billion fraud

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PREMIUM TIMES has obtained fresh details of how a former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, allegedly conspired with embattled Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmed Idris, in an alleged N84 billion fraud currently being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Investigators looking into the case are also scrutinising disclosures that Mr Yari spent at least $700,000 of the N20billion he received from the problematic deal on a recent trip to Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj.

Messrs Idris and Yari are being investigated for allegedly diverting N84 billion in public funds between February 2021 and November 2021. The former accountant-general was released on bail on Wednesday night while Mr Yari remains in detention as his interrogation continues.

Those familiar with the matter have now told PREMIUM TIMES that the diverted funds were part of the 13% derivation funds meant for payment to eight oil-producing states.

But rather than use officials at his office to compute payments due to each of the nine states, Mr Idris allegedly awarded an N84 billion consultancy to a certain Gbenga Akindele, said to be the managing director of Westgate Projects Limited.

In executing what anti-graft officials described as “high-wired fraud”, Mr Idris colluded with Mr Yari, some officials of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and some officials of the affected states who combined to share the corrupt proceeds of the bogus consultancy.

Our sources said after Mr Akindele was paid N84 billion for the suspicious consultancy, he proceeded to distribute it to his backers.

PREMIUM TIMES cannot immediately reach Mr Akindele for comment as his company does not appear to have an official website.

Also, an Internet search for the firm’s social media accounts or those of its workers was unsuccessful as the company has nearly zero digital footprints.

But findings showed that the firm is not a stranger to Nigeria’s contracting system.

In fact, Mr Akindele’s Westgate Project Limited was one of those invited in 2016 by the House of Representatives during investigations into some failed railway contracts.

Sharing of the Money: Yari and Co.

According to sources, Mr Akindele kept one per cent of the money to himself while passing N22 billion to the accountant-general.

Mr Yari reportedly got N20 billion while some officials of RMAFC received N16billion. A yet-unknown amount of money was passed to some officials of the affected states.

Our sources said investigators are trying to determine that some top former and current officials of government also benefited from the loot.

Mr Yari received his own share of the money through one Anthony Yaro, said to be affiliated with an Abuja-based company, Finex Professionals Services. Officials of the EFCC believe Mr Yaro fronted for the ex-governor.

Meanwhile, investigators said Mr Yari spent $700,000, which amounts to N290 million of his own loot, on flights, hotels and other miscellaneous costs for this year’s lesser hajj to Saudi Arabia.

The former Zamfara Governor reportedly travelled to Middle Eastern country with tens of aides and cronies for the religious event, EFCC sources familiar with the investigation said.

However, the spokesperson for Mr Yari, Mayowa Oluwabiyi, declined to comment for this story when contacted on Thursday by our reporter.

“Since the EFCC is still investigating the matter, I would not speak further,” Mr Mayowa said.

This newspaper reported how EFCC agents arrested Mr Yari, a former chairperson of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, on Sunday at his residence in Abuja.

The former governor was nabbed a few days after he won APC’s ticket for Zamfara West senatorial election scheduled to hold next year.

Mr Yari: A regular EFCC customer

Mr Yari came under EFCC lenses again about a year after he was repeatedly held and questioned by the anti-graft agency over allegations he diverted billions in Zamfara funds kept in a bank.

Mr Yari was governor of Zamfara State, an impoverished Nigeria’s northwestern state, between 2007 and 2019. Under his reign, terrorist outlaws, commonly called bandits, started ravaging communities.

Mr Yari’s arrest on Sunday comes barely two months after he faced several hours of questioning by the agency’s operatives over corruption allegations in February.

PREMIUM TIMES reported in February that Mr Yari faced a long interrogation session with detectives at the Lagos office of the EFCC over an alleged attempt to illegally move N300 billion from a corporate account in a new generation bank.

13 per cent derivation fund
Since Nigeria’s Fourth Republic began in 1999, the eight oil and gas producing states have received over N9 trillion under the derivation principle sanctioned by the nation’s constitution.

The Nigerian constitution stipulates the payment of 13 per cent of oil revenue from the Federation Account to the states as a derivation fund.

In the last three years (2018-2020), in total, the oil-producing states have received N1.5 trillion from the Federation Account under the derivation principle, a PREMIUM TIMES analysis of data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed.

The analysis, however, reveals that intervention activities and physical developments in the oil-producing communities do not reflect the derivation fund received by their states due to mismanagement of funds.

Society

Former First Bank MD, Adesola Adeduntan Steps Out With Second Wife Adebimpe, Sizzle at Adenuga’s Wedding

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Their attendance was not just a social visit; it was a radiant affirmation of love, a quiet proclamation that Adesola Adeduntan is as smitten with his second wife, Adebimpe Oluwa, as he is with his first. Thus stepping out with her at the wedding of Afolasade Adenuga and Adebola Ogunsanya further affirms that their union is as profound as it is legitimate.

Together, their presence manifested inspiringly, their understated elegance adding more colour, to an evening already teeming with high glamour.

There is a lot to learn from the former Managing Director (MD) of First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) and his new wife. Even amidst the buzz of dignitaries and socialites, they comfortably composed and enjoyed a silent philharmonic of glances, gestures, and gentle touches thus weaving a story of enduring love and connection.

Adeduntan and Adebimpe moved as if choreographed by the stars, weaving through the glittering guests with the intimacy of those who have shared a thousand secrets.

Their love spoke in whispers and lingered in subtle exchanges: a hand at her back, guiding her through the grand hall; a shared look that held in it both the memories and the promise of years to come.

One could glimpse this devotion in fleeting moments, a language unspoken yet profoundly clear. When she glanced up at him, it was with the soft light of admiration; when he touched her arm, it was with the tenderness of a man who knows his good fortune and treasures it.

For those watching, it was an arresting vision—a former titan of industry transformed into a man who holds his fortune not in stocks or status but in the grace of a woman’s companionship.

Theirs was a communion rich in meaning, revealing in each stolen glance a story of loyalty and genuine affection that pulsed with the fervor of youth yet bearing the gravity of time. For the former First Bank MD, it seemed the turbulent seas of his high-powered career were long past; the calm of his love and partnership with Adebimpe manifested on his face, soft and serene. Adebimpe, poised and radiant, appeared like a jewel beside him, gleaming in her simple elegance and evoking a sense of steadfastness—an anchor amid his life’s ebbs and flows.

Their journey as a couple, marked by the deep resonance of mutual understanding, seems poised on the edge of a grander adventure—a retirement rich in the simplest joys and laced with shared dreams. For Adeduntan, the power and status that once defined him now seem mere shadows compared to the light of Adebimpe’s unwavering companionship.

As the night unfolded and their affectionate exchanges continued, the couple’s appearance raised a question that had been whispered for months: what path would Adeduntan now tread? His predecessors had wandered various routes—some veering back into financial circles, others exploring the worlds of academia, philanthropy, or even the less-traveled path of quiet domesticity. But those who knew him well anticipated something uniquely Adeduntan: a journey of intentional balance, one where his second act would honor both public purpose and private devotion.

Indeed, Adeduntan’s retirement choices seem as limitless as the paths already blazed by giants before him. Would he follow in the steps of Tony Elumelu, reimagining himself as a steward of African enterprise, or like Fola Adeola, use his platform to nurture the potential of others through philanthropic foundations? Or might he embrace the legislative stage, his corporate acumen illuminating the paths toward policy and reform? As Adeduntan charts this new terrain, he carries not only the wisdom gleaned from a lifetime in finance but also the quiet resilience that comes from knowing he is truly loved by his sweetheart, Adebimpe.

In the ambiance of Adenuga’s wedding, the couple’s interactions were as enchanting as the night itself. It was perhaps in these quiet moments that the former MD of First Bank seemed most fully himself. Gone was the strategist, the magnate who steered the fortunes of one of Africa’s largest banks, and in his place stood a man completely at ease, as if he had only now found the truth that he had been searching for his entire life. Adebimpe, in turn, seemed to meet him there, their shared moments a dance as graceful as it was subtle.

Their presence offered a whisper of romance for all in attendance—a reminder that, beyond the boardroom, beyond the accolades, there lies the gentle touch of life itself. It is here, in the company of Adebimpe, that Adeduntan finds his new narrative, his retirement years no longer a retreat from the world but a step toward a deeply cherished existence, one shared with the woman who has captured both his heart and his future.

 

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Just In: VeryDarkMan To Appear In Court Today Over Alleged Impersonation, Unauthorised Use Of Police Uniform

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The detained social media influencer, Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan will appear in court today (Friday) in Abuja for allegedly impersonating a policeman.

The Nigeria Police Force disclosed this in a statement on Friday titled, ‘Impersonation: VDM To Appear In Court Today, FCT Command Leading Prosecution’

It said, “In response to recent developments, VDM, whose real name is Mr. Martins Otse, is set to appear in court today following allegations of impersonation related to the unauthorized use of Nigeria Police Force uniforms in a viral social media video.

“The FCT Police Command is actively handling the case, underscoring the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to upholding the integrity of its symbols and preventing their misuse. Interested persons are encouraged to follow up on the proceedings as the case unfolds.”

 

 

The police on Thursday evening detained VeryDarkMan.

His lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, said the blogger was detained after honouring a police invitation.

 

In a post on X on Thursday, Adeyanju disclosed that his client had honoured a similar invitation on Wednesday.

 

His post read, “Our client, VDM, has been detained after honouring a police invitation just like yesterday. VDM has been consistent in stating that the Nigerian Police are our friends, even when we all know they are not.”

 

Society Reporters reported on Thursday that VeryDarkMan had tendered a public apology to the police for using their uniform in a viral video where he described himself as a CSP of an online division.

 

VeryDarkMan made the apology in a video he posted on his X account after he was grilled by the police on Wednesday for alleged impersonation.

 

The social media influencer professed unawareness of the protocol, stating he didn’t know police permission was required to wear police uniforms or other similar ones.

 

He, therefore, cautioned fellow content creators to obtain necessary clearance from law enforcement before using similar uniforms for content purposes.

 

We had also reported that the Nigeria Police Force strongly condemned the unauthorised use of official uniforms and accouterments by content creators, while referring to VeryDarkMan’s case.

 

The police in a statement on Saturday reminded Nigerians that unauthorised use of police uniforms, insignia, or accoutrements constitutes a criminal offence.

 

While it said that an investigation into VeryDarkMan’s video had been launched to determine the source of the police gear used, as well as the authority under which he acted, the Force disassociated itself from the unauthorised portrayal.

 

Also, in 2022, the police expressed concerns over individuals, movie makers, and skit makers using police uniforms and accoutrements without approval.

 

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House Of Rep’s Member, Alexander Ikwechegh Trial Begins November 8….

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A Kuje Magistrate Court has set November 8 for the trial of Alexander Ikwechegh, a House of Representatives member representing Abia State, after granting him N500,000 bail.

 

Ikwechegh, who was arraigned on Wednesday, before His Worship, Abubakar Umar Sai’id, for allegedly assaulting a Bolt driver, Stephen Abuwatseya, at his residence in Abuja, pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him.

 

 

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, arraigned Ikwechegh on three counts bordering on abuse of office, assault and threat to life.

 

 

After taking his plea, the lawmaker’s counsel proceeded to make an oral application for bail, which was granted by the court.

 

The magistrate said, “The court will grant the defendant a bail set at N500,000, with two sureties in like sum. The sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and provide utility bills as proof of residence.”

 

 

The court proceeded to adjourn the hearing in the matter till November 8.

 

A video of Ikwechegh allegedly assaulting the Bolt driver had gone viral on social media on Monday.

 

In the video, Ikwechegh can be seen repeatedly slapping the driver.

 

Aside from the slaps, the lawmaker can be heard threatening the driver and assuring him of how he can make him disappear without a trace.

 

Meanwhile, a civil society organisation, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, in a statement, on Wednesday, condemned Ikwechegh’s action and described it as “a glaring example of abuse of power” most common with politicians.

 

 

The statement signed by RULAAC’s Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said the lawmaker’s action was a shame not only on him but also on every member of the House of Representatives.

 

 

He stated, “The recent incident involving a federal lawmaker, Alex Ikwecheghi’s brutal treatment of Uber driver, Mr Stephen Abuwatseya, is a glaring example of the abuse of power that permeates Nigeria’s political landscape.

 

 

Ikwechegh’s actions, including verbal and physical assault, as well as intimidation of the victim, reveal a profound lack of humility and respect for the rights of others that should be expected from someone in a public office.

 

“This incident not only shames Ikwechegh but also reflects poorly on the House of Representatives, the police, and the broader political system.

 

 

The indiscriminate use of power to silence and control vulnerable citizens showcases a troubling trend among officials who seem to operate above the law.

 

The complacency of the police in this matter raises serious concerns about their integrity and commitment to justice, as they appear more willing to serve influential individuals than to uphold the rule of law.

 

“While the House of Representatives’ decision to investigate this behaviour is a positive step, it remains to be seen whether meaningful accountability will follow.

 

Historical precedents suggest a risk of sweeping the issue under the rug once public outrage subsides, which would do little to repair public trust in governance.”

 

 

Nwanguma noted that the societal implications of the incident were dire as it “transcends the individual and speaks to a culture of impunity that must be addressed,” imploring that justice must not only be served for Abuwatseya but also the many unnamed victims of similar abuses.

 

“This case must serve as a catalyst for change, leading to reforms that prioritise respect for human rights and the rule of law in Nigeria”, he stated.

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