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EFCC Presents Three Witnesses in Alleged N93.8m Contract Fraud Trial

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EFCC Presents Three Witnesses in Alleged N93.8m Contract Fraud Trial

EFCC Presents Three Witnesses in Alleged N93.8m Contract Fraud Trial

The trial of  an alleged N93, 800, 000.00 (Ninety Three Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira) fraud case  involving one Muhammad Suleiman Gumsuri  commenced before Justice Umaru Fadawu of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri, on Tuesday, September 14, 2021 as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, presented three witnesses.

The Maiduguri Zonal Command arraigned the defendant on August 10, 2021 on a one-count charge.

The defendant was alleged to have fraudulently obtained the sum on the pretext of supplying non-food items to “Save The Children”, a Non-Governmental Organization.

The charge reads: “That you, Muhammad Suleiman Gumsuri, sometime in February 2021, at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud did obtained the gross sum of N93, 800,000.00 (Ninety Three Million Eight Hundred Thousand Naira) only from Shettima Mohammed through Karlton International Company’s account number 1023671556 domiciled at UBA and Amir Goni Abdullahi’s Fidelity Bank account number 6012182416 via your account number 0141428771 domiciled at GT Bank and Fidelity Bank account number 6323579712 respectively, all bearing Muhammad Suleiman under the guise that the said sum represent payment for the supply of Non-food items to Save the Children, an NGO, and which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and Punishable under Section 3 of the same Act.”

The defendant pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charge.

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At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, first prosecution witness, Peterclaver O. Okwor, an operative of the EFCC, while being led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, told the court that the defendant requested for the sum of N93.8million from the petitioner in order to execute a contract for the supply of non-food items which he claimed to have secured from ‘Save the Children’ an NGO, with the agreement that the money would be paid back and proceeds from the contract shared by both parties.

In his words, ‘‘the complainant transferred the sum in tranches to the defendant’s accounts domiciled in Fidelity and Guaranty Trust Banks respectively totaling the sum of N93.8million.

 “‘Letters of investigation activities’ were written to the banks and responses were provided to the EFCC. Analyses of the responses received from the bank, confirmed that the sum of N93.8million was paid into the accounts of the defendant by the complainant.’’

Okwor revealed that the defendant confessed in his written statements with the EFCC to have collected the above mentioned sum through his accounts in order to finance the purported contract.

PW2, Maina Muhammad, a staff of Fidelity Bank who was also led in evidence by the prosecution counsel,  Mukhtar Ali Ahmed told the court that the account opening balance of the defendant as at 24th February, 2021 was N14, 122.87 (Fourteen Thousand, One Hundred and Twenty-Two Naira, Eighty-Seven kobo), ”but shortly after that day, the sum  N40million was transferred into the account of the defendant in tranches  by one Ali Shettima Mohammed and the defendant transferred same in tranches to some beneficiaries with a closing balance of  N2, 500.57 (Two Thousand, Five Hundred Naira, Fifty-Seven kobo).”

PW3, Usman Bala, a Marketing Officer with the Guaranty Trust Bank told the court that, “there was an inflow into the account of Muhammad Suleiman Gumsuri in tranches from the nominal complainant which was well over N50million and the mentioned sum was dissipated by the defendant.’’

The petition written against the defendant and statements of the defendant were tendered and admitted in evidence, while the documents from Fidelity and Guaranty Trust Banks were admitted as exhibits C and D respectively.

Justice Fadawu thereafter adjourned the matter to September 20, 2021 for continuation of trial.

EFCC Presents Three Witnesses in Alleged N93.8m Contract Fraud Trial

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President Tinubu Storms Jos Today To Commiserate With Residents Of Angwa Rukuba Massacre

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President Tinubu Storms Jos Today To Commiserate With Residents Of Angwa Rukuba Massacre

By: Bodunrin Kayode

President Bola Tinubu will today visit the Plateau state capital Jos to commiserate with residents who lost loved ones during the Palm Sunday shooting spree by criminals that took place at Angwa rukuba area of the city.

The President who was scheduled to visit Ogun state postponed his scheduled trip to Iperu, meant to flag off operations at the Gateway International Cargo Airport.

From the Plateau, the President is expected to travel to Lagos to observe Good Friday public holiday which ushers the beginning of the Easter public holiday which rounds up the lent period.

A state house release signed yesterday by the Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga noted that President Tinubu will travel to Ogun State for the commissioning of the Cargo Airport and the inauguration of two commercial aircrafts for the export and import of goods, aimed at boosting the state’s economic growth on Saturday April 4th.

“He will also inaugurate the new edifice of the Federal Operations Unit of the Nigerian Customs Service and its operational vehicles.

“He will return to Lagos to continue the Easter holiday, during which he is also expected to commission infrastructural projects undertaken by the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

“These projects include: the iconic Ojota/Opebi Link Bridge; the Lagos State Geographic Information System Building; the Multi-Agency Complex named after the President, and a school Complex.

“Before returning to Abuja, President Tinubu will visit Bayelsa State on April 10 to commission some of Governor Duoye Diri’s completed projects.” Said the release.

Sadly several residents lost their lives during the black Palm Sunday shooting spree which is suspected to have been carried out by auto bike riding bandits following after their patterns in the hinterlands of the state.

These bandits who had tormented, killed and destroyed homes of residences of the Jos north axis of the state for several years after September 7th 2001

This damnation let loose on innocent residents is resurfacing after hundreds of killings had occurred in the Jos North council area of the state from September 7th 2001 till date.

And because of the myriad of challenges creeping into the federal security system sub regionals have geared up to manage their on police and Intel services which would assist greatly because they are masters of their territories.

The Federal government is fast tracking the process of state police to ensure that each sub nationals take charge of their environment to ensure that they support the center in the maintenance of internal security.

President Tinubu Storms Jos Today To Commiserate With Residents Of Angwa Rukuba Massacre

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NiMet predicts 107 to 138 days of rainfall in Gombe

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NiMet predicts 107 to 138 days of rainfall in Gombe

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has said that in 2026, the length of the rainy season in Gombe State is expected to be between 107 and 138 days.

This is contained in the Agency’s 2026 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) document, which Gayus Musa, the meteorological manager for Gombe State, made available to Our Correspondent in Gombe on Tuesday.

The total amount of rainfall across Gombe State in 2026 is predicted to be between 701 mm in the northern part of the state (Nafada) and 1089 mm in the South (Shongom).

The onset of the rainfall is expected to commence in the state on May 29 (Shongom) and cease by October 22 (Yamaltu/Deba).

Similarly, in the prediction, four local government areas of the state, namely: Nafada, Yamaltu/Deba, Dukku and Funakaye were likely to be impacted by a severe dry spell (21 days and above) between June and August.

Musa while speaking to Our Correspondent on the first rainfall experienced in some communities in Akko, Gombe and Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Areas of the state on Monday urged farmers to resist the temptation of early planting of crops.

He described the first rain as false onset, explaining that the rainfall was false because it would not support any germination as seeds planted with such rain would not survive.

“This (first rain) is a false onset because the precipitation cannot carry any germination and so any seed planted would not survive.

“So farmers should not engage themselves in planting but to prepare their farmlands while getting their seeds and other inputs ready,” he said.

Musa advised farmers in the state, to make use of the prediction in carrying out farming activities towards avoiding losses in view of the impact of climate change on agriculture.

He further urged relevant authorities in the state to take proactive measures towards tackling environmental issues associated with the rainy season.

NiMet predicts 107 to 138 days of rainfall in Gombe

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Tuggar Resigns from Tinubu’s Cabinet, Sets for Bauchi Governorship

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Tuggar Resigns from Tinubu’s Cabinet, Sets for Bauchi Governorship

By: Michael Mike

The rumoured interest of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar in becoming the governor of Bauchi State come 2027 may have been confirmed he resigned on Monday to prepared ground for actualization of his political ambition.

The resignation was ahead of the deadline set for political appointees seeking elective positions in the forthcoming general elections.

In a resignation letter submitted to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Tuggar expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the opportunity to serve the country and contribute to the implementation of the administration’s Four-D foreign policy strategy.

The former minister also appreciated the management and staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and members of the diplomatic community for their cooperation and support throughout his tenure.

During his time in office, Tuggar was credited with advancing Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives through initiatives focused on people-centred diplomacy. These included humanitarian evacuations, facilitation of scholarships for Nigerians abroad, and sustained support for citizens in the diaspora.

His tenure also witnessed increased diaspora engagement, including efforts to develop a structured database of Nigerians living abroad aimed at strengthening their participation in national development.

In addition, Tuggar strengthened bilateral and multilateral relations through strategic engagements with traditional partners and regional alliances, particularly across the Global South. His leadership also promoted regional security cooperation and supported the formation of the Regional Partnership for Democracy initiative.

He also prioritised economic diplomacy, positioning Nigeria as an attractive destination for foreign investment, especially in the energy sector, while facilitating diplomatic interventions that secured the release of detained Nigerians in foreign countries and improved bilateral relations.

The resignation letter was received on behalf of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation by Dr. Abubakar Kana, Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, ahead of the March thirty-first deadline directed by President Tinubu in line with provisions of the Electoral Act.

Tuggar’s resignation was conveyed in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy, Alkasim Abdulkadir.

Tuggar Resigns from Tinubu’s Cabinet, Sets for Bauchi Governorship

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