News
N1.9 billion Fraud Rocks Amnesty Office
N1.9 billion Fraud Rocks Amnesty Office
By: Michael Mike
The Presidential Amnesty Office is being rocked by a raging controversy over N1.9 billion deducted from trainees and beneficiaries of the programme.
Investigations revealed that the alleged fraud involves the office of the Head of Reintegration of the office.
The N1.9 billion were alleged to have been deducted from contracts that were executed under the Train, Employ and Mentor Programme initiated by a former Interim Administrator, Col Dikio.
Under the TIEM, the beneficiaries of the programme were to be trained, employed and mentored to prevent them from straying after the programme.
Investigations revealed that when General Ndiomu (Retd.) took over, there were 1,200 delegates in training which he stopped. He was said to have conducted graduation for all of them as he was under instruction to bring the programme to an end.
It was gathered that the contracts were renegotiated and the Reintegration Department removed the ‘Employ and Mentor’ component with the promise that the beneficiaries would be outrightly empowered.
It was gathered that the Integration Office deducted funds from the contracts and kept N1.9 billion meant to empower the delegates.
After waiting endlessly for the outright empowerment, the beneficiaries and office staff are complaining that the N1.9 billion component deducted from the contracts have been diverted by the office.
Investigations revealed that the contractors include Bradama International Skill Works Limited (400 delegates), Sunup Logistics Limited (200) delegates, Krisdera Agro Allied FArms, (200 delegates), Teecentenel Nigeria Limited (110), Betrieb Limited (50,) and Vika Farms Limited.
Some delegates under Krisdera Agro Allied Farms and Teecentennel Nigeria Limited that were interviewed are pointing accusing finger in the direction of the Head of Reintegration.
After renegotiating with the contractors, deducted a substantial amount from the contract sum, they went to the various training Centres to offer each delegate 750k to completely delist them from the Amnesty Programme.
The delegates collectively rejected the said amount. The office promised to get back to them but all to no avail. The amount deducted from the negotiations with the contractors is N1.9 billion.
They claim he was responsible for the mastery around delay or disappearance of their Two Months In-Training Allowance which had earlier been paid by the Office to the contractor for onward disbursement to the delegates.
Our investigation revealed that instruction was given to the contractors to withhold the money since the delegates did not complete the eight months they were initially required to spend.
That money has not be returned to the government coffers.
It was further gathered that the Head of the Amnesty Office has directed the security unit to seize the phones of Amnesty staff for investigation because of the purported “leakage of information” and his clash with Chief Timipre Sylva. The investigation commenced today two weeks ago
Penultimate week, all the staff of the office were made to tender their phone for scrutiny by the Head of the office.
Some of the delegates who resisted it move and threatened to file a case against the office were redeployed.
The meeting held in December 2022 and since then the delegates have been kept waiting.
There are fears that the money may have been diverted.
Some of the delegates who came to protest in Abuja were molested with military personnel with military tanks temporarily hired by Indiomu to stop the delegates at all cost.
The concerned delegates who fear they might not receive the money are calling on the office of the NSA which supervises the PAP to look into the books of the agencies.
When contacted on the phone of the allegations, the spokesman of the Office, Freston Akpo said: “The allegation is frivolous and unfounded. It is part of ongoing smear campaign in the media to discredit the interim administrator and his team.”
N1.9 billion Fraud Rocks Amnesty Office
Finally, DSS Arraigns Sowore on alleged Cybercrime Offences
By: Our Reporter
Judge bars him from inciting public, undermining national security
The Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday arraigned a politician and online publisher, Omoyele Sowore, before a Federal High Court in Abuja, for alleged cybercrimes, with the court barring him from further making statements that are detrimental to the peace and security of the country.
Justice Mohammed Umar, in a ruling, threatened to revoke the bail granted Sowore’ should he ever make such statements. The arraignment came after two previous attempts, with the politician’s lawyer introducing what the DSS lawyer, Akinolu Kehinde SAN, called legal obstacles.
On Tuesday, however, Justice Umar held that since there was evidence that Sowore was a presidential candidate in the country before and having also earlier been granted bail by the court, with his international passport still being held by the court, he was entitled to be granted bail on self-recognition.
The ruling was on a bail application argued by his lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, shortly after Sowore was arraigned on a five-count charge, in which he is accused of defaming President Bola Tinubu by referring to him as a criminal in his posts on X and Facebook.
When the charge, being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS), was read to him, Sowore pleaded not guilty.
In the charge, Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2019 and 2023 elections, is accused of contravening the provisions of the the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024 and the Criminal Code Act by calling President Bola Tinubu a criminal
The two other defendants listed in the charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025 are X Incorp (formerly Twitter) and Meta (Facebook) Incorp.
Details shortly.
Finally, DSS Arraigns Sowore on alleged Cybercrime Offences
News
One killed, dozens abducted as bandits launch multiple attacks in Zurmi, Bungudu LGAs in Zamfara
One killed, dozens abducted as bandits launch multiple attacks in Zurmi, Bungudu LGAs in Zamfara
By: Zagazola Makama
Armed bandits have carried out a series of coordinated attacks across parts of Zamfara State, killing one person and abducting several others in Zurmi and Bungudu Local Government Areas, security sources have confirmed.
In the first incident, bandits invaded Tungar Tsamiya village in Moriki District of Zurmi LGA at about 10:40 p.m. on Nov. 30, shooting dead one resident and abducting 10 others.
Security forces launched a search-and-rescue operation to locate the victims.
Barely hours later, on Monday morning, another group of bandits attacked Doguwar Gona forest in the same Moriki District.
The assailants abducted 17 men and women who were in the area fetching firewood. Security personnel are tracking the movement of the attackers with the aim of rescuing the captives.
In a separate incident in Bungudu LGA, gunmen armed with AK-47 rifles stormed Makwa village in Kurar Mota District at about 12:15 p.m. on Dec. 1 and abducted an unconfirmed number of residents.
Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA and police operatives, supported by local vigilante groups, have intensified efforts to rescue all abducted victims and restore calm across the affected communities.
Search operations are ongoing.
One killed, dozens abducted as bandits launch multiple attacks in Zurmi, Bungudu LGAs in Zamfara
NSA Ribadu visits Kontagora Bishop, pledges swift rescue of abducted Niger schoolchildren
By: Zagazola Makama
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, on Monday paid a sympathy visit to the Bishop of Kontagora, Bishop Bulus Yohanna, following the recent abduction of students of St. Mary Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.
The NSA, who arrived Kontagora by helicopter at about noon, was accompanied by the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr Tony Ajayi; the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs; and senior officials from the Office of the NSA.
Ribadu and his entourage proceeded to the office of the Bishop at St. Michael Church, where they met with representatives of families of the abducted students, the school principal, and the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for the 19 Northern States, Bishop Joseph Hayap.
During the meeting, the NSA assured the community that the Federal Government was intensifying efforts to secure the safe release of the abducted pupils and staff.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ending attacks on schools and ensuring the safety of students across the country.
NSA Ribadu visits Kontagora Bishop, pledges swift rescue of abducted Niger schoolchildren
Finally, DSS Arraigns Sowore on alleged Cybercrime Offences
One killed, dozens abducted as bandits launch multiple attacks in Zurmi, Bungudu LGAs in Zamfara
NSA Ribadu visits Kontagora Bishop, pledges swift rescue of abducted Niger schoolchildren
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