News
Nasco let off the hook of EFCC after 7 years
Nasco let off the hook of EFCC after 7 years
By: Our reporter
After Seven years of Legal fire works between the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), and Umar Nasko, the former Commissioner of Environment under Dr. Babangida Aliyu, the Minna High court has discharged him.
Nasko a two time governorship candidate of People Democratic party (PDP) in Niger State was accused of misappropriation of funds totally over a billion naira.
His discharge was sequel to the application filed by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Niger State Nasir Mua’azu to discontinue with the case as brought against Umar Nasko by the EFCC in 2017.
The development for his discharge came few hours after the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Niger State Nasir Mua’azu took over the Prosecution of the case from the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC) last week.
The former Governor of Niger State Dr. Babangida Aliyu and the State People Democratic party (PDP) Chairman Tanko Beji were equally discharged in December, by Justice Mikailu Abdullahi of High court number two.
They were both dragged to the court by the Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC)
Some times in 2017, for alleged criminal breach of trust Conspiracy, and conversion of N3 billion belonging to Niger state to their personal coffers.
Dr. Mua’azu Babangida Aliyu, along with his Commissioner for Environment Umar Nasko and the Niger State Chairman of the People Democratic party (PDP) in Niger State Barrister Tanko Beji, were in 2017 arraigned before the then chief Judge of Niger State Justice Mohammed Aliyu Mayaki for misappropriation of public funds.
Before his discharge, Umar Nasko was the only respondent remaining in the case and he was to enter his Defence on Monday the 15th of January 2024.
However the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Niger State Nasir Mua’azu applied to take over the Prosecution of the case from the EFCC, on the ground that the case has suffered several adjustments within the past seven years without any visible headway from the EFCC.
His application was contained in the motion on notice filed before the court dated 8th January 2024 and filed 10th January 2024.
The Prosecuting Counsel to EFCC Farouk Abdullahi objected to the application and requested time to address the court on the application.
The counsel to the respondent Mike Osman (SAN), objected to the submission of the prosecuting counsel and the Attorney General citing the provision of Section 211 (1b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
The EFCC counsel after a short interlude withdrew his objection and submitted that he had no option than doing so adding that whatever happens the course of ensuring Justice is done in accordance with the. criminal justice system.
A few hours after the court resumed, the Attorney General applied to discontinued the case which was granted by the court.
Nasco let off the hook of efcc after 7 years
News
NSCDC Borno State Command flays one sided report against personnel at Njimtilo check point
NSCDC Borno State Command flays one sided report against personnel at Njimtilo check point
By our reporter
The former boss of the Borno state Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) Mohammed Agalama has described as false allegations details leveled against him in a recent publication by Zagazola media network.
He said most of what was published by that online outfit were maliciously done to denigrate the command and his person because he was in charge of the station as at then.
Agalama who spent only about two months before his sudden transfer to Kano stated that he was equally hunted because of his recent stands for equality when it comes to certain privileges among his officers and other sensitive issues in which he made pronouncements not very palatable to certain sections of the society.
In a strongly worded response to the publication, the spokesman of the NSCDC command James Bulus noted that most of the fundamental details of the report was a figment of the imagination of the writer.
He noted that the writer who did not balance his report by hearing the side of the command from his former boss over what happened listened to one side and deliberately went out to malign him without confirming what really happened within the period under review.
Bulus stated in a release made available to newsmen in Maiduguri that there were a lot of untruths inside the Njimtilo related report which was why the former NSCDC boss committee’s report has been forwarded to the National Headquarters of the Corp in Abuja, adding that justice will surely be done over the matter which painted the command in such a bad light by the publication.
Demand for redress
The release noted that the management respectfully requests that the publication issue a clarification acknowledging these inaccuracies and the misidentification of the officer involved.
“The management hereby advised that a fair and balanced account will restore public confidence in both the NSCDC and the media’s responsibility to report verified facts.” Said the spokesman.
Trouble actually started when the outfit reported that “a Maiduguri-based mechanical engineer name withheld who repairs heavy-duty trucks at Njimtilo alleged that essential spare parts worth over N800,000 were stolen from his workshop overnight.
“Days later, the owner was shocked to find the same spare parts inside the NSCDC outpost under officer Bulama’s custody.
“Instead of returning the recovered property, he reportedly demanded N500,000 as a ‘settlement’ before release. The victim offered N100,000, but the officer insisted on the full amount.
” Investigations revealed that mounting pressure from the NSCDC command forced the officer to return some of the items. However, four critical components valued at over N800,000 were missing. Bulama insisted these items were never recovered.
“Further probing uncovered that the missing parts had been sold, and N150,000 — reportedly the payment for the items — was transferred into the officer’s personal bank account.
“Following the escalation of the case to the Borno State NSCDC Commandant, Muhammad Hassan-Agalama, Bulama was relieved of his position and referred to a disciplinary committee.” Said the report.
Meanwhile, the National headquarters of the NSCDC will soon release the report of their findings of the allege misconduct of the accused Bulama which caused the sudden transfer of his former boss.
NSCDC Borno State Command flays one sided report against personnel at Njimtilo check point
News
Nine PAP Foreign Scholarship Beneficiaries Bag Master’s Degrees From UK Varsities
Nine PAP Foreign Scholarship Beneficiaries Bag Master’s Degrees From UK Varsities
•••771 to Graduate in Nigeria in 2025
•••Otuaro Hails Scholars’ Performances
By: Michael Mike
Nine students awarded foreign post-graduate scholarships by the Presidential Amnesty Programme have graduated from their master’s degree rprogrammes in universities in the United Kingdom.
The successful scholars are the first graduates in the offshore post-graduate scholarship deployment to UK institutions by the PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, for the 2024-2025 academic session.
They graduated from the Anglia Ruskin University, University of Dundee and The University of Law with master’s degrees in cyber security, data science and engineering, law, construction and civil engineering management, project management, and ICT.
Also, 711 undergraduate and post-graduate scholarship beneficiaries are expected to graduate from universities within Nigeria this year.
The PAP, on Wednesday, 3 December, 2025, organised a graduation reception for the scholars in London.
Otuaro has congratulated them on their successful graduation, stressing that they completed their programmes in record time which shows the seriousness they had put into their studies.
He said they have justified the Federal Government’s investment in their education with their successful graduation, and urged other beneficiaries not to be distracted in their academic pursuits.
“We congratulate these scholars on their successful graduation. It shows that they took their studies seriously. That is what we demand of every scholarship beneficiary, whether at the undergraduate or post-graduate level”, Otuaro said.
He reiterated his unwavering commitment to expanding the scholarship scheme to create more opportunities for indigent students of Niger Delta extraction to access higher education with a view to closing the human capital development gap in the region.
Otuaro said it was for this reason he deployed 3800 beneficiaries in-country in the 2024-2025 academic year, and increased the figure to 3900 in the 2025-2026 academic session with 200 for foreign scholarships.
Otuaro has so far deployed 7700 students for the PAP scholarship scheme within Nigeria in less than two years.
Within this period, also, he has also deployed 162 students from the region for post-graduate programmes in targeted disciplines in the UK universities.
According to him, this is in conformity with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu for the Niger Delta, who has given unprecedented support to the PAP because of his sincere love for the area.
The PAP boss said, “Our decision aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for the Niger Delta. We will continue to create more higher educational opportunities for students from indigent backgrounds in our region.
“We are also deepening the implementation of the programme’s mandate in informal education and other areas for the sustainable peace and socio-economic advancement of the region.”
Nine PAP Foreign Scholarship Beneficiaries Bag Master’s Degrees From UK Varsities
News
Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limited Established for Realization of Ondo Project
Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limited Established for Realization of Ondo Project
By: Michael Mike
Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limited has been incorporated to seamlessly allowed for the Refinery and Free Trade Zone in Ondo State.
A press statement on Thursday read that: “In furtherance of our commitment to the execution of these two major projects – Refinery and Free Trade Zone in conjunction with the Ondo State Government, the joint partners have taken another giant step by incorporating a joint company, namely – SUNSHINE JOINT VENTURE INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED – as the vehicle to be used in executing these projects. A move that further reinforces the sincerity of purpose and total commitment of the funding partners to move ahead together as a united front.
According to the release by Wale Adekola on behalf of the JV, the Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limitedwill, going forward serve as the vehicle to work with the Ondo State Government through the Ondo State Investment Promotion Agency (ONDIPA) in the implementation of the executed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).
The statement added that: “In moving the projects forward for implementation, the JV team met in Dubai to finalize the funding modalities and put in place structures and plans for the commencement of activities for ground breaking and community engagements. These initial activities are aimed at complementing the 50th Anniversary of the creation of Ondo State and the one year anniversary of the election of the Executive Governor of the Sunshine State, His Excellency, Chief Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa CFR.
At the Dubai meeting were key officers of the JV Company, including: Messrs SALEHI FARHAD; ZAHERI NAVID; EGHBAL KORDJAMSHIDI; SAHEED ZAHERI; DR. STEPHEN DIKE; HENRY OWONKA AND MRS. NAMVAR MARYAM.
The statement further informed that, plans have been concluded to mobilize the relevant contractors working with the locals and host communities to put up structures that will host the information center, architectural models to showcase the projects on offer and facilities that will serve the team. All these are being planned with ONDIPA to execute the relocation and accommodation of the host communities that are likely to be affected by the projects and create a seamless transition that will engender peaceful co-existence and harmonious relationship with our host communities.
The JV company further reiterated its commitment to work with Ondo State Government (through ONDIPA) to change the infrastructural landscape of the Sunshine State and for mutual benefits.
Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limited Established for Realization of Ondo Project
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