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Meet Members Of New Fake Agency Discovered By ICPC.

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The alleged fake National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office had a structure spanning several states and two foreign countries, with an acclaimed national coordinator, zonal directors, state coordinators and representatives in China and the United States.

A check by Punch on Saturday found that the office’s website listed Hon. Nwabueze George as its “Executive Director, National Coordinator,” alongside a director of national administration, three zonal directors, 20 state coordinators and representatives for the United States and China.

Recall that the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Musa Aliyu, disclosed on Friday that President Bola Tinubu had ordered the immediate arrest of George Nwabueze, identified by the commission as “the promoter” of the alleged fake office.

It was had earlier reported that Tinubu also ordered the immediate suspension of three permanent secretaries, M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah, following the discovery of the office, which the ICPC said had been allocated space within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) without presidential authorisation.

The ICPC said the promoter was also found to have operated under several variations of his name, including George Nathan Nwabueze, George Nwabueze, George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and George Nwabueze.

The website listed Nwabueze as the “Executive Director, National Coordinator.”

It also listed Dr Bassey B. Unaowo as Special Assistant to the Permanent Secretary on Political and Economic Affairs, OSGF; Dr Hajara Njidda Amoni as Director, National Administration; Mr Oladunjoye Musiliua as Zonal Director, South-West; Hafsat Sahabi Dange as Zonal Director, North; and Mrs Ugochi Akudo Nwosu as Zonal Director, South-East.

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The website also claimed that the project operated under the OSGF. Its framework page described the project as being overseen by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs, in the OSGF.

However, this claimed government connection is significant in light of the ICPC’s finding that the office was operating without presidential authorisation.

20 State Coordinators

The website listed the following as state coordinators:

Katsina: Dr Babangida Kabir Ruma

Kaduna: Hon. Abdulhaleem Ishaq Ringim

Delta: Hon. Dr Godwin Adolor

Kebbi: Hussaini Abdullahi, Esq., FSI

Osun: Hon. Olugbemi Adetola Adelowokan

Anambra: Hon. Chiamaka Nnake

Nasarawa: Hon. Osolafia Muhammed, PhD

Plateau: Mrs Salome Audu Bidda

Benue: Hon. Orduen Andrew Ikon

Ondo: Amb. Orioye G. Benedict

Ogun: Hon. Engr. Kehinde Akintonide, FNSE

Sokoto: Hon. Ibrahim Umar Aliyu

Abia: Hon. Mrs Nwosu Chinyere R.

Zamfara: Hon. Ibrahim Bello Marafa

Niger: Haj. Zainab Mohammed

Kano: Hon. Abubakar Ahmad Bichi (Khalifa)

Taraba: Hon. Justin Aondoaseer Tyopuusu

Oyo: Alhaji Bello Kolawole Ghaffar, FCA

Bauchi: Hon. Farouq Siyi

Kogi: Hon. Olorukooba Bidemi

According to Punch, it also found indications that some of those listed had previously held public positions or had links to established political, governmental or community structures in their respective states.

In Taraba, Tyopuusu has been identified in recent reports as a Special Assistant to Governor Agbu Kefas on Digital Economy, while serving as the state coordinator of the Made in Nigeria Special Project.

Their inclusion on the website does not, by itself, establish that they knew the organisation had allegedly lacked government authorisation.

The website also listed Hon. Emmanuel Enemali Achema as “Country Rep./Coordinator, U.S.A.” and Hon. Ameh Enedugbojo Glory as “Country Rep./Coordinator, China.”

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The claimed international structure was presented alongside the state and zonal network as part of the organisation’s purported nationwide and international operations.

The office’s website described its activities as including trade exhibitions, economic forums, promotion of Nigerian products and support for small and medium-sized enterprises, claims ICPC disputed.

The development is the latest in an investigation into purported fictitious government bodies.

The ICPC had previously identified the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and two other alleged fictitious bodies: the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public-Private Partnership.

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Man arrested in connection with h@ng!ng d£ath of Mississippi mother of four

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A 51-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the d£ath of Tasia Fortune, a 29-year-old mother of four whose body was found h@ng!ng from a tree behind an abandoned home in Jackson, Mississippi.

Jackson police identified the suspect as Jacques Ratliff, who was arrested on Friday after officers executed search and arrest warrants in connection with the case.

The arrest came a day after the Mississippi State Medical Examiner officially classified Fortune’s d£ath as a h0m!cide.

Police Chief RaShall Brackney said Ratliff had an “association” with Fortune but declined to disclose the nature of their relationship. She also said the investigation remains active and that additional arrests are expected.

Fortune’s mother, Christy Spivey, said she broke down in tears after learning of the arrest, but noted that the family still has unanswered questions about the motive and evidence that led investigators to Ratliff.

Spivey last saw her daughter on July 26 during a family reunion in Kentucky, shortly before Fortune returned to Mississippi.

Fortune’s case has drawn national attention, partly because two other h@ng!ng d£aths occurred in Mississippi within the past year. Authorities ruled both those cases suicides.

Fortune, who had lived in Jackson for about 10 years after moving from Kentucky, was remembered by relatives as a religious, intelligent and athletic woman.

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See also  PHOTOS: EFCC Begins Probe As Customs Grabs Suspect With $73,000, £15,957, 827,800 SAR At Kano Airport
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Ekiti CP orders probe as man allegedly kills wife during marital dispute

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The Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Michael Falade, has ordered a thorough investigation into the alleged killing of a 25-year-old woman, Kehinde Onizeokaraga, by her husband, Sodiq Ibrahim, during a marital dispute in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.

Ibrahim, a meat seller, allegedly attacked his wife with a machete during an attempt to resolve their marital disagreement on Wednesday.

Sources who spoke about the incident on Thursday said the couple, who hailed from Kogi State, had been experiencing domestic challenges before the disagreement reportedly culminated in the fatal attack.

One of the sources said the deceased had previously left her husband’s home following what was described as irreconcilable differences between the couple.

The source said, “I am aware they had issues in the marriage to the extent that the lady had left the man’s house due to some irreconcilable differences.

“But recently, there were efforts by the suspect to resolve the issue with her, which the deceased was not comfortable with.”

The disagreement reportedly escalated into a physical confrontation during which Ibrahim allegedly attacked Kehinde repeatedly with a machete, inflicting severe injuries that led to her death.

The suspect reportedly fled the scene after the incident and remained at large as of Thursday.

The deceased’s body was said to have been deposited in a mortuary.

A cousin to the deceased, Yussuf Lawrence, said the family was devastated by the incident and appealed to the police and other relevant authorities to intensify efforts to apprehend the suspect.

Lawrence said the killing occurred during an attempt by some individuals to mediate in the couple’s marital dispute.

See also  Three suspected bandits killed in Gombe border communities

He said, “While Kehinde was preparing to leave Ado Ekiti, she was invited to the residence of her father’s friend, who they said wanted to see her. Kehinde went to the residence on Wednesday morning, unaware that her husband would also be present.

“An attempt to resolve the couple’s marital disagreement subsequently degenerated into the fatal attack.”

Lawrence alleged that some persons had been taken into police custody in connection with the incident, although Ibrahim was still at large.

He also alleged that Ibrahim fled with Kehinde’s mobile phone, which he said the family believed could contain information that might assist the police in their investigation.

“We want Sadiq (Ibrahim) to be found and arrested. We want justice for Kehinde. Her parents are in pain, and my family is in serious agony. She didn’t deserve this,” he said.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti State Command, Sunday Abutu, said the Commissioner of Police had ordered a thorough investigation.

“The Commissioner of Police, Michael Falade, has ordered a thorough investigation into the matter to ensure that the perpetrator is apprehended and brought to justice,” Abutu said.

Source: punchng.com

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Apapa Customs intercept N43.58bn drugs, expired goods

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The Nigeria Customs Service, Apapa Area Command, said it had seized 13 containers of hard drugs and expired goods with a total duty-paid value of N43.58bn.

Addressing journalists at the command while showcasing the seized containers, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, explained that the contents fell into three categories: “narcotics and controlled pharmaceuticals, security-sensitive equipment, and expired goods intended for human use.”

“The total duty-paid value of the seizures is N43.58bn,” Adeniyi said.

Giving details of the seizure, he said a 40-foot container with registration number HAMU 3086682 was carrying 4,777 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 2,388.5kg, packed in two cartons, 48 jumbo bags and 40 drums, alongside assorted automobile spare parts, one carton of coffee mix, eight cartons of oats and three vehicles.

He added that another 40ft container with registration number FANU 1933352 was carrying 8,287 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 4,145kg, packed in 162 bags and three vehicles.

The CGC pointed out that a 20ft container with registration number MSKU 3941778 was intercepted with 2,181 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 1,090.5kg, packed in five cartons, 148 bags of foreign parboiled rice, assorted automobile spare parts, two boxes of lithium batteries, one carton of PV combiner box, 19 cartons of turmeric, 33 cartons of mangala fish and 11 cartons of butterfly fish.

“Others include a 40ft container with registration number TCKU 7653306 carrying 1,700 cartons containing 169,998 bottles of codeine syrup, concealed under household items.

“Another container with registration number MSKU 9282528 was carrying two cartons containing 108 units of high-definition dual-camera drones, extracted from the container. A 40ft container with registration number MRKU 6185100 conveying 425 bales of used clothing. A 40ft container with registration number SEKU 4685299 was carrying 422 bales of used clothing,” he said.

Adeniyi said the command also intercepted five containers loaded with expired tomato ketchup, antiseptic liquid, vaginal tablets and disposable nappies.

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He emphasised that the three narcotics containers together were carrying 15,245 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 7,624kg, while the used clothing amounted to 1,282 bales.

Adeniyi warned that the abuse of prohibited substances like codeine among young Nigerians had been a national concern for years, adding that its connection to violent conduct, family breakdown and the loss of productive lives was well documented.

According to him, a single container of this size would have supplied the trade for a considerable period. He said the cannabis interceptions resulted from inter-agency work with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, supported by intelligence from international security partners.

Adeniyi added that the service also extracted 108 units of high-definition dual-camera drones from an intercepted container.

“Drones have lawful uses, and the service has no quarrel with them. But equipment of this kind, in the wrong hands, becomes a means of surveillance, of reconnaissance and of delivery, and our security agencies have already met it in that role in the field,” he stressed.

He maintained that consignments of security-sensitive equipment arriving without necessary documents would be detained. “Our ports will not be a route through which capability reaches those who are working against the security of this country,” Adeniyi warned.

He disclosed that the seized items would be handed over to the relevant narcotics agencies for further action and closure.

Source: punchng.com

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