I have returned Metuh’s N25m to EFCC

Abba Dabo, a former aide to erstwhile Vice President Namadi Sambo told a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday that he has refunded the N25m given to him by Olisa Metuh to the PDP.

He said that he was given the money to fund Peoples Democratic Party, PDP's media activities.

Testifying as a prosecution witness, Dabo said that he returned the money in January 2016 on realisimg that it was part of the funds earmarked for the procurementof arms in the office of the National Security Adviser.

He was led in evidence by the prosecution counsel Sylvanus Tahir.

Dabo told the court that N25m was paid to him through an account operated by Metuh’s company, Destra Investment Limited  on December 16, 2014, five days after former President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo were selected as the party’s candidates for the office of president and vice-president in the 2015 presidential election.

He said that he decided to refund the money to the EFCC because he couldn't reach Metuh who was incarcerated at the time.

His words:
“Unfortunately, there were reports in the media, on this transaction with Chief Metuh linking it to controversial circumstances. I mean it was identified that Chief Metuh paid the N25m to my account through his company and that the source of the money was from the arms deal that was being discussed generally in the country.

“As a result of that publication, we thought we needed to explain, and because it was paid to my personal account , in my name, I decided to make a refund, and  I paid it to EFCC, because I couldn’t reach Mr. Metuh that particular time.

“The newspapers were awash with the story that linked the money given to me to the arms money that was said to have been diverted to other uses by the Office of the National Security Adviser. On my own volition, I decided that the the best way out of the rigmarole was to pay back the amount. I paid it back to EFCC.”

He also said that Metuh gave him the money to “mitigate and counter negative media reports against the then Jonathan-led government and the PDP.”

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Gunmen Abduct Three Housewives In Zaria

Three housewives were on Sunday abducted by armed men at Dorayi village in Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

A resident of the village said that the gang of about ten bandits struck around midnight on Sunday and took the women away.

He gave the names of the victims as Maimuna Abubakar, 25, Mairo Hussaini, 20, and Hauwa Ibrahim, 20.

He added that the gang returned the next day to rustle some cattle.

“The following night the same suspects went back to the village and took away two cows and a motorcycle."

News Agency of Nigeria, NAN reports that the gang called on Thursday to assure the family of the safety of the women but made no other demand.

Confirming the abduction, the spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Zubairu Abubakar said that his men were on the trail of the bandits.

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CharlyBoy on his wife at 55

Maverick musician and showbiz personality, Charles Oputa, better known as CharlyBoy last Friday eulogized his wife of 37 years, Diane Oputa on the occasion of her 55th birthday.

In a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, CharlyBoy said that Diane is much more than a wife to him.

"Diane has stood by me through all my bullshit, my ignorance and my mood swings.

"The fact is that I can never live with anyone like me, but she has managed to survive a 37 years of me,’’ he said.

He explained that having gone through a series failed marriages, the coming of Diane brought relief to his life and career.

"Honestly, after three failed marriages, I think God did indeed bless me with Diane as a pillar of hope and encouragement through Life.

"She is one of the things in my life that I got right, my ultimate merit badge.’’

He hoped that the success of his marriage would be an example to other couples.

"I have learnt from her that marriage is not about how compatible couples are, but how they deal with their incompatibility.

"I hope that our togetherness over the years has taught some people about perseverance, tolerance, discipline and love”, he enthused.

Charles and Diane Oputa are blessed with three children.

NAN

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My campaign promises are tied to 2016 budget - Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday said that he will begin to implement his campaign promises immediately the 2016 budget proposal is passed into law by the National Assembly.

Buhari said this while inaugurating the newly-constructed Ota township road in Ado-Odo/Ota Council Area as part of the activities marking the commemoration of the 40th anniversary Ogun State.

The president was represented at the event by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

”I want to assure the people that immediately the budget is passed into law, we will zoom into action and all our promises will be fulfilled.

”We have plans for artisans and market women; they are already in our plans in the budget and we will give them soft loans to boost their businesses.

“We must not lose sight of the fact that it is the masses that voted for us and we must not let them down, ” he said.

He assured that youth employment is one of the cardinal programs of his administration.

He reiterated the administration's determination to train 500,000 volunteer teachers who would be paid for the job.

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UAE to help Nigeria recover looted funds

The Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Nigeria, Mahmud Muhammad Al- Mahmud has said that his country will support Nigeria's anti-corruption war.

“No country can be an island without the support of others,” he said.

The envoy gave the assurance in Abuja on Wednesday during a meeting with the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu.

Magu said that in the light of intelligence reports that the UAE is considered a safe haven by corrupt Nigerian politicians, he had come to see the country's support in tracking stolen funds and repatriating corrupt persons.

The meeting came on the heels of a recent agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance on the repatriation of stolen funds and extradition of indicted officials signed between President Muhammadu Buhari and the government of the United Arab Emirates.

According to a statement issued by Mr Wilson Uwujaren, Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Magu told the UAE envoy that he had come to seek his country's support for the anti graft war.

“The fight against graft requires the support of all, most especially the international community.

“I have come to seek your support and cooperation just as we had in the case of Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, James Ibori, among others, to get the mission accomplished.”

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How military chiefs used their wives, kids to hide looted funds

Information emanating from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC suggest that some of the looted $2.1b arms procurement fund have been traced to the accounts of wives and children of some former and serving military chiefs.

Abujacitynews learnt that the EFCC may soon block access to the accounts fingered in the offense.

A source close to the anti graft agency revealed that some of the indicted officers, both serving and retired acquired properties in the names of their family members in order to conceal their loot.

Another source close to the investigation told The Nation that the EFCC has made some interesting discoveries concerning the looted funds.

His words:
“Our investigators have uncovered that some of these military officers under probe stashed  their shares of the $2.1billion arms cash in the accounts of their relations, especially wives and children.

“We have traced such slush funds and we may freeze these accounts until we have screened the inflows and expenditures. The legitimately operated accounts will be freed after thorough screening.

”Besides, some houses belonging to the children and relations of some military chiefs have been identified as products of proceeds of financial crimes.

“We have already marked the properties of one of the children of a top military brass. We have invoked Temporary Assets Forfeiture Clause in EFCC Act.

“It is obvious that some of the arms cash were laundered through proxies, relations and phony companies. Some even registered companies in the names of their spouses or families.

“We have done enough ground work to interrogate some of these former and serving military chiefs.

“We have also summoned most of the former and serving military officers referred to EFCC for probe,” he said.

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Police to replace firearms with stun guns IGP

The Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase says that the Nigeria Police Force will soon introduce stun guns as part of measures to reduce fatalities associated with misuse of firearms by police officers.

Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday after a meeting with senior police officers, Arase said that the introduction of stun guns will discourage the use of firearms by policemen on metro patrol.

“Right now, what we are trying to do is to discourage issuing firearms to police officers, who go on metro patrol. And that is why we are thinking of introducing stun guns this year.

“Stun guns can incapacitate you, demobilise you, but they will not kill you. So, in case there is a mistake, then we will be able to ensure that the fatality is not such that will result in death.

“It is also true that from statistics we have internal mechanisms for dealing with people who engage in misuse of firearms and I must tell you that many of them have been dismissed. But it is not every day you will see it on the pages of the paper that they have been dismissed,” he said.

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