Politics
N2.2bn Fraud: EFCC presents four witnesses against Ex-Ekiti governor, Ayo Fayose
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, November 19th, opened its case against a former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, who is being prosecuted for an alleged N2.2bn fraud before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos .
Fayose was arraigned alongside his company, Spotless Investment Limited, on October 22, 2018 on an 11-count charge bordering on fraud and money laundering to the tune of N2.2bn.
The former governor is facing trial in connection with N1.299bn and $5.3m out of the N4.65bn slush funds allegedly shared by the Office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, through a former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro.
Fayose pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him and was granted bail in the sum of N50m with one surety in like sum. The Judge had adjourned to Monday, November 19, 2018 for the commencement of trial.
In the course of the sitting, a prosecution witness, Lawrence Akande, told the court that one Abiodun Agbele informed him sometime in June 2014 that he had about N1.2 billion cash lodgement to make in Akure,Ondo State.
Akande, an employee of Zenith Bank Plc in charge of South West comprising Ogun, Oyo and Osun States, further told the court that he subsequently received a call from the first defendant in respect of the same issue earlier discussed with him by Agbele.
“Since the lodgement was in Akure, I had to call my colleague there to follow up on it. This is all I know about it, ” he added.
When asked if he knew about the company, Spotless Investment Limited, Akande, who was led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, stated that it was one of his bank’s customers at the Dugbe branch.
When he was shown the account opening document of Spotless Nigeria Limited, De Privateer Limited and Still Earth Limited as well as account document of the first defendant, the witness confirmed the documents. They were tendered and admitted in evidence as exhibita A-D by the court.
When asked where the account of the first defendant was domiciled, he said: ” It is not domiciled within my domain. “But from the documents before me here, I can see Apapa”, he said.
Asked to state if the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, maintained an account with his bank, the witness said so many parties, including PDP, had accounts with his bank.
Under cross-examination by counsel to the first defendant, Kanu Agabi, SAN, the witness told the court that he made statements to the EFCC on June 6, 2016. He, however, said that he did not mention the first defendant in his earlier statement. “I only mentioned him in my subsequent statements to the EFCC ,” he added.
When the defence counsel told him that his evidence was based on what he was told by his colleague, whom he said handled the transactions in Akure, he responded that “I was told how the cash was processed.”
He also stated that he had sought patronage by the first defendant for opening of government account with his bank in line with his responsibility of looking for deposits.
During cross-examination by counsel to the second defendant, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, Akande confirmed to the court that a person who is not a signatory to an account cannot make withdrawals from such account.
“There are withdrawal limits in every account and where withdrawals are to be made above the stipulated limits, it is reported to the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to investigate such transaction,” he further stated.
When asked if his bank ever lodged any report of suspicious transactions on the various company accounts, he said: “We had no reason to do so.”
Also, when asked if he told the EFCC that before the account opening of De Privateer, the sum of N200 million was lodged in the account, he answered in the affirmative.
When asked if he was aware that the PDP organised a fund raiser before the election and that political parties do organise fund raising, the witness said, ” It is not impossible. But I don’t know.”
Akande, who confirmed that he had not had any dealing with the account of the second defendant, also told the court that the CCTV installed in the bank usually captures customers making lodgements in the bank, except it is faulty.
A second prosecution witness, Abiodun Oshodi, who is the Zonal Head of the bank covering South West 2 comprising Ondo, Kwara and Ekiti, recalled some developments in 2014 in relation to the case, saying, “I received a call from my colleague (Akande) that Agbele would be coming to make some lodgments and that I should organise a bullion van. I waited for Agbele who arrived with one Sadiku and some escorts. Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, the then Minister of State for Defence, and his aide, also accompanied them. As soon as the aircraft arrived, I moved with the bullion van towards the plane to evacuate the money.
“The total sum amounted to N1.2 billion. They were lodged into accounts supplied by Agbele. Others include Spotless Nigeria Limited, De Privateer Limited as well as personal account of former governor, Fayose. Some cash were taken to Ado-Ekiti.”
When asked to look at the deposits in the account of Spotless Limited from June 17 to Aug 4, 2014, Oshodi, who also supervises all branches in the three localities, told the court that there was a lodgment of N100 million on June 17. On June 23, there was a cash lodgement of N49 milion. On June 24, there was a cash lodgement of N200,000 while on August 4, there was a cash lodgement of N40 million.
“On same August 4, there were also cash lodgements in the sums of N35 million, N35 million, N24 million, N20 million and N14 million respectively,” he added.
The witness told the court that Agbele made the deposit on June 17.
He, however, said that from the statement before him, the depositor’s name on August 4 was given as Ayo.
A third prosecution witness, Olaitan Fajuyitan, a banker in Diamond Bank, told the court about the involvement of the bank in the transaction, saying , “We received payment instructions on June 16, 2014 to pay cash of N1.2bn. We then moved the funds to CITS account. On the same process on June 17, 2014, we paid N200 millon.”
The account details, account statement and instructions were tendered and admitted as exhibit E.
He confirmed to court that the money was legitimate, since it was received from the Office of the National Security Adviser NSA, through the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
PW3 mentioned the beneficiaries of disbursement funds as: Santuraki Bello( N200m); Yusuf Ulama (N120m); Chmenun Injoku( N250m); Josaha Moses( N250m); Abubaka Sodiq Zanna (N200m) and Franklin Tolani (N150m), respectively.
Also, the fourth prosecution witness, PW4, Damola Otuyemo, Head, Cash in Transit in Service, Diamond Bank, said his duties involved evacuating cash from a bank that has surplus and supplying banks that do not have enough.
He said on June 16, 2014, his Director, Premier Oiwoh, informed him that they needed to pay a sum of N1.2bn cash to a customer, and that he should get the cash ready.
He said because the beneficiaries were not available to pay the cash to, he was told by his Director to move the cash to the airport.
He said: “We had to contact a company that operates bullion vans and moved the cash to the Muritala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos .
“On getting to the Airport, we could not have access to enter. So, my Director spoke to Gbolahan Obanikoro, who was described as the person that could help us to proccess the pass. He did and we then entered. After, this Musilu Obanikoro was phoned and the cash was handed over to him. Obanikoro told me not to evacute the cash because it had to be loaded in aircraft”, he said
Giving further evidence, he said: ” The whole cash was moved into the aircraft and they left the airport.
“We did not see the six beneficiaries. We released the cash to Mr Musilu Obanikoro, having been identified by my Director. It was Obanikoro who signed for the money. On June 17, 2014, my Director called me and instructed that I pay a sum of N200m to Malik Bauchi. He said we should waive identification.
“But because the amount was too much, we did not waive the identification, and the money was paid to Obanikoro. They used a cash bag called “jumbo bags” to pack N1.2bn and Ghana- must-go bags to pack N200m. The cash was handed over to Musliu Obanikoro”.
Justice Olatoregun adjourned the matter to January 21 and 28, 2019 for continuation of trial.
Politics
Pro-Tinubu Group Demands Sack of Badaru, Other Ministers Who Lost Polling Units in Bye-Elections
Pro-Tinubu Group Demands Sack of Badaru, Other Ministers Who Lost Polling Units in Bye-Elections
The Asiwaju Network has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately disengage underperforming ministers who failed to deliver their polling units and wards during the just-concluded bye-elections.
The group also urged a cabinet reshuffle to inject fresh energy and ensure that only those who can add political and governance value remain in the Federal Executive Council.
In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja and signed by its president, Alhaji Musa Ibrahim Dandoka, the Asiwaju Network said the results of the elections were a litmus test that exposed the political weaknesses of some ministers entrusted with strategic national assignments.
At Babura Kofar Arewa Primary School in Jigawa State, where the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, cast his vote, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored 308 votes to defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC), which managed only 112.
Badaru, a former governor of Jigawa and APC chieftain, left the venue without addressing journalists after casting his vote amid heavy security presence.
Dandoka said it was troubling that, despite his high office, the Defence Minister could not secure victory in his polling unit.
He argued that such political setbacks undermine the strength of the APC and the credibility of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope government.
“This defeat is both embarrassing and unacceptable. A minister who cannot win his polling unit cannot claim to possess the political capital required to defend the APC or promote the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda. President Tinubu must act quickly to weed out weak links in his cabinet and replace them with men and women who have proven grassroots capacity,” Dandoka stated.
The group noted that Badaru was not alone in this failure, stressing that another minister from Jigawa and one from Enugu State also lost their wards and polling units.
According to the group, these developments point to a worrying trend of disconnect between certain ministers and their political bases.
“Ministers are not merely technocrats. They are political leaders of the party in their states and zones. If they cannot hold their homes together, then they do not deserve to hold on to strategic national offices. The bye-elections have sent a clear message, and it is that some ministers have lost relevance and electoral value,” the statement reads.
The Asiwaju Network maintained that the APC’s strength lies in grassroots mobilisation, and any minister unable to inspire loyalty within his immediate constituency is a liability.
Dandoka emphasised that President Tinubu’s success in governance must be matched with political consolidation, which requires capable and electorally grounded cabinet members.
“President Tinubu has been bold with tough decisions on subsidy reforms, the economy, and security. Nigerians are beginning to see the fruits of those reforms. But he must also be bold enough to reshuffle his cabinet. A government of results cannot afford ministers who are passengers. The President needs proven drivers of the Renewed Hope vision,” Dandoka said.
The group also commended loyal APC members and supporters who defied intimidation and attempts at rigging in Jigawa and Enugu, saying their resilience was the true strength of the ruling party.
“These members stood firm when those at the top failed to inspire confidence. They turned out in their numbers to defend the APC’s relevance even when some of their supposed leaders abandoned them. These grassroots soldiers of democracy must never be taken for granted,” Dandoka added.
The Asiwaju Network further urged President Tinubu to take the bye-election results as a warning, cautioning that retaining non-performing ministers would embolden the opposition and demoralise party loyalists.
“The message from Jigawa and Enugu is clear: the APC cannot continue to reward failure. A minister who cannot secure a few streets in his ward has no business in the Federal Executive Council. Mr President must urgently rejig his cabinet or risk carrying dead weight into future electoral contests,” the coalition warned.
Reaffirming the group’s loyalty to Tinubu’s leadership, Dandoka said Nigerians expect a government that rewards competence and accountability, not excuses and political failures.
“President Tinubu has the people’s mandate. He must not allow weak ministers to drag down his vision. A decisive cabinet reshuffle now will send a strong signal that the Renewed Hope government is serious about performance, delivery, and results,” he declared.
Customs at the Crossroads: When Lawmakers Look Away and the Executive Looks Aside
By Dr. Bolaji O. Akinyemi
In a democracy, legislative oversight is the scalpel that cuts through deceit, inefficiency, and corruption in public institutions. It is the people’s last institutional shield against abuse of power. But what happens when that shield becomes a shelter for the very rot it is meant to expose? And what happens when the Executive arm, whose duty is to supervise its agencies, pretends not to see?
The unfolding drama between the National Assembly and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) reveals more than a policy dispute. It exposes a dangerous triangle of confusion, complicity, and economic sabotage. At stake is not only the rule of law but the survival of an economy already gasping under inflation, a weak naira, and suffocating costs of living.
The House Talks Tough
In June 2025, Nigerians saw a glimpse of legislative courage when the House of Representatives Committee thundered at Customs:
> “Nigerian Customs Service, by June 30, must not collect CISS again. You are to collect only your 4% FOB assigned by the President. Even the 7% cost of collection you currently take is illegal—it was an executive fiat of the military, not democratic law. Any attempt to continue these illegal collections will be challenged in court. The ‘I’s have it.”
The voice was firm, the ruling decisive. Nigerians expected a turning point.
But the righteous thunder of the House was quickly muffled by the Senate’s softer tone, which suggested not the enforcement of the law but a readiness to bend it.
Senate: Oversight or Escape Route?
At a Senate Customs Committee session, Senator Ade Fadahunsi admitted openly that Customs has been operating illegally since June 2023. Yet rather than demand an end to illegality, he extended a lifeline to Comptroller-General Bashir Adeniyi:
> “If we come back to the same source… the two houses will sit together and see to your amendment so you will not be walking on a tight rope.”
But should Adeniyi be handed a loose rope while Nigeria’s economy hangs by a thread?
Instead of accountability, the Senate Customs Committee floated adjustments that would make life easier for Customs. The nation was given hints about fraudulent insurance and freight data, but instead of sanctions, what we saw was a search for escape routes. This is not oversight—it is overlook.
Smuggling and Excuses
The Senate Committee also lamented cross-border smuggling—Nigerian goods like cement flooding Cotonou, Togo, and Ghana at cheaper prices than in Nigeria. Senator Fadahunsi blamed the Central Bank’s 2% value deposit for encouraging the practice.
But where are the Senate’s enforcement actions—compliance checks, stiffer sanctions, cross-border coordination? None. The result is predictable: smugglers prosper, reserves bleed, and ordinary Nigerians pay more for less.
A Bloated Customs Budget
The Service’s 2024 capital allocation ballooned to ₦1.1 trillion from ₦706 billion. Instead of channeling these resources into modern trade systems, Customs is expanding empires of frivolity—such as proposing a new university despite already having training facilities in Gwagwalada and Ikeja that could easily be upgraded.
Oversight is not an afterthought; it is the legislature’s constitutional duty. To see waste and illegality and yet propose amendments that would legalise them is to turn oversight into overlook.
Customs has about 16,000 staff, yet many remain poorly trained. Rather than prioritise capacity building, the Service is busy building staff estates in odd locations. How does Modakeke—an inland town with no border post—end up with massive Customs housing projects, while strategic border towns like Badagry, Idiroko, and Saki remain neglected? Is Bashir Adeniyi Comptroller-General of Customs—or Minister of Housing?
The 4% FOB Levy: A Policy Blunder
The central controversy is the Federal Government’s plan to replace existing port charges with a new 4% Free-On-Board (FOB) levy on imports.
Nigeria is an import-dependent nation. This levy will instantly hike the costs of cars, spare parts, machinery, and raw materials—crippling industries and punishing consumers.
Already, the consequences are biting:
A 2006 Toyota Corolla now costs between ₦6–9 million.
Clearing agents who once paid ₦215,000 for license renewal must now cough out ₦4 million.
New freight forwarder licenses have jumped from ₦600,000 to ₦10 million.
Customs claims the revenue is needed for its modernisation programme, anchored on a software platform called B’Odogwu. But stakeholders describe this so-called “Odogwu” as epileptic—if not comatose. Why commit trillions to a ghost programme that will be obsolete by January 2026, when the Nigerian Revenue Service is set to take over Customs collections?
Industry Raises the Alarm
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has warned that the levy will worsen inflation, disrupt supply chains, and hurt productivity.
Lucky Amiwero, President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, calls the levy “economically dangerous.” His reasoning is straightforward:
The 4% FOB levy is much higher than the 1% CISS it replaces.
Peer countries like Ghana maintain just 1%.
The new levy will fuel inflation, raise the landed costs of goods, and destabilise the naira.
He also revealed that the Customs Modernisation Act, which introduced the levy, was passed without Senate scrutiny or meaningful stakeholder consultation. He estimates that the levy could add ₦3–4 trillion annually to freight costs—burdens that will be transferred directly to consumers.
Who Is Behind the “Odogwu” Masquerade?
The haste to enforce this levy, despite its looming redundancy, raises disturbing questions. Who benefits from the “Odogwu” project draining trillions? Why the rush, when NRS will take over collections in a few months?
This masquerade must be unmasked.
The Price Nigerians Pay
For ordinary Nigerians, this policy translates into one thing: higher prices. Cars, manufactured goods, and spare parts are spiraling beyond reach. A nation struggling with inflation, unemployment, and a weak currency cannot afford such reckless experiments.
So, while the Senate looks away, the Executive cannot look aside.
The Executive Cannot Escape Blame.
It is easy to focus on the failings of the legislature. But we must not forget: the Customs Service is an agency of the Federal Ministry of Finance, under the direct supervision of the Honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Wale Edun.
If Customs is breaking the law, wasting resources, or implementing anti-people policies, the buck stops at the Executive’s table. The Minister of Finance is Chairman of the Customs Board. To fold his hands while the Service operates in illegality is to abdicate responsibility.
History gives us a model. In 1999, the Minister of State for Finance, Nenadi Usman, was specifically assigned to supervise Customs and report directly to the President. Meanwhile, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala focused on broader fiscal and economic policies. That division of responsibility improved accountability. Today, the absence of such an arrangement is feeding impunity.
President Tinubu and his Finance Minister must act decisively. Oversight without executive will is a dead letter.
A Call to Accountability
The truth is stark:
Customs has been operating illegally since June 2023 to the Senate’s own confession.
The 4% FOB levy will deepen inflation and worsen economic hardship.
The Ministry of Finance bears ultimate responsibility for Customs’ conduct.
Until importing and consuming, Nigerians demand accountability—of the Comptroller-General, the Senate, and above all, the Finance Ministry—this bleeding will continue.
Nigerians deserve better. They deserve a Customs Service that serves the nation, not a privileged few. They deserve a House that enforces its resolutions, not one that grandstands. They deserve a Senate that upholds the law, not one that bends it. And above all, they deserve an Executive that does not look aside while illegality thrives under its ministry.
Only public pressure can end this indulgence. If Nigerians keep silent, we will keep paying the price—in higher costs, weaker currency, and a sabotaged economy.
Citizens’ Charge: Silence is Not an Option
Fellow Nigerians, the Customs crisis is not a drama for the pages of newspapers—it is a burden on our pockets, our businesses, and our children’s future. Every illegal levy is a tax on the poor. Every abandoned oversight is an open invitation to corruption. Every silence from the Executive is an approval of impunity.
We cannot afford to fold our arms. Democracy gives us the power of voice, the duty of vigilance, and the right to demand accountability. Let us demand that:
The Senate and House of Representatives stop playing good cop, bad cop, and enforce the law without compromise.
The Ministry of Finance takes full responsibility for the Customs Service, supervising it in the interest of Nigerians, not vested interests.
The President intervenes now, before the Service crosses the dangerous line of turning illegality into policy.
History will not forgive a people who suffered in silence when their economy was bled by recklessness. Silence is complicity. The time to speak, to write, to petition, to protest, and to demand is now.
Customs must serve Nigeria—not sabotage it.
Dr. Bolaji O. Akinyemi is an Apostle and Nation Builder. He’s also the President of Voice of His Word Ministries and Convener Apostolic Round Table. BoT Chairman, Project Victory Call Initiative, AKA PVC Naija. He is a strategic Communicator and the CEO, Masterbuilder Communications.
Email:[email protected]
Facebook:Bolaji Akinyemi.
X:Bolaji O Akinyemi
Instagram:bolajioakinyem
Aare Adetola Emmanuel King Congratulates Hon. Adesola Ayoola-Elegbeji on Election Victory
The Chairman/CEO of Adron Group, Sir Aare Adetola Emmanuel King KOF, has congratulated Hon. Adesola Ayoola-Elegbeji on her resounding victory in the just-concluded by-election for the Remo Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives.
In a goodwill message issued by him, he described the victory as “a historic moment for the Remo people, coming at a time when the constituency yearns for a leader with vision, courage, and genuine commitment to service.”
He noted that the outcome of the election was an attestation to the trust and confidence reposed in Hon. Ayoola-Elegbeji by the people, adding that her sterling qualities, integrity, accessibility, and compassion for the grassroots had endeared her to the electorate.
“The overwhelming support you garnered at the polls is proof that you are the right voice at the right time to carry the aspirations of Remo to the national stage,” he stated.
While acknowledging that the by-election followed the painful demise of the late Hon. Adewunmi Oriyomi Onanuga (Ijaya), Aare Adetola Emmanuel King said Hon. Ayoola-Elegbeji’s emergence symbolizes the continuity of purposeful representation. He expressed confidence that she would not only sustain the legacy of her predecessor but also surpass it with new energy, innovative ideas, and progressive leadership.
The Adron Group Chairman further prayed for divine wisdom, strength, and compassion for the Member-Elect as she assumes office, expressing confidence that her tenure will usher in meaningful development, economic empowerment, and greater opportunities for the people of Remo Federal Constituency.
-
society5 months agoRamadan Relief: Matawalle Distributes Over ₦1 Billion to Support 2.5 Million Zamfara Residents
-
Politics2 months agoNigeria Is Not His Estate: Wike’s 2,000‑Hectare Scandal Must Shake Us Awake
-
society4 months agoBroken Promises and Broken Backs: The ₦70,000 Minimum Wage Law and the Betrayal of Nigerian Workers
-
society3 months agoOGUN INVESTS OVER ₦2.25 BILLION TO BOOST AQUACULTURE
You must be logged in to post a comment Login