Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State Is Dead

According to reports, Akeredolu died in Lagos on Wednesday.

The Ondo governor died at the age of  67.

It was learnt that he was managed by State House doctors up to his death because they could not fly him abroad.

“Akeredolu is dead; he died in Lagos,” a reliable source told Vanguard.

“They were looking for dialysis machines to be sent to his secret location in Lagos last week.”

Background:

Akeredolu experienced health issues after seeking medical treatment abroad in June. Although he returned to Nigeria in September, he remained in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State.

On Wednesday, December 13, he proceeded on another medical leave and wrote a notice formally transferring power to his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa who later assumed the responsibilities of the governor in full acting capacity.

Following his return to Nigeria in September, Akeredolu stayed in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital and tried to govern his state from there, leading to public outrage. 

Akeredolu’s wife, Betty announced the suspension of activities lined up to celebrate her 70th birthday.

The Ondo first lady announced the suspension of the activities in Twitter posts after questions were raised over plans to have a fanfare despite her husband’s ill health.

 How Boss Mustapha, Emefiele Stole $6.2 million Cash From CBN Vault Two Weeks To Presidential Election

The special investigator tasked with probing the Central Bank of Nigeria has returned with recommended charges for some senior officials of the past administration, saying they were linked to a brazen and relentless heist of public coffers.

Jim Obazee said President Bola Tinubu should authorise the prosecution of former cabinet secretary Boss Mustapha and ex-central bank chief Godwin Emefiele for their roles in the removal of $6.23 million cash from the bank’s cellar in Abuja.

The alleged theft, said to have taken place on February 8, 2023, roughly two weeks ahead of the February 25 presidential election, was listed among a laundry of alleged corrupt diversion of public money linked to Mr Emefiele and other officials of the Buhari administration.

Narrating the heist to Mr Tinubu in an undated memorandum believed to have reached the president on December 20, 2023, Mr Obazee said it was around February 7-8, 2023, that his investigators discovered that “$6.23 million was unlawfully removed from the vault cash from the foreign payments office, Abuja branch, of the Central Bank of Nigeria.”

“The physical acts of unlawful removal of this amount were captured on the CCTV footage and preserved,” Mr Obazee added.

Mr Obazee, who took the special investigator job despite his own past corruption and abusive behaviour, said efforts to steal the cash commenced on January 26 when Mr Mustapha sent a memo to Mr Emefiele requesting $6.23 million in cash. The memo itself followed a previous one dated January 23 from Mr Buhari to Mr Mustapha, which carried the header: “Presidential Directive on Foreign Election Observer Missions.”

Mr Obazee did not return a request from The Gazette seeking to obtain the video. Still, the anti-graft czar said the investigation suggested that the money was not given to foreign observers, adding that a CBN employee flagged the transaction as suspicious but failed to act.

The investigator held the unreported transaction as part of an elaborate conspiracy to cover up wrongdoing by the previous regime at the CBN.

“A fraudulent cash withdrawal of $6.23 million perpetrated since February 8, 2023, was not discovered nor taken seriously until December 4, 2023, when a request for information was issued by the officer of the special investigator,” Mr Obazee said, adding that there was “an appearance of concealment” by CBN directors and departmental heads, including Ogbu Onyeka, Samuel Chukwuyem Okojere, Elizabeth Fasoranti,

Consequently, Mr Obazee said Messrs Mustapha, Emefiele and those listed above, among others, should be charged for forgery, concealment, stealing, conspiracy and fraud.

Mr Obazee said his investigation into CBN’s actions under Mr Emefiele would continue. He did not immediately recommend charges against Mr Buhari himself, although it was unclear if future evidence would compel him to bring charges against the former president, which would be the first in Nigerian history.

Mr Mustapha declined comments when reached by The Gazette on Saturday evening for this story. An aide to Mr Emefiele said the ex-CBN chief, who was freed on Friday after 195 days in custody, had no comments

DEZIANI BEGS TINUBU!

'I'm Dying Of Cancer, Allow Me Come Back Home'

The embattled former Petroleum Minister during the regime of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, who ran to the UK for the fear of the EFCC, Diezani Alison Maduekwe has now beged Nigerian government for linency.

Mrs Diezani, who is reportedly suffering the second stage of her cancer, has beg President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to allow her to come back to Nigeria to confess to her misappropriation while in office.

Mrs Diezani was answering questions from the press in London after a medical visit.

The former Petroleum minister, who was accused of stealing Nigeria’s money, amounting to billions of dollars, revealed that she is now ready to open up about the money she allegedly misappropriated while I’m office as the minister of Petroleum.

“I am a born again Christian and currently suffering from second stage cancer, which my United Kingdom’s physician advised me to continue taking medication for the rest of my life.

”Yes, no human is perfect, but some time, God Almighty allows some of such to happen.

”I have been accused of misappropriation when I was the petroleum minister, which is true! but I would like President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nigerians to forgive me to come back home and offer my contribution because life is temporal, Diezani said in tears.

“My husband and my entire family members including my Nigerian lawyer based in the United Kingdom knew my relationship with Dauda Lawal Dare, the current Zamfara State governor whow I entrusted over $9 billion for safe keeping while he was the Executive Director of the First Bank Nigeria PLC .

“Unfortunately, it has now come to a point that Mr Dauda Lawal is no longer picking my phone calls and even worked in collaboration with UK police to put me under surveillance may be to claim the money I entrusted to him when I die.

“Mr. President Sir, I am ready with your intervention to come back to Nigeria to explain with written evidence signed by my lawyer to return back to Nigeria, the funds I have misappriated. Diezani beg President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

”Nigeria is my country, my home, and there is no place like home.

” As I am talking to you, Dauda Lawal has blacklisted both my phones and those of my lawyers, simply because he is a state governor enjoying immunity.” Diezani cried out.

 

IPOB Commander Arrested In Imo

The Nigeria Police reported the arrest of Ikechukwu Uba, the commander of the Indigenous People of Biafra’s armed affiliate, the Eastern Security Network. Uba was apprehended in Emoha Mgbidi, Oru West LGA, Imo State.
According to a release signed by police spokesperson Henry Okoye, operatives from the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Squad, under the leadership of CSP Oladimeji Odeyeyiwa, conducted a raid on the suspects’ hideout on 16th November 2023 resulting in the arrest of Uba and three others.
According to the police,” Following a diligently gathered actionable intelligence on a deadly IPOB/ESN Terrorist Commander named Ikechukwu Uba, of Emoha Mgbidi, in Oru West LGA, of Imo State, operatives of the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Squad led by CSP Oladimeji Odeyeyiwa stormed the hideout of the suspects on 16/12/2023 and arrested him and three others.
The statement reads, ” On interrogation, the suspect confessed to being a member of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) Terrorist group, commanding Mgbidi axis and stated further that he masterminded the attacks on Omuma Police Station and soldiers at Mgbidi and Awo-Mmama, narrating further that he receives funding from the Finland-based Simon Ekpa to carry out Terrorist attacks in the State.

MASSIVE FRAUD!

 Nigerian Billionaire Charged With Multimillion-Dollar Fraud, Days After Winning Award

 

Nigerian billionaire businessman Mmobuosi Banye, also known as Dozy Mmobuosi, is facing fraud charges from the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. 

In a statement released recently, the SEC said Tingo Group, a pan-African agri-fintech innovator, lied about having $461.7m in its subsidiary Tingo Mobile's Nigerian bank accounts when it only had $50. 

Financial Times reports that Mmobuosi operates three affiliated US-based entities, of which he is the chief executive officer — Tingo Group Inc., Agri-Fintech Holdings Inc., and Tingo International Holdings Inc. 

Details of the charges against Tingo According to the SEC, Mmobuosi is being charged with an alleged multi-year scheme to inflate the financial performance metrics of his companies and key operating subsidiaries to defraud investors worldwide. 

SEC also noted that it seeks emergency relief to prevent the defendants' continued dissemination of false information to investors and protect corporate and investor assets. The statement reads:

 "The SEC’s complaint, filed on December 18, 2023, alleges that, since at least 2019, Mmobuosi spearheaded a scheme to fabricate financial statements and other documents of the three entities and their Nigerian operating subsidiaries, Tingo Mobile Limited and Tingo Foods PLC. 

"The complaint further alleges that Mmobuosi made and caused the entities to make material misrepresentations about their business operations and financial success in press releases, periodic SEC filings, and other public statements. 

“For instance, Tingo Group’s fiscal year 2022 Form 10-K filed in March 2023 reported a cash and cash equivalent balance of $461.7m in its subsidiary Tingo Mobile’s Nigerian bank accounts. In reality, those same bank accounts allegedly had a combined balance of less than $50 as of the end of fiscal year 2022. 

"According to the SEC’s complaint, Defendants also fabricated the customer relationships that formed the basis of their purported businesses. 

“The complaint alleges that Mmobuosi and the entities he controls have fraudulently obtained hundreds of millions in money or property through these schemes, and that Mmobuosi has siphoned off funds for his personal benefit, including purchases of luxury cars and travel on private jets, as well as an unsuccessful attempt to acquire an English Football Club Premier League team, among other things 

The commission added that Mmobuosi was being charged with lying to auditors, insider trading, and failing to file Form 4 disclosing the sales of millions of Agri-Fintech common stock for which he was the ultimate beneficial owner.

Tingo gets award 

The charges against Tingo CEO came barely a few days after Tingo bagged a new entry award at the 17th edition of the Seras Awards in Lagos 

The Nation reports that the award organiser praised Tingo for its rapid advancement in the highly competitive industry.