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CSO apologizes to Gov Ododo over N13.5bn financial impropriety accusations

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Comrade Usman Okai Austin

 

 

By A  Akanbi Abuja

A Civil Society Organization, CSO, the Nigeria Renaissance Group, has apologized to the governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Usman Ododo of alleged financial misappropriation after further investigations into the matter.

Convener of the group, Comrade Usman Okai Austin, who spoke to journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, said the governor was exonerated of the alleged financial crime after receiving more revealing information which indicated that instead of the alleged N13.4 billion, only N3 billion was allocated to the local government.

He said: “Gentlemen of the press, with regards to my February press briefing about Kogi State Government and the sum of 13.4 billion Naira misappropriation, where we demanded under the Nigeria Renaissance Group, where we demanded that the governor should refund the money, we’ve gotten more information about the financial dealing of the state, which contracted the information we had as of then in February.

“And we realized that the money that came to Kogi State was three billion Naira instead of 13 billion Naira, as we earlier alleged. we have gotten more details about the state financial dealing, which is the sum of three billion Naira. And we are able to obtain a document and a financial statement from the state government on how the three billion Naira was distributed from one community to another, the bank account, the coordinators of those who received the money.

“And in line with that, we are convinced that retracting the statement is in order and we regret the inconveniences the press conference may have caused the state or the governor. And at the same time, we did that as part of the opposition in holding the government accountable.”

Austin explained that the group had been provided with documents of how the monies were distributed from one community to another.

He pointed out that the allegations was not out of malice or personal grudges but to ensure that the state government was held accountable.

“It’s not out of malicious or personal grudges, or based on the fact that the governor comes from Igbira as a tribe, or I’m against him, no.

“We did what the opposition was supposed to do, just that the due diligence was not well carried out before the press conference. In line with this, I state that the unity of the state is very, very paramount to all. And I’m not under any duress or any coercion or being forced to do this, not at all.

“It is personal and out of conviction that is professional, even in media, in activism, in opposition, that when fact, I assume, correcting the previous error is permitted. And that is exactly what I’m doing today. It is wisdom that when you attach information that are not correct, and when you obtain the correct information, you have to correct it. And that is exactly what we are doing.
We acted based on information at our disposal. And today the government has responded, which is part of accountability we are talking about. I don’t have any grudges against this person that I maligned him.”

“Just as I said, I am sorry for everything you think that might have caused the public and the personalities of the governor. I am not against him. I don’t hate him,” Austin pleaded.

The group, however, called for sustained peace and unity in the state and urged the government to sustain its efforts in providing dividends of democracy for the people.

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Law & Crime

EFCC acted in bad faith in charges against Peace Corps chiefs on contract issue

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National Commandant Dr Dickson Akoh

By Abdul-Ganiyy Akanbi

The Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN) has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) of acting in bad faith on arraignment of its National Commandant Dr Dickson Akoh and Director of Finance , Mrs Omolola Aminat Ahmed at the FCT High Court in Abuja on December 11.

The Corps said that the arraignment of its two bosses on contractual transaction was unlawful, illegal and uncalled for in the first instance .

In a statement on Friday in Abuja by its Media Consultant, Comrade Peterhot Apeh, Peace Corps said that it was wrong of the EFCC to have criminalized a simple civil contract transaction between Peace Corps of Nigeria and JETHEL Nigeria Global Resources Limited ,

PCN in the statement, recalled that contract No; 101/PCN50 for the production of badges of ranks, Nigerian/Service Badges, Beret badges and related kits was freely awarded to Jethel Nigeria Limited on July 12, 2024 and freely accepted by the company on the same day in writing by its Managing Director, Okocha Jones Gido.

The Corps said that challenges arose in the payment of the contract sum when Police unlawfully sealed off its National Secretariat in Abuja which till date, has crippled the activities of the organization .

Specifically, Peace Corps said that it was unable to effect full payment for the contract sum due to the inability to sell the badges to its members across the country as a result of the sealing off of its Secretariat .

The organization recalled that Jethel company had on March 6, 2025 petitioned the Police on the matter and Police in a letter with No; 3000/IGP-SEC/MU/ABJ/T.2/Vol.115 of March 6, 2025 invited the National Commandant in respect of the matter.

After taking arguments from the two parties, the office of the Inspector General of Police IGP practically resolved the matter with a conclusion after investigation that the issue in dispute was a simple business transaction fully documented by the two parties.

The Police however committed the Peace Corps of Nigeria and Jethel Limited to an agreement by the two parties in writing to facilitate short term payment .

Peace Corps noted with happiness that in compliance with police facilitated agreement, it had on December 9, 2025 made the first part payment of N20million to keep faith with the agreement.

PCN however noted with regret that four days after the office of IGP resolved the matter specifically, March 10, 2025, Jethel still took similar petition to EFCC in flagrant breach of the agreement reached at the Police Headquarters.

Rather than following the lawful and civil resolution adopted at the Police Headquarters, EFCC took side with Jethel Limited with unnecessary harrasment and intimidation of the two Peace Corps Chiefs in simple civil contract matter.

The organization took swipe at the EFCC when its Director of Finance on December 9 went to its Abuja office to present the evidence of N20million part payment for the contract sum, only for EFCC, rather than appreciating the payment, unlawfully arrested and detained the lady .

Peace Corps also expressed sadness that the same EFCC has audacity to arrest and detain the National Commandant when he went there to effect the release of the detained officer .

While faulting the EFCC for unprofessional conduct exhibited in the simple civil contract award, especially for acting as debt recovery agency for the contractor, Peace Corps warned the anti-corruption agency to stop the impunity of criminalising simple business transactions .

The organization called on EFCC Chairman, Mr Ola Olukoyede who by training, is a lawyer to wade into the unlawful acts of its operatives, especially those involved in the instant matter by calling them to order .

PCN particularly noted with deep concerns that the arraignment of its National Commandant and Director of Finance was borne out of malice because of their refusal to cooperate with operatives to compromise the matter.

The Peace Corps urged the EFCC boss to always obey and respect order of courts in the discharge of EFCC functions adding that a High Court in Abuja by Justice J.E Obanor had on August 11, 2025 ordered EFCC to maintain status-quo in respect of the contract dispute between Peace Corps of Nigeria and Jethel Limited .

The order of the court followed a motion filed against EFCC by Peace Corps Director of Finance, Omolola Ahmed, in which she prayed the court to stop EFCC from harassing, intimidating, arresting or detaining her in respect of the contract .

The PCN also noted that another Abuja High Court through Justice Edward Okpe had on April 7, 2025, restrained Jethel Limited from further harrasing, arresting or taking any adverse steps against Dr Dickson Akoh in respect of the contract dispute .

Peace Corps therefore demanded that the charges against its two Chiefs be immediately terminated from court so that EFCC will not be acting unlawfully as a debt recovery agency for anybody or organization.

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Law & Crime

Glo Mobile, NCC, Megatech Sued over breach of contract, refusal to pay USD 9, 578, 947 contractual fee

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Judicial logo

By Abdul-Ganiyy Akanbi

Telecommunication giant, Glo Mobile Limited, Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) and an indigenous company, Megatech Engineering Limited have been dragged before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged breach of contractual agreement.

They were sued by an indigenous Company, Mosakab Nigeria Limited and its promoter, Mashood Mustapha, who are claiming over N20billinon as damages for the unlawful contractual agreement breach.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1534/2024, the two plaintiffs are praying the court for an order voiding or setting aside the sale of the Spectrum Licence in the 2.6 GHZ Band by Megatech to Glomobile on the ground that the purported sale was accentuated by fraud and illegality.

The suit has Megatech Engineering Limited, Glo Mobile and NCC as 1st to 3rd defendants.

In the suit filed by George Ibrahim SAN of Ogwu James Onoja SAN law firm in Abuja, the two plaintiffs asked the court to order Megatech to honour its monetary obligation of ten million US dollars due to them in their Consultancy Agreement executed of June 29, 2017.

Also, they are praying for an order compelling the NCC to revoke the Spectrum License in the 2.6 GHB Band issued to Megatech in March 2020 at their facilitation as Consultants.

Besides, the aggrieved plaintiffs asked that Megatech be ordered to pay them N5bn for breach of contract and another N10bn as general damage for the injury inflicted on them through the breach of the contract.

Similarly, they want the court to order Megatech to allot between 5 to 10 percent of its outstanding shares to the second plaintiff in line with the executed Consultancy agreement of June 29, 2017.

In their statement of claims, the plaintiffs averred that Megatech Company in 2017 consulted and retained their service as consultants to facilitate and secure the procurement of 2.5/2.6 GHZ Band for National License operation.

In furtherance to the engagement, the 1st plaintiff, Mosakab Nigeria Limited was said to have executed a formal agreement in June of the same year prompting its promoter to deploy both human and material resources for the realization of the agreement.

After series of meetings with government agencies, the NCC in March 26, 2020 was said to have offered a Spectrum License of 40 MHZ (TDD) on 2.6 GHZ Band to Megatech for nationwide deployment for a period of 5 years.

After series of correspondences on behalf of Megatech with NCC, plaintiffs claimed that statutory payments were made by the company.

The plaintiffs however claimed that along the lines, Megatech opted to share the Spectrum Band with Glomobile and that they as consultants achieved the feat with NCC and their resources of USD 250, 000

They averred that trouble began when Megatech reneged in the payment of USD 10M due to them but only paid USD 421,052 leaving a balance of USD 9, 578, 947 unpaid despite the formal agreement.

Megatech after taken the benefits of the Spectrum Band allocation was said to have entered into agreement with Glomobile to sell its interest without paying the plaintiffs, outstanding USD 9, 578, 947 as contained in the agreement.

They therefore prayed the court for declaration that they carried out their obligations as contained in the agreement and that they are entitled to be paid USD 9, 578, 947 as outstanding balance.

Plaintiffs also asked the court to compel the defendants to pay them N50M as cost of litigation.

Meanwhile, Justice Mohammed Garba Umar has fixed March 3, 2026 for hearing of the suit.

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Law & Crime

FG hands over 100 Released abducted students of St Mary’s Catholic School to Gov Bago of Niger State

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Released Abducted students of St.Mary Catholic Primary and Secondary School Papiri in Agwara local council of Niger state

By Uthman-Baba Naseer,Minna

The Federal Government has Hand over the 100 abducted students of St.Mary Catholic Primary and Secondary School Papiri in Agwara local council,to governor Muhammad Umaru Bago of Niger State,at the government house, Minna Monday 8th December 2025.

The National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu represented by Wing Commander Abdullahi Idi Hong stated that since the abduction of the children on 21st November 2025,at the school hostel Papiri, federal government has been working assiduous to ensure their rescue and safe return.

Ribadu noted that to ensure the policies to protect the rights of every Nigerian child is safe,had reiterated the unwavering commitment of the security agencies to come up with measures to protect the country and the citizens.

Earlier,Niger State governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago who was emotional while receiving the 100 children, appreciated President Bola Tinubu as well as the National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu for their swift actions in rescuing and recovering of the children.

Bago promised that the rest students still in captivity will be recovered in no distance time and to be re-unite with their parents, appealed for sustainable prayers to ensure their safe return.

In Bago words”.Today is fundamental in redefining the history of Niger state, I am emotionally broken down due to the ages and size of this children, medical officials have been directed to examine their health status to ensure they are healthy”. He added.

The governor stressed that the state government is working in collaboration with the CAN, UNICEF and other relevant authorities to ensure safe return of all the remaining abducted students.

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