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EFCC Mismanaged Recovered Assets, Cash, Witness Tells Court

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Ihuoma, a defence witness, on Friday, said the EFCC mismanaged the assets and cash recovered by the defunct Pension Reformed Task Team (PRTT) chaired by Abdulrasheed Maina.

Ihuoma, a management consultant, whose firm, Crincad & Cari Nigeria Ltd was contracted by the PRTT for consultancy service, told Justice Okon Abang when he was being cross examined by the EFCC lawyer, Mohammed Abubakar.

“In the course of your evidence before this honourable court, you did say that the EFCC mismanaged the purported recovered assets and money,” Abubakar asked.

 “I stand by that because it is fact that EFCC mismanaged both cash and assets handed over to them,” he said.

Again, when asked if he did testify that Maina was being persecuted by the ongoing trial, the witness said: “Yes, I stand by that that Maina is on persecution.”

Justice Abang  on Feb. 25, ordered Maina to open his defence in the charge preferred against him by the EFCC after the prosecution closed its case.

Though Maina had intended to apply for a no-case submission, the judge foreclosed his right to make the application on Dec. 21, 2020, ruling that the pension reformed boss had adequate time and facility to make the submission but failed to do so.

During the cross examination, Ihuoma, who affirmed that the PRTTT led by Maina recovered money worth N282 billion and property worth N1.63 trillion within 18 months of its operations, also admitted saying that about N74 billion recovered was used to fund 2012 Budget.

He restated that the former pension reformed boss had ensured conviction of pension thieves.

Abubakar told Ihuoma that in the course of his evidence, he testified about internal workings, processes and procedures of organisations such as the EFCC, National Assembly Presidential Villa, among others.

He then asked him if he had ever worked with the EFCC as a staff or at the Presidential Villa as an aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan but the witness gave a negative response.

The witness did not deny tendering three documents before the court which were admitted in evidence.

The documents include the judgment of Justice Adamu Bello, an EFCC memo and a letter of appointment from the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF).

Ihuoma, however, agreed that he was neither a party to the Justice Bello judgment nor the judge in the matter and that he was not the author of the EFCC memoThe witness added that though he was not the recipient of the letter from the OHCSF, the letter was forwarded to me.

“I tendered the document to back up my evidence. I want the country to believe my story by tendering those documents,” he said.

 The witness, who affirmed that the PRTT also recovered N181 billion in its first 11 months of operations, admitted that he did not tender any document to support his claim.He also agreed that he did not tender any document to back his evidence-in-chief that the task force recovered 282 billion within its first 18 months.

When the EFCC lawyer asked him if he tendered a list of the 222 property and N1.63 trillion recovered before the court, Ihuoma said: “I have not tendered a list of those 222 property in my evidence in chief for now.”

In addition, he admitted that he had not produced the evidence to prove the value of those property valued at N1.63 trillion.“We have not tendered the document in a way,” he said.

When the anti-graft agency’s lawyer asked him that he was yet to produce the document to prove that the N282 billion was warehoused at Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) based on his evidence, the witness said: “It is not in contest, though I have not.”

He admitted that there was no document before the court for now to prove that N74 billion was used in funding the 2012 BudgetHe acknowledged that though he said in his evidence that in 2016, Maina gave intelligence report to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and National Security Adviser in Dubai, leading to the recovery of N1.3 trillion, he did not tender a copy of the intelligence report.

When Abubakar asked him that he did not tender any document to prove his claim that the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) commended the PRTT for the biometric data capture of pensioners in  Diasporea,  Ihuoma gave a negative response.

Abubakar also asked the witness that he testified before the court that he petitioned the AGF against EFCC and its former acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, for alleged mismanagement of recovered property and that the petition led to Justice Salami Judicial Commission of Inquiry but that he did not tender the petition, the instrument establishing the panel or document to show that the commission was set up as a result of his petition, and Ihuoma admitted he had not tendered any document to that effect.

 “You claimed that Magu confessed before the panel to have mismanaged the property but you did not tender the proceedings of Salami panel to prove this,” he asked.

“Yes, I said the Salami panel indicted Magu but I have not tendered a document before the court,” he responded.

Justice Abang adjourned the matter until March 9,  March 10 and March 11 for further cross examination of the defence witness.

NAN reports that Maina (1st defendant) was arraigned before Abang, on Oct. 25, 2019, by the EFCC alongside his firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd (2nd defendant).

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the 12-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N2 billion.(NAN)

CRIME

Delta Police Arrest School Bus Driver over Minor’s Kidnapping, Assault

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A 28-year-old school bus driver, Onome Ughagha, has been arrested by operatives of the Delta State Police Command for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old female student in Sapele.

The suspect allegedly demanded and collected ₦503,000 in ransom from the student’s father before abandoning her along Oton Road, Sapele.

The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement in Warri on Sunday.

According to Edafe, the incident was reported at the Sapele Area Command on October 20, 2026, by the victim’s father, who alleged that the suspect abducted his daughter while she was preparing to leave for school.

“The suspect subsequently contacted him (the father), demanded ₦503,000 and threatened to kill the minor if the ransom was not paid,” the statement added.

The police said the girl was abandoned along Oton Road after the ransom was paid and later reunited with her family in a traumatised condition, with indications that she had been sexually assaulted.

Following the report, operatives of the Sapele Area Command commenced an investigation, while the victim was taken to a medical facility for examination and treatment.

The school principal and vice-principal were also invited for questioning as the police intensified efforts to apprehend the suspect, who had reportedly abandoned the school bus and fled.

Edafe said the operatives, acting on credible intelligence, traced Ughagha to his hideout in the Ajimele area of Sapele, where he was arrested on October 23, 2026.

The suspect reportedly confessed to his involvement in the crime during preliminary interrogation.

The police spokesman added that arrangements were being made to transfer him to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Asaba for further investigation.

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Samuel Erale, condemned the incident and reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting children from all forms of violence and exploitation.

The commissioner assured that “investigations will be thorough and that anyone found culpable will be brought to justice”.

He also urged school authorities, parents and transport operators to “exercise greater vigilance in safeguarding children”, stressing that the safety of every child entrusted to their care must remain paramount.

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CRIME

Enugu CP Orders investigation into Man’s Death During Police Operation

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From Sylvia Udegbunam Enugu 

The Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, has ordered a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Nnaji Izuchukwu (male) during an intelligence-led operation by operatives of the Anti-Cultism Section of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU).

 

In a statement by the Police Public Relations Oficer, Enugu State command, Daniel Ndukwe said that the CP has directed the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Intelligence Department (SID) to establish the facts of the incident and determine whether the operation and use of firearms complied with established operational standards and extant laws.

Preliminary findings indicate that operatives, acting on credible intelligence, raided Bull Hotel, Asata, Enugu, where Nworie Chidera Kelvin, a.k.a. “Akidi,” an alleged notorious drug peddler and Vikings Confraternity member, was lodged with associates. Akidi is reportedly linked to multiple cases involving unlawful firearm possession and cultism, including one in which he was charged in absentia. 

He was also suspected of keeping the gang’s firearms and other criminal tools. The operation led to the arrest of Akidi and nine other suspects, comprising males and females aged 17–28. Quantities of dried weeds suspected to be “loud” cannabis, a weighing scale suspected to be used for measuring illicit drugs, and ₦43,400 in various denominations were recovered.

During the operation, Nnaji and another suspect jumped through a window in an attempt to escape. While pursuing them, an operative was confronted by both suspects, who allegedly attempted to disarm him. In the ensuing struggle, the firearm discharged, leaving Nnaji with gunshot injuries, while the other suspect escaped. Nnaji was rushed to hospital, where he was later confirmed dead. His remains have been deposited in a mortuary for preservation and autopsy.

CP Giwa has urged the deceased’s family, associates and other concerned persons to remain calm, assuring them that the circumstances surrounding the incident will be thoroughly investigated and that any officer found culpable will face appropriate disciplinary action. He reiterated that professionalism, ethical conduct and strict adherence to operational standards, particularly those governing the use of firearms, must never be compromised in any police operation.

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CRIME

Police Officer Shoots Female Colleague to Death, Kills Self in Kogi

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From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja 

Kogi State Police Command has confirmed a tragic incident that claimed the lives of two police officers in Ajaokuta Local Government Area after a male officer allegedly shot his female colleague, before turning gun to shoot himself.

A statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, Aliu Afusat, an Assistant Superintendent of Police(ASP), on Sunday, said the Command was investigating the fatal shooting at ASCO Camp, Ajaokuta, on October 23, in which two serving police officers died.

According to the statement, “the incident was reported at 11:04 p.

m., and the Divisional Police Officer, Ajaokuta, led a team of police officcers to the scene.

“Preliminary findings indicate that Corporal Amos Yusuf, who was on night duty, shot Woman Corporal Grace Onimisi and thereafter shot himself. Both officers were taken to separate medical facilities, where they were confirmed dead by medical personnel. Their remains have been deposited at the mortuary of ASCO Hospital.

“An AK-47 rifle and four expended cartridges were recovered at the scene as exhibits.

“The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for in-depth investigation. The circumstances and motive remain subjects of investigation, and the Command will not speculate on matters yet to be established.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Bello Kankarofi, psc, mni, extends his condolences to the families, colleagues and loved ones of the deceased officers over this tragic incident. The Command will provide verified updates as appropriate” the statement said.

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