Crime
How DSS Unraveled A Criminal Network Of NSCDC Officers, Arms Dealers
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Advanced technology was pivotal in the arrest of three Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officers accused of involvement in kidnapping and banditry in Oyo State, according to the Department of State Services (DSS).
The revelation came on Monday during a Federal High Court session in Ibadan, where DSS operative Mr. Stephen Okolo testified before Justice N.E. Maha.
Okolo, serving as the first prosecution witness (PW1), detailed how the agency deployed surveillance tools to track the accused officers and their alleged accomplice, an unlicensed arms dealer.
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The suspects—Olamide Okesola, Adedeji Adewale, and Asmau Omar—were charged alongside Emmanuel Olatunji, accused of illegal arms dealing. Okolo described the efforts that led to their arrests, stating, “My lord, following the increase in the cases of kidnapping and banditry in the Okeogun area of Oyo State and parts of Kwara, the DSS fashioned out how to address the issue by deploying our technical expertise, that is equipment.”
He explained that the DSS utilized surveillance technology to monitor criminal networks and disrupt their activities.
“We identified two kingpins, Baguda and Banshile, who were among the most dangerous terrorists operating in the area,” Okolo revealed.
The operation, which began in January 2023, led to the arrest of Lawan Buhari, an NSCDC officer accused of supplying ammunition to criminal groups.
Buhari’s apprehension paved the way for further investigations, which implicated Okesola, Adewale, Omar, and Olatunji.
During the trial, a bag containing 1,000 rounds of live ammunition recovered from Buhari was tendered as evidence.
Okolo emphasized that the arrests disrupted a major arms supply chain, reducing criminal activities in the region.
Buhari, testifying in court, admitted to supplying AK-47 rifles and ammunition to the accused in exchange for cash.
He claimed the trio approached him while he was serving with Operation Burst, a regional security outfit, prior to his arrest at the 81 Battalion Barracks in Mokola.
The DSS prosecution counsel, Mr. T.A. Nurudeen, informed the court that the defendants face a 15-count amended charge, including conspiracy, terrorism, unlawful arms dealing, and aiding terrorism.
However, all four defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The trial continues as the DSS seeks to present additional evidence to support the charges.
Crime
Alleged N5.78b Fraud: Ex-Kwara Gov, Ahmed Diverted UBEC Funds-Witness
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The First Prosecution Witness (PW1), Abubakar Hassan in the trial of former governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, and his Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu on Monday, February 17, 2025, told Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the State High Court, sitting in Ilorin that the first defendant diverted to personal use, funds earmarked for Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) projects in the state.
The Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC is prosecuting both defendants on a 12-count charge of mismanagement and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N5.78 billion.
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The witness, an Assistant Director of Finance in UBEC, while being led in evidence by prosecution, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, disclosed that a total of 51 UBEC projects approved under the 2013 Action Plan were abandoned under former Governor Ahmed due to a lack of funds. The projects, discovered by the UBEC Project Monitoring Committee in the state were abandoned despite UBEC’s approval for citing them in state and funds for their execution, released. According to the witness, the state government under the leadership of the defendant mismanaged the funds.
“My lord, the Projects Monitoring
Committee conducted investigations and found that many projects were either unexecuted or abandoned. We wrote to the then Kwara State governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, in May 2018 to address these issues. The projects were categorized into three: Early Care Education, Primary School Education, and Junior Secondary School Education, but we received no response,” he said.
He further explained that the abandoned projects were scattered all through the 16 Local Government Areas of the state and further revealed that on January 6, 2015, the sum N1 billion had to be loaned from the 2013 UBEC Matching Grant Account with Skye Bank Plc to pay staff salaries and pensions.
Addressing the utilization of the 2014 and 2015 State Counterpart Funds, he stated that the Kwara SUBEB illegally withdrew the sum of N1,829,054,054.06
(One Billion, Eight Hundred and Twenty-nine Million, Fifty-four Thousand, Fifty-four, Six Kobo) from funds lodged on February 18, 2016, stating that the withdrawn funds qualified the state to access the Federal Government’s UBE Matching Grants.
“State Matching Grants are not permitted to be borrowed or utilized for any purpose outside the approved action plan. The objectives of UBEC were undermined due to these infractions and the failure to implement the Action Plan,” he said.
Worried by the diversion of the funds, the witness disclosed that UBEC also had to send a letter of invitation to the state government, requesting a documentary evidence on Kwara State Government’s use of UBEC funds. Attached to the invite were
documents showing the lodgment of funds from UBEC to the Kwara SUBEB.
Justice Abdulgafar adjourned the matter until February 18, 2025, for cross-examination of the witness.
Crime
Court Backs Diezani’s Request To Amend Lawsuit Over EFCC’s Asset Forfeiture
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Former Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke has been granted permission by the Federal High Court in Abuja to amend her suit challenging the final forfeiture of her assets by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The court decision follows a motion filed by Alison-Madueke’s lawyer, Godwin Inyinbor, which was unopposed by the EFCC’s counsel, Divine Oguru.
Inyinbor informed the court that the motion had been duly filed and served, with no objections from the EFCC.
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Justice Inyang Ekwo then granted the request, allowing the former minister to amend her originating process.
Alison-Madueke has been given five days to file and serve the amended documents, while the EFCC has 14 days from the date of service to respond.
The case has been adjourned until March 17, 2025, for further mention.
Alison-Madueke’s legal battle revolves around the EFCC’s move to sell assets linked to her, which the commission claims were proceeds of criminal activities.
In her application, filed on January 6, 2023, the ex-minister challenged the validity of court orders issued for the forfeiture of her assets, asserting that they were made without proper jurisdiction and violated her constitutional rights.
“The various court orders issued in favour of the respondent and upon which the respondent issued the public notice were issued in breach of the applicant’s right to fair hearing as guaranteed by Section 36 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, as altered, and other similar constitutional provisions,” Alison-Madueke argued in her motion.
She further claimed that she had never been served with the charge sheet or summons related to the criminal charges against her.
Alison-Madueke also accused the courts of being misled into issuing the forfeiture orders, which she said were based on “gross misstatements, misrepresentations, non-disclosure, concealment, and suppression of material facts.”
“The court has the power to set aside same ex debito justitiae, as a void order is as good as if it was never made at all,” she added.
In its counter-response, the EFCC rejected Alison-Madueke’s claims. Rufus Zaki, an EFCC operative, deposed that the former minister was involved in a criminal conspiracy, money laundering, and official corruption.
Zaki argued that the final forfeiture orders had been lawfully made in 2017 and had not been overturned on appeal.
“The final forfeiture of the assets, which were subject to the present application, was ordered by the court in 2017 and that this was not set aside or upturned on appeal,” Zaki stated in his affidavit.
The EFCC further explained that the forfeiture proceedings followed due process, including the publication of a notice inviting parties to show cause why the properties should not be permanently forfeited.
In January 2023, the EFCC began plans for a public sale of assets, including properties believed to be linked to Alison-Madueke.
The commission has recovered over $153 million and more than 80 properties in connection with the ex-minister’s case.
Alison-Madueke, who served as Petroleum Minister from 2010 to 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan, is said to have fled to the United Kingdom after her tenure in office.
In addition to her current case regarding the forfeiture of assets, she has also filed a separate suit against the EFCC, seeking N100 billion in damages for alleged defamatory publications.
The case is scheduled to resume on March 17, 2025, for further consideration.
Crime
Kogi NSCDC Deputy Commandant Arrested Over Alleged ₦3bn Fraud
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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arrested a Deputy Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Kogi State, Adam Imam Yusuf, over an alleged ₦3 billion fraud.
In a statement released on its website, ICPC confirmed Yusuf’s arrest at his residence in Gwagwalada, Abuja, after he had been on the run.
The commission stated that he is now in custody and will face prosecution.
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“Yusuf, who was at large until now, was taken into custody from his Gwagwalada, Abuja residence and is set to face prosecution,” the statement read.
ICPC alleged that Yusuf conspired with a former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin (rtd.), and a former Brigadier General, Ishaya Bauka Gangum (rtd.), to orchestrate the fraud.
“ICPC investigations revealed that former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin (rtd.), allegedly orchestrated the fraud through Yusuf and former Brigadier General Ishaya Bauka Gangum (rtd.).
“The alleged scheme reportedly involved the diversion of public funds using 92 fictitious companies that were not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC),” ICPC stated.
According to the commission, investigations traced the misappropriated funds to companies including Lahab Integrated and Gate Coast Properties, which were allegedly used to acquire at least 18 properties, including filling stations.
It further disclosed that four of the properties have already been forfeited to the government, while legal proceedings continue over the remaining assets.
The ICPC also stated that efforts are underway to apprehend other suspects who remain at large.