Crime
EFCC Apprehends General Overseer Over N1.3bn Scam
Apostle Theophilus Oloche Ebonyi, the prominent General Overseer of Faith On The Rock Ministry International, has been apprehended by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The arrest is linked to alleged fraudulent activities, where the cleric is accused of defrauding church members and others through the use of counterfeit grants from the Ford Foundation, amounting to a staggering N1,319,040,274.31.
The EFCC, in a statement released on Monday, confirmed the arrest and detailed that Apostle Ebonyi purportedly engaged in deceptive practices by promoting an intervention project through his NGO, Theobarth Global Foundation.
According to the statement, the cleric allegedly claimed that the Ford Foundation was extending a grant of $20,000,000,000 to aid the less-privileged in society.
The statement said “He allegedly beguiled his victims to subscribe as beneficiaries of the phony grant by asking them to pay for registration forms and clusters. Each subscriber was made to pay N1,800,000 (One Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira only).
“Through this arrangement, Ebonyi allegedly raked in N1,391,040,274.31. His subscribers are innocent and unsuspecting Nigerians and NGOs across the country,” the EFCC said.
“Investigations by the EFCC showed that the Ford Foundation had no arrangement, grant, relationship or business with Ebonyi.
“The Foundation pointedly disclaimed him and his NGO stressing that it had no link whatsoever with them. The Commission has also traced five properties he acquired as proceeds of his criminal dealings.
It added “Ebonyi is still reportedly reaching his subscribers on some social media platforms to market his spurious grant from the Ford Foundation. He would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.”
Former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, along with his daughter and two others, have been slated for arraignment today (thursday) by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
They face charges related to an alleged N2.7 billion fraud linked to the failed Nigerian Air project.
The proceedings are set to unfold before Justice Sylvanus Oriji at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja.
The charges, based on court documents, accuse Sirika of granting undue advantage to certain entities in Abuja between April 2022 and March 2023.
The anti-graft agency has accused Sirika of misusing his authority by awarding a N1.3 billion consultancy contract for the Nigerian Air Start-up to Tianero Nigeria Limited.
This alleged action is said to contravene Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
In a separate charge, the EFCC alleges that on or around August 18, 2022, in Abuja, Sirika utilized on or about August 18, 2022 ia, Sirika “did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, whose alter ego, Fatima Hadi Sirika and Jalal Sule Hamma are your daughter and son-in-law respectively, by using your position to influence the award to them, the contract for the Apron Extension at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1.498,300,750.00.”
The anti-graft agency asserted that Sirika’s actions amounted to a violation of Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, rendering him liable to punishment under the same section.
In count three, the EFCC accused Sirika of criminal breach of trust “while serving as the Minister of Aviation and in his capacity as a public officer” on or around August 18, 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the court.
In late April, the former aviation minister was taken into custody by the anti-graft agency and interrogated for several days.
Zamfara State is in the grip of fear and mourning following a series of vicious attacks by bandits, resulting in the deaths of eight individuals and the abduction of a branch manager of Taj Bank in Mandir Laura.
In a daring raid, approximately fifteen armed bandits stormed the manager’s residence in Rijiyar Gabas, seizing him and vanishing into the night.
Meanwhile, Faru Town in Maradun local government area witnessed a bloodbath as bandits struck, leaving eight residents dead.
Eyewitnesses recount the terror as the attackers besieged the town, instilling fear and chaos before retreating with captives into the surrounding forests.
The incidents have prompted widespread outrage and renewed calls for urgent action to stem the tide of violence plaguing Zamfara State.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reached an out-of-court settlement with renowned barman, Pascal Okechukwu, famously known as Cubana Chief Priest, regarding charges of naira abuse.
This development surfaced during the latest court proceedings presided over by Justice Kehinde Ogundare.
Cubana Chief Priest has been facing a three-count-charge related to the misuse of the national currency at a social gathering, a violation of the Central Bank Act of 2007.
Details later.. . ..
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