The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has taken exception to unsavoury assertions by certain prejudiced individuals over the landmark recovery of 753 duplexes.

This was contained in a statement on Tuesday by its Head, Media & Publicity, Dele Oyewale.

While welcoming the thoughts of well meaning Nigerians on the matter, the anti graft agency made it clear that “the denigration of such efforts by Omowole Sowore and his think-same and act-same, is unacceptable and grossly un-charitable.”

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Oyewale stated, “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is following with keen interest, the flurry of reactions to its record-breaking recovery of 753 duplexes and other apartments on Plot 109 Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja.

“The commentaries of reform-minded Nigerians to the Commission’s painstaking efforts in securing the final forfeiture of the Estate to the Federal Government of Nigeria, are appreciated. However, the denigration of such efforts by Omowole Sowore and his think-same and act-same, is unacceptable and grossly un-charitable.

“The allegation of a cover up of the identity of the promoters of the Estate stands logic on the head in the sense that the proceedings for the forfeiture of the Estate were in line with Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud Act which is a civil proceeding that allows for action-in-rem rather than action-in-personam. The latter allows legal actions against a property and not an individual, especially in a situation of an unclaimed property. This Act allows you to take up a forfeiture proceeding against a chattel that is not a juristic person. This is exactly what the Commission did in respect of the Estate.

“The proceedings that yielded the final forfeiture of the Estate were products of actionable intelligence available to the Commission. The company flagged by our investigations denied ownership of the Estate following publications made in leading national newspapers. On the basis of this, the Commission approached the court for an order of final forfeiture which Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court granted on Monday, December 2, 2024.

“The expectation of the EFCC from citizen Sowore is a patriotic appreciation of its efforts in securing such a landmark forfeiture. It is shocking that the activist is not concerned about the systemic lassitude and unhelpful permissiveness that allowed such a monstrous corrupt act in the first instance. Nigerians should gear up more against lapses and loopholes in our system that continue to make the nation vulnerable to corrupt tendencies. The EFCC will continue to safeguard the financial space of the nation against manipulators and organised brigandage.

“It is important to note that the substantive criminal investigation on the matter still continues. It will be unprofessional of the EFCC to go to town by mentioning names of individuals whose identities were not directly linked to any title document of the properties. The EFCC is unwavering in its no-sacred-cow approach to every matter and together we will make Nigeria greater.”

The Kaduna State chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has suspended its strike over the state government’s failure to fully implement the N72,000 minimum wage for all workers.

The strike, which began on Monday, was halted for seven days following late-night negotiations with government officials.

Speaking to reporters in Kaduna on Tuesday, NLC State Chairman Ayuba Suleiman explained the union’s decision to suspend the industrial action.

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He said, “We met with the government representatives and agreed to suspend the strike for seven days to give them space to revisit their payment template. We rejected the payment because it exempted some workers, paid others less, and paid some more. We want a uniform payment template that reflects the new minimum wage.”

Suleiman expressed appreciation to workers for their support during the strike and urged them to resume work immediately.

“We thank you for your compliance, and we assure you that your interests are our priority. You can now return to work tomorrow morning, and we will continue to fight for your rights,” he added.

The NLC chairman also noted that the suspension followed consultations with the National Monitoring Committee, which gave the union the green light to pause the action temporarily.

“We contacted the NLC’s National Monitoring Committee, and they gave us the go-ahead to suspend the strike. We are confident that the state government will revisit its payment template and come up with a uniform payment structure that reflects the new minimum wage,” Suleiman stated.

The strike was triggered by what the union described as inconsistencies in the state government’s salary adjustments, despite an official minimum wage of N72,000.

The NLC insisted that the payment structure must comply with consequential adjustments to ensure equity among all workers.

However, the Kaduna State government has defended its position, clarifying that the dispute is not about the minimum wage but about salary adjustments.

“The least-paid worker in Kaduna state received N72,000 in November,” said Ibraheem Musa, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Uba Sani.

“The issue is not about the minimum wage, but about the consequential adjustments. We urge patience, as the state’s limited revenue, which comprises an average monthly allocation of N8 billion from the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and N4 billion in internally generated revenue, makes it difficult to implement the adjustments immediately.”

A fire outbreak on Tuesday devastated Ita Amodu Market, Old Yidi Road, Ilorin, Kwara State, destroying goods and property worth millions of naira.

The inferno, which originated from a lorry loaded with mattresses, spread rapidly, leaving traders and residents reeling from the aftermath.

According to the Kwara State Fire Service, the fire began when the lorry collided with a high-tension wire, causing a spark that ignited the highly flammable mattresses.

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The flames engulfed the vehicle and spread to nearby buildings, affecting 47 rooms and 19 shops.

Speaking on the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the state fire service, Hassan Adekunle, described the scene as catastrophic.

“The fire destroyed the lorry and spread to a nearby building containing 47 rooms and 19 shops,” he said.

Despite the intensity of the blaze, firefighters managed to prevent further damage. “Our swift efforts saved 12 shops and 31 rooms, but unfortunately, 7 shops and 16 rooms were affected,” Adekunle added.

The situation was further worsened by an explosion from a step-down transformer located near the market.

“The highly flammable nature of the mattresses contributed to the swift spread of the fire. Additionally, the explosion of a nearby step-down transformer intensified the situation,” Adekunle noted.

He also highlighted the collaborative efforts that helped contain the fire.

“We received valuable assistance from the Federal Fire Service and the police, who ensured the safety of our team in the face of hoodlums attempting to disrupt the operation. We are also grateful to media houses for their timely notifications and real-time updates,” he stated.

Traders affected by the fire are calling for improved fire safety measures and greater support to recover from their losses.