Today Headlines: Niger: WFP calls for free flow of aid amid ongoing crisis; Police Arraign Accountant, Mother Over N1.07bn, $975,102 Fraud
Niger: WFP calls for free flow of aid amid ongoing crisis
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) on Wednesday called for continued “humanitarian and resilience efforts” for Niger’s most vulnerable, in the face of the military power grab.
President Mohamed Bazoum remains in detention and the military junta that has in effect seized power said on Monday it plans to prosecute the elected leader for alleged “high treason”, according to media reports.
He was seized by members of his own guard on 26 July.
WFP’s Acting Regional Director for Western Africa, Ms Margot Van der Velden, said in a statement that “our work is vital for the most vulnerable of Niger and needs to continue”.
“Whatever the political situation, continuing our humanitarian and resilience efforts is crucial at these times of crisis,”she added.
In just the first week of August, WFP delivered lifesaving food supplies to 140,000 across the country as well as malnutrition care to 74,000 children.
Van der Velden also called on all stakeholders to “stand firm” in their pledges to support those most in need.
“In these tough time, our focus remains to provide unwavering support to vulnerable communities during the ongoing lean season between harvests.”
The agency is poised to scale up its response in line with growing needs.
Police Arraign Accountant, Mother Over N1.07bn, $975,102 Fraud
The police in Lagos have arraigned a chartered accountant, Omafume Ayinuola and her mother, Lydia Ehrievuyere, before the Federal High Court over an alleged fraud of N1.07 billion and $975,102.58
Ayinuola and Ehrievuyere were docked alongside their company, Patridia Resources Limited, before Justice Nicholas Oweibo on a 15-count charge of conspiracy, unlawful conversion of funds, money laundering, and fraud by the Police Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID) Alagbon.
The police prosecutor, Morufu Animashaun informed the judge that the defendants committed the alleged crime between the 2017 and 2021 at Trailer Park, Agbara, Lagos.
Animashaun claimed that the defendants committed the alleged fraud against some companies, which includes: Oritsetimeyin Logistics Limited, PUO Assets Limited. Resolution Capital Limited, Pine Petosan Limited, Grace Capital Ltd, RsL International Limited, RsL Ventures Capital Limited, Grace & Mercy Capital Limited, Grace Assets Limited , and one Peter Ololo.
The police lawyer also told the court that the funds allegedly stolen by the defendants were meant for the purchase and supplies of consumables for the offices of the companies listed above.
He alleged that the first defendant, Ayinuola, while working with the companies listed above, used her position to illegally convert various sums of money amounting to the total sum of N1, 072, 254 411 billion and $975, 102.58 USD to her personal use.
Navy uncovers oil-laden vessels, arrests suspects
tives of the Nigerian Navy Ship, Pathfinder have seized a vessel, MV Cecilia, laden with about 350,000 liters of petroleum products suspected to be Automated Gas Oil also known as diesel in the Woji in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The Commander, of tion Delta Safe, Rear Admiral Olusegun Ferrera, disclosed this while displaying the vessel to newsmen on Wednesday.
Also, he said two tankers laden with 30,000 liters of crude oil were arrested by the Joint Sector 3 of tion Delta Safe in the state, while three suspects were nabbed.
Ferrera, who was represented by the Maritime Component Commander of the Joint Taskforce for tion Delta Safe, South-South, Commodore Adedokun Siyanbade, said MV Cecilia, which had not been put in use for two years, was used as a storage tank for illegal refined products.
He said the discovery followed intelligence received by security agents.
Siyanbade said, “We are here this morning to show you the arrest of a vessel that was involved in illegalities in this general area.
“As part of the efforts at optimizing and ensuring that the mandate of the OPDS is actualized. The Commander Joint Task Force South-South of OPDS directed the NNS Pathfinder base to conduct a convert operation in this area and the intelligence was based on the fact of illegality going on within this area.
Subsidy Removal: Jigawa Proposes N44.7bn Supplementary Budget
Jigawa State government has approved a N44.7 billion supplementary budget to finance critical infrastructure and social services in the 3rd and 4th quarters of this year.
The commissioner for budget and economic planning Babangida Umar Gantsa revealed this when he briefed newsmen on the outcome of the state executive council meeting.
He said the need to complete some projects and the increase in federal allocation as a result of fuel subsidy removal made it necessary for the state government to propose the supplementary budget.
Gantsa said, “Following the fuel subsidy removal, the state has received the sum of N7 billion as first tranche from the federal government and N21 billion special grant for infrastructure approved for each of the 36 states of the federation and Abuja.”
He said some of the sectors to be financed from the supplementary budget are Works and Transport N13.8 billion, Health N2 billion, Education N3 billion, Finance N2.4 billion , and Jigawa Road Maintenance Agency (JIRMA) N2 billion.
Gantsa said the supplementary budget would be sent to the state House of Assembly for passage.
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