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EFCC Accuses Gov Ortom of N22bn Fraud

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has linked Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State to an alleged fraud to the tune of N22bn.

This is just as the EFCC revealed that 21 members of the Benue State House of Assembly are under investigation for allegedly diverting N375m meant for the procurement of vehicles that would be used for oversight functions.

The allegations are contained in a report of an investigation which began in 2016 but was made available to our correspondent on Monday.

According to the report, the governor, between June 30, 2015 and March 2018, ordered the withdrawal of N21.3bn from four government’s accounts in Guaranty Trust Bank, First Bank of Nigeria and the United Bank for Africa.

On paper, about N19bn out of the money was said to be meant for the payment of six security agencies that had been deployed in the state to address the incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers.

However, the EFCC stated that less than N3bn of the money was paid to the security agencies while the remainder could not be accounted for.

The report reads in part, “We investigated four bank accounts belonging to two Benue State Government’s agencies. The first agency is the Benue State Government House which has an account in UBA with number 1017348051 and another account in GTB with number 0027952907. These accounts received N1, 916, 635, 206 from the state’s allocation between June 30, 2015 and March 2018.

“The second government agency is the Bureau of Internal Affairs and Special Services. The agency has an account with UBA with number 1007540119 and a First Bank account with number 2023788057. Between the same period, the accounts were credited with N19, 468, 951, 590 from the Benue State allocation.”

The anti-graft agency said one person identified as Oliver Ntom, withdrew over N19bn from the account of the Bureau of Internal Affairs and Special Services based on the instructions of the Permanent Secretary, Boniface Nyaakor.

The money, which was allegedly withdrawn under the pretext of security votes, was said to have been diverted while the memos written in respect of the withdrawal were destroyed.

The report adds, “Investigations revealed that N19bn was withdrawn by one Oliver Ntom, a cashier. Sometimes, in a day, he would withdraw as high as N500m by cashing several cheques worth N10m each.

“The permanent secretary upon interrogation said anytime security agencies requested funds, he would approach Governor Ortom who would ask him to write a memo to that effect. The permanent secretary would write and the governor would approve the money.

“The permanent secretary said the funds are usually given to six security agencies. He said the highest that any security agency gets is N10m a month while the least any of the agencies gets is N5m a month.

“He said after the money has been released, the governor usually orders that the memo be torn to pieces. It is important to note that if a total of N60m is given to all the security agencies collectively every month as claimed by the permanent secretary, it cannot amount to half of N19bn in three years.”

The commission said the funds being spent were not in the budget of the Benue State Government.

It further accused the governor of failing to pay salaries despite withdrawing N1.328bn from the Joint State Local Government Account in Fidelity Bank with number 5030058730.

The report adds, “Investigations revealed that one John Bako, a member of one of the security outfits in Benue, withdrew N28m while one Andooi Festus, believed to be a cashier from the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs withdrew N1.3bn. They have been invited.”

Meanwhile, the EFCC has invited 21 out of the 30 lawmakers in the Benue State House of Assembly for allegedly diverting part of the N375m meant for the procurement of vehicles in 2016.

According to the anti-graft agency, the Benue State Government had in 2016 awarded a contract worth N417m (N375m after tax) to Mia-Three Nigeria Limited to procure 30 Prado TXL vehicles for the lawmakers.

However, only eight members received the vehicles while the others diverted the funds.

The report adds, “About 21 of the lawmakers are under probe. However, 25 of the lawmakers have returned all the money they received which adds up to N245m. Four others have failed to return the remaining sum of N31m.”

Attempts to get a reaction from Ortom were unsuccessful. Calls to the mobile of his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Terver Akase, were neither picked nor returned.

A response to a text message sent to him on the subject was still being expected as of the time of filing this report at 7.30pm.

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Samsung’s CEO, Han Jong-Hee, Dies at 63

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The co-CEO of Samsung Electronics, Han Jong-Hee, has died of heart attack on Tuesday. He was aged 63.

A spokesperson for the South Korean tech giant confirmed this.

Han, who oversaw Samsung’s consumer electronics and mobile devices businesses became the Chief Executive Officer of South Korea’s biggest company in 2022.

He had joined the tech giant in 1988 after earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Inha University. Before he started to run Samsung’s electronics and devices division, he was in charge of the display operations.

In a tribute to the deceased, Samsung said Han dedicated more than 37 years of his life to leading Samsung’s TV business to become a global leader.

The company said, Han as the head of its electronics and appliances businesses, contributed to its growth amid challenging business environment.

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HURIWA Tasks Fagbemi, Onanuga to Prove Fubara’s Alleged Link to Militants

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The Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA) of Nigeria has criticised the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, and Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, for alleging that Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is connected to militant activities in the Niger Delta.

The group described the claims as baseless and lacking credible evidence.

In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, addressed remarks made by Fagbemi last week, accusing Fubara of “tele-guiding militants” to sabotage oil installations.

Onanuga, in a separate opinion piece, supported the Federal government’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing intelligence reports suggesting militant threats linked to the governor.

“These are serious allegations that can destabilise not only Rivers State but the entire Niger Delta, yet no concrete evidence has been made public to substantiate them,” Onwubiko said, faulting the officials’ reliance on unverified intelligence.

HURIWA highlighted Governor Fubara’s denial of the allegations in an official statement earlier on Monday, where he rejected any ties to militant groups and labeled viral videos alleging explosions on oil and gas facilities in Rivers State as “fake and malicious.”

The group praised Fubara’s call for security agencies to investigate the videos’ origins and prosecute those responsible.
“Governor Fubara’s insistence on peace and constitutional governance has been clear in all his public engagements. It is disheartening to see such character assassination being perpetuated from the highest levels of the federal government,” Onwubiko stated.

The association questioned why federal authorities have not presented tangible evidence if it exists, arguing, “As far as we are concerned, the dissemination of these unproven claims is not just unprofessional but a dangerous precedent in the democratic space.”

HURIWA also challenged Fagbemi and Onanuga to avoid “pettiness and rumour mongering,” urging them to base their statements on facts.

“It is disgraceful that at a time when Nigerians are yearning for stability and good governance, top officials of the federal government are busy engaging in baseless accusations, further tarnishing Nigeria’s image before the international community,” the statement added.

The group further criticized the state of emergency in Rivers State as “unconstitutional, unnecessary, and politically motivated,” asserting that no evidence of war or a breakdown of law and order, as required by Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, has been shown. “The AGF and other federal agents must be reminded that the Supreme Court judgment, which is now being used to justify executive overreach in Rivers State, does not license rumour-based governance,” HURIWA noted.

HURIWA urged Fubara to pursue legal action against those making the claims, stating, “even if the judiciary is seen by some as compromised, it is essential to set the record straight by taking advantage of available legal avenues.”

The association called on security agencies to launch a transparent forensic investigation into the allegations and incidents in Ogoniland and other parts of Rivers State, insisting it must remain free of political interference. “The dangerous game of labeling peaceful citizens as militants without evidence is not only reckless but risks plunging Rivers State into avoidable chaos. Nigeria’s democracy deserves better,” the group concluded.

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Dangote Cement Achieves Higher CDP Ratings for Climate Change & Water Security

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Dangote Cement Plc (DCP) has achieved a ‘B’ score in climate change and water security disclosures according to the recently released 2024 CDP results.

CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project) is the world’s largest, most comprehensive dataset on environmental action which empowers investors, companies, cities, and national and regional governments to make earth-positive decisions. Dangote Cement has disclosed its environmental practices annually through the CDP since 2018.

CDP provides a voluntary framework for companies to report on Climate, Water Security, and Forests. It rigorously evaluates corporate environmental performance, assigning scores from A to D based on companies’ transparency, governance, and measurable actions towards sustainability.

Following the release of company scores in February, Dangote Cement’s score on water security which was C was upgraded to B. Similarly, the company’s commitment to supporting a climate resilient future was also demonstrated in its climate change score of B in 2024.

Managing Director/Chief Executive, Dangote Cement, Mr. Arvind Pathak speaking on the new rating said, ‘Dangote Cement leads in Africa as one of few businesses in six states and regions of Africa to disclose through CDP.’ He further stated that ‘the 2024 score is an outcome of ongoing efforts to reduce our carbon footprint, accelerate climate action and promote sustainability across our business and its value chain’.

The Head, Sustainability, Dangote Cement, Dr. Igazeuma Okoroba in her remarks expressed gratitude to all stakeholders who aligned with the Group’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy overseen by the company’s Board which supported the achievement of an improved rating this year. She stated that ‘this year’s results are evidence that our contribution to create a world where people, planet and profit are truly balanced is paying off.’

Affirming the company’s commitment to decarbonisation, Dr Igazeuma stated that ‘Although this year’s score demonstrates our transparency on sustainability, DCP’s goal is to go beyond disclosure and take meaningful action through tangible solutions, innovations, and projects to close the gap between ambition and reality.’

Dangote Cement Plc is sub-Saharan Africa’s largest cement producer with an installed capacity of 45.6Mta across 10 African countries and operates a fully integrated “quarry-to customer” business with activities in manufacturing, sales, and distribution of cement.

The company is on track to meet its decarbonisation targets through energy efficiency measures, adoption of supplementary cement materials, carbon offsets and other sustainable practices.

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