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EFCC Names Ex-Kogi Gov In Amended Corruption

Confusion As EFCC Names Ex-Kogi Gov In Amended Corruption Allegations Perpetrated Before He Became Governor

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Confusion As EFCC Names Ex-Kogi Gov In Amended Corruption Allegations Perpetrated Before He Became Governor

. Ali Bello, Suleman refute EFCC’s allegations in amended charges

There was confusion on Thursday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, following amended charges filed against Alli Bello and Daudu Suleiman, including the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, in which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission claimed they allegedly diverted about N100 billion belonging to the state government in September 2015, months before former Governor Bello assumed office as Governor.

Governor Bello was not a defendant in the original suit, and was not in court. However, Ali Bello, currently Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor and Dauda Suleman have denied the fraud allegations in the amended charges brought against them at the fresh aaraignment on Thursday in Abuja.

Their plea was taken by Justice James Kolawole Omotoso.

Both Alli Bello and Dauda Suleman vehemently denied the allegations contained in the 17 counts amended charges.

Earlier, Yahaya Bello through his counsel, A.M. Aliyu, SAN, had objected to reading of the amended charges to his client.

His ground of objection was that the anti-graft agency had failed woefully to comply with Section 218 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.

The senior lawyer submitted that a copy of the amended charges was not served on them as required by the provisions of the ACJA Act.

EECC lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN asked the court to reject the arguments of the defendant, adding that the court had on its own endorsed the amendment.

In a brief ruling, Justice Omotoso recalled that he had granted accelerated hearing in the matter and had also ordered that all forms of objections must be kept in abeyance till address stage.

He then directed the Registrar of the Court to read the amended charges.

In the first count, former Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello, Alli Bello and Dauda Suleman were accused of conspiring with each other in September 2015 and converted N80, 246, 470, 089 to their personal use.

They were alleged to have run foul of section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 because they ought to have reasonably known that the money was a product of fraud and criminal breach of public trust.

In other charges, Alli Bello and Dauda Suleman were alleged to have concealed several millions of naira with one Rabiu Musa Tafada, a Bureau De Change BDC operator trading under Global Venture in Abuja.

Alli Bello’s counsel, Aliyu SAN, at this point, applied that one of the EFCC witnesses, Edward Fanada, be recalled for fresh cross examination in view of the contents of the amended charges.

The request was granted by Justice James Kolawole Omotoso due to no opposition from the EFCC lawyer.

Meanwhile, Justice Omotoso has ordered that Alli Bello and Dauda Suleman should continue to enjoy the bail conditions granted them in the previous charges.

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SHOCKING !! Oluyin Of Iyin-Ekiti In DSS Net Over Alleged Suspicious Demand for Governor’s Used Chair

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SHOCKING !! Oluyin Of Iyin-Ekiti In DSS Net Over Alleged Suspicious Demand for Governor’s Used Chair

 

The Department of State Services (DSS) has invited the Oluyin of Iyin-Ekiti, Oba Adeniyi Adeola Ajakaiye, for questioning after he made a quiet but suspicious demand for the chair used by Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji during a thanksgiving service at Babamuboni Memorial Anglican Church, Iyin-Ekiti.

According to leaked correspondences exchanged between Babamuboni Anglican Church and Oluyin’s Palace, Governor Oyebanji had attended an event on May 31, 2026 at the invitation of Senate Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, an indigene of Iyin-Ekiti few days to the state’s gubernatorial election.

How Oluyin of Iyin-Ekiti Strangely Demanded Governor’s Seat

It was gathered that after the church program, the Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti, Oba Ajakaiye quietly and specifically requested for the chair which the Governor sat on during the church program.

The church’s Vicar who suspected a mischief by the Oluyin’s palace politely declined the estranged and bizzare request.

According to the church, the decline made Oba Oluyin furious who immediately influenced the untimely transfer of the church’s vicar, Ven. Dr. Samuel Sunday Agunbiade from the church.

The Palace, in a letter addressed to the church , insisted that the governor’s seat be surrendered for “royal custody and appropriate traditional rites.”

In the said letter from the Oluyin-in-Council to the church, they strangely said that “the replacement chair to be commissioned henceforth shall be placed under strict and adequate guard at all times, to avert any future desecration or recurrence of such grave oversight against the sanctity of the stool.”

Meanwhile, the request which has been described as barbaric and bizarre in Nigeria’s political and religious history, immediately raised suspicion and outrage within the community.

The Position of the Anglican Church

The Anglican Church, in its formal reply, rejected the demand, stressing that church property is held in trust under ecclesiastical governance. It further explained that the chair no longer existed, having already been dismantled and incorporated into the altar furnishing.

According to the church, “Consequently, the Church is not at liberty to surrender, transfer, or remove dedicated Church property for external purposes outside the procedures prescribed by ecclesiastical authority.

“As custodians of these properties, we are duty-bound to preserve and administer them in accordance with the doctrine, discipline, and governance of the Church.”

REQUEST FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE CHURCH CHAIR TO THE PALACE nnnnn_040357

Despite the stance of the church to strictly adhere to its ecclesiastical responsibilities and constitutional obligations, the palace persisted.

Outrage in Iyin-Ekiti as Residents React

Residents of Iyin-Ekiti alleged that the monarch’s insistence was not cultural but sinister with claims that the chair might be for ritual manipulation against the governor whom at the time was preparing for his re-election.

They noted that the DSS invitation to the Oluyin underscores how seriously the security agency views the matter stressing that there are sinister motive behind the estranged act.

It was equally gathered that the fallout extended to the church leadership. Ven. Dr. Agunbiade, the vicar who stood firm against the palace’s demand, was transferred under circumstances widely perceived as punitive.

Residents noted that while governors, presidents, and dignitaries have attended church services across Nigeria and Ekiti State in particular for decades, never has a demand been made for their chairs to undergo “traditional rites.”

They described the incident as mischievous while calling for a thorough investigation by the DSS to unravel the mystery and sinister motives behind the bizzare request of the monarch.

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Global Wave of Cyber Intrusions Spares No Sector, but Nigeria’s Banking System Stands Resilient

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Global Wave of Cyber Intrusions Spares No Sector, but Nigeria’s Banking System Stands Resilient

 

By Adesegun Adeshi Gbenga

 

Nigerian banks have moved swiftly to contain the effects of a sophisticated global cyber campaign sweeping across sectors and continents, with industry sources assuring the public that the nation’s financial system remains strong, resilient and secure.

 

The campaign, described by analysts as one of the most coordinated waves of attacks in years, is neither peculiar to Nigeria nor limited to finance. Organisations in telecommunications, healthcare, government, energy, technology and corporate registries across Europe, Asia, the Americas and Africa have been targeted by the same wave of intrusions, underscoring the borderless nature of modern cybercrime.

 

The data is stark: CheckPoint, a leading international cybersecurity firm, reports a 115 per cent surge in attacks on the global financial sector last year, with organisations worldwide facing thousands of attempted intrusions weekly. The current campaign has been linked to threat actors that have struck more than 35 organisations across several countries and sectors.

 

Despite the onslaught, banking services and digital channels across Nigeria remain fully operational and customer deposits safe. Banks activated their incident response protocols as soon as reports emerged, working closely with regulators, law enforcement and international cybersecurity partners to investigate and strengthen their defences. Nigerian banks operate some of the most advanced cybersecurity infrastructure on the continent, backed by years of sustained investment in protecting customer information and assets. Experts note that resilience in an era of global cyber warfare lies not in immunity from attack, which no organisation can claim, but in the speed and rigour of response, and on that measure the industry has acted decisively and in full compliance with regulatory requirements.

 

The banking public is, however, urged to remain vigilant. Fraudsters often exploit moments of heightened attention with fake calls, text messages and emails. Customers should never divulge personal or banking information, including passwords, PINs, One-Time Passwords (OTPs), card details or Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), to anyone over the telephone, however convincing the caller sounds; no bank will ever ask for these details.

 

They should also avoid opening suspicious emails, clicking unfamiliar links or downloading attachments from unknown senders. Anyone who suspects foul play or unusual account activity should contact their bank immediately, and only through its dedicated official channels: verified customer care lines, official websites, mobile applications or branches.

 

 

As governments and corporations worldwide race to shore up their digital defences, the message from the Nigerian banking industry is one of calm and confidence: the system is safe, deposits are secure, and the institutions entrusted with the nation’s savings remain watchful and prepared.

 

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