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EFCC witnesses exonerate Emefiele from alleged N1.2 bn contract award, fraudulent payment

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The trial of the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, commenced at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja on Tuesday. Emefiele faces six counts brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) relating to alleged breaches of procurement procedures in the award of N1.2 billion vehicle supply contracts to April1616 Investment Limited during his tenure.

During the trial’s opening, three witnesses presented by the prosecution exonerated Emefiele of wrongdoing. The first witness, Samsideen Romanus, a Corporate Affairs Commission official, confirmed that Emefiele was neither the owner nor a shareholder of April1616 Investment Limited. The company’s incorporation documents were presented, indicating joint ownership by Aminu Idris Yaro, Maryam Aliyu Abdullahi, and Saadatu Ramalan Yaro.

The second witness, Remigious Ugwu, a Compliance Officer with Zenith Bank, detailed payments made by the CBN to April1616 Investment Limited. However, he clarified that these transactions had no links to Emefiele, who was not a signatory to the company’s bank account.

The third witness, Oluwole Owoeye, a Deputy Director at CBN and former Secretary to the Major Contract Tendering Committee, emphasized that his committee was not involved in the vetting of bidding for the contracts leading to the charges against Emefiele. Owoeye stated that another committee handled the bidding process due to its scale.

The trial is adjourned until January 18 and 19 next year. Emefiele is accused of conferring corrupt advantages through vehicle supply contracts to Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro, a CBN staff and director of April1616 Investment Limited. Emefiele has denied the six-count criminal charges. The charges relate to the award of contracts for the supply of vehicles to April1616 Investment Limited, where Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro is a director.

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Hospital Board Suspends Doctor Over Negligence In Kano

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Dr. Mansur Nagoda, the Executive Secretary of the Kano State Hospitals Management Board, has sanctioned the immediate suspension of a medical officer at the Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital. This action follows numerous complaints from patients and staff regarding the doctor’s unauthorized absence from duty.

Dr. Nagoda disclosed that the suspended doctor, whose identity is withheld, left the hospital without informing any authority or management personnel. Despite attempts to reach her, she claimed to be on the premises but failed to report to the doctors’ quarters or fulfill her duties, leaving a dialysis patient distressed.

Emphasizing the ethical responsibility of doctors to prioritize patient care, Dr. Nagoda stressed the need for accountability and professionalism within the healthcare system. He warned that proper arrangements must be made with another doctor when absent from duty, and negligence will not be tolerated.

The suspension will remain in effect pending the investigation’s outcome, demonstrating the board’s commitment to upholding standards of conduct among healthcare workers. Dr. Nagoda reiterated the board’s expectation for all personnel to fulfill their duties diligently, emphasizing consequences for those found derelict in their responsibilities.

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Oyebanji approves 50% subsidy on improved oil palm, cocoa, cashew seedlings for Ekiti farmers

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Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji of Ekiti State has authorized a 50 percent subsidy on oil palm, cocoa, and cashew seedlings for distribution to farmers in the state during this planting season. Mr. Ebenezer Boluwade, the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, conveyed this information in a statement released to the press in Ado-Ekiti.

He explained that this initiative is part of the strategic measures undertaken by the Oyebanji administration to generate employment, foster wealth creation, and revive Ekiti State’s agricultural sector to its former glory, particularly harking back to the prosperous era of the 1970s when it was renowned globally as a leading cocoa production hub in Nigeria.

Boluwade emphasized that the program aims to rejuvenate the state’s agricultural prowess by replacing aging trees in existing plantations and those lost to bushfires with high-quality seedlings possessing shorter gestation periods. Furthermore, concerted efforts are underway to attract enthusiastic young farmers into cocoa plantation farming.

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‘We’ve no hotel’ – Nigerian Correctional Service clears air

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The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) clarified that the Correctional Service Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society (COCOS) Hotel and Gardens Project was not financed by the Federal Government. Umar Abubakar, the agency’s Public Relations Officer, made this statement in Abuja on Wednesday, emphasizing that the hotel was an investment of the NCoS Cooperative Society.

Responding to concerns raised about the facility, Abubakar stressed that the hotel, featured on the Service’s official Facebook page, was solely aimed at enhancing staff welfare. He attributed its establishment to strategic planning and efficiency within the agency’s cooperative unit.

Abubakar expressed bewilderment at attempts to discourage meaningful investments, highlighting that the “COCOS Hotels and Gardens” was inaugurated on March 1, 2021, by former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola. He asserted that the report in question is not only deceptive but also aimed at spreading misinformation. Abubakar clarified that the hotel was constructed in 2021 and is exclusively owned by the Correctional Cooperative Society, established in 1996 for all personnel of the service.

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