Crime
N4bn theft: Court seizes Obiano’s travel documents as EFCC lines up 15 witnesses
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says it will be calling 15 witnesses to prove the N4bn theft charges it filed against a former governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano.
The prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Slyvanus Tahir (SAN), disclosed this on Wednesday shortly after Obiano was arraigned on nine counts before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
After Obiano pleaded not guilty to the charges before Justice Inyang Ekwo, the prosecutor said the EFCC was ready and eager to prosecute the case, noting that 15 witnesses were on hand to prove the case.
“My Lord, we are ready for the commencement of the trial in this matter. We have 15 witnesses with documentary evidence against the defendant that are within the court’s jurisdiction. But we urge you to give a remand order,” Tahir said.
However, Obiano’s lawyer, Ikpeazu (SAN), urged the judge to release the ex-governor on bail, saying an application had already been filed for his bail to that effect.
But opposing the prayer, the prosecutor said he was only served with the bail application on Wednesday morning and he needed time to reply. He urged the judge to adjourn hearing and send Obiano to prison in the meantime.
However, the judge asked Tahir if Obiano had been on administrative bail before, to which he said yes. The judge then said he would adopt the administrative bail but added the condition that Obiano’s movement would be restricted to the court’s jurisdiction.
Justice Ekwo ordered the EFCC to deposit the defendant’s travel documents with the court registrar.
“The registrar must notify the Nigerian Immigration Service of the development and should verify the address of the land documents of the two directors in the civil service who are his sureties,’’ he added.
He subsequently adjourned the case till March 4, 5,6, and 7 for continuation of trial.
In the charges, the EFCC alleged that Obiano diverted Anambra State’s security votes to the tune of N4,008,573,350 while he was in the sadle as governor between 2014 and 2022.
The EFCC accused him of indirectly transferring, through his Private Principal Secretary, N1.2bn from the state security vote account to another account belonging to Moment of Peace Ventures, an entity with no business with the state.
The anti-graft agency also accused him of indirectly transferring the sum of N860,716,200 from the state security vote account through his Principal Private Secretary, Wille Nwokoye, to Youdooh Ventures, an entity with no business with the government for reasons unrelated to security affairs.
Obaino was further accused of transferring the sum of N659,112,900 from the state’s security vote account through Nwokoye to an account belonging to Nazdal Ventures.
The anti-graft agency said the funds formed part of the proceeds of his unlawful act to wit: stealing and corruption.
The former governor was said to have committed the offences in contravention of Sections 1 and 15(2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition ) Act 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 16(2) (b) of the same Act.
Obiano, however, pleaded not guilty.
A police inspector has been killed and another officer seriously injured after gunmen allegedly ambushed a joint security team in Jigawa State.
The incident occurred on Saturday, August 22, 2026, after security personnel responded to reports of farmland destruction in Gwaram Local Government Area.
According to a security report obtained by Zagazola Makama, the attack took place at about 3pm in a forested area.
The joint team comprised personnel from Gwaram and Fagam police divisions, the 35 Police Mobile Force and local security outfits. Members of the Vigilance and Community Response Unit (VCRU) and Operation Salama also participated in the operation.
The report said the team had been patrolling the area following recurring complaints involving suspected herders and farmland destruction.
The personnel reportedly came under attack after entering the area, with the assailants said to have used arrows.
Inspector Bukar Wakili, attached to Gwaram Division, was reportedly struck in the face and sustained serious injuries.
Another officer, Inspector Mohammed Shafiu of the VCRU in Dutse, was also injured during the incident.
Both officers were taken to a hospital, where Shafiu was confirmed dead, according to the report.
Bukar was later referred to the Malam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital for further medical treatment.
The identities and affiliation of the attackers have not been independently confirmed, and no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Additional tactical teams were subsequently deployed to reinforce the security personnel and support efforts to identify those responsible.
Police have opened an investigation into the incident and maintained a security presence in the affected area.
The attack comes amid recurring disputes involving farmers and herders in parts of northern Nigeria, where disagreements over farmland and grazing routes can sometimes escalate into violence.
A young man suspected of attempting to steal cables from a transformer was found dead after reportedly being electrocuted along Trademore Road in Lugbe, Abuja, in the early hours of Friday.
The deceased was reportedly found crouched and lifeless near the transformer, with his body said to have become stiff, suggesting he may have been electrocuted when power was restored.
Residents said there had been no electricity supply in the area on Thursday night before the incident occurred.
The discovery attracted a crowd of residents, who expressed concern over the increasing activities of cable vandals in different parts of the Federal Capital Territory.
Rasheed Ogunyemi, a resident of Iddo Seriki along the Airport Road, said residents in his area often contribute money to repair their transformer, only for vandals to return and cut the cables.
The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed the incident, stating that the deceased’s body had been evacuated and deposited at a mortuary in Gwagwalada for autopsy.
More than 60 worshippers are feared to have been kidnapped from the Central Mosque in Dekara town, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, during Jumu’at prayers on Friday.
The incident occurred when suspected terrorists, said to be operating in large numbers, stormed the mosque while the prayers were ongoing.
According to sources, the attackers fired several shots before rounding up some of the worshippers and taking them into the surrounding forest.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Borgu Local Government Area witnessed several security incidents on Friday, including attacks on three communities.
“So many things happened in Borgu LGA on Friday. Terrorists attacked three communities, including Dekara. In Dekara, they went to the Central Mosque while Jumu’at prayer was ongoing and kidnapped more than 60 people. But they did not injure anybody,” the resident said.
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Oyewole Mayowa Solomon, has died after reportedly collapsing during a party reconciliation meeting in Iyara, the council headquarters.
Solomon reportedly slumped suddenly while participating in the meeting convened on Friday by a former Ijumu council chairman, Funsho Olumoko, as part of efforts to resolve internal disagreements and promote unity among APC stakeholders in the area.
An eyewitness said the incident caused confusion among participants, who immediately attempted to revive the party chairman before rushing him to a hospital in Kabba.
He reportedly died shortly after arriving at the hospital.
The development shocked party leaders and other stakeholders who had gathered for the reconciliation meeting, which was aimed at strengthening the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The meeting was expected to bring together party leaders, ward and local government executives, women and youth leaders, as well as government appointees from the 15 wards in Ijumu.
The incident occurred amid renewed efforts by APC stakeholders in the council to resolve longstanding disagreements and restore unity within the local chapter.
Earlier in the month, party leaders in Ijumu had endorsed President Bola Tinubu and Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, for second terms.
However, that gathering was reportedly disrupted by disagreements over the leadership of the local government, with Solomon and some other officials said to have walked out of the meeting.
Olumoko, who organised Friday’s reconciliation meeting, had previously been mandated by the Ijumu Consultative Forum to facilitate dialogue among political stakeholders in the council.
Solomon’s sudden death is expected to create fresh uncertainty around the ongoing reconciliation efforts within the Ijumu APC, coming barely two weeks after stakeholders renewed calls for unity ahead of the 2027 elections.
The cause of his death had not been officially disclosed as of the time of filing this report, while efforts to obtain an official reaction from the APC were ongoing.
Tension and grief have gripped the political community in Enugu State following the suspected murder of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Chairman in Udenu Local Government Area, Chisimdiri Emmanuel Ngwu.
Ngwu, described as one of the longest-serving members of the ADC in the state, was reportedly found dead in the early hours of Wednesday, August 19, 2026, under circumstances that have raised concerns among his family, friends and political associates.
A family source told our correspondent that Ngwu woke up early on Wednesday, left the house and never returned alive.
The source said the family became worried after they noticed he was missing, only to later discover his lifeless body outside the compound.
“We woke up and didn’t see him, only to discover his lifeless body in front of our compound,” the source said.
The source further alleged that scratches were found around Ngwu’s neck and that his neck appeared to have been twisted backwards, raising suspicions about the circumstances of his death.
The incident has sparked concern within the ADC in Udenu and the wider political community in Enugu State, with calls for security agencies to thoroughly investigate the matter and bring anyone found responsible to justice.
Meanwhile, two persons have reportedly been arrested in connection with the incident.
Their identities and the specific circumstances surrounding their arrest were not immediately known as of press time.
Ngwu’s death has since sent shock waves through the ADC, with party members and associates mourning his death and demanding a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
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