Crime
Tinubu’s Chief Of Staff Gbajabiamila In Fresh N54 billion Oil Revenue Scandal
Mr Gbajabiamila has been implicated in corruption scandals across borders, including in the U.S., where he was disbarred by the State Bar of Georgia.
President Bola Tinubu’s chief of staff, Femi Gbajamila, illegally cornered tens of billions of naira in oil and gas royalty from Nigeria’s thriving oil regulatory commission after citing a fake law for the president’s approval, documents seen by Peoples Gazette showed.
Weeks after Mr Tinubu took the oath of office in 2023, his chief of staff began canvassing for money, knocking on the doors of highly lucrative agencies like the Nigeria Revenue Service (formerly Federal Inland Revenue Service), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (the agency in charge of the nation’s maritime operations) and Nigeria Customs Service, sources acquainted with the matter told The Gazette.
The Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission was not left out of the financial push as Mr Gbajabiamila drafted a memo requesting that four per cent of the cost of collection (annual revenue generated from the NUPRC) be split into two parts: 2.5 per cent for its operations and routine capital expenditure, and 1.5 per cent for capital expenditure.
The language ringfencing the 1.5 per cent, equal to N54 billion, was vague, as Mr Gbajabiamila said it was for “upgrading of crude oil and gas metering and transparency systems”. What he meant by transparency systems for such a humongous amount was not immediately clear.
“Mr President has directed that the Budget Office and the Accountant General of the Federation implement the approval in paragraph 2.a. above and ring fence the 1.5 per cent which may only be utilised for upgrading crude oil and gas metering and transparency systems upon obtaining relevant approvals,” Mr Gbajabiamila stated in a memo dated July 4, 2023.
Mr Gbajabiamila justified his request by citing a section of the Petroleum Industry Act 2023 to support his directive.
“The authority to collect these fees is vested in statute—Section 24(2)(c) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) (2023). However, the specific percentage collectable is subject to presidential approval,” Mr Gbajabiamila said in the July 2023 memo.
Checks by The Gazette revealed the section contains language that does not in any way correlate with the authorisation to claim tens of billions of naira from the nation’s coffers.
“The source of the commission Fund shall be as follows–( c) cost of collection by the commission,” stated PIA 2023 Section 24 (2c) that Mr Gbajabiamila cited in a letter to the Ministry of Finance and Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to lay claim to N54 billion.
When asked for comments, the presidency defended Mr Gbajabiamila, saying he only carried out the president’s instructions, which he claimed were within the ambit of the law.
The presidency avoided commenting on the falseness of the cited law, instead insisting that the N54 billion illegally received was with the president’s say-so and that there was no “smoking gun” on the matter.
“Gbajabiamila did not commandeer any money,” Bayo Onanuga told The Gazette on Monday. “The presidential order given to the NUPRC is within the right of the Mr President as president and C-in-C.”
Further checks by The Gazette showed that even the president lacked such powers to direct NUPRC’s revenue accrual and capital expenditure appropriation.
That responsibility was assigned to the National Assembly under Section 24(1) of the PIA 2023, stating, “The commission shall maintain a fund into which money accruing to the commission shall be paid, and all expenditures of the commission shall be subject to appropriation by the National Assembly.”
The president, according to the cited law, has no business with directing how the cost of collection is shared, let alone laying claim to its 1.5 per cent.
The cost of collection, which was N98 billion in 2022, increased significantly to N145 billion following Mr Tinubu’s unification of the official and black market exchange rates.
Whether Mr Tinubu’s action constitutes an overreach of his constitutional powers remains to be seen and can only be determined by a competent court.
Mr Gbajabiamila has been implicated in corruption scandals across borders, including in the U.S., where he was disbarred by the State Bar of Georgia after allegedly stealing money from a client.
For months, Mr Gbajabiamila ignored summonses from the State Bar to answer questions regarding the theft. He subsequently stopped paying his membership fee after his client reported him to the Bar.
His actions led to a five-year suspension from the Bar in 2015 and ultimately led to outright termination in 2020 after the Bar determined it could no longer condone Mr Gbajamila’s ethical lapses.
In 2022, Mr Gbajabiamila was accused of accepting $2 million in cash bribes (as the speaker of the House of Representatives) to secure passage of the new Petroleum Industry Bill, despite protests from host communities.
In his latest financial scandal, the president’s chief of staff is battling fraud allegations and fighting to survive a N400 million bribery scandal that has engulfed his political career.
Adeniyi Adeyemi, director-general of a controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), accused Mr Gbajabiamila of collecting N400 million through a proxy and demanding an additional N200 million to secure his appointment as director.
The allegation arose after Mr Gbajabiamila released a statement on June 11 denying that the PFIPC (which appeared on pages 50 and 51 of the appropriation budget) existed and that the president was unaware of Mr Adeyemi’s appointment.
Mr Adeyemi said Mr Gbajabiamila was stung by his refusal to give him 48 per cent commission of PFIPC ‘s N27.7 billion grant and hence, sought to discredit the council and humiliate his person.
“The major rationale behind the disagreement between myself and the chief of staff is because he allegedly requested 48 per cent of the take-off grant (N27,395,510,136) from the same agency, which he denies, to which I rejected after he collected a total sum of 400 million by proxy, with a remaining balance of 200 million to secure the said appointment,” Mr Adeyemi said in a statement last month.
Mr Adeyemi said it was impossible for an agency that did not officially exist to be issued such a grant at the president and chief of staff’s directive.
He said, “If the agency does not exist, yet found its way into the Nigerian national budget, what that means is that the entire 2026 appropriation budget is a fraud and should be discarded.”
The president has ordered that the allegations be thoroughly investigated and concluded within 30 days. He said persons found culpable in the corruption would be prosecuted.
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The Department of State Services (DSS) has released four men arrested over suspected links to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and awarded them a total of N20 million in compensation after investigations cleared them of the allegations.
The four men described their release as the happiest day of their lives after spending about four years in DSS custody.
The Director-General of the DSS, Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, reportedly ordered their release and the payment of N5 million to each of them following their clearance.
The beneficiaries are Emele Uduma Ibe, Berefgagha Appah, Ondokeyilemi Aggry and Oyeinmokebebeton Aggry. They were arrested in May 2022 in Sampou and Akeddei communities in Kolokuma/Opokuma and Sagbama Local Government Areas of Bayelsa State.
According to Vanguard, a source familiar with the development disclosed that investigations established that the men had been misled into believing they would receive a monthly payment of N100,000 under the Federal Government’s Amnesty Programme.
They were allegedly lured by individuals linked to IPOB, who are currently facing trial.
Speaking on behalf of the four men, Emele Uduma Ibe expressed gratitude to the DSS leadership, describing the day of their release as the happiest moment of his life.
He said the experience had taught him valuable lessons which he intended to share with others, while offering prayers for the DSS Director-General and the management of the Service.
Meanwhile, their lawyer, Deji Adeyanju & Partners, commended the DSS for its efforts towards national security and respect for human rights.
The law firm particularly praised Ajayi’s approach to human rights issues, describing the level of hygiene and professionalism within the Service as exceptional.
The development is part of a broader review of inherited terrorism-related cases initiated by Ajayi after assuming office in 2024.
The DSS reportedly reviewed more than 300 cases, with the exercise leading to a reduction in the number of detainees at its facilities to about 100 following investigations. The agency has also reportedly paid over N1 billion in compensation to individuals cleared of allegations or affected by operational mistakes.
Other beneficiaries include a Jos-based businessman who received N20 million after being mistakenly shot by DSS operatives in Plateau State, Chineze Ozoadibe, who was paid N10 million following her wrongful arrest, and Sunday Ifedi, who also received N10 million after investigations cleared him of links to IPOB.
Kenneth Okechukwu Nwafor was similarly awarded N5 million after investigations absolved him of IPOB-related allegations.
A source disclosed that the four newly released men would also receive psychological and medical support, in addition to assistance with their reintegration into society.
In a recent media interview, Ajayi acknowledged that the DSS, like every human institution, could make mistakes, stressing that such errors must be addressed.
He reportedly maintained that whenever the Service acknowledges wrongdoing, it has a responsibility to provide remedies, including compensation, while improving its operations in line with the rule of law.
Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has said some bandits he engaged with claimed they could not abandon their violent activities because they feared being killed if they surrendered or gave up their weapons.
Gumi said the armed men described the persistent attacks as a cycle of revenge, alleging that military operations and killings in their communities had fuelled their resolve to continue attacking.
According to the cleric, some of the bandits admitted that the bloodshed had become excessive but insisted they felt compelled to sustain the violence in retaliation for attacks against their communities.
“One of the bandits was telling us the bloodshed is too much,” Gumi said.
He added, “They, too, are not happy. And they say they are forced to do it.”
Gumi made the remarks during an interview on PAPShow, published on October 29, with excerpts from the conversation circulating widely on social media on Tuesday.
Explaining the grievances of the armed groups, the cleric said they accused security forces and local vigilantes of killing women and children during operations initially aimed at tackling cattle rustling.
He said the bandits questioned the killing of civilians in their communities and viewed such incidents as justification for retaliatory attacks.
“But why did they kill their women and children? Why are they killing their women and children? Why are the vigilantes arresting them and killing them? Why?” he quoted the bandits as asking.
Gumi said the armed men believed the situation had degenerated into a cycle of violence characterised by revenge, attacks and counterattacks.
“So, they feel it’s a field of blood, revenge, attack and counterattack,” he said.
The cleric called for negotiations to end the killings, arguing that religious leaders should help create an avenue for dialogue between the parties.
“So, we, as clergy, our own duty is to look at how to stop it. Let’s stop the bloodshed. Let’s come to the table,” he said.
Asked why the bandits could not abandon their activities, Gumi attributed their reluctance to fears that they would be killed if they surrendered.
“Because they thought they were killed. So, we need to reaffirm to them, to put confidence in them that they will not be killed,” he said.
The cleric also alleged that financial sponsorship and rivalry among armed groups were contributing to the proliferation of sophisticated weapons.
Asked whether individuals were financing the bandits, Gumi said such a possibility could not be ruled out.
“It’s possible now. You know, it’s possible now,” he said.
He explained that rival groups were acquiring more powerful weapons to outmatch and intimidate one another, creating what he described as an arms race.
“They buy more weapons because there’s an arms race between them. You know, there are different groups.
“There’s an arms race. So, this den has more machine guns than this one. So, they should fear them,” he said.
On the source of the firearms, Gumi claimed that the armed groups obtained weapons through illegal markets, where buyers could access them if they had the money.
“Well, it’s a black market, like drugs. It’s a black market. If you just have the money, you get them,” he said.
Gumi further alleged that foreign intelligence agencies were involved in supplying weapons to armed groups operating in Nigeria, although he did not provide evidence to substantiate the claim.
“Foreign intelligence definitely have a hand in it,” he said.
Asked whether foreign countries could be supplying weapons to Nigerian bandits and terrorists, the cleric said it was possible, suggesting that countries with strategic interests in Nigeria could be involved.
“It’s possible,” he replied.
…Ondo State Police Arrest Suspect, Recover Three Bags of Fake Dollar Notes
Men of the Ondo State Police Command have uncovered a suspected counterfeit United States dollar printing factory in Kiniso Village, via Ajue, Odigbo Local Government Area, arresting one suspect and recovering three bags of suspected fake dollar notes.
The operation followed a complaint by a businessman, Yusuf Nasiru, from Sabo, Okitipupa, who allegedly lost $6,000, equivalent to about N8.6 million, to two men in a fraudulent foreign exchange transaction.
The suspects reportedly approached Nasiru for a currency exchange transaction but allegedly returned counterfeit dollar notes to him.
According to Nasiru, the incident occurred on October 25, 2026, when two men, identified as Peter Desmond and Olami Toro, visited his shop and requested to exchange United States dollars for their naira equivalent.
He said he handed over $6,000 to the men but they later returned the money, claiming they did not have enough funds to complete the transaction, before leaving.
Nasiru said he subsequently discovered that the dollar notes returned to him were counterfeit and reported the incident to the police on October 28.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, Abayomi Jimoh, who confirmed the arrest and discovery of the suspected printing factory, said detectives immediately commenced an investigation following the complaint.
Jimoh said operatives from the Okitipupa Divisional Police Headquarters launched an investigation, while intelligence gathering and technical tracking led them to Kiniso Village, where one of the suspects was traced.
He disclosed that police operatives raided the suspected hideout on October 29 following intelligence provided by members of the community.
However, some occupants reportedly escaped through the perimeter fence during the operation.
A search of the premises led to the recovery of three bags containing suspected counterfeit United States dollar notes and a small wooden box believed to be connected to the alleged illegal printing operation.
The arrested suspect, whose identity was not disclosed, reportedly provided useful information to assist the ongoing investigation.
The police spokesman said the command had ordered an intensified investigation to apprehend other members of the suspected criminal network and establish the full extent of its operations.
He reiterated the command’s commitment to bringing all those found culpable to justice and warned members of the public against engaging in suspicious foreign exchange transactions with unverified individuals.
Jimoh also advised residents to authenticate foreign currencies before accepting them and report suspicious activities to the nearest police station.
Troops of the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), have arrested a suspected kidnapper while attempting to collect a ₦200,000 ransom from a female resident of Nasarawa State.
The suspect, identified as Mukaila Iliyasu, was apprehended at Akwaba in Eggon Local Government Area of the state during a joint intelligence-led operation involving troops of Sector 2, Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke, and DSS operatives.
The arrest followed intelligence reports that the suspect had allegedly threatened to abduct a woman unless she paid him ₦200,000.
The Acting Media Information Officer of Operation Whirl Stroke, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu Zubairu, disclosed this in a statement.
According to the statement, DSS operatives alerted the military to the threat on October 29, prompting the deployment of security personnel to track down the suspect and prevent the planned abduction.
In a coordinated operation, a soldier reportedly went undercover and posed as the person assigned to deliver the ransom.
The suspect was subsequently arrested while collecting the money, with operatives recovering the sum of ₦200,000 believed to be the ransom demanded from the intended victim.
The military described the operation as a successful intelligence-driven intervention that prevented a possible kidnapping and demonstrated the effectiveness of inter-agency collaboration in tackling criminal activities.
Following his arrest, Iliyasu was handed over to the DSS for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The Force Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke and General Officer Commanding, 5 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Moses Kolo Gara, commended the troops and DSS operatives for their professionalism, courage and effective coordination.
Gara urged security personnel to sustain their collaboration and strengthen intelligence sharing to combat kidnapping and other security threats across their areas of responsibility.
He also emphasised the importance of continued cooperation among security agencies in protecting lives, securing communities and maintaining peace in the region.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested a Benue-based pastor, Edwin Nwabueze, and his alleged accomplice, Sadiq Jamiu, in connection with the theft of a Toyota Camry in Abuja.
The vehicle was reportedly stolen at UTC Plaza in Garki, prompting a police investigation that led to the arrest of Nwabueze at his residence on October 27, 2026.
In a statement issued on Friday, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, disclosed that Nwabueze identified himself as a pastor with Salvation Power Bible Ministry in the North Bank area of Benue State.
The suspect, who hails from Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State, reportedly led police operatives to another location where Jamiu was subsequently arrested.
According to the police, preliminary investigations revealed that Nwabueze had previously been arrested by the Benue State Police Command in connection with vehicle theft cases.
The command further alleged that both suspects belonged to an interstate car theft syndicate specialising in stealing and selling vehicles across different states.
Police authorities said investigations were ongoing to uncover the full extent of the syndicate’s activities and track down other members currently at large.
The suspects remain in police custody and are expected to be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
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