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Alleged N4.7bn fraud: Oyo Director testifies against Ladoja
A Director in the Oyo State Civil Service, Mr. Yinka Fatoki, on Tuesday testified for the prosecution in the ongoing trial of N4.7bn money laundering charge against a former governor of Oyo State, Rasheed Ladoja.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting Ladoja and a former Commissioner for Finance, Waheed Akanbi.
Ladoja and Akanbi had, on December 14, 2016, pleaded not guilty to an eight-count charge bordering on money laundering before Justice Mohammed Idris of a Federal High Court, Lagos, and were granted bails.
The EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Oluwafemi Olabisi, was present in court; while Mr. Bolaji Onilenla and Mr. Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika represented Ladoja and Akanbi respectively.
At the resumed trial on Tuesday, the prosecution witness, Fatoki, told the court he was the Executive Secretary of the Bureau of Investment and Public Private Partnership in Oyo State.
Olabisi: Where were you in 2007?
Witness: As at 2007, I was an acting Director of Investment Promotion in the Ministry of Commerce, Oyo State; and as at that time, the desk officer in charge of state government investment holdings of public quoted securities.
Olabisi: Do you know Fountain Securities Ltd ?
Witness: Fountain Securities Ltd was the appointed portfolio manager for the sale of the Oyo State Government shares in 2007.
We gave a mandate for them to sell the shares, there was no pricing on the mandate, but that they should sell in line with best practices and within a time frame.
When Fountain Securities reported that the shares were sold at a discounted rate, Oyo State Government enlisted GTI Capital Ltd to investigate.
A petition was written by the state executive council to EFCC upon receipt of the investigation report, I was also named in the petition.
During cross-examination, counsel to the first defendant, Mr. Bolaji Onilenla, asked the witness if he was aware of any meeting with the stock brokers to finalise the sale of the shares.
The witness told the court that he had no such knowledge of any meeting.
Onilenla: Are you aware that the state government had an investigation into the sale of the shares?
Witness: The report GTI Capital Ltd sent to the state government after their investigation confirmed that the sales of the shares were done in line with market rules and practices.
In his cross-examination, Olumide-Fusika asked: Did you receive any payment from Fountain Securities?
Witness: I received payment from Fountain Securities Ltd, but it was not payment for the sale of the shares but for the dividends collected on them.
Fatoki further told the court that he gave the money to the commissioner who further disbursed it.
Olumide-Fusika: How was the payment made?
Witness: Payment was made in tranches and not in lump sum.
At the close of cross-examination, Olabisi told the court that the prosecutions’ next witness resides in Ibadan, and that he would need a few days to produce him.
He urged the court to vacate Wednesday’s earlier set-down date and grant the prosecution a further date to produce other witnesses.
Justice Mohammed Idris adjourned the case until April 12 and 13 for continuation of trial.
The defendants are alleged to have conspired, siphoned and laundered N4.7bn from the coffers of Oyo State.
EFCC is also accusing the defendants of converting N1.9bn belonging to the state to personal use, using the account of a company — Heritage Apartments Ltd — to commit the crime.
It claimed that they retained the money sometime in 2007 in spite of their knowledge that it was proceeds from a criminal activity.
Ladoja was accused of removing 600,000 pounds sterling from the state coffers in 2007, which he allegedly sent to Bimpe Ladoja, his daughter, who was in London at the time.
In addition, the ex-governor was also accused of converting N42m belonging to the state to his personal use and subsequently used same to purchase an armoured Land Cruiser jeep.
Ladoja also allegedly converted N728m and another N77m at different times in 2007 to his personal use and transferred the money to Bistrum Investments to purchase a property in Ibadan on his behalf.
The offences contravened sections 14, 16, 17 (a) and 18 (1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004. (NAN)
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The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has mourned the death of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State and former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo, popularly known as Able, describing his demise as a painful loss to the progressive family.
Oladipupo, who represented Ibadan North-West Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, was widely regarded as a grassroots politician and committed party loyalist until his passing.
Oseni, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, said the late politician’s death had created a vacuum within the party and among those who benefitted from his unwavering commitment to public service.
In a condolence statement issued on Monday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the federal lawmaker described the late Oladipupo as a dependable progressive, humble political actor and loyal party stalwart whose impact would remain indelible.
He said the deceased dedicated his life to serving humanity, strengthening the progressive movement and supporting the aspirations of many at the grassroots.
Oseni said, “The death of Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo (Able) came to me as a rude shock. Oyo State and the progressive family have indeed lost a committed, loyal and selfless leader whose passion for service, humility and dedication to the people stood him out.
“He was not just a politician but a bridge-builder, a dependable ally and a grassroots mobiliser who believed strongly in the ideals of our great party. His contributions to the growth of the APC in Oyo State and his service to humanity will remain unforgettable.”
The APC senatorial candidate noted that the late former lawmaker remained steadfast in promoting peace, unity and political development, adding that his simplicity and accessibility endeared him to many across political divides.
According to Oseni, the late politician’s legacy of service and sacrifice would continue to inspire younger politicians and party faithful.
He, however, urged members of the APC, associates and family members of the deceased to take solace in the remarkable life he lived and the positive impact he made during his lifetime.
Oseni also prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul and for God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
State governors have proposed a new national minimum wage of N100,000 for Nigerian workers as part of efforts to cushion them from the biting effects of inflation and the rising cost of living.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), disclosed the proposal on Saturday in a post by the state government’s official Facebook page. He said the move aims to improve workers’ welfare while ensuring that government finances remain sustainable.
“State governments recognise the urgent need to improve workers’ welfare in response to the current economic realities facing Nigerians,” AbdulRazaq said.
“We are actively engaging with the Federal Government and organised labour to arrive at a wage structure that is fair to workers and sustainable for government finances.”
The NGF chairman explained that ongoing discussions are focused on balancing the need to boost workers’ purchasing power with the capacity of governments to deliver essential public services and development projects.
“The goal is to improve the living conditions of workers while ensuring that states can continue to meet their obligations and sustain projects that directly impact citizens,” he added.
The proposed N100,000 minimum wage is expected to intensify national debates on salaries, inflation, and broader economic reforms as Nigerians continue to contend with rising food prices, transportation costs, and other living expenses.
Currently, Nigeria’s statutory minimum wage stands at N70,000 per month. Some states, including Lagos, Rivers, and Imo, are already paying above the national benchmark to support workers amid the country’s economic challenges.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has continued to call for a comprehensive review of salaries, insisting that workers deserve a living wage that reflects present-day economic realities rather than merely guaranteeing survival.
The average retail price paid by consumers for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, rose to N1,532.93 per litre in April 2026, representing a 23.69 per cent increase compared to the N1,239.33 recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, findings by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have shown.
The sharp rise in petrol prices came amid mounting inflationary pressure and worsening living costs, with Nigerians grappling with soaring transportation and food expenses that have continued to shrink household purchasing power.
The NBS disclosed this in its Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch for April 2026, released on Friday.
The report further showed that on a month-on-month basis, petrol prices rose by 18.97 per cent from N1,288.54 recorded in March 2026, underscoring persistent volatility in the downstream petroleum market.
A breakdown of prices across states revealed that Yobe recorded the highest average retail price for petrol at N1,599.05 per litre during the review period.
Edo and Bauchi followed closely with average prices of N1,595.74 and N1,589.07, respectively.
However, Niger residents paid the least for petrol at an average of N1,403.89 per litre, while Sokoto and Katsina recorded N1,404.16 and N1,406.28 respectively.
At the zonal level, the South-South recorded the highest average retail price at N1,566.76 per litre, while the North-West posted the lowest at N1,508.81.
The latest petrol price increase comes as millions of Nigerians continue to battle the ripple effects of rising inflation, with higher energy costs worsening transportation fares and the prices of essential commodities.
Similarly, the NBS said the average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, also known as cooking gas, rose by 13.73 per cent month-on-month to N8,706.93 in April 2026 from N7,655.73 recorded in March.
On a year-on-year basis, the price increased by 10.42 per cent from N7,885.60 recorded in April 2025.
Lagos recorded the highest average price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,745.10, followed by Nasarawa at N9,451.70 and Bayelsa at N9,422.74.
In contrast, Anambra recorded the lowest average price at N7,204.76, while Ondo and Ogun followed with N7,239.49 and N7,825.75, respectively.
At the regional level, the North-West recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,025.07, followed by the North-East at N8,847.16, while the South-East posted the lowest average price at N8,224.37.
Also, the average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas increased by 13.89 per cent month-on-month to N22,382.20 in April 2026 from N19,652.83 in March.
Compared to April 2025, the price rose by 10.43 per cent from N20,268.06.
According to the NBS LPG Price Watch for April, Katsina recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N25,596.71, followed by Kogi at N24,558.25 and Gombe at N24,438.97.
Ogun recorded the lowest average price at N19,564.36, while Bauchi and Anambra followed at N20,178.87 and N20,511.90 respectively.
The North-West recorded the highest zonal average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N23,276.95, followed by the North-Central at N22,865.29, while the South-East posted the lowest average at N21,060.92.
The latest figures signal growing pressure on household energy costs, raising concerns over the implications for inflation and the cost of living in the coming months.
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