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Metuh reveals how he shared N400m received from Dasuki’s office

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Former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Olisa Metuh, has told a Federal High Court how he expended the N400 million he collected from the Office of the National Security Adviser under Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd.) in 2014.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in a statement disclosed that Mr Metuh made the revelation before Justice Okon Abang.

The erstwhile publicity secretary was said to have explained that the fund was for “a special national assignment” in the run-up to the 2015 general elections.

Metuh is being prosecuted by the anti-graft agency along with his company, Destra Investment, on seven counts bordering on money laundering to the tune of N400 million.

Reacting to questions from the prosecution team, Mr Metuh emphasized that there was never an instance where former President Goodluck Jonathan directly paid any money to him.

He insisted that the N400 million was for the national assignment as directed by the then President.

Upon being shown the statement of his account which had N6.6 million before an inflow of N400 million into it on November 24, 2014, the former PDP spokesman informed the court how he disbursed the money which he said was for a national assignment.

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He said there was an outflow of N7.5 million from the amount through a cheque to a company, CNC Connect on December 2, 2014, and another payment of N21.7 million to late Chief Tony Anenih and N50 million to Kanayo/Olisah.

On that same date, Metuh narrated that there was another outflow of N31.5 million to one Richard Ehidioha, adding that two separate payments of N200 million and N300 million were made to Daniel Ford International also on December 4, 2014.

Other subsequent expenditures, according to him, include payments to CNC Connect in the sum of N70 million on December 15, 2014; N25 million to Abba Dabo on December 16, 2014, and N5 million to Mrs Kema Chikwe.

Metuh also told the court that a final report he submitted to the former president had all the expenditures of the said N400 million, captured in receipts and signatures for all payment of monies in cash and through several accounts for the special assignment.

He said he had about 19 accounts of which more than five were in Diamond Bank, adding that he made an investment of $2 million in cash in ARM, through its official, Miss Nneka Ararume.

After the cross-examination, Justice Abang adjourned the matter until Monday next week for the continuation of trial.

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Crime & Court

Rivers Police Parade Juju Priest, 25 Suspects in Car Snatching Ring Bust

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Some items seized from the shrine

The Rivers State Police Command has made a significant breakthrough in dismantling a car snatching ring with the arrest of a Juju Priest, Ugochukwu Onuigbo, and 25 other suspects.

The arrests were made public during a parade held on Wednesday at the Command Headquarters on Moscow Road in Port Harcourt, as Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, shed light on the operation.

Explaining the circumstances surrounding the arrests, Commissioner Disu stated, “For some time now we have noticed that a lot of cars were being stolen and some robbed in town and we tasked officers of our tactical team and our investigators to move into it. Today, I am very happy to inform you that about 26 suspects who specialise in stealing vehicles and robbing them have been arrested. Our greatest joy is the arrest of Chidozie Anthony Onyekwe and Kelechi Igwe.”

Speaking further on the roles of the apprehended individuals, Disu highlighted, “Chidozie is the leader of persons who come into Rivers State to steal cars. Not only does he come in here, he trains his men well. He is linked to all the suspects here who have been arrested before for this same offense of stealing cars. At the same time, Kelechi Igwe is an expert at removing trackers from vehicles. Almost all the vehicles stolen from Rivers State must pass through Kelechi for him to remove the trackers for them. He’s also a wonderful mechanic.”

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Also, it was disclosed that the stolen cars were transported to Mgbuka Obosi in Onitsha, Anambra State, where they were dismantled and sold as scrap. A total of 79 vehicles have been connected to the suspects, many of whom reportedly formed their alliances while serving time in correctional facilities.

Out of the total, 17 vehicles have been recovered, with some already returned to their rightful owners.

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Crime & Court

EFCC Nabs Five for Illegal Solid Mineral Transportation Without Licenses

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Operatives from the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have apprehended five individuals for their involvement in the possession and conveyance of three truckloads of various solid minerals without the necessary licenses.

In a statement released on Tuesday, EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, identified the suspects as Dauda Suleiman, Quadri Oladimeji, Abubakar Alhassan, Anas Sanusi, and Auwal Garba. Among them, Suleiman, Alhassan, and Sanusi were operating as truck drivers, while Oladimeji and Garba served as truck boys.

The arrests, carried out along Maraba road in Ilorin, Kwara state, and Ogbomosho, Oyo state, between March 21 and 22, 2024, were made possible through credible intelligence and surveillance efforts.

The suspects were caught transporting solid minerals, suspected to include marble stone, white powder, lithium, and lepidolite, to Shagamu and Alakija in Ogun and Lagos States for commercial purposes, despite lacking the required licenses. They claim to have been hired for the task.

The trucks seized from the suspects were identified as carrying the registration numbers JJJ 206 YG (Lagos), T24413 LA (Lagos), and KNT 635 XP (Niger), respectively.

This incident marks another crackdown by the EFCC on individuals engaged in illegal mining activities within the country.

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Previously, on February 5, the agency arrested 41 individuals suspected of illegal mining in Ilorin and impounded 12 truckloads of assorted minerals mined without licenses. With this recent arrest, the total number of individuals apprehended stands at 46, with 15 vehicles seized in the last month for similar offenses.

According to the statement, the suspects will face prosecution in court once investigations are concluded.

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Crime & Court

NDLEA Seizes Over 44,948.1kg of Illicit Drugs In Lagos, Edo, Ondo

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In a crackdown on drug trafficking, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) disclosed the seizure of a staggering 44,948.1 kilograms of illicit drugs across Lagos, Edo, and Ondo states.

Alongside the confiscations, eight suspects were apprehended during the operations, revealed Femi Babafemi, the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, on Sunday.

The anti-narcotics agency disclosed that it also impounded 11 vehicles owned by drug cartels as part of the enforcement efforts.

Among those arrested were five individuals, including 67-year-old Sunday Otulugbu, Agbayeogor Joshua (39), Kelvin Ofuasia (45), Williams Peter (37), and Kamaru Onimisi (44).

According to Babafemi, a substantial amount of cannabis, totaling 7,687.8 kilograms, was destroyed in a warehouse located in the Ala forest of Akure, Ondo State, with an additional 670 kilograms evacuated on Saturday, March 23.

In separate operations, significant quantities of cannabis were eradicated in the Uzebba/Avbiosi forest, leading to the arrest of Kabiru Idris (36), Alaba Jimoh (40), and Lekan Asobere (35).

Similarly, in the Okpuje forest of Owan West LGA, NDLEA operatives, with military support, razed 5,000 kilograms of the illicit substance, further intensifying the crackdown.

The agency’s efforts extended to Edo State, where a substantial 14,310.8625 kilograms of psychoactive substances were destroyed on farms spanning 5.7 hectares in the Ohosu/Ugbogui forest of Ovia South West Local Government Area on Tuesday, March 19.

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Highlighting a well-coordinated operation in Lagos State on Wednesday, the NDLEA seized 10,534 kilograms (10.534 tonnes) of Ghanaian Loud, a strain of cannabis, in the Ajah area. Additionally, 11 vehicles linked to the drug cartel were confiscated during the operation.

The recovered vehicles include an Iveco truck marked KRD 522 YE, Toyota Sienna vehicles marked AAA 338 GL, AAA 308 EP, and LSD 744 GP, a Nissan bus marked EKY 846 YG, a Mercedes bus marked EPE 743 XT, among others.

 

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