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Real Reason Why Police Arrested Osun Senator, Adeleke
Senator Ademola Adeleke representing Osun West Senatorial District has been arrested by men of the Nigeria Police Force.
Confirming Senator Adeleke’s arrest, the force spokesman, Mr. Frank Mba hinted that the lawmaker is currently in police custody. Adeleke was taken into custody on the evening of Monday, May 6.
“He was taken into custody in the evening of today 6th May 2019 in connection with ongoing criminal investigations touching on his person.
“Meanwhile, in the best tradition of natural justice and fair hearing, he has already been served with the relevant charge sheet containing his alleged offences in the presence of his Attorneys. He will be arraigned in a competent court of law tomorrow, 7th May 2019”, he said.
But, the Ademola Adeleke Governorship Campaign Organisation claimed that the police detained the parliamentarian on old trumped up charges of certificate and testimonial forgery.
According to their statement on Monday, the organisation faulted the arrest especially on the basis that it is coming after the school principal and school authority had through affidavits “denied any forgery and owned up to the school testimonial issued to Senator Adeleke”.
The statement, also stated that Senator Adeleke had this morning honoured police invitation at the force headquarters, Abuja.
On arrival at the force headquarters at 9am, the communique state that the lawmaker was not attended to until later noon when he was informed of fresh charges of testimonial forgery.
It further stated that the Senator was taken to Maitama Police station with a plan to arraign him on Tuesday at an undisclosed Magistrate court.
It further reads, “We alert the world to the systematic harassment and victimization of Senator Adeleke over his pursuit of the retrieval of the governorship mandate freely conferred on him by the people of Osun state. A tribunal has declared him duly elected and a ruling on the appeal is pending. Yet, the police in connivance with the appellants have decided to unjustly incarcerate and raised trumped up charges which have been clarified by relevant authorities.
“The Principal of the secondary school attended by Senator Adeleke testified through an affidavit before Bwari High Court that the school indeed issued the testimonial. WAEC equally testified that the Senator sat for the examination. For the Police to revive this old clarified issue confirms political vendetta.
“We call for urgent intervention of well-meaning Nigerians to stop this emerging rape of democracy. The case for which the Police is acting is subjudice. It is sad to note that the Police appears to have become a tool in the hands of enemies of rule of law.”
The Ademola Adeleke Governorship Campaign Organisation, however urged its supporters to remain calm, adding that justice shall prevail on the lawmaker’s case.
Crime & Court
EFCC Chair Raises Alarm on Rampant Fraud in Nigeria’s Electricity Sector
Ola Olukoyede, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has raised concerns over widespread corruption in Nigeria’s electricity sector, attributing frequent national grid failures to fraudulent practices involving substandard materials.
Olukoyede made these remarks on Tuesday during a visit from the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja.
He revealed that ongoing investigations in the power sector had exposed disturbing levels of malpractice, often resulting in compromised infrastructure and recurrent grid collapses.
“As I am talking to you now, we are grappling with electricity. If you see some of the investigations we are carrying out within the power sector, you will shed tears,” Olukoyede stated.
He further explained that contractors awarded projects to supply electrical equipment were substituting recommended materials with cheaper, inferior alternatives.
“People who were awarded contracts to supply electricity equipment, instead of using what they call 9.0 gauge, they will buy 5.0,” he said, noting that such fraudulent practices contribute significantly to the country’s unstable power supply.
“So, every time you see the thing tripping off gets burnt, and all of that, it’s part of our problems.”
The EFCC boss disclosed that the agency would be intensifying efforts toward crime prevention rather than focusing solely on asset recovery.
He emphasized that future scrutiny would prioritize spending by government ministries and agencies to curb misappropriation at the source.
News
Customs Surpasses Revenue Target with N5.7 tn Collection
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced a record revenue collection of N5.7 trillion as of November 12, 2024, surpassing its yearly target by 10 percent.
This was disclosed by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, at the ongoing 2024 Comptroller-General of Customs Conference in Abuja.
Themed “Nigeria Customs Service: Engaging Traditional and New Partners with Purpose,” the conference showcased the Customs Service’s progress in modernizing its operations and fostering collaborative partnerships.
“Today, I stand before you to demonstrate how our commitments in 2023 have evolved into tangible achievements,” Adeniyi stated.
He attributed the revenue growth to a series of reforms, including the implementation of a one-stop solution for cargo alerts, a revamped ICT infrastructure, streamlined inspection procedures, and enhanced automation.
Adeniyi explained that these changes reflect the agency’s commitment to elevating operational transparency and efficiency.
“We pledged to re-align our free trade operations, elevate cargo integrity standards, and expand our scanning capacities,” he said.
“Above all, we promised to usher in a new era of customs operations—one built on transparency, efficiency, and genuine collaborations with our partners.”
As of Tuesday, November 12, Adeniyi confirmed that the NCS collected N5.07 trillion, achieving the anticipated 10 percent revenue surplus.
“This performance validates our partnership-driven approach to revenue collection and trade facilitation,” he added.
Adeniyi also highlighted recent strides in trade facilitation, revealing that six companies have been selected to benefit from the Authorised Economic Operators programme, which provides fast-tracked customs clearance and other trade facilitation benefits.
Similarly, the NCS has processed 21 requests under an advance ruling programme, designed to expedite customs decisions on import and export cargoes before they reach Nigerian ports.
The Comptroller-General expressed optimism about the NCS’s potential to drive further economic growth, citing the agency’s commitment to fostering partnerships and advancing innovative practices within the customs sector.
News
Half of Shortlisted Directors Fail Federal Permanent Secretary Exam
Nineteen out of the thirty-eight directors who were shortlisted to fill permanent secretary vacancies within the Federal Civil Service have failed the qualifying examination, a memo from the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) revealed on Tuesday.
The memo, signed by Dr. Emmanuel Meribole on behalf of the examination committee, disclosed that the qualifying exam was conducted on Monday, November 11, 2024.
The Federal Government, through the OHCSF, launched the recruitment drive in October to fill permanent secretary vacancies in eight states.
Providing insights into the progress, Eno Olotu, Director of Press at OHCSF, stated, “Of the 38 eligible directors who sat for the exam, 19 have passed the first stage and will move on to the second stage, which will assess their competency in using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in government operations on Wednesday, November 13, 2024.”
Olotu highlighted the rigorous three-stage selection process, designed to ensure that only the most capable individuals are appointed to these high-ranking civil service roles.
This comprehensive approach, according to OHCSF, aims to elevate the quality of leadership across federal ministries.
The directors who advance beyond the ICT proficiency test will face a final stage on Friday, November 15, 2024, where a panel of senior government officials and private sector experts will conduct a final evaluation to determine their suitability for the permanent secretary positions.
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