Bullets fired by policemen attached to the Federal Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Ikoyi, Lagos State, have sent a 55-year-old man, Samsudeen Adisa, to an early grave.
The bullets reportedly pierced through the thigh of the man and shattered his scrotums.
PUNCH Metro learnt that four policemen in company with some civilians had stormed Ajetiti Market in Aminkanle, Alagbado, Lagos State, looking for the market leader, Akeem Lade.
Lade, aka Otunba, is a stepbrother of the deceased.
The killer cops, who were led by one Inspector Amaechi Augustine, reportedly went to Lade’s office in the market, but did not meet him.
They were said to have shot indiscriminately during which Adisa, who was with a fruit seller in the market, was hit.
Our correspondent gathered that the Abeokuta, Ogun State indigene was being rushed to the Orile Agege General Hospital when he gave up the ghost.
A woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the incident happened around 2.30pm last Tuesday.
She said, “Everybody ran helter-skelter. People fell into drainage channels and got injured. The man (Adisa) was a very quiet person and he used to sit sat at the fruit seller’s shop.
“It was God that saved pupils returning from school on that day. It was very serious. The policemen fled the scene when they discovered the man had been hit by their bullets.”
The fruit seller, Salisu Rabiu, told PUNCH Metro that he and his brother narrowly escaped death.
He said, “My brother, the man (Adisa) and I were sitting on a bench that afternoon. My brother sat by my right side while the man was on the other side. The policemen came in a Toyota Sienna. We initially thought they trailed armed robbers to the community, but we later learnt they were looking for Otunba.
“When they did not find him, they stood at a junction and started shooting in our direction. I pushed my brother and also bent to dodge the bullets, which hit Adisa in the thigh. He fell and blood was gushing out.”
The community youth leader, Mr. Rasaq Adegoke, said the policemen, in their statements, claimed to have come to the community for a land matter.
He said, “I just came back from a meeting when some boys approached me. They said some policemen seized motorcycles of two riders. I followed them to the market junction to know where the policemen came from. As we got there, the policemen started firing at us.
“I called the Divisional Police Officer, Alagbado Police Division, and the Area M Commander. Before the DPO arrived with his men, the policemen had shot Adisa and fled. The DPO, his team and some boys chased them. They were four in number; three were arrested. The other escaped on a motorcycle, but he was later arrested.
“They were taken to the Area M Police Command to make statements. From there, they were taken to the state police command headquarters in Ikeja, and subsequently transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba. They said it was one Peter that sent them to the community over a land matter.”
The stepbrother of the deceased, Lade, alleged that the cops had wanted to kill him, noting that Adisa’s murder was deliberate. He added that he did not have any misunderstanding with anyone.
He said, “I got a call from a trader on that day that some policemen, led by one Peter, barged into my office and that there were shootings.
“I was at Abeokuta that day. A few minutes after I received that call, another call came in and I was told that my brother, Samsudeen (Adisa), had been shot. I informed the DPO on the telephone.
“I left Abeokuta to meet them at Olive Faith Hospital, where he was rushed to. The hospital gave him first aid and referred him to the general hospital. He died on the way.
“Why did they kill my brother among all the people in the market?
“Definitely, they came to eliminate me. Somebody must have pointed my brother to them. If not for the DPO, they would have escaped. My life is at stake now.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, said the policemen and three civilians had been taken into custody, while the corpse of the deceased had been deposited in a mortuary for autopsy.
“An inspector and three other policemen have been arrested.
“They will face disciplinary action as regards what they went to do there (at the market) and the killing of that man,” he added.
Punch Report
31 October 2017
30 October 2017
Maina Scandal: Ex-EFCC Chair, Ex-IGP, 2 Heads of Service implicated
•N17 billion cash traced to fugitive Pensions boss •How he bought $2m house in cash in 2012 •19 standing trial as EFCC pursues 12 cases
About N17billion pension cash has been traced to the dismissed chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms Task Team, Mr. Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina, with a long list of highly-placed beneficiaries.
The said cash was diverted by Maina from the N24billion budgeted by the Federal Government for payment of pension liabilities through the Presidential Pension Reforms Task Team headed by Maina.
The funds were stolen in five years from 2008 to 2013 in tranches of N2.7billion and N14.374billion respectively.
While the N2.7billion was converted to personal use through the connivance of banks and family members, N14.374billion was shared by Maina and those in the chain of pension management in different Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Maina and his cohorts dipped their hands into the till under the guise of phantom biometric verification.
Those implicated in the pension funds bazaar in the Pension Task Force Payment Vouchers Include include a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), A former Acting Chairman of ICPC, a former Inspector-General of Police, two former Heads of Service, Permanent Secretary (State House) and top directors in the civil service, 18 slush companies, some operatives of the EFCC and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
Other beneficiaries included some officials of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), bankers, Bureau de Change owners, family members, top officers in the Budget Office and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF).
The EFCC has so far filed 12 cases against 19 of those implicated, including Maina; a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Steve Oronsaye; Osarenkhoe Afe; Fredrick Hamilton Global Services Limited and others.
The list of the bigwigs who allegedly benefited from Maina’s benevolence was contained in a report submitted to the Attorney-General of the Federation by the EFCC and the PRTT Payment vouchers for the trial of Maina by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
The report titled CR: 3000/EFCC/ABJ/FAFI/VOL.1/ 238 was dated August 1, 2016 and signed by the Acting Chairman of the anti-graft commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu.
According to the document, Maina perpetrated the fraud through the use of the Collective Allowance System; compilation of ghost pensioners; fictitious contracts at inflated prices to both registered and non-registered companies; and fake pension verification trips.
The breakdown of the stolen N14, 374,236,846.09 cash before the pension fraud was as follows: (I) Fictitious Contracts (N 5,761,150,608.44); (II) ghost pensioners (N829, 902, 260.40) ;( III) Collective Allowance (N1, 365,821,942.91) (IV) Payments to States Pension Boards& Others (N4, 192,825,310.99); (V) National Union of Pensioners (N 2,290,593,322.35) and VI. Association of Federal Public Service Retirees (AFPSR) N253, 390,300.
EFCC said: “The use of Collective allowance: Under this fraudulent tactic, which became very handy under Maina and the OHCSF, the Director would approve payment of purported staff of the office to one single individual. After the payment is made, the person whose account was used will withdraw 90% and hand over cash to the Director or whoever was responsible for the payment.
“Key officials of the HoCSF asked their staff and friends to purportedly register companies with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in which payments were made for contracts that were never executed; some contracts partly executed though grossly inflated and such payments diverted to the suspects.”
Some of the highly-placed public officers were also allegedly allocated estacodes for biometric verification trips without going anywhere.
Some of the fake trips covered foreign shuttles to the United States and the United Kingdom among others.
The wanted ex-PRTT doled out about N23million for a “phantom” trip to the United Kingdom as follows:
o The Inspector-General of Police (N2,386,000);
o A late Deputy Inspector-General of Police (N1,475,600)
o A former Head of Service (N2,386,000)
o Two EFCC operatives got N1,362,960 each
Also out of a N36million approved for a “fake” trip to the US by Maina’s PRTT, the following government officials were allocated estacodes:
o The Head of Service and the Permanent Secretary in the OHCSF, who received N3, 286,000 each
o A Director in the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (N2, 838,000)
o The Director General of the Budget Office (N4,854,000)
o A Director in the Budget Office (N2,895,000 )
o Assistant Director in Budget Office (N2,045,000)
The PRTT vouchers confirmed payment of another sum of N40.6 million to some top officials for a shuttle to Atlanta in the United States to screen Nigerian pensioners.
Those who benefited were the following:
o A former Head of Service (N4,854,000)
o Ex-EFCC Chairman (N4,854,000)
o Permanent Secretary State House (N4,086,000)
o Another N2,738,000 was paid to Ex-EFCC Chairman
o Two operatives of the EFCC got N1,482,960 and N2,638,000 respectively.
o A staff of the NIA (N 2,638,000).
The document showed a breakdown of how pension funds were shared to finance pension verification teams to ‘South Africa, ‘Ghana’, and the 36 states’ of the federation, ‘zonal levels’ and others to siphon different sums of public funds into their banks accounts in the name of biometric verification.
Out of the N18.4million released to Maina for a trip to South Africa, the Director -General of Budget was allocated N3,056,000 .
The per diem for the trip to Ghana cost N9.1 million out of which a former Director of Defence Intelligence received N1,388,000 through his First Bank account. Two female staff of EFCC got N1,275,000 each as part of the national cake.
While those who went round the 36 states, allegedly collected N160,471,200 from Maina, a few others were paid N15,477,900 for going round the six geo-political zones of the country
The report gave the details of how Maina allegedly collaborated with former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Steve Oronsaye, and two others in N2billion pension funds allegedly mismanaged for biometric contracts.
The N2billion was part of the looted N17billion cash.
The others are Osarenkhoe Afe and Fredrick Hamilton Global Services Limited suspected as fronts
The report added: “Mr. Oronsaye and Maina engaged the services of the following individuals to assist them in looting pension funds.
o Osarenkhoe Afe: (charged to court together with Mr. Maina & Oronsaye): He is an IT consultant who introduced Innovative Solutions to the OHCSF for biometric enrolment project. He stated that, Mr. Steven Oronsaye [former Head of Service) asked him to join the Pension Reform Committee headed by Mr. Abudulrasheed Maina.
o Robert Ikazoboh: (Prosecution witness) He is the CEO of Innovative Solutions & Projects Ltd – a company invited by OHCSF to offer services regarding biometric enrolment exercise. He stated that he was brought in to the project by Osa Afe.
He also stated that Mr. Afe verbally instructed him to work with 2 other companies namely Uptrach and Frederick Hamilton and further instructed him as to the amount to be paid to the companies whenever he received payments.
o Ahmed Mazangari: (Already charged to court): He is the owner of Xangees Technologies Ltd, an information technology consultancy firm and a friend of Maina’s brother, Khalid Biu. He was ‘engaged’ by the OHCSF through Maina based on ‘word of mouth’.
He was tasked with the job of computerizing the pension payroll but in the process ironically ended up inserting his own 11 fake pensioners and was used by Maina to receive N153 million for non-existing biometric contract which was withdrawn and handed over to Maina in cash after converting same to dollars through his brother, Khalid. Ahmed, his mother and company are presently standing trial. He stole N230 million as ghost pensioners’ payment from the OHCSF (including the biometric contract).
“During the course of our investigation, the following facts emerged: That Mr. Osarenkhoe Afe (Osa Afe), the owner of Fredrick Hamilton Global Ltd introduced Innovative Solutions to the OHCSF where they were awarded the contract of biometric data capture.
“That the initial contract sum was N63 million as indicated in the award letter which was paid to Innovative Solution. However, Innovative Solution requested for a contract extension of the sum of N136 million which brings the total contract sum to N199 million (both initial and additional amount).
“That from the analysis of Innovative Solution’s bank statement, it was discovered that the total sum of N224.85million was fraudulently paid to them showing an excess payment of 25million against N199 million. Mr. Osa Afe confessed that, the contract sum was inflated at the instance of Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina and the inflated amount delivered to him.
“That Robert Ikazoboh was discovered to have transferred the total sum of N166.5million from his company Innovative Solution’s account to Frederick Hamilton Ltd, a company owned by Osarenkhoe Afe.
“A transfer of N35million was discovered from Innovative Solution to Uptrach Communication Ltd after which Robert Ikazoboh confirmed the payment as amount paid to the company that actually executed the contract of the biometric exercise.
“That Osarenkhoe Afe was also discovered to have been paid the sum of N l19.4 million as biometric enrolment exercise through his company Fredrick Hamilton. Investigation revealed that the company has no contract award letter from OHCSF nor did it carry out any contract.
“That including the amount remitted to Fredrick Hamilton from Innovative Solution, Fredrick Hamilton Ltd was discovered to have been fraudulently credited with the total sum of N 289.05 million out of which Mr. Osarehkhoe Afe confessed to have remitted over N250 million to Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina. Mr. Osa Afe admitted to have benefited N35million only and promised to refund same.
“Mr. Osa Afe confessed that, he issued blank cheques from his Skye Bank Account no. 1341770007353 to Mr. Maina which he used for making the withdrawals and sometimes he goes with Maina to Oceanic Bank to make the withdrawals and hand them over to him instantly. This has been confirmed by Oceanic Bank Fredrick Hamilton Ltd account officer.
“That one Salami Kareem Adesokan a storekeeper attached to the PRTT confessed that the total sum of N147,765,400.00 fraudulently paid through various banks from OHCSF to three different companies namely Fatidek Ventures, Jolance and Oblando Nigeria Ltd for fictitious Biometric contract were collected cash by him and delivered same to Mr. Maina through one Ann Igwe (Maina’s confidential secretary).
“That the total sum of N153,146,719 fraudulently paid to XangeTechnologies Limited from OHCSF for fictitious Biometric contract was transferred to a Bureau de Change, converted to U.S. dollars and then delivered to Mr. Maina through his relative, one Khalid Ali Biu.”
The report gave the details of how Maina had used some firms, individuals and many accounts to siphon pension funds.
The EFCC said: “Investigation revealed that Mr. Maina fictitiously owned and operate the following accounts in the following names: Cluster Logistics, Drew Investment & Construction Ltd, Kongolo Dynamics Cleaning Ltd, “Dr” Abdullahi A. Faizal, Nafisatu Aliyu Yeldu and Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina,
“That analysis of the above listed accounts revealed a total turnover of more than N2.7 billion. It is important to note that 95% of deposits into the fraudulent accounts were cash deposits made by bankers in their own names and other fictitious names.
“Investigation revealed that Mr. Maina fraudulently opened and fictitiously operated all the accounts with the active connivance of bank staff namely: Danjuma Zubairu, Toyin Meseke (Account Officer to some of the accounts investigated), Khalid Ali Biu (Maina’s relation) and Abubakar Gombe (Account officer of one of the accounts investigated) in Kaduna Branch.
“Forensic analysis of Toyin Meseke telephone handsets revealed several text messages and email correspondences regarding specific instructions on running the accounts from Abdulrasheed Maina
“Investigation revealed that Danjuma Zubairu (Group Head of Private Banking) mostly approved those transactions via telephone and email instructions from Maina.
“That Toyin Meseke bought the sum of ($200,000) equivalent of N33,800,000 from one Bashir Mohammed Taura, a Bureau de Change operator, and instructed him to facilitate the delivery of same money to Abdulrasheed Maina in Dubai, U.A.E on 05/05/2014.
” Toyin Meseke also bought another sum of $250,000) equivalent of N42,500,000) from one Bashir Mohammed Taura, a bureau de Change operator and instructed him to facilitate the delivery of same money to Abdulrasheed Maina in Dubai U.A.E on 05/06/2014
“That Toyin Meseke facilitated the transfer of the total sum of N33,105,000 to ALNASRA BDC & JIEK BDC on behalf of Abdulrasheed Maina from Cluster Logistics account for the purpose of buying U.S. dollar on 10/03/2014
“That Toyin Meseke also facilitated the part liquidation of Maina’s fixed deposit of N100,850,000 and subsequent transfer to Neural Wax BDC on 07/07/2015 for buying U.S. dollars on behalf Abdulrasheed Maina and delivered same to one Mairo Bashir (Maina’s relation) of UBA Maitama Branch Abuja.
“That the total sum N26.5 million was paid to the Federal Housing Authority from Kongolo Dynamics Ltd and a balance of N4.4 Million was paid to Alhaji Tijjani Yusuf between 20/10/08 & 19/11/08 for the purpose of buying a property located at No.12, 11th Road Kado Estate Abuja owned by Abdulrasheed Maina.
“That four bank drafts totaling N30 million were issued same day (15/03/2010) in favour of one Titus Adeboye from Kongolo Dynamics Ltd account. Mr. Adeboye confirmed that the fund traced to him was for the purpose of acquiring a property for Mr. Maina (block of shops) located at C2 Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Kaduna.
“That Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina bought another property located at No. l0 Amisi Musa Street, Jabi Abuja FCT from one Alhaji Adamu Modibbo and paid the sum of $2m cash, equivalent of N340 million in June 2012.
“Finally investigation has established that all the accounts are linked to Mr. Maina either through his phone number, email address or transactions between the accounts and testimonies of the account officers/ bankers involved in this complex money laundering scheme.
“A total number of eight GSM lines have been traced by the EFCC as the ones used by Maina to give instructions to banks, cronies and associates to launder the huge amount under investigation.
The numbers were listed by the anti-graft agency as 08098887733, 08037872471, 08142277550, 07037900714, 08106842813, 08091501002, +971552717234 and +971526294678.
“Furthermore investigation also confirmed that the source of funds in the accounts could only be from those fictitious contracts and other bogus payments from government, particularly OHCSF Pension Department and CIPPO where Maina superintended at various times between 2008 and 2013, as no known existing and viable business was identified as source of funds into the account and the account officers confirmed same.
“It is also pertinent to note that the Special Audit conducted by the Auditor-General of the Federation also confirmed those violations investigated by the commission.”
As at press time, those standing trial for the pension fraud in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation are Oronsaye; Maina; the Director of Finance and Account, Dr. Sani Shuaibu Teidi, Mrs. Phina Ukamaka Chidi, Deputy Director, Aliyu Bello, Special Assistant to Director of Administration, Olanipekun Emmanuel, Head of Final Account, Abdul Mohammed, Assistant Cash Pay Officer, Garbo Tahir, Cashier and M.K. Ahmed, Assistant Director, Variation.
Others charged for abetting laundering are Osarenkhoe Afe; Fredrick Hamilton Global Services Limited; Franklin Nwankwo and Eric D. Omoefe; one Abdullahi Omeiza (charged for his role in operating 13 pension accounts in 13 different banks with 13 different names; Alhaji Ali Abatcha and Elder Actor Zal, former President and Secretary General of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners.”
The Nation Report
About N17billion pension cash has been traced to the dismissed chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms Task Team, Mr. Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina, with a long list of highly-placed beneficiaries.
The said cash was diverted by Maina from the N24billion budgeted by the Federal Government for payment of pension liabilities through the Presidential Pension Reforms Task Team headed by Maina.
The funds were stolen in five years from 2008 to 2013 in tranches of N2.7billion and N14.374billion respectively.
While the N2.7billion was converted to personal use through the connivance of banks and family members, N14.374billion was shared by Maina and those in the chain of pension management in different Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Maina and his cohorts dipped their hands into the till under the guise of phantom biometric verification.
Those implicated in the pension funds bazaar in the Pension Task Force Payment Vouchers Include include a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), A former Acting Chairman of ICPC, a former Inspector-General of Police, two former Heads of Service, Permanent Secretary (State House) and top directors in the civil service, 18 slush companies, some operatives of the EFCC and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
Other beneficiaries included some officials of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), bankers, Bureau de Change owners, family members, top officers in the Budget Office and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF).
The EFCC has so far filed 12 cases against 19 of those implicated, including Maina; a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Steve Oronsaye; Osarenkhoe Afe; Fredrick Hamilton Global Services Limited and others.
The list of the bigwigs who allegedly benefited from Maina’s benevolence was contained in a report submitted to the Attorney-General of the Federation by the EFCC and the PRTT Payment vouchers for the trial of Maina by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
The report titled CR: 3000/EFCC/ABJ/FAFI/VOL.1/ 238 was dated August 1, 2016 and signed by the Acting Chairman of the anti-graft commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu.
According to the document, Maina perpetrated the fraud through the use of the Collective Allowance System; compilation of ghost pensioners; fictitious contracts at inflated prices to both registered and non-registered companies; and fake pension verification trips.
The breakdown of the stolen N14, 374,236,846.09 cash before the pension fraud was as follows: (I) Fictitious Contracts (N 5,761,150,608.44); (II) ghost pensioners (N829, 902, 260.40) ;( III) Collective Allowance (N1, 365,821,942.91) (IV) Payments to States Pension Boards& Others (N4, 192,825,310.99); (V) National Union of Pensioners (N 2,290,593,322.35) and VI. Association of Federal Public Service Retirees (AFPSR) N253, 390,300.
EFCC said: “The use of Collective allowance: Under this fraudulent tactic, which became very handy under Maina and the OHCSF, the Director would approve payment of purported staff of the office to one single individual. After the payment is made, the person whose account was used will withdraw 90% and hand over cash to the Director or whoever was responsible for the payment.
“Key officials of the HoCSF asked their staff and friends to purportedly register companies with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in which payments were made for contracts that were never executed; some contracts partly executed though grossly inflated and such payments diverted to the suspects.”
Some of the highly-placed public officers were also allegedly allocated estacodes for biometric verification trips without going anywhere.
Some of the fake trips covered foreign shuttles to the United States and the United Kingdom among others.
The wanted ex-PRTT doled out about N23million for a “phantom” trip to the United Kingdom as follows:
o The Inspector-General of Police (N2,386,000);
o A late Deputy Inspector-General of Police (N1,475,600)
o A former Head of Service (N2,386,000)
o Two EFCC operatives got N1,362,960 each
Also out of a N36million approved for a “fake” trip to the US by Maina’s PRTT, the following government officials were allocated estacodes:
o The Head of Service and the Permanent Secretary in the OHCSF, who received N3, 286,000 each
o A Director in the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (N2, 838,000)
o The Director General of the Budget Office (N4,854,000)
o A Director in the Budget Office (N2,895,000 )
o Assistant Director in Budget Office (N2,045,000)
The PRTT vouchers confirmed payment of another sum of N40.6 million to some top officials for a shuttle to Atlanta in the United States to screen Nigerian pensioners.
Those who benefited were the following:
o A former Head of Service (N4,854,000)
o Ex-EFCC Chairman (N4,854,000)
o Permanent Secretary State House (N4,086,000)
o Another N2,738,000 was paid to Ex-EFCC Chairman
o Two operatives of the EFCC got N1,482,960 and N2,638,000 respectively.
o A staff of the NIA (N 2,638,000).
The document showed a breakdown of how pension funds were shared to finance pension verification teams to ‘South Africa, ‘Ghana’, and the 36 states’ of the federation, ‘zonal levels’ and others to siphon different sums of public funds into their banks accounts in the name of biometric verification.
Out of the N18.4million released to Maina for a trip to South Africa, the Director -General of Budget was allocated N3,056,000 .
The per diem for the trip to Ghana cost N9.1 million out of which a former Director of Defence Intelligence received N1,388,000 through his First Bank account. Two female staff of EFCC got N1,275,000 each as part of the national cake.
While those who went round the 36 states, allegedly collected N160,471,200 from Maina, a few others were paid N15,477,900 for going round the six geo-political zones of the country
The report gave the details of how Maina allegedly collaborated with former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Steve Oronsaye, and two others in N2billion pension funds allegedly mismanaged for biometric contracts.
The N2billion was part of the looted N17billion cash.
The others are Osarenkhoe Afe and Fredrick Hamilton Global Services Limited suspected as fronts
The report added: “Mr. Oronsaye and Maina engaged the services of the following individuals to assist them in looting pension funds.
o Osarenkhoe Afe: (charged to court together with Mr. Maina & Oronsaye): He is an IT consultant who introduced Innovative Solutions to the OHCSF for biometric enrolment project. He stated that, Mr. Steven Oronsaye [former Head of Service) asked him to join the Pension Reform Committee headed by Mr. Abudulrasheed Maina.
o Robert Ikazoboh: (Prosecution witness) He is the CEO of Innovative Solutions & Projects Ltd – a company invited by OHCSF to offer services regarding biometric enrolment exercise. He stated that he was brought in to the project by Osa Afe.
He also stated that Mr. Afe verbally instructed him to work with 2 other companies namely Uptrach and Frederick Hamilton and further instructed him as to the amount to be paid to the companies whenever he received payments.
o Ahmed Mazangari: (Already charged to court): He is the owner of Xangees Technologies Ltd, an information technology consultancy firm and a friend of Maina’s brother, Khalid Biu. He was ‘engaged’ by the OHCSF through Maina based on ‘word of mouth’.
He was tasked with the job of computerizing the pension payroll but in the process ironically ended up inserting his own 11 fake pensioners and was used by Maina to receive N153 million for non-existing biometric contract which was withdrawn and handed over to Maina in cash after converting same to dollars through his brother, Khalid. Ahmed, his mother and company are presently standing trial. He stole N230 million as ghost pensioners’ payment from the OHCSF (including the biometric contract).
“During the course of our investigation, the following facts emerged: That Mr. Osarenkhoe Afe (Osa Afe), the owner of Fredrick Hamilton Global Ltd introduced Innovative Solutions to the OHCSF where they were awarded the contract of biometric data capture.
“That the initial contract sum was N63 million as indicated in the award letter which was paid to Innovative Solution. However, Innovative Solution requested for a contract extension of the sum of N136 million which brings the total contract sum to N199 million (both initial and additional amount).
“That from the analysis of Innovative Solution’s bank statement, it was discovered that the total sum of N224.85million was fraudulently paid to them showing an excess payment of 25million against N199 million. Mr. Osa Afe confessed that, the contract sum was inflated at the instance of Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina and the inflated amount delivered to him.
“That Robert Ikazoboh was discovered to have transferred the total sum of N166.5million from his company Innovative Solution’s account to Frederick Hamilton Ltd, a company owned by Osarenkhoe Afe.
“A transfer of N35million was discovered from Innovative Solution to Uptrach Communication Ltd after which Robert Ikazoboh confirmed the payment as amount paid to the company that actually executed the contract of the biometric exercise.
“That Osarenkhoe Afe was also discovered to have been paid the sum of N l19.4 million as biometric enrolment exercise through his company Fredrick Hamilton. Investigation revealed that the company has no contract award letter from OHCSF nor did it carry out any contract.
“That including the amount remitted to Fredrick Hamilton from Innovative Solution, Fredrick Hamilton Ltd was discovered to have been fraudulently credited with the total sum of N 289.05 million out of which Mr. Osarehkhoe Afe confessed to have remitted over N250 million to Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina. Mr. Osa Afe admitted to have benefited N35million only and promised to refund same.
“Mr. Osa Afe confessed that, he issued blank cheques from his Skye Bank Account no. 1341770007353 to Mr. Maina which he used for making the withdrawals and sometimes he goes with Maina to Oceanic Bank to make the withdrawals and hand them over to him instantly. This has been confirmed by Oceanic Bank Fredrick Hamilton Ltd account officer.
“That one Salami Kareem Adesokan a storekeeper attached to the PRTT confessed that the total sum of N147,765,400.00 fraudulently paid through various banks from OHCSF to three different companies namely Fatidek Ventures, Jolance and Oblando Nigeria Ltd for fictitious Biometric contract were collected cash by him and delivered same to Mr. Maina through one Ann Igwe (Maina’s confidential secretary).
“That the total sum of N153,146,719 fraudulently paid to XangeTechnologies Limited from OHCSF for fictitious Biometric contract was transferred to a Bureau de Change, converted to U.S. dollars and then delivered to Mr. Maina through his relative, one Khalid Ali Biu.”
The report gave the details of how Maina had used some firms, individuals and many accounts to siphon pension funds.
The EFCC said: “Investigation revealed that Mr. Maina fictitiously owned and operate the following accounts in the following names: Cluster Logistics, Drew Investment & Construction Ltd, Kongolo Dynamics Cleaning Ltd, “Dr” Abdullahi A. Faizal, Nafisatu Aliyu Yeldu and Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina,
“That analysis of the above listed accounts revealed a total turnover of more than N2.7 billion. It is important to note that 95% of deposits into the fraudulent accounts were cash deposits made by bankers in their own names and other fictitious names.
“Investigation revealed that Mr. Maina fraudulently opened and fictitiously operated all the accounts with the active connivance of bank staff namely: Danjuma Zubairu, Toyin Meseke (Account Officer to some of the accounts investigated), Khalid Ali Biu (Maina’s relation) and Abubakar Gombe (Account officer of one of the accounts investigated) in Kaduna Branch.
“Forensic analysis of Toyin Meseke telephone handsets revealed several text messages and email correspondences regarding specific instructions on running the accounts from Abdulrasheed Maina
“Investigation revealed that Danjuma Zubairu (Group Head of Private Banking) mostly approved those transactions via telephone and email instructions from Maina.
“That Toyin Meseke bought the sum of ($200,000) equivalent of N33,800,000 from one Bashir Mohammed Taura, a Bureau de Change operator, and instructed him to facilitate the delivery of same money to Abdulrasheed Maina in Dubai, U.A.E on 05/05/2014.
” Toyin Meseke also bought another sum of $250,000) equivalent of N42,500,000) from one Bashir Mohammed Taura, a bureau de Change operator and instructed him to facilitate the delivery of same money to Abdulrasheed Maina in Dubai U.A.E on 05/06/2014
“That Toyin Meseke facilitated the transfer of the total sum of N33,105,000 to ALNASRA BDC & JIEK BDC on behalf of Abdulrasheed Maina from Cluster Logistics account for the purpose of buying U.S. dollar on 10/03/2014
“That Toyin Meseke also facilitated the part liquidation of Maina’s fixed deposit of N100,850,000 and subsequent transfer to Neural Wax BDC on 07/07/2015 for buying U.S. dollars on behalf Abdulrasheed Maina and delivered same to one Mairo Bashir (Maina’s relation) of UBA Maitama Branch Abuja.
“That the total sum N26.5 million was paid to the Federal Housing Authority from Kongolo Dynamics Ltd and a balance of N4.4 Million was paid to Alhaji Tijjani Yusuf between 20/10/08 & 19/11/08 for the purpose of buying a property located at No.12, 11th Road Kado Estate Abuja owned by Abdulrasheed Maina.
“That four bank drafts totaling N30 million were issued same day (15/03/2010) in favour of one Titus Adeboye from Kongolo Dynamics Ltd account. Mr. Adeboye confirmed that the fund traced to him was for the purpose of acquiring a property for Mr. Maina (block of shops) located at C2 Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Kaduna.
“That Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina bought another property located at No. l0 Amisi Musa Street, Jabi Abuja FCT from one Alhaji Adamu Modibbo and paid the sum of $2m cash, equivalent of N340 million in June 2012.
“Finally investigation has established that all the accounts are linked to Mr. Maina either through his phone number, email address or transactions between the accounts and testimonies of the account officers/ bankers involved in this complex money laundering scheme.
“A total number of eight GSM lines have been traced by the EFCC as the ones used by Maina to give instructions to banks, cronies and associates to launder the huge amount under investigation.
The numbers were listed by the anti-graft agency as 08098887733, 08037872471, 08142277550, 07037900714, 08106842813, 08091501002, +971552717234 and +971526294678.
“Furthermore investigation also confirmed that the source of funds in the accounts could only be from those fictitious contracts and other bogus payments from government, particularly OHCSF Pension Department and CIPPO where Maina superintended at various times between 2008 and 2013, as no known existing and viable business was identified as source of funds into the account and the account officers confirmed same.
“It is also pertinent to note that the Special Audit conducted by the Auditor-General of the Federation also confirmed those violations investigated by the commission.”
As at press time, those standing trial for the pension fraud in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation are Oronsaye; Maina; the Director of Finance and Account, Dr. Sani Shuaibu Teidi, Mrs. Phina Ukamaka Chidi, Deputy Director, Aliyu Bello, Special Assistant to Director of Administration, Olanipekun Emmanuel, Head of Final Account, Abdul Mohammed, Assistant Cash Pay Officer, Garbo Tahir, Cashier and M.K. Ahmed, Assistant Director, Variation.
Others charged for abetting laundering are Osarenkhoe Afe; Fredrick Hamilton Global Services Limited; Franklin Nwankwo and Eric D. Omoefe; one Abdullahi Omeiza (charged for his role in operating 13 pension accounts in 13 different banks with 13 different names; Alhaji Ali Abatcha and Elder Actor Zal, former President and Secretary General of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners.”
The Nation Report
28 October 2017
From slum to stardom
Touching story of a Lagos scavenger
“It’s not a crime to clean the gutter,” the one-time Lagos-based scavenger says, “but ensure you don’t continue to remain in the gutter.” His grass-to-grace story resembles that of the star international footballer, Odion Ighalo, the veteran footballer, Taribo West, or the ace musician and Galala dance exponent, Daddy Showkey.
These are stars that were born and raised in the slum of Ajegunle, Lagos. They, however, rose above the stigma of being ‘nobody’ to becoming Very Important Persons (VIPs). Today, their stories have turned out to be something of an inspiring tonic to millions of youths struggling in several ghettos sprawled all over Lagos and even beyond.
Like Ighalo who played on empty stomach at the notorious Maracana Stadium before hugging the limelight or Daddy Showkey who was a street boxer, Mr. Eric Obuh a.k.a Vocal Slender, spent most of his growing-up years as a street urchin mingling with thugs.
But today, the once dirty forager trying to eke out a living in the mire of refuse dumps has morphed into not only a popular musician and thriving entrepreneur-dealer in cars but also a powerful motivational speaker. His story is another testament that dreams do come true when and where you least expect it.
How he got his name ‘Vocal Slender’
Residents living around Prince Fadina Street, Ajegunle, Lagos, are all too familiar with Eric Obuh. He’s a well-respected youth leader in the community. But be warned. They don’t know him by that name. In fact, you could get lost if you walked into the community asking for Eric Obuh.
First, you would get queer stare from members of the community who would, after scratching their hairs, tell you that they don’t know the person you are talking about or that the fellow you refer to by such a name does not live in their neighbourhood. But mention Vocal Slender and watch a three-year-old child excitedly point you to a cream-coloured bungalow, the place of his abode.
Standing tall at 6 ft 2”, blessed with a hulky frame, chubby cheeks and calm mien, Eric Obuh’s look belies his alias ‘Vocal Slender’. “Slender was what they called me back then on the streets because I was very lanky. I didn’t call myself that”, he said with a shrug. “I added ‘Vocal’ to show that I’m out to voice out against the oppression and neglect for the poor and the vulnerable.”
From plenty to penury
Vocal Slender together with his four siblings’ did not start their childhood from penury. They were born in a middle class home till things went awry for their father. “I was not born in a poor home,” he explained. “My father was an accountant until he was duped, and then lost his job. That was when things started to go bad for us. But before he lost his job, he had separated from my mother.
So with no mother to take care of us, and no money to feed us, my father was forced to share out my siblings to some of our relations and friends. He took my three-month-old brother to my aunty at Ibadan, while one of my younger sisters was sent to the village. My father remarried, moved in with his new wife and took my younger sisters along with him.
My elder brother and I were left to fend for ourselves. I was six years old then, and things were so tough for us. My brother and I couldn’t even afford toothpaste to brush our mouth with before setting out to school. Relatives that stayed in our house when things were rosy all left, abandoning us to our fate.”
Broke, hungry and abandoned, the future looked bleak for Vocal Slender. But providence took care of things. “I was living in a swampy area at Ora Street close to New Road,” he recalled. “I distracted myself by inserting vegetable stems into the marshy ground.
To my surprise, when I came back few days later, I noticed that some of the sticks have started blooming into nice looking plants. I was amazed, so I started tending them and nature blessed me because the plants were propagating by themselves all over the swamp.
So I became more serious with it, cultivated ridges, dug a well and planted okra, maize and assorted vegetables. I harvested the crops and people were eager to buy from us at the market because our crops were much bigger and fresher. So we made little money, and life became sweet again.”
But during the rainy season, Vocal Slender did not sell vegetables because the swamps become flooded because of the increase in the water level. This prompted them to develop another means of survival. Here again, fortune smiled on them.
“We switched over to poultry, and built a scrappy cage with wood and planks we picked from the street. We then bought a hen and a cock, and in no time the hen laid 15 eggs and hatched 13. And from that 13, we had 11 hens and two cocks. The 11 hens kept laying eggs till we had countless birds everywhere.”
In the crucible of suffering
Impressed with the resilience of the two brothers, the entire neighbourhood nicknamed them ‘farmer boys’. But sadly, ‘good things’, as they say, ‘don’t last long’. “We got evicted from our house when the rent expired. My brother and I didn’t know our rent was to be paid, so when the notice came, we couldn’t save enough money to pay for it.
We got thrown out, and our father took us to go live in church premises at Oyekere Street in Ajegunle. However, living there didn’t help our condition. They weren’t feeding us, so we continued to hunt for food. I started selling water but later started scavenging at Asapo.”
For Obuh, then a 10-year-old boy, scavenging was indeed a brutish means of survival and on March 3, 1993 he nearly paid dearly for it with his life when he almost got killed while sleeping under a shed, after a tedious day.
A reckless driver drove against traffic, and, in the process, rammed into the spot where Vocal Slender was sleeping. “I was almost crushed, but I found myself inside the gutters,” he recalled. “I sustained ghastly cuts on my legs and was bleeding profusely.
Kind-hearted passersby that knew my sad story helped to carry me to the church and took care of me. One month after, I was still on crutches. At that point, the church got tired of keeping us and threw us out of their premises. We had no place to go so we went and started sleeping at Wilmer Bus-stop.”
Getting kicked out into streets with his injuries opened Vocal Slender’s eyes to how wicked the world is. “I realized that indeed there’s so much wickedness in the world. I wondered at how a church could throw out a wounded little boy like me. I also wondered why my stepmother and father didn’t want to have mercy and take us in.”
The tough gets going
But when the going gets tough the tough keeps going. At this point in time, their friends had mercy and took them in to come live with them at Goriola Street. Goriola is more than the name of a street lane in Ajegunle; it is a notorious habitat of ragamuffins and ruffians. Over there, break-ins, fighting, drugs and muggings were the order of the day, and young Vocal Slender got enough daily doses of the vices.
“At Goriola, we faced a lot of insults, beating and fighting because we had nobody to protect us,” he said as he shook his head. “We kept sleeping from house to house. When I got back on my feet, I went back to scavenging. Life as a scavenger was tough because of the abuses and stigma. We were called names like Kongis, bottle-pickers and Father Christmas.
I scavenged up to Badagry into Cotonou. I entered a bus to Agbara and then trek to those areas. Also at Badore around Ajah axis, I encountered snakes and crocodiles severally. Life as a scavenger doesn’t give one much choices about the future, because when you get tired of it, the next likely option would be to fall back into crime.”
Encounters that changed his life
But the fear of becoming a criminal spurred Vocal Slender to go into music. Writing songs was an avenue for him to vent his frustrations. Rather than going into crime, he preferred hanging out with his criminal friends.
It was in this process that, in 2001, at the age of 18, one of his gangster friends told him something that changed his life for good. “I was in a night club with my friends when one of them called Awe took me aside and spoke to me. He asked me why I keep following them; that they are all criminals.
He looked me in the eyes and advised me to stopping coming to them because I could get killed. He said I’m not a thug and I don’t belong in their group, and that I should rather focus my mind on pursuing my music career. I had goose pimples listening to Awe tell me that. But barely one month after he told me that, he was shot and killed in a shoot-out with the police.”
Those words and his friend’s death made Slender to brace up for life. First, he stopped moving with his hoodlum friends. But in order to survive, he hit the streets again and started scavenging till he had another sad experience.
“I started scavenging till I ran into my sister at Satellite Town. We were shocked at seeing each other. She called me by name, stood motionless looking at me as tears streamed down her cheeks. I was angry at myself, so I just walked away from her.”
But that encounter made him quit scavenging. He discussed with his brother, and together they rented their own apartment and brought their sisters together again. But shortly afterward, he went back to scavenging at Ojota, after becoming broke.
Ojota dumpsite or Olusesun landfill is the scavengers’ haven. It is a 100-acre dump that lay on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway entry into Ojota bus stop and nearby Oregun. It is said to be the largest in Africa and one of the largest in the world. Ojota dump receives up to 10,000 tons of rubbish each day. With all that garbage Vocal Slender was back in business.
“I made about N350 on my first transaction at the dumpsite and I was very happy. Ojota dumpsite is like another world on its own. We were about 5000 persons living on the dumpsite.
We had more people from the northern part of Nigeria, but we loved and protected one another. Many of us at the site feasted on expired edibles like gala (sausage, snack), bread and oranges thrown out by food companies and local fruit sellers.
Whenever I call their attention to the fact that the food is spoilt, they would laugh at me and said, ‘e don spoil but e never rotten’. I settled at the dump, built a house for myself and started saving money to record my song.”
From slum to stardom
With no mentor or guardian to show him the way, Slender found succour in the reading of various books thrown away at the refuse dumpsite. “All kinds of books and documents were always thrown at the dumpsite, and I read as much as I could,” he recalled. “I read more than 100 different great books.
I read books on the Nigeria-Biafra War, encyclopaedias, religious books like Bibles, Koran and deeply spiritual books from AMORC and Eckankar. Reading them really opened my eyes to a lot of things. I learnt the power of imagination after reading, The Flute of God, by Paul Twitchell. It changed my thoughts about life and helped me forgive my father. I developed positive mindset towards my future.”
As he was yet to release his album, he sang for the fellow scavengers at the site until his songs became everyone’s favourite. “In 2010, I gathered all that I’ve saved and decided to hit the studio. But few days to my record date, I was rehearsing and singing at the dumpsite when some white people walked up to me to say they are from the BBC.
We scavengers are used to seeing white men come to take pictures at the Ojota dumpsite. So it was no big deal when they came to me. They asked me questions and they seemed impressed with the answers that I gave. They then said they would love to come observe me doing my recording session. And I gladly accepted.
“After the recording, they offered me money asking for permission to do a documentary on me. I initially declined because I didn’t want my family or my friends to see me in the news and now realize that I live at a dumpsite. But when they told me the programme would be aired in UK I agreed because I was sure no one close to me resides in the UK. However, I refused to collect their money.
Rather, I gave them a copy of my CD to go promote in the UK. I was still at the dumpsite when I heard that that documentary ‘Welcome to Lagos’ has been nominated for several awards. And before you know it, I was all over local and international media, winning awards and going for music tours in the UK.”
The lessons learnt
Vocal Slender’s life story comes as a living testament to the famous saying of Zig Zigler: ‘Success occurs when opportunity meets preparation’. Looking back, he said: “I imagine if I hadn’t booked for that studio session, the BBC crew could have felt I wasn’t serious.
This is why I want to charge the youths that there is dignity in labour. It is not a crime to clean gutters, but ensure you don’t continue to remain in the gutter.
You can in that gutter still aspire to be great. If a man wants to change his world, he will need to change his thinking and when you change your thinking, you change everything about you”.
Saturday Sun Report
“It’s not a crime to clean the gutter,” the one-time Lagos-based scavenger says, “but ensure you don’t continue to remain in the gutter.” His grass-to-grace story resembles that of the star international footballer, Odion Ighalo, the veteran footballer, Taribo West, or the ace musician and Galala dance exponent, Daddy Showkey.
These are stars that were born and raised in the slum of Ajegunle, Lagos. They, however, rose above the stigma of being ‘nobody’ to becoming Very Important Persons (VIPs). Today, their stories have turned out to be something of an inspiring tonic to millions of youths struggling in several ghettos sprawled all over Lagos and even beyond.
Like Ighalo who played on empty stomach at the notorious Maracana Stadium before hugging the limelight or Daddy Showkey who was a street boxer, Mr. Eric Obuh a.k.a Vocal Slender, spent most of his growing-up years as a street urchin mingling with thugs.
But today, the once dirty forager trying to eke out a living in the mire of refuse dumps has morphed into not only a popular musician and thriving entrepreneur-dealer in cars but also a powerful motivational speaker. His story is another testament that dreams do come true when and where you least expect it.
How he got his name ‘Vocal Slender’
Residents living around Prince Fadina Street, Ajegunle, Lagos, are all too familiar with Eric Obuh. He’s a well-respected youth leader in the community. But be warned. They don’t know him by that name. In fact, you could get lost if you walked into the community asking for Eric Obuh.
First, you would get queer stare from members of the community who would, after scratching their hairs, tell you that they don’t know the person you are talking about or that the fellow you refer to by such a name does not live in their neighbourhood. But mention Vocal Slender and watch a three-year-old child excitedly point you to a cream-coloured bungalow, the place of his abode.
Standing tall at 6 ft 2”, blessed with a hulky frame, chubby cheeks and calm mien, Eric Obuh’s look belies his alias ‘Vocal Slender’. “Slender was what they called me back then on the streets because I was very lanky. I didn’t call myself that”, he said with a shrug. “I added ‘Vocal’ to show that I’m out to voice out against the oppression and neglect for the poor and the vulnerable.”
From plenty to penury
Vocal Slender together with his four siblings’ did not start their childhood from penury. They were born in a middle class home till things went awry for their father. “I was not born in a poor home,” he explained. “My father was an accountant until he was duped, and then lost his job. That was when things started to go bad for us. But before he lost his job, he had separated from my mother.
So with no mother to take care of us, and no money to feed us, my father was forced to share out my siblings to some of our relations and friends. He took my three-month-old brother to my aunty at Ibadan, while one of my younger sisters was sent to the village. My father remarried, moved in with his new wife and took my younger sisters along with him.
My elder brother and I were left to fend for ourselves. I was six years old then, and things were so tough for us. My brother and I couldn’t even afford toothpaste to brush our mouth with before setting out to school. Relatives that stayed in our house when things were rosy all left, abandoning us to our fate.”
Broke, hungry and abandoned, the future looked bleak for Vocal Slender. But providence took care of things. “I was living in a swampy area at Ora Street close to New Road,” he recalled. “I distracted myself by inserting vegetable stems into the marshy ground.
To my surprise, when I came back few days later, I noticed that some of the sticks have started blooming into nice looking plants. I was amazed, so I started tending them and nature blessed me because the plants were propagating by themselves all over the swamp.
So I became more serious with it, cultivated ridges, dug a well and planted okra, maize and assorted vegetables. I harvested the crops and people were eager to buy from us at the market because our crops were much bigger and fresher. So we made little money, and life became sweet again.”
But during the rainy season, Vocal Slender did not sell vegetables because the swamps become flooded because of the increase in the water level. This prompted them to develop another means of survival. Here again, fortune smiled on them.
“We switched over to poultry, and built a scrappy cage with wood and planks we picked from the street. We then bought a hen and a cock, and in no time the hen laid 15 eggs and hatched 13. And from that 13, we had 11 hens and two cocks. The 11 hens kept laying eggs till we had countless birds everywhere.”
In the crucible of suffering
Impressed with the resilience of the two brothers, the entire neighbourhood nicknamed them ‘farmer boys’. But sadly, ‘good things’, as they say, ‘don’t last long’. “We got evicted from our house when the rent expired. My brother and I didn’t know our rent was to be paid, so when the notice came, we couldn’t save enough money to pay for it.
We got thrown out, and our father took us to go live in church premises at Oyekere Street in Ajegunle. However, living there didn’t help our condition. They weren’t feeding us, so we continued to hunt for food. I started selling water but later started scavenging at Asapo.”
For Obuh, then a 10-year-old boy, scavenging was indeed a brutish means of survival and on March 3, 1993 he nearly paid dearly for it with his life when he almost got killed while sleeping under a shed, after a tedious day.
A reckless driver drove against traffic, and, in the process, rammed into the spot where Vocal Slender was sleeping. “I was almost crushed, but I found myself inside the gutters,” he recalled. “I sustained ghastly cuts on my legs and was bleeding profusely.
Kind-hearted passersby that knew my sad story helped to carry me to the church and took care of me. One month after, I was still on crutches. At that point, the church got tired of keeping us and threw us out of their premises. We had no place to go so we went and started sleeping at Wilmer Bus-stop.”
Getting kicked out into streets with his injuries opened Vocal Slender’s eyes to how wicked the world is. “I realized that indeed there’s so much wickedness in the world. I wondered at how a church could throw out a wounded little boy like me. I also wondered why my stepmother and father didn’t want to have mercy and take us in.”
The tough gets going
But when the going gets tough the tough keeps going. At this point in time, their friends had mercy and took them in to come live with them at Goriola Street. Goriola is more than the name of a street lane in Ajegunle; it is a notorious habitat of ragamuffins and ruffians. Over there, break-ins, fighting, drugs and muggings were the order of the day, and young Vocal Slender got enough daily doses of the vices.
“At Goriola, we faced a lot of insults, beating and fighting because we had nobody to protect us,” he said as he shook his head. “We kept sleeping from house to house. When I got back on my feet, I went back to scavenging. Life as a scavenger was tough because of the abuses and stigma. We were called names like Kongis, bottle-pickers and Father Christmas.
I scavenged up to Badagry into Cotonou. I entered a bus to Agbara and then trek to those areas. Also at Badore around Ajah axis, I encountered snakes and crocodiles severally. Life as a scavenger doesn’t give one much choices about the future, because when you get tired of it, the next likely option would be to fall back into crime.”
Encounters that changed his life
But the fear of becoming a criminal spurred Vocal Slender to go into music. Writing songs was an avenue for him to vent his frustrations. Rather than going into crime, he preferred hanging out with his criminal friends.
It was in this process that, in 2001, at the age of 18, one of his gangster friends told him something that changed his life for good. “I was in a night club with my friends when one of them called Awe took me aside and spoke to me. He asked me why I keep following them; that they are all criminals.
He looked me in the eyes and advised me to stopping coming to them because I could get killed. He said I’m not a thug and I don’t belong in their group, and that I should rather focus my mind on pursuing my music career. I had goose pimples listening to Awe tell me that. But barely one month after he told me that, he was shot and killed in a shoot-out with the police.”
Those words and his friend’s death made Slender to brace up for life. First, he stopped moving with his hoodlum friends. But in order to survive, he hit the streets again and started scavenging till he had another sad experience.
“I started scavenging till I ran into my sister at Satellite Town. We were shocked at seeing each other. She called me by name, stood motionless looking at me as tears streamed down her cheeks. I was angry at myself, so I just walked away from her.”
But that encounter made him quit scavenging. He discussed with his brother, and together they rented their own apartment and brought their sisters together again. But shortly afterward, he went back to scavenging at Ojota, after becoming broke.
Ojota dumpsite or Olusesun landfill is the scavengers’ haven. It is a 100-acre dump that lay on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway entry into Ojota bus stop and nearby Oregun. It is said to be the largest in Africa and one of the largest in the world. Ojota dump receives up to 10,000 tons of rubbish each day. With all that garbage Vocal Slender was back in business.
“I made about N350 on my first transaction at the dumpsite and I was very happy. Ojota dumpsite is like another world on its own. We were about 5000 persons living on the dumpsite.
We had more people from the northern part of Nigeria, but we loved and protected one another. Many of us at the site feasted on expired edibles like gala (sausage, snack), bread and oranges thrown out by food companies and local fruit sellers.
Whenever I call their attention to the fact that the food is spoilt, they would laugh at me and said, ‘e don spoil but e never rotten’. I settled at the dump, built a house for myself and started saving money to record my song.”
From slum to stardom
With no mentor or guardian to show him the way, Slender found succour in the reading of various books thrown away at the refuse dumpsite. “All kinds of books and documents were always thrown at the dumpsite, and I read as much as I could,” he recalled. “I read more than 100 different great books.
I read books on the Nigeria-Biafra War, encyclopaedias, religious books like Bibles, Koran and deeply spiritual books from AMORC and Eckankar. Reading them really opened my eyes to a lot of things. I learnt the power of imagination after reading, The Flute of God, by Paul Twitchell. It changed my thoughts about life and helped me forgive my father. I developed positive mindset towards my future.”
As he was yet to release his album, he sang for the fellow scavengers at the site until his songs became everyone’s favourite. “In 2010, I gathered all that I’ve saved and decided to hit the studio. But few days to my record date, I was rehearsing and singing at the dumpsite when some white people walked up to me to say they are from the BBC.
We scavengers are used to seeing white men come to take pictures at the Ojota dumpsite. So it was no big deal when they came to me. They asked me questions and they seemed impressed with the answers that I gave. They then said they would love to come observe me doing my recording session. And I gladly accepted.
“After the recording, they offered me money asking for permission to do a documentary on me. I initially declined because I didn’t want my family or my friends to see me in the news and now realize that I live at a dumpsite. But when they told me the programme would be aired in UK I agreed because I was sure no one close to me resides in the UK. However, I refused to collect their money.
Rather, I gave them a copy of my CD to go promote in the UK. I was still at the dumpsite when I heard that that documentary ‘Welcome to Lagos’ has been nominated for several awards. And before you know it, I was all over local and international media, winning awards and going for music tours in the UK.”
The lessons learnt
Vocal Slender’s life story comes as a living testament to the famous saying of Zig Zigler: ‘Success occurs when opportunity meets preparation’. Looking back, he said: “I imagine if I hadn’t booked for that studio session, the BBC crew could have felt I wasn’t serious.
This is why I want to charge the youths that there is dignity in labour. It is not a crime to clean gutters, but ensure you don’t continue to remain in the gutter.
You can in that gutter still aspire to be great. If a man wants to change his world, he will need to change his thinking and when you change your thinking, you change everything about you”.
Saturday Sun Report
27 October 2017
Pregnant housewife tortures girl for eating children’s food
A pregnant housewife, Juliet Ozoarinze, has been arrested for allegedly torturing a 10-year-old girl, Blessing, in Ijesha, Surulere, Lagos State.
The mother of four was also accused of assaulting the victim since she started living with the (Juliet’s) family in July 2017.
She was alleged to have used different objects on her over allegations of being tardy in running errands, not being prompt in answering summons and practising witchcraft.
The suspect’s husband, Kenneth, was reported to have returned Blessing to her aunt, Vivian, on Tuesday, October 17, after the wife allegedly used a knife to cut the 10-year-old in the hand for allegedly stealing and eating the food meant for her children.
Vivian, who gave the couple the child because Kenneth was a family friend, told our correspondent that Kenneth said he was returning the child because of the injury.
She said, “Blessing’s mother lives in Abuja and she has four children, including her. She had been saddled with the care of all the four girls. We thought the couple could assist with Blessing’s education in exchange for helping them with house chores.
“The man suddenly brought the girl back to our house. The woman used a knife to cut her in the hand and the man said he was not happy with the wife.
After he left, I saw that she could barely sit and I asked her to remove her clothes. I was alarmed at the extent of her injuries and she told me that Juliet had been torturing her since she started living with them.
“I called Kenneth and asked if he knew about the girl’s injuries and he denied. He came back and was angry to see all her sores. I asked him to pay for the girl’s treatment, but he refused and said he didn’t have money.”
She said after she could not raise money for Blessing’s treatment, her neighbours advised her to approach a human rights organisation.
She explained that after several attempts to convince Kenneth to foot Blessing’s medical bill failed, she reported the case at the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender.
An official of the agency told PUNCH Metro that when Blessing was brought to the office, she could not sit due to the extent of her injuries.
She said, “The woman is a housewife and mother of four children. She is currently pregnant with her fifth child. The girl had been cruelly treated and poorly fed by Juliet. Instead of sending her to school as her family promised, they enslaved her.
“When we checked her body, we saw many physical injuries ranging from knife cuts to marks of flogging with wire and other objects. She could barely walk or sit because she had severe injuries on her buttocks and had also been hit on the head and waist with a pestle.”
PUNCH Metro learnt that the OPD reported the case to the police at the Itire division, and the suspect was arrested.
When queried on what the victim did, the suspect allegedly claimed that Blessing stole her children’s provisions and food.
She reportedly denied beating her with objects.
“The police asked Blessing what made her mistress to beat her and she replied that on an occasion, she was forced to accept that she was a witch.
The Divisional Police Officer promised to charge the woman to court at the end of investigations,” a social worker said.
The Director of OPD, Mrs. Olubukola Salami, confirmed the incident.
She said, “We are concerned about the surge in the number of child abuse cases in Lagos State despite legislative measures and several awareness and advocacy mechanisms put in place by the government.
“While OPD will continue to get perpetrators to face justice, we urge all residents of Lagos to be vigilant and report all forms of child abuse in their community.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, said he would call back, but had yet to do so as of press time.
Our correspondent, however, gathered that the suspect had been arraigned in a magistrate’s court for the offence.
Punch Report
The mother of four was also accused of assaulting the victim since she started living with the (Juliet’s) family in July 2017.
She was alleged to have used different objects on her over allegations of being tardy in running errands, not being prompt in answering summons and practising witchcraft.
The suspect’s husband, Kenneth, was reported to have returned Blessing to her aunt, Vivian, on Tuesday, October 17, after the wife allegedly used a knife to cut the 10-year-old in the hand for allegedly stealing and eating the food meant for her children.
Vivian, who gave the couple the child because Kenneth was a family friend, told our correspondent that Kenneth said he was returning the child because of the injury.
She said, “Blessing’s mother lives in Abuja and she has four children, including her. She had been saddled with the care of all the four girls. We thought the couple could assist with Blessing’s education in exchange for helping them with house chores.
“The man suddenly brought the girl back to our house. The woman used a knife to cut her in the hand and the man said he was not happy with the wife.
After he left, I saw that she could barely sit and I asked her to remove her clothes. I was alarmed at the extent of her injuries and she told me that Juliet had been torturing her since she started living with them.
“I called Kenneth and asked if he knew about the girl’s injuries and he denied. He came back and was angry to see all her sores. I asked him to pay for the girl’s treatment, but he refused and said he didn’t have money.”
She said after she could not raise money for Blessing’s treatment, her neighbours advised her to approach a human rights organisation.
She explained that after several attempts to convince Kenneth to foot Blessing’s medical bill failed, she reported the case at the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender.
An official of the agency told PUNCH Metro that when Blessing was brought to the office, she could not sit due to the extent of her injuries.
She said, “The woman is a housewife and mother of four children. She is currently pregnant with her fifth child. The girl had been cruelly treated and poorly fed by Juliet. Instead of sending her to school as her family promised, they enslaved her.
“When we checked her body, we saw many physical injuries ranging from knife cuts to marks of flogging with wire and other objects. She could barely walk or sit because she had severe injuries on her buttocks and had also been hit on the head and waist with a pestle.”
PUNCH Metro learnt that the OPD reported the case to the police at the Itire division, and the suspect was arrested.
When queried on what the victim did, the suspect allegedly claimed that Blessing stole her children’s provisions and food.
She reportedly denied beating her with objects.
“The police asked Blessing what made her mistress to beat her and she replied that on an occasion, she was forced to accept that she was a witch.
The Divisional Police Officer promised to charge the woman to court at the end of investigations,” a social worker said.
The Director of OPD, Mrs. Olubukola Salami, confirmed the incident.
She said, “We are concerned about the surge in the number of child abuse cases in Lagos State despite legislative measures and several awareness and advocacy mechanisms put in place by the government.
“While OPD will continue to get perpetrators to face justice, we urge all residents of Lagos to be vigilant and report all forms of child abuse in their community.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, said he would call back, but had yet to do so as of press time.
Our correspondent, however, gathered that the suspect had been arraigned in a magistrate’s court for the offence.
Punch Report
26 October 2017
Man who raped daughter for years pleads guilty
A 52 -year-old man, Paul Akpederi, on Wednesday pleaded guilty to raping his 16-year-old daughter when he was arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court.
He was arraigned on one count of defilement before Magistrate B.O. Osunsanmi.
PUNCH Metro had reported that Akpederi raped his daughter for three years.
Akpederi and victim’s mother had divorced, but the girl lived with him.
The police said the suspect committed the crime between 2012 and 2017.
The charge read, “That you, Paul Akpederi, sometime in 2012 till date on Adegbite Street, off Otunubi Road, Okuta, Ikorodu, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did forcefully and unlawfully defile your daughter, aged 16, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
He pleaded guilty to the charge.
However, his counsel, Mrs. A.O. Gbadamosi, said the suspect was mentally-ill and appealed to the magistrate to allow him to undergo medical examination.
The defendant’s elder brother, Anthony Akpederi, backed the counsel.
Osunsanmi ordered medical tests in order to ascertain the defendant’s mental state and adjourned the matter till December 6, 2017.
Punch Report
He was arraigned on one count of defilement before Magistrate B.O. Osunsanmi.
PUNCH Metro had reported that Akpederi raped his daughter for three years.
Akpederi and victim’s mother had divorced, but the girl lived with him.
The police said the suspect committed the crime between 2012 and 2017.
The charge read, “That you, Paul Akpederi, sometime in 2012 till date on Adegbite Street, off Otunubi Road, Okuta, Ikorodu, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did forcefully and unlawfully defile your daughter, aged 16, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
He pleaded guilty to the charge.
However, his counsel, Mrs. A.O. Gbadamosi, said the suspect was mentally-ill and appealed to the magistrate to allow him to undergo medical examination.
The defendant’s elder brother, Anthony Akpederi, backed the counsel.
Osunsanmi ordered medical tests in order to ascertain the defendant’s mental state and adjourned the matter till December 6, 2017.
Punch Report
25 October 2017
White garment prophet kills girlfriend for money making rituals
The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a prophet of the Cherubim
and Seraphim Church and his accomplice for allegedly killing a woman for
money-making rituals.
The prophet, Darasimi Rotimi and his accomplice, Ibikunle Sunday were paraded on Tuesday before newsmen at the state police headquarters Eleweran, Abeokuta, by the state commissioner of police Iliyasu Ahmed.
The suspects allegedly killed one Sara Olowokere at Ijoko, Sango and removed her body parts including head, wrist, heart, breast and private part for money-making rituals.
Ahmed told newsmen that the suspects killed her and “dissected her body before burying her remains at Alafia street, off Alagbole, Ijoko.
The second suspect, Sunday, a 40-year old Okada rider, confessed to our reporter that he killed the victim by hitting a plank of wood on her head.
“I hit a plank of wood on her head. When she died, we now shared her parts. I took her head to Ogo-eri and Darasimi (referring to the Prophet) took the other parts of the body away. They said the parts are essential ingredients for money-making rituals,” he confessed.
He added that the deceased was the girlfriend of the third suspect who is still on the run.
But the prophet from Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Ijoko, denied involvement in the act.
“Don’t mind him. He is just lying. If you commit an offence and confess your sin, God will definitely forgive you. I regret my action. I hope the government will temper justice with mercy,” Prophet Darasimi pleaded.
“I don’t know anything about the incident. I am ready to die,” he added.
Also paraded were three women, Abibat Oyesanya, Morenike Shittu, Olubunmi Funke arrested for child stealing and kidnapping.
Funke who confessed to have sold her three-year old daughter for N280,000, said the money was used to off set her debt.
“I gave out my three-year old daughter to Abibat Oyesanya who is into local adoption business. She promised to allow me to visit my daughter once in three months.
“I am a prostitute. I started prostitution after my first husband sent me packing. So, I decided to give out my daughter to a woman who gave me N280,000. I used the money to offset my debt.
“The woman also requested for more children due to the increase in requests by those adopting children.
”That is why I kidnapped the baby girl in Bodija, Ojurin, Ibadan, and brought her to the buyer,” she narrated.
The state police commissioner said his command was poised to flush out criminals in the state.
He said the suspects were arrested as part of “ember months mop-up operations of the command.”
Also paraded were 10 suspected armed robbers, including a female robbery suspected arrested for allegedly terrorising Mowe-Ibafo.
The suspects were identified as Abiodun Rasaq, Saheed Adebayo, Omisore Kayode, Oyemomi Rasaq, Ridwan Moruf, Mohammed Adefemi, Bala Idris, Abeeb Rasheed, Fatai Abiodun and Bosede Oguntoye (female).
A pastor identified as Olotu Oluwakayode who allegedly diverted N17.8 million belonging to a complainant into his bank account, was also paraded.
PM NEWS Report
The prophet, Darasimi Rotimi and his accomplice, Ibikunle Sunday were paraded on Tuesday before newsmen at the state police headquarters Eleweran, Abeokuta, by the state commissioner of police Iliyasu Ahmed.
The suspects allegedly killed one Sara Olowokere at Ijoko, Sango and removed her body parts including head, wrist, heart, breast and private part for money-making rituals.
Ahmed told newsmen that the suspects killed her and “dissected her body before burying her remains at Alafia street, off Alagbole, Ijoko.
The second suspect, Sunday, a 40-year old Okada rider, confessed to our reporter that he killed the victim by hitting a plank of wood on her head.
“I hit a plank of wood on her head. When she died, we now shared her parts. I took her head to Ogo-eri and Darasimi (referring to the Prophet) took the other parts of the body away. They said the parts are essential ingredients for money-making rituals,” he confessed.
He added that the deceased was the girlfriend of the third suspect who is still on the run.
But the prophet from Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Ijoko, denied involvement in the act.
“Don’t mind him. He is just lying. If you commit an offence and confess your sin, God will definitely forgive you. I regret my action. I hope the government will temper justice with mercy,” Prophet Darasimi pleaded.
“I don’t know anything about the incident. I am ready to die,” he added.
Also paraded were three women, Abibat Oyesanya, Morenike Shittu, Olubunmi Funke arrested for child stealing and kidnapping.
Funke who confessed to have sold her three-year old daughter for N280,000, said the money was used to off set her debt.
“I gave out my three-year old daughter to Abibat Oyesanya who is into local adoption business. She promised to allow me to visit my daughter once in three months.
“I am a prostitute. I started prostitution after my first husband sent me packing. So, I decided to give out my daughter to a woman who gave me N280,000. I used the money to offset my debt.
“The woman also requested for more children due to the increase in requests by those adopting children.
”That is why I kidnapped the baby girl in Bodija, Ojurin, Ibadan, and brought her to the buyer,” she narrated.
The state police commissioner said his command was poised to flush out criminals in the state.
He said the suspects were arrested as part of “ember months mop-up operations of the command.”
Also paraded were 10 suspected armed robbers, including a female robbery suspected arrested for allegedly terrorising Mowe-Ibafo.
The suspects were identified as Abiodun Rasaq, Saheed Adebayo, Omisore Kayode, Oyemomi Rasaq, Ridwan Moruf, Mohammed Adefemi, Bala Idris, Abeeb Rasheed, Fatai Abiodun and Bosede Oguntoye (female).
A pastor identified as Olotu Oluwakayode who allegedly diverted N17.8 million belonging to a complainant into his bank account, was also paraded.
PM NEWS Report
24 October 2017
I feel death is the only solution to my pains – HIV+ mother of three
Mrs. Rakiya Zuberu was infected with HIV by her late husband. The mother of three, who now begs to survive, shares her ordeal with TOLUWANI ENIOLA
Tell us about yourself.
I am from the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State. I am 35 years old. I got married at the age of 15. It was not that I desired to get married at that age.
As a little girl, there was little I could do to stop the marriage. My father had the final say. Shortly after I was born, my mother parted ways with my father; so, she left me with my father. I lived with my father and my step-mother. I have three children. Two of them are HIV positive.
Did you attend school?
No, I didn’t. Nobody saw any need why I should go to school. None of my parents’ children attended any formal school. I don’t know what it means to go to school.
When did you discover you were HIV positive?
It all started with a strange sickness in 2008. I was rushed to a hospital. The doctor said an HIV test should be conducted on me when they could not understand what was wrong with me. Initially, when they did the test, it showed that I was HIV negative.
But I was diagnosed with tuberculosis. So, I started taking drugs for TB for a period of six months. After that period, I felt better. Then I got pregnant with my second child. I didn’t have money to pay at the hospital. There was a health worker close to my hospital who helped me with the delivery of my child at home.
But during the pregnancy, I was always falling sick. When the baby was about three months old, I fell sick again. I started coughing blood. I went to a local chemist where I was given drugs to heal the pains. I finished the medication and went to the chemist for more.
The chemist knew there was more to my illness so he told me to go to a hospital for assistance. It was at the hospital that another test was conducted which showed that I have HIV. At the hospital, I was asked to bring all my children for a test.
The same day, the children all tested for HIV. My last two children have the virus. I was told to begin two-month treatment. I could not afford to buy the injection so I didn’t complete the treatment. That was in 2008.
How many wives did your husband have?
My husband was married before he took me in as his wife. But the first wife left him. After then, he didn’t marry any other person.
How did you get HIV?
In 2005, my husband fell sick. We took him to a hospital in Zaria, Kaduna State, where he was treated. He came back home feeling better. But after some time, the sickness returned. That was when he got tested for HIV and it showed he was positive. He said he didn’t believe he could be infected with HIV. Although he knew his status then, he didn’t tell me.
Later in 2008, I discovered I was HIV positive. I went to the hospital to get the anti-retroviral drugs. I realised that when I went to the hospital to collect my drugs, he would ask me to give him out of my own drugs which I did. At a point, his sickness worsened.
Doctors said he had a kidney problem and that he needed to do a kidney transplant. He sold half of his plot of land. From Kaduna, he was referred to the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria.
He was placed on oxygen. He got better but later went into a coma within five days. After he regained consciousness, he insisted that he did not want to stay any longer at the hospital. After five days at the hospital, we brought him back to Kaduna. He didn’t spend up to a month. He died at home.
What did he tell you before he died?
Before he died, I had suffered a lot. I was so exhausted after bringing him back home. He called me and sat me down. He told me he needed to tell me something important. He told me he knew he would die any moment from then. He said he needed to seek forgiveness from me on a matter.
I was curious; so, I asked him to go ahead. He said, “Please forgive me for all I have put you through.
I knew I had HIV but I am sorry I didn’t tell you.” I told him there was no need to beg me for forgiveness. I complained bitterly about my sufferings and what life would be for me if he dies. He said, “Anybody that comes to this world must definitely die.” When he died, I felt bad.
How have you been surviving since his death?
It has been continuous suffering for the past nine years. Most times, my children and I skip meals to survive. It’s becoming unbearable for my children. Most times, when I run into a crisis, I would start crying.
Sometimes, I think about killing myself because the suffering is much. Sometimes, I ask myself the essence of my life. Sometimes I say, “Why don’t I just die?” But anytime I survive the crisis, I would become remorseful for thinking about killing myself. But most times, I feel death is the best way to end the problem.
My children are not in school. I would rather use the little money I get on the street to feed them than think of enrolling them in a school. Apart from not attending school, the children are malnourished. Sometimes, they stay for 10 days without bathing with soap.
Sometimes, we stay for weeks without washing our clothes because rather than use the money to buy soap, we would rather use it to buy food. My daughter’s limb is paralysed as a result of complications from HIV.
Fatimah is about 13. Abdulazeez is over eight years. Fatima likes school and would like to go to school. The ARVs are free in the hospital but other drugs are not. Even though the ARV is free, sometimes, I don’t have the money to go to the hospital to get it. I used to go to a mosque in Tundun Wada and a market to beg for alms.
I want my children to be educated. But there is no money to do so. If there is any way my children can get help to go to school, I would be very grateful. Even if they cannot go to school, at least if I am able to feed them, I would be happy. I used to go to the villages before to buy maize and sweet potatoes for sale. But now things have been so hard that I can’t buy farm produce any longer.
Why didn’t you seek assistance from your family?
When I tested positive to HIV, I went to my father. I told him about my plight. He said I should ignore the diagnosis, that if I had HIV, I would have died immediately after contracting it. He simply told me there was nothing like HIV. Since then, I stopped going to him again. He killed my spirit.
Do you experience any stigma as a result of your situation?
One of my friends is HIV positive. At the hospital, they gave us one handbill with the inscription, “HIV does not kill.” She showed people her handbill and since then, people started running away from her. She was so sick that I was the only person going to visit her.
The woman got better. I realised that if I disclosed my status, it would only worsen my problem as people would run away from me as well.
Why didn’t you remarry after your husband’s death?
After my husband died, some men showed interest in marrying me. I told them my children were still very small. Besides, I didn’t want to disclose my status.
One particular man came and insisted he wanted to marry me. I told him he could not marry me. He wanted me to tell him my problem. I told him I was sick. He said no problem, that he would marry me despite the sickness. He insisted on knowing why I said I could not marry just any man.
I refused to tell him. Then he started mentioning names of sicknesses one by one until he mentioned HIV. When he mentioned HIV, I said yes. Then he said, “No problem. I will marry you.” But from then, I never heard from him again. Nobody wants to marry an HIV positive person.
Since then, nobody has come to ask for my hand in marriage. I will like to get married because I’m still young.
What lessons has your illness taught you as a mother?
I have gone through a lot in life. I wish my husband told me his HIV status and began treatment early enough. He wouldn’t have died.
Also, we were told during the counselling sessions at the hospital that if more women knew their status, they could protect their children from contracting the virus when they are pregnant. I never knew all these. I gave birth to my children at home. I regret that my children have to live with the virus and go through the pain of taking drugs every day.
I want to advise more women to know their HIV status. That way, they can protect their unborn children. There is still a lot of ignorance in Kaduna about HIV. The government has a lot to do. All I want in life is to see my children succeed and never to suffer. My prayer is to get a drug that will cure HIV. I appeal to people in government to help me.
Punch Report
Tell us about yourself.
I am from the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State. I am 35 years old. I got married at the age of 15. It was not that I desired to get married at that age.
As a little girl, there was little I could do to stop the marriage. My father had the final say. Shortly after I was born, my mother parted ways with my father; so, she left me with my father. I lived with my father and my step-mother. I have three children. Two of them are HIV positive.
Did you attend school?
No, I didn’t. Nobody saw any need why I should go to school. None of my parents’ children attended any formal school. I don’t know what it means to go to school.
When did you discover you were HIV positive?
It all started with a strange sickness in 2008. I was rushed to a hospital. The doctor said an HIV test should be conducted on me when they could not understand what was wrong with me. Initially, when they did the test, it showed that I was HIV negative.
But I was diagnosed with tuberculosis. So, I started taking drugs for TB for a period of six months. After that period, I felt better. Then I got pregnant with my second child. I didn’t have money to pay at the hospital. There was a health worker close to my hospital who helped me with the delivery of my child at home.
But during the pregnancy, I was always falling sick. When the baby was about three months old, I fell sick again. I started coughing blood. I went to a local chemist where I was given drugs to heal the pains. I finished the medication and went to the chemist for more.
The chemist knew there was more to my illness so he told me to go to a hospital for assistance. It was at the hospital that another test was conducted which showed that I have HIV. At the hospital, I was asked to bring all my children for a test.
The same day, the children all tested for HIV. My last two children have the virus. I was told to begin two-month treatment. I could not afford to buy the injection so I didn’t complete the treatment. That was in 2008.
How many wives did your husband have?
My husband was married before he took me in as his wife. But the first wife left him. After then, he didn’t marry any other person.
How did you get HIV?
In 2005, my husband fell sick. We took him to a hospital in Zaria, Kaduna State, where he was treated. He came back home feeling better. But after some time, the sickness returned. That was when he got tested for HIV and it showed he was positive. He said he didn’t believe he could be infected with HIV. Although he knew his status then, he didn’t tell me.
Later in 2008, I discovered I was HIV positive. I went to the hospital to get the anti-retroviral drugs. I realised that when I went to the hospital to collect my drugs, he would ask me to give him out of my own drugs which I did. At a point, his sickness worsened.
Doctors said he had a kidney problem and that he needed to do a kidney transplant. He sold half of his plot of land. From Kaduna, he was referred to the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria.
He was placed on oxygen. He got better but later went into a coma within five days. After he regained consciousness, he insisted that he did not want to stay any longer at the hospital. After five days at the hospital, we brought him back to Kaduna. He didn’t spend up to a month. He died at home.
What did he tell you before he died?
Before he died, I had suffered a lot. I was so exhausted after bringing him back home. He called me and sat me down. He told me he needed to tell me something important. He told me he knew he would die any moment from then. He said he needed to seek forgiveness from me on a matter.
I was curious; so, I asked him to go ahead. He said, “Please forgive me for all I have put you through.
I knew I had HIV but I am sorry I didn’t tell you.” I told him there was no need to beg me for forgiveness. I complained bitterly about my sufferings and what life would be for me if he dies. He said, “Anybody that comes to this world must definitely die.” When he died, I felt bad.
How have you been surviving since his death?
It has been continuous suffering for the past nine years. Most times, my children and I skip meals to survive. It’s becoming unbearable for my children. Most times, when I run into a crisis, I would start crying.
Sometimes, I think about killing myself because the suffering is much. Sometimes, I ask myself the essence of my life. Sometimes I say, “Why don’t I just die?” But anytime I survive the crisis, I would become remorseful for thinking about killing myself. But most times, I feel death is the best way to end the problem.
My children are not in school. I would rather use the little money I get on the street to feed them than think of enrolling them in a school. Apart from not attending school, the children are malnourished. Sometimes, they stay for 10 days without bathing with soap.
Sometimes, we stay for weeks without washing our clothes because rather than use the money to buy soap, we would rather use it to buy food. My daughter’s limb is paralysed as a result of complications from HIV.
Fatimah is about 13. Abdulazeez is over eight years. Fatima likes school and would like to go to school. The ARVs are free in the hospital but other drugs are not. Even though the ARV is free, sometimes, I don’t have the money to go to the hospital to get it. I used to go to a mosque in Tundun Wada and a market to beg for alms.
I want my children to be educated. But there is no money to do so. If there is any way my children can get help to go to school, I would be very grateful. Even if they cannot go to school, at least if I am able to feed them, I would be happy. I used to go to the villages before to buy maize and sweet potatoes for sale. But now things have been so hard that I can’t buy farm produce any longer.
Why didn’t you seek assistance from your family?
When I tested positive to HIV, I went to my father. I told him about my plight. He said I should ignore the diagnosis, that if I had HIV, I would have died immediately after contracting it. He simply told me there was nothing like HIV. Since then, I stopped going to him again. He killed my spirit.
Do you experience any stigma as a result of your situation?
One of my friends is HIV positive. At the hospital, they gave us one handbill with the inscription, “HIV does not kill.” She showed people her handbill and since then, people started running away from her. She was so sick that I was the only person going to visit her.
The woman got better. I realised that if I disclosed my status, it would only worsen my problem as people would run away from me as well.
Why didn’t you remarry after your husband’s death?
After my husband died, some men showed interest in marrying me. I told them my children were still very small. Besides, I didn’t want to disclose my status.
One particular man came and insisted he wanted to marry me. I told him he could not marry me. He wanted me to tell him my problem. I told him I was sick. He said no problem, that he would marry me despite the sickness. He insisted on knowing why I said I could not marry just any man.
I refused to tell him. Then he started mentioning names of sicknesses one by one until he mentioned HIV. When he mentioned HIV, I said yes. Then he said, “No problem. I will marry you.” But from then, I never heard from him again. Nobody wants to marry an HIV positive person.
Since then, nobody has come to ask for my hand in marriage. I will like to get married because I’m still young.
What lessons has your illness taught you as a mother?
I have gone through a lot in life. I wish my husband told me his HIV status and began treatment early enough. He wouldn’t have died.
Also, we were told during the counselling sessions at the hospital that if more women knew their status, they could protect their children from contracting the virus when they are pregnant. I never knew all these. I gave birth to my children at home. I regret that my children have to live with the virus and go through the pain of taking drugs every day.
I want to advise more women to know their HIV status. That way, they can protect their unborn children. There is still a lot of ignorance in Kaduna about HIV. The government has a lot to do. All I want in life is to see my children succeed and never to suffer. My prayer is to get a drug that will cure HIV. I appeal to people in government to help me.
Punch Report
23 October 2017
Policeman breaks electricity worker’s leg for disconnecting ex-IG’s house
A worker with the Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Dele Ogundele, has been hospitalised after he was allegedly brutalised by a police sergeant attached to a house reportedly owned by a former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the mobile policeman, Attah Aninoko, on Thursday dragged down Ogundele from an electric pole opposite the house and beat him up for disconnecting power to the house of the former IG.
Ogundele’s leg was allegedly broken by the sergeant, who was reported to have boasted that “nothing will happen.”
The matter was said to have been reported to the police at the Ikoyi division and the sergeant was arrested.
The Head of Corporate Communications Department, Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), Mr. Godwin Idemudia, who confirmed the incident, said the sergeant had been detained.
He explained that the house of the former IG owed a bill of N154,693.85, adding that the name on the bill was one Yusuf.
He said, “What we do is that anytime customers don’t respond and pay their bills, we go out with copies of their bills. When we get to their houses, we tell them what they owe and ask if they had made any payment in the last 24 hours. If they can’t produce any evidence of such, we disconnect their electricity.
“That was what we did in this case. We had two of our vehicles working in the area on that day. On getting to the house around 12noon on Thursday, October 19, a man came out and we asked for evidence of payment because we discovered that the house owed over N154,000. When he couldn’t produce it, we said we would disconnect the power. The man flared up.
“The mobile policeman came out, and while our official was disconnecting the power from the pole, he ordered him to come down. In fact, he dragged the official down and beat him up. In the process, the official sustained injuries and his left leg was broken.”
Idemudia said because the policeman was armed, other officials of the electricity distribution company were helpless and could only watch their colleague being brutalised.
He said policemen from the Ikoyi division were alerted and the cop was arrested. Ogundele was said to have been taken to a hospital.
“When he was taken to the station, he started boasting that nothing would come out of the case.
“We believe that nobody is above the law. The case should not be swept under the carpet. The Divisional Police Officer has assured us that justice would be served,” he added.
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, denied that Ogundele’s leg was broken, adding that the power company was being mischievous.
He said, “This people know that the property belongs to a former civil servant and they are just trying to be mischievous.
“They came and said the house owed some bills and before the residents could go in to bring out their record, they had cut off power. There were policemen in the area and they tried to intervene.
“There was nobody that suffered any broken leg or any injury. Care should be taken not to damage the good name of the former civil servant. The DPO is trying to mediate and the case is under investigation.”
Punch Report
PUNCH Metro learnt that the mobile policeman, Attah Aninoko, on Thursday dragged down Ogundele from an electric pole opposite the house and beat him up for disconnecting power to the house of the former IG.
Ogundele’s leg was allegedly broken by the sergeant, who was reported to have boasted that “nothing will happen.”
The matter was said to have been reported to the police at the Ikoyi division and the sergeant was arrested.
The Head of Corporate Communications Department, Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), Mr. Godwin Idemudia, who confirmed the incident, said the sergeant had been detained.
He explained that the house of the former IG owed a bill of N154,693.85, adding that the name on the bill was one Yusuf.
He said, “What we do is that anytime customers don’t respond and pay their bills, we go out with copies of their bills. When we get to their houses, we tell them what they owe and ask if they had made any payment in the last 24 hours. If they can’t produce any evidence of such, we disconnect their electricity.
“That was what we did in this case. We had two of our vehicles working in the area on that day. On getting to the house around 12noon on Thursday, October 19, a man came out and we asked for evidence of payment because we discovered that the house owed over N154,000. When he couldn’t produce it, we said we would disconnect the power. The man flared up.
“The mobile policeman came out, and while our official was disconnecting the power from the pole, he ordered him to come down. In fact, he dragged the official down and beat him up. In the process, the official sustained injuries and his left leg was broken.”
Idemudia said because the policeman was armed, other officials of the electricity distribution company were helpless and could only watch their colleague being brutalised.
He said policemen from the Ikoyi division were alerted and the cop was arrested. Ogundele was said to have been taken to a hospital.
“When he was taken to the station, he started boasting that nothing would come out of the case.
“We believe that nobody is above the law. The case should not be swept under the carpet. The Divisional Police Officer has assured us that justice would be served,” he added.
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, denied that Ogundele’s leg was broken, adding that the power company was being mischievous.
He said, “This people know that the property belongs to a former civil servant and they are just trying to be mischievous.
“They came and said the house owed some bills and before the residents could go in to bring out their record, they had cut off power. There were policemen in the area and they tried to intervene.
“There was nobody that suffered any broken leg or any injury. Care should be taken not to damage the good name of the former civil servant. The DPO is trying to mediate and the case is under investigation.”
Punch Report
21 October 2017
Man plunges into Lagos lagoon
After a lull in the spate of suicides and attempted suicides along water bodies in the metropolis, a 40-year-old man, simply identified as Adekunle John, yesterday jumped into the Lagos lagoon through the Ikoyi- Lekki link bridge.
According to the police, the man, who hailed from Ondo State, dropped some of his personal belongings before plunging into the water.
As at press time, late yesterday night, his body has not been found by security operatives and fishermen who rushed to the scene minutes after he jumped in to rescue him.
Confirming the incident, LASEMA spokesman, Adebayo Kehinde, said in a statement that the agency received a distress call from the LCC officials regarding a man who reportedly jumped into the lagoon around Lekki Toll Gate Bridge at about 9:58am yesterday.
The footage, which was captured through the CCTV, shows when he suddenly pulled off his clothes and shoe. He looked around to be sure that no one was around him before he jumped into the lagoon.
The agency immediately activated its emergency response with other stakeholders, which included the Lagos State Waterways Authority, Marine Police, Lagos State Ambulance Services and the Nigerian Police from Maroko Division.
“Although the body is still missing, effort is on going to recover the body by men of the Marine Police and the Lagos State Waterways Authority who are still combing through the waters.
The General Manager, LASEMA, Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu, said it would be inappropriate to release the identity of the man, but that his family had been contacted, while all items found on him were also handed over to the Nigerian Police from Maroko Division for further investigation.
The lagoon has in recent times claimed lives, as many Lagosians seemed to have found it attractive resort for suicide.
Last year alone, no fewer than 12 suicide cases and five foiled attempts were recorded in Lagos within six months.
This year, the trigger that seemed to have started all these was the suicide of Dr. Allwell Chiawolamoke Oji, a medical doctor attached to Mount Sinai Hospital, Papa Ajao, Mushin.
The middle-aged unmarried medical doctor had jumped into the lagoon at Third Mainland Bridge after he ordered his driver to park his car, a Nissan Sports Utility Vehicle with registration number LND476EE.
It took about four days of frantic search by law enforcement agents before his body was recovered and his family identified him.
But this was after another body was found by the divers. According to those in the know, the doctor had been battling with Sickle Cell Anaemia, accompanied by severe seizures.
The same day, a woman simply identified as Emerald also attempted suicide by jumping into the lagoon from Maza-Maza Bridge in the Mile 2 area of Lagos.
According to eyewitness account, the middle-aged woman was walking along the bridge when she suddenly got to the middle, climbed the rails and jumped. Luckily she was rescued by some men who were under the bridge before she could drown.
Few days later, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), rescued two women who attempted to commit suicide by jumping into the lagoon. The women, in separate incidents, attempted to jump into the lagoon from the Third Mainland Bridge and Carter Bridge in Lagos.
One of them, identified as Abigail Ogunyinka succeeded in jumping into the lagoon but was quickly rescued by divers, while the other woman, Taiwo Titilayo Momoh, was rescued while attempting to jump into the lagoon from the Third Mainland Bridge.
They claimed during an interview that they attempted suicide in order to escape from creditors.
The next day, in what appeared to be a rising trend in Lagos, the police again rescued a man, who reportedly attempted to jump into the lagoon. The middle-aged man was prevented from jumping into the lagoon through the Third Mainland Bridge by policemen from the Rapid Response Squad.
It was gathered that the unidentified old man, said to be in his late 60s, was peeping into the lagoon from the bridge and attempting to jump, when he was rescued. He was immediately taken to the RRS headquarters in Alausa Ikeja, from where he was transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba.
Saturday Sun
According to the police, the man, who hailed from Ondo State, dropped some of his personal belongings before plunging into the water.
As at press time, late yesterday night, his body has not been found by security operatives and fishermen who rushed to the scene minutes after he jumped in to rescue him.
Confirming the incident, LASEMA spokesman, Adebayo Kehinde, said in a statement that the agency received a distress call from the LCC officials regarding a man who reportedly jumped into the lagoon around Lekki Toll Gate Bridge at about 9:58am yesterday.
The footage, which was captured through the CCTV, shows when he suddenly pulled off his clothes and shoe. He looked around to be sure that no one was around him before he jumped into the lagoon.
The agency immediately activated its emergency response with other stakeholders, which included the Lagos State Waterways Authority, Marine Police, Lagos State Ambulance Services and the Nigerian Police from Maroko Division.
“Although the body is still missing, effort is on going to recover the body by men of the Marine Police and the Lagos State Waterways Authority who are still combing through the waters.
The General Manager, LASEMA, Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu, said it would be inappropriate to release the identity of the man, but that his family had been contacted, while all items found on him were also handed over to the Nigerian Police from Maroko Division for further investigation.
The lagoon has in recent times claimed lives, as many Lagosians seemed to have found it attractive resort for suicide.
Last year alone, no fewer than 12 suicide cases and five foiled attempts were recorded in Lagos within six months.
This year, the trigger that seemed to have started all these was the suicide of Dr. Allwell Chiawolamoke Oji, a medical doctor attached to Mount Sinai Hospital, Papa Ajao, Mushin.
The middle-aged unmarried medical doctor had jumped into the lagoon at Third Mainland Bridge after he ordered his driver to park his car, a Nissan Sports Utility Vehicle with registration number LND476EE.
It took about four days of frantic search by law enforcement agents before his body was recovered and his family identified him.
But this was after another body was found by the divers. According to those in the know, the doctor had been battling with Sickle Cell Anaemia, accompanied by severe seizures.
The same day, a woman simply identified as Emerald also attempted suicide by jumping into the lagoon from Maza-Maza Bridge in the Mile 2 area of Lagos.
According to eyewitness account, the middle-aged woman was walking along the bridge when she suddenly got to the middle, climbed the rails and jumped. Luckily she was rescued by some men who were under the bridge before she could drown.
Few days later, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), rescued two women who attempted to commit suicide by jumping into the lagoon. The women, in separate incidents, attempted to jump into the lagoon from the Third Mainland Bridge and Carter Bridge in Lagos.
One of them, identified as Abigail Ogunyinka succeeded in jumping into the lagoon but was quickly rescued by divers, while the other woman, Taiwo Titilayo Momoh, was rescued while attempting to jump into the lagoon from the Third Mainland Bridge.
They claimed during an interview that they attempted suicide in order to escape from creditors.
The next day, in what appeared to be a rising trend in Lagos, the police again rescued a man, who reportedly attempted to jump into the lagoon. The middle-aged man was prevented from jumping into the lagoon through the Third Mainland Bridge by policemen from the Rapid Response Squad.
It was gathered that the unidentified old man, said to be in his late 60s, was peeping into the lagoon from the bridge and attempting to jump, when he was rescued. He was immediately taken to the RRS headquarters in Alausa Ikeja, from where he was transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba.
Saturday Sun
20 October 2017
Man rapes only daughter, 15, for three years
A 52-year-old retired civil servant, Paul
Akpederi, is cooling his heels in a Lagos police cell after eating the
forbidden fruit.
The Delta State indigene, who lives on Adegbite
Street, Ori-Okuta, in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, was alleged to have
raped his 15-year-old daughter, Rose, for over three years.
PUNCH Metro learnt that Paul started
sexually abusing Rose when she was in Junior Secondary School Three.
When the secret got to the knowledge of a
teacher, Paul allegedly changed her school.
The suspect was said to have continued the abuse
until she got to Senior Secondary School Two in her new school.
Rose’s former teacher was said to have run into
her sometime in October 2017 and told a friend about Rose’s plight, who then
alerted the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender through the agency’s
social media platform.
Our correspondent learnt that officials of the
agency reported the case to the police at the Owutu division, who then arrested
the suspect and rescued the 15-year-old.
A social worker, who was part of the rescue, told
our correspondent that Paul started sleeping with his only daughter after
separating from her mother.
He said, “The man had been defiling his daughter
since the wife left him. She is their only daughter and when the marriage broke
down, he took custody of her. That was when the problem started.
“He started sleeping with her when she was barely
12 years old. She was in JSS 3 then. They were about to start their final exams
in the junior school when her colleagues found her crying uncontrollably. When
they could not console her, they called the attention of one of their teachers,
who then took her to a room.
“She told the teacher what she had been going
through and the teacher informed Rose’s pastor at a branch of the Redeemed
Christian Church of God, who counselled her. Her father was invited and that
was the end of the case.
“The man, who was desperate to cover up the
crime, changed her school and she lost contact with the teacher.”
PUNCH Metro gathered that the defilement
continued until Rose got to SSS 2 in her new school.
It was learnt that the teacher in her former
school ran into her one day and they had a brief discussion about her (Rose)
welfare.
The teacher, who suspected the abuse was still
continuing, reportedly informed a friend, who wrote about Rose’s ordeal on
OPD’s Facebook page on October 9.
A member of the OPD team that visited the victim’s
school said she initially denied the defilement and attempted to exonerate her
father.
He said, “She kept lying and when we didn’t get a
breakthrough, we got in touch with the mandatory reporter (teacher) who then
assisted us in trailing her to her parent’s house. The police arrested the man
and rescued the girl.
“They were both taken to a police station. During
interrogation, the girl again denied that anything happened. Her father
suddenly became aggressive and said we didn’t have his permission to interview
his daughter.
“The girl was taken to the OPD’s office at
Ikorodu, where she opened up to an officer. We took her to a home in Ijede,
where she was placed in a shelter and protective custody.”
The social worker who interviewed Rose said she
gave a chilling account of her ordeal.
“She said her father had been sleeping with her
since she was in JSS 3 and he slept with her at least three times in a month.
She said he slept with her in August and September 2017 as well.
She explained
that he always poured his semen into her private parts and he never used
contraceptives. She said anytime he slept with her, he would tell her not to
tell anybody. The girl said she could not tell people because she thought nobody
would believe her,” the official said.
It was gathered that she was placed on medication
over complaints that she had yet to see her menstrual period, just as some
growths were allegedly spotted in her private parts.
She was reportedly taken to Mirabel Centre, Lagos
State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, for medical tests.
Our correspondent gathered that the result of the
tests, which had been given to the police, showed that Rose’s hymen was broken
and there was “continuous penetration” of her private parts.
PUNCH Metro learnt that after the
victim’s confession, the Owutu Divisional Police Officer requested that she be
brought back to the station.
In a drama that ensued at the DPO’s office, Paul,
who had initially boasted, was alleged to have become humble after being
confronted with his daughter’s confession.
“When the DPO asked what he had to say to the
daughter’s allegations, he said, ‘Oga, I am in your hands o’.
The DPO ordered that he should be taken back to the cell,” a source said.
The Director of the OPD, Mrs. Olubukola Salami,
confirmed the incident, adding that the agency would pursue the case to the
end.
She said, “We cannot stop re-emphasising the zero
tolerance of the Lagos State Government for domestic and sexual abuse. OPD is
alarmed at the high rate of incidents of sexual abuse, especially by people of
trust. OPD is not only interested in arresting and prosecuting perpetrators, it
is also interested in curbing this rising trend.”
The Lagos State police spokesperson, ASP Olarinde
Famous-Cole, said the suspect would soon be arraigned in court.
He said, “The case was reported at the Owutu
division and the DPO led a police team to arrest the suspect. The girl was
taken to a hospital where preliminary medical tests were conducted on her to be
sure she was not infected or had any pregnancy or mental issue as a result of
the sexual abuse.
“The case will be transferred to the Gender Unit
of the state police command for further investigation before the case will be
charged to court. For now, we are working with the girl’s confessional
statement.”
Punch Report
19 October 2017
KACHIKWU’S LETTER: PRESIDENCY LOBBIES SENATE C’TTEE, SEEKS SOFT LANDING FOR BARU
•
President meets with Wamakko
There are indications that the presidency has initiated moves to avert the indictment of the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, by the Senate ad hoc committee charged with investigating him for awarding contracts to the tune of $25 billion without recourse to the NNPC board of directors.
The nine-man committee chaired by Senator Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto, APC) is charged with investigating Baru over the allegations raised against him in a letter by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, to President Muhammadu Buhari.
The allegations included insubordination and keeping the NNPC board chaired by Kachikwu in the dark in the award of contracts and promotion of senior executives of NNPC.
However, Baru in his response to the letter, which was leaked on social media, dismissed the allegations, saying he did not need the approval of the board, as all the contracts went through the NNPC Tenders Board, got No Objections from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), and were approved by the president.
But he failed to address the issue of his appointment of senior executives of NNPC without obtaining the approval of the corporation’s board.
The ensuing furore over Kachikwu’s memo prompted the Senate to mandate an inquiry into the allegations raised in the memo and to carry out a holistic investigation into the finances of the NNPC.
The Senate ad hoc committee was supposed to hold its inaugural meeting Tuesday at noon but the meeting was postponed to next Tuesday without any reasons proffered for the postponement.
A highly placed source, however, informed THISDAY that Buhari met with Wamakko Tuesday evening to lobby the committee to give Baru a soft landing.
The meeting was still ongoing as of 6.54 p.m.
The source explained that the president was prevailed upon to personally meet with Wamakko instead of delegating the assignment to any of his aides.
“Wamakko has a reputation for being firm and straightforward. Obviously, many senators were certain of his handling of the probe with him at the helm of the committee, because he would say it as it is.
“That is why the president’s aides convinced him (Buhari) to personally meet with Wamakko to ensure that the message is clear. If not, he would have delegated someone like Abba Kyari (the president’s chief of staff), or even any of the party leaders,” the source said.
The source was emphatic that the motive behind the meeting was to ensure that Baru is not indicted by the committee and to prevent a recommendation for his removal from office.
“The motive of the meeting is to ensure that Baru is not indicted because that would make the Senate committee recommend his removal.
“Of course, most Nigerians already believe he was appointed for certain purposes and with Kyari on the board of NNPC, and the president himself as the substantive Minister of Petroleum Resources, the purpose is clear.
“So the issue now is to make sure the ‘purpose’ is not scuttled,” the source added.
Speaking further, the source observed that even Kachikuwu seemed to be recanting on the clarity of the allegations he levelled against Baru in his memo to the president.
“Kachikwu is now saying he did not say anything about corruption, but that he raised the issue of governance. Baru then said that the contracts were approved by the president.
“But perhaps because of the constitutionality of any action by a president on vacation, Osinbajo (the vice-president) then said that he approved and added that he signed loans, not contracts.
“All this confusion is simply because the presidency is trying to put its house in order over the matter, but they also realise the need to tighten loose ends at the Senate,” the source said.
Thisday Report
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)