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N16.5bn Fraud: AGF Takes Over Prosecution of Polaris Bank, Staff

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2 months ago

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The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has taken over the prosecution of Polaris Bank and a staff member, Chinenye Duru, for alleged N16.5 billion fraud.

The office of the Inspector General of Police, which filed the case in December 2023, accused Polaris Bank and Mr Duru of fraudulently diverting over N16.5 billion from a customer’s various accounts within nearly eight years.

The police identified the bank customer and the victim of the alleged crime as Onukogu Victor Hezekiah, the spiritual head of the Living Christ Mission Church, Onitsha, Anambra State, South-east Nigeria.

According to the prosecution, the defendants diverted the money from Mr Hezekiah’s accounts between 2017 and 2023, while Mr Duru served as the customer’s account officer. Mr Hezekiah is fondly called Daddy Hezkiah by his followers.

A lawyer from the AGF office, V.J. Alma, informed the trial judge, Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, that Mr Fagbemi directed the takeover of the case from the police in the exercise of his powers as the AGF under Section 174(1)(b) of the Nigerian constitution.

Mr Alma did not give any reason for the AGF office’s decision to take over the case.

“We have written a letter to the Nigerian police notifying them of this position and requesting the original case file in a letter dated 29 May 2024,” the lawyer said. “We are still waiting for the original case file.”

Mr Ekwo asked Mr Alma if the AGF office had written to the court about the development, and the lawyer responded in affirmative.

Mr Alma urged the court to fix the matter for trial on a date after the about-to-commence annual vacation of judges.

The judge then told Mr Duru’s lawyer, Chidi Ezenwafor, to advise Polaris Bank, the 1st defendant in the case, to engage a lawyer to represent it in the case.

Mr Ekwo postponed the hearing in the case till 18 and 19 November for trial.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Inspector-General of Police arraigned Mr Duru on 11 counts on 19 January.

He pleaded not guilty to the counts.

The judge remanded Mr Duru in a correctional facility pending the hearing of his bail application.

Polaris Bank Plc and Mr Duru are the first and the 2nd defendants in the case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/603/2023.

Charges
In the charges, the prosecution accused Polaris Bank and Mr Duru of fraudulently withdrawing N16.5 billion from Mr Hezekiah’s account numbers 1040495455 and 1060104735 between 17 November 2017 and 14 August 2023.

Within the same period, the prosecution alleged that the defendants also fraudulently withdrew N75.534 million from the customer’s other account, 4010023601.

According to the prosecution, the defendants also fraudulently withdrew N13.3 million from the customer’s account number 40910106770 and N16.3 million from his other account number 411054152 within the same period.

The charges said the defendants withdrew the money without authorisation from the owner of the accounts with the intent of converting it for their personal use.

The police charged the offences under sections 18 (2) and 21 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022. Some of the offences are punishable under section 18(3) of the money laundering law, the police said.

(NAN)

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Just In: Opay Begins Charging Of N50 Electronic Transaction Fee On Every 10k And Above….

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11 hours ago

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September 7, 2024

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Opay digital banking platform is set to apply a transfer fee of N50 for transactions exceeding N10,000 and above.

 

OPay has introduced a new fee for electronic transfers into both personal and business accounts, in accordance with the regulations set forth by the Federal Inland Revenue Service.

 

 

Beginning September 9, 2024, there will be a one-time charge of N50 for transfers of N10,000 or more.

 

 

” On Saturday, the digital platform communicated to its valued customers via a text stating the reason for the deductions even though people are still struggling to survive.

 

In it’s statement, is says:

 

“Dear valued customers, please be informed that starting September 9, 2024, a one-time fee of N50 will be applied for electronic transfer of N10,000 and above paid into your personal or business account in compliance with the Federal Inland Revenue Service

regulations.”

 

 

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Our petrol to hit filling stations in 48hrs- Dangote

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5 days ago

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September 3, 2024

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Businessman, Aliko Dangote, has revealed that petrol produced from his 650,000 barrels per day refining facility will hit filling stations in the next 48 hours as modalities with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited are formalised.

Dangote said this on Tuesday during a press briefing announcing the formal production of petrol at the refinery.

“Our PMS (Premium Motor Spirit) can be in filling stations within the next 48 hours depending on NNPCL,” he said.

Asked to speak on the pricing of the product from his refinery, Dangote said, “It is an arrangement which is designed and approved by the Federal Executive Council led by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“As soon as it is finalised, which he (Tinubu) is pushing, once we finish with NNPC, it can be today, it can be tomorrow, we are ready to roll into the market.”

Last December, Dangote, Africa’s leading industrialist, commenced operations at his $20bn facility sited in Lagos with 350,000 barrels a day.

The refinery, which was initially troubled by regulatory battles, hopes to achieve its full capacity of 650,000 barrels per day by the end of the year.

The refinery has begun the supply of diesel and aviation fuel to marketers in the country and now petrol.

Dangote also added that the introduction of naira for crude will reduce the demand for foreign exchange by 40 per cent.

“I want to thank President Bola Tinubu for creating this idea of Naira for crude and Naira for the product. Doing that will give a lot of stability to the Naira and remove 40 per cent of the demand for dollars. That’s not just it, there is a lot of round tripping,” he stated.

He added that it would become possible to track loaded trucks, hence making it easier to compute the national
consumption.

 

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‘Eko Cares’: Grateful Beneficiaries praise Lagos Governor’s economic hardship alleviation initiatives

Published

5 days ago

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September 3, 2024

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Encomiums have continued to pour in on the Executive Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, for the sustainable implementation of the ‘Eko Cares’ initiatives aimed at mitigating the current economic challenges experienced not only in the state, but across the country.
The ‘Eko Cares’ Initiatives, launched in April this year by Governor Sanwo-Olu, is the umbrella signature for several poverty-alleviating campaigns by the Lagos State Government, namely: ‘Alafia Eko’, ‘Ounje Eko’ Sunday Market, ‘Eko Fund Me’, ‘Alaafia Eko’, ‘Owo Isowo Eko’, and ‘Edinwo Owo Oko Eko’, all focused on lessening the burden of more than 500,000 Lagos households amid the current economic hardship in four critical sectors including transportation, education, health and agriculture.
These interventions are in line with the Lagos government’s undertaking to better the lives of its citizens in the 20 LGAS, and 37 LCDAs.
The Permanent Secretary, Lagos Health District 1, Dr. Funmilayo Bankole and other health practitioners who coordinated the campaigns in different locations noted that the ‘Alafia Eko’ is aimed at ensuring the health and wellbeing of Lagosians. “What we do here is to screen Lagosians for silent killers such as hypertension, diabetes, etc., and prevent these conditions from causing complications”, she said.
At the’ Alafia Eko’ intervention held in Mushin LGA, one of the beneficiaries, Mr Tajudeen Adebowale, expressed excitement, saying, “We are very happy about this initiative. May God continue to bless the governor to do even more, especially programmes like this healthcare initiative”.
Another beneficiary at the Meiran intervention outreach, Alhaja Ajani Badru could not hold back her joy saying, “We are grateful to Governor Sanwo-Olu’s administration for the free healthcare brought to us. Medications these days are very expensive and today, we got sufficient treatment at no cost”. Another beneficiary, Mr. Adekojo Samuel expressed similar sentiments, thanking the Governor for the eye tests, drugs, and eye glasses received.
Another beneficiary at the Isolo outreach, Mr. Iyanu Temituro said: “The programme is excellently beautiful, organised, and the medical personnel were very approachable. I’m enjoying two medical services for stooling and blood pressure”.
Mr. Abiodun Ayodele, a beneficiary from the Surulere outreach was also full of commendations. “I appreciate what the Lagos Governor has done. See the lots of drugs they gave me; at the same time, I got brand new eye glasses”.
Other beneficiaries from Apapa LGA were also full of praise for the Governor, dedicating songs in Yoruba to Governor Sanwo-Olu, describing him as a promise keeper. Among them were Mrs. Tawa Yusuf and Mrs. Oloofa Bola who got free eye glasses.
Others were Mrs. Aremu Lateefat, Mr. Rasheed Raheem, and Mrs Saratu Ishola, who all got free drugs and medicals. They described the health initiative as a huge achievement and a big relief for them.
On the success of the programme, Dr. Saheed Tajudeen, a volunteer at the Igbogbo, Ikorodu outreach expressed excitement with the turnout for ‘Alafia Eko’ initiative. “Lots of people in the community don’t usually visit our Primary Health Centre, and Lagos State has deemed it fit to bring medical care to their doorsteps. This is laudable”, he said.
Other locations visited in this phase of the ‘Alafia Eko’ health initiative include Ikorodu North LCDA and Ikotun LCDA.
‘Eko Cares’ is supervised by the Special Dispensation Advisory Committee on Social Interventions (SPEDAC), a non-partisan body set up to advise the government on the various initiatives lined up to help the poor weather the current economic hardship in the country.

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