The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, has distanced himself from the ongoing investigation of his Personal Assistant, Andrew Uchi, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

According to reports, Uchi is being detained by the anti-graft agency over allegations of corruption, bribery, and money laundering amounting to approximately N10bn.

He is also accused of acquiring properties worth over N6bn in Abuja; Jos, Plateau State; and Makurdi, Gboko, and Tarka Local Government Areas of Benue State.

Additionally, two Bureau de Change operators are under investigation for their alleged involvement in the money laundering scheme linked to Akume’s aide.

In a statement issued on Monday by the Office of the Director, Information and Public Relations, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Segun Imohiosen, the SGF reaffirmed his commitment to transparency and accountability.

The statement, titled “OSGF Distances Self from Corruption Allegations,” read, “The attention of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has been drawn to the ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission involving Hon. Andrew Torhile Uchi, Personal Assistant to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, regarding allegations of corruption, bribery, and money laundering.

“It is imperative to state categorically that the office’s leadership is not in any way involved in the alleged misconduct, as it has always maintained a strong commitment to transparency, accountability, and integrity. We recognise the efforts of the EFCC to ensure that those found culpable are held accountable.

“However, we urge the public not to speculate or draw conclusions as investigations are still ongoing. The OSGF appreciates the understanding and support of the public on this matter.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested Kelly Okungbowa, the suspended coordinator of the Edo State Public Safety Response Team, PSRT, for alleged naira abuse.

SOCIETY REPORTERS reports that Kelly Okungbowa, popularly known as “Ebo Stone” was arrested by operatives of the Benin zonal Directorate of the anti-graft agency.

Dele Oyewale, Head, Media and Publicity of the Commission confirmed the arrest in a statement dated March 17, 2025.

Oyewale said the suspect was arrested owing to a viral video where he was seen spraying and mutilating the naira at a bar on March 9, 2025.

The statement read in part: “Operatives of the Benin zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, March 17, 2025 arrested Kelly Okungbowa (a.k. a Ebo Stone) for alleged Naira abuse.

“Okungbowa, who until recently was the coordinator of the Edo State Public Safety Response Team, PSRT, now suspended by the Edo State Government, was arrested owing to a viral video where he was seen spraying and mutilating the naira at a bar on March 9, 2025”,he said.

He said he would be charged to court as soon as investigations are completed.

Meanwhile, the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has commended the anti-graft agency for the swift arrest of the suspect.

A statement by Chris Nehikhare, the Publicity Secretary of the State’s caretaker committee of the party, charged EFCC on thorough investigation and diligent prosecution in accordance with the CBN Act of 2007 which criminalised the abuse of naira notes.

“The Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, commends the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for the swift arrest of Kelly Okungbowa, also known as Ebo Stone for alleged naira abuse.

“The swift arrest of Okungbowa who was seen in a viral video spraying and mutilating the Naira sends a strong message that such criminal and irresponsible actions will not be tolerated, regardless of the perpetrator’s position or influence.

“We charge the EFCC to carry out thorough investigation on the matter and ensure diligent prosecution in accordance with the CBN Act of 2007 which criminalises the abuse of naira notes, including spraying, stepping on, or mishandling”, he added.

DAILY POST recalls that the aide to the State Governor, Monday Okpebholo was suspended by the State Government over allegations of extortion, harassment, and unruly behavior.

In the viral video, he was seen spraying naira notes on two exotic dancers, at a bar, on March 9, 2025 in Benin City.

A journey of a thousand miles, in the words of Chinese philosopher Laozi, famously romanticized as Lao Tzu, begins with a single step.

Laozi, also an author, had penned those words to encourage people to start and take action towards their goals in life.

Several decades after Laozi literally gifted the world with this inspiring quote, evidence abounds that a Nigerian businessman, Jubril Adewale Tinubu, CON has been most inspired by it.

It all began when he took a leap of faith to dump Law, a profession he had practiced

with impressive record, while he worked in a family law firm, K.O. Tinubu and Co., from 1990 to 1994.

Tinubu, who obtained a degree in Law from the University of Liverpool and a Master of Law the London School of Economic, wasn’t under any illusion about his next move. His vision was as clear as daylight: to rule the world of oil and gas business.

It was a steely resolve, one that he was convinced would fetch him global recognition in the end.

To achieve this, he carefully profiled two individuals whom he believed would prop him up in this life-defining journey: Omamofe Boyo and Onajite Okoloko.

Following preliminary feasibility studies, the trio floated Ocean and Oil Services Limited in 1994 to supply diesel and Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO) to various shipping firms and offshore exploration companies in Nigeria.

From the outset, they were not driven by any inordinate ambition; rather, what was uppermost in their minds was to first register their presence in the nation’s thriving oil and gas sector.

It was a humble beginning, as the budding oil company started out only with a vessel, MT Carolina, anchored in

Bonny Island, Rivers State to supply diesel and Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO) to off-shore companies from the Port-Harcourt, Rivers State refinery.

Before the eyes of the morbid critics, Ocean and Oil Services Limited successfully acquired six ships within its six years of operations.

Some four years after, Tinubu and his partners caused a stir when they sought to acquire a 30 % controlling interest in the defunct Unipetrol, following government’s decision to sell its controlling 60% stake in Unipetrol Plc,an integrated downstream oil marketing company.

Though many industry watchers had tagged it a huge joke, it was obvious they were belittling the capabilities of the brains behind the company, which was already showing evidence of a potentially big player.

The planned acquisition, contrary to the naysayers, turned out a dream come through. And by 2001, Ocean and Oil Services had increased its shares in Unipetrol to 42%, owing to the support from its foreign technical partners, Compagnia Espanola De Petroleos (CEPSA), the second largest oil group in Spain.

Since then Tinubu has shown the oil and gas sector that he is not one your run-of-the-mill oil player.

Interestingly, in 2003, almost a decade after it surfaced on the nation’s oil and gas sector, the newly acquired companies were merged, resulting in the historic birth of Oando Limited.

Still consolidating on its gains, Oando Plc, in 2005, secured a cross-border listing on the Johannesburg Stock of Exchange (JSE) in

South Africa in 2005!

In its first 30 years of operations, Oando Plc now prides itself on a number of subsidiaries with staggering value-added services: Oando Marketing Limited, OML, one of the largest downstream petroleum marketing companies in Nigeria with over 500 retail outlets across Nigeria, Ghana, and Togo; Oando Supply and Trading Limited, OST, one of the largest independent traders of crude and refined petroleum products in sub-Saharan Africa incorporated in 2004, among several others.

Unlike its competitors, Oando’s exploits in the upstream journey has continued to attract interesting discourses among industry watchers.

The first shocker was when it secured a 42.75% interest in the marginal field, OML 56.

It later steadied its feet in 2007, with the acquisition of a 15% stake in OML 125 & OML 134.

In 2014, Oando Energy Resources, OER, acquired ConocoPhillips Nigerian assets for $1.8bn (inclusive of working capital), secured a 20% interest in the NAOC-Joint Venture (“the JV”) and augmented its total net 2P reserves to 503 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe), with peak net production levels of 45,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (kboep/d).

A careful study of its rising profile points to the fact that Oando has steadily been eyeing the global stage. And Tinubu is not making any pretense about it. In 2016, it announced that it was divesting from its Naira-earning businesses to focus on its US$-earning portfolio.

It was a well thought out business plan, considering the spate of the sale of its interest in the downstream between 2016 and 2019 as well as its stake in the midstream in 2017.

Ten years after the widely reported purchase of ConocoPhillips Nigerian asset, Oando, in August 2024, completed the acquisition of 100% of Eni’s interest in NAOC, the operating company of the JV, thereby increasing its stake in the JV from 20% to 40%, and securing operatorship of the JV as well as doubling its 2P reserves to 996.2 mmboe.

Tinubu-led Oando has, nevertheless, been hit by the vagaries of business. This flip side to its otherwise enviable feats in the sector was inputted in the annals of the company about 20 years after its quiet but impactful entry into the sector.

To its shareholders holders, the news of the loss of a humongous N184bn in the 2014 financial year was a sour taste in their mouths.

But the company, by the middle of that same year, successfully reversed the doleful story by getting new investors, including Vitol, a Dutch oil trading giant, and Helios Holdings, to put their money in its downstream arm, Oando Marketing.

Obviously, the Oando trajectory is a story waiting to be told. This became more tellingly interesting on February 27, 2025 when news of its selection as the preferred bidder for the Guaracara refinery, Trinidad and Tobago broke.

The awards, no doubt underscores Oando’s track record of reliability, innovation, infrastructure development, which aligns with its corporate strategic vision of expanding across the Caribbean region.

Speaking on the development, Tinubu, the Group Chief Executive Officer, GCEO, described the partnership as “a strategic bridge between Africa and the Caribbean.”

According to him, “Oando’s involvement in the refinery will serve as a catalyst for deeper Afro-Caribbean collaboration in the energy sector, paving the way for increased trade, investment, and knowledge exchange. This initiative underscores Africa’s growing influence in the global energy landscape and highlights the role of indigenous African companies in fostering economic transformation across borders.”

This development, which has been described as compelling chapter in the history of Oando, is a testament to its resolve to steady its feet in the international market.