The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested four Chinese nationals and 101 Nigerians in a business apartment in the Gudu axis of Abuja for internet fraud.

They were arrested on Thursday, January 9, 2025.

The suspects, comprising 67 males (including four Chinese) and 38 females were allegedly involved in a hotel review job scam targeting victims and hotels in Europe and other parts of the world.

Former Chief of Staff to former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasiru El-Rufai, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Sa’idu, will have to remain in prison until January 16, 2025 when the court will rule on his bail application over money laundering charges.

Sa’idu was arrested by security agencies on December 30, 2024 along the Kaduna-Zaria highway. He was then arraigned before the Chief Magistrates’ Court in Rigasa and was remanded at the Kaduna Correctional Centre.

A security source said Sa’idu implicated El-Rufai in his confessional statement to the police.

“The former Chief of Staff alleged that he sold 45 million US dollars belonging to the Kaduna State Government, equivalent to N18.4 billion at the significantly undervalued rate of N410 per dollar. This was instead of the parallel market rate of N498 per dollar, with criminal intent, resulting in a N3.9 billion loss to the government in 2022,” the source said.

The prosecution further alleged that the N3.9 billion discrepancy was laundered by Sa’idu, in violation of Section 18 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

But the counsel for Sai’du, Oladipo Tolani (SAN) while responding to the allegations in an interview described the allegations as baseless.

“Bashir Saidu has been in detention since 2nd January, 2025 when he was captured along the Kaduna-Zaria highway at Rigachiku, Igabi Local Government Area of the state.

“After his detention, we filed an application for bail which was argued today (yesterday). Meanwhile, yesterday (Wednesday), the state government filed a charge against Saidu. The matter was adjourned for ruling on 16th January, 2025,” he said.

Reacting to claims that Saidu indicted his former principal at the court, he said, “Whoever told you that evidence was given by a chief security officer is a lie. No evidence was taken. No testimony was given”.

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has said that the Federal Government has paid N22 billion as compensation to displaced communities in the country’s 700-megawatt hydroelectric power project in Zungeru, Niger State.

Adelabu disclosed this recently when he met with the Compensation and Resettlement Committee of the Zungeru power plant in his office in Abuja.

This comes as Adelabu assured the release of funds to communities yet to be compensated, which, according to him, amount to around N2.2 billion.

According to Adelabu, at the commencement of the Zungeru power project, 133 communities were identified for compensation or resettlement, but he said the number has plummeted to over 300.

“I’m happy that we have been able to pay N22 billion out of the compensation, and from our records, we have N2.2 billion remaining for payment. Some new figures have been presented here today, but we will have to go back as a ministry to verify these claims.

“Let us all bear in mind that the Federal Government is facing a paucity of funds. There are many issues competing for government attention, and we have to address them according to what is available to us in terms of revenue,” he said.

Meanwhile, Adelabu decried that the number of communities earlier earmarked for compensation tripled.
According to him, the government needs to verify the numbers of affected communities before a fresh round of compensation is released.

“However, it is a big surprise here to me that some communities are being added afresh to those who should be compensated or resettled,” he stated.

Recall that in March last year, a court in Minna, Niger State, ordered the federal government to pay N1.1 trillion as compensation to displaced communities in the Zungeru power plant project.