General
Alleged N8.5bn Fraud: Witness Explains How Atewe Bought 30,000 Shares from MTN Links
A prosecution witness, Mr Howard Edafe, in the ongoing N8.5 billion fraud case involving a former Joint Military Task Force Commander, Mr Emmanuel Atewe, on March 12, 2020 told Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos how the retired Major-General bought 30,000 units of shares from MTN Links for N170.4 million between 2014 and 2015.
A statement issued by the Media and Publicity Department of the agency said Mr Edafe, who is currently an Internal Auditor with Stanbic IBTC bank, while being led-in-evidence by counsel for the EFCC, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, testified as the fourth prosecution witness, PW4.
Mr Atewe is standing trial alongside Patrick Akpobolokemi, a former Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Kime Enzogu and Josephine Otuaga on a 22-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and money laundering.
Mr Edafe was quoted in the statement as saying that, “Sometime between 2014 and 2015, Atewe expressed interest in buying 30,000 units of shares from MTN Links through his Stanbic IBTC stockbroker.
“Following the notification, various documents were completed and made available regarding the transaction and Atewe made transfers to his Stanbic IBTC Bank account for the transaction.
“Although Atewe is a client to Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited, which is domiciled with Stanbic IBTC bank, Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited and Stanbic IBTC Bank are both subsidiaries of Stanbic IBTC Holdings.
“After Mr Atewe showed interest in buying 30,000 units of shares, we valued it and documents were prepared.
“Documents that were prepared for the transaction are: Purchase Order Form, which reflected that a unit was purchased for $27; Share Transfer Form; Utility Bill; Application Form; Means of Identification, which was the client’s international passport; three copies of Confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement.
“Evidence of transfer of money, which was provided by Mr. Atewe; a letter from Atewe authorizing remit of proceeds to Standard Chartered Bank in favour of Mr. Atewe; and a letter informing Stanbic IBTC the intention of Mr Atewe to purchase 30,000 units of shares.”
Mr Edafe also confirmed that the 30,000 units of shares were bought for N170,350,000 and paid for in four tranches; two payments of N40 million and N10.4 million received from Lord Firm Engineering, and N70 million from INP Limited, while N50 million was received from Ocean Gas Limited.
Under cross-examination by the defence, Mr Edafe told the court that he never came across Mr Akpobolokemi’s name during the transaction and that he was not a beneficiary of the transaction.
Earlier in the course of proceedings, the third prosecution witness, Mr Gideon Dachung, a Forensic Analyst and Document Examiner with the EFCC was cross-examined by the defence.
He was shown Exhibit C24, Exhibit G9 and Exhibit G17, and asked if he could establish, by merely looking at the exhibits, that the signatures on them have pictorial resemblance or not.
When the witness compared Exhibit C24 to Exhibit G9 and Exhibit C24 to Exhibit G17, he told the court that the signatures on the documents had a similar pictorial resemblance.
He, however, told the court that the two signatures on Exhibit C24 did not have any pictorial resemblance.
The trial continues on March 25, 2020.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria–China Strategic Partnership (NCSP) recently hosted a high-level delegation from Newryton International Industrial Development Company Limited, a leading Chinese investment and industrial development consortium, to advance discussions on deepening bilateral trade, industrial cooperation, and development financing between both countries.
The Newryton delegation, led by Mr David Chen, Assistant Secretary-General of the China Hainan Investment Council, had earlier engaged with the Nigerian Association of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA). They were accompanied to the NCSP by Mr Joe Onyuike, Vice-Chairman of NACCIMA’s Agriculture and Livestock Trade Group, who conveyed NACCIMA’s support for the delegation’s engagements.
Discussions centered on the establishment of a Nigeria–China Trade and Investment Platform, including a proposed Promotion Centre in China to support Nigerian products, investors, and state governments.
The consortium also presented opportunities within Hainan Province’s Free Trade Port (FTP), which offers preferential policies that Nigerian businesses can leverage to expand exports and attract new investments.
In his address on behalf of Newryton, Mr Pong outlined plans to collaborate with NCSP in accessing FOCAC-supported financing for strategic investments in agriculture, energy, mining, solid minerals processing, and related sectors. The delegation identified aquaculture as a key area of interest and referenced the forthcoming Global Aquaculture Conference in Hainan Province, encouraging Nigerian stakeholders to participate.
They also expressed readiness to strengthen cooperation in vocational training and employment under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Welcoming the delegation on behalf of the Director-General, Martins Olajide, NCSP’s Head of Internal Operations, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to fostering mutually beneficial partnerships.
He highlighted NCSP’s strong interest in the proposed Nigeria–China Trade and Investment Platform and the development of the Nigerian Oil Palm Industrial Park as a flagship demonstration project.
Also speaking at the meeting, Ms Judy Melifonwu, NCSP’s Head of International Relations, underscored the opportunities presented by China’s zero-tariff policy and the forthcoming NAQS–GACC protocol on the export of Nigerian aquaculture products. She noted that these frameworks would significantly enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in emerging global markets.
Both parties expressed commitment to advancing discussions toward a structured cooperation framework covering all priority areas.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The United Kingdom–Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF), established in 2019 as part of a 16-year legacy of UK-funded infrastructure support to Nigeria, convened over 100 senior stakeholders on Tuesday, December 2, to review its progress and formally close out its current phase of operations.
The event brought together representatives from federal and state governments, development partners, development finance institutions, and the private sector to reflect on UKNIAF’s work across the power, infrastructure finance, and roads sectors. Discussions focused on institutional reforms, capacity development, and the sustainability of tools and processes introduced over the past six years.
Since inception, UKNIAF has delivered targeted technical assistance designed to embed evidence-based reforms, data-driven decision-making, and improved institutional performance. Its interventions have mobilised significant financing, strengthened regulatory and planning systems, and enhanced investor readiness across multiple infrastructure markets.
In the power sector, participants highlighted landmark achievements including the development of Nigeria’s first Integrated Resource Plan, which outlines a least-cost and low-carbon pathway for expanding electricity supply. UKNIAF also supported the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in building advanced real-time data capabilities for tariff monitoring, grid management, and outage tracking. The programme enabled pioneering states to establish their own electricity markets following constitutional reforms.
In infrastructure finance, UKNIAF was recognised for strengthening project preparation systems and enabling access to capital. Notable accomplishments include supporting the mobilisation of $75 million from the African Development Bank to the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) programme in two states, and accelerating mini-grid and solar deployment through improved technical standards at the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
UKNIAF also designed a national project preparation facility, for which N21 billion was allocated in both the 2024 and 2025 budgets to build a pipeline of bankable projects.
Speaking on this, Mr Frank Edozie, UKNIAF Team Lead, described the programme’s close-out as a “handover for sustained delivery,” emphasising that strengthened institutions now hold tools that make Nigeria’s infrastructure landscape more transparent, climate-smart, and investor-ready.
On his part, the Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, commended the programme, noting that its technical assistance and advisory services had helped lay the foundation for a sustainable and inclusive electricity supply industry.
Mrs Cynthia Rowe, Head of Development Corporation at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in Nigeria, praised the partnership, highlighting achievements ranging from state-level electricity market reforms to unlocking major financing and designing Nigeria’s Climate Change Fund.
Enugu State Secretary to the State Government, Professor Chidiebere Onyia, underscored the lasting influence of the programme, stating that UKNIAF’s impact continues through the expertise and leadership transferred to national and sub-national institutions.
The close-out event reaffirmed stakeholders’ commitment to sustaining tools, reforms, and knowledge products developed under UKNIAF, while strengthening collaboration among public, private, and development actors in the infrastructure ecosystem.
Participants included federal and state agencies such as the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Federal Ministry of Power, Ministry of Finance, NERC, REA, and the Transmission Company of Nigeria, alongside development partners including the African Development Bank, World Bank, and IFC, as well as private sector and civil society stakeholders.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, has been slashed by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The Lagos-based oil facility brought down the ex-depot price of the petroleum product by 15.58 per cent or N129 per litre to N828 per litre.
Though the company had yet to release an official statement on this development, real-time market data on Petroleumprice.ng on Friday showed the new price.
Punch reports that data from the platform also showed fresh reductions across several private depots following the refinery’s latest review.
Sigmund Depot cut its ex-depot price by N4 to N824 per litre, Bulk Strategic dropped its price by N3, and TechnoOil slashed its by N15.
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