General
EFCC Tackles Agbakoba Over Power to Probe States Finances
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reacted to comments made by a senior lawyer, Mr Olisa Agbakoba, over the agency’s investigation into the finances of the Kogi State government.
In a statement issued on Monday, the commission said it never violated any law to beam its searchlight on how the state government has been spending public funds.
According to Agbakoba, EFCC not only disregards the rule of law but has no business inquiring into how the Kogi State Government spends its funds.
But the EFCC said it takes great exception at the “indecorous and utterly irresponsible attempt by Agbakoba to dress it in the borrowed garb of a lawless entity and a meddlesome interloper, who has no business probing the stealing of Kogi State resources.
“In all his tirades, no evidence was presented to support his claim that the EFCC has been lawless, nor did he mention any law which the commission’s investigation of the finances of the Kogi State Government violated.
“Instead, his refrain was to a non-extent decision of the Supreme Court which he also failed to electorate upon. But it is important to state that contrary to the views of Agbakoba, the Supreme Court at no time delivered any judgement which forbids the EFCC from investigating fraud cases involving a state government.
“The learned counsel ought to have known that the Apex Court of the land as far back as 2010 in JOLLY TEVORU NYAME V FRN (2010) 11 NWLR (PT.1193)344 held that the claim that the money belongs to
Taraba State and that the state has an exclusive claim on it to the exclusion of any other authority by virtue of section 120 of the 1999 constitution cannot stand.
“Furthermore, Agbakobas erroneous views ought to be tempered by the decision of the Supreme Court in A.G ONDO STATE v. A.G., FEDERATION (2002) 9 NWLR [pt.772] page 222 at page 308 where the court held: It has been pointed out that the provisions of the Act impinge on the cardinal principle of federalism, namely, the requirement of equality and autonomy of the state government and non-interference with the functions of state government. This is true, but as seen above, both the Federal and State governments share the power to legislate in order to abolish corruption and abuse of office. If this is a breach of the principle of Federalism, then, I am afraid, it is the Constitution that makes the provisions that have facilitated the breach of the principle. As far as the aberration is supported by the provision of the Constitution, I think it cannot rightly be argued that illegality has occurred by the failure of the Constitution to adhere to the cardinal principles which are at best ideals to follow or guidance for an ideal situation.
“Lastly, the learned silk should also know that his views are totally unsupported by the facts, circumstances of Kogi’s case and the decision of the Court of Appeal in KALU V FRN & (2012) LPELR- 9287 (CA), which decision knocked the bottom out of the contention of Agbakoba.
“From the decisions of the Appellate Court, it is clear that whilst the State Assemblies can investigate finances of their states, they are not empowered to investigate and prosecute fraud cases; that responsibility lies with agencies such as the EFCC.
“It is therefore morally reprehensible for a learned silk of Agbakoba’s calibre to promote the view that state governments cannot be questioned on how they use the resources of their states and that law enforcement organizations cannot investigate cases of alleged wanton theft of Kogi State’s resources particularly where the alleged thieves do not report themselves! Had this view been promoted by any other lawyer than Agbakoba, who rose to national prominence as an advocate of civil liberties and anti-corruption, it would have been pardonable.
“When men who are seen as the conscience of the nation begin to approbate and reprobate on an issue, it is almost certain they are driven by motives which could be far from altruistic.
“The manner in which Agbakoba delivered his message in the so-called media briefing, he sounded more like a spokesperson of the Kogi State Government than an advocate of the rule of law. By his demeanour, any citizen who thought the briefing was only a smokescreen to vilify the EFCC at the pleasure of the Kogi State Government would be forgiven.
“But Agbakoba is not counsel to the Kogi State government, at least not publicly. But even Kogi state lawyers, whom he offered his free counsel on how to handle the EFCC at the briefing, would not have put up a better performance. Despite not being counsel to the Kogi State Government, Agbakoba had no scruples using the media to pontificate on a matter that is currently before a court of competent justification. This, to him, does not amount to a media trial of the EFCC!
“In his game of ostrich, Agbakoba continually harped on Section 46 of the EFCC Act but ignored the provisions of Section 7 of the same Act and various provisions of the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act, the Advance Fee Fraud Other Fraud Related Offences Act, etc., which gives the commission power to investigate all fraud cases.
“Why is Agbakoba so jittery about the robust response of the EFCC to corruption that he would openly incite the next administration against the commission? That essentially was the agenda when he said: So the candidate (2023 election candidates) must tell us what they are going to do with all these agencies because we need to know if they are going to allow the EFCC to continue to engage in media trials and carry on as the attack dog of the federal government against other arms and levels of governments.
“Is the federal government of President Muhammadu Buhari against Yahaya Bello Administration of Kogi State? Where does Agbakoba get his logic of attack dogs? What is a media trial when a case has been filed in court, and the defendants have taken their pleas? Should Nigerians have been kept in the dark that a certain nephew of Yahaya Bello is facing a N10 billion fraud trial?
“EFCC is not averse to criticisms, but it will not ignore jaundiced views masked as advocacy for the rule of law. No amount of intimidation and sponsored attacks will deter the commission from investigating cases of corruption in any level of government or involving any individual, however well placed, until we rid our nation of this monster.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has reaffirmed that electricity meters being deployed under the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP) are free for customers, warning Nigerians not to pay any money for meter supply or installation.
The Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr Ayodeji Ariyo Gbeleyi, stated this in Abuja at a joint media briefing on DISREP with the managing directors of Nigeria’s 11 Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos). DISREP is financed through a $500 million World Bank facility.
The DG said the concessional nature of the funding, which comes at single-digit interest rates, makes it more sustainable than commercial borrowing and supports long-term stability in the power sector.
Under the DISREP IPF, 3.2 million smart meters are being procured and installed nationwide over four years through competitive international and local bidding. According to him, close to 700,000 meters have already been delivered, while about 200,000 have been installed across different DisCos.
The DG said, “With DISREP and other Federal Government interventions, the journey to power sector reliability is underway. DISREP is not just a short-term intervention, but part of a broader and coordinated plan of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, towards building a financially viable and service-oriented electricity market
“Nigerians deserve a power sector that works, one that delivers reliable electricity, protects consumers, ensures value for money, and supports economic growth.
“Together, we shall achieve that! The supply and installation of these meters for customers is free.
It was also disclosed that the government had already paid the contractors to supply and install the meters. DISREP is integrated with other metering initiatives, including the Presidential Metering Initiative and the Meter Acquisition Fund, to accelerate the closing of Nigeria’s metering gap.
On his part, the Managing Director of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, Mr Chijioke Okwuokenye, warned customers not to pay for meters.
“These meters are to be deployed and installed freely. Anybody asking you to bring money should be reported,” he said.
MD of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (Eko Disco), Mrs Wola Joseph-Condotti, said the company is working closely with the authorities to weed out bad eggs who extort money from customers for meter procurement and installation.
The programme offers significant benefits to consumers, including the removal of upfront meter purchase and installation costs, accurate billing, the elimination of arbitrary estimated billing, improved service accountability by DisCos, better transparency and dispute resolution, and long-term improvements in supply reliability as the sector becomes more financially viable.
For DisCos, Mr Gbeleyi said DISREP provides access to concessional World Bank financing for metering and network upgrades, reduces Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) losses, improves liquidity and revenue assurance, and strengthens operational performance for long-term investment.
He disclosed that $250 million of the facility is dedicated to Investment Project Financing, which supports bulk procurement of the 3.2 million smart meters, deployment of Meter Data Management Systems, and provision of technical assistance and capacity-building programmes to strengthen DisCos’ operations and processes.
Describing DISREP as a landmark transaction, Mr Gbeleyi said it is the first initiative of its kind in which the government, beyond investing in distribution network infrastructure, is deploying meters at scale to bridge the country’s metering gap. He cited official figures showing that Nigeria currently has about 5.66 million unmetered electricity customers.
“The plan is to quickly close that gap. These meters are for everybody. They are for Nigerians. Priority is on unmetered customers,” he said.
He clarified that while the policy targets unmetered customers, DisCos have been allowed to deploy up to 20 per cent of the meters to replace faulty or technologically obsolete units, following feedback from the field.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has successfully concluded the review of the Port Service Support Portal (PSSP) application, which is aimed at ensuring seamless handling and efficient resolution of stakeholders’ commercial disputes across the maritime sector.
The Head of NSC-ICT, Mr Benjamin Ivwigheghweta, and his team; the Head of the Complaints Unit, Mr Bashir Ambi and his team; as well as consultants from BrandOne, all collaborated to complete the platform’s final implementation stage.
Mr Ivwigheghweta expressed satisfaction with the successful integration of the revamped PSSP for streamlined dispute resolution. He encouraged the team to fully engage with the new system and to ask questions where necessary, ensuring that every member is well equipped to meet stakeholder needs with precision and efficiency.
On his part, Mr Ambi applauded the deployment of the PSSP as a tool for accelerating grievance resolution, adding that the platform would significantly strengthen the council’s dispute resolution framework by promoting transparency, boosting stakeholder confidence, and generating reliable, data-driven records to support national economic growth.
He further commended the ICT team for its unwavering support-particularly in ensuring extended network availability to support the Unit’s after-hours operations.
Describing the PSSP as a critical modern upgrade for dispute resolution, Mr Ambi revealed that the Council’s operations are now about 90 percent digital. “We rely heavily on electronic platforms to serve our stakeholders,” he said, adding that the ICT Unit has remained the backbone of these efforts by providing consistent support, even over weekends, to ensure uninterrupted online service delivery.
This digital-first approach, he noted, keeps the NSC at the forefront of maritime efficiency.
Following a productive three-hour technical review and interactive question and answer session, the PSSP is now in its final phase.
The next steps include the configuration of individual user access by the ICT Unit and a live demonstration of the platform to Management. Upon completion of these tasks, the council will be ready to go live-ushering in a new era of digital efficiency in port service delivery.
The Port Service Support Portal was officially launched by the former Vice President, Mr Yemi Osinbajo, in June 2016 in Abuja. The launch was held alongside the unveiling of the Port Harmonized Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The portal was designed as an online, real-time platform to enhance service delivery, address stakeholder complaints, and curb corruption at Nigerian ports.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu has deployed an army battalion to Kaiama district in Kwara State after suspected jihadist fighters killed about 170 people in an overnight attack on Tuesday.
The terrorists stormed Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Council, according to Kwara State lawmaker, Mr Saidu Ahmed.
The violence highlights fears that jihadist factions prevalent in Northern Nigeria are pushing south along the Niger-Kwara axis toward the Kainji forest.
According to a statement from the Presidency, the new military command will spearhead Operation Savannah Shield to checkmate the barbaric terrorists and protect defenceless communities.
He condemned the attack as “cowardly and barbaric,” saying the gunmen targeted villagers who had rejected attempts to impose extremist rule.
“It is commendable that community members, even though Muslims, refused to be conscripted into a belief that promotes violence over peace,” President Tinubu said in the statement.
The President urged collaboration between federal and state agencies to provide succour to members of the community and ensure that those who committed the atrocities do not go scot-free.
President Tinubu prayed for the repose of the souls of the deceased and condoled with those who lost family members as well as the people and government of Kwara State.
Similarly, suspected bandits stormed Doma community in Tafoki Ward, Katsina State, on Tuesday afternoon, killing several residents, injuring many others and setting vehicles and houses ablaze.
There were conflicting figures over the casualty toll, with police putting the number of deaths at 13, while the executive chairman of Faskari Local Council estimated more than 20.
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