General
Group Threatens Uzodinma With N10bn Suit Over ISOPADEC
By Dipo Olowookere
If Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State does not make moves to remedy an alleged brazen violation of the law establishing the Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ISOPADEC) within seven days, his administration will be slammed with a N10 billion suit at the court.
This threat was made by a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) known as Media Initiative against Injustice, Violence and Corruption (MIIVOC).
The group, in a statement issued on Sunday, said it will no longer sit back to watch the agency fade away and “called on well-meaning sons of the state to rise to the challenge of condemning the anomaly.”
According to the Executive Director of MIIVOC, Dr Walter Duru, the N10 billion will cover “exemplary damages from the Imo State government, among other demands.”
“Seven months into the present administration, no board has been inaugurated for the oil commission and everything about its operations is opaque.
“Seven months into the administration, statutory funds of the commission, being 40 per cent of the 13 per cent derivation funds, amounting to over N3 billion cannot be accounted for.
“About N600 million left in ISOPADEC coffers by the last managers of the commission has disappeared from the commission’s account,” he alleged in the statement made available to Business Post.
“In spite of the billions, the present administration has concluded plans to slash the salaries and allowances of staff of the commission, by placing them on the same salary structure with the state civil service.
“ISOPADEC Staff are also being owed about four months of salary arrears. The total wage bill of the commission is less than 10 per cent of the statutory 40 per cent from the 13 per cent derivation funds.
“Majority of the commission’s staff are indigenes of the two oil-producing Local Government Areas of the state; Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta LGAs,” Mr Duru further said in the statement.
He claimed that, “We have it on good authority that the Governor has directed the Head of Service of the state to take over the running of the oil commission in administration and process.
“The government has also enrolled staff of the commission in the purported automated salary system for state civil servants, slashing their salaries by about 80 per cent. These are obvious infractions to the law establishing the commission.”
According to him, “Having failed in his vexatious bid to smuggle in his native Oru East, being a part of his grand design to expropriate ISOPADEC FAAC allocation, he has now resigned himself to reducing ISOPADEC staff remuneration by 80 per cent; reduce its workforce by more than 50 per cent, while drawing up a shortlist of the potential new staff made up of his kinsmen from his native Omuma and surrounding Oru villages to replace the oil landlords who makeup ISOPADEC workforce.”
“The oil-producing communities have been returned to the old days of darkness. No electricity; no water; no good roads, with poverty building empires on the people, yet, billions meant to cushion the effects of oil exploration are diverted,” the group leader said.
Continuing, Mr Duru argued that “similar oil commissions in other parts of the Niger Delta region are not faced with any such fate, warning that the mismanagement of ISOPADEC funds is a recipe to crises in the oil-producing areas,” calling on Mr Uzodinma to do the right thing within the speculated period.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A former governor of Oyo State, Mr Victor Omololu Olunloyo, has died some days to his 90th birthday, precisely April 14, 2025.
He was said to have breathed his last in the early hours of Sunday after battling with old age-related ailments for the last few weeks.
In a statement signed on behalf of the family by Mr Oladapo Ogunwusi, it was stated that the deceased was a source of pride to his family and associates and serve the nation and humanity.
“With a heavy heart but gratitude to the Almighty, we announce the passing into glory of Dr Victor Omololu Olunloyo, former governor of Oyo State, mathematician and engineer and renowned technocrat, a few days before his 90th birthday.
“The Balogun of Oyo and Otun Bobasewa of Ife, Dr Olunloyo was first Rector, Ibadan polytechnic and first Rector, Kwara State Polytechnic among other notable appointments.
“His long record of service to the nation and humanity is a source of pride to his family and associates even as we come to grip with this devastating event.
“The Olunloyo family will appreciate the understanding of the press and the public as they commence efforts to give him a befitting burial.
“Even from everlasting to everlasting, He is God,” the statement read.
Business Post reports that Mr Olunloyo was the Governor of old Oyo State between October and December 1983.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
One Mr Igboezue Emeka has been convicted and sentenced to one month imprisonment for money laundering by Justice A.O. Owoeye of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos.
He was asked to spend one month in jail from the day of his arrest, Wednesday, February 12, 2025, in a judgment delivered on Friday, April 4, 2025.
He was brought before Justice Owoeye by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for a false currency declaration to the tune of $40,000.
It was gathered that the convict was arrested on February 12 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, by operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for non-declaration of $40,000.
The NCS had, on the same day, handed him over to the anti-money laundering agency for further investigations and prosecution.
Consequently, he was arraigned on Friday on a one-count charge bordering on money laundering, which he pleaded guilty to when it was read to him.
“That you, Igboezue Emeka, on or about the 12th day of February, 2025, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, within the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, failed to make a declaration of the sum of $40,000 to the Nigerian Customs Service and thereby committed an offence contrary to the provisions of Section 3(3) of the Money Laundering Act, No. 14 of 2022 and punishable under Section 3 (5) of the same Act,” the charge read.
After pleading guilty to the solitary charge, the prosecution counsel, Nnaemeka Omewa, called on an operative of the EFCC, Mr Michael Olayemi, to review the facts of the case.
Mr Olayemi, while narrating to the court about the events that led to the investigation of the defendant, said, “At 1.20 pm on February 12, 2025, we got an intelligence report from the Nigerian Customs Service that it intercepted the defendant with the monetary exhibit of the sum of $40,000.
“Upon this, I detailed that one of my team leads, Lanre Michael, who I supervise, would go and pick the individual and the exhibit from the Nigeria Customs at Murtala Mohammed Airport.”
Continuing, he said: “At about 4 pm, he reported with the defendant, the monetary exhibit and the defendant’s international passport. The defendant was in possession of two phones, which he used to call his lawyer and relatives.
“In the presence of his relatives, he volunteered his statement under words of caution, where he admitted that he was travelling via Qatar Air to Seoul, the capital of South Korea.
“He also stated that he was accosted by Customs Officers, where he was asked if he had any currency on him to declare, to which he said No.”
Mr Olaremi further told the court that, “The statement warranted me to invite the personnel of the Nigeria Customs Service, Ogar Sadin John.
“John, in his statement, said that when he accosted Igboezue, he claimed that he had no money. He, however, said he was sceptical.
“Upon searching him, he found the money hidden in one of his shoes in his hand luggage,” adding that the monetary exhibit was registered with the exhibit keeper, while the suspect was served with an administrative bail.
Omewa, thereafter, sought to tender the defendant’s statement and the monetary exhibit recovered from him.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The new chief executive of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mr Bayo Ojulari, has promised to consolidate on the legacy and achievements of his predecessor, Mr Mele Kyari.
He made this pledge while taking over from Mr Kyari on Friday at the organisation’s headquarters in Abuja, the country’s seat of power.
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday dissolved the board of the NNPC and appointed new members to pilot affairs of the oil company.
In a statement today by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the NNPC, Mr Olufemi Soneye, it was disclosed that the new CEO praised Mr Kyari for his contributions to the growth of NNPC Ltd and his sterling service to the nation, noting that the objective of his management is to consolidate on the successes of his predecessor and take the company to the next level.
He said though the targets set for his management were quite enormous, he would be relying on the co-operation of the Management and staff of the company, as well as the counsel of his predecessor to achieve set targets.
“I will be counting on your support. I will need it. I will be coming around to seek your counsel,” Mr Ojulari told Mr Kyari.
Earlier in his remarks, the erstwhile NNPC chief congratulated his successor and thanked the management and staff of the company for their support while in office, vowing to do everything within his power to support the new team to succeed, stressing he is only a call away.
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