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EFCC BOSS Ola Olukoyede: Nigeria’s Electricity Grid Failures Due to Substandard Materials in Power Projects

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Ekwutosblog gathered that the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has blamed the unstable power supply in Nigeria on corruption.
Olukoyede disclosed that contractors awarded projects supply electrical equipment often opted for substandard materials.

He stated that this was the major cause of frequent equipment failures, outages, and grid collapses.

The EFCC chair made the revelation during a visit by the House Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes in Abuja on Tuesday.

Olukoyede lamented that Nigerians would be in tears if the Commission discloses what it has uncovered during its investigations.

Olukoyede said, “As I am talking to you now, we are grappling with electricity. If you see some of the investigations we are carrying out within the power sector, you will shed tears. People who were awarded contracts to supply electrical equipment, instead of using what they call 9.0 gauge, would go and buy 5.0.

“So every time, you see it tripping off, getting burnt, and all of that. It falters, and it collapses. This is part of our problems.”

Olukoyede also stated that during its investigations, the commission discovered that in the last 20 years, capital project implementation and execution in the country had not exceeded 20 per cent.

He noted that the country could not achieve infrastructural or other forms of growth under such conditions.

Olukoyede said, “We discovered that in the last 15 to 20 years, we have not achieved up to 20% of our capital project implementation and execution. And if we don’t do that, how can we expect infrastructural development? How can we grow as a nation? So our mandate this year is to work with that directorate and with the National Assembly to see if we can reach 50% of capital project execution for the year.

If we achieve 50%, we will be fine as a nation. The lack of implementation of the capital budget is one of Nigeria’s major problems. And if we tackle that effectively, we will make progress as a nation. We are doing everything possible to prevent that, with your support.”

The anti-graft boss stated that the commission had received over 17,000 petitions, adding that over 20,000 cases are currently under investigation.

“We have several cases filed in court, apart from those with convictions, reaching thousands. In the last year, we have received over 17,000 petitions in the EFCC. And currently, as I am speaking, we are investigating over 20,000 cases.

Between last October and now, we have opened over 4,800 new cases. And what is our staff count? We are less than 5,000. Now, with the additional responsibility of over 700 MDAs, 36 states, 774 local governments, and all of that,” he added.

 

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National police week: Imo CP engages stakeholders on security partnership

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The Imo State Police Command has advocated the need for stakeholders to continue engaging relevant agencies with a view to strengthening the fight against criminal activities in the State.

The call was made by the State Police Commissioner, Aboki Dajuma during a security meeting with stakeholders in marking the 2025 National Police Week.

The event, with the theme “Strengthening Collaborative Security Efforts for a Safer Imo State,” was aimed at enhancing collaboration between security agencies and the public in ensuring public peace.

Key stakeholders across the State, including Traditional Rulers, Heads of Security Agencies in the State, representatives of Religious Leaders and other relevant bodies were in attendance.

The Commissioner of Police emphasized the importance of synergy among security agencies, highlighting recent successes such as dismantling sit-at-home threats, arresting over 2,000 suspects, recovering 65 firearms, 15 stolen vehicles, and rescuing 12 kidnapped victims.

He also acknowledged the support of Governor Hope Uzodinma, who he said has been instrumental in the achievements recorded so far.

In his remark, Gen. Joseph Ogbonna, rtd, representing the Governor, commended the police and other security agencies for their role in restoring peace to troubled areas in the State.

He reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to supporting security agencies and stressed the importance of continued collaboration to ensure lasting peace across the State.

Presentations at the meeting focused on community policing and intelligence-sharing, with the common phrase, “See Something, Say Something”, as an effective tool for community policing.

 

Speakers emphasized the crucial role of citizens in supporting the police and enhancing security.

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Lagos Court Jails Man Three Months for Non-Declaration of $30,000 at Airport

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Justice Deinde I. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, convicted and sentenced Okunfulure Olusola Steve to three Months imprisonment for money laundering.

The convict was arrested on March 28, 2025 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos by operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, for false currency declaration to the tune of $30,0000.

The NCS had, on Friday, March 28, 2025, handed him over to the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Okotie Eboh, Ikoyi, Lagos for further investigations.

Consequently, he was arraigned on Wednesday on one-count charge bordering on money laundering.

The count reads: “That you, Okunfulure Olusola Steve, on the 28th day of March, 2025 in Lagos, within the Jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, failed to make a declaration of the sum of $20,000 (Twenty Thousand United States Dollars) to the Nigerian Customs Service at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, and thereby committed an offence Contrary to and Punishable under Section 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

The defendant pleaded “guilty” to the charge when it was read to him.

Following his guilty plea, prosecution counsel, C.C. Okezie called on Felicia Paul, an operative of the EFCC, to review the facts of the case.

 

Paul, while giving details of how she knew the defendant, told the court that the NCS handed him over to the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC on Friday, March 28, 2025.

Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Paul also told the court that the defendant was arrested with the sum of $30,000, which he failed to declare. She further told the court that “ his statement was recorded under caution and was served with the bail conditions.”

Thereafter, she identified the defendant’s statement, the handing-over note from the NCS, the arresting officer’s statement as well as the sum of $30,000(Thirty Thousand US Dollars) to the EFCC.

Okozie then sought to tender, in evidence, the documents.

Justice Dipeolu admitted and marked them as exhibits 1,2,3 and 4 and held that “ I have read the exhibits, the statement of the defendant, and I found him guilty. He is accordingly convicted as charged.”

Okezie thereafter prayed that the undeclared sum of $20,000 be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria and that the defendant be jailed.

Defence counsel, Joel Ogundere, while addressing the court, said that the defendant “is a first-time offender and is not aware of the disclosure policy . He is a family man and has responsibilities. His bank account shows the legitimacy of the funds.”

He also prayed the court to “ magnanimously waive any prison sentence”, adding that the convict would not mind forfeiting the sum of money or pay a fine.

Justice Dipeolu convicted and sentenced the defendant to three months imprisonment, with effect from the date of his arrest on March 28,2025. The Judge also ordered that the money be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Steve, a departing passenger on Delta Airline to Atlanta, United States had declared that he was not in possession of any sum of money in foreign currency but in Naira, while being profiled at the Currency Declaration Desk.

However, the sum of $30,000 undeclared was found on him during a search conducted by operatives of the NCS.

He was subsequently handed over to the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC for further investigations, a development that led to his arraignment and conviction.

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Nigerians in US to protest at White House over emergency rule in Rivers State

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A coalition of Nigerian activists in the United States, under the Democratic Movement, DM, has called on global leaders, the United Nations and the African Union to intervene in what it described as a blatant attack on democracy in Rivers State.

The pro-democracy movement also announced a planned rally at the United States White House to protest the declaration of emergency rule in the oil-rich state.

The coalition is demanding the reversal of the emergency rule imposed on Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu, the reinstatement of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and the restoration of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

The group also called on President Donald Trump to engage with Nigerian authorities and call for the immediate restoration of constitutional order.

A statement, on Thursday by the Coalition, signed by Cosmos Achief, its President, said the protest to the US white house aims to draw global attention to the “direct assault on democracy and the will of the people.”

The statement read, “We cannot sit back while an elected governor is removed, an entire legislature is suspended, and an unelected administrator is imposed. These are dangerous precedents that threaten Nigeria’s democracy,” he said.

The coalition said the protest will take place in Washington, D.C., with demonstrators marching to the White House and the U.S. Department of State to submit petitions demanding international intervention.

“The world needs to see what is happening in Rivers State. A democratically elected government has been suspended under the guise of emergency rule. We are urging President Donald Trump to engage with Nigerian authorities and call for the immediate restoration of constitutional order,” the statement added.

“The president must understand that his actions could lead to serious diplomatic consequences. This move is a step toward dictatorship, and Nigeria risks facing international sanctions if democratic principles are not respected,” Achief warned.

The demonstration is expected to draw the attention of Nigerians in the diaspora, civil rights activists, and supporters of democracy who share concerns about governance in Nigeria.

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