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Airport Video Footage Reveals How Obanikoro Loaded Plane With N1.29billion For Fayose [DETAILS]

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FAYOSE-KORO

Fresh insights into how Musiliu Obanikoro allegedly loaded a chartered aircraft with N1, 299, 490b for transfer to Governor Ayodele Fayose through an associate, Abiodun Agbele has been revealed.

The cash was transferred through HS125-800 5N-BMT belonging to Gyro Air Limited.

According to The Nation, the first flight was filled with N724.5million cash to the extent that there was no seat for any crew member or the ex-Minister.

It was during the second flight with N494.990m that Obanikoro, his Aide-de-Camp, Lieutenant Colonel A.O Adewale, and crew member joined the trip to Akure Airport.

Records indicated yesterday that for each of the trip, Obanikoro paid $12,500 making a total of $25,000.

The EFCC has retrieved the footage details of Obanikoro’s movement at the airport and the flight schedule of the aircraft.

According to fresh evidence obtained by the EFCC, the ex-Minister had defied security gate at the airport in Lagos to move a bullion van to the apron of the chartered wing to off-load the cash.

Although the security men at the airport resisted the use of the security gate, the ex-Minister ordered soldiers to break all barriers for the bullion van to get to the apron.

A reliable source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Contrary to his attacks on EFCC, we have retrieved the footage and details of how he ordered soldiers to break the barriers at the reserved security gate at Lagos Airport for a bullion van to go to the apron of the chartered service wing.

“He defied security men at the airport and refused to subject the bullion van to any screening contrary to aviation rules. In fact, apart from financial crimes, the ex-Minister and his accomplices have outstanding allegations against them for violating aviation safety rules or regulations.

“The aircraft made two shuttles to Akure Airport on June 17, 2014. Our investigation revealed that during the first flight, about N724.5million was offloaded from the bullion into the aircraft. The cash occupied all the space to the extent that there was nowhere to sit by the crew and the ex-Minister.

“But when the balance of N494.990m was loaded into the aircraft for the second trip, Obanikoro, his ADC, one highly-placed person from the South-West, and the crew were able to make the trip.

“Let him continue to make noise in the United States instead of coming home to clear his name. We have interacted with the aviation staff on ground on the said date. We have identified the owner of the aircraft to be a member of the sacked management of Skye Bank Plc.”

Meanwhile, there were indications yesterday that the ex-Minister paid $25,000 for the two flights to Akure at $12,500 each.

Another source confirmed that the aircraft belonged a member of the sacked management of Skye Bank Plc.

“We have evidence of the payment of $25,000 to Gyro Air Limited for the two flights to Akure. And Zenith Bank confirmed how Fayose’s associate, Agbele, brought the cash into its branch in Akure to keep as sundry funds.”

Responding to a question, the source said: “From our findings, the Minister and Fayose fought over N80million missing from the total cash.

“They had a shouting match until reasons prevailed between the two politicians on the whereabouts of the N80million.”

An Investigating Officer of the EFCC, Tosin Owobo during the week opened up at the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti on how the N1, 299,490,000.00 was wired into Governor Ayodele Fayose’s accounts by one of his associates, Abiodun Agbele.

Owobo, who swore to an affidavit, said: “That the total sum of N 1, 219,490,000 (One billion, two hundred and nineteen million, four hundred and ninety thousand naira) was conveyed to Akure Airport by Senator Obanikoro through a chartered aircraft with Registration No: HS125-800 5N-BMT belonging to Gyro Air Limited.”

“That on the 17th day of June, 2014, Mr. Alade Oluseye in the company of one Abiodun Agbele a front of the Applicant (Fayose), went to the Akure Airport wherein they took cash delivery of the sum of N724,500,000.00 from Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and his acclaimed Aide-de-Camp Lieutenant Colonel A.O Adewale.

“That on the 18th day of June, 2014, another sum of N494, 990,000 was also delivered to Mr. Alade Oluseye by the said Minister in the same manner.

“ That the total sum of N 1, 219,490,000 (One billion, two hundred and nineteen million, four hundred and ninety thousand naira) was conveyed to Akure Airport by Senator Obanikoro through a chartered aircraft with Registration No: HS125-800 5N-BMT belonging to Gyro Air Limited.”

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Doyin Okupe Reacts To Peter Obi’s Viral Video, Says I Cannot Support Him Again

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Doyin Okupe, the former director-general of the Labour Party (LP) presidential campaign in 2023, says he “cannot support” Peter Obi again.

Okupe spoke on Monday during an interview with Seun Okinbaloye on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

He was reacting to a viral clip of Obi commenting on how the country’s economic situation offers little relief to people in the south-west, despite President Bola Tinubu being from the zone.

“Let us talk about what is happening today. Rice is about N100,000. We are not even sure where we are going to be. ‘It’s our turn’, ‘he is a Yoruba man’ — ask the people in Ogun, here is there any place you people buy bread cheaper?” Obi said in the viral clip.

The video generated mixed reactions on social media, with some supporting Obi’s comments while others criticised him.

Adding his voice to the criticism, Okupe described the former LP presidential candidate’s remark as an “insult” to people in the south-west.

He said Obi’s statement publicly demeaned the south-west, even though “eminent Yoruba people” had supported him during his presidential campaign in 2023.

“When Obi made that statement, it insulted us. I am a Yoruba man; I left everything and followed Obi.

“For the first time, Obasanjo left his circle of influence and deviated to support Obi,” Okupe said.

“I do not regret supporting Peter Obi. But now I cannot do it again. The reason why I did it was because we agreed that a southern president must emerge.

“I was approached that if a southern president must emerge, which zone must it come to? I said the south-east.

“If all these eminent Yoruba people supported you, why now bring us down publicly? It is wrong.”

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Lagos Muslim Cleric Bags Life Jail For Raping 14-Yr-Old Girl Inside Mosque

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Alani Rafiu, a Muslim cleric, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court for raping a 14-year-old girl inside a mosque.

Justice Rahman Oshodi delivered the verdict on Monday, after finding Rafiu guilty of child defilement. The cleric was arraigned on October 28, 2021, for having sexual intercourse with the teenager, but pleaded not guilty, leading to a trial.

During the trial, the prosecution, led by B. Boye, presented three witnesses, including the victim, who testified against Rafiu. The prosecution provided compelling evidence, including the victim’s testimony and medical reports, which revealed a calculated pattern of predatory behavior by the cleric.

Justice Oshodi emphasized that Rafiu’s actions were particularly egregious due to his position of trust as a religious instructor and family friend.

The judge stated that the gravity of the offence could not be overstated, as Rafiu exploited the victim’s vulnerability and betrayed the trust placed in him.

“The gravity of your offence cannot be overstated. You betrayed the trust placed in you as a religious instructor and family friend.

“Instead of nurturing and protecting a vulnerable 14-year-old child entrusted to your spiritual care, you repeatedly sexually abused her in a place of worship.

“This conduct is criminal and represents a profound violation of secular and religious principles,” he said.

Oshodi further held that the evidence revealed a calculated pattern of predatory behaviour, as the convict deliberately isolated the child, exploited her vulnerability, and bought her silence with money.

“The evidence revealed a calculated pattern of predatory behaviour. You deliberately isolated the child, exploited her vulnerability, and bought her silence with money.

“The physical and psychological trauma inflicted on this young girl is immeasurable. At an age when she should have been focused on her education and development, she was subjected to experiences that no child should endure,” the judge held.

Oshodi also stated that having carefully considered all the evidence before the court, there was compelling and consistent proof establishing that the prosecutrix was indeed a child below the age of 18 years at the time of the alleged offence in May 2021.

He said the evidence manifested through multiple sources.

Oshodi said, “When the prosecutrix testified before this court, she stated that she was 15 years old and 14 when the alleged incident occurred.

“Notably, she was still attending primary school then, explicitly saying she was in Primary 3.

“The prosecutrix’s educational level, being in Primary 3, at the time of her testimony, while not determinative of age, provides supporting circumstantial evidence consistent with her being a young teenager rather than an adult.

“The consistency of these multiple sources of evidence – the police and guardian testimony, the prosecutrix’s evidence, and circumstantial evidence – all converge to establish beyond reasonable doubt that the prosecutrix was 14 years old at the time of the alleged offence in May 2021.

“The defence led no evidence to contradict these age-related facts, nor was the prosecutrix’s age challenged during cross-examination of any of the prosecution witnesses”.

The judge said the prosecutrix provided a detailed, firsthand account of sexual intercourse with the convict.

“Her testimony was specific. She offered a detailed sequential account of the sexual assault. She testified that at the mosque (where the convict, whom she referred to as Alfa), isolated her. He would then lock the door, remove her underwear, and instruct her to lie on the floor.

“She explicitly stated that Rafiu would then insert his penis into her vagina. When asked about frequency, she confirmed this occurred three times.

“She further testified that these acts would result in bleeding, which the convict would have her clean with a handkerchief. Afterwards, he would instruct her to put her underwear back on before taking her outside,” he said.

According to Oshodi, this testimony provides a direct account of penile-vaginal penetration, with specific details about the sequence of events, location, frequency, and aftermath of the sexual acts.

“The prosecutrix maintained during cross-examination that this occurred three times, explicitly stating, “He had sex with me three times.”

The judge noted that the prosecutrix testimony remained consistent even when challenged about the timeframe, clarifying that these incidents occurred.

He said the medical evidence further strengthened the evidence of sexual intercourse. It reports that the transection found in the prosecutrix’s vagina was “consistent with forceful penetrative injury to the [prosecutrix’s] anus and vagina”.

Before passing down the verdict, Oshodi said, “What makes your conduct particularly egregious is your abuse of religious authority and the sacred space of a mosque to perpetrate these violations.

“Places of worship should be sanctuaries of safety and spiritual growth, not venues for the exploitation of children.

“The medical evidence and the prosecutrix’s testimony paint a disturbing picture of the physical harm you caused.

The bleeding she experienced and your callous provision of a handkerchief to clean up the evidence of your abuse demonstrate a shocking disregard for her well-being.

“This court must protect children from sexual predators and send a clear message that such conduct will be met with the full force of the law.

“The sentence must reflect society’s abhorrence of child sexual abuse and serve as a deterrent to others who might contemplate similar crimes.

“Therefore, I now sentence you to life imprisonment by section 137 of the Criminal Law. Furthermore, under sections 33 and 38 of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency Law, 2021, I order that you be registered as a sex offender in the Sex Offenders Register maintained by the Lagos State Government,” he held.

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UPDATE: Minors Freed As Court Strikes Out Suit Against 119 #EndBadGovernance Protesters

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A federal high court in Abuja has struck out the suit against 119 protesters charged over the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest.

Obiora Egwuatu, the presiding judge, dismissed the case following an application by M.D. Abubakar, counsel to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

Abubakar had requested permission to take over and discontinue the suit.

During the session on Tuesday, Abubakar asked the court to allow the AGF to take over the charge.

This development comes just hours after President Bola Tinubu directed the attorney-general and law enforcement to release all minors detained over the protest.

As of the time of reporting, all the minors have been freed.

 

More to come…

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