Connect with us


BIG STORY

N1.2bn Lagos Home, 6 Others Traced To Fayose From 2014 + How Lagos Socialite Lady Gave Him Out.

Published

on

Fayose Dull

No fewer than seven houses have allegedly been purchased by Governor Ayo Fayose since he returned to power in 2014, sources close to the investigation of the Ekiti State helmsman have revealed.

And some of them, including one worth N1.2 billion in Lagos State, were said to have had their transactions handled for Fayose by his close ally, Abiodun Agbele, who is popularly called Abbey.

Agbele was arrested on June 27 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

According to The Eagle Online, Agbele’s arrest was facilitated by a socialite Lagos-based lady, who is close to Fayose and simply identified as Oyin, when he went to pick up the papers for the N1.2 billion house located on Victoria Island.

The documents were meant to be altered so they do not read Fayose’s name again.

However, when Agbele got to the office of Oyin, whose business name is said to be “Safe Haven”, the lady kept him waiting until operatives of the EFCC, whom she had informed of his presence by telephone, arrived.

It was gathered that the EFCC had also closed in on Oyin over some of the Fayose deals and the only saving grace for her was to deliver Agbele to the anti-graft agency.

Oyin allegedly facilitated the purchase of the Victoria Island property.

However, new report says Agbele is alleging from EFCC’s detention facility in Abuja that he is being coerced into implicating Fayose.

Recall that it was earlier reported that when Agbele was detained in Lagos, he only volunteered a two-page statement to the EFCC.

In the statement, he insisted that it was Zenith Bank Plc that bankrolled the 2014 election of Fayose.

However, after a failed bid to obtain a court-sanctioned 30-day detention of Agbele failed in Lagos, the governor’s ally was moved to Abuja.

Sources said he has since arriving in the Abuja facility of the EFCC made statements implicating Fayose.

Agbele, is, however, saying that he was being forced to implicate Fayose.

It was alleged he may not be off the hook of the anti-graft agency soon as the EFCC is said to be pressurising him to implicate Fayose as a condition for his release from detention.

Agbele, who was invited to come to the EFCC office in Abuja, was arrested by operatives of the anti-corruption agency in Lagos on June 27 and is still being detained by the EFCC.

He is being detained as part of the EFCC’s investigation of a sum of N4.7 billion allegedly received from the Office of the National Security Adviser through the former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.

Accounts of Governor Fayose in Zenith Bank Plc have been frozen by the EFCC over the development.

Informed sources in the EFCC disclosed that Agbele was said to have insisted initially that he did not receive any money from Senator Obanikoro or anyone from the NSA office under retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki.

Sources said he only wrote a two-page statement while in the Lagos office of the EFCC.

“EFCC appears to be at crossroad now because Agbele was said to have maintained that he won’t lie against himself by saying what did not happen. Agbele was said to be insisting that funds only got into his account through Zenith Bank, donations and not from the NSA office,” the source said.

It should be recalled that Governor Fayose had stated that his election was funded by Zenith Bank Plc, fund raising, donations from friends and associates as well as sales of campaign souvenirs.

He said further that he had no financial transaction whatsoever with the ONSA under Dasuki and Obanikoro either by cash, cheque or electronic transfer.

The governor also challenged EFCC to publish statements made by Senator Obanikoro, his son or any other person associated with money from the NSA office where they claimed they gave him money for the election, adding that what the anti-corruption agency was doing was part of the grand plot to intimidate and harass him into submission.

The source added: “Agbele was said to have told the EFCC that money was transferred to his account by Zenith Bank and it was Governor Fayose that introduced him to Zenith Bank as part of the bank’s arrangement to fund his election.

“He has also said that he was not a politician and that he never had any financial dealing with Obanikoro or the former NSA, Colonel Sambo Dasuki.

“However, EFCC is only interested in getting a link between funds allegedly received from the NSA office and Governor Fayose and Agbele is believed to be the only one that can provide that link.

“Thus, Agbele may have been given the option of either making statements to implicate Governor Fayose by creating the needed link or remain incarcerated for as along as they desired.”

BIG STORY

Lagos State Government To Concession Red And Blue Line Rails For Sustainability, Loan Repayment

Published

on

The Lagos State Government has announced plans to concession the operations of the Red and Blue Line rail systems to the private sector in order to ensure their sustainability and repay loans taken for the rail projects.

This announcement was made by the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, during a recent TVC News interview, where he discussed the measures being implemented to ensure the continued viability of the state’s rail systems.

Osiyemi explained that the concessioning process would involve transferring the operations of the rail systems to private sector players for a defined period. This approach is intended to ensure the continued operation and effective management of the rail projects.

“The ultimate game is for all our rail systems we’ve done—that is, the Red Line and Blue Line—there is going to be some concessionairing with the private sector for a period of time to ensure sustainability and continuity,” he stated.

He added, “The concessioning would help pay back the loans taken for the rail projects.”

The commissioner emphasized that the concessioning strategy aims to ensure efficient operations and long-term financial sustainability, in line with the state’s vision for a world-class transportation network.

  • More Insight

Osiyemi further highlighted the substantial financial and technical challenges involved in operating rail systems, describing them as capital-intensive projects that require significant resources and specialized expertise.

To tackle these challenges and build local capacity, he noted that the Lagos State Government has enlisted foreign partners to temporarily manage the operations of the trains.

These partners are expected to not only ensure smooth operations during their tenure but also transfer critical skills to Nigerian personnel. The plan includes a structured training program lasting one to two years, after which the management of the rail systems will be fully handed over to local operators.

“What we have done is we have consulted foreign partners who, of course, would run these trains for a particular period of time and train our people—that is, transfer of skills.”

“They will train our people for one to two years, then hand over for our own management,” Osiyemi explained.

  • Things You Should Know

The Lagos State Government, under its Lagos Strategic Transport Master Plan, has set out an ambitious vision to develop a network of rail systems across the state.

Currently, only the first phases of the Red Line and Blue Line rail systems have been completed, with passenger services already in operation.

The Blue Line is a 27km electric rail line designed for sustainable operations. Its first phase, covering 13km from Lagos Marina to Mile 2, was completed in 2023 and began commercial operations in September, carrying over 2 million passengers to date.

The Red Line, spanning 37km from Agbado in Ogun State to Oyingbo in Lagos, operates on diesel. Its first phase, a 27km stretch, includes eight strategically located stations: Agbado, Iju, Agege, Ikeja, Oshodi, Mushin, Yaba, and Oyingbo.

The construction of the second phases of both the Red Line and Blue Line rail systems is being managed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), which also oversees the operation of the trains.

Beyond the Red and Blue Lines, the state has plans for additional rail systems, including the 68km Green Line (Lekki Free Trade Zone to Marina), the 85.7km Purple Line (Redemption Camp to Ojo), the 48km Orange Line (Ikeja CBD to Agbowa), and the Yellow Line, all aimed at enhancing the state’s transportation network.

Continue Reading

BIG STORY

Lagos Commissioner Tokunbo Wahab Condoles With Families Of Epe Accident Victims

Published

on

Condolence Message from the Honourable Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Lagos State, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab.

I am deeply saddened by the tragic incident that occurred in our community, Epe, claiming the lives of two promising young adults, a dedicated tricycle driver, and leaving several other people injured. This heartbreaking accident has left our hearts heavy, as we mourn the loss of these young souls who were full of hope and dreams, and an industrious individual who worked tirelessly for his livelihood.

As a member of this community, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families and friends affected by this terrible loss. I can only imagine the pain you must feel, and I want you to know that you are not alone in this moment of grief.

Let us honor the memories of these individuals by advocating for safety and awareness on our roads. As we move forward, may we find comfort in community and strength in one another. May their souls rest in peace, and may their families find solace and healing in the days to come.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.

Continue Reading

BIG STORY

JUST IN: Monday Okpebholo Sworn In As Edo State Governor

Published

on

Monday Okpebholo, a serving senator, has been sworn in as the governor of Edo State.

Okpebholo took his oath of office at about 1pm on Tuesday during the inauguration ceremony in Benin, the state capital.

As the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Okpebholo won the September 21 off-cycle governorship election in the state.

He polled 291,667 votes to defeat Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who came second with 247,274 votes.

Olumide Akpata, the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), came third with 22,763 votes.

Dennis Idahosa was also sworn in as the deputy governor of Edo.

Dignitaries, including Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, chair of the governors’ forum; Philip Shaibu, reinstated deputy governor of Edo; and other governors from the party, were present as Okpebholo took the oath of office.

The new governor later rode in an open-top van around the stadium, acknowledging cheers from supporters.

Continue Reading



 

Join Us On Facebook

Most Popular