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REVEALED: How FG Engaged US Firm To Recover Illicit Funds ‘Linked’ To Atiku, Fayose, Obanikoro In 2021

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The federal government, in 2021, engaged the services of a US firm to recover illicit funds allegedly traced to the account of Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

According to TheCable, The firm was also contracted to retrieve such funds from the accounts of Ayodele Fayose, former Ekiti governor, and Musiliu Obanikoro, a former senator.

In a memo marked HAGF/AABIOLA/USA/2021/VOL.1/1 — and dated May 31, 2021 — Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), engaged Akib Abiola as the lead recovery agent to recover the funds on behalf of the federal government.

In the letter of engagement, Malami said the stolen assets are currently under forfeiture proceedings.

“Following the proposal submitted by Mr. Akib Abiola. (hereinafter “Lead Recovery Agent”) vide letter dated 9 March and 6 May 2021 respectively, please be informed that the federal government of Nigeria has engaged you to recover the funds traced to the accounts located in the United States of America and belonging to the individuals listed in paragraph 2 of this engagement letter (hereinafter illicit funds),” the letter reads.

“The scope of the engagement is for the recovery of the illicit funds traced to Mr. Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Ayo Fayose, And Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro in the United States of America.”

Abiola was given the responsibility of “instituting an action severally or jointly against Atiku Abubakar, his family and associates towards recovering the stolen assets due to the FGN from the proceeds of crime currently under a forfeiture proceeding at the United States”.

Other responsibilities include “identifying and providing information to the undersigned (Malami) about any assets subject or likely to be subject to forfeiture proceedings in the United States of America, limited to Mr. Ayo Fayose (former governor of Ekiti States) and Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro (former minister of state for defence and former High commissioner to Ghana)”.

The lead recovery agent was also mandated to negotiate settlements, sign letters, and agreements, and work in collaboration with the AGF for the purpose of recovering the funds.

The AGF noted that “where lead recovery agent and its partner solicitors identifies any other assets (financial or otherwise) which may be pursued as a recovery prospect, it shall bring such information to the attention of the undersigned (Malami) for express approval before proceeding with any legal processes towards the recovery and repatriation of such asset”.

According to the AGF, the lead recovery agent is entitled to a “success fee” amounting to five percent of “actual recoveries made and remitted to the designated accounts” of the federal government.

“This fee shall be paid in respect of cash recovery within sixty (60) days of the collective receipt of same by the federal government of Nigeria,” the letter reads.

“The aforesaid success fee shall be deemed to cover all the expenses incurred by the lead recovery agent and any agents or associates contracted by your firm in the course of its engagement. For the avoidance of doubt, the federal government of Nigeria will not enter separate terms of engagement with such agents, associates, attorneys or sub-contractors.”

Credit: The Cable

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NDLEA Seizes Lipsticks Stuffed With Drugs At Lagos Airport [VIDEO]

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Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have uncovered another batch of female lipsticks containing illegal drugs at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

Femi Babafemi, the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, revealed this in a post shared on his X (formerly Twitter) page on Sunday.

He also urged Nigerians, particularly women, to be extremely vigilant when purchasing or accepting beauty products, especially from unfamiliar sellers or dubious online platforms.

The statement read, Ladies beware! It does appear like female lipstick is becoming attractive as an instrument for concealment and trafficking now with yet another consignment of factory fitted female lipsticks stuffed with illicit substances intercepted at MMIA barely a week after @ndlea_nigeria officers uncovered a similar cargo at a courier company in Lagos.

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JUST IN: Former President Buhari Dies In London Clinic

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Former Nigerian leader, Muhammadu Buhari, passed away on Sunday.

His longtime media aide, Garba Shehu, confirmed the news in a brief statement issued on Sunday afternoon, stating that the former president died at a clinic in London.

Shehu’s message, distributed to the media, read:
“INNA LILLAHI WA INNA ILAIHIRRAJIUUN. The family of the former president has announced the passing on of the former president, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, this afternoon in a clinic in London. May Allah accept him in Aljannatul Firdaus, Amin.”

The statement concluded with the date: July 13, 2025.

Although the cause of death was not disclosed, Buhari, who held office from 2015 to 2023, had frequently sought medical care in the United Kingdom during and after his time as president.

Buhari, a retired Major General in the Nigerian Army, first led Nigeria as a military head of state from 1983 to 1985. Decades later, he was elected president through a democratic process. He made history as the first opposition candidate to unseat a sitting president in Nigeria.

Funeral plans have not yet been made public.

 

More to come…

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No Effective Governance Without Full Local Government Autonomy — Femi Gbajabiamila

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The Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has stated that governance at the local government level cannot be effective without complete autonomy.

He made the remark while addressing journalists after voting in the Lagos State local government elections in Surulere on Saturday.

When asked about the progress of implementing the LG autonomy ruling by the Supreme Court one year after it was delivered, Gbajabiamila described the process as ongoing and said it would be completed with time.

Gbajabiamila said, “The ruling was welcome by everybody. It’s the execution of that ruling and the implementation of that ruling that we are still trying to dot the Is and cross the Ts.

“I believe in a matter of time, we will realise full autonomy. There cannot be effective governance without full autonomy. That’s what we are working toward.”

In July 2024, the Supreme Court granted autonomy to all 774 local government areas across the country following a case filed by the federal government through the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation. However, the ruling is yet to be fully implemented.

Following the judgement, the Senate urged state and local governments to immediately adhere to the court’s directive, especially regarding local government accounts and direct fund disbursements.

The Senate also moved to amend relevant sections of the Constitution to ensure full local government autonomy nationwide.

The announcement was made by Deputy Senate President Senator Jibrin Barau, after lawmakers emerged from a closed-door session where they discussed alleged efforts by some state governments to bypass the Supreme Court’s ruling on July 11.

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