BY ANTHONY OCHELA, ABUJA 

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed November 26 for the trial of the chief executives of Telecom Satellites Limited, TSTV, on charges of advanced fee fraud, money laundering and tax evasion brought against them by the federal government. 

The TSTV executives are Dr Bright Echefu, who is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, and Dr Felix Igboanugo, Executive Director of the telecom satellites company. 

Justice Ekwo was said to be out of Abuja on official engagement on July 15 when their trial was to begin by the Economic and Finance Crimes Commission, EFCC, on behalf of the federal government. 

The registrar of the court had told lawyers, defendants and other litigants that a date for the trial would be communicated to them by the judge upon his return to Abuja. 

However, Justice Ekwo in a notice of trial date communicated to the two defendants, said November 26 had been scheduled for the EFCC to open the case against them. 

The November date was said to have been picked by the judge, following the yearly vacation of the court that will end in October. 

The TSTV executives were put on trial alongside TSTV and another company, Briechberg Investment Limited by the EFCC on nine-count criminal charges. 

Part of the charges are that the two men on May 18, 2020, committed money laundering, tax evasion, unremitted VAT, Company Income Tax and Pay-As-You-Earn, PAYE, deducted from the salaries of 165 workers.

The prosecution said the offences were punishable under Section 15 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011, as amended in 2012.

They were alleged to have on May 18, 2020, diverted to their personal use, N33.9 million, N13.5 million and N19.4 million tax payable to the federal government, in breach of Section 15 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act. 

Specifically, Dr Echefu, who is the first defendant, was alleged to have defrauded a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Turaki Tanimu, of N960 million under false pretences. 

The charge indicated that Echefu, while acting as the managing director of Briechberg Investment Limited, on May 18, 2020, with intent to defraud obtained N150 million from Tanimu, who is the managing director of Kalsiyam Farm, as loan to acquire modern equipment for his telecom company. 

The money was said to have been paid into Briechberg Investment Limited account number 1015561485 domiciled at Zenith Bank. 

On the same day, the defendant was said to have obtained another N380 million paid into the same account for the same purpose, while another N400 million was also allegedly secured by the accused the same day and for the same purpose from Tanimu, who is also the MD of BYI General, and paid into the same account. 

On the same May 18, 2020, Tanimu, while acting as managing director of K.T Turaki, made two payments of N15 million each into Briechberg Investment Limited bank account belonging to Dr Echefu for the same purpose. 

Meanwhile, the defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them. 

Sylvanus Tahir (SAN) is prosecuting the case for the federal government, while Eyitayo Fatigun (SAN) is the defence counsel.

From HASSAN JIRGI Damaturu 

Yobe State government has commenced the free distribution of agricultural empowerment equipment and implements recently launched in Damaturu to beneficiaries in Zone A. 

The distribution is scheduled to be carried out in three phases in the three senatorial zones.

A statement signed by the Director of Press and Media Affairs to the governor, Mamman Mohammed, stated that beneficiaries were drawn from each political ward in every local government to provide equal opportunities to all.

It added that thorough profiling was conducted to ensure that only genuine farmers who are actively engaged in agriculture benefit from the exercise to improve agricultural production for food sufficiency and security.

The statement added that the state government procured 100 tractors, 300 sets of ox-drawn ploughs, 1,349 hand push planters, 889 hand push plough machines, 4,202 solar powered irrigation water pumps, 5,349 goats, 590 hand push tillers, 72,000 bags of fertilizer, and assorted seeds among others.

Governor Mai Mala Buni has warned against selling of the implements, directing security operatives to arrest anyone cross the borders with the equipment.

“We must have value for our money, the equipment must be used here to guarantee food sufficiency, food security and promote economic prosperity through agriculture,” he said.

By Blessing Otobong-Gabriel 

Member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential Campaign Council for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Jesutega Onokpasa said a former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello and his Kaduna State counterpart, Nasir el-Rufai would have calmed the violent demonstration in the northern part of the country if they were not being persecuted and inundated with unsubstantiated charges.

Onokpasa said the former governors, in their characteristic manner, would have taken up the task of speaking up for President Bola Tinubu, calmed frayed nerves and ensure that peace reigns in the region.

The APC chieftain made this known in a video clip while lambasting appointees of President Tinubu who are from the north for failing to take any action in defending his government and ensuring sanity among participants of the nationwide protest.

According to the lawyer, many appointees of President Tinubu, especially those from the north, do not really love him and neither do they support his government

He added that all they did was to paint Bello and el-Rufai black by cooking up unfounded rumour that the former governors and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, were sponsoring the nationwide protest and that they were behind the display of Russian flags by some northern protesters.

Dismissing the allegations by one Jackson Ude that the former governors, conniving with Matawalle and the Chief Personal Security Officer to President Tinubu, were behind calls for military coup by the protesters, Onokpasa expressed disappointment that some idle appointees of Tinubu and APC loyalists had been parroting the rumour even when they were supposed to be synergising on how to restore normalcy in the country in the wake of the nationwide protest. 

He chieftain described Bello and el-Rufai as true BATists who contributed immensely to the emergence of President Tinubu, maintaining that if the duo were not encumbered with politically motivated issues, they would have risen to the violent demonstration in the north, restored calm and assured them of the good intentions of President Tinubu.

Calling on APC supporters and appointees of the Federal Government to maintain caution over unfounded speculations and hearsays that might further divide the ruling party, Onokpasa stressed that Bello, El-Rufai, Matawalle and others mentioned in the alleged plot against Tinubu were known strong supporters of Tinubu who assiduously supported him to electoral victory and still work for his success.

“Those of you in our party listening to this ‘dem say, dem say crap’ saying our brothers (Yahaya Bello and Nasir El-Rufai) are planning against Asiwaju. The people that Jackson Udeh mentioned – Yahaya Bello, Nasir el-Rufai, Bello Matawalle – these are the people that were very very close to former President Muhammadu Buhari. They were the three people that sued him (Buhari) over naira scarcity and redesign that Emefiele did to make us lose election. They are the ones who sued (Buhari) in support of President Tinubu. They were critical to us winning election. 

“Then, an Obedient mentions them, without no evidence, he says they are responsible (for nationwide protest), Yahaya Bello of all people, Nasir el-Rufai. These idiots are trying to divide us and some of us Batists, some of us APC supporters, some of us in Asiwaju government are so stupid, so idiotic as to allow them to divide us. We are falling apart like this. How many of us are there? How many of us won this election? We won election not because we are spectacular, we won election because God wanted Asiwaju to be President. We won by the lowest margin since 1999. I am a Catholic and it is so clear to me that God made Asiwaju President despite all the odds and these people (Bello, El-Rufai, Matawalle) they are mentioning were crucial in us winning that election,” he said.

Onokpasa warned against pull-him-down down syndrome in APC, lamenting that the party was gradually falling apart. He called on all genuine Batists and supporters of APC to desist from persecuting and painting Yahaya Bello and Nasir el-Rufai bad, saying no amount of their evil ploys against the duo would take away their huge commitments in the presidency of Tinubu.

He also knocked some appointees of President Tinubu who had been silent on the nationwide protest, especially in the north, saying, “Those we have in critical appointments in government, what have they been saying? Have you heard from them? I am asking you my fellow APC members. How they even got across to a notorious Obedient like Jackson Ude, an anti-Tinubu character like that, in the midst of this nationwide protest when we should be synergizing and support our President, we are further tearing ourselves apart?

“Yahaya Bello and El-Rufai did not see anything to do, it is to be sharing flags? Shame on all of you, crazy people in this party. May God uproot all of you from our midst; you are not Batists; you are not Progressives, you don’t love Asiwaju, you don’t love President Tinubu. God will remove you. God will separate all of you from our President.”

Nigerian graduate who wrote the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, 17 times, Dr Emmanuel Ahmadu, said he bagged an award in the US on August 3.

Ahmadu told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, yesterday that he was recognised as a Global Mental Health Advocate by the Marquis Who’s Who 2024 in America.

NAN reports that Ahmadu, on June 8, received an honorary Doctorate Degree in International Affairs, DIA, from Global Seminary University, New York,  in collaboration with GEPEA University, Portugal.

This prestigious recognition acknowledged his significant contributions to promoting peace, sustainable mental wellness and hope globally.

In addition, he was honoured as a Professional Doctoral Fellow by The Across Global Institute of Foreign Languages, AGIFL, for his outstanding leadership and global achievements in mental healthcare.

According to him, this honour places him in the calibre of past honorees like President Joe Biden,  Prof. Wole Soyinka, Oprah Winfrey and Bill Gates.

Ahmadu said his remarkable journey, marked by resilience and determination, had earned him the Marquis Who’s Who in America recognition as a 2024 honoree for his significant impact on mental health advocacy.

“My recognition as a 2024 listee of Marquis Who’s Who in America is a testament to my unwavering commitment to mental health advocacy and global influence in promoting mental well-being.

“This honour underscores my exceptional contributions and serves as an inspiration to countless individuals worldwide who are struggling with hopelessness, depression and suicidal thoughts.

“My journey from being a victim of mental trauma to becoming a global champion is a beacon of hope and a testament to the power of resilience and determination.

“Known for highlighting achievements of distinguished individuals worldwide for over 120 years, Marquis Who’s Who has acknowledged my remarkable story and global influence in mental health advocacy.

“My journey from a challenging educational background to becoming a global beacon of hope is nothing short of extraordinary,”

Recounting his experience, Ahmadu said that due to family instability, he attended 16 primary schools and 14 secondary schools, sitting for his O’Level examinations 17 times over five years.

“Despite these challenges, I graduated with a degree in Mass Communication from the University of Benin, where I shone as an extraordinary student.

“I also represented the University and the country and won several national and international awards.

“Additionally, I was honored with a Professional Doctoral Fellowship from the Across Global Institute of Foreign Languages.

“My recognition continued when I was honored by Black Leaders Worldwide™️ on LinkedIn on July 27, an organisation that celebrates distinguished black leaders making a difference globally.

“The recognition was shared by the organisation’s founder, Germaine Moody,” he said.

Ahmadu said that he also received a distinguished award for graduating from the year-long Hiram Civility Leadership Institute training in partnership with Renew America Together in Little Rock, Arkansas.

On his achievements, he said: “This award is expected to spur more of my groundbreaking mental health projects in the United States and worldwide as an emerging leader.

“It’s only God Almighty that can make such a transformative story possible in my own time when we are yielded to Him, and we do not give up on our dreams and purpose in life.

“At different points in my educational journey, people, including my teachers, referred to me as a ‘coconut head’ in elementary school, but whenever I saw myself in the mirror, I saw someone different.

“I always said, ‘Emmanuel, you’re going to be so great in this life, you’re a star and you will be recognised for positive global impacts’.

 “I watched my association by consciously selecting a few purpose-driven, extraordinary and self-motivated people that I prayerfully asked from God, who played huge roles in transforming my academics, Christian life, career, and pursuits in life.” (NAN)