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Tag: Dikko

  • WAFCON: Dikko charges Super Falcons to go for gold

    WAFCON: Dikko charges Super Falcons to go for gold

    The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC),  Shehu Dikko, has urged the Nigeria Super Falcons to go for gold in their final match against Morocco in the ongoing 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

    Dikko gave the charge  on Friday in Abuja at  the ongoing 2025 African Karate Championship at the Velodrome of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium.

    Super Falcons defeated South Africa 2-1 to seal a place in the final against host Morocco.

    “They can go far in this championship; they have done it before, and they can do it again,”he said.

    NAN reports that Super Falcons, who have won nine titles out of the 12 editions of the tournament, will take on host nation Morocco in Saturday’s final at the Stade Olympique in Rabat.

    On  the African Karate Championship, the NSC chairman said he was impressed with the standard of the championship.

    “I congratulate these cadet karate athletes for winning five medals for the country in day one of the competition.

    ” We have various federations hosting African championships, and this is showing that we are on the right track.

    “The main concern is to see the drastic development of our sports,” he said.

    Nigeria finished second in  day one of the  competition with one gold, two silver, and two bronze medals.

    Egypt topped the medal table with eight gold, one silver, and three bronze medals.

    Senegal, Morocco, and Niger are  tied on third position with one gold, one silver, and one bronze medal each.

    NAN reports that a total of 31 countries are participating in the  Championship which started on Monday and is expected to end on Sunday.

  • Katsina governor orders implementation of TSA

    Katsina governor orders implementation of TSA

    The Katsina State Governor, Mallam Dikko Radda has announced the commencement of Treasury Single Account (TSA) in the state with immediate effect.

    The governor in a circular issued on Monday in Katsina tagged, ‘Treasury Single Account Direction Notice 2023’, said the implementation takes effect from July 3.

    According to him, the measure is in the exercise of the powers conferred on him by the provisions of Section 5(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

    “Without prejudice to Section 120 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), all revenues and monies accruing and forming the Consolidated Revenue Fund, including funds from excess crude account, grants or donation for Katsina State shall be paid into a unified account to be referred to as TSA.

    “Out of which all expenditure incurred or approved to be incurred shall be defrayed or paid.”

    He directed the Accountant General of the state to prescribe the framework within which Ministries, Departments and Agencies will henceforth conduct their bank and cash management under the TSA regime.

    The governor also directed the Commissioner for Finance, Accountant General and the Auditor General of the state to ensure total compliance.

  • Guber Polls: INEC declares APC’s Dikko winner in Katsina state

    Guber Polls: INEC declares APC’s Dikko winner in Katsina state

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in Katsina State, Dikko Umar Radda as the winner of the March 18th governorship election in the state.

    Dikko, a former director of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency, polled 859,892 votes to beat Garba Yakubu Lado of PDP, who scored 486,620 votes.

    Prof. Ma’azu Abubakar Gusau, Returning Officer for Katsina governorship poll, however, is yet to officially announce the result.

    Radda will be replacing the current governor, Aminu Bello Masari  on May 29th, 2023.

    Masari has ruled Katsina for four years of two terms.

    Masari was the Commissioner for works, housing and transport Katsina state from 1991 to 1993. He was the speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives between 2003 and 2007.

    President Buhari also hails from Daura In Katsina State.

     

  • [JUST IN] Alleged N1.1bn fraud: Court dismisses charge against ex-Customs boss Dikko

    [JUST IN] Alleged N1.1bn fraud: Court dismisses charge against ex-Customs boss Dikko

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a charge of fraud brought against former Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Abdullahi Inde Dikko and two others by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).

    Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, in a ruling on Wednesday, dismissed the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/21/2019 in view of the oral application by ICPC’s lawyer, E. A. Sogunle to withdraw the charge under Section 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.

    Sogunle told the court that despite a bench warrant issued on Dikko, who has not attended court since the charge was filed early last year, the prosecution has been unable to arrest him and produce him in court.

    Dikko was named with two others – a former Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Finance, Administration and Technical Services, Garba Makarfi and Umar Hussaini, a lawyer and owner of Capital Law firm – as defendants.

    Dikko, Makarfi and Hussaini were, among others, accused of inducing the Managing Director of Cambial Limited, Yemi Obadeyi, to pay N1.1 billion (N1,100, 952,380.96) into the account of Capital Law Office as a refundable “completion security deposit” for the purchase of 120 units of duplexes as residential accommodation for officers of the Nigeria Customs Service.

    Hussaini was said to have distributed the money into various other bank accounts and for his part in the deal, he was rewarded with the sum of $3 million.

    Details shortly…

  • Court orders arrest of ex-Nigeria customs chief, Dikko

    Court orders arrest of ex-Nigeria customs chief, Dikko

    Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, ordered the arrest of a former Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Abdullahi Dikko.

    The judge issued the bench warrant against Mr Dikko for his continued failure to appear in court in respect of corruption charges instituted against him and two others by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).

    At the resumed hearing of the matter on Monday, Mr Dikko’s lawyer, Solomon Akuma, presented a medical report to the court.

    The lawyer said his client was critically ill and on admission at a London hospital.

    But the judge said Mr Akuma had on the last adjourned date, promised to produce his client in court.

    Ms Ojukwu said the address on the medical report (No: N6 Ahmed Musa Crescent Jabi, Abuja) does not support his claim that Mr Dikko is in a hospital in London

    She asked the prosecution to set aside the arrest warrant if they discover that the ex-custom chief is indeed in a London hospital. If not, he should be arrested and brought to court on March 16.

    Mr Dikko is being prosecuted by the ICPC alongside a former Assistant Comptroller-General of the agency in charge of Finance, Administration and Technical Services, Garba Makarfi, and Umar Hussaini, a lawyer and owner of Capital Law Office.

    They are accused of inducing the Managing Director of Cambial Limited, Yemi Obadeyi, to pay N1.1 billion (N1,100, 952,380.96) into the account of Capital Law Office as a refundable “completion security deposit” for the purchase of 120 units of duplexes as residential accommodation for officers of the Nigeria Customs Service.

    The ICPC accuses Messrs Dikko and Makarfi of using the bank account of Mr Hussaini’s firm’s to illegally receive the money. The anti-graft agency further alleged that Mr Hussaini, between April 6 and December 2010, shared the money into various accounts.

    Mr Makarfi was accused of receiving $3 million between April and December 2010, apparently as part of the proceeds of corruption.

  • Court orders arrest of ex-Custom boss Dikko

    Court orders arrest of ex-Custom boss Dikko

    A Federal High Court has ordered the arrest of former Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Abdullahi Inde Dikko over his continued failure to attend court to answer to a charge of fraud brought against him and two others by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).

    The presiding judge, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, noted that his lawyer, Solomon Akuma (SAN) who, on the last adjourned date, promised to ensure that his client attends court today, only turned around to present a medical report, claiming Dikko was critically ill and on admission in London.

    Justice Ojukwu stated that Dikko’s address, as shown on the medical report – No: N6 Amhed Musa Crescent Jabi, Abuja – did not support his lawyer’s claim that Dikko was on admission in a London hospital.

    The judge however noted that should the prosecution, in executing the bench warrant discovers that Dikko is actually on admission in a London hospital, the execution shall be suspended.

    The judge added that otherwise, the prosecution should arrest Dikko and produce him in court on March 16, 2020, which is the next adjourned date for arraignment.

    The warrant read; ”In the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/21/2019, Dikko is named with two others – a former Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Finance, Administration and Technical Services, Garba Makarfi and Umar Hussaini, a lawyer, and owner of Capital Law firm – as defendants.

    Dikko, Makarfi, and Hussaini are, among others, accused of inducing the Managing Director of Cambial Limited, Yemi Obadeyi, to pay N1.1 billion (N1,100, 952,380.96) into the account of Capital Law Office as a refundable “completion security deposit” for the purchase of 120 units of duplexes as residential accommodation for officers of the Nigeria Customs Service”.

    Hussaini was said to have distributed the money into various other bank accounts and for his part in the deal, he was rewarded with the sum of $3 million.

  • EFCC arrests former UBEC boss, Dikko over alleged involvement in N20bn fraud

    Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arrested a former Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Mallam Suleiman Dikko, for alleged N20billion fraud.

    The anti-graft agency also arrested contractors and top directors of UBEC, including those in charge of Finance and Procurement.

    Dikko’s and some contractors’ passports have been impounded “to ensure unhindered investigation”.

    According to an anonymous source, the arrest and subsequent probe of the officials is to unravel how funds meant for primary education and Unity Schools were either diverted or converted to private use.

    “The fraud involves over N20 billion, allegedly siphoned through the purchase of science and technical equipment and MDGs’ books for some 104 Unity Schools between September 2012 and 2014.”

    The Principals of the “beneficiary schools” denied receiving the books and equipment listed against their schools, it was learnt.

    “They claimed that they only received between 20 to 30 per cent of the equipment and books purportedly delivered to their schools, whereas the contractors were paid in full,” the source said.

    Some former executive secretaries and directors of the commission have been quizzed.

    There are indications that the N20billion contract scam is part of the cases for which the anti-graft commission is investigating Dikko.

    Another source said: “The ongoing probe of UBEC has many dimensions. We have also discovered many contracts duly paid for but abandoned between 2012 and 2014. Some fake contracts were awarded in order to acquire slush funds for purposes known only to the former UBEC Secretary and the accomplice directors.

    “There were also reckless awards of contracts under the guise of constituency projects between 2012 and 2014.

    “For instance, many unexecuted constituency projects were awarded by UBEC to some companies owned by some members of the National Assembly.

    “Some of these projects have been traced to a principal officer of the House of Representatives.”

    The projects in UBEC are: One block of three classrooms at Eru Primary School, Igbide (N9,180,835.45); one block of three classrooms at Ivori Primary School, Isoko (N9,887,778); construction of three classrooms at Egburie Primary School, Ozoro; and construction of six classrooms on January 21, 2016 at Olordo Primary School, Ozoro (N9, 300,000).

    The others are: supply of customised library equipment to selected schools in Isoko North Local Government Area at N16,050,000; Supply of instructional materials in Isoko North /South Federal Constituency(N14, 650,000); supply of customised equipment to selected schools in Isoko Federal Constituency(N15, 950,000); rehabilitation of six classrooms at Egware Primary School, Ozoro (N9,200,928,90); and construction of six classrooms and toilets as well as supply of furniture at Itebighe Primary School (N12, 988.099.23).

     

  • Court grants ex-COAS, Dikko permission to travel abroad over ailing health

    Court grants ex-COAS, Dikko permission to travel abroad over ailing health

    The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday granted the former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Umar Dikko, permission to travel abroad for a medical check-up.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Dikko, who was head of the Nigeria Air Force from September 9, 2010 to October 4, 2012, is facing a seven-count charge of money laundering before the court.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, alleged that he used looted funds to purchase six choice properties in Abuja, Kano and Kaduna.

    At the resumed hearing of the case, the defendant, through his counsel, Ibrahim Bawa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, begged the court to allow the defendant to travel abroad for medical checkup.

    Bawa also urged the court to order the release of the defendant’s international passport which was deposited with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court as part of his bail conditions.

    Counsel to the EFCC, Fatima Addo, said she would not object to the application since it was based on health ground.

    In his ruling, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, said he was disposed to granting the motion since it was not opposed by the prosecution.

    Before adjourning the trial till Oct. 19, Dimgba directed Dikko to surrender his international passport with the Deputy Registrar of the court on his return to the country.

     

     

    NAN