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Alleged N6.9bn fraud: Witness reveals how Fayose’s associate bought properties worth N1.3bn in four months

Ayo Fayose

 Owolola Adebola

The eleventh prosecution witness, PW11, Joanne Tolulope, in the ongoing trial of a former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, on Wednesday, December 1st 2021, told Justice Chukujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos how Fayose’s associate, Abiodun Agbele, had bought properties worth N1.3 billion within four months.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC,)Lagos Command had, on Tuesday, July 2, 2019, re-arraigned Fayose on an 11-count charge bordering on money laundering and stealing to the tune of N6.9bn( Six Billion Nine Hundred Naira).

Fayose was arraigned alongside one of his firms, Spotless Investment Limited, for the alleged fraud.

The defendants had first been arraigned on October 22, 2018, before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun.

At the resumed sitting on Wednesday, Tolulope, who was led in evidence by the counsel to the prosecution, Rotimi Jacobs, (SAN,) told the court that Agbele bought four chalets from her company, Still Earth Limited, between March and July 2015.

The witness, who is an in-house counsel for Still Earth Limited, also told the court that the company deals in real estate and also renovates properties to meet the needs and expected standards of their clients.

According to her, Agbele had put a call to the company, sometime between March and July 2015, to ask if they had properties for sale.

She said: “Incidentally, we have properties for sale. We discussed Mr. Agbele’s availability to come for an inspection.

“He came sometime in March 2015 to inspect the property and requested two chalets of three-bedroom and four-bedroom respectively and paid N575 million and some fractions for the property.

“Again, in July 2015, he approached us and bought chalets 6 and 9 for N573 million and some figures.

“He also approached us to register the Deed of Assignment in the name of JJ Technical Service.”

However, when Jacobs sought to tender the Deed of Assignment as an exhibit before the court, counsel to the defendant, Ola Olanipekun, (SAN) objected to its admissibility.

When asked how the money was paid, Tolulope told the court that the sum of N800 million was deposited by De Privateer Limited into the account of Still Earth Ltd, adding that there was a cash lodgment of the sum of N209 million from one Taofeek on Agbele’s instruction.

In her further testimony, she said: “ In January 2015, the sum of N105,750,000, was received from Capital Field Investment and Trust Limited.

“ The sum of N39,500,000 was received from Hoss Concept.

“Also, another N40 million was received from De Privateer Limited.

“ In February 2015, De Privateer Limited paid N200 million, while the sum of N132,500,000 was paid by a company called Sam Chase.”

The case has been adjourned to Thursday, December 2, 2021.

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Customs

Again, Apapa Customs intercepts, seizes two containers – laden Codeine syrup worth N3.398 billion

Funso OLOJO, Editor 
In what has now become a routine exercise, the Apapa customs command of the Nigeria Customs Service has once again intercepted handful substance suspected to Codeine syrup.
The latest seizure was made barely five days after the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi,  declared that Apapa Port is no longer a playground for smugglers or criminal syndicates hiding behind legitimate trade documentation
In a swift follow-up operation on Sunday, March 15th,  2026, the Command, in a joint collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), intercepted and seized two containers laden with a total number of 3,398 cartons (339,800 bottles) of Codeine-containing Syrup (CSP Codeine) carefully concealed in household utensils at the Apapa Port.
Cumulatively, the seizures have a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of Three Billion, Three Hundred and Ninety Eight Million, Naira (₦3,398,000,000.00) only.
The details of the seizures arevas follows:  a Container No. MRKU 3816476 found to contain 1,700 cartons (170,000 bottles) of CSP Codeine concealed with 38 cartons of pearl plating insulated casserole/5′ Bullet Insulated Hotspot and  Container No. TGBU 5399178 was found to contain 1,698 cartons (169,800 bottles) of CSP Codeine concealed with 36 cartons of pearl plating casserole.
 Both containers have been converted to seizure in accordance with the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 as amended.
Speaking on the latest interception, the Customs Area Controller (CAC) Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, said the seizure serves as a clear demonstration of the Command’s unwavering commitment to the directives and vision of the CGC.
“This fresh seizure, coming just five days after the CGC’s visit and strong warning to criminal elements, is a direct response to his charge on us.
“We are fully aligned with the Service’s intelligence-led enforcement strategy and will continue to make Apapa Port extremely hostile to smugglers and drug traffickers,” he stated.
He commended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for its seamless collaboration and unwavering support in the successful operation.
Comptroller Oshoba maintained that the Apapa Area Command remains steadfast in its resolve to protect public health, safeguard national security and facilitate only legitimate trade, in line with the CGC’s renewed emphasis on technology-driven operations and zero tolerance for smuggling activities.
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Aviation

FAAN resumes toll collection at Airports, adopts hybrid payment method 

Gloria Odion, Reporter
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria(FAAN) have resumed collection of toll at all its toll plazas located at the airports in the country, including Murtalar Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.
The toll suspension arose from the chaos which the new cashless payment method introduced by FAAN recently generated which resulted in long queues of motorists at these facilities.
This development has raised public outcry which necessitated the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who directed the suspension of the cashless payment system.
However, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has directed the resumption of toll collection at all these plazas.
In a press statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, the Minister declared that a hybrid access gate payment should be adopted by FAAN at the toll gates located at the Airports in the country.
“Following the earlier suspension of the full cashless Access Gate payment system as directed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu due to the traffic gridlock it created, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development met with officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and senior officials of the Ministry.
“After reviewing the initial implementation and the operational challenges observed, the following decisions were reached:
” The Ministry has resolved to engage concessionaires in order to introduce a fully automated or electronic system at all access gates at our airports in order to fully and eventually eliminate cash payments.
” In the meantime, a hybrid payment system that accommodates both cash and card payments will resume at all airport access gates with effect from Friday, March 13, 2026.
” Motorists who already possess FAAN Go Cashless Cards may continue to use them until further notice.
“Other electronic payment options, including POS terminals and other approved digital channels, will also remain available.
“Members of the public and road users are encouraged to obtain and use the FAAN Go Cashless Card as the Authority continues to enhance and fully optimise the cashless payment system.
“This directive restores the previous access  gate payment arrangement whilst the Ministry continues to work on the fully automated or electronic system” the statement concluded.
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Headlines

NPA shines as Outstanding Agency of the Year 2025 at Champions newspaper Awards ceremony 

Funso OLOJO,  Editor 
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has won another award as the Outstanding Agency of the Year 2025 conferred on the agency by Champions Newspaper at its 2025 Awards ceremony held in Lagos.
Receiving the award on behalf of the Managing Director of the Authority, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, described the award as recognition of Danthoso  vigorous leadership in implementing smart initiatives that align with the NPA’s vision to become the Maritime Logistics Hub for Sustainable Port Services in Africa.
The NPA MD highlighted the invaluable support of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, which he said has been instrumental in achieving these remarkable successes.
According Dantsoho, some of the key remarkable performances of NPA include sustained port efficiencies, which contributed  to Nigeria’s year-on-year trade surplus of ₦7.5 trillion and ₦6.7 trillion in Q2 and Q3 2025 (per NBS and NESG reports), driven mainly by exports via NPA platforms.
He also mentioned the successful execution of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policy for crude and petroleum product sales in Naira, saving billions in FOREX, enhancing energy security, improving trade balance, and creating jobs.
Others include completion of Nigeria’s membership in the International Port Community System Association (IPCSA), paving the way for the National Single Window (NSW) project, technical guidance enabling a significant rise in transhipment cargo at Lekki Deep Seaport, serving landlocked neighbours and recovering cargo lost to competing ports.
Another achievement made under the leadership of Danthoso was his electorial victory as the President of the Port Management Association of West & Central Africa (PMAWCA), with Dr. Dantsoho also leading PAPC, boosting Nigeria’s diplomatic standing and securing re-admission to IMO Category C.
Champions Newspaper conferred the award in appreciation of NPA’s pivotal role as a leading trade facilitation platform driving national economic prosperity through Nigeria’s maritime endowments.
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