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10 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2022
:Vanguard News
:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058
ADULT HARVEST THANKSGIVING: From left, Bishop Ayo Adeniyi; Bishop Bamidele
Ibikunle; His Grace, Prophet Bishop Oluwademilade Akpata; Chief Host, SP/Pastor
G.O. Ogunleye and Prophet Adebayo Babatunde of Divine Ewulomi Evangelical Church
of Christ, C&S, during the 2022 Adult Harvest Thanksgiving Service, at Church
Auditorium, Arowojobe, Maryland, Lagos. Photos: Bunmi Azeez
N4.8b contract scam:
Oyo anti-graft agency unearths,
investigates top civil servants,
retirees
By Adeola Badru
SOME SERVING and retired
civil servants of the Oyo State
Civil Service have been arrested
for fraudulent contract, awarded
in 2018 by the state's Anti-
Corruption Agency, OYACA.
The fraud, according to a
statement by the agency’s
Chairman, Justice Eni Esan
(retd), was said to have been
perpetrated by the individuals at
the Oyo State Road
Maintenance Agency,
OYSROMA, and information
about it concealed till the state’s
anti-graft agency discovered it.
The act, according to the
statement, involved the
payment of the sum of
N4.8billion to three private
companies without delivering
the project and the agency is
now after the said companies
since the case was established
and the officers involved
arrested.
The agency claimed it was after
the said companies since a case
had been established and the
officers involved have been
arrested for further investigation
and prosecution by the state’s
Attorney-General.
The statement reads: "OYACA
has nabbed some retired and
serving top civil servants of
OYSROMA for complicity in a
fraudulent contract awarded in
2018.
"OYACA was able to discover
this fraud despite concealment
by the affected top officials to
thwart the investigation exercise,
the fraud involved the payment
of humongous amount of money
in the sum of N4.8billion to three
companies yet to show up for
investigation in spite of our
invitations.
"The agency is on the heels of
the affected companies to recoup
the money paid into their
accounts in 2018 for supplies not
made to date, while investigation
is still ongoing, OYACA makes
bold to say that the law is no
respecter of persons and
everyone who has any form of
connection with the matter will
be dealt with according to the
law.
"We, hereby, reiterate our
commitment to zero tolerance of
corruption in the public service
of Oyo State," it added.
Olajumoke, other top Scout
members task Nigeria on
youth devt
By Juliet Umeh
LAGOS —SENATOR of
Nigeria, Dr. Bode Olajumoke
and other top members of the
Scout in Nigeria weekend, called
on prominent Nigerians and
philanthropists to support in
developing the youth in the
country.
They stated that building the
youth and supporting the Scout
would ensure a great Nigeria.
In an interview with Vanguard,
Olajumoke challenged the Scout
members on personal
commitment and dedication to
the ethics of the scout
movement.
He said: "I joined the Scout
while I was still in primary school
and the ethics have helped me
in life. The association has
principles capable of shaping
Nigerian society to become a
great nation.
"I call on parents to allow their
children to join the association.
Even my grandchildren, who are
abroad have also joined the
association because they always
hear me talk about it."
Similarly, State Scout Council,
SSC, Mr. Oluhuntoyin Adebesin
called on prominent Nigerians to
support the association to
achieve a great Nigeria.
He said: "We have a lot to do in
youth development in order to
achieve our desired goals. This
requires a lot of dedication and
commitment from our leaders."
Speaking to the members,
Adebesin said: "The tasks before
us are enormous and we need to
brace up with the challenges.
Society is in need of our services
and we need to be focused and
ensure that our impact is felt in
our environment and the society
at large.
"There should be a personal
commitment and dedication, we
should not give room for any
vacuum in our scout ethics.
"We need to wake up and
uphold the scouting principles
and be a good ambassador of our
great association by focussing on
effective communication,
openness in dealing with
scouters and others and protect
the scouting principles and
ethics.”
Stop hallucinating, you've no mandate
to retrieve, Adeleke tells Oyetola
Shina Abubakar
OSOGBO—OSUN
State
Governor-elect, Senator
Ademola Adeleke has asked the
out going Governor Adegboyega
Oyetola of the state to stop
hallucinating over his persistent
claim to retrieve his mandate.
Oyetola had at different fora, after
Adeleke was declared winner of July
16 governorship election, claimed
that he lost to vote counting and
not the election and would retrieve
his mandate soon.
However, Adeleke in a
statement by his spokesperson,
Olawale Rasheed, yesterday,
chided Oyetola, saying he has no
mandate to reclaim as he was
soundly defeated in the July 16 poll.
Calling attention to the rabid
pillaging of Osun State assets since
July election, Adeleke noted that
the many lies of Oyetola on the
governorship tribunal have been
exposed and his petition punctured
as baseless and unfounded,
deriding "the antics of a false
•Tayo Bamgbose-Martins; Lagos State Commissioner for Physcal
Planning and Urban Development (right] and Mr. Tony Ibidapo at
the church service.
democrat, whose role model are
little tyrants and Trumpists of this
world.
"From media trial to outright
sponsorship of falsehood against
proceedings at the tribunal,
Oyetola and the All Progressive
Congress, APC, have practically
abandoned diligent prosecution of
their petition while chasing
shadows with unrelated and
unpleased applications and
submissions.
"Oyetola has been exhibiting the
highest level of leadership
hypocrisy in recent Nigerian
history as he supervises last
minute ruining of the state while
parroting his false hope of
reclaiming a non-existing
mandate.
"You know you are going. You
are emptying the treasury and
laying bobby traps for Osun people.
Yet, you mount rooftop every now
and then to deceive your gullible
Nigeria's problems surmountable,
Abiodun tells Nigerians
By James
Ogunnaike
A BEOKUTA—GOVERNOR
Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State
has called on Nigerians to rise up
and confront the numerous
challenges facing the country,
stressing that no problem is
insurmountable.
Abiodun made the call at the 67th
Annual Convention of the
Foursquare Church, held at the
Church Camp, Ajebo, Obafemi
Owode Local Government Area of
the state.
He noted that the society was
going through security challenges,
ranging from terrorism, banditry,
kidnapping, cultism among others,
adding that the country would
overcome these problems if the
citizens work together as one.
"Our congregation must be
conscientised on this Biblical
injunction even as our society is
afflicted with all manners of ills
ranging from insurgency,
kidnapping, cultism, banditry, sexual
assaults and a host of others.
"The role of the Church as the
conscience of the nation is an agelong
fact which has become the
guiding light for any society that
desires development. It is, therefore,
imperative that the love of God be
extended to all, while people are
implored to eschew bitterness.
"More so, the church as an organ
of socialization is ever relevant,
especially in propagating moral
ethics in the society. For this reason,
the church is enjoined to work
harder in its responsibility by
condemning the use of violence by
individuals or groups to seek redress
as this is enshrined in the Bible," he
added.
He reiterated that his
administration would continue to
promote inter religious tolerance
that exists in the state as well as
initiate programmes and projects
that would promote mutual
associates and accomplices in
political banditry.
"Our message to you and your
team is simple. This is your last
week in Government House. Pack
all what you want. But be rest
assured that every official, elected
or appointed, who partakes in the
diversion of our common
patrimony, will have their day before
people's panels of inquiry," the
statement added.
Promoting peace, communal unity our
collective responsibility —Prof Okoye
By Olayinka Ajayi
RENOWNED PROFESSOR
and Dean of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe
University, Awka, Festus Okoye
has said promoting peace and
communal unity is a collective
responsibility of every Nigerian.
Speaking during Orsu 2022,
interactive get-together in Lagos
Nigerian military involvement in politics is worst
thing to ever happened —Ex-NAF officer
By Gabriel Olawale
LAGOS—GROUP Captain
Murtala Salami (retd), has
expressed regret over the
interference of military in Nigeria
politics.
Salami, who was Aids-de-Camp
to the Military Governor of North
Eastern State, Brigadier Musa
Usman, in his autobiography
entitled “A Fragile Boy and An Air
Force Officer,” said that from the
first coup in January 1966 and
subsequent coups and countercoups,
the espirit-de-corps which
reigned supreme prior to January
15, 1966, was shattered and it
progressively got worse with those
with the theme 'Peace and unity
as important tools for Community
development 2,' Okoye who was
the guest speaker, stressed that
peace is a fundamental asset to
building personal growth,
community development and
robust institutions.
He said: "Peace creates an
enabling environment for human
capital formation, infrastructural
understanding and respect for
rights of worship of all religious
beliefs.
He enjoined the church to be
steadfast in praying for the unity of
the country, so as to have a
successful, peaceful, free, fair and
credible elections.
He, therefore, called on the
people to play their part in politics
by exercising their franchise during
the forthcoming 2023 general
elections, while charging the
youths to be weary of politicians,
who may want to use them to cause
violence and parents to rein in their
children to desist from being uses
as thugs.
coups.
In his book which was launched
at Eko Hotel in Lagos, Salami
detailed what transpired before
Gen Yakubu Gowon was
overthrown.
He noted, “The discussion
about change of governors and
reneging on the 1976 handover
date was held at a meeting of
senior Armed Forces officers
comprising of colonels and above
from the Nigerian Army and
lieutenant colonel equivalent from
the Navy and Airforce.
“I was with my boss at Dodan
Barracks at the meeting. They had
an unusual break around 2p.m.,
development and rule of law in
commerce and government.
"However, promoting peace,
communal unity and integration
is our collective responsibility. The
cooperation of government
through traditional institutions,
civil society and individuals is
needed to build a robust,
sustainable and formidable
communal unity.
"As individuals, we can help to
promote peace within our
community by encouraging good
relationships with our
neighbours."
Also speaking, President
General of Orsu LGA
Development Union, OLGADU,
Hycenth Okonkwo said "The
proverb of when two Elephants
fight, the grass suffers is what we
are faced with Orsu. The essence
of our gathering is to find a lasting
solution to the insurgence that
has ravaged our community. We
are concerned that most innocent
citizens are usually casualties of
unforeseen circumstances. There
is a need for the security agencies
to identify their targets and go
after them."
and reconvened after 4p.m. The
minutes of the meeting taken by
Lt. Col Tunde Idiagbon was
forwarded to me by the governor
to read through and send a
summary of it to him.
“It dawned on me that the
unusual break was called to allow
the Head of State, Gen. Gowon
to cool down as he insisted that as
officers and gentlemen, the 1976
date freely given was sacrosanct.
His stand was against majority of
the officers most of whom
participated to topple him in 1975
on the argument that there were
no new politicians to take over if
the handover was done as
scheduled.“
C
M
Y