DSS drags Prof. Pat Utomi to court

The Department of State Services (DSS) has sued Prof. Pat Utomi over his alleged plan to establish what he called, “a shadow government” in the country.

The DSS, in a suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, prayed the court to declare the move as an attack on the constitution.

In the fresh suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/937/2025, Utomi, the 2007 Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), is sued as sole defendant.

The security outfit, in the suit filed on May 13 by Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, contended that the move by Utomi was intended to create chaos and destabilise the country.

 The DSS argued that not only was the planned shadow government an aberration, it constituted a grave attack on the constitution and a threat to the democratically elected government that is currently in place.

It expressed concern that such a structure, styled as a “shadow government,” if left unchecked, may incite political unrest, cause inter-group tensions, and embolden other unlawful actors or separatist entities to replicate similar parallel arrangements, all of which would pose a grave threat to national security.

The plaintiff, therefore, urged the court to declare the purported “shadow government” or “shadow cabinet” being planned by Utomi and his associates as “unconstitutional and amounts to an attempt to create a parallel authority not recognised by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).”

It is also sought a declaration that “under Sections 1(1), 1(2) and 14(2)(a) of the Constitution, the establishment or operation of any governmental authority or structure outside the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) is unconstitutional, null, and void.”

The plaintiff prayed the court to issue an order of perpetual injunction, restraining Utomi, his agents and associates “from further taking any steps towards the establishment or operation of a ‘shadow government,’ ‘shadow cabinet’ or any similar entity not recognized by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).”

The plaintiff, in its grounds of argument, hinged its prayers on the fact that Section 1(1) of the Constitution declares its supremacy and binding force on all persons and authorities in Nigeria.

It added that Section 1(2) prohibits the governance of Nigeria or any part thereof except in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.

According to the DSS, Section 14(2Xa) states that sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria, from whom government through the constitution derives all its powers and authority.

It contended that Utomi’s proposed shadow government lacked constitutional recognition and authority, thereby contravening the aforementioned provisions.

We will not relent – EFCC releases update on CBEX fraud

 The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said it is making progress in its ongoing investigations of the alleged monumental fraud involving many actors in the infamous Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX) fraud.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the EFCC to have said on Wednesday that is gaining important ground in its search for eight wanted persons implicated in the fraud.

The commission in a statement disclosed the eight wanted persons as: Seyi Oloyede, Emmanuel Uko, Adefowora Oluwanisola, Adefowora Abiodun Olanipekun, Johnson Okiroh Ofienolu, Israel Mbalika, Joseph Michiro Kabera and Serah Michiro.

The EFCC, however, confirmed that Ellie Bitar of CBEX Solutions Ltd., who was earlier declared wanted, has since been removed from the list owing to new information that does not support his inclusion in the wanted person’s list.

The statement reads: “As part of its ongoing investigations of the alleged monumental fraud involving many actors in the infamous Crypto Bridge Exchange, CBEX, fraud, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is gaining important ground in its search for eight wanted persons implicated in the fraud.

“The eight wanted persons are: Seyi Oloyede, Emmanuel Uko, Adefowora Oluwanisola, Adefowora Abiodun Olanipekun, Johnson Okiroh Ofienolu, Israel Mbalika, Joseph Michiro Kabera and Serah Michiro.

“Ellie Bitar of CBEX Solutions Ltd., who was earlier declared wanted, has since been removed from the list owing to new information that does not support his inclusion in the wanted person’s list.

“The Commission is making good progress in its investigations. Law enforcement agencies across the world are collaborating with it in tracking and arresting all the wanted persons. The EFCC will not relent in bringing every actor involved in the fraudulent dealings to book”.

Minister: No fraud found in student loan disbursement

 

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has declared that there was no fraud uncovered in the student loan scheme.

Alausa stated this at the end of a meeting held with vice chancellors, officials of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and Federal Ministry of Education, on Wednesday.

He also described the statement credited to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) as incorrect.

“Let me start by saying that there is no fraud in NELFUND. ICPC reported that the information was not correct. There is no fraud in NELFUND; what we have are issues that have to do with the timeline,” he said.

ICPC had recently disclosed that it had commenced a comprehensive investigation into alleged discrepancies surrounding the disbursement of student loan under (NELFUND).

The commission had said its preliminary findings revealed that while the Federal Government released N100 billion for the scheme, only N28.8 billion was disbursed to students, leaving N71.2b unaccounted for.

Worried by the development, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) vowed to protest the alleged discrepancy.

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) had also alleged that certain schools, conniving with some banks, delayed payments to students who qualified for loans so they could make money off the situation.

This followed a media report alleging that some institutions made unauthorised deductions ranging from N3,500 to N30,000 from students’ fees received from the loan fund.

In a statement last Thursday, ICPC spokesperson, Demola Bakare, said the commission’s Special Task Force commenced investigations upon receiving the allegations.

Japa: 30% of Lagos workers sent on training abroad fail to return— Commissioner

 

The Lagos State Commissioner for Establishments and Training, Mr Afolabi Ayantayo, has disclosed that 30% of civil servants sent abroad for training by the state government failed to return to Nigeria.

Ayantayo made this disclosure at a press briefing to mark the scond anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term in office, on Wednesday.

The commissioner said the government’s goal of building a better workforce through international training has been affected by the growing “Japa syndrome.”

He explained that Lagos State is serious about training its workers, saying: “A total of 23,420 staff members benefitted from various training interventions between May 2022 and December 2024.”

When asked how many staff returned from such trainings, Ayantayo said, “while 70% returned, 30% failed to come back.”

“Within the same period, over 185 training programmes were organised, which cut across multiple cadres, skill levels and thematic areas relevant to public sector efficiency, leadership development and regulatory compliance.

“Despite this large investment, the fact that nearly a third of the trainees stayed back abroad has raised serious concerns about how the programme is monitored and how the state plans to retain its workers,” he said.

Ayantayo also said about 8,000 civil servants across various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies have been granted study leave in the last three years to improve their qualifications and skills.

He highlighted some of the ministry’s achievements, including Sanwo-Olu’s approval of a N35,000 wage increase for workers to reduce the effect of economic hardship.

In the health sector, Ayantayo said the state has paid the Medical Residency Training Fund, Rural Allowance for Primary Healthcare Workers, and also given bonuses and wage awards to staff of the Lagos State College of Medicine.