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Court Jails UDUTH’s Accountant for Diversion of over N60M via GIFMIS

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured the conviction of one Lukumanu Sani Waziri, an accountant at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto, for corruption and abuse of office.

Waziri was found guilty of diverting public funds amounting to over Sixty-million naira through unauthorized access to the Government Integrated Financial Information System (GIFMIS).

ICPC had in 2021, in a charge number: FHC/ICPC/122021 arraigned Waziri and two others before Honourable Justice M. Abdulgafar of the Federal High Court, Sokoto Division in a nine-count charge of fraud and corruption.

In the course of the trial, ICPC’s Prosecutor, Dr Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, led evidence before the court on how Waziri, a designated user of GIFMIS in the Teaching Hospital altered financial records and facilitated the transfer of multimillions of government money into private accounts, including his own and that of one Monday Michael Adejo.

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Waziri was also said to have, without authorization changed the bank account details meant for state taxes of Kogi, Edo, Bauchi and Zamfara States to that of Monday Adejo Michael where the taxes due to the aforementioned States were fraudulently diverted to.

One of the counts against him read: ‘That you LUKUMANU SANI WAZIRI (M) and Monday Michael Adejo (M) sometime in April, 2020 or thereabout, conspired amongst yourselves to take possession of the sums of N6,127,465.75, N8,552,824.60 and 5,939,666.49 totaling N20,619,956.8 (Twenty Million, Six Hundred and Nineteen Thousand, Nine Hundred and Fifty-Six Naira, Eight Kobo) from the Government Integrated Financial Information System into the First Bank Account of Monday Michael Adejo with account number: 30142906334 on the prompting of Lukumanu Sani WAZIRI, which reasonably ought to have known that such funds form part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, namely: corruption and fraud and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 18 and 15 (1) ( d ) and punishable under Section 15 ( 3 ) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended)”

In his judgement on friday, Justice Abdulgafar found Mr. Waziri guilty of seven, out of the nine counts charge levelled against him.

In a statement Signed by Demola Bakare, fsi Director, Public Enlightenment and Education/Spokesperson for the CommissionThe court thereafter sentenced the convict as follows: ”one year imprisonment or a fine of ₦200,000 each on Counts 1 and 2; one year imprisonment each on Counts 3, 4, and 5 without the option of a fine; and three years imprisonment or a fine of ₦500,000 each on Counts 8 and 9.

 

 

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Kano Gov’t Meets Lawyers, Approves 75% of Demands, Orders Salary Payments

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Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State has approved 75 percent of the demands put forward by the state’s lawyers’ association, following their recent industrial action.

The decision is part of the government’s broader efforts to address challenges within the judiciary sector and enhance the welfare and working conditions of government-employed legal practitioners.

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As part of the measures, the governor also directed the immediate payment of two months’ outstanding salaries owed to newly recruited lawyers who had yet to receive their entitlements. The directive was disclosed by the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs.

The lawyers’ association has welcomed the development, describing it as a clear indication of the administration’s responsiveness and commitment to addressing their concerns.

The resolution is expected to bring the industrial action to an end and pave the way for the full resumption of legal and judicial activities across Kano State.

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FG Amends Charges Against Malami, Withdraws Terrorism Financing Allegation

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The federal government has amended charges filed against Abubakar Malami, former attorney-general of the federation (AGF), and his son Abdulaziz, removing the allegation bordering on terrorism financing.

At the court session on Wednesday, Akinlolu Kehinde, counsel to the Department of State Services (DSS), informed the court about the amendment and applied to substitute the former charge.

The amended charge borders on illegal possession of firearms.

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Shaibu Aruwa, counsel to the defendants, confirmed that his clients were served with the amended charge and agreed that the fresh charge be read to the defendants.

Consequently, the amended charge was read to the defendants, to which they pleaded not guilty.

Joyce Abdulmalik, presiding judge, allowed the defendants to continue on the bail terms and conditions granted to them on February 27.

The case has been adjourned to May 26 and June 15 for trial.

In the amended charge, the prosecution alleges that arms and live cartridges were found in Malami’s residence in Birnin Kebbi.

Malami and Abdulaziz were first arraigned by the DSS on February 3 on a five-count charge bordering on alleged terrorism financing and illegal possession of firearms.

The DSS accused Malami of refusing to prosecute terrorism financiers whose case files were reportedly forwarded to the office of the attorney-general for prosecution.

On February 27, the ex-AGF and his son were each granted bail of N200 million with two sureties in like sum.

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Nigeria’s Inflation Rate Climbs to 15.38% in March

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has reported a rise in Nigeria’s headline inflation rate, which increased to 15.38% in March 2026, up from 15.06% recorded in February.

According to the NBS’s latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released on Wednesday, the 0.32 percentage point increase marks the second consecutive monthly rise in inflation this year. The March figure also represents a significant jump compared to the same period last year, underscoring persistent price pressures across key sectors.

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Analysts point to rising food and energy costs, coupled with lingering supply chain disruptions, as primary drivers of the uptick. The NBS noted that food inflation remained elevated due to higher prices of staple items such as bread, cereals, and vegetables, while core inflation excluding volatile agricultural produce and energy also edged upward.

The development puts additional pressure on households and businesses, and may influence the Central Bank of Nigeria’s monetary policy stance in the coming months.

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