News
APC chieftain bags 16 years imprisonment for N1.162b fraud


A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Gudu, Abuja yesterday sentenced former Plateau State Governor Joshua Chibi Dariye to a 16 years in prison.
Dariye’s sentence followed his conviction on 15 counts on the offences of criminal breach of trust and criminal misappropriation. The court freed him on eight out of the 23 counts for which he was tried.
Justice Adebukola Banjoko sentenced Senator Dariye APC (Plateau Central), to two years for misappropriation and 14 years for criminal breach of trust.
The sentences are to run concurrently, implying that Dariye will spend 14 years in custody.
Dariye was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on July 13, 2007 on a 23-count charge in which he was accused of diverting Plateau State’s funds estimated at over N2billion, using his private company Ebenezer Retnan Ventures.
Part of the state’s funds diverted by the defendant was the N1.162 billion he received from the Ecological Funds, using the name of Plateau state.
Dariye pleaded not guilty to the charge, but before trial could commence, Dariye filed an application challenging the competence of the charges and the jurisdiction of the court. He argued that he ought to be tried before a Plateau State High Court and not the FCT High Court.
On December 13, 2007, the trial judge heard and dismissed Dariye’s application for lacking in merit. Dariye appealed against the ruling of the court. But the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal affirmed the decision of Justice Banjoko. Dariye subsequently took the matter to the Supreme Court.
On February 27, 2015, the Supreme Court dismissed Dariye’s appeal and ordered him to submit himself for trial.
In the course of trial before the High Court of the FCT, the prosecution called 10 witnesses, while the defence called 16.
One of the prosecution’s witnesses was a retired Metropolitan Police officer, Peter Clark.
Clark had, while in office, investigated Dariye when he was arrested in the United Kingdom on money laundering charges while serving as a governor.
While testifying, Clark said Dariye was still wanted in the UK for money laundering charges because he allegedly jumped bail.
He gave details of Dariye’s alleged extravagant spending, including the purchase of a pen for £7,000 (N3.4m) in London, before the former governor was arrested.
Delivering judgment yesterday, Justice Banjoko, found among others, that Dariye diverted and misappropriation Plateau State’s funds using his company Ebenezer Retnan.
She said while evidence revealed that the company was not registered and had no record of any contract with the Plateau State Government, funds flowed from the state’s agencies into the company”s account which Dariye opened and ran stealthily.
The judge noted that the account opened in the company’s name in the then All States Trust Bank, Abuja had no picture of the owner, no traceable address, but had Dariye and one Haruna Daniel as signatories.
The judge wondered why Dariye operated an account without allowing the normal documentation that revealed his identity if his intention was not to use the account for illegal purposes.
Justice Banjoko also found that Dariye, after collecting the N1.162 billion Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) cheque from the Ecological funds office of the Federal Government in Abuja, rather than deploy it for the purpose for which it was meant, decided to divert it.
She noted that, in the course of diverting the money, Dariye gave N100m each to the PDP in South West and North Central.
The judge said evidence revealed that the money paid to South West PDP, which was paid through then Minster of Special Duties Yomi Edu, was later returned by then President Olusegun Obasanjo, but that there was no evidence regarding whether or not the money got paid into Plateau State account.
She said the cash paid to the North Central PDP through a company – Marine Float Limited – said to be owned by former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar was yet to be recovered.
The judge found that Dariye also gave the then Permanent Secretary of the Ecological Fund Office, Dr. Kingsley Ikumah, N80million,which he said was gratification for facilitating the prompt release of the funds.
Justice Banjoko wondered why Dariye chose to share funds specifically meant to address the ecological challenges in some communities in his state to people and agencies without any relationship with Plateau State.
She also found that, of the N1.162billion released for the state, Dariye only released N550 million to the state, thereby changing the character of the money and concealing its source.
The judge equally found that Dariye paid millions of Plateau State’s money to a company, Pinnacle Communications, without evidence that the company executed valid contracts for the state.
She said in all, Dariye betrayed the trust reposed in him as a public officer with dominion over properties belonging to Plateau State.
At the judge’s pronouncement that Dariye was guilty, the senator, who had sat calmly in the dock, sought the court’s permission to be allowed to visit the convenience.
The judge obliged him, and when proceedings resumed, his lawyer, Mr. Paul Erokoro (SAN), tried to downplay the offences which he described as “some mistakes”.
Erokoro was part of the legal team led by a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Kanu Agabi (SAN) that took over the defence after Dariye had called all his 10 witnesses.
Erokoro blamed the lawyers that handled the defence before they came in. He said Dariye was “a victim” of some situations including poor defence and the culture of corruption that pervaded the Nigerian society
In urging the judge to impose a lighter sentence on his client, Erokoro said the case against Nyame who was jailed by the judge barely two weeks ago, was different from Dariye’s.
He also noted that his client, like many other “pioneer governors” who were elected on the return of democratic rule in 1999, was ignorant of some financial procedures.
The lawyer, who noted that the judge’s decisions were almost never upturned by the Court of Appeal, said “we are forced to fall on your mercy”.
“I have appealed against two of your judgments and I did not win. They said you were right,” he said.
Responding, Jacobs urged the court to impose the maximum sentence to serve as deterence to others.
He said, “The era of go and sin no more can no longer be done in the new era of the Administration of Criminal justice Act. A lesson must be told.
“He is not my enemy, but people should bear the consequences of their acts. If you can’t bear it, then don’t do it.”
At a point, Dariye asked to be allowed to speak. The judge allowed him. He told Jacobs to be fair to him and not to further foul the judge’s mind against him.
After listening to the allocutus (plea for mercy) from the defence and the prosecution’s response, Justice Banjoko rose for about 30 unites.
On her return, before pronouncing her sentence, Justice Banjoko made an observation. She noted that from the bank statements tendered in court, Dariye appeared richer than the his state and could have aided the state rather than diverting its resources.
She also observed that 20 members of the Plateau State House of Assembly, visited the UK during the defendant’s impeachment, to submit a letter of protest to Tony Blair about the state of emergency imposed on the state.
She said members of the delegation, which included then Commissioner for Information, Patrick Dapong, by embarking on the journey in July 2004 forgot that Nigeria is a sovereign state and was not under any form of colonial rule.
The judge said they displayed their ignorance of international laws and norms. She noted that the trip was absolutely a purposeless visit and a reckless squandering of public funds and exhibiting ignorance of
In reference to Erokoro’s plea for leniency, the judge noted that the defendant and others, who aided him in committing the offences, were “adults capable of making their own rational choices
“We cannot begin to count the physical moral and sociological costs involved in this whole tragedy of corruption that we call normal.”
On Erokoro’s statement that corruption was pervasive in the country, Justice Banjoko said “whether corruption is endemic or not, there should be no compromise irrespective of your tribe, your religion or your socio-economic status. An act of corruption will always be act of corruption.”
When about to pronounce the sentence, she directed Dariye, who had all the while seated in the dock, to stand up, which he did.
Justice Banjoko, who commended the prosecution for a job well done, said the prevalence of corruption and criminality in the nation’s public space required drastic measures.
The judge noted that the defence was shabby in the conduct of its case. She said it committed avoidable errors and called witnesses that eventually added nails to its coffin.
Justice Banjoko noted that one of the defence witnesses, who was deputy chairman of PDP in Plateau State, confirmed receiving N66milllion diverted by the defendant from the Ecological Funds, on behalf of 274 wards in the state.
The judge noted that from his conduct and the way he spoke, the PDP chieftain did not see anything wrong in the defendant treating state’s funds as what could be used to fund his party.
She directed that all funds so far recovered should be paid to Plateau State. She also asked the EFCC to make efforts to recover more of the looted funds.
Dressed in a flowing black stripped, sky-blue agbada, with a cap to match, Dariye arrived at the courtroom around 9.8am. He went into the dock when the case was called about five minutes later.
After the judge announced the sentence and rose around 5 pm, armed securitymen , who flooded the courtroom took charge.
They led Dariye, who came to court in his official car as a Senator, into a waiting pick-up van marked: HH43ABC.
He was driven out of the court premises around 5. 25pm, with his official car was driven behind by his driver, with some family members inside. *The Nation
News
70% of Christians killed in 2024 are African – Group
ORJI ISRAEL reports that the group accused ANC of maintaining silence on religious persecution, while deepening ties with ideological extremists in Tehran


Recent reports indicate that over 4,400 Christians were murdered for their faith last year, while over the past decade, jihadist violence has driven 16 million Christians from their homes, millions of which are African citizens.
This is according to global Christian charity, Open Doors, which also confirms that for every five Christians, one will face persecution in Africa specifically.
Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List reveals the top 10 most dangerous countries for Christians are dominated by Islamic states in the Middle East and Africa, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, and Nigeria. A more detailed UK Parliament briefing recently noted that 70% of Christians killed in 2024 were indeed in Africa.
Over the last six months, the brutality against Christians in Africa has escalated to alarming levels, with a series of devastating attacks across the continent. Just last month, ISIL-affiliated rebels stormed a Catholic church in Komanda, DRC, murdering close to 50 worshippers, including women and children. That same month in Mozambique, Islamic State fighters captured and beheaded six Christians from Natocua village, just across South Africa’s border. A month earlier, in June 2025, armed militants in Nigeria massacred nearly 200 Christian civilians in Yelwata village.
“What we are witnessing is not random violence or isolated attacks. It is a deliberate, coordinated campaign by jihadist networks to wipe Christianity from vast regions of Africa and the Middle East,” says SAFI spokesperson, Bafana Modise. “These acts of terror are the early stages of a genocide against Christians, and history will record who spoke out and who shamefully looked away. Tragically, the ANC has chosen the latter.”
This silence is even more damning in light of last week’s news that South Africa’s military chief, Gen. Rudzani Maphwanya, met with Iranian Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami in Tehran to discuss deepening military and strategic ties, when Iran remains one of the world’s most notorious persecutors of Christians.
A recent report by the Middle East Africa Research Institute (MEARI) warned that Pretoria’s deepening ties with Tehran has compromised South Africa’s democratic foundations by defending Iran at the UN and IAEA, downplaying its human rights abuses, and potentially benefitting from covert support, including speculation around the ANC’s repayment of a multi-million-rand debt shortly after filing the ICJ case against Israel.
“These atrocities are not just crimes against individuals; they are part of a war against the freedom of religion itself,” Modise warns. “This is religious genocide, and it is gaining momentum as it edges closer to South Africa’s borders.”
Instead of defending religious freedom, the ANC government has remained silent. It has issued no meaningful condemnation or rallying call to protect persecuted Christians: “The ANC has done nothing to defend the rights of Christians,” says Modise. “Instead, it has squandered South Africa’s moral standing on discredited genocide charges against Israel – the one country in the Middle East where Christians live in safety and equality.”
This betrayal is even more unforgivable in a nation where 80% of South Africans identify as Christian. Freedom of religion is a fundamental human right, but the ANC, once the global champion of human rights, has made its bed with regimes and groups that have used Islamic law to suppress and destroy those freedoms.
“The ANC’s alliances make it clear: they have abandoned South Africa’s Christians, choosing friendship with the very forces driving this campaign of genocide,” Modise concludes. “Silence in the face of such evil is complicity, and the ANC is guilty of both. They have aligned themselves with Jihadist Islamic ideology, without further thought.”
We call on every pastor, every congregation, and every believer to demand that the ANC account for its indifference and betrayal. The blood of persecuted Christians cries out from across the African continent. If South Africa will not stand with them now, the day may come when their fate becomes our own.
News
Government Should Support Media with Tax Incentives, Relief on Import Duties – Soneye
….Media Sustainability: Soneye Advocates Tax Reliefs, Independent Fund for Journalism


Former Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Mr. Femi Soneye, has called on the Federal Government to support the Nigerian media with targeted incentives, including tax reliefs and import duty waivers on essential media tools.
Soneye made the appeal in Abuja on Tuesday after receiving the NUJ FCT Excellence in Corporate Communications Award, conferred on him by the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council.
The NUJ leadership, led by Chairperson Grace Ike, alongside the Deputy Chair, Secretary-General, and other executives, described Soneye as a consummate professional who has distinguished himself with tact and excellence in the communications field.
In his remarks, Soneye noted that while the Nigerian media remains one of the most vibrant in Africa, it continues to grapple with systemic challenges that weaken its effectiveness.
“The Nigerian media remains one of the most vibrant in Africa, but it also faces systemic challenges, financial, political, legal, and technological that weaken its effectiveness. The government can play a supportive role by granting tax incentives or relief on import duties for newsprint, broadcast equipment, and digital infrastructure,” he said.
He also urged the Federal Government to establish an independent media development fund to support investigative journalism, community radio, and newsroom innovation, drawing parallels with models in South Africa, the United States, and Canada.
The award underscores Soneye’s long-standing contributions to journalism and corporate communications, as well as his advocacy for a stronger, independent, and sustainable Nigerian media.


… GFD Executive Director emerges chapter Vice Chairperson*
The Lagos State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has elected a new executive council at the close of its flagship Lagos PR Fest 2025, reinforcing its commitment to professionalism, innovation, and societal impact.
In elections supervised by NIPR Registrar, Chief Uzoma Onyegbadue, Samuel Ayetutu emerged as Chairman, while Eniola Mayowa was elected Vice Chairman in a closely contested race.
Other members of the executive include Secretary Samuel Adeyemi, Assistant Secretary Rita Ali-Nock, Public Relations Officer Ogochukwu Okeke, Financial Secretary Bassey Nta, Treasurer Olabamiji Adeleye, Welfare Officer Funmilola Akintola, and Ex-Officio Provost Marshal Quadri Adeleke.
In his acceptance remarks, Ayetutu pledged to drive professional standards, promote inclusiveness, and foster collaboration among members to enhance the chapter’s influence locally and nationally.
This year’s PR Fest, themed “Urban Farming for Food Security: The Role of Communication”, convened communication professionals, policymakers, and stakeholders to explore innovative strategies for tackling food security through effective public engagement.
Over the years, the Lagos PR Fest has evolved into a leading platform for advancing the role of public relations in societal development, with the 2025 edition underscoring the Institute’s mission to position communication as a driver of sustainable development in Nigeria.
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