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Nigeria’s Chief Of Army Staff, Lagbaja ‘Incapacitated’ Abroad As Military Generals Lobby, Jostle For Position

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Nigeria’s Chief Of Army Staff, Lagbaja ‘Incapacitated’ Abroad As Military Generals Lobby, Jostle For Position

This development has led to intense lobbying of politicians and influential retired generals by those eager to succeed Lagbaja.

 

Top military officers are jostling for the position of Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff as Lieutenant General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, the current incumbent, deals with an undisclosed health issue, sources told SaharaReporters.

 

This development has led to intense lobbying of politicians and influential retired generals by those eager to succeed Lagbaja.

 

Lagbaja, born on February 28, 1968, in Ilobu, Osun State, was appointed by President Bola Tinubu in June 2023, as the 27th Chief of Army Staff.

 

He took office on June 23, 2023, replacing Faruk Yahaya as the Chief of Army Staff.

 

The Chief of Army Staff reports to the Chief of Defence Staff, who in turn reports to the Defence Minister, accountable to the President of Nigeria. With Lagbaja’s health issues sparking concerns, the race for his successor is gaining momentum, with several top military officers vying for the coveted position.

 

On Tuesday, SaharaReporters exclusively reported how the Army General was flown abroad by his family members to attend to his medical needs.

 

Sources described his ailment as “strange” to SaharaReporters.

 

“The Chief of Army Staff is nowhere to be found for many days now. He hasn’t been seen at the Army headquarters or any military function in the last three weeks. I can confirm to you that he is seriously sick and was taken to the hospital. However, his family members arranged for him to be moved out of the country for medical treatment,” one of the sources had said.

 

“The COAS is a leader and most of the Major Generals are doing anyhow because they have no one to report to currently. Anybody can fall sick but someone needs to be in charge. I wish him a very quick recovery, I have known him since our days in Makurdi, Benue State. We were both young officers then and he was a captain.”

 

A Major had also said, “As military men, we were taught to be observant, so I noticed he was not at the October 1 Independence Day parade ground in Abuja. I asked my superiors including a general and I was told that he was out of the country. You know, it is unusual for him not to be around at that time.

 

“Also, the 2024 promotion list of soldiers which was completed a few weeks back is yet to be signed by the COAS. I was told that the Chief of Administration cannot do it because it will escalate the COAS’s absence. Some of my subordinates who are due for promotion are already grumbling.”

 

Lagbaja’s health has taken a turn for the worse, causing significant concern within the military, according to multiple sources who spoke to SaharaReporters on Friday. According to them, the Chief of Army Staff is now bedridden and incapacitated due to his deteriorating condition.

 

“His health is seriously deteriorating and he is currently capable. He is on sick bed; he can’t hear what people are saying again, just like someone with hearing problems. We are praying for his quick recovery,” one of the sources said.

 

“So it’s a very serious illness but the Army authorities can never disclose it now. Even before this stage, General Lagbaja was prepared to resign because of the heath challenge.”

 

SaharaReporters learnt that Lagbaja’s health issues have sparked intense lobbying among senior military officers to succeed him as Chief of Army Staff. Major Generals are secretly campaigning and lobbying influential figures, including top politicians, traditional rulers, lawmakers, and military godfathers, to secure the position.

 

As Lagbaja’s health continues to deteriorate, the race for his replacement gains momentum. His background and experience make his departure significant. As a seasoned military officer, Lagbaja has held various command, staff, and instructional appointments. His previous roles include serving as the General Officer Commanding at Headquarters 82 Division and Headquarters 1 Division.

 

If Lagbaja does not recover from the “strange” ailment, one thing is certain – the next Chief of Army Staff will face significant challenges in leading the Nigerian Army.

 

“With the kind of ailment he (Lagbaja) is battling with, no President will allow him to continue in that position even if discharged from the hospital. So serious lobbying is going on now underground for his replacement by some senior Army officers right now, especially those from course 40/41,” one of the sources said.

 

Earlier, Army spokesman, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, told SaharaReporters that Lagbaja was on leave and entitled to it after working “so hard for the country”.

 

He had said, “If the Chief of Army staff travels out after working for many years, are you saying it’s wrong for him to travel out when he is on leave? So if you work for years and go for a few weeks’ vacation or something, does it mean you are sick? So because we are in uniform, we should die working?

 

“For instance, I have worked for almost seven years, I haven’t gone on leave. I didn’t go on leave till I went to bury my mum, when I was given a week-plus to go and bury my mum.

 

“Because we are in uniform, we should die working? We shouldn’t have a week or two for vacation. Is it even abnormal for someone to go for a (medical) check-up? Must you even be sick before going for a medical checkup? Are we not supposed to evaluate ourselves?

 

“We need to understand some things; for the past seven years, I haven’t gone on leave. It’s a call to national duty. People need to understand the sacrifices soldiers are making.

 

“There was a point that I came to my home and my children didn’t even know me.”

 

“I don’t think it’s out of place for myself or any other person, even if it’s a top brass in the army to travel out or in any of the services to travel out for rest or do a medical checkup or something. I don’t think there should be any fuss about that,” the army spokesperson had added.

 

Credit: SaharaReporters

Hauwa Ojeifo Recognized as One of TIME’s 2024 Next Generation Leaders

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Mental health advocate Hauwa Ojeifo has been named as one of TIME Magazine’s Next Generation Leaders, a list of rising stars who are lighting the way to the world’s future. Hauwa is honoured alongside 19 other leaders across sectors and countries including Bridgerton’s star Nicola Coughlan, TikTok sensation, Devon Rodgriguez, Olympian Simone Manuel and Japanese billionaire Shunsaku Sagami. These leaders were selected for their remarkable work in sectors like business, climate action, sports, arts, and advocacy.

The 2024 TIME Next Generation Leaders list spotlights individuals from across the globe who are leading with empathy, challenging conventions, and building innovative solutions for a brighter future.

Hauwa, the founder of the movement She Writes Woman, has been a transformative force for mental health advocacy in Nigeria. In 2020, she made history by becoming the first person in Nigeria openly living with a mental health condition to testify before the National Assembly during the public reading of a mental health bill. This bill later became Nigeria’s first-ever mental health model since independence.

Through her organisation, Hauwa offers hands-on support for individuals battling mental health issues while working to push conversations out of the abstract and into the legislative arena. She aims to ensure that legislative change will secure access to mental health care for all Nigerians. “That is where we need to double down,” she says.

Hauwa’s advocacy has taken her to global stages such as the United Nations and the World Health Organisation. Earlier this year, she was one of 12 global leaders to receive a a $20 million grant from Melinda French Gates’ Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation.

 

SOURCE : BellaNaija

I’m not crazy about marriage – Ini Edo reveals

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Ini Edo caused stir online, after she rocked a traditional Efik bridal dress. Social media users thought she was getting married. However the actress has shut down the misconceptions.

Ini Edo
Ini Edo

Ini who recently released a movie titled “My Fairytale Wedding” stated that marriage is not part of her prayer points.

Ini has been advertising her new movie, *My Fairytale Wedding for sometime now. At first netizens thought she and her colleague, IK Ogbonna were getting married not knowing it is a movie.

Ini during a recent interview with Premium Times newspaper, was asked if she was looking forward to a real fairytale wedding, she revealed that marriage is not part of her prayer points.

She added that she is only interested in having solid relationship instead of marriage.

Her words,

“I’m not crazy about marriage; I’m crazy about having a solid relationship. I’m not hoping, and it’s not any of my prayer points.”

Ini Edo has been divorced for ten years since her marriage with Philip Ehiagwina, a businessman crashed in 2014.

The two got married in 2008 and got divorced in 2014. The ex-couple are yet to give details of what led to their divorce.

I’m Not a Labour Party Member – Aisha Yeshufu

Aisha Yeshufu was a top campaigner for Labour Party and it’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi in the last general election.

Aisha Yeshufu
Aisha Yeshufu

This has generated mixed conceptions about her being a member of the Labour Party. In reaction to this she has revealed that she is not a member of the LP.

Aisha was recently interviewed by SeunOkinbaloye on his podcast, “Mic On”. She revealed that she is not a member of the Labour Party or any political party.

Speaking about her financial independence, the socio-political activist stated that she is an entrepreneur and she trades real estate.

Her words,

“For me, I worked on my financial independence before I started speaking on Nigerian issues.

“I am not a member of the Labour Party. I have never been a card-carrying member of any party.

“I dare anybody, living or dead, to say that I, Aisha Yesufu, have ever come to you seeking an appointment, contract, or anything else. I am a trader! I buy, I sell, I distribute, build, and sell houses,” she said.

Nollywood: Farmer’s Bride grosses over $100 million in Cinemas 

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Nollywood’s latest release, Farmer’s Bride, has achieved a significant milestone, surpassing N100 million in ticket sales after just over two weeks at the box office.

According to figures from the Nigerian box office, the film has grossed N103 million as of yesterday, making it the 38th Nollywood movie to hit the N100 million mark and the ninth Nollywood release in 2024 to achieve this distinction.

 

The film first made headlines when it grossed N89 million within 12 days of its release on September 27, 2024.

 

It also held the title of the highest-grossing Nollywood film with N38 million in its opening weekend for an 18-rated film this year, ranking as the fourth-highest-grossing Nollywood movie overall for an opening weekend in 2024. Directed by Adebayo Tijani and Jack’enneth Opukeme, Farmer’s Bride continues to captivate audiences with its compelling narrative and powerful performances.

 

Set in 1980s Ibadan, Farmer’s Bride tells the story of Odun, a wealthy but lonely farmer who seeks companionship through marriage to a young bride, Funmi.

 

However, their relationship is strained, leading Funmi into a forbidden affair with Odun’s nephew.

 

The consequences of this betrayal set the stage for a haunting tale of love, deception, and the supernatural.

 

The film’s rich storyline and period setting offer a poignant exploration of personal and cultural conflicts in Nigerian society.

What to know

The cast features several notable Nollywood stars, including Tobi Bakre (Gangs of Lagos), Gbubemi Ejeye (Far From Home), Femi Branch (House of Gaa), Mercy Aigbe (Ada Omo Mummy), Efe Irele (L.I.F.E), and Wumi Toriola (Aburo).

Their performances, marked by depth and authenticity, have been instrumental in bringing the characters to life, contributing to the film’s success.

Kene Okwuosa, Co-founder and Group CEO of Filmhouse Group, the parent company of FilmOne Studios, which produced the movie, expressed pride in the film’s achievements.

“At FilmOne Studios, we are dedicated to telling authentic African stories that resonate with audiences both locally and globally,” Okwuosa said.

 

He added that Farmer’s Bride underscores FilmOne Studios’ commitment to high-quality storytelling, following the success of its previous film, Adire.

 

Farmer’s Bride not only strengthens the position of FilmOne Studios as a leader in the African film industry but also highlights the growing global appeal of Nollywood’s creative output.

 

With a captivating narrative, stellar performances, and the universal themes of love and betrayal, the film promises to continue its successful run at the box office while contributing to the increasing international recognition of Nigerian cinema.

 

Oyakhire Halima emerges Covenant University Best Graduating Student, Dept of Petroleum Engineering

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Oyakhire Halima Sadia, a student in the Department of Petroleum Engineering, College of Engineering of Covenant University, has emerged as the best-graduating student in the department with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.91 in the 2023/2024 academic session.

Halima obtained a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering with an outstanding first-class at Covenant University, Nigeria.

 

Her achievement earned her two awards and a cash prize of one hundred and fifty thousand naira (N150,000), from the university alumni investiture.

 

She celebrated her achievement of earning the degree, stating that despite facing challenges by balancing leadership positions and extracurricular activities with school work, she is glad it was worth it.

 

Having been impressed with her outstanding result and coming out with flying colours as the best student of her department, Halima aspires to become a leader in the energy sector specifically the oil and gas industry, and standing for 3innovation and sustainability growth to move the sector forward.

 

She expressed her love for the fashion industry: “I’m also very interested in the fashion industry and bringing my own ideas into the fashion world.”

 

 

Going forward after this great feat, Halima is focusing on ” advancing her education in the energy sector, holding strong leadership positions in companies that prioritize sustainability in the oil and gas sector, gaining experience in business development and management, and having her own fashion line and company in the oil and gas industry”.

 

Advising other students, Halima encourages them to “pursue their dreams boldly without fear of failure because the satisfaction of achieving them on some days will overshadow the fear of failing on other days”.

 

The university management congratulates Halima on achieving this great feat and wishes her the very best in her career and future endeavours.

 

 

Nigeria Federal Government to start $750 million World bank rural electrification project next month 

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Nigeria to fix irregular power supply in 40 years- Senate, Customers to pay for metering through cost of tariff- NERCAghogho Udi

The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has disclosed it is starting a new rural electricity project next month financed by the World Bank to the tune of $750 million to provide electricity to 17.5 million Nigerians.

 

The Managing Director of the REA, Engr. Abba Abubakar Aliyu disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise daily program.

 

According to him, the Distributed Renewable Energy Scale up project is targeted at providing electricity for up to 17.5 million Nigerians using renewable energy source.

 

He noted that the project is one of the most ambitious in the world in terms of the target number of people it is estimated to provide electricity to.

 

Furthermore, Engr. Aliyu explained that of the 7.5 million people it is targeted to provide electricity to, three million will be from isolated mini grids, 1.5 million from interconnected mini grids while the others will be electrified via marched grid and stand-alone solar systems.

 

He said, “There is a new project that we are starting next month called Distributed Renewable Energy Scale up project which is a $750 million financed by the World Bank. The target of that project is to electrify 17.5 million Nigerians, and I must say that this is one of the most ambitious project in the world based on my understanding from India that has moved many unelectrified people to have access to electricity.”

 

He said that the project is estimated to last for five years and was built on successes recorded from similar projects in the past which cost $550 million and funded by the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB).

 

What you should Know

In December 2023, the World Bank approved the Nigeria Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) project, funded by a $750 million International Development Association (IDA) credit, which will attract over $1 billion in private capital and additional financing from development partners. This includes $100 million from the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet and $200 million from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

 

Other partners supporting the program include the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the German Development Agency (GIZ), SEforAll, and the African Development Bank (AfDB).

It is estimated that almost 90 million people in Nigeria do not have access to electricity which is one of the highest in the world. Nigeria generates roughly 5000 Megawatts of electricity for its over 200 million population.

Nigeria also has enormous potential in renewable energy generation having sunlight for up to 12 hours daily in the Northern region and significant wind and hydro power generation potentials.

Wale Tinubu Celebrates 30 Years of Oando Success

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Petrol Price Hike Inflicting Pains on Nigerians, Not Fair, Obi Tells Tinubu

Wale Tinubu Celebrates 30 Years of Oando Success

Energy tycoon Adewale Tinubu affects the candour of a General and the passion of a poet as he leads a revolutionary phase of Nigeria’s upstream evolution.

 

Tinubu, described as ‘The King of African Oil’ by Forbes magazine and one of the top 10 CEOs in the world by AskMen, is a name that requires no introduction.

 

The consummate hard-working Group Chief Executive, Oando Plc, is building a billion-dollar company in Africa and delivering on the tough things, diversifying and leading his company into a new era of success and sustainability.

 

As Oando has evolved, so has the landscape in which it operates. International oil politics, domestic challenges like crude oil theft—which negatively impacts national revenue—and the divestment of upstream assets by several of the five major International Oil Companies (IOCs) have all posed significant hurdles. Yet, despite these headwinds, a bright ray of hope has emerged on the mottled landscape of the Nigerian economy, and it is visible to all.

 

Gradually, the man fondly known as JAT, has turned dynamism and a boots-on-the-ground leadership style into an art form. He is restoring hopes in the Nigerian upstream petroleum sector with his concatenation of innovative intervention and ingenuity in promoting vibrancy and capacity utilisation in the industry.

 

Tinubu and Oando’s growth has been nothing but organic. Oando is like a huge book with many chapters and Tinubu feels incredibly grateful to play a significant part in the story. Before he turned 30, he had already built for himself a reputation as a market leader in Nigeria’s emerging oil and gas sector at the time.

 

In 1994, Tinubu co-founded Ocean and Oil Services Limited —he teamed up with Omamofe Boyo and Onajite Okoloko— originally as a trading company with extensive operations exporting Nigerian petroleum products.

 

As the head honcho of the company, the trained corporate lawyer turned that small oil trading company into Africa’s leading indigenous energy solutions provider listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange and the first African company to have a cross-border inward listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.

 

From that humble beginning, Tinubu has gone to carve for himself an enviable position as one of Nigeria’s most venerable dealmakers and inserted himself atop the pecking order in the league of major Nigeria’s oil industry. Evidence abounds.

 

Since 2000 when he struck his first gold with the acquisition of Unipetrol, he has been involved in many deals considered audacious that only the man known as champion extraordinaire could have taken such.

 

Thus, many industry analysts and admirers consider it ludicrous to typify the oil tycoon as a favoured nephew of Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu. To his inner circle, they will not hesitate to tell you about Tinubu’s prodigious traits. His Uncle might be the leader of the country, but there is no iota of evidence that the Oando boss is receiving special favours.

 

Society Watch gathered that come December 2024, Tinubu will celebrate three decades of Oando success amidst pageantry and glamour.

 

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MultiChoice unveils new channel, renames three others on DStv, GOtv

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Pay-TV operator, Multichoice Group, has rebranded its SuperSport variety channels on both DStv and GOtv platforms.

 

In a statement on Thursday by the Executive Head of Marketing at MultiChoice West Africa, Tope Oshunkeye, MultiChoice announced that the changes took effect from Wednesday, October 9, 2024.

 

Changes on DStv, GOtv

 

As part of the rebranding, the current SuperSport Select Channel has been renamed SuperSport Africa.

 

A new channel, SuperSport Action, has also been introduced, featuring a broader range of sports content, including UFC matches and additional Champions League games.

 

On the GOtv Jinja and GOtv Jolli packages, SuperSport Africa will replace Select 2 (Channel 64).

On the GOtv Max package, SuperSport Africa and SuperSport Africa 2 will replace Select 1 and Select 2 (Channels 63 and 64).

SuperSport Action will replace Select 3 (Channel 69) on the GOtv Supa and SupaPlus bouquets.

Oshunkeye explained the reason for the updates, stating, “The channel revamp is part of our ongoing efforts to enhance our sports offering and provide customers with more unbeatable sports content that resonates with them.”

 

He added that the new channels would deliver top sports action from around the world, including local boxing, UFC events, comprehensive analysis, and other engaging content curated for the African audience.

 

Oshunkeye reiterated MultiChoice’s commitment to offering premium services, saying, “We remain dedicated to delivering the best sporting action to our customers and continuously exploring ways to delight them with more choices, exciting live content, and great value.”

 

Subscribers are encouraged to subscribe, reconnect, or upgrade their packages through the MyGOtv App or by dialing *288#. They can also watch their favourite sports on the go using the GOtv Stream app.

US govt ramps up $20m fraud charges against Air Peace CEO Onyema

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The United States government has piled more charges on the earlier $20 million bank fraud case against Allen Onyema, the CEO of Air Peace, as the Nigerian businessman continues to elude trial in an American court in the last five years.

 

Although Mr Onyema, founder of the major Nigerian airline, has denied wrongdoing, he has been wanted in the US over the bank fraud charges pending against him and a co-defendant at the District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, in Atlanta since 2019.

 

“On 8 October 2024, they were both charged in a superseding indictment alleging an additional count of obstruction of justice and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice,” the US Attorney Office, Northern District of Georgia, said in a statement on Friday.

 

The office said Mr Onyema is accused of “obstruction of justice for submitting false documents to the government in an effort to end an investigation of him that resulted in earlier charges of bank fraud and money laundering.”

 

Prosecutors said he submitted false documents to US authorities in 2019 in an effort to stop the investigation and unfreeze his bank accounts regarding the alleged $20 million bank fraud.

 

Ejiroghene Eghagha, the airline’s Chief of Administration and Finance, accused of participating in the alleged obstruction scheme, as well as in the earlier bank fraud counts, is Mr Onyema’s co-defendant in the case.

 

“After allegedly using his airline company as a cover to commit fraud on the United States’ banking system, Onyema, along with his co-defendant, allegedly committed additional crimes of fraud in a failed attempt to derail the government’s investigation of his conduct,” the statement quoted US Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan.

 

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Alleged conspirator already sentenced

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Onyema remained wanted in the United States after an alleged conspirator in the $20 million bank fraud case was sentenced by an American court in September 2022.

 

In the decision, the US District Court sentenced Ebony Mayfield, an American woman, to three years’ probation for her roles in helping to facilitate the alleged fraud.

 

 

She escaped the prison sentence because she pleaded guilty early before her trial began.

 

Her lawyer also anchored her plea for probated sentence on the grounds that she was remorseful and cooperated with the government during investigations.

 

They also said she benefitted little from the alleged fraud, with Ms Mayfield confessing that she received only a total of $20,000 for her roles in the alleged conspiracy between 2016 to 2018.

 

CEO, co-defendant on the run

While Ms Mayfield was battling with her trial, Messrs Onyema and Eghagha were on the run from the charges and arrest warrants.

 

The US government named Messrs Onyema and Eghagha in the 36 charges of conspiracy, money laundering, bank fraud, credit application fraud, and identity theft filed against them on 19 November 2019.

 

American authorities obtained court warrants for the arrest of the two men in the US and Canada, where part of the suspected proceeds of fraud was said to have been moved to.

 

Earlier, before the filing of the charges, Russell Vineyard, a magistrate at the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, on 5 September 2019, issued a corresponding warrant of arrest for Messrs Onyema and Eghagha in Canada.

 

In another arrest warrant issued on 19 November 2019, Justin Anand, an American magistrate of the same court, ordered the US Marshals Service to take them into custody.

 

Both men have succeeded in evading arrest by American or Canadian authorities since then.

 

But US authorities arrested Ms Mayfield on 7 June 2019.

 

In December 2019, they charged her with signing and submitting fake documents to help Mr Onyema to facilitate the $20 million fraud between May 2016 and February 2018. She subsequently pleaded guilty and was sentenced in September 2022.

 

‘Superseding’ indictment

The US government has now filed a superseding indictment in the nearly five years old case, introducing two additional counts, bringing to 38 the total number of counts now pending against Mr Onyema and his co-defendant.

 

US authorities accused Mr Onyema of moving suspicious funds from Nigeria to American bank accounts between 2017 and 2018 with the funds allegedly disguised as being meant to be used to purchase aircraft.

 

Mr Onyema and his co-defendant, Mr Eghagha, allegedly organised the fraud by applying for export letters of credit for the transfer of funds from a Nigerian bank account to the bank account of Mr Onyema’s Atlanta-Georgia-based firm, Springfield Aviation LLC, between 2016 and 2017.

 

The defendants, according to US prosecutors, applied for the funds purportedly for the purchase of aircraft by Air Peace from Springfield Aviation.

 

Both Air Peace, a major Nigerian commercial airline, and the US-based Springfield Aviation, are owned by Mr Onyema.

 

Air Peace …. owned by Allen Onyema

Air Peace airline

Prosecutors also said the aircraft referenced in each of the export letters of credit sent to the American banks was never owned or sold by Springfield Aviation.

 

They said the defendants made false statements and reports, and willfully overvalued property to influence the actions of the American banks.

 

Mr Eghagha was said to have sent the false documents, including fabricated purchase agreements, bills of sale, and valuation documents, to Ms Mayfield to sign and submit to the respective banks in support of the letters of credit.

 

Mr Onyema had engaged Ms Mayfield, who was at various times, a bartender, restaurant waitress, and nightclub dancer, in 2016, to act as a manager of Springfield Aviation, and enter into contracts on the firm’s behalf.

 

Prosecutors said she “had no connection to the aviation business outside of her role with Springfield Aviation and had no education, training, or licensing in the review and valuation of aircraft, including aircraft components.”

 

They alleged that Mr Onyema founded and used Springfield Aviation “to facilitate large transfers of funds from his Nigerian bank accounts to the United States.”

 

Mr Onyema allegedly moved about $15 million from Springfield Aviation’s account with a Wells Fargo Bank branch in Atlanta, Georgia, to his personal savings account with the same bank in 27 transactions in 2017.

 

Each of the 27 transactions stands alone as a charge of money laundering.

 

In May 2019, upon discovering that he was under investigation in the Northern District of Georgia for bank fraud, Messrs Onyema and Eghagha allegedly directed the Springfield Aviation manager, Ms Mayfield, to sign a key business contract, but also specifically told her to not date the document.

 

In October 2019, Onyema allegedly caused his attorneys to present that same contract, now falsely dated as being signed on 5 May 2016 (prior to the bank fraud that began in 2016), to the government in an effort to stop the investigation and unfreeze his bank accounts.

 

The submission of the alleged false documents forms the basis for the new count of obstruction of justice and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice in the superseding charges.

 

“Allegedly, Onyema and his accomplices fraudulently used the U.S. banking system in an effort to hide the source of their ill-gotten money,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Lisa Fontanette, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Atlanta Field Office, on Friday.

 

Denial

An Air Peace spokesperson, in a telephone interview with our reporter on Saturday, dismissed the new development in the case as a mere recycling of the same set of allegations. The official said Mr Onyema’s legal team would give a more formal response in due time.

 

Meanwhiile, Messrs Onyema and Eghagha had denied the charges in previous press statements, the latest being the one he issued through a Nigerian law firm after the court sentenced Ms Mayfield in September 2022.

 

The statement by A.O. Alegeh & Co law firm was silent on the charges of fraud and money laundering against Mr Onyema and his co-defendant at the same court where Ms Mayfield was prosecuted.

 

But they maintained in the press release that the fact that Ms Mayfield was not given any prison sentence, confinement or home detention by the court confirmed that there was no fraud in the $20 million deal.

 

They added then that the US government “admitted in court today that no bank suffered any financial loss in this matter.”

 

The statement also denied that Mr Onyema paid Ms Mayfield $20,000 for her roles in the alleged fraud, and insisted that “all steps taken in respect of the Letters of Credit were taken in good faith and with legitimate funds.”

 

READ ALSO: Air Peace, capitalism, and national interest, By Dakuku Peterside

“All the aircraft involved were brought into Nigeria and utilised in the operations of Air Peace Limited. There was no victim. There was no loss of funds to any person and there was no criminal intent whatsoever.”

 

The law firm added that various law enforcement agencies in Nigeria had reviewed the case and “no evidence of criminality” was established against them.

 

In the earlier statement he issued in the wake of unveiling of the charges in November 2019, Mr Onyema vowed: “to defend my innocence in the US courts.”

 

But despite the vow, Mr Onyema and his co-defendant have yet to appear before the court to take their plea.