High Street

A Kogi State High Court in Lokoja on Wednesday granted bail in the sum of N10m to Senator Dino Melaye, who was arraigned on gun-running charges. Justice Nasir Ajana, in a ruling, said he was inclined to granting Melaye bail in view of his health condition. The judge said he was convinced by the argument of Melaye’s lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), that keeping the senator in custody would jeopardise his health, which, according to the lawyer, was already “deteriorating.” The judge said he was also convinced by Ozekhome’s argument that Melaye would not abscond if granted bail. Melaye was not in court on Wednesday. His lawyer said he was still on admission in the hospital in Abuja. Apart from the gun-running charges in Lokoja, Melaye is facing separate criminal charges before Justice Olasunbo Goodluck in Abuja. Source: Punch

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission says it has arrested four former commissioners who served in Kogi State during the administration of ex-governor Idris Wada. ICPC said in a statement by its spokesperson, Mrs. Rasheedat Okoduwa, that the suspects were allegedly involved in fraud to the tune of N11bn. The ex-commissioners include: Kayode Olowomoran (Culture and Tourism); Abdulrahman Wuya (Transport); Onama Godwin (Works); and Ali Ajuh (Budget and Planning). The anti-graft agency said the former commissioner acting in connivance with the former governor, former Accountant-General, Ibrahim Idakwo, and a former Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Commerce, Frank Onoja, had obtained a N2bn Small and Medium Enterprise loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria on behalf of the state which was misapplied. The statement added, “Preliminary investigations by the commission also revealed that the suspects allegedly partook in the mismanagement of...