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Exposed: How GTBank staff, CBN official burnt bullion van, ‘stole N70m’ in Kano
Two brothers, Yusuf Mukhtar and Bashir Mukhtar, who are staffers of CBN and GTBank respectively, have allegedly conspired to steal over N70m by burning down a bullion van to cover up their tracks.
The duo conspired with the driver of the van to pour petrol on the vehicle and set it on fire on November 13 in an isolated track on the new campus of Bayero University, Kano.
Insiders said when they set the van on fire around 6:47pm, they removed some of the money and put them in another vehicle before the arrival of fire fighters and the police.
This newspapers gathered that Bashir, who coordinates cash movement at the GTBank in Kano, abused his position by deliberately accepting mutilated naira notes that are marked for destruction from his brother, Yusuf, who works at the state apex bank office.
“After accepting the money, they will then swap them with good notes and hide in their homes,” said a source familiar with the investigation.
“The plot went awry when Bashir realized that auditors will soon query the enormity of mutilated notes, trace their sources, dates of receipt, among others. So they organized the arson and make it look natural.
Witnesses in the university confirmed that they saw the occupants of the van setting fire on it and removing some of the money from the burning vehicle.
A series of videos obtained by this newspaper also show the vehicle burning, with onlookers questioning the fire “incident”.
Sources told DAILY NIGERIAN that fire service officers and police detectives also suspected a foul play in the “fire accident” when they detected the smell of petrol on some half burnt notes inside the armored compartment.
The driver of the van, a staff of Bankers Warehouse, was first arrested, and upon investigation, he confessed to the crime and named his brother and others as his accomplice.
Bankers Warehouse, according to their website, is a private company that “has a Service Agreement with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to receive, process, sort, vault and pay out cash to Deposit Money Banks (DMB’s), on behalf of the CBN.”
Sources said that the deal couldn’t have been struck without connivance of some officials of the company.
But upon interrogation, Bashir admitted that his sibling partner-in-crime allegedly supplied the mutilated notes and swap them with good ones from GTBank.
After obtaining a search warrant, the police detectives searched their houses and found N40million hidden in their father’s house.
Sources said the two brothers resorted to organize the heist when their initial plan to deposit the mutilated money at Bankers Warehouse or CBN failed.
A banker who preferred not to be named said for a bank to lodge huge amount of mutilated notes, it has to apply to the branch controllers of the apex bank for approval. “Banks don’t just dump money at the CBN anyhow. It will be hard for GTBank to make such application without raising questions about the enormity of the amount,” the banker said.
“There are Counted Audited Clean (CAC), which is meant for circulation and the Counted Audited Dirty (CAD), which is meant for destruction. So the notes they used to fake the incident are those meant for destruction”.
Insiders confirmed that the CBN in Kano recently busted a plan to swap N90million dirty notes that were earlier marked and shredded for destruction by the same apex bank. “Although this is a different case, but there is indication that something is really fishy.”
Cover-up by the police?
After detention of the two brothers at the Criminal Investigations Department, the police released all the suspects without filing criminal charges against them.
The police allegedly collected N1,500,000 to release them on bail.
When contacted on Monday, the spokesman for the Kano State Police Command, SP Abdullahi Kiyawa, confirmed the arrest and recovery of the funds, adding that the police are still investigating the matter.
He said the brothers were released based on the understanding reached by all the parties involved to return the money.
When our reporter queried whether a criminal offence of this nature could be “forgiven” by the police without filing charges, the police spokesman said he should be given time to get more details of the case.
Mr Kiyawa did not respond to repeated calls on Wednesday, seeking further clarification on the matter.
Sources however confirmed that the bank is more concerned about “recovery of stolen funds” as prosecuting the staff involved may cause the bank embarrassment.
The Head of Corporate Communication of GTBank, Tolulope Onipede, did not respond to calls and email seeking the response of the bank.
Credit: Daily Nigerian
Senator representing Kogi East Senatorial District, Jibrin Isah Echocho, has congratulated Muslim faithful for the successful completion of this year Ramadan fast, urging them to celebrate the Sallah in love, and unity across our communities.
Echocho in a statement madeavailable to CAPITALPOST in Lokoja o Sunday, described the Ramadan period as stressful, but deserving, because it is the only period for spiritual reflection on abstinence from immorality, sincere sacrifice and supplications to Allah.
He added that, Ramadan symbolises Allah’s way of teaching humanity on virtuous living, where people keep away from all forms of comfort to appreciate what the less privileged experience and deprivation they suffers daily.
He task Muslims to extend the lessons of Ramadan to the way we live with our neighbours.
“Let’s seek peace at all times and promote unity of purpose in our society” the Lawmaker demanded.
“May the celebration brings sustainable peace to our homes, my district, Kogi State and Nigeria, he concluded.
The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio has commended Senator Basheer Lado, for redefining the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, stating that, for the first time in a long while, the office is fully meeting its expectations.
Speaking during his visit to the office of the Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters accompanied by distinguished senators, Akpabio described the visit as a significant step in strengthening Executive-Legislative relations.
He praised the Special Adviser and his team for maintaining the confidentiality of communications between the President and Senate, and also, ensuring a seamless flow of information. He further emphasized that the office is now more result-oriented.
Additionally, he acknowledged the office’s diligent efforts in tracking all Bills passed by the Senate and assented to by the President, underscoring its critical role in legislative efficiency.
Expressing his satisfaction, Akpabio noted that he and the Senate delegation were proud of the office’s achievements and looked forward to sustaining the existing cordial and productive relationship between the Executive and the Legislature throughout the administration.
In recognition of his exemplary leadership, Senator Lado presented an Award of Excellence to Senator Akpabio.
In his remarks, Senator Lado reaffirmed his commitment to fostering a harmonious working relationship between the Executive and the Legislature. He lauded Akpabio for his unwavering dedication to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda—defending it with clarity, articulating it with passion, and advancing it through legislative action.
Ahead of the 2025 political party Congresses, Plateau State Chapter of the Labour Party (LP) stakeholders has endorsed the defection of the candidate of the party in the 2023 general elections and the leader of Justice and Rebirth, Barr Gyang Zi SAN, to the All Progressive Congress (APC) with the view to key into the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
They made the call in a communique issued at the end of the enlarge meeting of the stakeholders from Plateau North senatorial zone at the residence of Barr. Gyang Zi in Rayfield Jos.
The communique which was jointly signed by Dr. Ayiki Sati Director General, Justice and Rebirth and
Barr. Samuel Galadima- 2024 Chairmanship candidate of Jos East LGA among others said the call became imperative on the sideline of the leadership tussle at the National Level which violates the core principles and values for the formation of the Party as an alternative for Nigeria for the protection, sustenance of democracy and Social Justice.
They regretted that the leadership tussle has also divided the party into factions leaving party loyalists and supporters in the state of despondency and confusion not knowing where they belong.
Our correspondent reports that the gathering included LP candidates from the 2023/2024 general elections, party executives, and support groups from the six local government areas of the Northern Senatorial District.
Besides, the focus of the discussions was centered on the state of the Labour Party at both national and state levels and the need for political realignment ahead of the 2025 party congresses and conventions.
The stakeholders further frowned at the structural weaknesses in LP and resolved to advise Barr Gyang Zi, to leave the party and join the APC while expressing confidence that the APC would provide him with a platform to advance good governance in the state .
The communique also emphasized the importance of political consultations, particularly with APC leaders at both state and national levels. It called for collaboration with Plateau State APC leaders, including Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe, Sen. Simon Bako Lalong, Sen. Diket Plang, and other party officials.
According to the communique, supporters of Barr Gyang Zi also pledged to mobilize grassroots support for the APC, stating that their leader’s defection would strengthen the party in the state.
They urged the APC leadership to formally receive Gyang Zi and his supporters into the party, marking their official transition from the Labour Party.
Stakeholders also reiterated the need for inclusive governance, ensuring that youths, women, and less privileged individuals are sidelined in the democratic process and accordingly officially denounced their membership in the Labour Party, declaring their support for the APC.
They assured that all LP structures aligned with Gyang Zi would follow suit, shifting their loyalty to the ruling party in the state and at the National level.
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