The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has briefed the Senate on the 47 new Sports Utility Vehicles seized from a former Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Power, Mr. Godknows Igali, and forfeited to the Federal Government.
The EFCC made this known to the lawmakers in a report presented by the Acting Chairman of the commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, to the Senate Committee on Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption.
The committee had asked Magu, when he appeared before it to defend the 2017 budget estimates of the EFCC, to come back with the report of the activities of the commission.
The EFCC boss, who presented a report on assets recovered by the agency to the lawmakers on Wednesday, was, again, asked to come back with a more comprehensive report, including the details such as assets seized, assets forfeited, loot recovered and pending corruption cases.
The EFCC said the cars were seized in Utako, Abuja residence of the ex-civil servant, who is currently under investigation for alleged corruption.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had on December 30, 2016, in a statement, announced the seizure. He noted that the new strategies deployed by the current administration in its war against corruption were achieving results.
Meanwhile, lawmakers kicked against the donation of building and furniture to EFCC by an unnamed state governor, saying such donations could hamper the independence of the commission.
Senator Dino Melaye, specifically, expressed dissatisfaction with a situation where governors would make donations to the EFCC, saying that such development could frustrate the activities of the anti-graft agency.
The lawmakers also demanded a review of a contract for the construction of the EFCC office building, awarded to Julius Berger, which had been raised from N18.8bn to N26bn.
Melaye wondered why a contract awarded at N18.8bn could be increased to N26bn and the EFCC would later request for additional N2bn for power plant and sewage.
He also asked how could be a 10-storeyed building be without a plan for sewage and power plant when the contract was awarded.
The Chairman of the committee, Chukwuka Utazi, said the signing of the contract was against the advice of the Bureau of Public Procurement.
Showing posts with label News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label News. Show all posts
Thursday, 2 March 2017
C’River seeks reduction in number of political parties
The Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ivara Esu, on Wednesday, sought a reduction in the number of the existing political parties in the country.
Esu said this in Calabar during the public hearing of the South-South states by the Presidential Committee on Electoral Reforms led by Senator Ken Nnamani.
The public hearing, which had inputs from political stakeholders in states across the South-South region, was dominated by stakeholders from the host state, Cross River.
The deputy governor, who stood in for Governor Ben Ayade, wondered why only a few parties made impacts during elections despite the availability of many parties in the country.
He said, “Why do we have a long list of political parties, whereas when elections are held you only have two or three political parties making impacts?”
Esu, however, listed the areas to be amended in the ongoing electoral reforms to include a reduction in the number of political parties, stiff penalties for politicians defecting from one party to another and an amendment of the electronic voting system, among others.
“There is also the issue of defection. To me, that is electoral fraud. You cannot win an election on one platform and choose to defect to another platform,” he said.
Etu also said that Nigeria was better in terms of democratic developments when compared with Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and other Third World nations where their leaders had remained in office for too long.
He said that under the present democratic dispensation in Nigeria, no president could cling on to power for more than the stipulated number of years.
He lambasted the presidents of Cameroon, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, among others, for clinging to power for too long, saying that the phenomenon was a blot on the countries’ democratic development.
He said, “If we look at Nigeria, we would say we have done well compared with other Third World nations. We are not like Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and others, where we have leaders that will cling to power. What kind of countries are those?”
Various stakeholders, including the representatives of political parties and election monitors called for stiffer penalties for electoral offenders.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, who represented the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, said the committee was inaugurated to address the grey areas in the electoral process.
He said, “We have seen conflicting judgments by appellate courts on electoral matters. This committee is meant to sort out such areas.”
Esu said this in Calabar during the public hearing of the South-South states by the Presidential Committee on Electoral Reforms led by Senator Ken Nnamani.
The public hearing, which had inputs from political stakeholders in states across the South-South region, was dominated by stakeholders from the host state, Cross River.
The deputy governor, who stood in for Governor Ben Ayade, wondered why only a few parties made impacts during elections despite the availability of many parties in the country.
He said, “Why do we have a long list of political parties, whereas when elections are held you only have two or three political parties making impacts?”
Esu, however, listed the areas to be amended in the ongoing electoral reforms to include a reduction in the number of political parties, stiff penalties for politicians defecting from one party to another and an amendment of the electronic voting system, among others.
“There is also the issue of defection. To me, that is electoral fraud. You cannot win an election on one platform and choose to defect to another platform,” he said.
Etu also said that Nigeria was better in terms of democratic developments when compared with Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and other Third World nations where their leaders had remained in office for too long.
He said that under the present democratic dispensation in Nigeria, no president could cling on to power for more than the stipulated number of years.
He lambasted the presidents of Cameroon, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, among others, for clinging to power for too long, saying that the phenomenon was a blot on the countries’ democratic development.
He said, “If we look at Nigeria, we would say we have done well compared with other Third World nations. We are not like Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and others, where we have leaders that will cling to power. What kind of countries are those?”
Various stakeholders, including the representatives of political parties and election monitors called for stiffer penalties for electoral offenders.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, who represented the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, said the committee was inaugurated to address the grey areas in the electoral process.
He said, “We have seen conflicting judgments by appellate courts on electoral matters. This committee is meant to sort out such areas.”
Drama as Senate screens 82-year-old ambassadorial nominee
The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, on Wednesday, screened an 82-year-old non-career ambassadorial nominee, Justice Sylvanus Nsofor (retd.), who refused to recite the National Anthem when he was asked to do so.
The refusal by the nominee to recite the anthem had shocked members of the committee.
The nominee is one of the 46 on the ‘reviewed list’ for whom President Muhammadu Buhari was seeking legislative approval for their appointment.
The nominee was asked series of questions, which he responded to.
The lawmaker representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Senator Gbenga Ashafa (APC Lagos East), specifically, asked Nsofor to recite the anthem.
The nominee, however, decline to recite it, asking the lawmakers why he should do so.
Nsofor, after engaging the lawmakers in arguments, was eventually asked to take a bow and leave the venue.
Nsofor was born on March 17, 1935, in Oguta, Imo State.
He was a Judge of the High Court of Nigeria, Justice of the Court of Appeal, and Lecturer in Law at the Holborn College of Law in London.
The refusal by the nominee to recite the anthem had shocked members of the committee.
The nominee is one of the 46 on the ‘reviewed list’ for whom President Muhammadu Buhari was seeking legislative approval for their appointment.
The nominee was asked series of questions, which he responded to.
The lawmaker representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Senator Gbenga Ashafa (APC Lagos East), specifically, asked Nsofor to recite the anthem.
The nominee, however, decline to recite it, asking the lawmakers why he should do so.
Nsofor, after engaging the lawmakers in arguments, was eventually asked to take a bow and leave the venue.
Nsofor was born on March 17, 1935, in Oguta, Imo State.
He was a Judge of the High Court of Nigeria, Justice of the Court of Appeal, and Lecturer in Law at the Holborn College of Law in London.
Senate confirms Onnoghen, South gets CJN after 30 years
The Senate, on Wednesday, confirmed the appointment of Justice Walter Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, making him the first person from the southern part of the country to occupy the office in the last 30 years.
Onnoghen is from Cross River State.
The last CJN from the South was Justice Ayo Irikefe, who occupied the office in 1987.
Onnoghen was screened by Committee of the Whole of the Senate.
The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, had written to the Senate, asking for legislative approval for the appointment of the new CJN.
In the letter dated February 7, 2017, with reference number SH/AG. PRESIDENT/SEN/02/0, Osinbajo sought legislative confirmation for the appointment of Justice Walter Onnoghen of the Supreme Court as the CJN.
The letter read, “Following the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, I hereby notify you of the appointment of the Honourable Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen (CFR) as the Chief Justice of Nigeria.
“The Senate President is requested to kindly present the said appointment of the Honourable Justice Onnoghen for confirmation by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria pursuant to Section 231(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Based on the recommendation by the National Judicial Council on October 13, 2016, President Muhammadu Buhari had inaugurated Onnoghen, being the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court, as the acting CJN on November 10, 2016.
After the recommendation by the NJC, the President was expected, by constitutional provisions, to forward the appointment to the Senate for confirmation.
After Senate’s confirmation, the President is expected to swear in Onnoghen as the substantive CJN.
The first three-month tenure of Justice Onnoghen in acting capacity had expired on February 10, 2017, three days after Osinbajo transmitted his appointment to the Senate for confirmation.
At the screening, which lasted over one hour, Onnoghen addressed several issues raised by the lawmakers about Nigeria’s judiciary.
Leading the debate, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, raised the issue of the time frame within which political matters were dealt with by the courts.
He said, “My lord, I am sure you are aware that prior to 2010, election matters took four to five years to conclude; sometimes beyond the lifespan of the tenure of the incumbent. But after, we amended the constitution, giving a time frame to deal with that.”
In his submission, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator David Umaru, recalled some major cases Onnoghen presided upon, alluding to the fact that judgments delivered by the CJN might have led to the delay in his nomination and appointment.
He said, “In the case of (Muhammadu) Buhari against the Independent National Electoral Commission and others, 2008, AC/51/2008, in which you delivered a dissenting judgment alongside your brothers (judges), wherein you nullified the 2007 election on the grounds of substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act. You equally handed down the profound decision in (Rotimi) Amaechi Vs INEC reported in 2008 by Nigerian Weekly Law Report, Pages 10 to 80.
“Equally, in the case of (Bukola) Saraki against the Federal Republic of Nigeria delivered on February 5, 2016, you delivered the lead judgment there. That scenario, put against the recent arrest of some judicial officers for alleged involvement in corrupt practice, and following the delay in your nomination by the executive, there is a general feeling that the judiciary under your watch, if eventually your nomination passes through the distinguished Senate, may not exhibit the exceptional and uncommon courage, which you have exhibited in those cases.”
Onnoghen, in his response, said his appointment was subject to confirmation by the Senate as the nomination had already been done by the National Judicial Council.
He also said, “The fear of me not exhibiting the uncommon courage that had earlier been exhibited; I assure you that I remain whom I have been on the bench right from the beginning and I intend to end that way by the special grace of God.”
The Majority Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, also said there were some recent cases of corruption charges against some officials in the judiciary.
“You have about four years to be the CJN; I want you to tell us how you intend to, within this period, reform the judiciary and bring back the confidence of the public because some people would feel our judicial system is under a heavy question mark of integrity, but we need to do something to regain the confidence of the public.”
In his response, Onnoghen said there had been a “tremendous” improvement in the judiciary.
He explained that Wednesday had been set aside for a special panel, apart from the regular panel of the Supreme Court, to deal with pre-election matters.
Onnoghen said, “Already, as I came on board, for instance, I have passed different circulars to all the heads of the Nigerian judiciary in the country to send me details of pending matters on corruption, matters on terrorism and high profile criminal matters.
Onnoghen is from Cross River State.
The last CJN from the South was Justice Ayo Irikefe, who occupied the office in 1987.
Onnoghen was screened by Committee of the Whole of the Senate.
The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, had written to the Senate, asking for legislative approval for the appointment of the new CJN.
In the letter dated February 7, 2017, with reference number SH/AG. PRESIDENT/SEN/02/0, Osinbajo sought legislative confirmation for the appointment of Justice Walter Onnoghen of the Supreme Court as the CJN.
The letter read, “Following the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, I hereby notify you of the appointment of the Honourable Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen (CFR) as the Chief Justice of Nigeria.
“The Senate President is requested to kindly present the said appointment of the Honourable Justice Onnoghen for confirmation by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria pursuant to Section 231(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Based on the recommendation by the National Judicial Council on October 13, 2016, President Muhammadu Buhari had inaugurated Onnoghen, being the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court, as the acting CJN on November 10, 2016.
After the recommendation by the NJC, the President was expected, by constitutional provisions, to forward the appointment to the Senate for confirmation.
After Senate’s confirmation, the President is expected to swear in Onnoghen as the substantive CJN.
The first three-month tenure of Justice Onnoghen in acting capacity had expired on February 10, 2017, three days after Osinbajo transmitted his appointment to the Senate for confirmation.
At the screening, which lasted over one hour, Onnoghen addressed several issues raised by the lawmakers about Nigeria’s judiciary.
Leading the debate, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, raised the issue of the time frame within which political matters were dealt with by the courts.
He said, “My lord, I am sure you are aware that prior to 2010, election matters took four to five years to conclude; sometimes beyond the lifespan of the tenure of the incumbent. But after, we amended the constitution, giving a time frame to deal with that.”
In his submission, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator David Umaru, recalled some major cases Onnoghen presided upon, alluding to the fact that judgments delivered by the CJN might have led to the delay in his nomination and appointment.
He said, “In the case of (Muhammadu) Buhari against the Independent National Electoral Commission and others, 2008, AC/51/2008, in which you delivered a dissenting judgment alongside your brothers (judges), wherein you nullified the 2007 election on the grounds of substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act. You equally handed down the profound decision in (Rotimi) Amaechi Vs INEC reported in 2008 by Nigerian Weekly Law Report, Pages 10 to 80.
“Equally, in the case of (Bukola) Saraki against the Federal Republic of Nigeria delivered on February 5, 2016, you delivered the lead judgment there. That scenario, put against the recent arrest of some judicial officers for alleged involvement in corrupt practice, and following the delay in your nomination by the executive, there is a general feeling that the judiciary under your watch, if eventually your nomination passes through the distinguished Senate, may not exhibit the exceptional and uncommon courage, which you have exhibited in those cases.”
Onnoghen, in his response, said his appointment was subject to confirmation by the Senate as the nomination had already been done by the National Judicial Council.
He also said, “The fear of me not exhibiting the uncommon courage that had earlier been exhibited; I assure you that I remain whom I have been on the bench right from the beginning and I intend to end that way by the special grace of God.”
The Majority Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, also said there were some recent cases of corruption charges against some officials in the judiciary.
“You have about four years to be the CJN; I want you to tell us how you intend to, within this period, reform the judiciary and bring back the confidence of the public because some people would feel our judicial system is under a heavy question mark of integrity, but we need to do something to regain the confidence of the public.”
In his response, Onnoghen said there had been a “tremendous” improvement in the judiciary.
He explained that Wednesday had been set aside for a special panel, apart from the regular panel of the Supreme Court, to deal with pre-election matters.
Onnoghen said, “Already, as I came on board, for instance, I have passed different circulars to all the heads of the Nigerian judiciary in the country to send me details of pending matters on corruption, matters on terrorism and high profile criminal matters.
Court dismisses terrorism, five other charges against Kanu, others
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday struck out six out of the 11 charges instituted against the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, and three other persons.
The accused persons charged along with Kanu were the National Coordinator of IPOB, Mr. Chidiebere Onwudiwe; an IPOB member, Benjamin Madubugwu; and a former Field Maintenance Engineer on secondment to the MTN, David Nwawuisi.
Three of the defendants Kanu, Onwudiwe and Nwawuisi, had filed separate notices of preliminary objection challenging the validity of various counts in which their names were jointly or separately mentioned as accused persons.
Ruling on the preliminary objection on Wednesday, Justice Binta Nyako partly agreed with the applications by striking out six out of the 11 counts.
The judge said the struck-out charges did not call for trial due to the failure of some of them to disclose vital elements of the alleged offences.
She ruled that the proof of evidence also failed to disclose any prima facie case against the defendants with regard to some of the other counts.
The accused persons were on November 8, 2016 re-arraigned before Justice Binta Nyako on amended 11 counts, comprising terrorism, treasonable felony, managing an unlawful society, publication of defamatory matter, illegal possession of firearms and improper importation of goods.
But ruling on the applications by Kanu and two other accused persons on Wednesday, Nyako said some of the counts “cannot stand.”
She struck out charges contained in counts 3, 5, 7, 9, 10 and 11 which related to the management of unlawful organisation, intention to manufacture Improvised Explosive Devices planned to be used against some Nigerian security agents and alleged improper importation of a radio transmitter.
The judge ruled that the allegation in Count 3 relating to the “managing of unlawful society punishable under section 63 of the Criminal Code Act” could not be substantiated by the proof of evidence.
The judge ruled that the proof of evidence failed to show that IPOB was indeed an unlawful organisation.
She said the prosecution failed to show that the organisation had been proscribed or that it was not registered either in Nigeria or London in the United Kingdom.
She also said the alleged, “improper importation of goods contrary to section 47(1) (a) (i) of the Customs and Excise Management Act” levelled against Kanu in Count 5 did not disclose the elements of the alleged offence bordering on the importation of a Radio Transmitter known as TRAM 50L.
The judge also ruled that the allegation in Count 7 accusing Madubugwu of “managing an unlawful society punishable under Section 63 of the Criminal Code Act” by accepting and keeping a container housing the radio transmitter which he allegedly knew was to be used for Radio Biafra, also did not disclose any element of the alleged crime.
According to the judge, Count 9, which accused Onwudiwe and Nwawuisi of “conspiracy to commit treasonable felony contrary to Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act” also does not disclose the elements of the alleged crime.
Justice Nyako held that the count failed to disclose which of the acts of installation of the transmitter on the MTN mast site at Ogui Road, near St. Michael Church, Enugu State, and the agreement on the payment of N150,000 was the act that constituted the offence of conspiracy to commit treasonable felony.
“The charge has not disclosed what the offence is. This does not call for any trial,” the judge ruled.
She also struck out Count 10, which accused Nwawuisi, then a Field Maintenance Engineer with the NTN in Enugu State, of “management of unlawful society punishable under section 63 of the Criminal Code Act.”
The prosecution had accused Nwawuisi of the offence for allegedly permitting the installation of Radio Biafra transmitter on the MTN mast for the purpose of propagating the objective of IPOB after being paid the sum of N150,000 by Onwudiwe.
The judge said the count could not stand because the proof that the IPOB was an unlawful society was not provided.
The judge also struck out Count 11, which accused Onwudiwe of “knowingly committing an act preparatory to an act of terrorism” by allegedly “carrying out research for the purpose of identifying and gathering of improvised explosive device-making materials to be used against the Nigerian security operatives carrying out their lawful duties.”
The prosecution alleged in the count that Onwudiwe had by the act, committed an offence of “terrorism contrary to section 2(1)(a) of Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment Act 2011 as amended in 2013.”
But the judge agreed with the defence that since the offence only had to do with an intention to commit a particular act, it was the magistrate court that had the jurisdiction to entertain such a charge.
The judge however sustained Counts 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8.
Count 1 has to do with “conspiracy to commit treasonble felony contrary to section 516 of the Criminal Code act” by conspiring among themselves to broadcast on Radio Biafra “for states in the South-East and South-South geopolitical zones and other communities in Kogi and Benue states to secede from the Federal Republic of Nigeria with a view to constituting same into Republic of Biafra.”
Count 2 has to do with an allegation of treasonable felony which Kanu allegedly committed by broadcasting in London between 2014 and 2015 for the secession of Republic of Biafra from Nigeria.
The court also sustained Count 4, which accused Kanu of “publication of defamatory matter contrary to section 375 of the Criminal Code Act” by referring to the then Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) and now President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as “a pedophile, a terrorist, an idiot and an embodiment of evil” in a broadcast on Radio Biafra on April 28, 2015.
The judge also sustained Count 6 which accused Kanu of “improper importation of goods contrary to section 47(2)(a) of the Customs and Excise Management Act” by allegedly concealing a radio transmitter in a container of used household items and declaring the transmitter as part of the used household items.
Count 8, which accused Madubugwu of being in possession of one Emerald Magnum Pump Action Gun with serial number TS 870 – 113 – 0046 and one Delta Magnum Pump Action Gun with serial number 501 as well as 41 cartridges/ammunition without lawful authority or licence, was also sustained.
Madubugwu was reportedly caught with the firearms in his house in Ubulusuzor in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State in October 2015.
With the agreement of the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Shuaibu Labaran, Kanu’s lawyer, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, and other defence lawyers, the five surviving charges were read to the accused persons after the ruling on Wednesday.
They all pleaded not guilty to the five charges.
The defence lawyers also indicated their intention to file fresh bail applications.
The accused persons charged along with Kanu were the National Coordinator of IPOB, Mr. Chidiebere Onwudiwe; an IPOB member, Benjamin Madubugwu; and a former Field Maintenance Engineer on secondment to the MTN, David Nwawuisi.
Three of the defendants Kanu, Onwudiwe and Nwawuisi, had filed separate notices of preliminary objection challenging the validity of various counts in which their names were jointly or separately mentioned as accused persons.
Ruling on the preliminary objection on Wednesday, Justice Binta Nyako partly agreed with the applications by striking out six out of the 11 counts.
The judge said the struck-out charges did not call for trial due to the failure of some of them to disclose vital elements of the alleged offences.
She ruled that the proof of evidence also failed to disclose any prima facie case against the defendants with regard to some of the other counts.
The accused persons were on November 8, 2016 re-arraigned before Justice Binta Nyako on amended 11 counts, comprising terrorism, treasonable felony, managing an unlawful society, publication of defamatory matter, illegal possession of firearms and improper importation of goods.
But ruling on the applications by Kanu and two other accused persons on Wednesday, Nyako said some of the counts “cannot stand.”
She struck out charges contained in counts 3, 5, 7, 9, 10 and 11 which related to the management of unlawful organisation, intention to manufacture Improvised Explosive Devices planned to be used against some Nigerian security agents and alleged improper importation of a radio transmitter.
The judge ruled that the allegation in Count 3 relating to the “managing of unlawful society punishable under section 63 of the Criminal Code Act” could not be substantiated by the proof of evidence.
The judge ruled that the proof of evidence failed to show that IPOB was indeed an unlawful organisation.
She said the prosecution failed to show that the organisation had been proscribed or that it was not registered either in Nigeria or London in the United Kingdom.
She also said the alleged, “improper importation of goods contrary to section 47(1) (a) (i) of the Customs and Excise Management Act” levelled against Kanu in Count 5 did not disclose the elements of the alleged offence bordering on the importation of a Radio Transmitter known as TRAM 50L.
The judge also ruled that the allegation in Count 7 accusing Madubugwu of “managing an unlawful society punishable under Section 63 of the Criminal Code Act” by accepting and keeping a container housing the radio transmitter which he allegedly knew was to be used for Radio Biafra, also did not disclose any element of the alleged crime.
According to the judge, Count 9, which accused Onwudiwe and Nwawuisi of “conspiracy to commit treasonable felony contrary to Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act” also does not disclose the elements of the alleged crime.
Justice Nyako held that the count failed to disclose which of the acts of installation of the transmitter on the MTN mast site at Ogui Road, near St. Michael Church, Enugu State, and the agreement on the payment of N150,000 was the act that constituted the offence of conspiracy to commit treasonable felony.
“The charge has not disclosed what the offence is. This does not call for any trial,” the judge ruled.
She also struck out Count 10, which accused Nwawuisi, then a Field Maintenance Engineer with the NTN in Enugu State, of “management of unlawful society punishable under section 63 of the Criminal Code Act.”
The prosecution had accused Nwawuisi of the offence for allegedly permitting the installation of Radio Biafra transmitter on the MTN mast for the purpose of propagating the objective of IPOB after being paid the sum of N150,000 by Onwudiwe.
The judge said the count could not stand because the proof that the IPOB was an unlawful society was not provided.
The judge also struck out Count 11, which accused Onwudiwe of “knowingly committing an act preparatory to an act of terrorism” by allegedly “carrying out research for the purpose of identifying and gathering of improvised explosive device-making materials to be used against the Nigerian security operatives carrying out their lawful duties.”
The prosecution alleged in the count that Onwudiwe had by the act, committed an offence of “terrorism contrary to section 2(1)(a) of Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment Act 2011 as amended in 2013.”
But the judge agreed with the defence that since the offence only had to do with an intention to commit a particular act, it was the magistrate court that had the jurisdiction to entertain such a charge.
The judge however sustained Counts 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8.
Count 1 has to do with “conspiracy to commit treasonble felony contrary to section 516 of the Criminal Code act” by conspiring among themselves to broadcast on Radio Biafra “for states in the South-East and South-South geopolitical zones and other communities in Kogi and Benue states to secede from the Federal Republic of Nigeria with a view to constituting same into Republic of Biafra.”
Count 2 has to do with an allegation of treasonable felony which Kanu allegedly committed by broadcasting in London between 2014 and 2015 for the secession of Republic of Biafra from Nigeria.
The court also sustained Count 4, which accused Kanu of “publication of defamatory matter contrary to section 375 of the Criminal Code Act” by referring to the then Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) and now President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as “a pedophile, a terrorist, an idiot and an embodiment of evil” in a broadcast on Radio Biafra on April 28, 2015.
The judge also sustained Count 6 which accused Kanu of “improper importation of goods contrary to section 47(2)(a) of the Customs and Excise Management Act” by allegedly concealing a radio transmitter in a container of used household items and declaring the transmitter as part of the used household items.
Count 8, which accused Madubugwu of being in possession of one Emerald Magnum Pump Action Gun with serial number TS 870 – 113 – 0046 and one Delta Magnum Pump Action Gun with serial number 501 as well as 41 cartridges/ammunition without lawful authority or licence, was also sustained.
Madubugwu was reportedly caught with the firearms in his house in Ubulusuzor in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State in October 2015.
With the agreement of the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Shuaibu Labaran, Kanu’s lawyer, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, and other defence lawyers, the five surviving charges were read to the accused persons after the ruling on Wednesday.
They all pleaded not guilty to the five charges.
The defence lawyers also indicated their intention to file fresh bail applications.
Wednesday, 1 March 2017
Hearing on Suit by Aderinokun’s Daughter against GTBank, Others Fixed for March 24
A Federal High Court in Lagos tuesday adjourned till March 24, 2017, hearing in the suit filed by Miss Oluwatise Aderinokun, the eight-year-old and last child of the late founder and former Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (GTB), Olutayo Aderinokun, against the bank and six others over alleged manipulation of her late father’s shares.
Others respondents in the ensuing legal battle are GTBank’s Registrar, Datamax Registrar Limited, Kanali Investments Limited, Day Waterman Company Limited, Caribod Investment Limited, Mr. Babatunwa Aderinokun, and Investment One Financial Services Limited.
At the resumed hearing of the suit tuesday, the seventh defendant, Investment One Financial Services Limited, one of the vehicles used by late Aderinokun, to acquire shares in GTBank, informed the court that it had filed an affidavit of facts before to assist the court in the judicious determination of the plaintiff’s suit.
In the particulars of the affidavit of facts deposed to by one Mike Okoh, he averred that contrary to the averment of the sixth defendant, Mr. Babatunwa Aderinokun, that the third to fifth defendants companies, namely: Kanali Investment Limited, Day Waterman Company Limited and Cariboo Investment Limited were incorporated as asset holding companies and vehicles through which late Aderinokun acquired invested and held his asset while planning his Estates during his lifetime.
The deponent averred further that other shareholders and board of directors of the above mentioned companies constituting the first wife of the deceased, Mrs. Olufunlola Aderinokun, and the children of late Olutayo Aderinokun were fully aware of the deceased assets protecting strategy via corporate vehicles.
He further stated that none of them paid for the shares neither do they participated in the management of the companies during his lifetime but only him ran the affairs of the companies.
The deponent averred further that the incomes from the assets of the companies were enjoyed by late Aderinokun mixed with his personal incomes, as he used his personal incomes to purchase assets in the various companies, as his assets are intertwined with the corporate assets of the companies during his lifetime. He acquired his assets and GTBank’s shares in the name of the three companies, which by his Will, indicated that his GTBank’s shares held in the names of three companies be distributed equally by his children.
The issues regarding the distribution of his GTBank’s shares have been the subject of various discussions between the executors of his estates.
However, Olumide Aju, lawyer representing Babatunwa Aderinokun, urged the court to strike out the affidavit of fact as it cannot be placed within the realm of any law.
In the ensuing legal battle, Oluwatise Aderinokun who is suing GTBank and other respondents through her mother, Mrs. Salamotu Aderinokun, in a suit marked FHC/L/CS/1723/2015, is urging the court to declare that the recognition of three limited liability companies Kanali Investments Limited, Day Waterman Company Limited and Cariboo Investment Limited (the proxies), as being entitled to the rights accruing to the shares issued by GTBank, held in the proxies’ names and in the name of her late father, Olutayo Aderinokun, is wrong and breach of the implied contract between the defendants and her late father.
The plaintiff who is a minor, is also urging the court for an enquiry into what volume of her late father’s shares issued by GTBank were held in his name and the names the three companies, Kanali Investments Limited, Day Waterman Company Limited and Cariboo Investment Limited (being shares/Properties held in trust of the beneficiaries of her late father’s estate), as at the time of his death on June 14, 2011. And an account of the exact dividends due to the joint executors/trustees of her late father’s estate, being dividend accruals on the shares held in her late father’s names through the companies,
The plaintiff is also seeking a court declaration that the recognition of the proxies by the defendants, as being beneficially entitle to the rights of her late father’s shares (issued by GTBank), held in the names of the proxies, was done in dishonest assistance of the breach of trust of her late father’s Will by the said proxy companies.
She also want the court to make an Order of Specific Performance of the implied contract between her late father, Olutayo Aderinokun, and GTBank, and Datamax Registrar Limited, whereby the said defendants are to accord late Olutayo Aderinokun all the rights and, or beneficial interest in the shares purchased by her late father, and issues by GTBank in the name of his corporate vehicles used as the proxies.
An order of perpetual injunction restraining GTBank and other defendants in the suit from cknowledging/recognising the proxies as being the beneficial owners of the rights accruing to the shares held in their names in GTBank, and paying any sum declared as dividends accruing to her late father’s shares held in his name, and the names of the said proxy companies on the instructions of the directors on record.
The plaintiff, in her statement of claim filed before the court by her lawyer, Osaro Eghobamien (SAN) of Perchstone and Graeys, averred that upon the death of her father, he gave legacies and directive to his two wives and four children and her late father also appointed GTBank Asset Management Limited (now Investment One Financial Services Limited), and Mr. Babatunwa Aderinokun as joint Executors and Trustees, both whom were granted Probate on February 16, 2012.
She also averred that during the lifetime of her father, he had a peculiar manner of acquiring his assets, using the Proxies, among other corporate structures, rather than holding these assets directly in his own name, and that payments that were made for asset acquisition, or funds received in respect of the Proxy companies, were either paid from or into his personal accounts.
Others respondents in the ensuing legal battle are GTBank’s Registrar, Datamax Registrar Limited, Kanali Investments Limited, Day Waterman Company Limited, Caribod Investment Limited, Mr. Babatunwa Aderinokun, and Investment One Financial Services Limited.
At the resumed hearing of the suit tuesday, the seventh defendant, Investment One Financial Services Limited, one of the vehicles used by late Aderinokun, to acquire shares in GTBank, informed the court that it had filed an affidavit of facts before to assist the court in the judicious determination of the plaintiff’s suit.
In the particulars of the affidavit of facts deposed to by one Mike Okoh, he averred that contrary to the averment of the sixth defendant, Mr. Babatunwa Aderinokun, that the third to fifth defendants companies, namely: Kanali Investment Limited, Day Waterman Company Limited and Cariboo Investment Limited were incorporated as asset holding companies and vehicles through which late Aderinokun acquired invested and held his asset while planning his Estates during his lifetime.
The deponent averred further that other shareholders and board of directors of the above mentioned companies constituting the first wife of the deceased, Mrs. Olufunlola Aderinokun, and the children of late Olutayo Aderinokun were fully aware of the deceased assets protecting strategy via corporate vehicles.
He further stated that none of them paid for the shares neither do they participated in the management of the companies during his lifetime but only him ran the affairs of the companies.
The deponent averred further that the incomes from the assets of the companies were enjoyed by late Aderinokun mixed with his personal incomes, as he used his personal incomes to purchase assets in the various companies, as his assets are intertwined with the corporate assets of the companies during his lifetime. He acquired his assets and GTBank’s shares in the name of the three companies, which by his Will, indicated that his GTBank’s shares held in the names of three companies be distributed equally by his children.
The issues regarding the distribution of his GTBank’s shares have been the subject of various discussions between the executors of his estates.
However, Olumide Aju, lawyer representing Babatunwa Aderinokun, urged the court to strike out the affidavit of fact as it cannot be placed within the realm of any law.
In the ensuing legal battle, Oluwatise Aderinokun who is suing GTBank and other respondents through her mother, Mrs. Salamotu Aderinokun, in a suit marked FHC/L/CS/1723/2015, is urging the court to declare that the recognition of three limited liability companies Kanali Investments Limited, Day Waterman Company Limited and Cariboo Investment Limited (the proxies), as being entitled to the rights accruing to the shares issued by GTBank, held in the proxies’ names and in the name of her late father, Olutayo Aderinokun, is wrong and breach of the implied contract between the defendants and her late father.
The plaintiff who is a minor, is also urging the court for an enquiry into what volume of her late father’s shares issued by GTBank were held in his name and the names the three companies, Kanali Investments Limited, Day Waterman Company Limited and Cariboo Investment Limited (being shares/Properties held in trust of the beneficiaries of her late father’s estate), as at the time of his death on June 14, 2011. And an account of the exact dividends due to the joint executors/trustees of her late father’s estate, being dividend accruals on the shares held in her late father’s names through the companies,
The plaintiff is also seeking a court declaration that the recognition of the proxies by the defendants, as being beneficially entitle to the rights of her late father’s shares (issued by GTBank), held in the names of the proxies, was done in dishonest assistance of the breach of trust of her late father’s Will by the said proxy companies.
She also want the court to make an Order of Specific Performance of the implied contract between her late father, Olutayo Aderinokun, and GTBank, and Datamax Registrar Limited, whereby the said defendants are to accord late Olutayo Aderinokun all the rights and, or beneficial interest in the shares purchased by her late father, and issues by GTBank in the name of his corporate vehicles used as the proxies.
An order of perpetual injunction restraining GTBank and other defendants in the suit from cknowledging/recognising the proxies as being the beneficial owners of the rights accruing to the shares held in their names in GTBank, and paying any sum declared as dividends accruing to her late father’s shares held in his name, and the names of the said proxy companies on the instructions of the directors on record.
The plaintiff, in her statement of claim filed before the court by her lawyer, Osaro Eghobamien (SAN) of Perchstone and Graeys, averred that upon the death of her father, he gave legacies and directive to his two wives and four children and her late father also appointed GTBank Asset Management Limited (now Investment One Financial Services Limited), and Mr. Babatunwa Aderinokun as joint Executors and Trustees, both whom were granted Probate on February 16, 2012.
She also averred that during the lifetime of her father, he had a peculiar manner of acquiring his assets, using the Proxies, among other corporate structures, rather than holding these assets directly in his own name, and that payments that were made for asset acquisition, or funds received in respect of the Proxy companies, were either paid from or into his personal accounts.
Tuesday, 28 February 2017
Senate to Screen Onnoghen Tuesday
Onnoghen, who will be screened before the Committee of the Whole Senate, may also be confirmed today as the substantive CJN, almost four months after the former CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, bowed out of service having attained the mandatory retirement age of 70.
His screening and possible confirmation will lay to rest the tension which arose from the failure of the Muhammadu Buhari administration to send Onnoghen’s name to the Senate for confirmation ahead of the retirement of the immediate past CJN last year.
Weeks before Justice Mohammed’s retirement, Justice Onnoghen was recommended to Buhari for appointment as CJN by the National Judicial Council (NJC).
Following the recommendation, Buhari was in accordance with the constitution, expected to send Justice Onnoghen’s name to the Senate for confirmation.
But the president did not, raising speculations that he was not favourably disposed towards his emergence as the CJN.
The perception was further fuelled by the president’s decision to swear him in as acting CJN on November 10, 2016.
However, in view of constitutional provisions that the acting CJN can only serve in this capacity for three months, concern was raised early last month that Justice Onnoghen’s tenure may be short lived.
However, in the heat of the controversy, Osinbajo, on the instructions of Buhari, sent Justice Onnoghen’s name to the Senate for confirmation as the substantive CJN.
It is expected that the Senate will expeditiously screen and confirm Justice Onnoghen today as the substantive CJN.
The Senate will also today take a motion focusing on the alleged diversion of N5.1 trillion subsidy funds by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Raising a point of order during yesterday’s plenary, Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West), said every month, between five and 10 cargoes of refined products are imported into Nigeria while the equivalent of five cargoes are refined locally in the country.
He said whilst the federal government had been prosecuting only private sector oil marketers whom he said have been importing only 49 per cent of refined petroleum products since 2006, the NNPC which accounts for 51 per cent of the refined products imported into the country, is not being investigated for false subsidy scams.
According to him, whereas subsidy proceeds accruable to marketers amounted to only about N3.83 trillion, NNPC collected N5.1 trillion on subsidy, lamenting that “this has never been investigated; this has never been looked at and we are busy chasing independent marketers”.
After presenting his point of order, the Senate resolved to formally adopt a motion on the matter today and consequently refer it to a committee for investigation.
Police inspector arrested with 75 bags of cannabis
The Kogi State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a serving police inspector with a police truck loaded with 75 bags of substances suspected to be cannabis.
Forty-three-year-old
The state Commander, Muhammed Bello, put the street value of the over 800 kilogrames of the cannabis found with the inspector at N4m.
The suspect was said to have gone to Okpila in Edo State using the Force headquarters, Abuja, welfare bus to transport the cannabis.
“When he got to the Crusher area of Lokoja, luck ran out on him as he was apprehended together with the truck, with number plate NPF 7973 C,” Bello said.
The command also paraded three suspects arrested by the army with 190 bags of substances suspected to be cannabis.They were said to have been arrested along Crusher Road on their way to Abuja.
Their vehicle, a Honda car, marked, Kano BC 737 KMC, was apprehended by men of the Army Record, Lokoja.
The commander said he would not tolerate the excuse of joblessness, adding that drug peddling aided other crimes.
Malabu: Adoke, ex-finance minister under fresh probe, says EFCC
According to the EFCC, Adoke and the former Finance Minister conspired to “fraudulently” use “the Federal Government’s escrow account to receive $1.2bn bribe paid by Shell and Agip to Malabu Oil & Gas Limited.”
The EFCC said this in a counter-affidavit, which it filed before Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Abuja .
The counter-affidavit was filed in opposition to the applications by oil giants, Shell Nigeria Exploration & Production Company Ltd. and Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited, asking the court to discharge its order of interim forfeiture on the controversial Oil Prospecting Licence 245, which is at the centre of the $1.2bn scam.
The OPL 245, an oilfield believed to be the largest in Africa with over nine billion barrels of crude, was said to have been fraudulently acquired from the Federal Government by Malabu Oil and Gas Limited in 1998 and afterwards offered to oil giants, Shell and Agip, in an alleged shady deal.
The EFCC had on December 20, 2016, charged nine suspects, including Adoke, before Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja with respect to the $1.2bn scam.
The other accused persons named in the charges were a former Minister of Petroleum, Dan Etete, Aliyu Abubakar, Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd., Rocky Top Resource Ltd., Imperial Union Ltd., Novel Properties & Dev. Co. Ltd., Group Construction Ltd. and Megatech Engineering Ltd.
The anti-graft agency, in the charges with suit number, FHC/ABJ/CR/268/2016, accused Adoke of illegally transferring over $800m purportedly meant for the purchase of the OPL 245 to Etete, Malabu Oil & Gas Limited from a Federal Government account.
The EFCC also accused Aliyu, an oil magnate, who is the Chairman of A. A. Group and Rocky Top Services, of receiving $336,456,906.78.
The EFCC, subsequently on January 26, obtained an ex parte order for the interim forfeiture of the OPL 245 to the Federal Government.
Shell and Agip subsequently applied to Justice Tsoho asking the judge to vacate the interim forfeiture order on the basis that the EFCC obtained the order through suppression of material facts.
Justice Tsoho heard the applications by Shell and Agip as well as the EFCC’s objection to the motions on Monday.
He fixed March 13 for ruling.
In response to the motions by Shell and Agip, the EFCC through its investigator, Mr. Ibrahim Ahmed, stated in the counter-affidavit that OPL 245 was a subject of criminal investigation.
It stated that through the OPL 245 scam, Adoke, then as the AGF, and the unnamed Minister of Finance, fraudulently used the Federal Government’s escrow account to receive $1.2bn bribe allegedly paid by Shell and Agip to Malabu Oil & Gas Limited.
The counter-affidavit stated that Adoke and “the Minister of Finance” were under investigation for the alleged crime.
Arguing the EFCC’s objection to the application for the discharge of the forfeiture order on Monday, the anti-graft agency’s lawyer, Mr. Johnson Ojogbane, urged the court to dismiss the applications for lacking in merit.
Ojogbane said contrary to the contention by the applicants, OPL 245 was a tangible asset which was a subject of criminal investigation and prosecution.
Ojogbane said, “On the constitutionality of the order, the position of the learned SANs is completely misconceived.
“Section 44(2)(k) of the constitution allows the temporary taking of property for the purpose of any examination or inquiry.
“So, it does not, in any way, offend the constitution.”
Shell, represented by Prof. Konyinsola Ajayi (SAN), argued that the OPL 245 was not such property that could be seized by an order of court as contemplated under sections 28 and 29 of the EFCC Act.
The SAN maintained that by virtue of sections 28 and 29 of the EFCC Act, the Chairman of the EFCC, in whose name the ex parte application filed by the anti-graft agency was initiated, was not the proper person to institute the action.
According to him, sections 28 and 29 of the EFCC Act envisage that the ex parte application for interim forfeiture would be filed in the name of the EFCC and not its chairman.
On his part, Agip’s lawyer, Mr. Babatunde Fagbohunlu (SAN), maintained that an order of forfeiture could not be granted through an ex parte motion except through a motion on notice.
He added that according to the EFCC Act, application by the anti-graft agency must be brought under the rules prescribed by the Attorney General of the Federation.
But he said the AGF had yet to prescribe any rules and as such no application for forfeiture could be filed by the commission.
Ruling on the applications was adjourned until March 13.
Nnamani C’ttee Mulls Barring Officials with Pending Election Petitions from Being Sworn in
The Chairman of the Constitution and Electoral Reforms Committee, Senator Ken Nnamani, has said that the ongoing reform of his committee will discourage the swearing-in of elected officials with pending cases at the election tribunals.
Nnamani, a former president of the Senate, who spoke o Monday at the South-east zonal public hearing on constitutional and electoral reforms in Enugu, said that the measure would discourage attempts by politicians to win at all costs.
He said politicians were in the habit of deploying unwholesome means to be declared winners, following which they would wait for their opponents to go to the tribunal.
He stressed that the need for a new Electoral Act could not be over emphasised, as laws are dynamic and must change with the dictates of time.
This came just as the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Ngozi Emehelu, advocated the extension of the 180 days statutory period within which election petitions are adjudicated, insisting that the stipulated timeframe was inadequate for petitioners to prove their cases.
The former lawmaker said: “We want to come up with a new system whereby no one can be sworn into office if they have election petitions hanging on their necks. Politicians are fond of fighting to win and saying, ‘Let’s go to court’.”
Nnamadi said it was sad that the prosecution of election cases had become more expensive than campaigns, as according to him, “Experience has shown that a majority of the cases in our courts are either pre-election or post-election matters and we want to find a way out of this.”
The former Senate president observed that the committee would ensure that future elections are credible such that no court would be able to upturn such elections, noting that this would also discourage unnecessary litigation.
He said that the prevailing circumstance where elections are won in the courtrooms was discouraging, noting: “We want to ensure that after a candidate has spent time to campaign and been given the mandate by the electorate such mandates will not be dropped at the court by way of losing in the case.”
He said the work of the committee would not go the way of others before it, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari, being a victim of electoral fraud, has shown enough political will to implement the outcome of his committee’s recommendations.
“The president has been a victim, so Nigerians should not entertain any fear whether or not the report of this committee will be implemented.
“I can assure you that if the president remains in office, he is most likely to implement the outcome of our work. The easiest thing anyone can do is to criticise but we are here to listen to the public,” he said.
In her remarks, Justice Emehelu who also made a presentation at the session, said that petitioners appear to have an uphill task proving their cases because of limited timeframe, suggesting that some areas of the Electoral Act needed to be tinkered with to make more time available for adjudication.
“The Electoral Act gives 180 statutory days within which to conclude petitions, but there are certain things that need to be put in place even before the adjudication starts.
“It does appear that petitioners have an uphill task, because time is not on their side, so there is need to tinker with some aspects of the law,” she said.
Justice Emehelu said that the Constitution and Electoral Act also need to empower tribunals to make consequential orders in the course of adjudication to accommodate the reliefs not sought by petitioners.
“There have been cases where petitions were well fought, but were lost because the proper reliefs were not sought by parties.
“We recommend that the tribunal be given legal teeth to make consequential orders to grant such reliefs not sought,” she said.
The chief judge said that the Electoral Act has been constantly criticised due to its inherent flaws notwithstanding the several alterations, stressing that “the problem with the system is not with our procedural laws but the unwillingness to enforce the electoral laws”.
“We recommended that the report of the Justice Uwais committee should be called into play when your committee is doing its work,” she added.
Justice Emehelu further called for the employment of more judges across the country to make up for lost time by the courts due to the enrollment of several judges to adjudicate in election matters.
“It is better to use high court judges to sit on election petitions but it has become necessary to employ more judges to check the depletion of our courts during election petitions hearings,” Justice Emehelu said.
On his part, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State advocated constitutional reforms that will take care of the lapses in Nigeria’s current electoral processes.
He said the call was necessary as a result of some of the obstacles associated with the elections and their aftermath in Nigeria.
He outlined some of the shortcomings to include: the huge financial cost which the conduct of elections entails, loss of lives and property during elections, violence as well as a general feeling of discontent, disenchantment and bitter litigation that follow each voting exercise.
“Reforms in our electoral processes are without doubt very critical, since it is generally accepted that free and fair elections not only constitute the pivot upon which democracy thrives and grows, but it also guarantees the peace and stability needed for the rapid and holistic development of the nation.
“It also needs not be emphasised that the severe economic and security challenges currently facing our country today make it imperative for us to do all that is necessary to reduce tension in the polity, to enable us focus attention on national development and also reinvent among our people a sense of patriotism and unwavering belief in our country,” he said.
Ugwuanyi
He later commended the federal government for creating the opportunity for Nigerians to bare their minds on how best to entrench credible and hitch-free electoral processes in the country.
No fewer than 23 memorandums were received by the committee at the public hearing – the first of seven more that will be held across the country.
Monday, 27 February 2017
Students force lecturer to mop floor, wash toilet
The fiancé of the 400-level student and his friend, who caught Yusuf while he was allegedly prepared to have sex with her, made him to mop the living room, wash the toilet, and took his nude pictures, which had gone viral.
The lecturer had reportedly insisted on sleeping with the student so she could pass ENG 201 titled, “History of English Language in Nigeria”.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the final year student, who had failed the course consecutively, became frustrated and feared the lecturer could fail her again, thereby extending her year of study.
She was said to have told her fiancé about the problem she was having with the lecturer and a plan was made to end the lecturer’s harassment.
“ENG 201 is taken in the first semester and exams will soon commence. Last Wednesday, the fiancé and his friend went to Mercy’s residence outside the campus. The lecturer was bent on having sex with her before she could pass the course.
“They told her to invite Mr. Yusuf to come and do what he was demanding while they hid in the toilet. As the lecturer removed his clothes to sleep with her, they came out of the toilet. They gave him a mop to clean the toilet and the living room,” one of the students, who did not want his name in print, told our correspondent.
Another student said the lecturer had been accused of sexually harassing female students.
“But there was no evidence to nail him until now. The department is aware of the incident and it has been taken up by the school management. According to information, he will face a panel on Monday (today) or Tuesday,” he added.
An alumnus of the university, who finished from the department, told PUNCH Metro that he had advised the lecturer to get married.
“He is about 50-year-old and currently studying for his PhD. I had advised him to stop chasing female students and start his own family. This is a big shame and a lifetime embarrassment,” the ex-student added.
The Chairman of the university’s Servicom Unit, which sees to complaints lodged to the school, Dr Ebenezer Ogungbe, said he learnt about the incident on the social media, adding that appropriate disciplinary actions would be taken.
He said, “There are laid down rules when things like this happen. So, the rules will be followed. A committee will be put in place to investigate the matter so that justice is done.”
The management, on the institution’s website, confirmed that a committee had been set up to investigate the case and promised to do justice to the case.
The statement read, “The university management is aware of the recent unfortunate incident between a male lecturer and a female student. In view of this, the management has set up a committee to investigate the immediate and remote cause(s) of the incident. The committee is headed by the deputy vice-chancellor and involves all stakeholders in the matter.
“Accordingly, all parties involved are hereby advised to exercise restraint. The university community and the general public are assured of the management’s resolve to take appropriate disciplinary action against any party found guilty.”
However, the lecturer denied the allegation that he attempted to have sex with the student. He stated that she connived with some men to kidnap him on his way home around 10pm on Tuesday, adding that he was forced to remove his clothes.
He said, “There was a test conducted by a fellow lecturer on Tuesday for 400-level students. I don’t take any course at that level. They had to be split into two and the lecturer invited me to assist him to administer the test. Towards the end of the test, I noticed there was a boy sitting in front of the girl. He raised his paper up for the girl to copy.
“I saw them and warned the boy. He just smiled instead of him to obey my warning and continued. I asked to forward his paper if he had finished and he reluctantly forwarded it to me. The rule of test is that if you are found cheating, we will tear your paper. I wrote on his paper ‘found cheating’. I tore the paper and threw it into a dustbin.
“Later in the evening, I began to receive calls from this girl, asking me to see her. She said the boy whose paper I tore had not let her have peace and that he wanted to see me so that the lecturer could consider him for a make-up (test). I told her she should let us meet the next day.
“On my way home, as I reached a junction leading to her house, I saw her standing by the roadside with some men. As soon as she entered my car, the men also entered from behind and pressed a metal on my back. So, I drove until they got to the house.
“As soon as I got into the room, they removed my clothes and poured water on me. They demanded N2m ransom from me. I have been traumatised. Presently, I have been suspended and will appear before a panel on Monday (today).”
Yusuf explained further that she had never taught the student ENG 201, saying that she “actually failed two courses he taught her in 300-level.”
“She passed four courses I had taught her in 100 and 200 levels,” he added.
SON arrests two Chinese for importing N5bn fake tyres
Ramon Oladimeji
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria has arrested two Chinese nationals, Taolung Shen and Xu Jing Yau, who were said to have dealt in substandard tyres worth over N5bn.
The suspects, according to a statement on Sunday, were paraded following their arrest, and the sealing of the warehouse where they had been cloning different sizes of tyres under different brand names.
The suspects, the statement added, churned out the substandard tyres into the Nigerian market under brand names such as Powertrac, Aptany, Harmony, Duraturn, Bearway, City Tour, Winda, Glory, Chachland, City Grand, Grandsonte and Sunny.
According to SON, the suspects brought the substandard tyres into Nigeria by stuffing them into one another.
“Sometimes as many as five tyres were stuffed into one and the tyres would have bent and ruptured in several places, thereby looking weak and slack.
“But the Chinese adorned the tyres with new labels and shinny linings to create the impression of being new and healthy,” SON said.
Some of the tyres found in the warehouse had post-dated manufacturing dates.
The agency’s Director General, Osita Aboloma, who conducted journalists round the warehouse, described the tyres as dead on arrival, saying allowing the sale of such tyres in the country amounted to “surreptitiously taking away the lives of millions of Nigerians.”
He observed that by stuffing the tyres into one another and conveying them through the sea from China to Lagos, the quality of the tyres had already been compromised.
Aboloma also noted that the crude way the tyres were separated on arrival in Nigeria and the poor storage facility, without sufficient aeration, in the warehouse had further compromised their quality.
“The SON Directorate of Compliance intercepted one of their trucks on the highway, tracked it and then this.
“You can see the amount of danger that these people are posing to our people and our economy just because they want to make huge profit at the expense of the lives of Nigerians.
“It is a clear case of investing millions in illicit business in order to take away the lives of millions of Nigerians, to destroy the lives of millions of Nigerians. If we allow something like this, it will amount to killing Nigerians,” Aboloma said.
The DG said there would be no hiding place for people who dealt in adulterated products in the country.
“I want to reiterate that there is no hiding place for those who deal in substandard products as they would be caught and their products confiscated. Today’s feat is an example,” he said.
Aboloma advised users of automobile tyres nationwide on the need to be extra-cautious when making purchases of such products.
He urged tyre users to henceforth demand that dealers indicate the manufacturing dates on the receipts, so as to make the seller take responsibility on any product sold by them
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria has arrested two Chinese nationals, Taolung Shen and Xu Jing Yau, who were said to have dealt in substandard tyres worth over N5bn.
The suspects, according to a statement on Sunday, were paraded following their arrest, and the sealing of the warehouse where they had been cloning different sizes of tyres under different brand names.
The suspects, the statement added, churned out the substandard tyres into the Nigerian market under brand names such as Powertrac, Aptany, Harmony, Duraturn, Bearway, City Tour, Winda, Glory, Chachland, City Grand, Grandsonte and Sunny.
According to SON, the suspects brought the substandard tyres into Nigeria by stuffing them into one another.
“Sometimes as many as five tyres were stuffed into one and the tyres would have bent and ruptured in several places, thereby looking weak and slack.
“But the Chinese adorned the tyres with new labels and shinny linings to create the impression of being new and healthy,” SON said.
Some of the tyres found in the warehouse had post-dated manufacturing dates.
The agency’s Director General, Osita Aboloma, who conducted journalists round the warehouse, described the tyres as dead on arrival, saying allowing the sale of such tyres in the country amounted to “surreptitiously taking away the lives of millions of Nigerians.”
He observed that by stuffing the tyres into one another and conveying them through the sea from China to Lagos, the quality of the tyres had already been compromised.
Aboloma also noted that the crude way the tyres were separated on arrival in Nigeria and the poor storage facility, without sufficient aeration, in the warehouse had further compromised their quality.
“The SON Directorate of Compliance intercepted one of their trucks on the highway, tracked it and then this.
“You can see the amount of danger that these people are posing to our people and our economy just because they want to make huge profit at the expense of the lives of Nigerians.
“It is a clear case of investing millions in illicit business in order to take away the lives of millions of Nigerians, to destroy the lives of millions of Nigerians. If we allow something like this, it will amount to killing Nigerians,” Aboloma said.
The DG said there would be no hiding place for people who dealt in adulterated products in the country.
“I want to reiterate that there is no hiding place for those who deal in substandard products as they would be caught and their products confiscated. Today’s feat is an example,” he said.
Aboloma advised users of automobile tyres nationwide on the need to be extra-cautious when making purchases of such products.
He urged tyre users to henceforth demand that dealers indicate the manufacturing dates on the receipts, so as to make the seller take responsibility on any product sold by them
Sweeping Danfo off Lagos roads
THE announcement that plans are afoot to “remove” the ubiquitous yellow-painted minibuses from Lagos roads hit Lagosians like a bolt. Coming directly from Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, the news compelled attention since the state government, unlike its federal and state peers, has built a reputation for bold action in the last 17 years. The move is long overdue and the government should remain steadfast in its pursuit of the megacity status for LagLike many observers, we are sceptical of the timeline: ridding Lagos of the menace of the yellow-painted buses may require time. Notice that the phased withdrawal of the Molue, another malevolent denizen of the roads, is not yet complete. But there should be an urgency to evict Danfo from the city, especially from the main highways, and realise a modern inter-modal transport system befitting of Africa’s largest city.
True, the minibuses provide a vital service, moving hundreds of thousands of people and goods daily; but they have become a nightmare, a primary cause of gridlock, accidents and fatalities, according to LASTMA, the state’s traffic agency. They speed excessively, load excess passengers and goods and disobey every rule in the book. Only about 20 per
Ambode was short on details, but he captured the angst of Lagosians in his lamentation over the out-dated transport platforms. “When I …see all the yellow buses, Okadas (commercial motorcycles), and all kinds of tricycles, I feel that the claim that we are a megacity is not true.” Actually, Lagos is a megacity, at least by the United Nations’ designation of metropolitan areas with over 10 million people as such. It ranks 13th with an estimated population of 21 million, after cities like Delhi, Beijing and Sao Paulo. Where it falls short is in the quantum and quality of its infrastructure, especially public transport, which the state has been making brave efforts to reverse since 1999.
It is the Nigerian story of neglect, incompetence and poor leadership writ large that brought Lagos to this sorry pass. Between 1984 and 1999, investment in infrastructure was very little and did not keep pace with the city’s population explosion, which the loss of its status as the country’s political capital in 1991 did not halt. About 25,000 persons move into Lagos daily, according to a study, with about 8,000 staying put for varying periods. Of the 10.6 million vehicles registered in the country as of 2016, says the Federal Road Safety Corps, a quarter are in Lagos, plying its 9,100 federal, state and local roads. The phenomenal increase in human and vehicular traffic is seen in figures showing that there were 20,000 mini buses, 6,000 medium-sized buses and 30,000 taxis in the city in 1985. Estimates put the number of minibuses in Lagos today at over 100,000.
With the collapse of public transport through the bankruptcy of the bus, ferry and road networks, mini buses, motorbikes and the ugly Molue and Okadas came in to fill the void. The famed “go-slow” gave way to gridlock. According to the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, the state suffers economic losses of N250 billion annually due to traffic congestion. At major points and routes, the lawlessness of minibus drivers causes traffic snarls and accidents. Despite the massive investment of the state government on roads, bus stops, bridges, pedestrian flyovers, the Bus Rapid Transport System, traffic management and law enforcement, Danfo drivers remain a major hindrance to free-flowing traffic.
The state government should press faster ahead with its Strategic Transport Master Plan being spearheaded by LAMATA, the semi-autonomous agency that enjoys World Bank and state counterpart funding. While road repair interventions are moving steadily, its goals of six metro rail lines, one mono rail, 14 BRT routes, 26 water transport routes and three cable cars are sluggish. The first rail line from Mile 2 to Marina has missed several deadlines just like implementation of the water transport segment.
We recommend immediate eviction of the yellow buses first, from the Central Business Districts, the federal roads in the city precincts and the major highways. Given that many more roads need expansion and more investors lured into the system, Lagosians have to live with the Danfo for some time until the state’s master plan comes into full fruition. In the meantime, enforcement of the Lagos State Traffic Law 2012 should be reinvigorated to knock discipline into all road users and flush Okada from the 475 roads they are forbidden from plying.
Other megacities should serve as models: London (pop. 13.84m) provides efficient public transport through buses, the underground train system, light rail, tram, water ferries and taxis. The underground carried over 3.7 commuters daily in 2013. Tokyo (pop. 38.8m) has the world’s most extensive urban railway network with 158 lines and 4,714 kilometres of track, interconnected with buses, boats and trams. With efficient subway train network, extensive bus routes and taxis, 54.2 per cent of New York’s 23.63 million residents don’t bother owning cars, a departure from the American “car culture” and 41 per cent use the subway, 12 per cent take buses and 10 per cent walk to their offices! Johannesburg (pop. 4.43m) is investing $1.1 billion to modernise its metro rail system in addition to spending on bus routes.
The road map is, therefore, laid bare: the megacity dream should be pursued with vigour and the eyesore of Danfo consigned to the museum.
cent of the Danfos carry genuine mandatory documents, estimate traffic officials. Worse, like their newer and equally deadly cousins, the Okadas, they are used extensively to commit crimes – robbery, kidnapping, and electoral violence. The drivers and conductors are often rude, dirty-looking, violent and thuggish.
True, the minibuses provide a vital service, moving hundreds of thousands of people and goods daily; but they have become a nightmare, a primary cause of gridlock, accidents and fatalities, according to LASTMA, the state’s traffic agency. They speed excessively, load excess passengers and goods and disobey every rule in the book. Only about 20 per
Ambode was short on details, but he captured the angst of Lagosians in his lamentation over the out-dated transport platforms. “When I …see all the yellow buses, Okadas (commercial motorcycles), and all kinds of tricycles, I feel that the claim that we are a megacity is not true.” Actually, Lagos is a megacity, at least by the United Nations’ designation of metropolitan areas with over 10 million people as such. It ranks 13th with an estimated population of 21 million, after cities like Delhi, Beijing and Sao Paulo. Where it falls short is in the quantum and quality of its infrastructure, especially public transport, which the state has been making brave efforts to reverse since 1999.
It is the Nigerian story of neglect, incompetence and poor leadership writ large that brought Lagos to this sorry pass. Between 1984 and 1999, investment in infrastructure was very little and did not keep pace with the city’s population explosion, which the loss of its status as the country’s political capital in 1991 did not halt. About 25,000 persons move into Lagos daily, according to a study, with about 8,000 staying put for varying periods. Of the 10.6 million vehicles registered in the country as of 2016, says the Federal Road Safety Corps, a quarter are in Lagos, plying its 9,100 federal, state and local roads. The phenomenal increase in human and vehicular traffic is seen in figures showing that there were 20,000 mini buses, 6,000 medium-sized buses and 30,000 taxis in the city in 1985. Estimates put the number of minibuses in Lagos today at over 100,000.
With the collapse of public transport through the bankruptcy of the bus, ferry and road networks, mini buses, motorbikes and the ugly Molue and Okadas came in to fill the void. The famed “go-slow” gave way to gridlock. According to the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, the state suffers economic losses of N250 billion annually due to traffic congestion. At major points and routes, the lawlessness of minibus drivers causes traffic snarls and accidents. Despite the massive investment of the state government on roads, bus stops, bridges, pedestrian flyovers, the Bus Rapid Transport System, traffic management and law enforcement, Danfo drivers remain a major hindrance to free-flowing traffic.
The state government should press faster ahead with its Strategic Transport Master Plan being spearheaded by LAMATA, the semi-autonomous agency that enjoys World Bank and state counterpart funding. While road repair interventions are moving steadily, its goals of six metro rail lines, one mono rail, 14 BRT routes, 26 water transport routes and three cable cars are sluggish. The first rail line from Mile 2 to Marina has missed several deadlines just like implementation of the water transport segment.
We recommend immediate eviction of the yellow buses first, from the Central Business Districts, the federal roads in the city precincts and the major highways. Given that many more roads need expansion and more investors lured into the system, Lagosians have to live with the Danfo for some time until the state’s master plan comes into full fruition. In the meantime, enforcement of the Lagos State Traffic Law 2012 should be reinvigorated to knock discipline into all road users and flush Okada from the 475 roads they are forbidden from plying.
Other megacities should serve as models: London (pop. 13.84m) provides efficient public transport through buses, the underground train system, light rail, tram, water ferries and taxis. The underground carried over 3.7 commuters daily in 2013. Tokyo (pop. 38.8m) has the world’s most extensive urban railway network with 158 lines and 4,714 kilometres of track, interconnected with buses, boats and trams. With efficient subway train network, extensive bus routes and taxis, 54.2 per cent of New York’s 23.63 million residents don’t bother owning cars, a departure from the American “car culture” and 41 per cent use the subway, 12 per cent take buses and 10 per cent walk to their offices! Johannesburg (pop. 4.43m) is investing $1.1 billion to modernise its metro rail system in addition to spending on bus routes.
The road map is, therefore, laid bare: the megacity dream should be pursued with vigour and the eyesore of Danfo consigned to the museum.
Make NHIS Act Mandatory for All Employers of Labour, Oceanic Health Tells FG
The Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Oceanic Health Management Limited, Dr. Charles Onwuzuluigbo has called on the Federal Government to make the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Act mandatory for employers of labour of five staff and above to access health insurance.
He said despite all the government has done to see that health insurance was available to all, what is still missing was the fact that some employers of labour have still not keyed into the scheme and the benefits that follow.
Speaking during the health management organisation’s 10th year anniversary in Lagos recently, Dr. Onwuzuluigbo said for government to adequately achieve this, it should ensure its hospitals were equipped with the needed personnel and facilities so that lack of access to healthcare will not be the issue.
“Something should also be done about the informal sector, which remains an untapped sector for health insurance. We know government has put various initiatives in place to bring them into the fold, like the community health insurance scheme, and a lot of other informal sector schemes presently ongoing, but there still remain an apathy,” he said.
The Chairman, Oceanic Health, Dr. Abdul Wahab Ibraheem said ten years was a milestone for the HMO, as it has grown better and stronger when compared with the humble days of the organisation, adding that its mandate of making healthcare more accessible and affordable to Nigerians has been achieved, and was still being achieved.
According to him, “the government has done well with the various efforts at making health insurance available to all, and in the next five to ten years more people would have ended up embracing the fairly new scheme in the country,” he said.
He encourage Nigerians, both poor and rich to take advantage of the enormous benefits of health insurance, adding that, “for now health insurance is somewhat limited to the formal sector. The informal sector has not yet keyed into it. Those are the people selling on the streets, retailers, self employed, among others.”
Sunday, 26 February 2017
Buhari’s Call Excites Femi Adesina
Special adviser to the president on
media and publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, said yesterday that he had spoken
with President Muhammadu Buhari, in the first publicised verbal
communication between him and his spokesman since the president embarked
on a medical vacation on January 19.
Adesina said Buhari called him at 2.43pm yesterday.
Details of the call were posted by Adesina on his Facebook page.
The president’s spokesman stated, “At exactly 2.43 pm today, Saturday, February 25, 2017, my phone rang. Who was at the other end? Tunde Sabiu, personal assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Details of the call were posted by Adesina on his Facebook page.
The president’s spokesman stated, “At exactly 2.43 pm today, Saturday, February 25, 2017, my phone rang. Who was at the other end? Tunde Sabiu, personal assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari.
‘”Hold on for Mr President,’ Tunde said.
“And in a matter of seconds, the very familiar voice came: ‘Femi, how are you?’ (He calls me Adesina most times, but today, he opted for Femi)
“I screamed, Mr President, I have missed you. How are you sir?
“He first laughed. That familiar laugh. Then he said, ‘I am still resting. Thank you for holding out against mischief-makers.’
“I said it was my duty, the very least I could do, adding how happy I was to speak with him.
“And in a matter of seconds, the very familiar voice came: ‘Femi, how are you?’ (He calls me Adesina most times, but today, he opted for Femi)
“I screamed, Mr President, I have missed you. How are you sir?
“He first laughed. That familiar laugh. Then he said, ‘I am still resting. Thank you for holding out against mischief-makers.’
“I said it was my duty, the very least I could do, adding how happy I was to speak with him.
“’How is your family?’
“I said we were fine, and he asked me to extend his greetings to them.
“’I hope to call you again,’ Mr President said, and I bade him farewell, adding: “Best wishes, sir.”
“I said we were fine, and he asked me to extend his greetings to them.
“’I hope to call you again,’ Mr President said, and I bade him farewell, adding: “Best wishes, sir.”
“It was a defining moment for me. For more than a month, I had always spoken with aides who are with the president in London.
“Not once did I ask them to take the phone to him, deliberately so, because I didn’t need to speak with him to validate the fact that he was alive. And since he was on vacation, he had a right to his privacy.
“Not once did I ask them to take the phone to him, deliberately so, because I didn’t need to speak with him to validate the fact that he was alive. And since he was on vacation, he had a right to his privacy.
“Of his own volition, President Buhari
spoke with me. It made my day. Even if he hadn’t done so, he would have
remained my president, my leader, and my man. Any day.”
Buhari is on medical vacation in London, and there has been widespread speculation about his health.
Buhari is on medical vacation in London, and there has been widespread speculation about his health.
Meanwhile, Buhari’s senior special
assistant on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, has narrated how he
missed the president’s phone call yesterday. Shehu stated yesterday on
his Facebook page that said the president originated a call to him from
London after he had spoken with some members of the presidential media
team. But he missed the call.
Shehu, however, revealed that he received a text message from the president. He said the president had earlier spoken with the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, and Adesina.
Shehu, however, revealed that he received a text message from the president. He said the president had earlier spoken with the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, and Adesina.
Shehu stated, “A day for the
presidential media team. We are thankful to the president, Muhammadu
Buhari (GCFR), for sparing the time to make calls to the media team.
“The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, and the special adviser, Femi Adesina, responded to the calls, exchanged greetings and thanked him for calling.
“I had an SMS from him thereafter because I missed my call! I humbly join them to say thank you, Baba Buhari!!
“The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, and the special adviser, Femi Adesina, responded to the calls, exchanged greetings and thanked him for calling.
“I had an SMS from him thereafter because I missed my call! I humbly join them to say thank you, Baba Buhari!!
“We are together with other Nigerians of all faiths, in praying for his safe return.”
Buhari proceeded on a 10-day vacation on January 19. In a letter he transmitted to both arms of the National Assembly, the president said in his absence Vice President Yemi Osinbajo would act as president. But he later extended his stay indefinitely via another letter to the Senate requesting an extension of time to enable him complete his medical check-up in London.
Buhari proceeded on a 10-day vacation on January 19. In a letter he transmitted to both arms of the National Assembly, the president said in his absence Vice President Yemi Osinbajo would act as president. But he later extended his stay indefinitely via another letter to the Senate requesting an extension of time to enable him complete his medical check-up in London.
In More Detailed Disclosure, FG Puts Recovery Figures at N58bn, $667m
In continuation of its anticorruption
war, the federal government says it has recovered N57.9 billion and
$666.676 million from fines on disobedient corporate organisations,
looted funds, and voluntary return of illicitly acquired assets.
Attorney General of the Federation and
Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, disclosed this on Thursday in
Abuja. Malami spoke while defending the 2017 budget of the Federal
Ministry of Justice before the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human
Rights and Legal Matters.
Minister of Information and Culture, Lai
Mohammed, had revealed a fortnight ago that the federal government had
recovered looted funds to the tune of $151 million and N8 billion from
three sources through whistle-blowers.
Mohammed stated on February 12 in Lagos
that the amount did not include $9.8 million cash recently recovered
from a former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation, Andrew Yakubu, also through the whistle-blower policy.
Under the whistle-blower policy of the federal government, any
successful whistle blower, who provides relevant information leading to
the recovery of looted funds, is entitled to five per cent of the
recovered money.
Malami’s media aide told THISDAY, “Daily
successes being recorded is responsible” for the different fund
recovery figures from the information and justice ministries.
“Recoveries are on-going, day in day out, and figures keep changing by every recovery success story. We are not stagnated in recovery sense. We keep making progress by the day.”
“Recoveries are on-going, day in day out, and figures keep changing by every recovery success story. We are not stagnated in recovery sense. We keep making progress by the day.”
Giving details of the latest recoveries
in a statement yesterday, Malami’s special adviser on media and
publicity, Mr Salihu Isah, said, “N50 billion was the fine paid by MTN
telecommunications company while N7 billion and $10 million were
recovered from private residences.”
The minister said N90 million was
voluntarily returned, while $250 million was under interim forfeiture
from proceeds of oil bunkering, $136.676 million was awaiting actual
remittance, and $270 million was the federal government’s fund recovered
from commercial banks.
Isah added in the statement that Malami
told the senate committee that his ministry operated without a capital
budget in 2016. “Our budgetary proposal of N18, 528,093,480 was not
appropriated thereby compelling the ministry to operate on a zero
capital budget,” he stated.
The statement quoted Malami as saying,
“I am happy to state, however, that we as a ministry recorded modest
achievements in the act of contributing to the revenue generation of the
federal government, notwithstanding the zero capital budget.”
The budgetary allocation to the justice
ministry this year is N 6,914,774,768, as against N3, 921,612,815 last
year. From the N6,914,774,768, personnel cost takes the largest chunk of
N4,278,824,404, legal services takes N1,000,006,899, N946,834,670 goes
to overhead, while capital expenditure takes N689,108,794.
The minister pointed out that the
personnel cost covered the allowances of Nigerian lawyers providing
legal services within the West African sub-region and also reflected the
harmonisation of the salaries of state counsels in the ministry.
“The personnel cost of N 4,278,824,404
includes the allowances for the ministry’s lawyers serving in the Gambia
and reflects the harmonisation of the salaries of the state counsel in
the ministry as approved by the administration of President Muhammadu
Buhari in 2016, after over 20 years of agitation by state counsel in the
ministry.”
Malami also said that the legal services
subhead involved the core mandate of the ministry, including payment of
legal fees to external solicitors engaged by the ministry. “This
subhead has been allocated the sum of N1, 000,006,898, as against N843,
563,146 allocated in 2016, representing an increase of N156, 443,753,”
about 18.5 per cent increase, the statement said.
The minister, however, stated that the
funds allocated for legal services were still inadequate in view of the
challenges that might arise from the subheads ultimately. According to
him, “Given the enormous additional responsibilities on the ministry
arising from the passage of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act
(ACJA) 2015 as well as the increase in the quantum of other activities
currently being pursued by the ministry, this amount is, unarguably,
grossly inadequate and will, unfortunately, overstretch the ministry’s
capacity to cope to the maximum in the light of the prevailing
realities.”
He, nevertheless, expressed optimism
that the N689, 108,794 allocated to the ministry this year for capital
projects would boost its performance index.
“The projects, if implemented, will greatly enhance our capacity for effectiveness and improved service delivery and, undoubtedly, encourage and motivate our lawyers to give their best in the service of our dear nation,” the AGF stated
“The projects, if implemented, will greatly enhance our capacity for effectiveness and improved service delivery and, undoubtedly, encourage and motivate our lawyers to give their best in the service of our dear nation,” the AGF stated
Factions Around President Buhari Jostle For Control Of His Medical Story, Spin Different Stories
F
In addition to his UK doctors, President Buhari has been under the care of two Nigerian physicians, Dr. Suhayb Sanusi Rafindadi, who is his Chief Personal Physician, and Dr. Ugorji Ogbonna, who had a medical practice for many years in Kano before relocating to the UK. Even though he is from the southeast of Nigeria, Dr. Ogbonna is very close to numerous powerful northern politicians, and one of his sons converted to Islam, according to a source. While Dr. Rafindadi accompanied the president on his medical trips abroad and Dr. Ogbonna often liaise with Mr. Buhari’s physicians in the UK to arrange for his treatments.
Our sources indicated that Mr. Buhari’s original surgical treatment for prostate cancer had been declared successful. However, when a nagging ear infection forced President Buhari to visit his longtime physician in the UK last year, the prognosis led the president to seek two separate medical opinions, in France and later Germany. Doctors in both countries reportedly told him it was urgent to see his doctors in the UK. Subsequently, Mr. Buhari, who was visiting France for a conference, moved from Paris to London, declaring that he needed a vacation.
Mr. Buhari’s UK doctors advised that he needed to stay put in London for another surgery, but the president bowed to pressure from members of his inner circle and decided to make a premature return to Abuja out of political expediency. However, before President Buhari left London, his doctors there removed polyps from his nostrils in a surgical procedure to ease his breathing.
In 2016, President Buhari made trips to the UK in February and June to consult his UK doctors on a variety of health issues, including his ear infection, said our sources.
President Muhammadu Buhari
SaharaReporters learned that President Buhari currently receives intense treatment for a prostate-related ailment. The treatment at a point severely affected his voice and appetite. He has progressively lost weight and has had to be force-fed on occasion on the orders of his doctors. One source said Mr. Buhari’s treatments had been compounded by his age, which his UK doctors believe to be more than 80 rather than his official “age” of 74 years old.
Information gleaned from our sources indicated an attempt to obfuscate the precise nature of Mr. Buhari’s illness, signaling efforts by competing factions around the president to keep the Nigerian public uninformed. According to our sources, four different versions of President Buhari's condition were being circulated. One version, traced to his wife, Aisha Buhari, is that the president has “internal organ” issues.
Our sources disclosed that a cabal led by President Buhari's cousin, Mamman Daura, reportedly sent Mrs. Aisha Buhari away from the UK, asking her to make a temporary visit to Saudi Arabia. To justify Aisha Buhari’s exit from London, Mr. Daura reportedly claimed that the president’s condition appeared to worsen each time his wife was around him. He reportedly told Mrs. Buhari that part of her husband's illness was a result of “a spiritual attack,” and asked her to proceed to Saudi Arabia to pray for him. From Saudi Arabia, Mrs. Buhari returned to Nigeria about two weeks ago. One source claimed that she had not returned to London ever since.
Our sources said Mr. Daura often handled the daily briefing of select Presidency officials about the president's health. According to them, the president’s cousin continues to claim that Mr. Buhari was only exhausted and needed adequate rest before returning to Nigeria ready to take over the mantle of leadership once again.
Speaking anonymously with SaharaReporters, two close aides claimed that President Buhari was dogged by “severe stomach upsets” that have refused to go away. One of them said Mr. Buhari suffered from a recurring bacteria infection “that is being flushed out daily.”
As SaharaReporters revealed last weekend, the doctors treating Mr. Buhari in the UK have told him in clear terms that he ought to shelf any plans to return to serious work and stay back in London for as long as four months to receive a full course of treatment. One source indicated that members of the president’s inner circle were yet to fully embrace the doctors’ recommendation and communicate the information to Nigerians because they fear the loss of political influence.
On his part, President Buhari had reportedly told his inner political circle that he was in no hurry to return to Nigeria, adding that he was willing to let the expert advice of his doctors to prevail. However, some of his die-hard associates have not given up plotting to daily to convince him to return to Abuja in defiance of medical advice.
President Buhari reportedly communicates regularly with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, encouraging him to carry on the task of governing Nigeria while he undertakes necessary treatment needed to keep him alive.
Delta Revenue Board Chairman, Finance Director Accused Of N5billion Fraud
Chairman of the Delta State Board of Internal Revenue,
(DBIR), Mr. Monday Onyema and the board’s Director of Finance and
Administration, (DFA), Mrs. Ajaro have been accused of squandering over
N5 billion belonging to the board including monthly subventions accrued
to the board from the state government since its inauguration in 2015.
Speaking with SaharaReporters under the condition of anonymity, over some certain issues of big concern to the generality of the board, a member of the board who accused the board chairman of embezzling over N5billion, disclosed that a leadership failure is currently rocking the board, adding that "The board chairman in connivance with the Director of Finance and Administration, (DFA), Mrs. Ajaro who are running the board as their personal estate have finished the finances of board."
According to the board member, since the inauguration of the board, Mr. Onyema who was a bursar at the National Open University of Nigeria, was politically compensated with the exalted position of revenue board chairman by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa following his financial supports and contributions to Okowa's 2015 governorship election, disclosing that as a result, the board chairman has kept the board in auto cruise as he operates from his residential apartment and making all the members of the board redundant.
"Onyema, does not come to the office and for the past one month we have not sight our eyes on him, he travels across the globe flexing with the board finances. Onyema, spends cash in dollars, living a very flamboyant life. The board ought to be run based on a certain percentage accrued from the monthly Internally Generated Revenue, owing to the cash crunch, the state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa decided to be giving the board a monthly subvention which ranges from N120 to N150million monthly depending on what the state gets financially at the end of each month.
“But, the chairman of the board and the DFA who are sole signatories to the board's account, have turned the board to their personal ATMs, the board members do not even know the cash budgeting for the board hence making them ineffective and redundant. It would shock you to note that, over a year after the establishment of this board, there has been no official management meeting, no single minute of board meetings, no Audit Committee, no Enforcement and Compliance Committee, no Performance Review Committee and there is no Tender Board Committee." the visibly angry board members said.
Another board member who spoke to SaharaReporters disclosed that following the corrupt and fraudulent way and manner the board chairman, has been running the board in connivance with the board's DFA, members have been kept in darkness as everything is been done in secrecy adding that sometime last year some members of the board and the board secretary, Mr. Mike Edegware threatened resignation but were begged.
The board member also disclosed that since the inception of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, the state monthly Internally Generated Revenue has been nothing to write home about but Delta state government got the highness Internally Generated Revenue of N6.8billion in January this year through some payment made by Chevron oil company.
"Let me open the eyes of Deltans again, due to the none availability of some vital committees such as the Enforcement and Compliance Committee, the state government is losing millions monthly as the board do not have the necessary tools to implement court judgements against erring tax defaulters in the state, and this has further affected negatively the revenue drive of the state. And we have come to discover of recent that following the none availability of the above-mentioned committees, the chairman has been corruptly amassing wealth through the back doors.
Speaking with SaharaReporters under the condition of anonymity, over some certain issues of big concern to the generality of the board, a member of the board who accused the board chairman of embezzling over N5billion, disclosed that a leadership failure is currently rocking the board, adding that "The board chairman in connivance with the Director of Finance and Administration, (DFA), Mrs. Ajaro who are running the board as their personal estate have finished the finances of board."
According to the board member, since the inauguration of the board, Mr. Onyema who was a bursar at the National Open University of Nigeria, was politically compensated with the exalted position of revenue board chairman by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa following his financial supports and contributions to Okowa's 2015 governorship election, disclosing that as a result, the board chairman has kept the board in auto cruise as he operates from his residential apartment and making all the members of the board redundant.
"Onyema, does not come to the office and for the past one month we have not sight our eyes on him, he travels across the globe flexing with the board finances. Onyema, spends cash in dollars, living a very flamboyant life. The board ought to be run based on a certain percentage accrued from the monthly Internally Generated Revenue, owing to the cash crunch, the state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa decided to be giving the board a monthly subvention which ranges from N120 to N150million monthly depending on what the state gets financially at the end of each month.
“But, the chairman of the board and the DFA who are sole signatories to the board's account, have turned the board to their personal ATMs, the board members do not even know the cash budgeting for the board hence making them ineffective and redundant. It would shock you to note that, over a year after the establishment of this board, there has been no official management meeting, no single minute of board meetings, no Audit Committee, no Enforcement and Compliance Committee, no Performance Review Committee and there is no Tender Board Committee." the visibly angry board members said.
Another board member who spoke to SaharaReporters disclosed that following the corrupt and fraudulent way and manner the board chairman, has been running the board in connivance with the board's DFA, members have been kept in darkness as everything is been done in secrecy adding that sometime last year some members of the board and the board secretary, Mr. Mike Edegware threatened resignation but were begged.
The board member also disclosed that since the inception of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, the state monthly Internally Generated Revenue has been nothing to write home about but Delta state government got the highness Internally Generated Revenue of N6.8billion in January this year through some payment made by Chevron oil company.
"Let me open the eyes of Deltans again, due to the none availability of some vital committees such as the Enforcement and Compliance Committee, the state government is losing millions monthly as the board do not have the necessary tools to implement court judgements against erring tax defaulters in the state, and this has further affected negatively the revenue drive of the state. And we have come to discover of recent that following the none availability of the above-mentioned committees, the chairman has been corruptly amassing wealth through the back doors.
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa
"As we speak, there are exactly 50 persons from Onicha Ukwuani, the hometown of the chairman on the payroll of the board who are being paid a minimum of N350, 000 monthly despite the fact that these individuals are employed to do nothing on the board. Also, during the 2016 Christmas celebration, Mr. Onyema single-handedly embarked on the purchase of rice and herds of cattle worth over N30million for his political constituencies without an approval of the board. Demands by some of us who are board and already suspecting some corrupt practices by the chairman and the DFA have always been tactically rebuffed.” another aggrieved member said.
A top management staff at the board's headquarters in Warri who is also abreast with the lingering corrupt practices and the rallying leadership crisis confided in SaharaReporters that "Of the truth, the board chairman and the DFA are deeply enmeshed in corruption, and fraudulent dealings and things were not really like this before the coming of Okowa."
“Though, I can’t confirm if the board chairman's illicit financial dealings are in collaboration with the state governor, but I can confirm to you that the DBIR chairman was appointed to head the board as a way of compensation to him because of his huge financial commitments and contributions to the campaigns of Okowa during the 2015 general elections,” the staff stated.
All calls to the Chairman of the Delta State Board of Internal Revenue, (DBIR), Mr. Monday Onyema were not responded to the board’s Director of Finance and Administration, (DFA), Mrs. Ajaro could not be reached as her mobile line was not reachable as at the time of filing in this report.
Nine Kano Hunters Killed In Southern Kaduna, Four Corpses Missing
Nine hunters of Kano State origin have been killed and
four corpses missing in renewed violence this week in the troubled
Southern Kaduna region of Kaduna State. The victims perished in fresh
fighting that erupted from Monday to Thursday this week.
A top Kano State Government official confirmed the developments to SaharaReporters via telephone.
According to the source, the Hausa-Fulani hunters were returning from a hunting expedition in Nasarawa State when they ran into a roadblock erected at Kagoro in Kaduna State by some indigenous youths from Southern Kaduna.
The hunters hailed from Rano, Kibiya and Wada local government areas of Kano State.
Our source disclosed that there were more than 20 hunters in the party, adding that the indigenous vigilante youths killed eight of the hunters before soldiers got to the scene. The military recovered four corpses while four are yet to be recovered.
"The soldiers, after rescuing 13 of the hunters on Monday, took them to a police facility in Kafanchan, but unfortunately when they were returning to Kano on Thursday, they were ambushed again by Southern Kaduna youths and one more was killed," said the source.
A top Kano State Government official confirmed the developments to SaharaReporters via telephone.
According to the source, the Hausa-Fulani hunters were returning from a hunting expedition in Nasarawa State when they ran into a roadblock erected at Kagoro in Kaduna State by some indigenous youths from Southern Kaduna.
The hunters hailed from Rano, Kibiya and Wada local government areas of Kano State.
Our source disclosed that there were more than 20 hunters in the party, adding that the indigenous vigilante youths killed eight of the hunters before soldiers got to the scene. The military recovered four corpses while four are yet to be recovered.
"The soldiers, after rescuing 13 of the hunters on Monday, took them to a police facility in Kafanchan, but unfortunately when they were returning to Kano on Thursday, they were ambushed again by Southern Kaduna youths and one more was killed," said the source.
Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje
The source added, “The security screened them and indeed confirmed that they were hunters on transit back to Kano from Nasarawa. To this moment, there is no single word from the security agencies and Kaduna State Government.”
The source named the hunters slain on Monday as Muhammadu Kibiya, Naaloma Rano, Ado Rano, and Ado Kafi. The names of the corpses missing were given as Alhaji Mukhtari, Rabiu Kibiya, Biyu Kibiya and Baba Kibiya.
The man killed on Thursday was identified as Ambo Nakuda.
All attempts to reach Samuel Aruwan, Governor Nasir El-Rufai's media aide, were unsuccessful as he was said to be attending a security meeting.
Four killed in pipeline blast in Rivers
“We have lost three people” to the explosion in Rivers state on Wednesday afternoon said Chris Idika, a clergy and community leader. He added that another body was discovered Thursday night “in the bush”.
However the co-owners of the pipeline, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) and Nigerian Agip Oil Company, denied the blast caused any deaths.
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation, though local Evekwu community leader Ndudirim Amadi told AFP it may have been due to “high pressure on the pipeline”. The communities are accusing the pipeline owners of neglect, saying they hadn’t visited the blast site to gauge the level of damage to the people and communities.
“The incident has caused a lot of damage to the people of the area as farmlands and crops have been destroyed as a result of the explosion,” local chief Ndudirim Amadi.
NLNG external affairs manager Kudo Eresia-Ete responded in a statement, saying that “no injuries or fatalities have been reported”.
“Emergency response procedures were immediately activated and the relevant authorities have been notified,” he said.
He added that communities closest to the area of the explosion were “advised not to approach the site in the interest is safety”.
Attacks on pipelines by militant groups have slashed Nigeria’s oil production helping to tip the country into recession as it struggles to adapt to the low price of crude globally.
Militant attacks reduced Nigeria’s output in 2016 by one million barrels per day, resulting in a revenue loss of up to $100 billion (95 billion euros), according to the government.
At the same time, attacks on oil and gas facilities cut production throughout last year. The naira currency has shed value and foreign currency has been in short supply, hitting investors.
The rise in the cost of living in Nigeria has led to increasing anger. Earlier this month, hundreds took to the street to protest against the government’s handling of the economic crisis.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)