EFCC Presents Another Witness against Lamido

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March 9, 2016

•Re-arraigns ex- pensions director, Katun for N81.4m fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday presented another witness, Alhaji Suraju Ahmadu, in the ongoing trial of the former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, who is being prosecuted by the commission on a 27-count charge bordering on abuse of office and money laundering before Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court Maitama, Abuja.

Lamido, who is being prosecuted alongside his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha, and two others, allegedly abused his position as governor between 2007 and 2015 by awarding contracts to companies where he had interest, using his two sons as fronts

The former governor was equally alleged to have collected kickbacks from contractors in the state, with the funds allegedly paid into accounts that were managed by his sons.

Ahmadu, who testified as PW12, while being led in evidence by Chile Okoroma, counsel to EFCC, told the court that, he knew Lamido, his sons and Aminu Wada Abubakar (fourth defendant) very well.

Ahmadu, who is the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Rauda Integrated Services Limited denied executing any contracts in Jigawa State aside the construction of a hospital, a staff quarters, as well as the deployment of motorized boreholes providing solar energy in the state.

He further denied authorising any other person to take decisions regarding the company on his behalf.

A witness, Joy Isen, had on February 10, 2016 presented to the court, account opening packages and statements of account of Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company, Interior Woodworks Limited and Rauda Integrated Services Limited which were admitted in evidence as exhibits EFCC 28a-p, EFCC 29, EFCC 30 and EFCC 31
When shown the documents today, Ahmadu denied knowledge of it and how they came to be.

The witness further told the court that, the documents he was shown were markedly different from his company documents.

The prosecution counsel then presented invoices used in the execution of different contracts which noticeably had the same invoice number – Exhibit 46, a, d and f. He also presented an invoice booklet with invoice numbers in ascending order which the witness identified as genuine documents for his own company.

This booklet was admitted in evidence by the court as Exhibit 47.
However, under cross-examination, Ahmadu stated that, there were no financial transactions between him and the 3rd defendant, Mustapha Sule Lamido, aside the sale of his Prudent Bank (now Skye Bank) shares valued at a total of N5.8million, and the purchase of a N2.4million Honda Accord from the defendant.

Kanu Agbi, SAN, however picked hole in Ahmadu’s two statements previously rendered to the EFCC on April 29, 2014 and August 4, 2015, where alleged that the shares sold were Inland Bank shares – totaling N10million, and the car purchased was at a sum of N2.5million.

Attempts by the prosecution counsel to further clarify on the matter led to a ‘technicality-battle’ between the two counsels as the defence posits that the witness’ testimony was not ambiguous.

Both statements were admitted by the court as Exhibits 50 and 51.
Thereafter, Justice Ademola adjourned the matter to March 9, 2016 for ruling on the issue of re-examination by the prosecution and further hearing.

Also, the commission yesterday re-arraigned Mohammed Ahmed Katun, a former Assistant Director, Pension Account, Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (OHCSF), on a 12-count amended charge bordering on diversion of pension funds to tune of N81.4million before Justice A. R. Mohammed of Federal High Court, Abuja.

Katun’s re-arraignment followed amendments to the three-count charge on which he was docked on April 9, 2014 by the EFCC.

He is being accused of fraudulently diverting pension funds at different times to the tune of N81.4 million, into his personal account in the guise of collective allowance.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.
Upon his plea, counsel to EFCC, Emmanuel Egwuagu asked the court for a date to commence trial.
However, the defence counsel, A. I. Lemu, urged the court allow the defendant continue to enjoy the bail earlier granted him by the court; an application not objected to by the prosecution.

Justice Mohammed adjourned the case to April 26, 2016 for trial and ordered the defendant to continue the bail terms earlier granted him by the court.

Katun had earlier been granted bail in the sum of N10million (ten million naira) and two sureties in like sum. One of the sureties must be a federal civil servant not below grade level 10, while the other surety must have landed properties in the Federal Capital Territory.

EFCC re-arrests former HOS Oronsaye over N240m fraud

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Hamilton Nwosa

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March 8, 2016

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Mr Steve Oronsaye, the former Head of Civil Service (HoS) has just been re-arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Sources at the anti-graft agency informed that Oronsaye was taken into custody over allegation of corruption and obtaining money by false pretense, barely eight months after his initial arrest.

Oronsaye who is already being prosecuted by the EFCC on 24 counts of money laundering before a Federal High Court, Abuja, is alleged to have abused his position as Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force and obtained the sum of N240 million from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

His alibi was that he was going to be of assistance to the committee, an act which he carried out without the knowledge of other committee members. Oronsaye, it was gathered, proceeded to convert the said sum to his personal use.

A top source at EFCC disclosed that the former top bureaucrat was re-arrested at about 4.30 pm on Tuesday. “What we are doing now is simply dotting the ‘I’ and crossing the ‘t’. Investigation is almost concluded and the suspect will be charged to court any time from now,” a top source within the agency informed.

Kachikwu dares N’Assembly unbundles NNPC ….Creates 7 departments ..Appoints CEOs to head departments How NNPC was run aground – Report

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Hamilton Nwosa

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March 8, 2016

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In what may be seen as an affront on the resolution passed by the House of Representatives on the proposed unbundling of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, on Tuesday announced the eventual unbundling of the corporation into seven units.

Each of the units is to be headed by Chief Executive Officers (CEOs).

The seven newly created departments include: Upstream and Downstream, Refineries, Gas and Power, Ventures, Finance, and Executive Head corporate Services.

Meanwhile, fresh facts are now emerging over the manner in which the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was run in the last 10 years.

In a detailed report carried out by the trio of Aaron Sayne, Alexandra Gillies and Christina Katsouris and codified as ‘Inside NNPC Oil Sales: A Case for Reform in Nigeria’ published by Natural Resource Governance Institute in August 2015, it was discovered that records indicated that NNPC retained revenues from the sale of 110 million barrels of oil over ten years from one block controlled by its subsidiary NPDC, worth an estimated $12.3 billion.

Kachikwu, while unveiling the new operational structure for NNPC, which he said would cut costs, save funds and end waste in the Nigerian oil and gas system, thereby putting it in a better positioning for profit making rather than its current loss making status.

Kachikwu said that President Muhammadu Buhari has already approved the final phase for restructuring the NNPC into seven coordinating units, including an upstream company, a downstream company, a gas and Power Company, as well as another company in charge of refineries.

He said’’ There will also be a ventures company, finance and Services Company, and a corporate services company, all of which will be independently run under the headship of chief executive officers (CEOs) that will report to the GMD of NNPC, who is also the minister of state for petroleum resources’’.

It was gathered that those appointed to head the newly created units within the NNPC are Bello Rabiu, CEO, NNPC Downstream; Henry Ikem-Obih, CEO, NNPC Upstream; Anibor Kragha, CEO, NNPC Refineries; Saidu Mohammed, CEO, NNPC Gas and Power; Babatunde Adeniran, CEO, NNPC Ventures; Isiaka Abdulrazaq, CEO, NNPC Finance and Services, and Isa Inuwa, the executive head of NNPC Corporate services.

Under these companies will be 21 different ventures, which Kachikwu said would function as incubation centres for profitable business development, with the possibility of being run as government concerns in partnership with private investors or traded publicly on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

On the report on the unhealthy running of the corporation, the report also indicated that “Over 38 years, the corporation has neither developed its own commercial or operational capacities, nor facilitated the growth of the sector through external investment.”

On the oil-for-product swap deals, it was also said that NNPC entered into poorly designed deals when it could no longer meet the country’s fuel needs.

Also, the document claimed that in 2013 alone, the Federation Account (Nigeria’s treasury) received only 58 percent of this oil’s $16.8 billion value.

Speaking on the Domestic Crude Allocation (DCA), the report claimed that the DCA has become the main nexus of waste and revenue loss from NNPC oil sales. The government allocates around 445,000 barrels per day to NNPC in so-called “domestic crude.”

The report said that “there is no contract between NNPC and PPMC for DCA sales, despite their huge value.

“We saw no evidence that NNPC includes the amounts actually paid by buyers of domestic crude in its reports to other government agencies.”

The document recommended scrutiny into the activities of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), NNPC’s main upstream division.

It says available records suggest that when the corporation sells oil from blocks owned by NPDC—which produced a reported 80,243 barrels per day in 2013—it does not forward the resulting proceeds NEITI Oil and Gas Financial Audit Reports, 2009-2011 and 2012.

“A case in point is offshore OML 119, a NPDC block governed by a service contract. NNPC sold around 33,000 barrels per day of OML 119’s Okono grade crude in 2014. Our research found no evidence that NNPC forwarded to the treasury any revenues from sales of Okono crude between 2005 and 2014, volumes which totaled over 100 million barrels with an estimated value of $12.3 billion.”

The report also said that the “NNPC sells this oil to the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC), one of its subsidiaries. PPMC is supposed to send the oil to Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries, sell the resulting petroleum products, and pay NNPC for the crude it received, and then NNPC is supposed to pay the government.

“In practice, the refineries only process around 100,000 barrels per day. NNPC ultimately re-routes most DCA oil into export sales or oil-for-product swaps, and payments enter separate NNPC accounts, which NNPC officials then draw upon freely. Annex A contains a full discussion of the DCA.”

Going forward, the report recommended some steps needed to take to bring normalcy into the company. Among others, the “NNPC should stop selling oil to companies, whether Nigerian or foreign, that never sell their allocations to refiners; that routinely sell to big trading companies that are already NNPC term customers; or that have ties to PEPs.

“To further protect against favoritism, patronage and inappropriate payments, NNPC should grant its next round of term contracts through openly competitive and rule-bound procedures that include a strict pre-qualification process, robust due diligence checks, and restrictions on the use of offshore vehicles by buyers.

“The corporation should also publish written rules for parceling out cargoes each month to buyers and stop allocating export contracts for more crude than it has to export. This will help end the monthly jockeying for allocations that occurs now, which is highly prone to corruption.

“Over the medium term, NNPC should rework its buyer selection process to secure more reliable global demand for Nigerian crude, and to sell more oil directly to refineries.”

On the unbundling of the NNPC, the Minister further noted that the new NNPC structure would allow agencies such as the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) to deal with marketing, while another company will specifically handle all transactions relating to pipelines.

According to him, “these divisional breakups will be more business focused in order to deliver results on the basis of given timelines, as more companies will create more work for an overstaffed and sometimes idle workforce without necessarily getting anyone fired but getting people busier.”

Kachikwu also maintained that the Corporation’s upstream segment alone was in debt to a tune of $5.7 billion, and that an agreement was being negotiated to be finalized in the next four to five months for paying up and closing up the year to year gap in debts by spreading it across several years, including all arrears.

This also includes a plan to exit the Cash Call arrangement, where money earned by the federal government through dollar proceeds from crude oil sales are often totally committed into funding joint venture projects, by the end of 2016 so that the sector can independently source its funds without government involvement.

Federal Government withdraws N70m bribery charge against Orubebe

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Culled From Ait

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March 8, 2016

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The Federal Government of Nigeria, on Tuesday, withdrew the N70million bribery charge it levelled against the erstwhile Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe‎, before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, sitting in Abuja.

At the resumption of proceeding on the matter, the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Mr. Mohammed Diri, secured leave of the Justice Danladi Umar-led tribunal to withdraw the four-count corruption charge the government entered against Orubebe on October 8, 2015.

Mohammed Diri told the CCT panel that FG resolved to only prosecute the former Minister on an amended one-count charge bordering on allegation that he had in 2007, made a false declaration of assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, contrary to section 15 of Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Cap. 15 laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2014.

Gov. Wike swears in justice Iyayi- Lamikanra as Rivers State substantive Chief Judge

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Hamilton Nwosa

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March 8, 2016

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Following the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, NJC, and the approval of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike on Tuesday swore in Justice Adama Iyayi-Lamikanra as the Substantive Chief Judge of the state.

Governor Wike advised the judiciary not to be influenced by the antics of politicians, saying that that they must uphold the rule of law at all times.

Performing the Swearing in of Justice Adama Iyayi-Lamikanra who is an indigene of Edo State, Governor Wike charged judges of the Rivers State Judiciary to be courageous in their dispensation of justice in line with the tenets of the law.

The governor assured the Judiciary that he will continue to support the arm of government to dutifully serve the people of Rivers State.
He noted that he worked towards the emergence of the substantive Chief Judge on the premise of laid down precedents and traditions, despite the petitions by some persons against Justice Iyayi-Lamikanra on the basis that she is not an indigene of the state.

Governor Wike said: “Judges should not allow politicians to manipulate them to cause crisis in the judiciary. ”
The governor said that he has sworn to oath of office to always do what is right.
He said: “They claimed that this administration not allow non-indigenes to breath. They said if we are voted in , we will chase non-indigenes away. But I believe in the laid precedent and the promotion of the best practices in governance “.

Governor Wike said those opposed to the emergence of Justice Iyayi-Lamikanra on the premise that she is not an indigene of Rivers State, must realise that she was appointed Magistrate and Judge in the state without anyone raising questions on her state of origin.

He added that though the arms of government must work independently, there must be cooperation for the development of the state.
The governor urged Justice Iyayi-Lamikanra to carry her brother-judges along for stability in the judiciary.

Responding, the newly sworn in Substantive Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Adama Iyayi-Lamikanra assured the people of Rivers State that she would dispense justice in line with the law.
She said that she will ensure that the Rivers State Judiciary develops to the envy of others in the country.

Simeon Nwakaudu,
Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor, Electronic Media.
8th March, 2016.

FG Sues IOCs Over Missing $12bn Crude Oil Revenue

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Culled From The Will

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March 8, 2016

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The President Muhammadu Buhari-led government has instituted civil suits against international oil companies, IOCs, operating in the country in a bid to recover over N2trn in alleged missing revenues from over 57 million barrels of crude oil shipments that were believed to have been declared or under-declared between 2011 and 2014.

This move has been interpreted by industry watchers as a major step by the present administration to curb the menace of crude oil theft in the country, particularly in view of the President’s belief that a lot of the oil theft under his predecessor’s administration went on with the collusion of international oil tankers that lift Nigeria’s crude on behalf of the IOCs and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.

The suit filed on the government’s behalf by a team of lawyers led by Prof. Fabian Ajogwu SAN against the oil major, is praying the Federal High Court in Lagos to direct the oil firms to pay into its account with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, the sum of over $0.6 billion (comprising $51,033,180, $462,681,780, and $145,551) in the first instance, being the value of missing revenues accruable to the government of Nigeria from the shortfall/undeclared/under-declared crude oil shipments made by the defendants.

The legal team of the Federal Government explained in its deputations that the significant crude oil theft for which payment is being sought, takes the form of accounting fraud, non-declaration or under-declaration of crude and gas cargoes.

In one instance, the team revealed some cases where it was discovered that an oil tanker declared that it loaded about 50,000 barrels at Nigeria’s port, but the same vessel on arrival at a port in the United States, discharged over 60,000 barrels of crude oil revealing a difference of 10,000 extra barrels uncounted for.

It noted that it is all these cumulative differences that account for the losses running into billions of dollars in lost revenues.

The legal team, in the suits, stated that there is documentary evidence showing that over 57 million barrels of Nigeria’s crude oil was illegally exported by the oil companies and sold to buyers in the US alone from January 2011 to December 2014.

It went further to submit that the missing revenue due to Nigeria as a direct result of this non-declaration and/or under-declaration of shipments made between 2011 and 2014 to buyers in the US alone is valued at $12,722,600,327.

According to documents filed in court and sighted by ThisDay, at an official exchange rate of N197 to the dollar, the said amount translates to over N2,493,629,664,092.

Exhibits attached to the court processes showed that there were a series of investigations undertaken by a consortium of experts comprising Nigerian and American lawyers as well as technical partners (both foreign and local) engaged by the federal government.

The job of this consortium of experts, according to the documents, included intelligence-based tracking of the global movements of Nigeria hydrocarbons, including crude oil and gas, with the main purpose of identifying the companies engaged in the practice that led to missing revenues from crude oil and gas exports/sales to different parts of the world.

The outcome of the said investigations revealed that the crude oil declared to have been exported from Nigeria between January 2011 and December 2014, was less than what was declared to have been imported into the United States of America, a country that maintains detailed records and has stricter compliance measures.

Before filing the suits against the IOCs, the report has it that all the crucial data and intelligence reports submitted by the consortium of experts had been shared with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which in turn is poised to begin major recoveries from the errant companies for payment to the central bank account.

The newspaper reports that the matter had neither been assigned to a judge nor a reaction received from any of the oil companies as at press time.

Photo News: President Muhammadu Buhari receives South African Pres. Jacob Zuma

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Culled From Sahara Reporters

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March 8, 2016

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Xenophobia Attack: Nigerians in South Africa ask for compensation, as President Zuma visits Nigeria

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Culled From The Will

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March 8, 2016

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new-diplomat default image

Nigerians in South Africa have called on the Federal Government to prevail on the country’s authority to adequately compensate the victims of the 2015 xenophobia outbreak.

The President of Nigeria Union, South Africa (NUSA), Mr Ikechukwu Anyene, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday. Anyene urged President Muhammadu Buhari to use the occasion of President Jacob Zuma’s two-day visit to Nigeria from Tuesday to address their concerns.

NAN recalls that the federal government had on Sunday said that Zuma’s visit would be used to address the challenges being faced by Nigerians in South Africa.

Anyene who said that the April 2015 xenophobic violence affected some Nigerians in South Africa, expressed regret that none of them had been compensated.

“Lots of Nigerians lost their means of livelihood, material possessions and for many, all their hard work.”

“We have sought for compensation on behalf of these victims from the South African government through the Nigerian government so that the victims can be adequately compensated.”

“Up to this point in time nothing has been heard about the compensation request on behalf of the victims,” he said.

He therefore called on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently intervene and ensure that the rights of Nigerians were not trampled upon.

NAN recalls that Some South Africans accused immigrants of taking jobs and opportunities away from them which resulted in attacks that saw some foreigner in South Africa killed and property destroyed.

The violence followed reported comments by Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, an influential figure among the Zulu ethnic group, that foreigners should pack their bags and leave.

While acknowledging that the South African government had done a lot of work to curb the xenophobia, Anyene said that, “more still needed to be done”.

The President maintained that xenophobia still remained a huge challenge in South Africa and a major concern to Africans.

According to him, there seems to be institutionalised xenophobia in South Africa where Nigerian professionals and students are discriminated against and victimised simply because they are non indigenes.

He expressed sadness that Nigerians in South Africa have for some time now been unduly harassed or killed.

“For some years now, a lot of Nigerians in South Africa have been victims of assassination by unknown people and rogue officers of the South African Police Service.”

“Most of the cases have not been solved and nobody has been arrested in majority of the cases, even as many of them were reported to the police with official case numbers,’’ he said.

Speaking further, “this is strange in a country where the police force is efficient and the rate of successful prosecution is high up to 92.2 per cent in 2014/15.”

“We implore the minister to demand from the highest level of South African authorities to set up a panel to investigate our claims and address our concerns,” Anyene said.

Photo News: Four die as building collapses in Lekki

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Culled From National Emergency Management Agency (nema) Nigeria

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March 8, 2016

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Armsgate: EFCC Docks Badeh for Money Laundering

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Culled From Efcc Website

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March 8, 2016

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, March 7, 2016 arraigned former Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh alongside Iyalikam Nigerian Limited before Justice Okon E. Abang on a 10 count charge bordering on money laundering, criminal breach of trust and corruption to the tune of N3.97 billion.

Badeh, while being the CDS, among other things allegedly abused his office between January and December, 2013. He used dollar equivalent of the sum of N1.4billion (One Billion, One Hundred Million Naira) from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force to purchase a mansion situated at No. 6, Ogun River Street, Off Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja.

The offence is in contravention of Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

One of the counts reads:

“That you Air Chief Marshal Alex S Badeh (whilst being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force) and IYALIKAM NIGERIA LIMITED between 28th March and 5th December, 2013 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use an aggregate sum of N878,362,732.94 (Eight Hundred and Seventy-Eight Million, Three Hundred and Sixty Two Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirty-Two Naira, Ninety-Four kobo) removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force and paid into the account of Rytebuilders Technologies Limited with Zenith Bank Plc for the construction of a shopping mall situate at Plot 1386, Oda Crescent Cadastral Zone A07, Wuse II, Abuja for yourself, when you reasonably ought to have known that the said funds formed part of the proceed of unlawful activity (to wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) of Air Chief Marshal Alex S Badeh and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act”

The first Defendant (Badeh) pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him, while the court relied on Section 478 of the Criminal Justice Act to enter a “not guilty” plea for the second defendant which is a corporation.

In view of the plea of the defendants, counsel to EFCC, Adebisi Adeniyi standing for Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, prayed the court to fix a date for trail and remand the accused in prison custody.

Counsel to the first defendant, Samuel Zibiri, SAN, on the other hand, told the court that, he had a pending bail application dated March 2, 2016 and filed March 3, 2016.

He prayed the court to admit the defendant to bail.

Justice Abang, in turning down the application said, “the motion is not competent as it was filed before arraignment.”

According to the judge who made reference to a decision of the Supreme Court in a similar matter, “a court will have jurisdiction of a defendant upon arraignment and not before arraignment.”

Consequently, he ordered the accused person to be remanded in Kuje prison and adjourned to March 10, 2016 and March 14, 2016 for hearing on the bail application and commencement of trial respectively.

The judge also warned that he would not entertain unnecessary interlocutory applications until the substantive matter is concluded.

Media & Publicity

Abacha’s loot: Swiss Govt. set to repatriate another $321million

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Culled From Premium Times

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March 8, 2016

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Representatives of the Swiss government are expected in Nigeria on Tuesday to discuss with their Nigerian counterparts the repatriation of another tranche of huge public funds stolen by late Head of State, Sani Abacha.

The delegation will be led by the Swiss Minister for Foreign Affairs, Didier Burkhalter, who is expected to meet with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, over the repatriation of the $321million confiscated from the family of late former head of state, Sani Abacha.

An official of the Swiss Embassy in Nigeria, Pascal Holliger, confirmed the visit exclusively to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday.

“Yes, our foreign Minister is on his way to Nigeria on Tuesday,” Mr Holliger said. “He is coming on a working visit to Nigeria. During the visit, he would open the Consular General’s office in Lagos and meet with the Vice President of Nigeria and the Minister of Foreign Affairs to discuss the issue of the repatriation of the second tranche of the Abacha loot,” he said.

But some Swiss and Nigerian civil society groups, who got wind of the impending visit, dispatched a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari, demanding that his government give assurance that the $321million that would be returned to Nigeria by the Swiss government would be put to good use.

Copies of the petition titled “Restitution of Abacha funds: Swiss and Nigerian NGOs demand guarantees,” was sent to the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, and her foreign affairs counterpart, Geoffrey Onyeama, and the Attorney-General of the Federation and minister justice, Abubakar Malami.

A copy of the petition obtained by PREMIUM TIMES was also sent to the World Bank Vice President for Africa, Makhtar Diop, and the Federal Department for Foreign Affairs Office for International Public Law (DDIP) in Berne, Switzerland.

Signed by representatives of eight civil society groups, the petitioners expressed concerns that the fund could disappear just like the repatriated funds by the government of Liechtenstein in 2014 if government did not take steps to guarantee transparency and accountability.

“Swiss and Nigerian NGOs demand that the authorities of these two countries, together with the World Bank, take all measures necessary to guarantee that these funds be returned in a manner that is transparent and benefits the general population of the country, the people that were initially cheated out of their money,” the petition said.

The groups said their fears followed the confidential agreement reached between the Nigerian government and the Abacha family in 2014, in which the Nigerian government agreed not to prosecute any member of the family in lieu of the returned loot.

The controversial agreement reportedly received the backing of Geneva’s public prosecutor, resulting in the withdrawal of all criminal charges against Mohammed, the eldest son of the late dictator, allegedly implicated in a case of laundering his father’s loot.

“There are fears in civil society, in both Switzerland and Nigeria, that this money could be embezzled once again,” Executive Director, African Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, David Ugolor, told PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr. Ugolor said the petition was sent to the Nigerian and Swiss governments, as well as the World Bank, to demand a guarantee that these funds would actually be used to finance projects that would improve the living conditions of the Nigerian people.

“It is imperative that they be allocated through a transparent process that involves both Swiss and Nigerian NGOs,” Mr. Ugolor said. “The transfers must also be performed in installments and upon the condition that the sums returned in previous installments were used as supposed,” he said.

Under the Goodluck Jonathan administration, Mr. Ugolor said the $235million returned by the Liechtenstein government vanished without trace after government said the money was used to acquire arms to fight the terrorist group, Boko Haram.

Other signatories to the petition included Olivier Longchamp, Berne Declaration (Switzerland); Martin Hilti, Finances and Tax programs coordinator, Transparency International (Switzerland); Adetokunbo Mumuni, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (Nigeria); Mark Herkenrath, Alliance Sud (Switzerland); Debo Adeniran, Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) (Nigeria); Godwin Uyi Ojo, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth (Nigeria), and Blair Glencorse, Accountability Lab (UK).

Kanu slams $800m suit against FG

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Culled From Vanguard

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March 7, 2016

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The detained leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu has slammed an $800 million Dollars suit against the federal government at the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS court in Abuja over what he termed as gross violation of his human rights. ARRAIGNED: Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, with a Prisons official, at the premises of a Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday.

ARRAIGNED: Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, with a Prisons official, at the premises of a Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday. In the suit filed on his behalf on March 2, 2016, by his legal counsel, Hon. Ifeanyi Ejiofor Esq. and Chinwe C. Umeche (Miss) from Ugochinyere Law Chambers, Abuja, the plaintiff, Kanu is seeking a declaration of the ECOWAS court that his arrest and detention since October 14, 2015, torture and his incarceration in the defendants detention centre in flagrant disobedience to several Orders of Court of competent jurisdiction directing his unconditional release, is unlawful, as it constitutes serious breaches of Nigerian’s human rights obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights; the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and other International Human Rights Treaties to which Nigeria is a State party. Joined is the suit as second and third defendants are the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF and Minister of Justice, as well as the Director-General of State Security Services, SSS.

Yobe Deputy Governor, Abubakar Ali, in auto crash as prominent Nigerians express shock over Ocholi’s death

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Culled From Premium Times

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March 7, 2016

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The deputy governor of Yobe state, Abubakar Ali, was on Monday involved in an auto accident along the Kaduna- Kano expressway.

A witness, Sunusi Abdul, told our source that the incident occurred in Daka-Tsalle town, along the expressway.

“The SUV he was travelling in had a head-on collision with a Toyota Avensis vehicle,” Mr. Abdul said. Fortunately, the deputy governor’s vehicle did not somersault, but the Toyota car was badly damaged and some of its occupants injured.”

Mr. Abdul, who said the accident occurred around 9:30 am, added that he also narrowly missed hitting Mr. Ali’s car.

He said the deputy governor’s convoy later continued its trip to Kano.

The accident happened a day after the Minister of State for Labour, James Ocholi, his wife and son died in a crash along the Kaduna-Abuja expressway.

Efforts to speak with the Yobe deputy governor was unsuccessful. He did not answer or return calls.

A source at the Government House in Damaturu however said that the accident occurred as Mr. Ali travelled to Kano for a condolence visit to the Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, who lost his mother on Friday.

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) is yet to comment on the accident.

Tributes pour in for Late Ocholi, Wife, Son …………..APC, Buhari, Atiku, Kogi, Kaduna govs, Others in Shock over Deaths

By

Hamilton Nwosa

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March 7, 2016

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It has been a deluge of tributes for the Late Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. James Ocholi (SAN) who lost his life alongside his wife, Fatima and son, Joshua, through a ghastly motor accident on the Kaduna-Abuja expressway on Sunday

Leading the outpour of tributes is the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) including President Muhammadu Buhari, Atiku, and many other prominent Nigerians who have expressed shock over the tragedy

Reacting to demise of the minister and members of his family, Buhari, in a statement by his media aide, Mr. Garba Shehu described Ocholi’s death as untimely, regretting that Nigeria had lost a key component of the change agenda.

“Mr. Ocholi was an accomplished and patriotic Nigerian, who was keen to accept the call to service at a time his country needed him,” Buhari said, adding that in the few months he had been in office, the late minister of state had already begun to distinguish himself through his commitment and dedication to his portfolio.

The late Ocholi was an old associate of Buhari. Buhari also condoled with the government and people of Kogi State, whom said had lost a distinguished and irreplaceable son.

He prayed that God would comfort them and grant them the grace to bear the loss.

“The entire country mourns the loss of this great man, who has sadly left us when we need him most,” he said.

Buhari has also sent the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. David Babachir to formally convey the unfortunate news to members of the deceased family as well as parishioners in his place of worship.

In his condolence message, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar also expressed profound shock and sadness at the untimely and sudden death of the of Ocholi and members of his family

A statement by his media office remembered him as an erudite lawyer, gentleman and seasoned politician.

“He was a wise and brilliant man, who was expected to impact significantly on the Buhari administration and the lives of Nigerians in many positive ways,” the statement said.

Atiku lamented that the nation had lost a committed professional whose place in his profession, political party and the budding administration in place today, would be hard to fill.

The statement urged those who knew the deceased and his colleagues in FEC and the generality of Nigerians to take heart and bear the irreparable lose.

Atiku also prayed for the repose of his soul and for the quick recovery of his driver and other aides who survived the accident.

Kogi State governor, Mr. Yahaya Bello expressed shock and devastation at the death of Ocholi and remembered him as a pragmatic, dynamic, humane and brilliant law officer, “who was known around the world for his dexterous approach to legal and political issues an as one of the most unswerving constitutional lawyers Nigeria has ever produced”.

Bello recollected with nostalgia, how Ocholi joined other progressive minded individuals around the country to drive the intellectual pillars of the APC, describing him as a complete gentleman who was irrevocably committed to the advancement of Nigeria.

Similarly, the Kaduna State government expressed deep shock over the incident. A statement by the spokesman to the governor, Mr. Samuel Aruwan said the incident was devastating.

“The state government extends its heartfelt condolences to President Mohammadu Buhari and the Ocholi family.

“Our condolences go to members of the Federal Executive Council and the entire nation, the minister died at a critical time when his contributions in the ongoing national rebirth and realisation of the change mantra were needed.

“May the almighty God grant their souls eternal rest,” the statement said.

In its statement, the APC said that it received the news of the death of Ocholi, his wife and son with great shock and sadness.

The APC National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni, in a condolence message, described the deaths as a monumental loss.

Buni prayed for the recovery of other occupants of the ghastly accident including the late minister’s driver who reportedly sustained serious injuries.

The APC National Secretary said the late Ocholi who was the party’s former deputy national legal adviser will be remembered for his selfless service to the country as minister, party, legal profession and his home state, Kogi.

Similarly, a colleague of the late Ocholi, Mr. Sebastine Hon (SAN) who said the late minister was his good friend, said: “It is simply unbelievable that my good friend James Ocholi is dead. Worse is that he died with his beloved wife and child. This is most tragic. This is most shocking.”

Before his untimely death, late minister was on the verge of brokering peace between the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) and the federal government.

The meeting between JOHESU and government last Wednesday was the last official engagement by the Kogi-born legal luminary.

Confirming Ocholi’s last public function with JOHESU, the union’s president, Mr. Biobelemoye Josiah said the meeting proceeded smoothly. Josiah praised the negotiating skills of Ocholi who he said was already close to resolving the crisis between the union and government.

Ocholi was also said to have held a meeting last week with officials of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) to address complaints by the union.

How they died- FRSC

The Kaduna State sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Francis Udoma has however revealed how the minister, his wife and son died. He revealed that the accident occurred 57 kilometres away from Kaduna.

According to him, “The rear tyre burst and the vehicle somersaulted. The minister and his son died on the spot, while the wife died in the government hospital in Doka, Kaduna.

“The driver, the chief detail, the orderly and the PA (personal assistant) were injured,” Udoma said.

It could not however be established why the minister had travelled to Kaduna, but source said he was departing the state for Abuja.

Ocholi became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2007. He was also the Chairman, Disciplinary Committee of the Abuja chapter of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA).

In 2011, he was governorship aspirant in Kogi State on the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

Between 2013 and 2014, he was the deputy national legal adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Last year, he sought the APC gubernatorial ticket at the party’s primary election, losing to the late Abubakar Audu. He was appointed minister in 2015.

Ocholi attended Ochaja Secondary School and the University of Jos. He graduated from the Nigerian Law School in 1986 and was admitted to the Nigerian bar the same year.

After his appointment as Minister of State for Labour, Ocholi had led several federal government delegations to broker peace with warring labour unions in the country.

SSS operatives, Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyers, family members clash in court

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Culled From Premium Times

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March 7, 2016

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The trial of a leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, took a dramatic turn Monday, when counsels in the case told Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court that their lives were under threat.

The prosecuting team also accused Mr. Kanu’s lawyers and family members of constituting threats to its witnesses.

Mr. Kanu and two others – Benjamin Maudubugwu and David Nwawuisi – were brought before the court for alleged treason, for maintaining unlawful society, among others charges.

At the commencement of hearing on Monday, prosecution counsel, Mohammed Diri, informed the court that Mr. Kanu’s lawyer had altercation with members of the State Security Service while trying to enter the courtroom, Monday morning.

Reading from a short note he claimed was written by a staff of the SSS, Mr. Diri said the defence counsel and members of Mr. Kanu’s family were constituting threats to the lives of witnesses.

He asked the court to adjourn the matter till such a time when the witnesses would be granted the needed protection to help them confidently testify in court.

But the lead counsel to Mr. Kanu, Chux Muoma, asked the court to grant permission to Ifeayin Ejiofor, the counsel who had altercation with the SSS, to explain what happened.

When Mr. Ejiofor was given permission to speak, he accused SSS operatives of trying to kill him.

According to Mr. Ejiofor, he had gone to intervene in a dispute between members of Mr. Kanu’s family and staff of the SSS.

He said at the scene of the disagreement, he was told that the SSS staff were blocking Mr. Kanu’s family members from entering the court.

Mr. Ejiofor said the SSS operatives at the scene insisted that they would only allow three additional family members of Mr. Kanu to join those already in the court premises.

He said when he (Mr. Ejiofor) tried to explain to them that there was an order of court permitting members of the public to witness the proceedings, Mr. Ejiofor said a staff of the SSS threatened to kill him.

He therefore prayed the court to take note of the threat.

“My lord I will like you to take note of this threat to my life, because I don’t know what will happen tomorrow,” Mr. Ejiofor said.

The trial judge, Mr. Tsoho, who noted that events had taken a different turn from what was expected, added that if the parties to the matter felt threatened, the case might as well be handed over to the celestial order to resolve.

He asked the parties to decide whether or not they wanted the trial to continue.

The matter was thereafter stepped down for a 30-minute break to enable parties determine the way forward for the matter.

The court had adjourned the matter on February 19, for today March 7.

Alex Badeh to be remanded in Kuje Maximum prison pending bail application

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Culled From Premium Time

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March 7, 2016

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A Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, has ordered a former Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, remanded at the Kuje Maximum Prison pending the determination of his bail application on March 10.

Justice Okon Abang gave the ruling Monday after Mr. Badeh was arraigned for alleged fraud, relating to the diversion of N3.9 billion meant for the purchase of arms for the Nigerian military.

Mr. Abang struck out the bail application filed by Mr. Badeh’s counsel, Samuel Zibiri, on the grounds that it was filed ahead of his client’s (Mr. Badeh’s) arraignment.

The judge further ruled that the hearing for Mr. Badeh’s bail would commence on March 10, adding that it was important for the application to be determined before the commencement of trial.

The judge said the trial of the substantive case, billed to commence on March 14, would be on a day to day basis.

Mr. Badeh was to be arraigned before Justice Abang on Thursday, March 3, but the case was shifted to March 7 owing to the absence of the judge.

Mr. Badeh, a retired Air Chief Marshal, was arraigned on a 10-count charge bordering on money laundering, criminal breach of trust and corruption.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is accusing Mr. Badeh, of using funds assigned to the Nigerian Air Force to purchase a mansion in Abuja.

The commission said the purchase was done with the dollar equivalent of N1.4 billion.

“Mr. Badeh, while being the CDS, among other things between January and December, 2013, allegedly used dollar equivalent of the sum of N1.4billion (One Billion, One Hundred Million Naira) removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force to purchase a mansion situated at No. 6, Ogun River Street, Off Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja,” the EFCC said in a statement Thursday.

The offence is in contravention of Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act, the anti-graft body said.

The former defence chief denied allegations of corruption against him.

On Thursday, Mr. Badeh, who has been in detention for about three weeks, accused the EFCC of “persecuting” him and conducting a media trial against him.

Mr. Badeh said he had repeatedly assured the commission of his readiness to cooperate with the investigation, yet was detained for a prolonged time without being arraigned in court

Lagos State Police Command Rescues Three Abducted School Girls

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Culled From Premium Time

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March 7, 2016

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Three suspects involved in the abduction of three girls from a secondary school in Ikorodu, Lagos, were arrested during rescue operation, the Lagos State Police Command has said.

Fatai Owoseni, the Commissioner of Police, told journalists on Sunday that the suspects include one Emmanuel (Arigidi) who was actively involved in the abduction, Seun Akanji, and one Henry who were conspirators.

“With respect to the state of the girls, they are very well and they are stable,” said Mr. Owoseni.

“I can confirm that immediate medical attention just to test them up has been given to them by the police medical team and I can as well tell you that as we picked them up, one of the questions we asked the girls was whether they were molested in any way and the three of them stated unequivocally that they were not molested in any way.”

There were media reports during the week that there were negotiations ‎for a ransom between the kidnappers and the victims’ families, with the former reportedly reducing their earlier N100 million demand for each student to N20 million per head.

But Mr. Owoseni denied that ransom had been paid to the kidnappers ‎before the rescue operation, insisting that the police utilised intelligence reports.

“‎When you talk about ransom in cases like this, you are glorifying kidnapping,” the police chief said.

“We should not be talking about ransom anymore in this country because if you do, you are telling others that kidnapping is viable and you can be going and kidnapping people to collect money.

“But I want to also say that what was employed in rescuing the girls is more of application of intelligence-led policing using the platform of technology, partnering with members of the community and pressures on the kidnappers because what we have done with other security agencies is that we also went for members of their families including their mothers, their fathers, their children and with that pressure they found out that there was no way again for them to keep on keeping the girls and that was what led to the success we recorded in rescuing the girls.”
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle), addressing the media on the rescue of three female students of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary, Ikorodu at the Lagos House, Ikeja, on Sunday, March 06, 2016. (R-L) With him are Commanding Officer, 9 Mechanized Brigade, Brigadier General Bulama Biu; Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni; Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem and Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde.

The three teenagers of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary, Agunfoye-Lugbusi, were abducted from their school on February 29 by unknown gunmen at about 8 p.m.

The girls were rescued on Sunday morning at the Igbokuta area of the State, the police said.

‎The prime suspect in the abduction, Mr. Arigidi, told journalists that 12 people were involved in the operation which was planned at the Majidun area of Ikorodu.

“We went to Maya bridge to enter canoe and went to the school around 8 p.m.,” Mr. Arigidi said.

“After we gained entrance into the school, we took away three girls and we took them to our hideout. But along the line, we had disagreement between ourselves and I was actually the one that started it. I told other members of the gang that what we have done is not good and that I don’t like it.

“I know that security in Lagos State is now tight and I was telling others that there was no way we would get away with this kind of job considering the level of security in the state.”

Mr. Arigidi said when he told his gang members to end the assignment, they threatened to kill him, and he escaped with a canoe.

“Three days after I ran away, operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) then arrested me somewhere in Majidun and that was how I told them how we planned the attack,” he said.

“One thing I will like to say is that if not for the fact that I was arrested, they would not have seen the girls because I was the one that revealed everything to the police.”

Earlier, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode said the girls had been “safely reunited” with their families.

“Let me warn that the Lagos State‎ will not tolerate kidnapping or any forms of crime in the state,” Mr. Ambode said.

“Our position is clear and unambiguous. Lagos State had the capacity and the will to go after every form of crime and criminality in order to safeguard lives and property in the state.”

EFCC recovers $1m cash from ex-CDS’s Abuja mansion

By

Culled From Punch

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March 7, 2016

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has recovered $1m cash from one of the houses belonging to the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh(retd.).

Our correspondent learnt the money was recovered after detectives searched a mansion located at 6, Ogun River Street, Maitama, Abuja.

A detective at the EFCC, who did not want his name in print, said, “We have seized several properties belonging to Badeh. A few days ago, we returned to the mansion located at 6, Ogun River Street, Maitama.

“In the presence of several witnesses, including neighbours, we searched the house and recovered $1m in cash. The money has been lodged as evidence.”

When our correspondent visited the mansion on Sunday, the EFCC seal was seen on the gate, with the warning, ‘EFCC, Keep off!” written all over the fence.

The property, which is said to be worth over N1.1bn, is one of the five properties seized from the ex-defence chief.

Some of the properties were said to have been purchased, renovated and furnished for a son of the former CDS, Alex Badeh (Jnr.).

Badeh also allegedly bought a commercial plot of land at Plot 1386, Oda Crescent, Cadastral Zone A07, Wuse II, Abuja for N650m.

They were said to have paid N878m for the construction of a shopping mall at Plot 1386, Oda Crescent, Cadastral Zone A07, Wuse II, Abuja, and another sum of N304m to complete the construction.

The anti-graft agency also accused them of paying N260m to purchase a duplex at No. 19 Kumasi Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja, for Badeh’s son.

The sum of N60m was said to have been paid for the renovation of the property and another N90m to furnish the property.

The retired Air Force officer also allegedly paid N330m to one Honourable Bature to purchase a duplex at No. 14 Adzope Crescent, Off Kumasi Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja.

They were also accused of paying N240m to Rabiu Isyaku Rabiu to buy a semi-detached duplex at No. 8A Embu Street, by Sigma Apartment, Wuse II, Abuja.

They also allegedly renovated a private property at No. 2, Nelson Mandela Street, Asokoro, Abuja, with N62m.

In the charges, signed by EFCC’s Deputy Director, Legal and Prosecution Department, Aliyu Yusuf, the anti-graft agency alleged that Badeh removed the sum of N3.9bn from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force.

But Badeh had, last week, denied ownership of the properties seized by the anti-graft agency.

Badeh, who has remained in the EFCC custody since February 8, has been charged along with a firm, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited, before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

He is set to appear in court on Monday (today).

EFCC has become a toothless barking dog – Obasanjo

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Culled From The Nation

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March 5, 2016

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for measures to make the anti – corruption war of the federal government more effective and ensure the safety of Nigerians in midst of security threat.
Obasanjo spoke on Saturday in Abeokuta, Ogun state, at a gathering to mark his 79th birthday during which many eminent Nigerians eulogised him.
The ex – President who took a brief look at what used to be the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under the Pioneer, Mr Nuhu Ribadu, and what it is today, concluded regrettably that the Anti – graft agency has become a “toothless bull – dog.”

He explained that there was the need to do an appraisal to know why the EFCC which was dreaded because of its effectiveness during his administration, began to lose courage.
According to him, the appraisal is crucial so that the nation does not take one step forwards and take three steps backward.
Obasanjo also recommended the deployment of technology to fight insurgents both at local and global levels.
He said: “the good thing is that we all enjoyed the work and we all felt that we were contributing our own meaningful quota to the development of the country.

“As all know, when Nuhu Ribadu was handling the EFCC, he handled it in such a way that people coined the saying that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of Ribadu.
” And the thing you will ask is how did we go down, how did we lose that, how did we? Nuhu Ribadu is still here, he is still alive, the institution that we started together is still there, what made the institution to become a toothless bull dog.
“We need to work things out so that we don’t take two steps forward, one step and three steps backward.”
On issues of terrorism, violent ectremism among others, Obasanjo the solutions lie at home, the church, mosque, society, state and the International community who