metronaija: Boko Haram started killings with my own blood brother
I Will Hit the Road, pacifying PDP members, asking them to return
Not a few Nigerians were surprised and shocked by the announcement of former governor of Borno State, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff as the new Chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), especially because of his alleged links with the dreaded terrorist group, Boko Haram. It was therefore natural to be eager to put a number of questions to him on the issue. It was a long wait as guests continuously streamed into the expansive living room to confer with him. It was not until the wee hours that we were able to corner him and once we did, he took our questions calmly and vehemently denied any association with Boko Haram, saying they killed some people around him and would still kill him if they had the opportunity. He said he moved against the sect when it started in his state, culminating in them being outlawed and their leaders were arrested and taken to Abuja more than five times but that they were all freed. In this interview, he tells Ahamefula Ogbu that those who had access to the media foist the Boko Haram label on him but points out that President Muhammadu Buhari would not spare even his son if proven to be linked to the sect. Sheriff says he never had any plans to lead PDP, though he is perfectly up to the task. He outlines his plans to rejuvenate the party explaining that his sojourn in opposition politics all his political life made him the right candidate to lead the party now…Excerpts
How did you emerge as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in these turbulent times?
Well, it is an act of God. I truly believe that whatever God decides is what happens. I did not plan to be the Chairman of PDP; it was the collective decision of owners and leaders of the party that felt that I could offer a leadership that is needed at this moment in time. Any party that is in opposition needs someone that would unite the people to confront the challenges ahead of that party. For me I have been in opposition politics all my life. I was a minority leader in the Senate which is an opposition; in the APP and ANPP, I was in the Senate as an NRC Senator which was also then an opposition party because the SDP had a larger number of members even though it was truncated by the military. It was also an opposition party. I was a governor in Borno State. You know that when I was a governor, we were in opposition for the eight years; so today my emergence as the Chairman of the PDP is to build a party that has lost election after nearly two decades as the party in government.
More importantly, most of the people today that are in APC were PDP members. I am ready for the job and I am going to build all the bridges so that we can bring the party together once again. That was how I became the Chairman, it was not planned, but when God wants to change something He makes people to make the right decision.
In this country today, whether rightly or wrongly, you are seen as the progenitor of Boko Haram, so many were surprised by your emergence? Well, you see, Nigeria is a country of laws. Nigeria is a country that has the largest black population in the world and nobody today in this country is above the law. It was fiction and imagination of the writers. Let me ask you, I was the governor of Borno State for eight years and, when I was a governor, there was no local government that was under Boko Haram. The issue of Boko Haram came when the government at that time, under President Umaru Yar’Adua, destroyed their mosque and, that was it. They succeeded in killing three people when I was the governor and, do you know who those three people are? One of them was my blood brother, same father and same mother; second one that they killed was the gubernatorial candidate of my political party; third one was Chairman of my party who was also my first cousin. I have never seen anybody in my life that was connected to Boko Haram apart from their leader who was arrested by the military then. The military invited me to see him for the first time in their barracks. If for any reason I had any connection with Boko Haram, I would have been arrested. I am not above the law but you know media is a very strong institution; if your enemy or the people who are afraid of you go to the media and put a false report, the author will write based on information that was given to them by people who believe that unless they dent your image, they will not get what they want politically. Otherwise, there is no way I could be linked to Boko Haram because by my disposition, my background and where I come from, I have nothing to do with Boko Haram.
Boko Haram wanted to kill me all the time because they believed that I was the one that reported them to President Musa Yar’Adua to destroy their enclave when it was destroyed that time. It was after I left government that they moved to their different camps and bushes. Why should they kill my brother? Why should they kill my family if I am a sponsor of Boko Haram? Is there anywhere in the world that you sponsor something to kill you? But unfortunately, the wrong information was circulated to the media by our enemies and, unfortunately, I am not the talking type, so along the line, they kept on fabricating the same lies until it stuck. Let me give you a typical example. Just a week ago, all the social media planted my picture, showing me with the card of APC purporting that I was joining the party. At that time nobody wrote that I was Boko Haram, only that Sheriff is going back to APC. When we registered with APC we went to our villages to do it, that village they are showing on the social media was a village that was taken over by Boko Haram for the past three years, so how could I have gone there to register? Few days after I became the Chairman of the PDP, Ali Sheriff is now Boko Haram; so if you are in APC you are not a Boko Haram.
Throughout my period in APC nobody said I was Boko Haram. Immediately I left the APC, I was termed Boko Haram, therefore you could understand that Nigeria is a very interesting country and the fact that today you cannot do without the media and whosoever has the machinery of the media, unless by chance like the way you have talked to me, they would still be disseminating every kind of stories but nobody will ask why is it that when Ali Modu Sheriff went back to APC, nobody said he is Boko Haram but today that he is PDP Chairman, he is Boko Haram. To cut the story short, I have nothing to do with Boko Haram in my entire life. Nobody in my family or relation is Boko Haram or close to any Boko Haram member. These people that wanted to kill me? Up till today, if they have the chance they will kill me because they think I reported them to Yar’Adua who leveled their places of worship and, along the line their leader was killed. And that is my crime and why they want to kill me but people that are afraid of me changed the story and they keep on doing it. Every day they write different things, but you and I know that nobody is above the laws of Nigeria. I believe today that President Buhari, even if it is his son or blood brother that is Boko Haram member, he will arrest and prosecute him. So the allegation is the figment of the imagination of the writers.
You said they were trying to kill you when you were in power?
Yes
So that means they were there during your tenure? No
As the Chief Security officer of the state then, how would you say the problem of Boko Haram started?
It is not just when I was there, if they have the opportunity today, they will kill me. They wanted to kill me, and my crime was simple; I stopped them from operating in the state and in fact, I outlawed them. I did a lot to stop them in Borno. I made it clear that if you are found among them, you will be prosecuted and jailed. It was a proscribed group in the state during my time as governor.
Apart from the proscription, were there other actions you took to stop them?
Their leader was arrested and taken to Abuja severally but each time they bailed him before it culminated in their attacks. And eventually, their building was destroyed and their leader was killed. The military threw them out of the towns and they entered the bushes. After my regime, they regrouped from the bushes and other local governments and started what they are doing now. I have nothing to do with them.
How many times did you take action against them?
It was during my administration that their leader was arrested; it was during my time they were proscribed; it was under my regime that their leader was arrested and charged to court and they were bailed by citizens of Nigeria from Abuja, they are all on record. It was my own family that they started killing. They went to that mosque to kill my younger brother thinking it was me and that was the mosque I usually go to pray; so where did I come in?
How many times was their leader arrested and brought to Abuja?
More than five times
And the security system didn’t take the issue seriously?
The security system cannot do much once they arrest and arraign them and the court grants them bail; what would they do since we are in the time of rule of law. If the court says you are not guilty, then you are not guilty.
One of the issues your people have against you is that you destroyed the local government system and didn’t allow it to function as governor; why did you do that?
It is absolutely false. All my local governments were functioning. I was the only governor, I remember that time that conducted local government election, and gave them independence. In my time I had an opposition local government chairman, even inside Maiduguri which is Juare Local government. In my time, every local government in Borno State had a hospital and, today, most of these refugees are in the buildings I constructed in Borno State. In my time, I did many roads in all the local governments and the local governments were functioning and, to crown it all, their money was never missing. When I was leaving government, I left N65 billion. Today, I stand to be corrected; if any state in Nigeria has left even N5 billion for his successor. I still stand to be corrected. So, anybody telling you that I destroyed local government system in the state is not being truthful. The most-properly run government in Nigeria was in Borno and I want to tell you that the statements of accounts of how Borno Local governments operated; the outstanding money, close to N40 billion was part of the N65 billion that I left in the coffers of Borno State. So, for anybody to write that is absolutely rubbish. I challenge anybody to prove me wrong.
How would you rebuild PDP because it is a party in disarray now?
Well, I will give you food for thought and it is up to you to judge whether I have the capacity to rebuild it or not, but I tell you very clearly, PDP will be rebuilt, will be reunited, PDP will come together. I formed a party from the scratch that won elections all over Nigeria. The UNCP, which was short-lived, was built by me and we won elections all over Nigeria. I won election to the senate and 80 per cent of those that won election at that time were from UNCP and I, by the grace of God with few other leaders like Jerry Useni who is still alive, Issah Mohammed, built it together and it won elections all over Nigeria. So, I have the capacity to rebuild PDP. UNCP was started by me from the confab. It was UNCP that birthed PDP and APP; some members of UNCP went to form PDP and some went to form APP at that time. PDP formed government in Nigeria and we (APP) were strong opposition party in the country. This APC you are seeing, I was a founding member. APC is ACN and CPC that got together to form the APC. Therefore, from my antecedents, I have won elections from scratch; I built party in Borno State, we formed government of APP then; I came to the National Assembly and due to disagreements, I unseated a sitting government to become the governor for eight years; therefore somebody that is not a builder cannot achieve such feat.
What do you think is the problem of PDP that brought it to this present state?
The problems of PDP were many and we understood them and we can reposition this party. At a point in time the leaders of the party could not agree on certain basic principles. For arguments sake, many states lost elections today because those the people wanted were not the ones eventually given the tickets of the party. Some of them did not leave the party but they stayed within the party and because of anger, they allowed the party to lose the election. We will reconcile with them and bring them back to the party. We will go to their homes, talk to them and make sure that everyone put his dagger down. They should know that the party they built would not be allowed to be destroyed. We will beg everybody, we will go to everybody’s home to make sure that their anger does not exist because when a human being is angry he has a right to be pacified and we are going to pacify them in their homes because when wrongs are done, another wrong cannot correct that. When people leave their anger the right things would be done.
Are you not afraid of the present government coming after you seeing this is the era or arrests?
I strongly believe that there is no government in the world that can operate without an opposition. Most governments listen to constructive opposition. If being in opposition is a crime, they will have the right to do whatever they want to do but as a politician we would say what we believe is right to be said. It is our fundamental right to practice party politics and that is all we are doing; we are not insulting anybody, all we are saying is we believe every citizen has the right to aspire and the judgment is left to Nigerians to decide. President Buhari is a President, he was there by the will of God, whatever God destines will happen and party politics is the right of everybody. You have the freedom of choice like you have the right to freedom of worship and the constitution of Nigeria provides for freedom of expression. Nobody can be jailed because he is expressing his fundamental human rights.
Have you started reaching out to estranged members?
Yes
What is the response like?
Wonderful. There are people that had been sitting down in their houses after losing the election but after talking to them they have accepted. Calls are coming and I have been making calls every day and immediately we finish the handover and take over, I will hit the road everywhere, pacifying them, asking them to come back; it is a home they built and it is a home that they should not leave. I will visit the zones; I will visit the states and I will visit individuals whose sacrifices made the party and, insha Allah, we will succeed.
So you are hoping to take over power from APC in 2019
It is not yet 2019, but I will tell you that we will build our party and put our people together before 2019 that you are talking about. What I am ready to do today is to build my party; the rest is left to Allah, God almighty who says that power belongs to Him and He gives it to who he wants to give. Only God knows who reaches 2019, but I tell you that the party will be rebuilt, the party will be repositioned. Every member of this party will be happy to be a member of the PDP.
There is this assertion that PDP destroyed the economy and that is why it is in a mess. What is your response?
The economy is something that is sometimes affected by global factors that affects people globally. The price of crude oil today is not determined by PDP; it is a global issue. Today, crude oil prices are $28-$29 and PDP does not determine oil price. By 1990 when the world economy crashed the whole world was affected. Today, the EU, US, Caribbean, all over the world are affected by the oil price and other economic factors. It is in every part of the world. When certain indices that affect the economy change, they affect the global economy. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and other oil producers are also affected by the slump in oil prices that has nothing to do with government; PDP is not the one in power now.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I have been a businessman all my life. I was born to a business family, and I ventured into politics in 1978 when NPN came and my uncle was running as a senator. We went to campaign for him and he won the elections and that encouraged me; how he was talking to villagers, how he was getting reception interested me. By the time I came back from England, I lived in Lagos, concentrating on my business. In 1992, I was invited by the NRC in my state, which was in minority, to come around for the senate. I contested against the National Chairman of the SDP’s wife, Ambassador Kingibe and I won the election and it became the election of the century because at the point I joined the NRC, out of the eight local governments in my senatorial district, six of them were controlled by the SDP, only two of them were controlled by the NRC and, everybody had written it off that I will not win the election but eventually I won.
What do you see as the future of Nigeria?
It will be great, Nigeria will bounce back. Nigeria is a very interesting country that is politically aware. Nigerians will make a decision and when they want to change they will change. Nigeria is a country that no one but Nigerians can determine who will be their leader at any given time. Nigerians collectively voted for Buhari and removed Jonathan who was a sitting President and that makes our country very interesting.
How would you use the knowledge you garnered as governor to help resuscitate PDP?
PDP is a deep rooted political party in Nigeria but it was unfortunate that few people destroyed the party. Why they did it, only they know but we will rebuild PDP and put that all behind us and bring the party back to life. Politics is give and take, talking to the people, listening to the views of other people. It is about peoples interests, feelings and combine them to ensure peoples’ views are respected and that they are given the chance to say what they want that is why it is democracy, it cannot be regimental and one directional. People have to be flexible.
How do you see the apprehension of Nigerians over failure of their expectations by the incumbent APC regime?
The disappointment of the youths in any government of the day if their expectations are not met is understandable, because the suffering of Nigerians today is too much. Unless you take deliberate steps to remedy the suffering, it would always breed disappointment. We will tell them what we will do if given the opportunity to rule, we will give them hope.
PhockPhockMan: Nigerian High Court judge, Gabriel Kolawole, has granted a bizarre court injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives as well as two plaintiffs in a case already decided by the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
olokeded: Organized Labour in Nasarawa state has alleged that the State governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura has sacked over 10,000 workers since coming into office as governor.
The union which said only irresponsible Government would sacked over 10,000 workers, flay public announcement run by the state owned broadcast outfit, Nasarawa Broadcasting Corporation calling on the staff to resume work.
“The Public announcement urging Nasarawa State Workers not to embark on strike is uncharitable propaganda and blackmail orchestrated by the state Government,” the Labour leader, Comrade Abdullahi Adeka said.
He said: “The present regime sacked over 7000 Local Government staff over 100 staff of "Nasarawa on the move,” a state transport company were fired and the company grounded. Where is the Lafia Hotel and its staff today?
Comrade Abdullahi said over 70 of the staff were left redundant in Nigeria Newsday. “In addition, 27 Permanent Secretaries were fired from the inception of Al-Makura’s regime,” the union said.
Abdullahi said a state like Nasarawa which cannot pay workers salaries has embarked on flamboyant projects that have no relevance to the citizens.
“On 500 housing units, Al-Makura did not construct a single bedroom for workers instead he was only privileged to re-allocate a project that was initiated and executed by the former Governor, Aliyu Akwe Doma . Since January 2015 Local Government workers are being paid on percentage till date. However, it should be noted that salary in percentage is unlawful and any responsible Government should not even contemplate it,” the Labour leader said.
“To say that workers in Nasarawa State constitute just 1% of the 1.8m people and consumed 95% of the statutory allocation thereby leaving 5% for other capital projects is fallacious and a misrepresentation of facts.”
“Workers and their dependents constitute more than 70% of the entire population of Nasarawa state. This can be testified by the fact that economic activities in the state have been paralyzed due to the non-payment of January,2016 salary.''
“It is duty bound on Government to pay salaries constantly to her workers. So long as the monthly statutory allocations from the federation accounts have not being generated, it should also be noted that salary is being earned by workers and not a gift,” Comrade Abdullahi said a statement.
The state government had earlier said January salary was ready and urged the workers to call off the strike. The state government could not react to allegations raised by the workers on the sack.
pussypounder: 9ja is d worst country for humans to live, even we in Burkina Faso enjoy 24 hours.light, cheap unlimited WiFi internet, cheap food and of course cheap pusssssssy. But soon I will relocate to Burundi. Fuckkkk all of you in 9ja, fucccccck buhari, fucccccck Jonathan, fucccccck nairalanders, fuccccccck y'all
yazach: Donation by a woman DG of N700m to PDP’s presidential campaign in 2015. Furnishing of an office at N800m. Construction of a store at N240m instead of N40m. Failure to account for revenue by a DG who diverted equipment to his private medium. N15b found in a secret account in violation of TSA. More than N6b debt in an agency generating at least N9b monthly. Personal assistant remanded in prison for alleged N17m bribery but DG stayed on. DG implicated in alleged N68b fraud. Of the 26 Directors-General and Heads of parastatals sacked yesterday, no fewer than 10 may be handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission(ICPC) for investigation, a source said last night.
His Excellency the executive governor, of Edo State, Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomole, and our dear mother Hajia Aisha Oshiomole, His excellency the deputy governor of Edo state and his able and beautiful wife, the wife of our ... the wife of the chairman of our great party Mrs Oyegun, our zonal national woman leader, our state woman leader, the wives of the governors with me and the wives of the former governors that are with me, and the ones that we met here.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we are here in Edo to see my sisters and mothers. The moment the executive governor started introducing some women to me, I know* that I am in the right place and I met the right APC women. ((crowd cheers)) This is what is called digital! These are digital women! I am so delighted to be here and I am overwhelmed by the reception I got from the women of Edo state.
We are not here to campaign but to say a very good thank you, a very very big thank you to my sister the wife of the deputy governor, the commissioner for women affairs, the wife of the chairman of the party, the zonal woman leader, and the state woman leader for the job well done they’ve been doing in educating the electorate in Edo state.
In each zone of the country we have peculiar problems; our problems differs*. For me in this zone, girl-child trafficking should be considered one of our problems, though I know there is unemployment. The unemployment is the major factor that contributes to brain drain and also the girl-child trafficking. General Muhammadu Buhari is a leader, he was a leader, he led Nigeria some decades ago, and he is coming back now to sanitise the system.
For those that are campaigning, saying that he is coming to jail Nigerians, I don’t know what their fear*, but they shouldn’t because we are all yearning for change. The insecurity of the country, the very very very bad healthcare system, lack of education and other basic necessities that people are lacking. I think they need somebody like him now, and already some years back he have* been contesting. They have painted him black using religion. I’m happy today Nigerians discovered that they use religion as a cover to loot Nigeria to nonsense*. They’ve grounded the country. Whoever talks to you about religion in this country, a politician that can talk to you about religion, he is a liar. He is a liar, he wants to loot! He wants to loot the little resources you supposed* to enjoy, so say no to politics, comparing it, matching it with religion to deceive people.
I’m here today to let Edo women know that when my husband elected* into the office of the ... president of the federal republic of Nigeria, all these are going to be history. The insecurity, the girl-child trafficking, suffering of the widows in the south-east will come to an end. There must be a design, a cultural design that can accommodate the widow, and then a design that can make the girl-child comfortable wherever she is in this country. She doesn’t need to leave her country to go and prostitute elsewhere. It is not her portion. Her portion is to have a moral, a highly standard* moral society for her to live, get married, have children, train them ... train them and also mould them to become the future of our leaders*.
We’re here today to also educate you and to let you know that the collection of PVCs is important. You collect your PVC and don’t sell it. Don’t ever sell it. Don’t ever sell it; it’s like selling your future again. When you sell it for five thousand, you won't see five thousand* again till after four years, which is too bad for you. Get your PVC, vote for APC, vote for freedom, vote for new Nigeria. Good security, good education, good health care, good road* and all the basic necessities should be given to you.
I thank you all for being here this afternoon, being under the sun for hours waiting to see me. Thank you so much, I love you all. Thank you, thank you so much.
Last week ... sorry last week we lost a sister, a mother, a former woman leader, Mrs Modinat Omoduwa. Can we have a one minute silence* for her… ((8 second pause)) May her soul rest in perfect peace. Thank you so much.
APC!! APC!! APC!! Edo!! Edo!! Nigeria!!
God bless you all.
Gawd this woman dey blew grammer ooo!she get masters,mamapiss also claim 2 get master too.
RichYoungNigger: How old is Buhari ??
Buhari was 29 years old when this baby was born
I know Buhari is no longer active in bedmatics.
How does she cope with that ??
is yur father still,active,who is polishing yur mothers bearded meat.
cjudy: Ali Modu since last night gave all APC erats and chairs sleepless night. what is really wrong? if he is actually BOko Haram Mentor, why dont you file a case against him in court. there is more to this. on my own side, they are afraid of the man.... #Gbam
Are u not scared of him?15000 pple hav been killed so far.
I think pdp must b trying 2 destabilise nigeria via bokoharam,IPOB,wailers,ND miltants,economic suboteur since they lose election.If not how can they make a confirm Bokoharam sponsor a pdp chairman.
Senator Ben Murray-Bruce was born in Lagos on 18th February 1956 to Papa Mullighan(of blessed memory) and Mama Margaret Murray- Bruce from Akassa in Bayelsa State; between them, they have 12 highly-successful children.Ben Murray-Bruce's late father founded the Domino Group. The PDP senator, who is the founder of the Silverbird Group conglomerate, currently represents Bayelsa East senatorial district. He turns 60 on 18th February 2016. In no particular order, Dawn-To-Dusk News profiles 7 of Ben Murray-Bruce's siblings.
1. Mrs. Margaret Murray-Bruce - 89-year-old Murray-Bruce matriarch
2. Mr. William Murray-Bruce - Director, Finance Department and the Management Information Systems of Domino Group
3. Mr. Michael Murray-Bruce - Managing Director, Domino Group
4. Mrs. Joy Murray-Bruce Jonah - Executive Director, Domino Group
5. Mr. Roy Murray-Bruce - President, Silverbird Group (made up of Silverbird Communication-Rhythm FM and Silverbird Television-; Silverbird Cinemas; Silverbird Productions; Silverbird Properties; Silverbird Film Distribution; and Silverbird Malls)
6. Mr. Guy Murray-Bruce - President of Entertainment at The Silverbird Group
7. Mr. Billy Murray-Bruce - Executive Director, Domino Group
8. Ms. Philomena Murray-Bruce - Executive Director, Domino Group
erunz: The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday arraigned a senior lawyer, Rickey Tarfa, before Justice Aishat Opesanwo of Lagos State High Court, Igbosere, on 2-count charge of obstruction of justice and attempting to pervert the course of justice. Mr. Tarfa pleaded not guilty to both counts. Based on his plea, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo prayed the court for a trial date and to remand the defendant in custody. However, Adeniyi Akintola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, who led a team of over 90 Senior Advocates and other lawyers to represent Mr. Tarfa, said they had filed an application for bail which he said was served on the prosecution on the 10th of February, 2016. In his application for bail, the defence counsel told the court that the defendant went to court voluntarily and that he was granted administrative bail by EFCC on self-recognition. He said the defendant was a very senior member of the bar with no criminal record. He said there was nothing to show that the defendant would jump bail. However, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, urged the court to dismiss the application as the offence was grave. He urged the court to dismiss the application and order for an accelerated hearing.
Justice Opesanwo, in her ruling, granted bail to Mr. Tarfa on self-recognition but ordered that he must not travel out of the country without the permission of the court. The trial judge bemoaned the number of counsel who were in court for the defendant. She noted that there was no need for such magnitude of support as it amounts to harassment and intimidation of the court. Soon after the ruling, Mr. Akintola told the court that he had filed an application to quash the charge. Mr. Rotimi responded that he had not been served. He was subsequently served by the defence counsel in open court. Justice Opesanwo adjourned the matter to March 14, for hearing of the application to quash the charge while the substantive case was fixed for April 20, 2016 for trial. Mr. Ricky Tarfa, SAN, is accused of willfully obstructing two officers of the EFCC, Moses Awolusi and Sanusi Mohammed from arresting Gnanhooue Sourou and Nazaire Odeste, who were suspected to have committed economic and financial crimes in contravention of Section 38(2) (a) of the EFCC Establishment Act of 2004. Also, he is alleged to have engaged in improper communication with Justice M. Yunusa of the Federal High Court Lagos between May 11 and June 25, 2015 while the case between the EFCC and two others was pending before the judge. Count 1: “That You Rickey Tarfa (SAN) on or about the 5th day of February, 2016 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, wilfully obstructed Moses Awolusi and Sanusi Mohammed, authorized officer of Economic and Financial Crime Commission from arresting GNANHOUE SOUROU and NAZAIRE ODESTE who were reasonably suspected to have committed economic and financial crimes by keeping the said suspects in your car between 11.00 hours to 16: 30 hours” Count 2: “RICKEY TARFA (SAN) between 11th of May and 25th of June, 2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court attempted to pervert the course of justice by communicating with Hon. Justice M.N. Yunusa of the Federal High Court through your mobile Telephone No. 08034600000 whilst suit No: FHC/L/CS/715/2015 between Rana Prestige Industries Nigeria and EFCC and Suit No: FHC/L/CS/716 between Hair Prestige Manufacturing Nigeria and EFCC filed by you on behalf of the applicants in the two suits seeking to retrain the commission from performing its statutory duties were pending before the said judge”.
erunz: The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday arraigned a senior lawyer, Rickey Tarfa, before Justice Aishat Opesanwo of Lagos State High Court, Igbosere, on 2-count charge of obstruction of justice and attempting to pervert the course of justice. Mr. Tarfa pleaded not guilty to both counts. Based on his plea, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo prayed the court for a trial date and to remand the defendant in custody. However, Adeniyi Akintola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, who led a team of over 90 Senior Advocates and other lawyers to represent Mr. Tarfa, said they had filed an application for bail which he said was served on the prosecution on the 10th of February, 2016. In his application for bail, the defence counsel told the court that the defendant went to court voluntarily and that he was granted administrative bail by EFCC on self-recognition. He said the defendant was a very senior member of the bar with no criminal record. He said there was nothing to show that the defendant would jump bail. However, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, urged the court to dismiss the application as the offence was grave. He urged the court to dismiss the application and order for an accelerated hearing.
Justice Opesanwo, in her ruling, granted bail to Mr. Tarfa on self-recognition but ordered that he must not travel out of the country without the permission of the court. The trial judge bemoaned the number of counsel who were in court for the defendant. She noted that there was no need for such magnitude of support as it amounts to harassment and intimidation of the court. Soon after the ruling, Mr. Akintola told the court that he had filed an application to quash the charge. Mr. Rotimi responded that he had not been served. He was subsequently served by the defence counsel in open court. Justice Opesanwo adjourned the matter to March 14, for hearing of the application to quash the charge while the substantive case was fixed for April 20, 2016 for trial. Mr. Ricky Tarfa, SAN, is accused of willfully obstructing two officers of the EFCC, Moses Awolusi and Sanusi Mohammed from arresting Gnanhooue Sourou and Nazaire Odeste, who were suspected to have committed economic and financial crimes in contravention of Section 38(2) (a) of the EFCC Establishment Act of 2004. Also, he is alleged to have engaged in improper communication with Justice M. Yunusa of the Federal High Court Lagos between May 11 and June 25, 2015 while the case between the EFCC and two others was pending before the judge. Count 1: “That You Rickey Tarfa (SAN) on or about the 5th day of February, 2016 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, wilfully obstructed Moses Awolusi and Sanusi Mohammed, authorized officer of Economic and Financial Crime Commission from arresting GNANHOUE SOUROU and NAZAIRE ODESTE who were reasonably suspected to have committed economic and financial crimes by keeping the said suspects in your car between 11.00 hours to 16: 30 hours” Count 2: “RICKEY TARFA (SAN) between 11th of May and 25th of June, 2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court attempted to pervert the course of justice by communicating with Hon. Justice M.N. Yunusa of the Federal High Court through your mobile Telephone No. 08034600000 whilst suit No: FHC/L/CS/715/2015 between Rana Prestige Industries Nigeria and EFCC and Suit No: FHC/L/CS/716 between Hair Prestige Manufacturing Nigeria and EFCC filed by you on behalf of the applicants in the two suits seeking to retrain the commission from performing its statutory duties were pending before the said judge”.
Okimski: To avoid unnecessary friction that may lead to tension in the area, President Muhammadu Buhari has been advised to call for the immediate withdrawal of troops redeployed to some communities in the Niger Delta region. A human rights activist, Ann-Kio Briggs, who gave the warning said the presence of soldiers in these communities particularly in the Gbaramatu community of Delta state could be agitating and was capable of causing tension in the area. This is coming at a time when the Federal High court in Lagos ordered for the arrest of the ex-militant warlords for his refusal to honor several invitations by the EFCC. Speaking in Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital at the weekend, Ann-Kio Briggs warned that if the idea of redeploying troops to the Delta community was to arrest Government Ekpemupolo, popularly called Tompolo, then “They should go through the due process of arresting anybody”. “Tompolo has been doing legitimate business with the government over the years. I don’t know which law stipulates how to do business or otherwise. If the federal government has any issue with Tompolo, they should go through the due process of properly investigating him. “You can’t send soldiers to destroy a community, arrest young men and rape women in the name of searching for Tompolo. If they claim that everybody in the Ijaw land is a criminal, does it also mean that everybody in the north is a member of Boko Haram? “You cannot hold the traditional rulers responsible for Tompolo’s action or inaction. The attitude of the soldiers in the Ijaw communities is oppressive. The moment soldiers are restricted to a particular ethnic group in the country, it becomes very Ann-Kio Briggs who is the spokesperson of the Ijaw Republican Assembly, IRA, said it was fundamentally wrong for soldiers to “invade” any community in search of their target, adding that such action was “not the way to address the issue of decades-long neglect of the Niger Delta region by every successive government”. According to her, If Tompolo has been indicted for any wrong doing, he should be properly investigated but “there are officials in this government who have been indicted of embezzlement of public funds, yet they are walking about as freemen”.
Speaking further, the activist corrected that the search for the arrest of Tompolo should not be enough reason for the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi to cancel the Maritime University set up by the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan in Delta state. She described as anti-Nigeria the cancellation of the university by the minister, stating that this is capable of generating “bad blood” between the north and the people of the Niger Delta region. “Tompolo’s issue is not enough reason for anybody to cancel the maritime university. This is a shame. We in the Ijaw land deserve the equal share of every good thing in this country. If an aviation university is to be built in the north, why can’t somebody leave the maritime university in Delta! Jonathan built about twelve new universities in his tenure and five of these universities were in the north. Why should anybody contemplate of denying Ijaw people the right of hosting a university on their land?”, she quipped https://www.today.ng/news/national/79013/tompolo-withdraw-troops-from-niger-delta-ann-kio-briggs-warns-buhari
This mama n miltant mama?she dey support baaad thing,which 1 b investigated?when court ordered 4 that coward arrest,fed.govt shld increase troops to ND,all those youth do is 2 drink ogogoro & blew our pipelines,they are lucky Buhari is a benovalent president unlike Obj,gbaramatu wuld hav been leveled.
Agriculture › Re: The 4 In 1 Yam A Nairalander Harvested From Her Backyard (Photos) by billyG(m): 12:27pm On Feb 21, 2016
