Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State recently unveiled the list of his commissioners which contains seven (7) Muslims and seventeen Christians (17). However, the list has drawn the ire of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) which has condemned the governor’s list. MURIC labelled Adeleke as a secret agent of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) with a licence to oppress Muslims.
The condemnation was contained in a statement issued on Monday, 10th July, 2023 by the Executive Director of the human rights group, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
He said :
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State recently unveiled the list of his commissioners which contains seven (7) Muslims and seventeen Christians (17). However, the list has drawn the ire of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) which has condemned the governor’s list. MURIC labelled Adeleke as a secret agent of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) with a licence to oppress Muslims.
“We condemn this wanton blockage of privileges that should go to Muslims and their diversion to over-pampered and over-fed Christians in Osun State. By deceiving Muslims in the state and engaging in spiritual hide and seek, Governor Adeleke has exhibited qualities odoriferously short in honour and dignity but egregiously long in infamy and bohemianism.
The Executive Director of MURIC, who clocked 70 and retired today, Monday, 10th July, 2023 also added :
“The goal of Adeleke’s deception is for the perpetuation of the marginalization, shortchanging and oppression of Muslims in Osun State. Adeleke is a secret agent of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). Like the legendary James Bond, a.k.a. 007 who had the licence to kill, Adeleke has now acquired the licence to oppress Osun Muslims by becoming governor of the state.
“But it is for a while. Time will tell. Governor ‘James Bond’ and the few selfish Muslims whom he is using will soon see that honesty and openness are what makes enduring leadership. Almighty Allah says, ‘And do not barter away My verses for trivial gain, and fear Me alone.’ (Glorious Qur’an 2:41).
“For the avoidance of doubts, we are solidly for meritocracy but the latter does not reside in Christiandom alone. Eminently qualified Muslims abound in large number for those who seek fairness and equity. Gone are those days when anyone can use wool to cover the eyes of Muslims.”
Former Governor of Ekiti, Ayo Fayose has slammed critics asking him to give account of how he appropriated funds during his tenure as governor of the State.
Fielding questions on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ on Sunday, furious Fayose told his critics to “go to court” adding that he made his money outside politics.
When asked if he would publish details of how he administered state funds as Ekiti governor, he answered; “That’s a very meaningless question. They have charged me to court, anybody that is not satisfied should also take me to court.
“How can I be explaining how I spent (Ekiti money)? I was one governor that never borrowed a dime. Ekiti people cannot forget me for the good works I did.
“Do you (referring to the anchor) think I’m a pauper? I made my money before you became a presenter. So don’t go there at all. If anybody’s money is missing, let them go to court.”
The PDP chieftain and his company, Spotless Investment Limited are being prosecuted over an alleged N6.9 billion fraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on July 2, 2019, re-arraigned Fayose and Spotless on an 11-count charge bordering on money laundering and stealing.
The defendants were first arraigned on October 22, 2018, before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun.
The case was later adjourned till May 8 and 9 and June 6, 8, 2023 for continuation of trial.
Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Services has been removing all incriminating files relating to President Bola Tinubu and his close aides from the Code of Conduct Bureau and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, SaharaReporters has learnt.
On Tuesday, June 27, 2023, SaharaReporters exclusively reported that the DSS had told the anti-corruption body Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to steer clear of political cases for now.
Sources told SaharaReporters at the time that the recent raids on EFCC offices – first in Ikoyi, Lagos and later in Abuja – were more political than they were made to look.
SaharaReporters had reported that during the raids, DSS operatives carted away files and flash drives containing sensitive information about former governors, ministers and senators under investigation.
It was learnt on Friday that the cleaning-up exercise had been extended to other anti-corruption bodies – CCB and ICPC.
“DSS closure of EFCC Lagos office was instigated by Tinubu,” a security source told SaharaReporters.
“The DSS is currently removing all incriminating files from the Code of Conduct Bureau and ICPC relating to Tinubu and his close aides and associates.”
Tinubu was arraigned before the Code of Conduct Tribunal in September 2011 for allegedly operating foreign bank accounts, contrary to the constitution.
Tinubu was accused of operating 10 foreign accounts during his tenure as governor between 1999 and 2007 in the charges filed against him by CCB at the tribunal.
The former governor was specifically accused of violating Section 7 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Cap C15 LFN, 2004 as amended, by operating the said accounts, an offence punishable under Section 23(2) thereof as incorporated under paragraph 18, part 1, fifth Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
However, the three-man panel of the tribunal later dismissed the case, saying there was no significant basis to proceed against Tinubu as the charges were “defective and shoddy.”
The tribunal held that the charges did not disclose a prima facie case and that there was no proof of evidence attached to the charge.
It also noted that the charges failed to show that the accounts were held by the accused person.
But in March 2016, Rotimi Jacobs, a senior advocate of Nigeria and the Federal Government prosecuting counsel said the CCT was misled to discharge Tinubu when he was arraigned before it in 2011.
According to Jacobs, Tinubu was freed in error.
On Sunday, June 18, 2023, SaharaReporters exclusively reported that the DSS raided the headquarters of its sister agency, EFCC on Friday night, June 16.
It was reported that the raid lasted till early Saturday morning.
The action was undertaken under the cover of the night to prevent the public from knowing about it, it was learnt.
EFCC personnel were also instructed not to mention anything concerning the raid to members of the public.
An insider had told SaharaReporters at the time that the DSS was working in the interest of someone “very important” to President Bola Tinubu.
However, another source said it might be linked to the recent closure of the EFCC office in Ikoyi, Lagos by the DSS.
“I heard the raid and partisanship of the DSS was the reason why they raised an alarm yesterday (Saturday) that some of their disgruntled officers are planning to shame the agency and embarrass the leadership,” the source said.
Some of the investigators handling the case of former Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle were to be summoned by the DSS for interrogation, it was further learnt.
“That is actually intimidation, symptomatic of what former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami did during Ibrahim Magu’s time as EFCC chairman to get several suspects off the hook,” one of the sources had said.
It was revealed that Matawalle was being investigated by the EFCC in two separate cases.
One of them is a case involving his private company which got money from the National Security Adviser’s office without executing the contract, which was investigated under the chairmanship of Magu. The other case involves the alleged fraud committed by Matawalle while in office.
Someone close to President Bola Tinubu also informed our reporter that the president was aware of the moves being made by the former governor to stop the anti-corruption body from probing him, which included obtaining court orders to restrain the commission and other agencies from carrying out their investigations.
It must be noted that President Tinubu recently suspended the EFCC chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa from office indefinitely.
In the June 18 report, SaharaReporters noted that it was not clear what the agenda of Tinubu and the DSS were regarding the detention of Bawa and the carting away of sensitive documents relating to the commission’s investigations
But revelations made by sources later showed the raids were political with the carting away of files and flash drives related to the probe of former governors, senators and ministers.
In May, operatives of the DSS stormed the Lagos office of the EFCC, preventing officials of the anti-graft agency from gaining access to their office in Ikoyi.
SaharaReporters learnt from top sources in both agencies that hundreds of EFCC personnel were locked out of office due to what was widely believed to be centred on office ownership disagreements.
“The EFCC officers are shocked; they have been using the building for more than 20 years. Several suspects are there and there are fears that some might have been illegally released,” a top source had said.
President Tinubu later ordered the DSS to vacate the EFCC office immediately, saying if there were issues between the “two important agencies of government”, they should be resolved amicably.
Reacting to the incident, the EFCC in a statement on its official Facebook page described the siege as shocking, saying it had wider implications for Nigeria’s fight against economic and financial crimes.
“This development is strange to the Commission given that we have cohabited with the DSS in that facility for 20 years without incident.
“By denying operatives access to their offices, the Commission’s operations at its largest hub with over 500 personnel, hundreds of exhibits, and many suspects in detention have been disrupted.
“Cases scheduled for court hearing today have been aborted, while many suspects who had been invited for questioning are left unattended.
“Even more alarming is that suspects in detention are left without care with grave implications for their rights as inmates.
“All of these have wider implications for the nation’s fight against economic and financial crimes,” the statement read.
But the DSS in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Peter Afunanya, said, “It is not correct that the DSS barricaded EFCC from entering its office. No. It is not true. The Service is only occupying its own facility where it is carrying out its official and statutory responsibility.
“By the way, there is no controversy over No 15A Awolowo Road as being insinuated by the Media. Did the EFCC tell you it is contesting the ownership of the building? I will be surprised if it is contesting the ownership.
“Awolowo Road was NSO headquarters. SSS/DSS started from there. It is a common knowledge. It is a historical fact. Check it out.”
The Super Falcons of Nigeria are planning to stage a strike and boycott their opening match of the 2023 Women’s World Cup after the General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation Mohammed Sanusi told them their match bonuses for the competition had been cancelled.
Report says the decision was taken after six senior players, captain Onome Ebi, Rasheedat Ajibade, Asisat Oshoala, Ohale Osinachi, Tochukwu Oluehi and Desire Oparanozie, held a meeting on arrival at the Mercure Resorts, Gold Coast, following Sanusi’s announcement.
“We are going ahead to press for our demands,” a senior player said “We are ready to go as far as missing our first game against Canada July 21 because this has to stop.
“On Wednesday night, we held a meeting where we agreed that we were going to find out if what we were asking for is legitimate, and that if it’s legitimate, we will press for our demands. It was what was agreed.
The next meeting will be after we get the information we need and then the protest will start.”
It was learnt that shortly before the Nigerian contingent departed Abuja for Australia July 2, during a meeting with the players, Sanusi told them that they would not be paid match bonuses by the federation, since FIFA had already announced that every player would get $30,000 in the group stage of the tournament in Australia and New Zealand.
Sanusi also announced that the players would no longer be given 30 percent from the $1,560,000 FIFA grant to all member associations for the group stage of the competition
Our source said the players were surprised “after Sanusi landed the sucker punch.”
“The General Secretary came for the meeting clutching so many papers; he told us that we won’t be paid match bonuses at the World Cup because FIFA had already given each player $30,000 for the group stage. He also said we won’t get 30 percent from the $1,560,000 FIFA would give the NFF.
“We were shocked, team morale went down immediately because we couldn’t believe what the man was saying,” our source said.
“One of the oldest players in the team asked him if FIFA would deduct the money ($30,000) they would give us from the $1.5m they gave the federation but he (Sanusi) said no. So, she said if it’s like that, then it shouldn’t affect our match bonuses. After several minutes of argument, Sanusi asked us if we would have preferred the $9,000 match bonus or the $30,000 from FIFA.”
Our source dismissed reports that American team coach Randy Waldrum had instigated the players to stage “a coup” against the federation.
“That’s not true, it’s a ploy to distract Nigerians from the truth. Randy has no hand in this. We’ve been suffering this maltreatment and injustice long before he took charge of the team. When the team revolted after the 2018 WAFCON and the 2019 World Cup, was Randy with us? We are fighting a good cause, we don’t need anyone to push us. They should allow the coach do his job.
“Since the federation is treating us like this, we have decided to stage a protest before the competition begins, so that the whole world will know what we are passing through. We can’t keep suffering and smiling.
“At the last World Cup, the same thing happened and we were shortchanged, we won’t allow this to happen any longer. They dare not treat the Super Eagles like this. Is it because we are women? We must put a stop to this this time around.”
NFF president Ibrahim Gusau and Sanusi did not respond to telephone calls on the matter, while they also didn’t reply to the text and WhatsApp messages sent to their phones as of the time of filing this report.
It’s not the first time the Falcons would be involved in a bonus row at an international tournament.
The record African champions refused to travel back home after winning the 2004 WAFCON in South Africa, insisting they must be paid their bonuses first.
In 2016, after returning from Cameroon with an eighth WAFCON trophy, they also staged a sit-in protest at their Abuja hotel to press home their claims for each player to be paid $16,500 after their triumph.
Striker Desire Oparanozie was stripped of her captaincy and banished from the team after she led a bonus protest at the 2019 World Cup in France, while the squad also boycotted training sessions ahead of their third-place clash against Zambia at last year’s WAFCON in Morocco over same issue.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano state on Thursday urged the immediate past governor of Kano state, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje not to honour the invitation extended to him by the state Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) over the purported dollar video.
I passed through the new MMIA on my way out of the country. Squeaky clean. I was just blessing former President Muhammadu Buhari in my heart. Some Immigration officers saw me, and were shouting; ‘Buhari’s man, Buhari’s man.’ I gave them a thumbs up, and said; ‘Buhari for Life.’
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas has named Prof. Julius Ihonvbare (APC, Edo) and Hon. Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers) as the Majority and Minority Leaders of the House.
The Nation reported on Monday that the former Secretary to the Edo State Government is likely to emerge as the House Leader.
The Speaker also named Usman Bello Kumo (APC, Gombe) as the Chief Whip of the House.
Chinda and Kumo headed the Joint Task 10th Assembly that worked for the emergence of Abbas as Speaker.
Other Principal Officers named by the Speaker include Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Halims (Kogi, APC) as Deputy majority leader and Hon. Adewumi Onanuga (Ogun, APC) as Deputy Majority Whip.
He also announced Hon. Ali Isa JC (Gombe, PDP) as Minority Leader; Hon. Ali Madaki (Kano, NNPP) as Deputy Minority Whip and Hon. George Ozodinobi (Anambra, LP) as Deputy Minority Whip.
The sergeant-at-arms of the national assembly on Tuesday prevented reporters from covering senate plenary.
No reason was given. However, a sergeant-at-arms barricaded the door leading to the gallery, from where the public and journalists observe proceedings.
Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has imposed a dusk to dawn curfew in Bakassi and Akpabuyo Local Government Areas of the State.
The curfew which starts today 3rd July 2023 is between 7 o' clock in the evening to 6 o'clock in the morning.
This, according to a statement by the secretary to the state government Prof Anthony Owan-Enoh is to ensure safety of lives as well as forestall a breakdown of law and order following security threat within the two local government Areas.
Consequently, movement of people and vehicles would be restricted during the curfew hours and the members of the public are advised in their own interest to adhere strictly to this directives.
President of Guinea-Bissau and Chairman, Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, Umaro Sissoco Embaló on a visit to President Bola Tinubu in Lagos.
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has deleted a post on his Twitter handle where he referred to Bola Tinubu as Nigerian president and commented about his (Tinubu’s) long convoy in Lagos.
Obi and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are currently challenging the victory of Tinubu in the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission, Tinubu won the presidential election and Atiku and Obi came second and third respectively.
Peter Obi had taken a swipe at President Bola Tinubu over a viral video of his long convoy following his arrival in Lagos State from London, United Kingdom on Wednesday.
Obi’s comment comes amid the outrage being expressed by Nigerians over the large convoy of President Tinubu during a recent visit to Lagos State.
However, Obi in his reaction on Friday in a post on his verified Twitter handle urged Nigerian leaders to sacrifice for a better Nigeria.
He said; “Yesterday at the final commendation service of the Late Archbishop Maxwell Anikwenwa in Awka, I was ambushed by a group of journalists who asked me to comment on the life of the late clergyman.
"Promptly, they sought my opinion on a video they said was making the rounds online, allegedly showing Mr President with Mr President moving with about 120-car convoy.
"While I have not had the opportunity of seeing the said video, my advice remains consistent- that sacrifices for a better Nigeria must start from the leaders”.
Meanwhile, shortly after deleting the tweets in which he called Tinubu Mr. President, Obi posted another tweet, stressing the need for Nigerian leaders to address the suffering of the people.
“We cannot continue to preach for the people to sacrifice without sacrificing too,” Obi said in a later tweet.
“The sacrifices must now start from the leaders visibly, and measurably at all times because the people are suffering. We must now be at the forefront of addressing the suffering.”
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN, has reacted to the Federal government’s discontinuation of budgetary allocations for professional bodies and councils.
In a statement on Thursday, the President of ICAN, Innocent Iweka Okwuosa, while applauding the initiative, noted that the institute voluntarily stopped the government’s yearly N1 million and N5 allocations 34 years ago.
Okwuosa’s reaction comes against the development reported by DAILY POST that the federal government had removed professional bodies and councils from a budgetary allocation from 2026.
However, ICAN said it does not support discontinuing budgetary allocations to the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria and the National Council on Climate Change.
“We want to state that once upon a time, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) received an irregular meagre budgetary allocation of between N1 and N5 million a year. In 1989/90 years, ICAN voluntarily returned the cheque for the budgetary allocation back to the Federal Government (FG), declaring itself a self-financed organisation.
“I want to categorically state that since 1990, ICAN has been a self-funded organisation and does not receive any budgetary allocation from the FG. ICAN relies on members’ subscriptions, Professional examinations, Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and Faculty programmes’ net fees, other self-financing events such as Annual Accountants Conference (AAC), and financial support from organisations that identify with the ICAN brand.
“However, we do not support the discontinuance of budgetary allocations to some Regulatory Councils that function as parastatals example, the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC) and National Council on Climate Change (NCCC).
“We will advocate for more budgetary allocations to the FRC to enable it to fulfil its many mandates. Similarly, given that climate change and energy transition are now burning global and local issues, the NCCC will need more budgetary allocations to execute its important mandate.”
The leadership of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN, has announced the indefinite suspension of actor Jerry Williams following his involvement in illicit substances.
In a statement signed by the National President of AGN, Mr Emeka Rollas, MON, they have been monitoring Jerry’s involvement in illicit substances since December, last last until it got out of hand and as it is now, he cannot be allowed to associate with other performers on set due to endangering their lives. According to him, the situation is a matter of safety for fellow actors.
The statements reads in part; “the Guild has been monitoring his involvement in illicit substances since December last year, until it got out of hand and as it is now, he cannot be allowed to associate with other performers on set due to danger.
“He ought to have been suspended before now. But we decided to allow him go through minor treatments , which he has been defaulting overtimes. But at it stands now, Jerry is a risk not only to himself but also, other actors who might be acting alongside him on set.
“We , therefore, have decided to suspend him indefinitely until he gets a clean bill of health from a medical practitioner or a professional that handles drugs abuse.'”
Jerry hit the limelight after starring in the epic move, “The Chosen King”. He’s known for playing the role of a ‘prince, king, warrior, and palace guard, hunter, romantic guy, terrorist, and many other roles in his past movies.
Operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested 47 (forty-seven) suspected internet fraudsters.
The suspects were arrested on June 23, 2023, at Ikere Road and Iworoko areas of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State following intelligence on their alleged cyber fraud activities in the State.
The suspects are Adeyemi Joshua Adeniran, Ajaye Redmond Damilare, Nwaji Mathew, Jegede Boluwaji Victor, Oyetunji Sunday Wole, Damilola Awopetu Ayomide, Ajayi Temitope Ayomide, Babajide Adebisi Victor, Balogun Precious Akinwale, Obie Jacob Onatakaroma, Olonitola Olamilekan, Ajewole Ojo Kayode, Aina Toluwani Emmanuel, Adebayo Akinwumi Oluwadamilare, Omowaye Oluwatosin Olamilekan, Oyewale Francis Oyomilekan, Arowolo Ayomide Gift, Shotonwa Babatunde Omotoyosi, Ochochie Silas Ochola, Ojo Seyitan David, Onile Ayodeji Raphael and Abiodun Oluwatosin Opeyemi.
Others are: Adebayo Gbenga Musbau, Oyebade Ayomide Olamide, Egunjobi Samuel Gbenga, Oladokun Toheeb Adekola, Adesola Benjamin Adebowale, Edamisan Olakunle, Adesola Isaac Babatunde, Oyewole Gideon David, Lawal Tosimile Moses, Adeleke Adekunle Samson, Oladiti Abiodun Akanji, Ajayi Charles Temitayo, Adeyemi Oluwasegun Adeboye, Ernest Solomon Temitope and Atoun Olalekan Timilehin.
The rest are: Olorunyomi Sina Ayo, Babatunde Emmanuel Babalola, Yusuf Saka Olaoluwatobi, Falaye Babatunde Temitope, Ilesanmi Damilola Ayomide, Badmus Yusuf Omobolaji, Komolafe Emmanuel Feranmi, Babajide Adebisi Victor, Adamolekun Olamiji and Oshatimi Samuel Omoniyi.
In a related development, the Oyo State Command of the Nigerian Police arrested and handed over two cybercrime suspects, Emiola Usman and Kamorudeen Quayum, to the Ibadan Zonal Command of the EFCC, for further investigation.
Items recovered from the suspects include fifteen (15) exotic cars, sixteen (16) laptops, seventy-seven (77) mobile phones and other incriminating documents, among others.
The suspects will be charged to court as soon as the investigations are concluded.
The Peoples Democratic Party may in the coming weeks wield the hammer against some of its prominent members for rebelling against it and instead fraternising with the ruling All Progressives Congress and President Bola Tinubu.
Sunday PUNCH reliably gathered that the main opposition party was considering expelling key members of the G-5 governors elected on its platform, who refused to support the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the February 25, 2024 presidential election.
It was learnt that the PDP was planning to show the exit door to the immediate governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, who was the arrow head of the rebel governors, as well as the immediate governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom.
Apart from not supporting Atiku, the party considers the current romance Wike and Ortom are having with Tinubu and the APC as serious anti-party activity, whose consequence is expulsion.
The PDP has therefore warned that if the former governors accept any appointment from the President and the APC, they would be summarily expelled from the party.
It is not clear yet what the PDP plans to do with the other members of the G-5 as Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State is serving his second term on the platform of the party and participated at the recent retreat of the party in Bauchi, while the immediate past governors of Abia and Enugu states, Okezie Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, appear to be in political wilderness having lost their respective bids to go to the Senate. Ortom similarly failed in his bid to become a senator.
However, the five ex-governors recently visited the President at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in solidarity with Tinubu even as the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku, is still trying to upturn his victory at the Presidential Election Petition Court.
Kano State government has marked for demolition property, including multimillion Naira plazas and filling stations located along popular BUK road, for demolition.
The property are those built around the ancient Kano city wall (Badala) which the incumbent governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, accused his predecessor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, of illegally allocating for development.
While a few of the structures marked for demolition the Kano State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KNUPDA) are under construction, majority of them have been completed.
Daily Trust gathered that one of the completed plazas belongs to the state government under Kano State Investment and Properties Limited (KISP) while others belong to individuals and business owners in the state.
Among the structures that exist on Badala are filling stations, car dealers spots and one of the biggest filling stations in the state (SALBAS OIL).
After marking the structures, owners and occupants started removing their belongings, including roofing sheets and doors.
“This place was sold to us by one of the top people in this government. He was with the past government before they parted ways and here he is, chasing us out of our businesses. We don’t know the kind of government this is.”
“We are selling cars and we employed over 20 people directly while others indirectly earn a living here. But the business has to collapse now,” Alhaji Jamilu Lawan, owner of one of the structures, he said.
Similarly, residents in the state are also expressing views with regards to the decision, with some of them saying the demolition exercise is taking the state backward, while others support the idea.
“This is taking us back. The past government brought this policy to take the state forward especially in revenue generation. Look at Lagos, they depend on these kinds of initiatives to be independent. Among the structures, the biggest belongs to the state and was built with public funds, but they are demolishing it,” one of the supporters of the past government, Auwal Tahir, said.
Another resident, Abubakar Mai Wada, said the wall served as one of the historic places and that they were given out free of charge to the people close to the past government, adding that the demolishing is towards restoring the established structure of the state.
Daily Trust reports that the Managing Director of the KNUPDA, Arc. Ibrahim Yakubu Adamu, has vowed to restore all public lands that were “illegally” sold out by the past administration.
He said all public lands including grave yards, mosques, schools and the wall fence will be demolished and put back to proper use.
RIVERS APC DID NOT CALL FOR WIKE'S ADMITTANCE INTO ITS FOLD.
The attention of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has been drawn to calls by imposters and sponsored amorphous groupings acting as fronts for the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Mr Nyesom Wike, that APC in Rivers State is calling on him (Mr Wike) to join the same party he had characterised as suffering from Cancer.
Nothing can be more preposterous than this kite being flown by minions of Wike working hard to justify their pay cheque.
We wish to unequivocally dismiss any such rumour or sponsored story planted in any medium that Rivers State APC had at any forum invited Mr Wike to join our party none the least calling on Wike to take over leadership of a party he never campaigned for. We dare anyone to provide video evidence of any campaigns where Mr Wike openly campaigned for the APC. The terror unleashed on our party members in the cause of his eight years maximum rulership alone is enough evidence to confirm that Wike has no business with Rivers State APC. Asking him to come and take over is asking an enemy to come and finish off his victims.
We are aware of his schemes to escape justice over the looting of the collective patrimony of Rivers people which is the major reason for his romancing top APC members.
For those who may be suffering from amnesia, a none APC member cannot be cheerleader for the entry of Wike into APC. Nobody can decree his membership of a political party through radio or newspaper publications. All vexatious attempts at distracting our party in Rivers State will keep failing.
For the avoidance of doubts, the APC in Rivers State has a legally recognized state office where all official businesses are conducted. We do also have standard procedure for convening our meetings according to our party's constitution. Therefore, it is expedient for the public to be aware that village meetings or gatherings cannot equate with a stakeholder's meeting of APC in Rivers State, especially a gathering that took place at a hotel belonging to such a non-APC member.
We therefore disassociate the leadership of our party from any so-called stakeholders meeting suggesting that our party be handed over to Mr Wike. We reiterate our party's resolve to lend 100% support to the policies and programmes of the Federal Government under the indefatigable leadership of our President, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.
We warn blackmailers and conflipreneurs to desist from the shameless tradition of using the name of our party to curry favour from desperate politicians seeking relevance at the centre.
Signed: Darlington Nwauju Rivers State APC Spokesperson 24/6/2023
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says the federal government has not lifted the ban on vehicle importation through the Seme border.
Hussaini Abdullahi, Customs Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Seme Area Command, disclosed this in an interview in Seme, Lagos State.
Mr Abdullahi explained that the service had not made such a pronouncement at all, though a proposal was written by some freight forwarders to the federal government following advice from Ademola Adegoroye, the then Minister of State for Transportation.
He said that the former minister had visited the border to inaugurate some projects sometime in February when the freight forwarders put up a complaint to him about how the ban had affected them.
The minister had advised the freight forwarders and members of the border community then to put their requests in writing.
The Customs spokesman said that a recent visit by the Director of Road Transport in the Ministry of Transportation, Ibrahim Musa, only confirmed that the letter by the freight forwarders had been received and acted upon by the ministry by forwarding it to higher authority.
Seme border was among the four land borders reopened by the federal government on December 16, 2020 by the then Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed.
Before reopening the four land borders, the federal government had on August 21, 2019, ordered the closure of Nigerian borders to curb smuggling of goods and weapons.
EFCC Warns Skit, Movie Producers over Unauthorized Use of EFCC Jackets, Symbols
The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to the activities of content creators, movies and skit producers who use EFCC-branded Jackets, symbols, insignia and other accoutrements without authorization.
The Commission wishes to notify the public that the use of the EFCC brand in movies without authorization is illegal.
While the Commission appreciate the desire by some operators in the creative sector to produce movies/skits with plots around economic and financial crimes, it is incumbent on such operators to seek the Commission’s authorization, including vetting of scenes which purport to depict the operations of the Commission, to ensure that false or misleading messages are not passed to the public.
The Public Affairs Department of the Commission is adequately equipped to work with motion picture practitioners desirous of partnering with the Commission in using films and skits to educate the public, especially the youth on the dangers of economic and financial crimes.
Anyone found acting contrary to this advisory shall henceforth be treated as an impersonator and dealt with accordingly.
It was a feisty day at the Presidential Election Petitions Court on Tuesday as the expert witness of the Labour Party from Amazon Web Services Incorporated USA, returned to the witness box for her cross-examination.
The witness Clareta Ogar, who identified herself as a cloud engineer and cloud architect, had earlier told the court that there were no glitches on February 25, 2023, when the presidential election held that could have affected the e-transmission of results.
She was put through a series of questions that got the proceedings heated up at some point when the counsel for the respondents tried to establish what her link with the organization she claims she works for is. Reference was made to her appointment verification letter which bears the name Employee Resource Centre and not Amazon Web Services, AWS, Inc; and also that there is no identification card from the company confirming her as an employee.
An attempt by the Labour Party counsel to intervene by insisting the witness had responded appropriately led to a reprimand by the Justices who cautioned him for disrupting proceedings. The Presiding Justice said “You are going about this as if you are in parliament. You are a senior counsel Ikwueto, there are juniors behind you”. The next most senior member on the panel, Justice Stephen Adah said, “Please don’t interject if you don’t want us to take meaner action against you.”
But Ikwueto insisted he only was trying to help the court, and the court directed the respondents to proceed with the cross-examination.
In response to why the witness did not tender her identification card, she responded that AWS does not issue identification cards, and that all employment verifications from Amazon Web Services are issued by Employee Resource Centre of the company.
She also denied being in court as a representative of the company she works for and on the mandate of Amazon Web Services, but as an expert subpoenaed witness to speak as a cloud engineer.
This led to further questioning on how she got the report she submitted before the court, and she responded that they are public information posted on the AWS Amazon.
Asked whether the report she submitted is a product of Amazon, but she claimed ownership of it on the ground that she was the one that submitted it before the court.
The court also noted, based on her admittance that the subpoena that compelled her appearance was not delivered to the company she works for, but to her in person.
This led to a digging into the background of the witness, who confirmed that she is a member of the Labour Party and that she contested for a House of Reps election in her constituency in Cross River State, which she lost but denied allusions that she is a Labour Party activist.
On further questioning, the witness confirmed that she had sued INEC after it failed to publish her name in the final list of candidates; and that her main complaint was that she could not upload her information on the INEC website due to network failure. She however refused to accept that network failure is a form of network glitch.
The respondents’ counsel also read out information showing periods in which the Amazon cloud services suffered glitches globally on February 27, 2017. While the witness confirmed that the glitch actually occurred, she held on to the position that the health status report as at the day of the presidential election on February 25, 2023 showed there was no glitch on the infrastructure that hosted applications and accounts including that of INEC.
Kayode Egbetokun, the acting inspector-general of police (IGP), says he is ready to “devour Nigeria’s internal enemies”.
Egbetokun spoke on Tuesday after he was decorated with his new rank by Vice-President Kashim Shettima.
The brief ceremony took place at the state house, Abuja.
The new police chief said he is looking forward to assuming office on Wednesday, adding that he is keen to “chase away” all criminals in the country.
“I am looking forward to taking over tomorrow morning by 11 am,” he told state house correspondents.
“I really can’t describe how I feel presently, but if I have to tell you anything, I will tell you that right now I feel like a tiger inside of me, ready to chase away all the criminals in Nigeria.
“And some other times, I feel like a lion in me ready to devour all the internal enemies of Nigeria. That’s my feeling right now.”
Usman Baba, the immediate past IGP, was also present at the decoration ceremony of Egbetokun.
Baba said he believes his successor is up to the task, noting that he has confidence in him.
“I’m happy I am handing over to somebody that I know will carry the mantle of leadership from where I have stopped,” the former IGP said.
“We grew up in the job together, I was his boss at a time or even when I was IGP.
“He worked under me twice, we’ve been working together and I know how he can go ahead to champion the cause of the police from where I stopped.”
President Bola Tinubu on Monday approved the immediate retirement of Baba and all the other security chiefs.
Nuhu Ribadu replaced Babagana Monguno as the national security adviser (NSA) while Christopher Gwabin Musa took over from Lucky Irabor as the chief of defence of staff.
Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja was named chief of army staff while Emmanuel Ogalla is the new chief of naval staff.
The president appointed Hassan Bala Abubakar as the chief of air staff while EPA Undiandeye was named chief of defence intelligence.
The detained suspended governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, will on July 13 know his fate over his detention in the custody of the Directorate of State Services (DSS).
Recall that about two weeks ago, President Bola Tinubu suspended Emefiele from office as the apex banker and was subsequently arrested by the DSS.
Since his arrest, he had been kept incommunicado by the secret service.
He approached a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, through his lawyer, Chief Joesph Daudu, SAN, to secure an order to allow him access to his family members and lawyers, which the court granted last week.
However, after listening to Counsels in the matter on Tuesday, the Court fixed July 13 for ruling.
The immediate past President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, has defended her judicial integrity following a comment by her husband, former Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa, that he obtained favours from from her on behalf of his fellow senators. Justice Bulkachuwa said she never, in her 40-year judicial career, compromised her oath of office.
The former PCA bowed out of the Bench in March 2020 after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70 years.
But the spotlight was cast on her tenure last Tuesday following the release of a video clip showing her husband making comments many interpreted as evidence of his interference in her performance of her duties as head of the country’s second highest court and possibly influencing her judicial decisions.
But repudiating the interpretation of judicial compromise on her part, Justice Bulkachuwa, in a statement dated June 17, said such insinuation was far from the truth.
The former PCA said: “My attention has been drawn to the trending video of what was said by my husband Senator Adamu M. Bulkachuwa.
“I want to state categorically that I never at any time compromised my oath of office to favour any party who appeared before me throughout my judicial career spanning 40 years of service to my country.
“My decisions were always based on the facts, the law and in accordance with my conscience and oath of office.
“Also, as President of the Court of Appeal, my fellow justices of the court can attest to the fact that I never interfered with the independence of any of the justices of the court in the discharge of their judicial functions.”
In March 2020, the former PCA told The Nation and other journalists during a valedictory service in her honour in Lagos, that she kept her husband’s politics and political career out of her home.
She said that helped her to guard against being influenced by politicians.
Justice Bulkachuwa said: “My husband is a politician, but politics is a no-go area in the house. Even my children are aware of that. No politician is invited to the house. My husband can pursue whatever he wants to pursue as a politician but we hardly discuss politics in the house. All these help to guard against any influence from any politician.”
Senator Bulkachuwa in an interview with The BBC Hausa Service on June 17, denied using his wife to influence court cases.
The former lawmaker, who has been facing calls by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), senior lawyers and other stakeholders for his arrest and probe, blamed the then Senate President Ahmed Lawan for not allowing him to complete his comments.
Ex-Senator Bulkachuwa, in the video clip which surfaced last Tuesday, spoke during the valedictory session of the ninth senate.
He claimed that he encroached on his wife’s “freedom and independence” in the course of her official duties as head of the second highest judicial office in Nigeria.
According to him, she did not rebuff him.
Bulkachuwa said: “Particularly my wife whose freedom and independence were encroached upon when she was in office. She has been tolerant and accepted my encroachment and extended it to my colleagues…”
But he was interrupted and dissuaded from continuing by outgone Senate President Ahmed Lawan.
Senator Bulkachuwa was elected to represent Bauchi North in 2019.
I hereby formally notify @MikeozekhomeSAN and @IfeanyiEjiofor that their services are no longer required in #MaziNnamdiKanu case pending before the Supreme court of Nigeria and all concerning him.
Following Tuesday, June 14, 2023, suspension of Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa, as Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission by the Federal Government, Mr. Abdulkarim Chukkol has stepped in as Acting Chairman of the Commission.
Until this new role, he was the Director of Operations of the Commission.
A pioneer staff of the Commission and an illustrious member of the EFCC Cadet Course One, Mr. Chukkol is a consummate and vastly experienced investigator with specialty in cybercrime and money laundering.
His Command appointments in the Commission include spells as Head of the Advance Fee Fraud and Cybercrime Sections of the Lagos and Abuja Zonal Commands between 2011 -2016, pioneer Commander of the Uyo Zonal Command in 2017 and Commander of Port Harcourt Zonal Command in 2020.
Chukkol has participated in several special operations with international law enforcement organizations and maintains close relationship with Law enforcement agencies such as the FBI, UK National Crime Agency, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Secret Service, Australian Federal Police, Dutch Police, German Police, South African Police etc.
The acting EFCC Boss has worked closely with other Governments to develop law and infrastructure for carrying out law enforcement actions. He is Nigeria’s Contact person at the International Mass Marketing Fraud Working Group representing key Government regulatory, law enforcement, prosecution, immigration and customs, financial intelligence, consumer protection agencies as well and trade and competition bureaus dealing with mass marketing-related issues from Spain, Nigeria, Belgium, Europol, Canada, United Kingdom and the United States.
He has attended several courses, seminars and workshops on Public Corruption, Advance Fee Fraud and other economic and financial crimes both locally and internationally, including the Oxford University, United Kingdom, in 2022.
His work and initiatives over the years have earned him several awards and commendations both locally and internationally, including “the Most Outstanding Award in Operations” by the EFCC and the “Outstanding Performance Award” by the United States Department of Justice, among others.
The acting EFCC Chairman, holds a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Maiduguri (2000) and Post Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice Education from the University of Virginia, United States as well as Graduate Diploma in Cybersecurity and Spectrum Management from the United States Telecommunication Training Institute, Washington DC, United States.
He is also an alumnus of the FBI National Academy, Quantico; European Center of Security Studies, Germany and a Fellow of the War College, Nigeria.
Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to fish out persons behind breaching his privacy through text messages on his phone in a fraud suit against Sen. Stella Oduah and others.
Justice Ekwo, who gave the order on Thursday, shared copies of the messages to lawyers representing the parties in the open court.
The earlier plan to arraign Oduah today was, however, suspended by the judge over alleged threat to his life by yet to be identified persons.
He brought out a publication by the group in which his life was severely threatened over the planned trial.
He held that proceedings would not commence in the matter until the culprits are produced in the next adjourned date.
The judge also directed the deputy chief Registrar of the FHC in charge of Litigation to liaise with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to obtain the identities of the promoters of the offending organisation for the purpose of arresting them.
He said that sanctity of the court must be maintained adding that Nigeria was not a banana republic or animal kingdom where acts of lawlessness could be condoned.
He ordered the prosecution to produce the culprits in court as part of the efforts to also ensure that the defendants in the case are safe and well secured to stand the trail.
Counsel to EFCC, Ofem Uket, expressed sadness over the development and vowed that the anti-graft agency would do the needful to bring the culprits to book.
He however prayed the court not to allow unknown person’s acting as external third party to scuttle the trial. The judge consequently adjourned the suit until July 17 for a report.
Justice Ekwo had, on June 5, warned those sending him private messages in the N5 billion suit filed by the EFCC against Mrs Oduah, who was former Aviation Minister in the government of President Goodluck Jonathan, to desist from intruding into his privacy.
The EFCC had sued Oduah alongside Gloria Odita, Nwosu Emmanuel Nnamdi and Chukwuma Irene Chinyere.
Others include Global Offshore and Marine Ltd, Tip Top Global Resources Ltd, Crystal Television Ltd, Sobora International Ltd and others.
The Senator, who represented Anambra North Senatorial District at the 9th National Assembly, was scheduled to be arraigned on alleged N5 billion fraud and financial misappropriation while she served as minister during the Jonathan Administration.
In the 25-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/316/2020, they are accused of conspiracy, money laundering and maintaining anonymous bank accounts with a commercial bank.
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION, MR YAKUBU CHONOKO MAIKYAU, OON, SAN, ON THE COMMENTS BY SENATOR ADAMU MUHAMMAD BULKACHUWA ON THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE ON MONDAY, 12 JUNE 2023
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered that criminal summons be issued on Senator Ifeanyi Ubah and his company, Capital Oil and Gas Limited.
It ordered the duo to appear before it on 18th October 2023 for arraignment.
The Federal Government commenced in 2019 criminal prosecution of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah in an 8-count charge over his indebtedness to Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON sometimes in 2019.
Among others, government accused Uba of making false claims in relation to the actual values of certain assets he transferred to AMCON under a consent judgment obtained in 2012, contrary to Section 54(1) of the AMCON Act.
When the case came up on Tuesday, counsel to AMCON, Babatunde, told the Court that the defendants had been served with the amended charge and hearing notice.
He also told the Court that at the last adjourned date, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah was not in court and hearing notice of that day was also communicated to him.
Consequently, he urged the court to issue bench warrant against him.
However, the defence counsel, Ifeoma Esom, told the court that the matter was for report of settlement/plea taking.
She said the defendants were just informed that settlement had failed and it was on the basis of settlement that the Ifeanyi Ubah was not in Court.
The prosecutor objected on the ground that settlement cannot be reported on the matter as it is a criminal matter.
He said while parties may choose to settle, they cannot make that part of the business of a criminal court and the best that can happen is plea bargain
He also noted that settlement outside court does not give Senator Ubah, the authority to be absent from Court.
The Court declined to issue a bench warrant, but ordered that summons be served on Uba through his counsel, to appear in Court on the next adjourned date.
The Court also stated that if Senator Ubah fails to appear in Court, a warrant may be issued for his arrest.
Thereafter the presiding Judge adjourned the matter till 18th October 2023 for arraignment.
The Niger State Government has revoked the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) issued to Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) University in Suleja area of the state.
Godwin Emefiele, suspended Governor of the Central Bank is in DSS custody, associates, family sources insist, despite denial by the DSS. Say he was taken into custody Saturday morning
Politics / 7 Muslims, 17 Christians EXCO: Adeleke Is A Secret Agent For CAN - MURIC by chokekachy: 2:07pm On Jul 10, 2023