Nigeria is awaiting the return of $200 million from The Netherlands and Switzerland, as part of OPL 245 Malabu Oil.

Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, made this known while declaring open a capacity building workshop and interactive session with Judiciary Correspondents in Abuja yesterday.
The Attorney-General, who gave a scorecard of the ministry in the past one year, said due to the anti corruption crusade of the present administration, we facilitated the recovery of $62 billion arrears from oil companies as part of federation government Production Sharing Agreement (PSA).


“Also recovered within the period is the sum of 311million dollars from the U.S. and New Jersey, in the third phase of Abacha loot and another 6.3 million dollars Abacha loot from the Republic of Northern Island.”

Malami said the money have been paid into the federal government treasury for utility development such as Lagos Ibadan Expressway, Kano Abuja Expressway and the second Niger Bridge in line with agreement reached with the foreign partners.

He further disclosed that over N685 million was recovered through the help of whistle blowers within the last one year while N500 million was recovered from forfeited vessels, trucks, and barges.

The AGF said that a legal framework introduced by the ministry has helped to raise stamp duty collection from a mere total of N22 billion over the years to N66 billion within the last six months of the amendment of the act.

He said some bills which are currently before the National Assembly, including the electronic transaction, electronic evidence act, digital management act and electronic banking act will stimulate the economy when passed into law.

“There are several other acts to regulate emerging digital financial sub sector of the economy.

“Some of these acts will provide for national digital certification authority that will regulate issuance and processing of public and private electronic key validations.

“The expected bills will prepare Nigeria for emerging realities relating to digital cash, bitcom and e-currency,’ the minister add

Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, in the ministry, Dayo Apata, SAN said effective coverage of the Justice sector will help prevent injustice in the country.

“This should be done by shining the spotlight on the actions of Judges, Lawyers and other stakeholders in the justice system”.

He said that the growing interest by the public in what the judiciary sector does, necessitated the workshop. The public is interested in how the sector handles criminal cases, election litigations, fight against corruption among others.

He said the workshop was organised because of complaints that some news organisations send journalists with little training to cover judiciary, without recourse to the complexities and intricacies of the sector.

THOUSANDS of youths under the aegis of the ‘Edo Youth Solidarity Movement’ have backed the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

They hoped his SIMPLE agenda manifesto would create jobs and improve the economy.

The youth spoke yesterday when they visited the APC candidate in his home with fanfare to announce their endorsement of his governorship bid.

Pastor Ize-Iyamu with his running mate, Mallam Gani Audu and other leaders of the party, including former governor Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, DG APC Campaign Council, Gen. Cecil Esekhaigbe and Vice Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee, APC National Campaign Council, Mr. Patrick Obahiagbon, received the youth.

Spokespersons for the youth, John Izegaegbe, Edo South and Godwin Aigbokhaode, Edo North, assured Ize-Iyamu and other APC members that in addition to the guaranteed votes of thousands of their members across the three senatorial districts, they have begun mobilisation in the 18 local governments to ensure APC standard-bearer’s success at the polls on September 19.

Pastor Ize-Iyamu lamented the state of the economy and the declining level of jobs and economic opportunities for youths.

He slammed the incumbent governor for his focus on politics at the expense of governance and promised to implement the programmes outlined in his manifesto to stimulate the economy, create jobs and eradicate crime.

Ize-Iyamu said: “Instead of empowering our youths and exploring opportunities to positively engage them, the governor continues to denigrate and insult them as ‘agberos’.

Many of you here are well-educated, qualified and competent to handle complex tasks and projects. Instead of patronising you, the governor insults you and chooses to do his business elsewhere.

“My own government will be different. We have plans to create jobs for our youths. We will empower and patronise them.

We don’t think you are good for election period only. If you elect me, you will have a friend in the Government House; a governor who is accessible, lives among you and is accountable to you.”
Comrade Oshiomhole said the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has chosen to focus on the things he said in the past in the spirit of electioneering, instead of presenting their achievements and plans to the people.

Said he: “They cannot display their achievements because they don’t have any. They have decided to focus on Oshiomhole although he is not in the ballot.

Pastor Ize-Iyamu is a good man with genuine plans to move Edo State forward. He has the support of all and is on his way to repeating the 2012 feat of winning in all the 18 local governments as I did when he was my campaign director general.”

Suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mr. Ibrahim Magu has submitted a 78-page defence to the Presidential Investigation Committee, that he is innocent of all allegations against him.

Magu described the allegations as false and aimed at bringing him into disrepute.

He said he never disrespected the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), who has authority to prosecute all cases.

He also claimed that he did not sell seized assets to cronies because no recovered properties had been sold since he came on board. He denied operating slush accounts through proxies.

He said: “I am always transparent in the exercise of my official duties and there is no official decision that I have taken as the Acting Chairman of the Commission which was not a product of transparent process and in compliance with the statutory provisions

“The Commission did not oppose the enactment of the proceeds of crime Bill, 2019 but was opposed to some negative and far-reaching provisions of the bill which will impede and reverse the anti-corruption agenda of the Federal Government of Nigeria considering the negative impact of Section 162(3) of proceeds of Crime Bill 2019 will have on the tracing and recovery of proceeds of crimes in Nigeria, Mr. President in his wisdom declined assent to the bill.”

Magu insisted that no single recovered property had been sold since his assumption of office in 2015.

He said: “The Asset Tracing, Recovery and Management Regulations 2019 made by the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation without the intervention of the National Assembly seeks to divest the commission of its statutory power to trace, recover and institute non-conviction based for future proceedings in court. This conflicts with the statutory mandates and powers conferred on the commission to the National Assembly.
“In paragraph B (10), it was alleged that most of the forfeited assets are sold without anyone knowing or having proper record and recourse to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing that has the mandate to undertake evaluation of such properties.

“It was also alleged that some of the assets have been taken over by officials of the commission while some are sold at a giveaway price to my friends and cronies.

“It was further alleged that I maintained different accounts including using proxies who return the benefits of the sold assets to me and that the proceeds of the purported sales were used to acquire properties in the name of my proxies.

“Sir, I deny each and every allegations contained in paragraph B(10) of the petition as they are totally false, untrue and merely targeted at destroying my hard-earned reputation as an incorruptible officer.

“That contrary to the allegations, I know as a fact and verily believe that since my assumption of office as the Acting Chairman of the Commission, not a single recovered property has been sold and the proceeds fraudulently converted.

“All steps taken by me in respect of recovered and forfeited assets were in accordance with powers conferred on me by the Act of the National Assembly with established the commission.”

He said although the late Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari in February 2018, directed EFCC not to dispose of assets, he drew the attention of Vice President to the depreciation of some of the assets in July 2018.

He said: “Also, by a letter reference number SH/COS/34/ 25/ A/475 dated 22/2/18, the Chief of Staff to the President directed the commission not to take any step towards the sale, disposal or other dealing with the recovered and forfeited assets unless otherwise directed.

“In demonstrating my total commitment towards ensuring that the Federal Government of Nigeria derives the full economic benefit and in order to prevent the dissipation of forfeited assets, on the 17th of July 2018, I wrote a letter to His Excellency, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN (Chairman, Presidential Committee on Asset Recovery) wherein I informed him of the steps taken by the commission to prevent economic loss as a result of the depreciating nature of the forfeited assets, the challenges we are encountering and the need to urgently dispose of the perishable and depreciating forfeited assets.

On the irreconcilable differences of the non-cash assets, Magu said there were no such things.

He added: The commission did not make any conflicting submissions or returns in respect of the non-cash assets as the PCARA never informed me or the commission of any difficulty it faced as a result of the information we provided.”

He said he has never disobeyed the directives of the President and he was not guilty of insubordination to the AGF as alleged.

He added: “I have never disobeyed any directives and regulations of Mr. President whether in relation to the management of the recovered and forfeited assets or any sundry issues.

“In the discharge of my official functions, I am bound to comply with the provisions of various enabling laws enacted by the National Assembly which confer certain special powers on the commission in respect of recovered and forfeited assets which are in conflict with the regulations of HAGF.

“The power to prosecute cases was not what I can arrogate to myself. Before I became the Acting Chairman of the commission, it has exercised its statutory power to institute criminal charges where prima facie evidence is made out without seeking for the consent of HAGF. As a matter of fact, the the various decisions of our appellate courts are that the commission does not need the consent/fiat of the HAGF to institute criminal charges.

“Notwithstanding the position of the law, and the powers statutorily conferred on the commission to institute criminal proceedings, I have constantly briefed the HAGF in respect of our activities.

“Apart from my direct briefings, I also appointed a liaison officer to coordinate the official relationship between the commission and the Federal Ministry of Justice.”

Crusoe Osagie, spokesman of Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo state, says Adams Oshiomhole, former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is desperate to save his political career.

Oshiomhole, a former governor of the state, had on Sunday said he made a mistake by supporting Obaseki to succeed him in 2016.

But reacting, in a statement, Osagie said the problem with Oshiomhole is that the governor did not allow him to hijack the government.

He also accused Oshiomhole of awarding a contract at the Edo Specialist Hospital to a crony who did not execute the project.

“We feel sorry for the sacked national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. He is clearly a frustrated man who is clutching at straws in desperate effort to save his drowning political career,” the statement read.

“The childish Mercedes and Toyota analogy goes to show that Oshiomhole has run out of lies to tell.

“He keeps trying to turn the story of the Edo Specialist Hospital on its head but has failed to answer a simple question which is; why did heavily guarded trucks come in the dead of the night to remove the equipment in the hospital which President Buhari had commissioned just one day after the commissioning?

“Why was the hospital not opened to the public for the remaining days of his tenure after the hospital had been commissioned?

“Oshiomhole actually had to reach out to the hospital equipment supplier in Lagos to loan him some equipment just for the commissioning and the equipment was returned to the owner after the commissioning ceremony.

“Oshiomhole’s problem with Obaseki is because Obaseki refused to allow him to hijack the government and use it for the satisfaction of his warlords and thugs who are now fighting for him and causing crisis in Edo state ahead of the election.”

The governor had left the APC after he was screened out of its governorship race. He joined the PDP where he clinched the party’s ticket.

Obaseki will now face Osagie Ize-Iyamu, candidate of the APC, in the September 19 election.

Last week’s defection of former Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara to the All Progressives Congress, APC, is due largely to his ambition of becoming President or Vice President of Nigeria in 2023, Senator Walid Jibrin has revealed.

Jibrin who chairs the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees, BoT, stated this yesterday in a statement issued in Abuja, made available to journalists.

Chiding Dogara for failing to take advantage of the channels of dispute resolutions within the party; Senator Jibrin urged Nigerians to dismiss reasons advanced by the former Speaker for returning to the ruling party for the second time.

He said: “I am beginning to suspect that Mr. Dogara has a plan of becoming President or Vice President in 2023 which he knows he will never achieve in PDP. I want to assure the former Speaker that PDP shall continue to be very strong and united and it’s doors remain open to all Nigerians; therefore, PDP will never accept any plan by anybody to destroy the party.”

The statement read in part: “I have read with mixed feelings the reasons given by former Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara for decamping to APC. I am equally sorry for Dogara for not exhausting all avenues available in the party’s constitution for settlement of disputes or complaints by a member of the party.


“I became more disturbed with the reasons given by Mr. Dogara for his decamping considering his position as a former speaker.

“In his position as a member of BoT, Mr. Dogara never laid any complaints to me as the chairman of BoT which is the highest advisory organ of the party and the conscience of the party.

Considering the reasons given by Dogara for his defection, one is compelled to say that Mr. Dogara has other strong reasons for leaving the PDP.”

He pledged BoT’s support for the second term bid of Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state, even as he vowed to work tirelessly for his victory in the September 19 governorship election.

Dogara caused quite a stir last week when he dumped the PDP for the APC. Although he is yet to address the press, the former Speaker has premised his defection on the alleged failure of Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state to deliver on his campaign promises.

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Adéyemí

THE Department of State Services (DSS) has been working with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) on the Asset Declaration Form filled by the suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, it was learnt at the weekend.

Sources said this is in line with the ongoing investigation into the activities of the EFCC under Magu’s leadership.

But, it was not clear if this action is connected with the Justice Ayo Salami panel — before which Magu was dragged— based on the allegations raised by Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN).

A highly-placed source said: “The DSS approached the CCB for collaboration on the Asset Form. It said it was in respect of the information it shared with the Bureau.

“So, whatever CCB is doing is at the instance of the DSS. The security agency sought for joint investigation with the bureau.

“It is difficult to say whether it is a separate issue or the activities of the Salami Fact-Finding panel. CCB is already cooperating with the agency.”

Also on Sunday, the EFCC boss said he was yet to be asked any question by the Presidential Investigation Committee, even as spoke on the recovered N329 billion for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

He said the cash was promptly remitted to a designated account and not touched by the EFCC.

Magu said EFCC has preferred charges against those implicated in the alleged N3 billion scandal in the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

He said he will no longer keep quiet while his image is being maligned on false allegations.

Magu, who made the clarifications in a statement through his lawyer, Mr. Wahab Shittu, said the Salami panel was yet to raise any issue on his asset.

He lamented that he had been the butt of attacks in the last three weeks on unfounded allegations, saying that the only thing going for him in spite of these sponsored attacks is his conviction of innocence.

Magu explained how the agency his watch recovered N329 billion for the NNPC.

The statement said: “Contrary to the misleading media reports, EFCC under our client’s watch never misappropriated any funds recovered for NNPC.

“The truth of the matter is that, well over N329 billion recovered by EFCC under our client’s watch was remitted directly into NNPC dedicated accounts via REMITTA under a special arrangement endorsed by NNPC, EFCC and the affected NNPC’s indebted marketers.

“By virtue of the said special arrangement, NNPC had requested formally the EFCC to recover the said amount from the affected NNPC’s marketers who were expected to pay such funds directly to NNPC while NNPC in turn confirmed receipt of such payments to EFCC.

“Therefore, EFCC never took custody of any of the recovered funds and so, the question of misappropriation of such funds by EFCC or our client could not have arisen as falsely published. This can be independently verified both at the NNPC and the EFCC records. Interestingly, the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company LTD (PPMC), a subsidiary of NNPC had in a letter dated August 17, 2017 with reference number PPMC/MD/254, actually commended the EFCC under my client’s watch.

“The PPMC in the said letter stated as follows ”We wish to express our profound gratitude for the successful collaboration between the EFCC and PPMC/NNPC which largely resulted in the huge recovery of debts from the marketers, from the inception of the recovery exercise in 2016 till date.

“We appreciate your commission’s professional and diligent handling of the recovery of debts from the marketers throughout the period and we look forward to further collaboration in further areas

“The issue of NNPC recovered funds has never featured in the proceedings of the panel and our client has never been confronted with such wild allegations. Our client is alarmed at the motive behind such spurious allegation in spite of altruistic service to country without personal pecuniary benefits.”

On assets declaration, the EFCC boss said: “Again, this falsehood being orchestrated in the public space and attributed to the panel proceedings is a gross misrepresentation and blatant falsehood.

“Our client has never been confronted with any such allegations purportedly arising from the Panel’s proceedings.

“The story attributed to the panel which has become a recurring decimal, is a dangerous attempt to discredit the work of the honourable panel.

He faulted the allegation that he excluded suspects implicated in the alleged misapplication of N3billion in Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS)

The statement added: “Our client has been unfairly accused of failure to properly explain the rationale for excluding some culprits in the alleged misappropriation N3billion at the FIRS.

“This is one falsehood from the pit of hell. Investigations were painstakingly conducted by EFCC under our client’s watch. The matter has since been referred for prosecution. Charges have been prepared ahead of arraignment in court.

“Therefore, the question of complicity by our client does not arise. Our client did not give any express or implied directive that anyone indicted be excluded from the legal process.

“Our client has no interest in shielding anyone found culpable from the long arms of the law. At any rate, time does not run against the state in criminal prosecutions. It is tendentiously wicked to suggest that our client excluded major approving authorities from the criminal process.

“As a matter of fact, one Peter Hena, Head of the FIRS Coordinator Support Services Group, who allegedly authorised the illegal payment, is one of those listed to be arraigned. The case was properly investigated and professionally vetted with our client deploying no influence whatsoever on the outcome.”

He added: “In the last three weeks, our client in spite of service to country has gone through sponsored, unprecedented and unjustifiable coordinated attacks designed to infringe on his liberties and prejudice the work of the investigation panel with a view to prejudging and convicting him in the public space.

“These attacks from the manner of his arrest, unjustified detention to the release of prejudicial information in the public space and defamatory imputations not arising from the proceedings of the panel are all designed to pitch our client against constituted authorities and truncate his fledging career notwithstanding his monumental contributions to nation building.

“Our client takes all these attacks in his strides because of his passion for the anti -corruption war of this administration for which he has received acclaim locally and internationally and his unwavering respect for the president. Our client maintains that the only thing going for him in spite of these sponsored attacks is his conviction of his innocence.

“Take notice that, our client can no longer fold his hands in the face of these sustained malicious attacks to prejudge him in the public space. Our client will henceforth, point by point, reply to all false allegations orchestrated against him in the public space on a daily basis as well as present his comprehensive defense for the world to see.

“This is without prejudice to the willingness of our client to defend himself in the ongoing proceedings at the Presidential Investigation Panel.”

Ondo State House of Assembly is set to resume plenary this week with an alleged plan to continue with the impeachment process of the Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi.

The House had gone on recess to allow members participate in the primary of major political parties in the state, especially the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC).
It was learnt that top on the agenda of the House, at its resumption, will be the pending impeachment process of the deputy governor who recently joined the PDP and contested the governorship primary of the party but lost to Eyitayo Jegede.

Already, 14 lawmakers had voted in support of Ajayi’s impeachment, while nine members are against the process.

Also, three members of the parliament, loyal to the deputy governor, had been suspended for alleged unruly behaviour during a rowdy session at the plenary where attempts were made to impeach Ajayi.

Also, Speaker David Oleyelogun had written to the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Oluwatoyin Akeredolu, requesting her to set up a seven-man committee to investigate allegations of gross misconduct levelled against the deputy governor.

But the chief judge declined the request on the grounds that the House failed to fulfil constitutional requirements for the impeachment of a deputy governor.

However, it was learnt that the House will, at its resumption, perfected arrangements for Ajayi’s impeachment.

Also, the APC state chapter has called on the House to intensify efforts on the impeachment of Ajayi, having left the party that brought him to power.

Publicity Secretary, Alex Kalejaiye, said it was expected of the deputy governor to have resigned honourably, but having failed to do so, the House should impeach him.

A former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, has declared that he sold a bad product to Edo State people in 2016.

He stated that he supported the governorship aspiration of Godwin Obaseki in 2016 to ensure the continuity of his projects and programmes.

Oshiomhole stated these on Sunday at the Government Reservation Area, Benin, while addressing members of the APC.

He said, “Obaseki is MoU (Memoranda of Understanding) governor, but Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is a man of God, who will ensure good governance in Edo State from November 12 this year.
“I have made my honest mistakes. Only God is perfect. I am now 68 years old. I have come to apologise for the mistake of supporting Obaseki in 2016. I am in Edo State to repair my mistakes.

“Obaseki has abused the trust of Edo people. With our permanent voter cards, we shall punish Obaseki on September 19. Ize-Iyamu will not repeat the mistakes of Obaseki. Ize-Iyamu will take Edo State to the next level.”

Earlier, Ize-Iyamu alleged that Obaseki had not done well in almost four years as governor of the state and had lost focus.

Meanwhile, Ize-Iyamu has received the blessing of the Enigies in the Benin Kingdom.
The event took place on Sunday when the governorship candidate and other leaders of the APC, including Oshiomhole, visited the Enigies at the palace of its President, Edomwonyi Iduozee Ogiegbean, the Enigie of Egbaen, to present the core policies and plans of his campaign manifesto, the SIMPLE agenda.

Enigies are heads of various towns and villages that make up the Benin Kingdom like Obozuwa, Evbobanose, Udo, Okpaihe, Ugo Isi, Obagie, Enyaen, Ugo-Niyekorhiomwon, Uruegbe and Urhonigbe, among others.

Ahead of the 2023 general election, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has fixed dates for the conduct of congresses across the country.

The National Organising Secretary of the PDP, Col. Austin Akobundu, made this known in a statement made available to POLITICS NIGERIA on Sunday.

He noted that the congresses would take place in 24 designated states, ending with zonal congresses in five zones. Akobundu explained that zonal congresses would take place in South-east, South-south, North-central, Northwest, and the North-east, on Saturday, August 15, except the South-west.

Akobundu named the states as follows, Abia, Federal Capital Territory, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue, Cross Rivers, Delta, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, and Yobe.

He explained that states like Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue, Cross Rivers, Delta, and Ebonyi were listed as states that have completed their wards and local governments congresses and therefore do not need a repeat of the congresses.

However, for the above states, the national leadership of the party has mandated them to conduct their state congresses on August 8, while Akwa Ibom State is expected to conduct its on Thursday, July 30.

In Ekiti State, the ward congress is slated to hold on July 27, in two wards, while the local governments congresses would hold August 8 and the state congress on August 12, 2020.

The ward and local government congresses in Enugu and Imo states were designated as concluded, but their state congresses will hold on August 8 and August 1 respectively.

In Gombe State, the ward congresses are designated as concluded, but the local governments congress would hold in only one local government of Bilari on August 8.

In Jigawa, the ward congresses will hold on July 27, while in Kaduna, it would hold in four wards alone.
The ward congress in Kano was concluded but in the three states of Jigawa, Kaduna and Kano, the local governments congresses would take place on August 8 and state congresses on August 12 .

Katsina State is billed to hold its state congress on July 27, having completed its wards and local governments’ congresses.
However, there would be no congress in Nasarawa State because of court litigations. Stakeholders of the party are in court over disagreements in the wards, local governments and state congresses.

The document indicates that there would be ward congresses in Ogun State on July 23, while the local governments congresses will take place on July 27 and in Ondo State, all the wards and local governments congresses have been concluded but that the state congresses would hold on August 8.

Congresses would hold in Plateau State on July 27 in the remaining 16 wards, while local government congresses and state congresses would hold on August 8 and 12, respectively.

Sokoto State was listed as having completed its ward congresses, but would hold local governments and state congresses on August 8 and 12, respectively.

Taraba was listed as having completed its ward congresses but it would hold the local governments and state congresses on August 8 and 12 respectively, while Yobe State would hold its ward congresses on Monday, July 27. the local governments’ congresses would take place on August 8, while the state congress is billed for August 12.

Gunmen believed to be herdsmen have attacked a convoy of correctional officials near Plateau High Court, Barkin Ladi, freeing six criminal suspects.

The convoy was said to be conveying 14 suspects charged with crimes ranging from murder to kidnapping and rape, The Nation learnt.

An eyewitness said as the convoy arrived the court premises, the gunmen, who had laid ambush by the entrance, opened fire and freed the suspects unchallenged.

The Plateau State Commandant of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Mr. S.A. Musa, told Commissioner of Police, Edward Egbuka the Court did not notify him of a change in hearing date.

However, Police have arrested four suspects and recovered two motorcycles believed to belong to the gunmen.

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency on Tuesday said the country’s airspace was not shut to international airlines.

It said the clarification was necessary as a result of insinuations in certain quarters that Nigerian Airports had been shut to international flights until the middle of October, 2020.

“Indeed, such speculations are entirely untrue,” the General Manager, Public Affairs, NAMA, Khalid Emele, said in a statement entitled, “Nigerian airports not shut to forensic airlines.”

The agency stated that following the receipt of an All Operators Letter with reference NCAA/DG/AIR/11/16/152 from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NAMA issued an Aeronautical Information Circular.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has said that no date has been fixed for the resumption of foreign airlines into the country.

This was against reports that October had been fixed for international flights resumption.
Sirika responded to the report in a tweet on Tuesday, saying a date had not been fixed.

He further added that international flights could resume earlier than October.

Minister for Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has claimed the suspended management of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) awarded 332 contracts worth about N4.448 billion in one day, two days after his exit as minister in 2019.

Ngige, who stated this, yesterday, when he appeared before the House of Representatives adhoc Committee, also accused the management of allegedly mismanaging N48 billion without paying workers salary.

He explained that the NSITF management was suspended for committing about 74 different infractions.

According to him, some of the infractions included alleged extra-budgetary spending, making payment for unapproved expenditure, overspending on administrative issues, irregular direct payment from the Employees Compensation Act, irregularities in staff group assurance policy and making payment for Assurance policy without a policy cover.

Ngige also accused the suspended management of allegedly engaging solicitors without the approval of the Attorney General of the Federation and making payment to the tune of N33 million to the solicitors also without the approval of the AGF.
The minister, while insisting that he did not breach any presidential directive in respect of the NSITF, assured the lawmakers that members of the suspended management will be given fair hearing.

“In 2018, I put up an implementation committee from the ministry to implement both the Auditor Generals special periodic check and the report of the Administrative Panel of Enquiry headed by the then Permanent Secretary – Mrs. Ibukun Odusote. By the time she was redeployed from the Ministry of Labour and Employment in November 2018 to Ministry of Environment, my instructions on the implementation for the two reports on NSITF, to the best of my knowledge, did not receive attention from the NSITF management. All attempts and directives to NSITF even at the ministry top management with parastatals to get the NSITF respond was futile till we went for the general election and I exited as minister May 29, 2019. Of course, they celebrated the exit but all these were captured in my handover notes to the prospective new minister of labour and employment.

“To make matters worse, when I came back in August 2019, reappointed as minister of labour and employment, right from the 2020 budget defence and their 2019 budget performance, I realised that instead of making amends from the earlier Auditor General’s report, matters have worsened. I, therefore, sought the help of the Auditor General of the Federation and the DG Public Procurement as there was a bazaar of NSITF contract documents being hawked at Wuse and Maitama Abuja for “prospective contractors” on payment of 25 per cent of contract paper value.”

The resolution of the upper legislative chamber followed a motion sponsored by Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno south and chairman of the committee on army.

Gabriel Olonisakin, chief of defense staff; Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff; Sadique Abubakar, chief of air staff; and Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, chief of naval staff; are all due for retirement.

Despite calls for their sack, President Muhammadu Buhari has kept them in office.

The acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Kemebradikumo Pondei, collapsed due to the heavyweight of corruption, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said.

POLITICS NIGERIA had reported that Pondei slumped on Monday while answering questions from members of the House Committee on NDDC investigating the alleged mismanagement of N40 billion by the interim management committee of NDDC.

But in a statement on Monday by Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP spokesman, the party berated the All progressives Congress (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari for the massive corruption going on the current administration.

The party said it was obvious that Pondei collapsed “under the weight and shame of overwhelming collective guilt brought on him by the exposure of massive corruption being perpetrated by NDDC officials and APC leaders”.

The statement read: “It is revealing that Pondei could go no further in the face of scathing revelations of direct pillaging of resources meant for the development and welfare of the Niger Delta people, in an unbridled corruption racket in which the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, also stands accused.

“It is rather curious that Prof. Pondei slumped after lawmakers demanded that he offers explanations on the contentious payment of billions of naira, alleged unbudgeted sums, to certain companies by the NDDC.

“This is particularly as Nigerians recall that the embattled NDDC boss had, last week, stalled proceedings by challenging the legislators and walking out on the House of Representatives investigative panel.

“The situation in the NDDC is just a tip of the iceberg on the humongous corruption, looting spree and concealment going on in ministries, department and agencies of government being perpetrated by APC leaders and their cronies.”

PDP urged the President to sack the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, and to also disband the NDDC interim management committee “if he indeed desires the coordinated probe he ordered to yield any credible results”.

The party urged Buhari to “note that the people of the Niger Delta region, who are being deprived of their welfare, are following the development with keen interest”.

“Moreover, the entire nation and indeed the global community are watching the handling of the NDDC as well as the EFCC fraud saga by the Muhammadu Buhari administration,” the party said.

“They are watching the unfolding drama, the rigmarole and veneers of concealment by corrupt officials and APC leaders.”

THE Commandant of the Ekiti State Security Network code-named Amotekun, Brig.-Gen. Joe Komolafe (rtd), has said the corps will use supernatural and modern security techniques to combat banditry, kidnapping and other crimes.

He spoke yesterday at Efon Alaaye during a sensitisation tour of Ekiti West, Efon Alaaye and Ijero local governments.

The commandant said the security outfit would use ancient Yoruba tactics of securing territories and fishing out criminals from their hideout.

He said neglect of local and ancient patterns of exposing criminals was one of the factors responsible for the rising case of crimes.

Komolafe urged monarchs to deploy supernatural prowess to secure people’s lives and belongings.

Describing Amotekun as a force of liberation, he said the security outfit would protect Southwest people from invaders, who had constituted threat to the region.

Speaking about the composition of the security outfit, Komolafe said the first phase of the recruitment was to establish an intelligence-based outfit and later accommodate Amotekun ambassadors, who would serve as informants of the agency.

He said there would be no age limit to those who would make up the ambassadorial category.

Identifying Amotekun as an indigenous outfit, Komolafe said: “We want people that can enter the bush and give us native intelligence about criminals’ hideout.

“People before us rose and fought invaders. We also want to rise and fight invaders. These invaders came with all forms of impunity; they kill, maim, rape and destroy farm produce.”

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Yusuf Tukur Buratai, has said the various shades of insecurity in different parts of the country will end as soon as Nigerians want them to end.

Buratai stated this on Monday when he addressed State House Correspondents after a closed-doors meeting with President Muhmmadu Buhari in the Presidential Villa.

Buratai, who noted that various ongoing military operations in the north and other parts of the country were progressing successfully, also said that the security situation in the north had been brought under control, saying the situation had become better than it was a few months ago.

However, it would be recalled that a couple of bloody incidences had been reported in different parts of the country, especially in the north, in the last few days.

Reports had it that 19 persons were shot dead in Kukum Daji Village, Kaduna State Sunday night, while suspected bandits ambushed and killed 16 soldiers in Katsina on Saturday.

Responding to a question posed by correspondents on whether there was a possibility of the various violent crises across the country being finally put down, the Chief of Army Staff said the various criminal activities besetting the country would end if Nigerians come together to end them.

According to him, those engaging in the violent and criminal activities were almost all Nigerians, saying “these terrorists, 99 percent of them are Nigerians. These kidnappers I will say 100 percent of them are Nigerians.

“As to whether banditry, terrorism and so on will end, I think it all depends. If Nigerians want it to end today, I can assure you it will end today, if everybody joins hands because these bandits are not outside Nigeria, they are not from foreign land.
“So it’s not just a military, security agency task to end the insecurity in this country. It’s only when it goes bad that we are called in, but everybody has the responsibility to handle that.

President Muhammadu Buhari says the death of Ismaila Isa Funtua, his in-law and ally, has created a huge gap.

Funtua died at a hospital in Abuja on Monday night.

In a statement which Garba Shehu, his spokesman, issued on his behalf, the president said the deceased stood by him during his “political journey”.

“President Muhammadu Buhari received with deep sadness on Monday evening information on passing of his longtime friend and associate, Malam Isma’ila Isa Funtua, who was Life Patron of International Press Institute and Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN),” the statement read.

“The President condoles with family members, government and people of Katsina State, and all associates of the former President of NPAN, especially the media industry, on the loss, describing him as “greatly admired and respected’’.

“President Buhari believes the demise of the publisher and businessman has created a huge gap as Malam Funtua consistently stood by him in his political journey.

“The President prayed to Allah for repose of Malam Funtua’s soul, and to grant the family strength and fortitude to bear the loss.”

Funtua will be buried in Abuja on Tuesday.

The life patron of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria hailed from Katsina like the president.

He served as a minister under ex-President Shehu Shagari, who presided over Nigeria between 1979 and 1983.

gunners160:
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locust:
Ladies have it easy in this life. A pretty lady just left my apartment with 20k for doing absolutely nothing, just laying on the bed for less than three minutes.
I called her this morning and she came to my house about 45minutes ago. Down to business, she undressed in the most romantic way. Like a log of wood, she lay on my sinful bed. Like a gladiator, I unsheathed my sword and stabbed in a ferocious manner and moans of pleasure mixed with pain emanated from her cute lips.
Under 2minutes, cries of victory were all I could muster, and in less than 15seconds, the war was won.

With the Edo and Ondo governorship elections scheduled for September 19 and October 10, 2020, respectively getting closer, the habitual propaganda games that normally precede every election in Nigeria have started; with political actors in opposing camps trading attacks.

So far, three allegations have emerged. One stated that the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, allegedly invited the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to a meeting at the presidential villa, where he reportedly told him (Yakubu) to rig the Edo governorship election in favour of the ruling APC in return for a second term in office.
An online newspaper equally reported recently that the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, allegedly called Prof. Yakubu and asked him to do the same thing in return for some favours. Another online newspaper also reported that a former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, allegedly contacted the INEC chairman to help the PDP win the same election in return for some favours.

The PDP has officially denied the allegation of trying to arm-twist INEC to manipulate the Edo governorship election in its favour. The party’s spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement issued on July 9, described the report as “fake”.

Contacted, the spokesman of the INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said his boss was not perturbed.

Oyekanmi said, “Not at all; he is used to them (allegations). We are in the season. In fact, we are all used to such spurious allegations. In any case, what is happening now is nothing compared to what we endured before, during and after the 2019 general elections; so there’s nothing new.”

Our correspondent reports that the tenure of the incumbent Governor of Edo State will expire on November 11, 2020, while that of the Ondo State governor will end on February 23, 2021.

Going by the provisions of Section 178 (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 25 ( of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), election into the office of a state governor shall hold not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the term of office of the last holder of the office.

A total of 17 political parties are participating in the Edo Governorship election, but going by the exchange of hot words between the two strong contending parties – PDP and APC – there are genuine fears that the election may create significant security challenges.

Already, rumours are rife about the stockpiling of arms to be used on the Election Day. At the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) virtual meeting on June 5, the INEC chairman drew the attention of security agencies to “warning signals” and urged them to engage early with the political actors in order to create room for peaceful elections.

It would be recalled that INEC was ready to conduct the last Edo Governorship election on September 10, 2016, before the police and the Department of State Service (DSS) asked it to postpone it, citing security concerns. The commission was forced to postpone the election to September 28, 2016. Incidentally, the two contenders in 2016 are back again in 2020. Will history repeat itself?

INEC’s promise

INEC has assured Nigerians that the two governorship elections will be free, fair and credible. Key reforms introduced by the commission to enhance the integrity of elections include simultaneous accreditation and voting. This was introduced during the 2015 Bayelsa governorship election following the realisation that the former method of separate accreditation and voting, resulted in the loss of over two million votes in the 2015 general elections.

INEC also introduced the Peoples Result Sheet, officially known as Form EC60E, to enhance transparency in election results management and bolster citizens’ confidence in the electoral process.

According to the INEC Regulations and Guidelines, poll officials must record the result of an election in Form EC60E and paste it conspicuously at each polling unit. The idea is to enable stakeholders: voters, party agents and observers, to know election results at the polling unit level. This started with the Anambra governorship election in November, 2017, and it provided the stakeholders with the opportunity of getting the results at every polling unit across the state’s 21 local government areas.

In addition, stakeholders are able to self-collate all the polling unit results and determine the winner of an election before INEC declares the final result.

To ensure that sensitive materials get to their destinations, INEC introduced tracking devices that enabled effective tracking of its vehicles carrying them.

Also, on January 7, 2019, INEC unveiled a new National Register of Voters with 84,004,084 registered voters. Having inherited almost 70 million registered voters in 2015, Prof. Yakubu and his team conducted the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) between April, 2017 and August, 2018, within which over 14 million new voters were captured.

Challenges

Low voter turnout, vote buying, violence, court cases and conflicting judgements, kidnapping of collation and returning officers are some of the challenges facing INEC. The percentage turnout in the 2019 presidential election was 35 per cent.

Vote buying is still a problem; with political actors devising different means of eluding detection. Arising from the 2019 general elections, 807 post-election petitions were filed in courts, and INEC was joined in all the cases. Conflicting court judgments have also posed a challenge to the commission.

Our expectations – APC, PDP

Publicity Secretary of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Nehikhare, urged INEC to be transparent, conduct a free, fair and credible election.

“We want INEC to be transparent and correct the mistakes of the past elections such as late arrival of election materials, faulty card readers, among others that hindered free and fair elections,” he said.

On his part, a chieftain of the APC, Henry Idahagbon, urged the commission to ensure the conduct of a ‘seamless’ election in the state.

Also speaking, the public relations officer, Edo State Civil Society Organisations, Osazee Edigin, said INEC should position itself as an unbiased umpire.

“The umpire should ensure electoral rules are adhered to by political parties and citizens,” he said

The suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, on Monday appeared before the Justice Ayo Salami-led presidential panel for the second week running.

Magu has been appearing before the panel sitting inside the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, since last Monday when he was arrested.

He has since then been in police custody from where he is being moved to the venue of the sitting daily.
As of the time of filing this report, the suspended EFCC boss was still at the venue of the sitting.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit has presented its investigative report on Magu to the panel.

It was gathered that the NFIU provided a comprehensive report on Magu’s alleged activities, including details of his relationships with some Bureau de change operators to the panel.

One of our correspondents learnt that the NFIU kept report of all concluded investigations on its servers or cloud storage system where the chances of tampering or theft were low.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official said, “Almost 100 per cent of our reports and information are on our servers; you cannot find any concluded reports on computers, they are on our servers or cloud storage system.”

The official dismissed reports that the attack on the agency’s annex office at Wuse, Abuja, might be related to the Magu’s case.

He said the ongoing internal investigation would reveal the culprits behind the burglary.
The source stated, “Apart from the so-called Magu investigation, we have bigger and sensitive investigations based on our mandate, so you cannot conclude that the burglary has to do with Magu, but as far as NFIU is concerned, all the information the panel required had been provided.”
The PUNCH gathered that policemen and private security guards protecting the facility had been taken into custody for questioning.
Meanwhile, Magu’s lawyer, Tosin Ojaomo, has disclosed that the bail application for his client was receiving attention from the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.

Providing an update on efforts to secure the release of the embattled commissioner of police on Monday, the lawyer said, “I’m hoping that he will be released this night (Monday).

Ojaomo disclosed plans to drag the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN) to court for “illegally” selling forfeited vessels and crude oil, insisting that he had no authority to do so.

Our correspondent had reported how Malami granted two approvals to a firm facing criminal prosecution, Omoh-Jay Ltd., to dispose of five vessels, crude oil and diesel forfeited to the Federal Government, but the AGF defended his action, claiming he had the power to sell the forfeited property.

Ojaomo said he would file charges against the AGF for his illegal action, insisting that he had no immunity against prosecution.

The Islamic State of West Africa (ISWAP), a faction of the Boko Haram terrorist group, has appointed Amir Goni Maina as the new ‘Governor of the Lake Chad’.

POLITICS NIGERIA understands that Lake Chad region comprises of Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic. According to Counter-terrorism and organised crime specialist, David Otto, the terrorist group appointed Maina after Amir Baba Kaka was recently sacked as the Governor in a massive jihadist Leadership shake-up.

Otto noted that Maina was the former Chief Judge of Boko Haram /ISWAP faction. He replaced Muhammad Shuwa after he was killed in a Nigerian Army and Air-Force military bombardment.

He said: “Goni Maina replaced Amir Baba Kaka. Recall that Baba Kaka was recently sacked as the Governor in a massive jihadist Leadership shake-up after escaping an assassination attempt by his own commanders. The Shura council and AZWAJ advisors/sponsors from Mali and Libya accused Baba Kaka of failing to command and control unit commanders and also of severe leadership weakness to prevent ground and aerial coordinated onslaught against jihadist strongholds in the axis of the Lake Chad by the Nigerian Army, the Chadian Army and the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) troops.

“Before his latest appointment, Amir Goni Maina was the Chief Judge of Boko Haram/ISWAP faction. He replaced Muhammad Shuwa after he was eliminated in a Nigerian Army and Air-Force military bombardment.”

Otto continued that “a new Chief Judge, known as Amir Malumma, was appointed to take over from Goni Maina. During the early ISWAP Leadership of Abu Musab Al Barnawi and veteran Mamman Nur, Amir Goni Maina held the position of the Governor of the Lake Chad but was a casualty when things hit the fan in Barnawi era which led to the ascension of Ba Idrissa (also killed by his commanders).”

As the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) wallows in allegations of massive corruption, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, and the immediate past Managing Director of the interventionist agency, Joy Anunieh, have engaged each another in a round of fierce brickbats.

The exchanges got worsened at the weekend, following revelations at the ongoing open investigative hearing by the Senate regarding the alleged reckless spending to the tune of N40 billion.

The media war, however, recorded a twist yesterday, as a former media aide to Nunieh, Donu Kogbara, switched allegiance to the minister.

She claimed that her ex-principal’s attitude “left much to be desired.”
Akpabio, in a live programme at the weekend, sternly responded to the claims of abuse of office by Nunieh against him, describing the NDCC’s erstwhile boss as “too temperamental to be responsible” after an attack on her marital life.

Addressing journalists outside the venue of the hearing, Nunieh had alleged: “Nobody makes any payment in NDDC without Godswill Akpabio’s approval. When we first came, on the day of the inauguration, he said to me in the car, ‘Madam MD’, if you don’t do what I say, the same pen with which I used to sign your paper, is the same pen I will use to remove you.”

She continued: “He said the first thing I should do when I get to Port Harcourt is to change the dollars in the NDDC account. I was scared to do that, and he claimed that I have a poverty mentality. That I am afraid of money.”

But denying maltreating her, the immediate past two-term governor of Akwa Ibom State declared: “She was not relieved of her appointment because of corruption. She was relieved of her appointment because of insubordination.

“My ministry, which supervises her, wrote seven letters to her, but she never responded to one.”

He added: “The late Chief of Staff to the President (Mallam Abba Kyari) sent a petition from the anti-corruption agency stating that she did not have the requisite qualifications to work as acting MD of a commission.”

On the other hand, Dogbara, at a press briefing yesterday in Abuja, said Nunieh’s allegations were baseless.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said the planned restoration and upgrade of the iconic National Theatre costing N25billion will generate about 10,000 jobs during and after the facelift.

The minister revealed this on Sunday in Lagos during the formal handover of the edifice and the adjoining 134-hectare fallow land to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Bankers’ Committee but quickly clarified that iconic theatre remained a national heritage and would not be ceded to any person or group as being peddled in some quarters.
The ceremony was witnessed by the Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu; his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat; the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare; the CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele; the Chairman of the Committee of Banks’ CEOs, Mr Herbert Wigwe, among others.

”Please permit me to start off by making a clarification: this iconic National Theatre remains a national heritage and will not be ceded to any person or group, as some have chosen to frame what we are doing here today.
What we are here to do is to hand over the National Theatre for restoration and upgrade and the fallow land within the premises to the Central Bank and the Bankers’ Committee for development.

”The Federal Ministry of Information and Culture holds the keys to the National Theatre on behalf of all Nigerians,” Mohammed said.

According to the minister, the N25billion project tagged the Lagos Creative and Entertainment Centre Project, is a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) that will be executed in two phases, with Phase 1 being the restoration and upgrade of the National Theatre to its glory days at a cost of N7 billion, and Phase II is the development of the adjoining fallow land costing N18 billion.

”The good news is that this project will not lead to a single job loss. Instead, it will create more. Some 6,000 jobs will be created during the construction phase, while the completed project could generate up to an additional 600 permanent and 2000 to 3000 call-on/call-off jobs. This is as good as it gets!” the minister said.

Speaking further, Mohammed described the handover of the facility as a ‘historic day in the annals of the Creative Industry in Nigeria,’ says the project is “a win-win for all involved.”

The minister recalled that for over 40 years, no major renovation work had been done on the National Theatre, while the adjoining land had been lying fallow, saying that several attempts made to restore the edifice had failed as the government had no money to restore the complex.

”For over 40 years, no major renovation work has been done on the National Theatre, while the adjoining land has been lying fallow. Many attempts to restore the National Theatre have failed. And the Government has no money to restore the complex.

”As you know, this is the hub of the Creative Industry in Nigeria. The National Theatre was established to encourage the advancement of the performing arts throughout the country; to create opportunities for performing artists of the country as well as to aid the promotion of social development and the improvement of the quality of life. In its present state, it is not living to its billing,” he said.

Mohammed, while recalling the glory days of the National Theatre, said the edifice once hosted all Nigerian state governments functions and musical extravaganzas such as the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti and Roy Ayers, Skyy, Shalamar, Whispers, Third world and Dynasty as well as stage events like Wole Soyinka’s adaptation of D.O Fagunwa’s Langbodo and even Stevie Wonder, who received one of his numerous Grammy Awards at the National Theatre.

Highlights of the first phase, according to plans put on the ground, include the upgrade of the theatres (the main halls and cinema halls, conference and banquet halls, press hall and the bar); installation of new seats, upgrade of the sanitary facilities, installation of lifts, acoustics and specialist lightings, as well as replacement of the air conditioning, lighting and plumbing.

Phase II will involve the development of purpose-built clusters to provide world-class facilities for Nigeria’s Creative Industry, with the clusters having four hubs: Fashion, Music, Film and Information and Technology (IT) hubs.

The creative clusters will be supported by other facilities, including multi-storey parking to accommodate 1,000 cars, a Visitors’ Welcome Centre which will house commercial and retail facilities, as well as administration and management offices.”

The project is expected to be completed in 18 months.