₦airaland Forum

nikynike:
U no dey

According to post-Abacha governmental sources, some $3 or $4 billion USD in foreign assets have been traced to Abacha, his family and their representatives, $2.1 billion of which the Nigerian government tentatively came to an agreement with the Abacha family to return, with the quid pro quo being that the Abachas would be allowed to keep the rest of the money. Although this proposal caused a massive outcry at the time for seeming to reward the theft of public funds, it was subsequently rejected by the late dictator's son, Muhammad Abacha, who continues to maintain that all the assets in question were legitimately acquired. Although in 2002, Abacha's family accepted to return $1.2 billion that was taken from the central bank. Abacha was listed as the world's fourth most corrupt leader in recent history by Transparency International in 2004.

Ibrahim Babangida has been indicted by the Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission, led by the respected Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, for the killing of Nigeria's top journalist, Mr. Dele Giwa, by a parcel bomb in 1986. Up till now, the killers of Dele Giwa have not been officially exposed, and efforts to probe Babangida's implicated associates have been consistently blocked by him. The report noted: "On General Ibrahim Babangida, we are of the view that there is evidence to suggest that he and the two security chiefs, Brigadier General Halilu Akilu and Col. A. K. Togun are accountable for the death of Dele Giwa by letter bomb. We recommend that this case be re-open for further investigation in the public interest." Babangida has blocked that report from being released through the judicial system he blatantly corrupted.

By the time Babangida was one year in power, he had begun to demonstrate his deceptive abilities. He started a national debate on whether to accept an International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan or embark on austerity measures. Thinking their leader was faithful, Nigerians favored the measures but soon found that the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) was not being faithfully executed. While they were sacrificing, billions of dollars of Nigeria's money was being pocketed by Babangida and his followers

He was detained in London on charges of money laundering. Metropolitan Police officers allegedly found £1 million cash at one of his many London homes. The state he has governed in Nigeria for the last six years does not have any electricity, yet he has been found to own real estate in London worth an alleged £10 million.

His state's monthly federal allocation for the last six years has been in the order of £32 million.

He jumped bail in December 2005 from the United Kingdom while allegedly disguised as a woman. He was suspended from the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) in early December 2005 before being impeached by the Bayelsa State Assembly on 9 December. He will be handed over to the British authorities again. He was replaced by his Deputy Governor Goodluck Jonathan.

A Nigerian state governor who was charged with money laundering in the UK has been impeached and arrested in his oil-rich home state of Bayelsa.
Diepreye Alamieyeseigha was arrested by police after losing the immunity from prosecution that he enjoyed in office.
He has always said he is innocent of charges that he laundered £1.8m ($3.2m) found in cash and bank accounts.

The vice president was able to build a world-class university, own several multi-million dollar business companies across Africa and buy a $1.8 million mansion in the 12th richest neighborhood in the United States , Potomac , Maryland .

A Senate panel set up to probe the Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, issued a report yesterday accusing the VP of diverting US$ 145 million of public funds to his personal coffers. Mr Abubakar is one of the most prominent candidates in this year's presidential polls in Nigeria.

The Senate panel report accused Mr Abubakar of abusing his office by "aiding and abetting the diversion of public funds in the sums of US$ 125 million and US$ 20 million respectively approved for specific projects."

Mr Abubakar has always maintained his innocence, accusing Nigerian authorities of witch-hunting him principally for blocking President Olusegun Obasanjo's tricks to seek for an unconstitutional third term in office.

On 20 February, Justice Umaru Abdullahi of an Abuja appeals court ruled that President Obasanjo has no legal powers to sack Mr Abubakar from the vice-presidency for merely shifting his political allegiance.

Justice Abdullahi therefore ruled that Mr Abubakar should remain the VP of Nigeria, giving him at the same time the right to pursue his presidential ambitions in competition with President Obasanjo's party.

Mr Abubakar's camp warned the Nigerian government to desist from tactics that aim to elbow out their candidate from the presidential race. The government had announced his sacking as soon as he declared his intentions to run on the ticket of the opposition Action Congress (AC).

His AC party officials described the new Senate report as a yet another plot by the government cooked against Mr Abubakar.

The latest report is now awaiting for final decision by the Abuja Senate. But Mr Abubakar is immune from prosecution as long as he functions as Nigeria's VP.

The panel report said the VP had fraudulently converted part of the funds as loans to three companies - Network Digital Television (NDTV), Mofas Shipping Company Limited and Transvari Services Limited. It recommended that Mr Abubakar be "sanctioned for any offences disclosed."

The said moneys, which were disbursed through the Petroleum Technology Development Funds, were earmarked for training purposes. They were under the supervision of the Vice President.

Network Digital Television is a private telecommunications company that has business through US congressman William Jefferson via iGate, a US-based information technology company.

The report added that an amount of US$ 142-million loaned to the said companies is yet to be uncovered.

After receiving a tip-off in a letter he had received from an American legislator last year, President Obasanjo is reported to have ordered the efficient national anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to investigate the scam allegedly involving his own VP.

Having got the findings of both the EFCC and the administrative inquiry, President Obasanjo sent them to the Nigerian parliament. This opened gates to the setting up of the senate panel inquiry.

[size=15pt]Nigeria: FG Sets Up C'ttee On Pipeline Vandalisation[/size]

This Day (Lagos)

March 2, 2007
Posted to the web March 3, 2007

Josephine Lohor
Abuja

President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday set up a committee to recommend measures to effectively deal with pipeline vandalisation.

The Committee set up after a meeting on pipeline vandalisation at State House, has Professor Akin Mabogunje, of the Lagos Megacity Region Board, as its Chairman. The Committee's terms of reference are: to assess the condition of pipelines in relation to frequency of vandalisation; ascertain the causes of vandalisation and establish the areas most prone to vandalisation; to identify those involved; recommend measures that will effectively deal with issues and dangers of vandalisation, including technological innovations; recommend relevant legislation and an institutional framework to check vandalisation; and make any other recommendations that has bearing on conditions of pipeline right of way and issue of vandalisation.

The Committee has one month within which to submit its report. Members of the Committee are Minister of Environment and Housing, Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Department of Petroleum Resources, Pipelines and Product Marketing Company and the Special Adviser to the President on Energy.

Membership of the committee also include the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Lagos and Ogun States, the Lagos State Commissioners of Physical Planning, Works, and Environment, as well as the Ogun State counterparts in charge of Physical Planning and Environment.

[size=15pt]Nigeria: 'Don't Burn This Country'[/size]

This Day (Lagos)

March 2, 2007
Posted to the web March 3, 2007

Philip Ogunmade
Lagos

Former governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande yesterday warned President Olusegun Obasanjo to desist from making inflammable statements capable of causing uproar in the polity.

Jakande made this comment yesterday while addressing the press in his Ilupeju Lagos home during which he endorsed the candidacy of Mr. Owolabi Salis, as the flagbearer of the Action Party of Nigeria (APN) for the lagos State gubernatorial ticket.


Jakande advised Obasanjo to always consider the interest of Nigerians before making any public utterance adding that, his unguarded utterances could engender crisis of huge proportion.

"Mr. President should always think of all of us whenever he makes public speeches. I know that he is educated. But I appeal to him not to set the country on fire by his utterances," Jakande stated.

Jakande also cautioned the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to employ decorum in the discharge of their duties and avoid perpetuating such acts capable of dividing this country and simultaneously precipitate confusion and civil war.

The former minister of works also charged politicians canvassing for votes not to twist the law in a desperate bid to win elections, saying none has the power to thrust himself into any position, unless God has so given him the grace. He warned that no matter how manipulative a man can be, God remains the decider of all things.

Said Jakande: "PDP, INEC, ICPC and EFCC should spare this country the agony of a divided country. They should spare us the agony of a confused nation. They should spare us the agony of of civil war. No one is fit to govern except by God's will. I appeal to everyone, let's admit God as the Master of all." He also warned people advocating the postponement of April election to spare the country of anguish.