₦airaland Forum

Just another lousy set of attention seekers. What if that's his only sweater? Is it a crime to have one? or must he flaunt designer sweaters and stuff to prove he has what exactly? Too many dumb fans arounds and bloggers aren't helping either

Cc lalasticlala

Cc lalasticlala

And here was I thinking I had the most generous friends.

A guy I know was rejoicing about the slash in marks. Yeah, he got 139; can you believe that? He still hopes to get into school (a university) with 139. Not even a college should accept 139.

Yeah. Although, it is very nice. You are doing this because you also stand to gain a lot from it. We know the US don't help without you returning the favour.

tigeress2011:
Who is investigating Hijiya Turai Yaradua, Hajiya Abdulsamali Abubakar, Hajiya Abacha, Late Haijiya Babangida, Hajiya Buhari, e.t.c., why must they now only investigate Patience Jonathan because she is SS, or rather an Igbo woman born and raised in Abia?

Why do people like you exist?

This is just so dumb of you.

Yeligray:
See the way she's talking sef as if she has written jamb before..

Please read and read again from left to right this time what you just posted and see if what you posted make sense.
Try not to ridicule yourself next time.

The United States of America (USA) has sent a
warning to corrupt African political office holders,
who illegally enrich themselves at the expense of
their poor people, that they would no longer go scot
free. They will be investigated, held accountable and
punished.

The warning was given by US Department of
Justice after a New York court jailed Mahmoud
Thiam, 50, a former minister of mines and geology
of Guinea, who was living big in America on the
bribe he collected from a Chinese company.

He was jailed seven years. He will spend three of
the years under supervised release, for laundering
bribes paid to him by executives of China Sonangol
International Ltd. (China Sonangol) and China
International Fund, SA (CIF).

“Today’s sentence sends a strong message to
corrupt individuals like Thiam that if they attempt to
use the U.S. financial system to hide their bribe
money they will be investigated, held accountable,
and punished,” the Acting Assistant Attorney
General Kenneth Blanco of the Department of
Justice Criminal Division said in a statement.
“Mahmoud Thiam engaged in a corrupt scheme to
benefit himself at the expense of the people of
Guinea,” said Blanco.

“Corruption is a cancer on society that destabilises
institutions, inhibits fair and free competition, and
imposes significant burdens on ordinary law-
abiding people just trying to live their everyday
lives”, he added.
The warning was reinforced by Acting U.S. Attorney
Joon H.Kim of the Southern District of New York,
who said:”Today’s sentence shows that if you send
your crime proceeds to New York, whether from
drug dealing, tax evasion or international bribery,
you may very well find yourself at the front end of
long federal prison term.”

Thiam’s sentencing by U.S. District Judge Denise L.
Cote of the Southern District of New York was
announced by Blanco Kim, Assistant Director
Stephen E. Richardson of the FBI’s Criminal
Investigative Division and Assistant Director in
Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. of the FBI’s New
York Field Office.

Thiam was convicted on May 3, after a seven-day
trial of one count of transacting in criminally derived
property and one count of money laundering.
“As a unanimous jury found at trial, Thiam abused
his position as Guinea’s Minister of Mines to take
millions in bribes from a Chinese conglomerate, and
then launder that money through the American
financial system,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kim.
“Enriching himself at the expense of one Africa’s
poorest countries, Thiam used some of the Chinese
bribe money to pay his children’s Manhattan private
school tuition and to buy a $3.75 million estate in
Dutchess County”, Kim added.

“Thiam abused his official position, but the outcome
shows that no one is above the law,” said Assistant
Director Stephen E. Richardson.
“The FBI will not stand by while individuals attempt
to live by their own rules and use the United States
as a safe haven for their ill-gotten gains. I would
like to applaud the dedicated investigators and
prosecutors who have worked to hold those who
have committed these crimes accountable for their
illegal actions.”

According to evidence presented at trial, China
Sonangol, CIF and their subsidiaries signed a series
of agreements with Guinea that gave them lucrative
mining rights in Guinea.
In exchange for bribes paid by executives of China
Sonangol and CIF, Thiam used his position as
Minister to influence the Guinean government’s
decision to enter into those agreements while
serving from 2009 to 2010. The evidence further
showed that Thiam participated in a scheme to
launder the bribe payments from 2009 to 2011,
during which time China Sonangol and CIF paid him
$8.5 million through a bank account in Hong Kong.
Thiam then transferred approximately $3.9 million
to bank accounts in the U.S. and used the money to
pay for luxury goods and other expenses.

The FBI’s International Corruption Squads in New
York City and Los Angeles investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Lorinda Laryea of the Criminal
Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S.
Attorneys Elisha Kobre and Christopher DiMase of
the Southern District of New York prosecuted the
case. Fraud Section Assistant Chief Tarek Helou
and Trial Attorney Sarah Edwards, and Money
Laundering and Asset Recovery Section Senior Trial
Attorney Stephen Parker previously investigated the
case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International
Affairs also provided substantial assistance in this
matter.

http://thenationonlineng.net/us-african-looters-cant-go-scot-free-anymore/

Here was I thinking I had such generous friends.

http://thenationonlineng.net/efcc-freezes-n8-6b-ex-first-ladys-friends-accounts/

PS: It is a long read; I couldn't space it.

Shagaya sues Unity Bank, says accounts frozen
without court order
•Freeze: I have lost business goodwill, can’t pay
N514m debts on chartered aircraft, Shagaya tells
court •Unity Bank: Our hands are tied by the law.


The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) has frozen over N8, 627,458,773.36 billion in
three accounts of Hajiya Muinat Bola Shagaya, an
associate and friend of a former First Lady, Mrs.
Patience Jonathan.
Shagaya’s relationship with about 10 firms/account
names are also being investigated by the anti-graft
agency, The Nation learnt yesterday.
But Shagaya, who did not hold any public
appointment during the administration of ex-
President Goodluck Jonathan, has dragged Unity
Bank to the High Court of Lagos State for allowing
the EFCC to Post No Debit (PND) on her accounts
without a valid court order.
She says the action taken on her accounts violates
Section34 (1) of the EFCC Act, 2004.
Besides, the withdrawal ban placed on one of her
accounts has prevented her from defraying N514,
800,000 incurred as cumulative costs in the course
of an Aircraft Lease Agreement of a bombardier Jet,
according to documents which Shagaya filed and
deposed to at the Court alongside with her counsel,
Napoleon Emeaso-Nwachukwu.
Hearing of the matter is slated for September 28.
However, Unity Bank says its hands are tied by the
law in complying with the EFCC’s directives to
freeze Shagaya’s accounts.
The EFCC in a letter to the Unity Bank Managing
Director in respect of one of the frozen accounts
said: “The commission is investigating a case in
which the above-mentioned account featured.
“In view of the above, you are requested to kindly
check the table below and provide us with Certified
True Copies (CTC) of the following information,
which should include but not limited to the following:
(i) The deposit slips/telex copies (front and back)
that conveyed the authority of the transactions; (ii)
Any investment made with the funds in any of your
products which should include fixed/term deposit
and their liquidation and the interest incurred, Banks
Acceptance, Commercial Papers and any other
relevant information in relation to these.
The EFCC listed the transactions in the said account
as “N300m(Bola Shagaya RTGS); N300m
(Additional N300FTD at 15% TRAN); N500m (Time
Deposit); N2,317,013,698.64 (BNG COLLAOS FOR
FTD-CUSTOMER ACCOL); N2.3billion (Opening a
Time Deposit Account); N292, 495, 029.82
(Withdrawal from Time Deposit); N292, 495, 029.82
(TAK Asset Mgt Limited); N300m (Term Loan
booked for 356 days); and N2,025,455,015.08 (BNG
COLLAPS OF FTD Customer Account.”
In a separate letter Cr: 3000/EFCC/LS/STF/
STF3MP/ Vol.11/182 which Shagaya made
available to the court, the EFCC asked Unity Bank to
Post No Debit(PND) on 10 accounts linked with her.
The account names are (i) First Deep Water
Discovery Limited; (ii) Bola Shagaya; (iii) FAPLiNs
Nigeria Limited (iv) Lingo Nigeria Limited; (v) Buri
Barclays BDC; (vi) Links Global Synergy Ltd; (vii)
OKIOIL Nig. Ltd; (vii) JEMARVIZ Nig Ltd; (ix) PJ Oil
and Gas Ltd; and (x) AFDIN Ventures Ltd.
The anti-graft commission said: “The commission
is investigating a case in which the above
mentioned accounts featured.
“You are requested to kindly place the account on
Post No Debit (PND) category pending the
conclusion of the investigation.
“This request is made pursuant to Section 38(1)
and (2) of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004 and Section
21 of Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.”
In the third letter, the EFCC said it was looking into
two other accounts including Voyage Oil and Gas
and Bola Shagaya from 2008 to date.
It said: “The commission is investigating a case in
which the above mentioned accounts featured. In
view of the above, you are requested to kindly
provide us with Certified True Copies (CTC) of the
following information which should include but not
limited to the following: (i) The Mandate Card and
statement(s) of all domiciliary and Naira account(s)
in the above mentioned accounts from 2008 to date
with letter of certification in accordance with
Section 84 of the Evidence Act 2011; (ii) any
investment made with the funds in any of your
products which should include fixed/term deposit
and their liquidation and the interest incurred, Bank
Acceptance, Commercial Papers and any other
relevant information related to these.
“You are further requested to kindly place the
account on Post No Debit (PND) category pending
the conclusion of investigation.”
But Shagaya accused Unity Bank of complicity on
her travails following the bank’s alleged failure to
exercise the requisite due diligence.
She said the freezing of her accounts did not
comply with Section 34(1) of the EFCC Act, 2004.
She specifically referred to the bank’s refusal to
allow her to make transactions on Account
000326118 including payment of N514, 800,000 to
Global Apex Air Limited, through Heavywind
Integrated Services, for the lease of a bombardier
Jet.
She said the Aircraft Lease Agreement between her
and Global Apex Air Limited has been terminated
with her forfeiting US$1million.
In an affidavit she deposed to, Shagaya said: “The
official of the Defendant (Unity Bank) whom my
Personal Assistant relayed the development to,
informed him that on the 3rd of November, 2016, the
Defendant received a letter from the EFCC through
their Lagos office informing it that my account with
it is under investigation and requested that the
account be put on “Post No Debit” pending the
outcome of the investigation hence the Defendant’s
inability to honour my payment instruction.
“Initially I laughed off the excuse as a ploy of the
Defendant to deter me from taking legal actions
against it for dishonouring my payment instructions
especially that of the 31st of October 2016 which
ultimately led to the termination of the Aircraft
Lease with Global Apex Air Ltd. And the loss of the
sum of One Million United States Dollars deposited
with the Lessor by me.
“On the 27th of January, 2017 the Defendant
responded to my Solicitor’s letter. In its response,
the defendant stated that: “it observed that long
before your client forwarded her cheques and
payment instruction to the Bank as indicated in your
letter under reference, the EFCC had formally
informed the Bank that an investigation relating to
your client’s account was ongoing and sought the
cooperation on the Bank accordingly.” The
Defendant’s letter ended by stating that “Based on
our understanding and the fact that the Bank was
already aware that the Law Enforcement Agency
had taken definite steps to comply with Section
34(1) of the EFCC Act, 2004, behoves the Bank not
to allow the dissipation or removal funds in your
client’s account without appropriate clearance from
the Law Enforcement Agency or a judicial order
directing the release of the funds to your client.”
“I will also contend at the hearing of this Suit that
the Defendant negligently and wrongfully failed to
exercise the requisite due diligence and by
extension, the duty of care it owed me as my
banker prior to complying with the alleged freezing
instruction from the EFCC.
“The Defendant did not request and ensure it was
obliged the Freezing Order from a court of
competent jurisdiction prior to complying with the
instruction to freeze the Claimant’s account
“The Defendant failed to honour the Claimant’s
payment instructions of the 31st of October 2016 as
well as those of the 1st and 2nd November 2016
which preceded the alleged instruction from the
EFCC.
“The Defendant failed to promptly notify the
Claimant of the freezing other account. The freezing
of the Claimant’s account did not comply with
Section 34(1) of the EFCC Act, 2004.
“Since the unlawful freezing of my account by the
Defendant, I have not been able to transact with that
account due to my inability to access same thereby
causing business losses and opportunities.
“By reason the Defendant’s action, I have suffered
loss of reputation and damages and my person
brought to disrepute, public opprobrium and odium.
“The actions of the Defendant which consist in
unlawfully freezing my account without an Order of
a Court of competent jurisdiction and failing to
disclose same to me promptly was unreasonable as
well as defamatory of me before my business
associates who now see me as a criminal and an
untrustworthy fellow who is in the habit of issuing
due cheques and payment instructions that she
knew would not be honoured.
She said she had lost a lot of business goodwill
since her accounts were frozen including
o The loss of $1,000,000 deposited with Global
Apex Air Ltd. Due to her in ability to pay accrued
costs in line with Aircraft Lease Agreement which
was occasioned by the failure of the Defendant to
oblige the Claimant’s payment instruction to
Heavywind Integrated Services.
o Loss of business opportunities and goodwill
occasioned by her inability to operate her account
domiciled with the Defendant due to its freezing.
o Loss of reputation occasioned by the
Defendant’s wrongful dishonouring of her payment
instructions to third parties.
“If not compelled by this Court, the Defendant will
not on its own volition unfreeze my account even
when it is glaring the Defendant had wrongfully
breached the duty of care it owes complying with an
illegal instruction in freezing my account.”
But in a letter to Shagaya’s counsel, Unity Bank
said it has a legal and ethical responsibility to
render assistance to law enforcement agencies.
The bank explained its constraints in a letter by its
Head, Legal Services Department, Mr. Alaba
Williams and Mr. Olusegun Olukoya of the same
department

The bank said: “While the Bank respects the
contractual nature of the relationship with your
client, it is without prejudice to the Bank’s standing
as a responsible law abiding Corporate Citizen.
“In spite of the Bank’s contractual relationship with
your client, that relationship is not without a legal
and ethical responsibility to render assistance to
law enforcement agencies when required of the
Bank.
“Considering the sensitive nature of the
investigation touching your client’s account as
advised by the EFCC in October 2016, the Bank had
to exercise caution in relation to further
transactions, especially debits, in the account of
your client under investigation.
“The need for the Bank to exercise due caution in
the matter of the operation of your client’s account
after receipt of notification of the ongoing
investigation by the EFCC was informed by our
understanding of various existing statutory
provisions relevant to the request of the EFCC
received by the Bank.
“Based on our understanding and the fact that the
Bank was already aware that the Law Enforcement
Agency had taken definite steps to comply with
section 34(1) the EFCC Act, 2004. It behoves the
Bank not to allow the dissipation or removal of the
funds in your client’s account under investigation,
before the Court Order seeking to preserve the
funds was obtained.

“The contractual relationship between your client
and the Bank does not permit us to pre-empt the
investigation by the Law Enforcement Agency and
the related Court Proceedings which outcome could
lead to forfeiture of the funds in the same account.
“The Bank could be considered an accessory after
the fact if it allowed the dissipation of the funds in
your client’s account without appropriate clearance
from the Law Enforcement Agency or a judicial
order directing the release of the funds to your
client.
“Therefore contrary to the allegation in your letter,
the Bank had a proper justification for refusing the
payment instructions from your client for funds to
be removed from her account in issue when there
was an ongoing investigation by the EFCC in respect
of the said funds. The Bank is therefore not in
breach of any contractual obligation to your client.
The Bank is also not liable to your client for the sum
of N700,000,000.00 (Seven Hundred Million Naira)
or any other sum that matter as damages claimed
by you.

“Please, note that Unity Bank Plc. is committed to
comply with the extant laws and Regulations of all
competent Authorities and Jurisdictions.
“In addition to adopting best practices; ethical and
legal considerations always guide our commercial
decisions protecting the good name and the
reputation of the bank remains the primary
consideration in all actions taken by the Bank.
Accordingly, the Bank protects its products and
services from being involved in allegation of
unlawful activities. Hence we will cooperate fully
with all Regulators and Law enforcement Agencies.
“We are of the humble opinion that your client
should kindly resolve any outstanding issues with
the Law Enforcement Agency and facilitate the
removal of the “Post No Debit” on her account with
the Bank.
“Litigation against the Bank will therefore not be
necessary in the circumstance.”

It is painfully ironic that the education sector that should have at least half-thinking humans with a solid and sound mind is filled with shallow minded and backward thinking clowns.

Former Minister of Education, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili,
yesterday criticised the decision of the Joint
Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to
reduce the cut off mark for admission into
universities to 120..
She described it as running a race from top to
bottom, saying the examination body has outlived
the purpose for which it was established.

Ezekweseli told newsmen in Abuja that rather than
conduct entrance examination for university
admission, JAMB should only play a regulatory role
while universities are granted autonomy to conduct
their entrance examinations to determine the quality
of students they want to admit.

She said: “I will say no and there has to be much
more intensity in determining the qualification
attribute should be and once we do that, it will set
us way back to early child education.
“When I see society screening about this cut off
mark they have done, I say you are wasting tears
on a symptom.

“You need to go to the root of the problem and that
means we need to go back to the first phase in
education, which is early child care, basic education
and secondary education which ultimately
determine the readiness of our children to university
education.”

She explained that the idea of establishing JAMB
was that in a federal system, the government
wanted to find a means of equalising standards to
ensure that you set the bar in a way that brings in
everybody.

According to her, “What you then have to look at is,
does it continue to be relevant as a standard setting
mechanism to actually determine who gets to what
university and how? I would say not anymore.

“What we need to do not is to make the role of
JAMB as an exam regulatory body and to grant the
universities the kind of autonomy that would enable
them determine the kind of students they want in
their universities and the level of academic
achievement that they must have to enter their
universities and to do in such a way that you do not
identify mediocrity.

“The way to do it is to ensure that the quality of the
products of each university is traced by society and
rewarded according to their accomplishment.

“When that begins to happen, universities that are
busy taking lowly class people into their system will
not be places people want to go to.”

She went on: “There will be that law of natural
selection on the basis of competitiveness.
“What we have sacrificed in this society is the idea
of competitiveness.

“Competition is the factor that drives creativity,
innovation and excellence. As long as we go on a
race to the bottom, we will never be a great nation.”
Throwing more light on the cut off mark, the former
Minister said: “I think there are really issues in
terms of determining the bench mark for the
qualified students of our tertiary institutions.

“But I don’t think that we are addressing it in the
more fundamental ways it needs to be addressed.
“What exactly is the score in a JAMB exam? What
does it really mean? I think that we need to be even
more robust in determining that.
“There are basic objective questions but there
should be a way that decentralises the capacity of
universities to determine the qualification and
character in competency and cognitive ability of
those that they would admit.

“As we go into a new global economic state in the
world, it will not be sufficient that those who score
between 120 and 180 become the standard.

“They are not setting your ceiling, they are setting
your floor.
“But what we should ask is whether the floor of 120
is sufficient to give a university the right raw
materials to train in other to make them world class
human capital.

“I will say no and there has to be much more
intensity in determining the qualification attribute
should be and once we do that, it will set us way
back to early child education.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/ezekwesili-120-jamb-cut-off-mark-racing-bottom-top/

I feel most of their songs have almost zero impact both positively and negatively. Most people I know (including me) just dance to their music and throw away the garbage or vulgar lyrics. This is not even a Nigerian thing sef. What impact does Migos or Future songs have? As for the Nigerian videos, well I tend to ignore the explicit ones although most of these artistes won't be doing this if it ain't trending or there isn't a huge yearn for the vulgar songs and sexually explicit videos in the society.

After the war I'm sure Ojukwu partly gave up on the actualization Biafra. He might never have wanted a repeat of it.

Fayose has carved a niche filled with people who would take in hook line and sinker whatever nonsense he says. Why won't he deny it? That statement is Fayose-like.

What a clown of a man Fayose is. Makarfi is only trying to be diplomatic in order to keep things together before 2019. Otherwise, how does he explain that the party has zoned presidency to the North but Fayose is still eligible? They just don't wanna upset Fayose because of the voice of opposition he has given to the party.

nabiz:
Minister of sports Solomon Dalong should be sacked and be replaced with chief James Jephthah from BAYELSA state. Though I sought if the man will accept the position. Oh! I just forgot the man is not an APC member

It is not about the party or the president.

ShineuEye:
My dream cabinet would be a cabinet without Fashola or the present minister of Petroleum.

Buhari is just a figure head in that ministry. Ibe Kachukwu is in charge; Buhari doesn't just trust anyone enough to hand him full autonomy over that sector. We don't want another Allison Madueke De ja vu now, do we?

ShineuEye:
Fashola has been an incredible failure considering the curriculum vitae he came with. Buhari can't give what he does not have so am not disappointed in him.

As for replacement, Fashola should be replaced by a Barth Nnanji character, someone with a background in energy. Ministry of petroleum should be given back to kachikwu.

The problem of the power sector is mismanagement and a huge deficiet in funds. Fashola cannot do any magic without the neccesary funding. Barth Nnaji is just an overhyped individual. He acheived zero in his time as Minister; I can't believe you guys bring his name up everytime. Although the power problem is more than an individual; this is why states need to move into the power sector to ease the burden at the centre.

I'm done taking FFK seriously. He has turned his facebook page to a shade zone. I do not blame him; he is just another lunatic with an access to social media.

ITbomb:
You will see people bringing old names that have been in the system since 1999, we need fresh air

It is easy to criticize. Why not give us, atleast, some of these "fresh air" that we need.

asuustrike2009:
Which area is that?

Major parts of oturkpo, Benue state.

ShineuEye:
My dream cabinet would be a cabinet without Fashola or the present minister of Petroleum.

Who would you suggest to replace them?

Too many nonsense in the media these days. I was shocked when the statement was credited to Osinbanjo. He would never say such as he is loyal to both Tinubu and Buhari and would try to be diplomatic by not openly supporting restructuring for now.

CC Lalasticlala cc Mynd44 CC Sarrki Cc Queenofnepal cc Tonyebarcanista CC Nextprince cc omenka cc kyase cc blue3k cc seunmsg cc salamrushdie

When it is time for appointment of Ministers, we all clamour for technorats and we have blamed poor performances of our ministers using statements like "square pegs in round holes". So let us do the choosing today. This should comprise of a list of Ministers using the current quota system.

I must commend the efforts of the government on the independent power supply to schools and the rural electrification policy. Fashola we are enjoying 24HR power supply here.

That's how he was all up & over Karruche Tran's comment box the other day. It even ended up in him dissing Souja boy over the bae. Breezy, I'm your biggest fan but you have to let these girls you turned into punching bags go. Royalty won't be proud of this when she grows up and I know you'd never let a man touch her for any reason.

modelmike7:
Thank you!!!!

LOL. Baba. It was out of a vex. Please don't angry (sic)