Revealed: N10.9Bn Properties Seized From Military Officer

Justice N.E. Maha of the Federal High Court on Monday February 14, ordered the final forfeiture of 24 properties held by fronts and proxies to a top military officer, to the Federal Government of Nigeria. The Order was pursuant to a forfeiture application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which had in May 2020 secured the forfeiture of the properties on interim basis.
The court had ordered the publication of notices in national newspapers, inviting persons with interest in the properties to show cause why they should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

With no such interest shown by any entity, Justice Maha on Monday, February 14, 2022, ordered the final forfeiture of the properties to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The 24 properties scattered across Kano, Kaduna, Borno and Cross River States, comprise land, shopping complex, gas station and fuel stations cumulatively valued at N10, 935,000,000.00. (Ten Billion, Nine Hundred and Thirty-Five Million Naira)

The properties are:
1. A 16 Pump filling Station located at Rijiyar Lemo, Kano.
2. A Filling Station with 41 pumps located opposite Federal Secretariat, Kano.
3. A Filling Station with 39 pumps located along BUK Road, Kano.
4. A Filling Station with 31 pumps located along Zaria Bypass, Kano.
5. A Filling Station with 31 pumps located along Maiduguri Bypass, Kano.
6. A Filling Station with 29 pumps located along Maiduguri Bypass, Kano.
7. A Filling Station with 23 pumps located along Naibawa , Kano.
8. A Filling Station with 39 pumps located along Bachirawa, Kano.
9. A Filling Station with 51 pumps and a one-storey building with 35 shops attached to the Filling Station located along Shiek Ja’afar Road Dorayi, Kano.
10. An LPG plant with 30 shops attached to it located along Zaria Road, Kano.
11. Marhaba Event Centre, Guda Abdullahi Road, Farm Centre, Kano.
12. A three storey building (Plaza) With 28 shops located on Hadeja Road, next to Sheshe Supermarket , Kano.
13. A three-storey building (Plaza) with 126 shops located on Audu Bako Way, Opposite Nation Plaza, Kano.
14. Classic Block Industry at Maiduguri Road, Kano.
15. Atlasfield Corporate Headquarters, No. L6 Ahmadu Bello Way, Kaduna.
16. Undeveloped plot located at Sharada, Adjacent A.A. Rano Filling Station, Kano.
17. Undeveloped plot located at Yan Rake, Adjacent Dala Orthopedic Hospital, Kano.
18. Undeveloped plot located along Kano-Gwarzo Road, Adjacent Kedco Regional Office, Kano North/Opposite Silver Spoon Restaurant, Kano.
19. Undeveloped plot located along Kano-Gwarzo Road, opposite Markaz Mosque, Kano.
20. Undeveloped plot located on Sani Marshal Road, Opposite Nissan Automobile, Kano.
21. 11.7 hectares located Adjacent TINAPA Resort, Adiabo, Calabar. 22. Truck Assembly Plant, Easter Bypass, Kano.
23. Event Center located in Calabar, Cross River State.
24. Aflac Plastics Limited located behind National Eye Center, Kaduna.
v Find attached photographs of some of the properties.

Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has approved the appointment of Senator Lekan Balogun as the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland.

The approval follows a recommendation to that effect made by the Olubadan-in-Council and which was communicated to the governor

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that Governor Makinde wishes the newly confirmed Olubadan a peaceful and eventful reign.

The governor said: “I am pleased to announce the appointment of the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Lekan Balogun as the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland.

“The appointment is in line with the Olubadan of Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration, as well as the unique and time-tested tradition of our people.

“On behalf of the government and good people of Oyo State, I wish the newly confirmed Olubadan a successful reign blessed with peace and unprecedented progress.”

On a similar note, Governor Makinde has also approved the revocation of the amended Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration, which regulates the selection to the Olubadan of Ibadan chieftaincy stool.

The statement indicated that the governor made the revocation order, dated February 11, 2022, in line with the powers conferred on him by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), in view of the Judgements of the Oyo State High Court on February 1 and 10 as well as Sections 7, 20,26 and 30 of the Chiefs Law of Oyo State 2000.

The four separate laws/White Papers approved for revocation were made public by the immediate past administration between 2017 and 2018.

The statement listed the laws/white papers to include the amended declaration regulating the selection to the Olubadan Chieftaincy stool, published in August 2017; the implementation of the White Paper on the review of the existing Olubadan of Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration and other chieftaincies in Ibadan, Published in August 2017; the approval of appointment of beaded crows for the Olubadan in Council published March 2018 and the appointment of Beaded crowns and Coronet Wearing Obas published in March 2018.

DCP Abba Kyari arrested by the @PoliceNG @ndlea_nigeria @BubaMarwa1 @NigeriaGov @MBuhari @nassnigeria @DrAhmadLawan @femigbaja

Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court has granted the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami (SAN) leave to extradite an alleged fraudster, Adedunmola Gbadegesin to the United States of America (USA) to face fraud-related charges.

Justice Osiagor granted the AGF’s request to extradite Gbadegesin to the U.S. after entertaining an extradition application filed and argued by Dr Pius Akutah, a Chief Counsel in the Ministry of Justice.

The AGF had approached the court for Gbadegesin’s extradition in a suit marked FHC/L/CS/765/2021, through the extradition Act (Cap. E25) laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Akutah had told the court in the application that Gbadegesin is charged with a two-count charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering by the U.S. government.

He maintained that the offences violate Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1343 and 1349, with the maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Justice Osiagor after listening to the Federal Government’s lawyer and the counter affidavit filed by the counsel to the alleged fraudster noted that “the original request order of Magistrate Court from the United States of America, the Original request letter duly signed by the Interpol and the Attorney-General of Nigeria application to release the defendant are all attached to the suit.

“I am satisfied that the applicant has been able to establish a prima facie case against the respondents which warrant the prayers sought in motion papers to be considered.

“Consequently, I hereby ordered that the respondent be remanded in the Interpol custody pending the approval of Attorney-General of the Federation for his extradition to the United States of America,” the judge held.

Those who do not wish the Yoruba well are in the vanguard of those goading our sitting vice president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to throw his hat into the presidential ring. It is not out of love for the genteel law professor. I bet it is simply to draw him out to square up to his one-time boss when he was state commissioner and his political boss by any standard, so that the two Yoruba gladiators can fight themselves to the finish and fluff another bright chance of the Yoruba. The lure is great, and it behoves every right thinking Yoruba person to dissuade the vice president from toeing that line.

I can also sniff that some people of Yoruba extraction who dislike Osinbajo as much as they detest Tinubu are showing preference for an Igbo presidency, not necessarily out of genuine love for our Southeast brethren but because they must exhibit that flaw in Yoruba character that “I don’t care who gets it, provided it is not Tinubu or Osinbajo”. People with such mindset most times regret their actions after the deed is done.

Tinubu is being accused of all manner of sins, as if sin is designed for saints. But then, what offences are being ascribed to Osinbajo that neither of them is fit to be President. Methinks the words of my people that “inunibini ko kan aimowa hu” comes in handy here. There is nothing you can ever do to please bad-belle people!

As sitting vice president, Osinbajo is perfectly entitled to formally sit on the presidential chair on which he had earlier been privileged to sit in interim capacity whenever his current boss was away. But as things stand today, Tinubu is considered by many as the best and the most ideal candidate among the Yoruba eyeing that position. Some others covet the position as well but are for now coy about coming out openly to declare their intention. Do they belong in the ranks of those waiting to be pushed into the ring?

I personally detest the idea of unwilling candidates because the very idea can be correctly interpreted to either mean being ill-equipped for the job or a sign of negativity which is the stuff of which spoil-sports are made. Conversely, I admire those who have prepared themselves sufficiently for the top job and have become passionate about it; a classic example being Alhaji Lateef Jakande who equipped himself for the Lagos governorship before he made a go for it in 1978. The result is his unprecedented, landmark achievements in a short space of four years and three months. Those achievements were no mere fluke or flash in the pan, as he moved on to the federal level as minister of works and dazzled doubting Thomases with his housing scheme achievements in Abuja under just two years before he dropped out of the cabinet.

Tinubu followed in Jakande’s footsteps with the radicalisation of governance under his watch when he became Lagos State governor in 1999 and steadied the economic growth of the state for eight years. He bequeathed a template to the state which his successors have found impossible to abandon because in that template is the winning formula for progress, for which the state has justifiably earned the epitaph of “Centre of Excellence”. If the man Tinubu says the presidential project is his life-long ambition and there’s evidence that he can walk his talk, why deny him the opportunity to prove his mettle, especially from his homestead?

I cannot but be fascinated with the profound wisdom in Yoruba philosophy and idioms. Take this: Ehinkule l’ota wa, inu ile l’aseni ngbe. Why is it unceasingly becoming the second nature of the Yoruba to sharpen the pull-down machete with which they destroy their own?

“Ebe la nbe osika, ko tun ilu re se”; again another wise saying of the Yoruba. Isn’t it time for our foremost traditional rulers to come together and jaw-jaw with all their children with presidential ambition towards the end of getting them agree on presenting a solid, winnable candidate among these aspirants – the one we know ready as well as those still lurking in the shadows.

You may want to ask where will I cast my lot if asked? My answer will come musically from one of our best ever music icons, Sikiru Ayinde Barrister: “E ma f’ori aja we t’olola iju; won jo’ra won, sugbon iyato wa nibe o”, meaning the kitten’s head and that of the lion may look similar, but there’s a world of difference between the two. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu fits the bill best, all things considered!

OLUWO DID NOT WRITE ANY LETTER!!!

Oluwo Palace Denies Seeking Financial Aid For Marriage

We read with total dismay a letter purportedly said to emanate from the palace of Oluwo of Iwoland seeking financial assistance on his personal affairs, wedding.

While we commend the enlightened public for their sense of fair judgement, we want to categorically state it that the letter is fake and did not emanate from the palace of Oluwo.

The said letter lacks basic in-house styles of Oluwo's palace correspondence. Oluwo always append his personal signature while writing the government. Equally, the font in the letter is not our official style. At the said date on the letter, Oluwo was not in the state up till now. And his secretary has no audacity, whatsoever to sign on behalf of His Majesty while communicating with the government.

The letter was orchestrated by mischievous people whose mission is to discredit the palace. Marriage is a personal affairs. There is no marriage venture too big for Oluwo to finance on his own. Those circulating such should exercise caution. Queen is coming but not in haste of the public demand.

We enjoin reasonable individual to get their facts before jumping on the bandwagon.

Alli Ibraheem, Press Secretary to Oluwo's Palace

The leadership crisis rocking the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Oyo State deepened on Wednesday as leadership of the party installed and affirmed Alhaji Abubaker Gbadamosi, as a new state chairman of the party.

Gbadamosi was chosen as chairman against Isaac Omodewu, the state chairman installed by the national leadership of the party in Abuja last week.

The leadership and stakeholders of the party took the decision at a meeting organised by the Ibadan main city and Ibadan outer city, the two major zones that control close to 60 per cent of votes in the entire state, held in Ibadan, the state capital, on Wednesday.

The meeting contended that the congress that produced Omodewu as the state chairman was flawed and had earlier been rejected by the National Caretaker Committee of the party and thus condemned the inauguration of Omodewu with other major stakeholders of the party.

The leaders of the two zones, also known as the Progressives Foundation Forum (PFF), said it aligned with the other five zonal leaders, that had come up with an harmonised list. They said in the harmonised list, which was submitted to the national secretariat of the party, Alhaji Abubakar Adejare Gbadamosi was chairman, while other positions had also been agreed upon on zonal basis, during one of the several harmonisation meetings of the zonal leaders and other stakeholders in the party.
Earlier in the week, other major stakeholders of the party had also condemned the inauguration of Omodewu.

The National Secretary of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), John Akpan, was quoted to have said the purported state congress conducted on October 30, 2021 at Obafemi Awolowo Stadium (formerly Liberty Stadium), Ibadan was held in error and without Knowledge nor approval of the national caretaker chairman of the party, Mai Buni. He reportedly apologised to members for the error and it was resolved to complete the consensus election of a state chairman, which was said to have produced Gbadamosi as the state chairman.

In the same vein, Senator Ayo Adeseun, in a statement he signed and issued on behalf of the stakeholders, warned that the inauguration of Omodewu is a threat to the party in Oyo State as the enthronement of a minority group on a majority cannot stand and it will only lead to the party electoral disaster.
The stakeholders include Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Sunday Dare; former Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu; Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, representing Oyo North Senatorial District; the 2019 governorship candidate of APC in the state, Adebayo Adelabu; Chairman, National Lottery Commission, Fatai Ibikunle; Chairman, National Communication Commission, Pof Adeolu Akande; the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), Dr. Ismail Adewusi; Executive Secretary, National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Zacch Adedeji Adelabu; 2019 governorship aspirants of the party, Joseph Tegbe, And Azeez Adeduatan; as well as Murphy Olatunji.

The stakeholders and leaders of the party affirmed that there was no congress on which Omodewu could be returned as state chairman, wondering the basis on which the national secretariat could have issued Omodewu with a ‘Certificate of Return’ and vowed to use every legal means to return the party to majority of its members, who affirmed Alhaji Abubaker Adejare Gbadamosi as state chairman of the party.

Justice Professor C.A.Obiozor of the Federal High Court sitting in Benin City on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, convicted and sentenced one Moshood Kazeem to three years imprisonment for fraud.

Kazeem was arraigned on one count charge by the Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for fraudulent impersonation.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, on Tuesday, tackled the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, for saying that the judiciary should be held responsible for delays in the trial and delivery of judgements on corruption cases involving politically exposed individuals.

The CJN, in a statement that was signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Ahuraka Isah, accused Malami of selling a “one-sided” narrative to Nigerians.

Malami, who was a guest on Channels Television’s program, Politics Today, on Monday, had blamed the judiciary for the perceived delays in the conclusion of high-profile corruption cases.

He however boasted that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured over 2000 convictions.

Meanwhile, dissatisfied with Malami’s attack on the judiciary, the CJN, accused the Federal Government and its agencies of conducting shoddy investigations before rushing to court to file charges.

“More often than not, the Federal Government’s prosecution sector files more charges than it can prove or provide witnesses to prove, ostensibly at times for the prosecution to even fail.

“The Administration of Criminal Justice Act (2015) under reference is infected with sores in some parts, making speeding adjudications improbable in some instances, in addition to high volume of cases, limited number of judges, poor infrastructure or archaic equipment”, the CJN stated.

He said though the Nigerian judiciary was not out to lay claim to be perfect, “but when the political and economic conditions under which it is operating is compared with its counterparts in other climes, it would be adjudged a prized model.

“The judiciary by its constitutional position does not have criminal investigation unit or ‘’Fraud Detective Squad’’ to detect and investigate criminal involvement of any person, neither does it have a garrison command to fight its cause or enforce its orders and decisions”.

More so, the CJN, in the statement, noted that Malami had while giving reasons for the under-funding of the judiciary, said on January 26, 2022, at the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Justice Sector Summit 2022 in Abuja, that the judiciary has not been transparent in the spending of budgets allocated to it each fiscal year.

“Although judiciary has refrained from joining issues all this while, but to state the facts, in line with the budget call circular and ceiling the Federal Government sent to the judiciary before the commencement of the fiscal year, the judiciary prepares its budget estimates for capital, overhead cost and personnel cost according to the ceiling, needs and priority.

“The judiciary defends its budget before the senate and the House of Representatives Committees on Judiciary at the National Assembly, besides the initial vetting by the executive.

“The Judiciary has an internal mechanism for budget control and implementation. Each Court and judicial body has a budget unit, the account department, internal audit, Due Process Unit, as well as Departmental Tenders Board.

“There is also a Due Process Committee at the NJC and the Judicial Tenders Board that award contracts on expenditure above the approval limit of the accounting officers of the Courts and judicial bodies.

“These layers of control were established by the Judiciary to ensure transparency, accountability and effective budget implementation. The type of transparency that the Federal Government has stressed.

“Similarly, by virtue of Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution, the National Assembly carries out oversight visits to the Judiciary to monitor the implementation of its budget.

“Section 88(2)(b) also mandates the National Assembly to expose corruption, inefficiency or waste in the execution or administration of laws within its legislative competence and in the disbursement or administration of funds appropriated by it.

“The Executive also put in place some mechanism to monitor budget implementation and accountability in the Judiciary through its organs like the office of Accountant General of the Federation and Auditor General of the Federation and other agencies where the need arises.

“Apart from the internal audit units of the Judiciary, the Federal Audit Department maintains offices in all the courts and judicial bodies that monitor spending in the Judiciary.

“If the Federal Audit raises a query on any transaction and it is not well defended, it sends such to the Public Account Committees of the National Assembly. Officials of the Judiciary would be invited to explain themselves.

“The question to ask is who else should the Judiciary open its account books to, and who among these organs had raised exceptions which were not defended by the Third Arm? The answer is none.

“One only hopes that these allegations against the judiciary by the Federal Government is not just a way of giving a dog a bad name so as to then hang it”, the statement further read.

The Nigerian government has approached the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, asking it to discontinue the suit filed against Dr Ramon Adedoyin, the owner of the Hilton Hotel in Ile-Ife, Osun State, where a murdered postgraduate student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Timothy Adegoke, had lodged.

In the court document obtained by SaharaReporters on Tuesday, the Nigerian government which is the complainant notified the court that it was discontinuing the matter in a letter, titled, “Notice of Discontinuance of Charge No. CR/015/22 Brought pursuant to Section 108 of Administration of Criminal Act (ACJA) 2015.”

The notice reads, “Take notice that the Complainant discontinues all of the proceedings in this case against the above-named Defendants for further investigation, dated this 7th day of February 2022.”

The Nigerian police had in January 2022 filed charges against the owner of Hilton Hotel, Adedoyin, and others over the death of Timothy Adegoke.

Controversy has surrounded Adegoke’s death since he went missing lodging at Hilton Hotel and Resort in Ile-Ife, Osun State, following which his corpse was later found in a grave.

He was in the ancient city to sit an examination at the OAU Distance Learning Centre, Moro campus, when he was declared missing on November 7, 2021.

The defendants had been listed as Dr Ramon Adedoyin, Adedeji Adesola, Magdalene Chiefuna, Adeniyi Aderogba, Oluwale Lawrence, Oyetunde Kazeem, Adebayo Adekunle, Prince Raheem Adedoyin, Esther Asigoh and Quadiri Moshood.

Those the police said are still at large are Raheem Adedoyin, Esther Asigoh and Quadiri Moshood.

The discontinuation may be in connection with a letter written by human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, asking the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, to move the trial of the suspects to Osun State.

SaharaReporters on Monday reported that Falana, the lawyer representing the family of the slain master’s student of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Timothy Adegoke, asked that the trial of all suspects arrested in connection with the student’s death at the hotel be held in Osun State.

The lawyer had said the demand was made since none of the elements of the offence to be tried by the FCT High Court took place in Abuja.

The letter had partly read, “To our utter dismay, the arrested suspects have been arraigned before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory on a 7- count charge of conspiracy to commit murder, murder, conspiracy to commit improper or indecent interference with the body of the deceased, uttering and intent to destroy evidence under the Penal Code.

“However, as all the aforesaid criminal offences were said to have been committed at Ile-Ife you will agree with us that the suspects ought to have been charged before a court of competent jurisdiction in Osun State.

“Consequently, we are compelled to request you to use your good offices to ensure that the case file is handed over to the Attorney-General of Osun State to enable him to study same with a view to filing relevant charges against the suspects at the High Court of Osun State.

“Having demonstrated professionalism and unusual courage in the handling of the investigation of the case we are confident that you will not hesitate to accede to our request in the interest of justice. Otherwise, we shall not hesitate to institute legal proceedings to compel you to ensure that the criminal proceedings are instituted pursuant to the Criminal Code (34) Laws of Osun State.”

SaharaReporters also learnt that the discontinuation of the trial by the Nigerian government was only a face-saving measure used by the police as Tuesday had already been set for the bail application for the defendants and they were certain to get the bail.

“This discontinuation was a face-saving measure by the police. Today (Tuesday) had been selected for his bail application and he was certain to get bail,” a source revealed.

The Speaker of the Ebonyi House of Assembly, Francis Nwifuru and 16 other lawmakers have challenged the hearing of their defection suit before the Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Inyang Ekwo had fixed March 8 for judgment in a suit, praying the court to sack Governor David Umahi and lawmakers who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Nwifuru and his colleagues, in November 2020, defected from the PDP, alongside the Governor, for APC.

Reacting, the PDP filed a suit before Justice Ekwo, urging the court to declare the lawmakers’ seats vacant on account of alleged violation of Nigeria’s constitutional provision that forbids defection without justifiable reasons.

The party also filed a separate suit to challenge Umahi’s defection.

Governor Umahi had attributed his defection to the “injustice” done by the PDP to the south-eastern region of the country.

NAN reports that, in an originating summons marked FHC/ABJ/CS/920/2021, the PDP is praying the court to make a declaration that by defecting from the party on which the speaker and his colleagues were sponsored and elected as members of the Ebonyi House of Assembly, they have resigned or deemed to have resigned from office.

But, in their preliminary objection, the lawmakers, through their lawyer, Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume, SAN, contested the jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter.

Ume argued that since the defendants, comprising the lawmakers and the APC as well as the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) “are desirous of this suit being transferred to the Federal High Court” in Abakiliki, Ebonyi, on the ground that “all the parties either work or reside” in the state.

According to him, the hearing of this suit in Abuja will cause great inconvenience as well as occasion great financial loss to the defendants.

Mr Ume had argued in court papers filed on Jan. 26.

Citing civil procedure rules in the application filed on Jan. 26, the lawyer said, “By virtue of Section 22(1) of the Federal High Court Act, this court has the power to transfer a suit to any other judge of the court.”

He further contended that, “By virtue of Order 2 Rule 1(3) of the Federal High Court (civil procedure) Rules 2019, a suit should be commenced and determined in the judicial division in which the defendant resides or carries on substantial part of his business or in which the cause of action arose.”

Also, a commissioner in Ebonyi, Joseph Ekumankama, in an affidavit in support of a motion on notice, questioning the court’s jurisdiction in Abuja to hear and determine the suit, said the defendants had filed several requests seeking the transfer of the suit to Abakiliki division of the FHC but to no avail.

Ekumankama referred to the Jan. 19 proceedings of the presiding judge, Ekwo, where he “lumped the hearing and determination of the applicants’ motion on notice and all their other applications questioning the various aspects of the jurisdiction of the Court.

He argued further that the defendants’ applications touched on both the “territorial, cause of action and constitutional jurisdiction of the court.”

Also, the deponent recalled the filing of a similar suit by the PDP and one Fred Udeogu on July 26, 2021, in which they challenged the defendants’ defection to the APC.

Ekumankama said the Chief Judge of the FHC, John Tsoho, in September 2021, transferred the said suit to the Abakiliki judicial division of the court.

According to him, the cumulative effect of the refusal and failure to have transferred this suit as was done in the plaintiff’s earlier suit no: FHC/ABJ/CS/729/2021, is an act of discrimination.

In the affidavit dated Jan. 25, the Ebonyi commissioner noted that “these founded lack of confidence” by the defendants in “this proceeding is certainly vitiating this Hon Court of its inherent and absolute authority jurisdiction over the 2nd to 20th defendants/applicants.”

He pointed out that it would “occasion a miscarriage of justice for the court to determine the issue of transfer of this suit as well as the judgment on the merit or otherwise of the suit simultaneously, instead the ruling should be on a different day well separated from the day for hearing in the main suit.”

Similarly, the defendants’ lead counsel argued that Umahi was sworn-in by the Ebonyi cheif judge and not by the chief judge of the FHC, therefore, his removal from office could only be pursued through the state House of Assembly and High Court.

NAN reports that the governor and his deputy had approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja, seeking interpretation of some constitutional issues arising from the suit filed by the PDP.

The applicants in their motion urged the appellate court to restore the powers of the state high courts.

They argued that only courts clothed with the exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine the question as to whether the term of office of a member of the house of assembly of a state, a governor or deputy governor has ceased or become vacant.

Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin on Friday, February 4, 2022 convicted and sentenced 20-year-old Oyelowo Mayowa Fawas from Atiba Local Government Area of Oyo State to 12months imprisonment for offences bordering on cybercrime and possession of fraudulent funds.

The defendant was prosecuted on two counts by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the EFCC.
Oyelowo, among others things, disguised as ‘a white female professional prostitute’, practicing in the United States of America, to swindle his unsuspecting victims of various sums before the long arm of the law caught up with him.

Hoodlums suspected to be political thugs, on Thursday evening, attacked Oranmiyan House, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola’s campaign office located in Osogbo, Osun State capital.

The thugs, according to eyewitnesses, about five in number with guns, were allegedly shooting directly into the four-storey building.

The incident, according to eyewitnesses, happened around 5:20 pm on Thursday.

One of the local security operatives at the campaign house told DAILY POST that the hoodlums came with a Sienna vehicle shot rapidly and also attempted to set the building on fire.

The House of Representatives on Thursday adjourned plenary abruptly due to lack of order paper to guide the day’s proceedings.

A visibly angry Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, while adjourning the plenary, expressed disappointment over the development.

He asked that the officer in charge of the order paper be redeployed to another unit and replaced immediately.

The Speaker said: “We adjourned plenary till 11.00am today. This is 11.20 and the House cannot function without the order paper.

“Clerk, When I came in here, there was nobody on this roll. You were not here, your deputies were not here. What kind of a thing is that? What kind of thing is that?

“We are now forced to adjourn the House because of that. Everybody should see me in my office. The House is adjourned to Tuesday”.

POLICE PRESS RELEASE

MISCHIEF BY FIRE: APC STAND, PDP SECRETARIAT AND ATIKU FOR PRESIDENT
2023/NORTH EAST BUSINESS COMMUNITY

The Commissioner of Police Gombe State Command CP. Ishola Babatunde Babaita Psc FDMSS is miffed over the unfortunate incident where some unidentified miscreants at about 1130pm on 31st January, 2022 and early morning of 1st February 2022 burnt down APC Stand at Shongo Idrisa along Airport road, PDP State Secretariat opposite Bauchi Park and Atiku for President 2023 North East Business Community along Bauchi road.

The Command is using this medium to warn any person or group of persons to know that it is not yet time for political campaigns anyone found under any guise will be dealt with within the ambit of the law.

All aggrieved parties should remain calm and law abiding and give cooperation to the Command while effort is on top gear to unravel those behind the heinous act.

The Command, lastly wishes to advise the General Public and the good people of Gombe State to warn their wards to be wary of Politicians who may mislead them into political thuggery.

SP. OBED MARY MALUM
POLICE PUBLIC RELATION OFFICER

FOR: COMMISSIONER OF POLICE,
GOMBE STATE COMMAND

The EFCC Ibadan Zonal Command on Tuesday, February 1, 2022, secured the conviction of four internet fraudsters: Oseni Abolore Ismail, Popoola Samuel Ayomide, Shorinola Oluwatobiloba Michael and Akindele Kabiru Johnson Hammed before Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of the Federal High Court, Oshogbo, Osun State.

A Nigerian, Emeka Oparah, has been appointed Vice President, Corporate Communications & CSR, in Airtel Africa Plc.

Mr Oparah, who disclosed his new appointment in a Facebook post on Tuesday, has spent 19 and a half years working in Airtel Nigeria.

“Today, after 19 and a half years in Airtel Nigeria, I formally resumed a new position in Dubai, UAE, as the Vice President Corporate Communications & CSR, Airtel Africa Plc, with responsibility for 14 countries,” Mr Oparah said in the Facebook post.

“To all who supported me along the way as I journeyed in my career, I will forever be in debt of gratitude.

“All the glory goes to The Great Architect of the Universe,” he added.

Mr Oparah joined Airtel Nigeria as director, corporate communications in 2002 and was appointed Vice President, Corporate Communications & CSR for the telecommunication company in June 2011.

Before joining Airtel Nigeria, he worked at various times in the corporate affairs department of other telecoms – Econet Wireless, VMobile, Celtel Nigeria Limited, and Zain Nigeria.

Mr Oparah, a 1990 Mass Communication graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, is a communications and public relations specialist whose name over the years has become synonymous with corporate communication in the telecom sector in Nigeria.

He holds a post-graduate Diploma in International Public Relations from The Management School, London.

He is a member of the International Public Relations Association, International Association of Business Communicators, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, and Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria.

powerfulguy:

Yes ...why should they add consensus there?

Again, it is too close to Primaries

PRESS RELEASE

NPF ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, AMABUA MOHAMMED, APPOINTED FIRST FEMALE POLICE ADVISER FOR THE MULTINATIONAL JOINT TASK FORCE IN CHAD

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) of the Nigeria Police Force, ACP Amabua Ashe Mohammed has been appointed the Police Adviser for the Multinational Joint Task Force in N’Djamena, Chad. With this appointment, ACP Amabua becomes the first female Police Officer in history to hold the tasking position of coordinating policing activities, ensuring discipline and professionalism and providing advisory on the management and improved peace-building efforts, in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency by the Multinational Joint Task Force.

The Officer, who has a commendable professional record and vast experience in International Peacekeeping Operations, has served in several peacekeeping missions spanning through two decades. She was a member of the Nigerian contingent to the United Nations Mission in Kosovo in the year 2000, the African-led International Support Mission to Mali in the year 2013, amongst others, where she distinguished herself severally and earned the prestigious United Nations Medal for professionalism.

ACP Amabua, legal adviser and prosecutor, is an expert peace builder and versatile community policing advocate. She is a graduate of Law from the University of Maiduguri and Master’s degree holder in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos. She has also attended several professional courses and trainings on Human Rights and Rule of Law advocacy and mentoring as well as mission field coordination and safety.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc (+), NPM, fdc, while congratulating the officer on the new feat, enjoined her to bring her wealth of experience to bear in advancing the mission and service delivery of the MNJTF. He noted that the appointment of ACP Amabua is a testimony of various commitment and contributions by Officers of the Force in the fight against insurgency and ensuring community peace and safety in Nigeria and across the globe.

The Officer has since resumed duty.

CP FRANK MBA
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FORCE HEADQUARTERS
ABUJA

January 31, 2022

A Magistrate’s Court sitting at Nomansland area of Kano, has remanded a former Kano State commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mu’azu Magaji, at a correctional centre in the state.

Magaji is facing a four-count charge, bordering on defamation of character, intentional insult, injurious falsehood and inciting disturbance against Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

Daily Trust reports that youths had earlier staged protest in the court, a situation that caused delay in the sitting of the court.

But when the matter was finally called, Magaji pleaded not guilty to all the charges said to be in contravention of Sections 392, 399 and 114 of the Administration of Criminal Justice of Kano State 1999.

The magistrate, Aminu Gabari, then ask the defendant whether he knew the meaning of defamation of character to which the former commissioner answered no.

The judge explained that part of the First Information Report (FIR) is accusing Magaji of posting Ganduje’s picture on Facebook with a lady, which portrayed the governor of having extra-marital affairs but Magaji denied the allegations.

However, after objecting the bail application made by Magaji’s counsel, the magistrate ordered that the former commissioner be remanded at a correctional centre until Thursday when ruling will be delivered on the bail application.

Magaji’s arraignment earlier fixed for January 28, 2021, could not hold because his lawyer, Gazzali Ahmad, argued that his client temporarily lost his ability to hear following the accident that happened when police attempted to arrest him in Abuja.

The magistrate had then ordered him to be remanded at the police hospital in Kano, where he received medical attention.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Enugu Zonal Command on Friday, January 28, 2022, returned eleven houses recovered in different parts of Enugu to Chief Arthur Eze.

The properties were recovered by the EFCC from the duo of Olisaebuka Okechukwu Eze and Onyeka Nnadozie Eze, administration and finance manager respectively in Arthur Eze’s firm, accused of criminal breach of trust and diversion of funds belonging to the business mogul.

Investigation established that the duo who are also nephew of Chief Eze, used proceeds of their alleged criminal activities to acquire choice properties in Enugu and other parts of South Eastern Nigeria.

The Commission in the course of the investigation initiated a forfeiture proceedings against the two company officials before Justice I.M Buba of the Federal High Court, Enugu, which granted an interim Order of forfeiture of the said properties, directing the defendants to show cause why the properties should not be finally forfeited.

In the absence of any contrary information, the Court on October 18, 2021, ordered that the properties be finally forfeited and returned to the nominal complainant, Chief Arthur Eze.

Receiving the properties in Enugu, on January 28, Chief Eze expressed gratitude to the EFCC for ensuring that justice is served. In his words, “I am grateful to the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa, the Zonal Commander and all your men who fought for justice to be served.

“I am aware that, at some point, your men risked their lives for this cause. I pray that God who has been keeping you will always protect you. I am here in person to thank you for all that you did for me when those whom I call my own, stole from me”.

The Zonal Commander, Mr. Oshodi Johnson who handed the properties to the businessman, commended the investigative and prosecution teams as well as the judiciary for ensuring that justice is served in the case.

Troops of 25 Task Force Brigade Damboa, Borno State in conjunction with members of civilian JTF during a clearance operation today 30 January 2022 destroyed BHT/ISWAP camp at Bala Maduri. The camp was burnt down and several equipment were recovered.

When a cowardly hypocritical man Professor Yemi Osinbajo wants to scam you he starts to talk about things he doesn't stand for! Mr. #MinimeBuhari sat as Vice President of a country (Nigeria) for 7 years straight, under his watch corruption is thriving, religious bigotry became state policy, oppression and repression is unprecedented, unemployment, poverty and misery is now "constitutional."

He served a President that believed ONLY in inequality! He never said a word as people were mauled, households destroyed with dedication by his regime! Scammer!!! #Neveragain #WeCantContinueLikeThis #Revolutionnow

Pandemonium broke out at the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, Kwara State, on Saturday, as gunmen attacked the school and shot sporadically.

The gunmen, suspected to be officers of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), can be seen in a video obtained by FIJ arriving the school premises in a white bus and shooting as students flee to safety.

A source in the institution told FIJ that some days ago, students had resisted attempts by the NDLEA to arrest some of them, and this was a retaliation by the agency.

However, when FIJ contacted Okasanmi Ajayi, Kwara State police spokesman, he said he was aware of the incident but it did not involve the NDLEA.

“Students were protesting, so the police were deployed to the area,” Ajayi told FIJ. “I am not aware of any gunmen, but the Kwara police arrived the institution to calm things.”

Former Lagos State Governor and National leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, travelled abroad for meetings and consultations, his media aide has told Nigerians.

Tinubu’s spokesman, Tunde Rahman, also confirmed that his principal travelled overseas to hold some meetings and further consultations in line with his 2023 presidential ambition.

The aide on Friday, said the APC stalwart would return to Nigeria next week.

He said, “Asiwaju’s trip to the UK (United Kingdom) is not to rest or because of any illness. While abroad, Asiwaju is maintaining a vigorous schedule of meetings and consultations on a range of important matters.

“Whether at home or abroad, the daily schedule of Asiwaju is vibrant and full. Most people couldn’t sustain his high level of activity. This speaks to his exceptional intellectual energy and his commitment to achievement."

“Asiwaju will return to Nigeria next week once this set of meetings and talks abroad is completed,” he added.

Tinubu had stayed in the United Kingdom for over three months in 2021 when he underwent surgery and therapy for knee injury.

But he, however, returned to the country in October 2021 after which he also travelled to some parts of the country including Oyo, Niger, and Zamfara states to widen consultations for his political ambition.

The health condition of the APC chieftain has become a subject of controversy in recent times with many Nigerians contemplating if the former Lagos State governor would not go the way of perennially sick President Muhammadu Buhari.

Tinubu’s supporters had argued that he is not older than the current President of the United States, Joe Biden, 79; and his predecessor, Donald Trump, 75.

A bullion van belonging to a yet-to-be-disclosed bank was on Thursday afternoon attacked along the Otor-Owhe section of the Ughelli/Asaba Dual carriageway in Isoko North council area, Delta State.

They were unconfirmed reports the hoodlums carted away an undisclosed amount of money.

It was gathered that they shot sporadically into the air and sprayed bullets on the van during a shootout with operatives.

Residents were said to have scampered for safety following the heavy shootings.

Fortunately, no casualty was recorded.

Delta Police spokesman DSP Bright Edafe confirmed the attack.

He however clarified that the money carted away were “condemned currencies which were being conveyed to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)”.

He added that the hoodlums escaped with gunshot injuries in the ensuing gun duel with policemen.

President Muhammadu Buhari has called off his trip to Zamfara State over what insiders called “bad weather”.

LEADERSHIP earlier reported President Buhari’s trip to Sokoto State on Thursday where he commissioned a three million metric tonnes per annum BUA Cement Sokoto Line 4 Factory.

The President was billed to visit the neighbouring Zamfara State, which is bedeviled by banditry, for other functions.

Sources, however, told LEADERSHIP that the President has returned to Abuja after calling off the Zamfara trip.