₦airaland Forum

By Akin Oyedele and Friday Olokor, Abuja   
Friday, 17 Sep 2010
 

Scores of tertiary institution students and human rights activists marched through the streets of Abuja and stopped at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abuja, in protest against the presidential ambition of military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida on Thursday.

The development came barely 24 hours after the former military leader declared his ambition to contest the 2011 presidential election under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The protesters also queried the rationale behind the exclusion of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo from those slated to stand trial for the $180m Halliburton bribery scandal saga.

A statement by the anti-IBB protesters, under the umbrella of National Association of Nigerian Students, Joint Campus Committee, Ondo/Ekiti axis, said that the general was not the answer to the country’s problems.

The statement by the Chairman, Gbenga Oyebode, and Secretary, Adebayo Olumide, said students were concerned about what would be their fate in the event that Babangida became the country’s president.

The group itemised alleged infractions committed against the country during the eight-year regime of the former leader.

Some of these were alleged bastardisation of the economy, political destabilisation, corruption, human rights abuse and illegal closure of tertiary institutions.

The statement reads in part, “On this ground, Nigerian students of JCC, Ondo/Ekiti states axis, call on President Goodluck Jonathan to set up another sincere and transparent panel that will see to the allegations against IBB.

“If found guilty, he should be penalised according to the law. We shall organise ourselves (in protest), even in the South-West in general, to drive home our position on his ambition if the Presidency refuses to do something to probe IBB.

“We want to ask, if he has no skeleton in his cupboard, why he refused to appear before the Justice Chukwudifu Oputa panel to defend the entire allegations levelled against him.”

The arrowhead of the joint protest, Legal Practitioners and Anti-corruption Crusaders wants the FG to compel the EFCC to bring those connected with the Halliburton scandal to justice, including Obasanjo.

Addressing a joint press conference with the students’ leaders, the group issued a 14-day ultimatum to the FG to start the trial of the Halliburton suspect or face their wrath.

It threatened to embark on a nationwide comprehensive campaign for a mass boycott of the 2011 election, as well as to call on the international community to cease all anti-corruption collaborations with the country after the expiration.

The group said, “Jonathan, in a bid to shore up his wanting anti-corruption profile decided to arraign few scapegoats among those alleged to have benefitted from the $180m Halliburton bribe.

“It is, therefore, a matter of concern that the President keeps shielding Obasanjo and his co-beneficiaries even after the United States has said the FG has enough information to act on.”

The group said it had initiated a legal action at a Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking an order to compel the EFCC to commence the process for the prosecution of all those named in the Halliburton scandal.





In a leaflet circulated by another group of students claiming to come from Bwari campus of Nigerian Law School, under the aegis of Arewa Students Forum and Arewa Citizens Action for Change also want Obasanjo probed.

It reads, “$130m Halliburton scandal: Why is Obasanjo excluded? Who are the real culprits; tell the children the truth now. Impoverishing the nation through outright stealing by leaders must stop.

“We have a life to live, but they say only the rouge shall survive and EFCC turns the other way. Government war on corruption will remain elusive until criminal justice is made equitable.”

“Following persistent call by the civil society organisation for his prosecution over the Halliburton matter, Obasanjo had on May 29 written Jonathan, asking him to unmask the suspects in the matter.

He also denied the allegation that he benefitted from the slush fund.

Obasanjo had said, “Except for the payment of $2.5m to Chief Dan Etete, under the false identity of ‘Omoni Amafegha,’ allegedly in the context of the purchase of five per cent of the shares in Malabu, no payment to high (ranking) Nigerian official has been identified yet.

“Nor has examination of bank accounts (of suspects) shown any important cash withdrawal.

“Unless such elements are found, it will be impossible to obtain the conviction of Mr. Jeffrey Tesler and forfeiture of the frozen monies in favour of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“It is my hope that the content of this letter would bring about a decision of the FG to make available to the public the full details of the circumstances surrounding the Halliburton bribe scandal and who, if anybody, are the culprits.”

Asked to react to the protest of the group on the Halliburton matter, the Chairman of the EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri, said, “The protesters should know that it is the office of the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice that is now in charge. We have done our own aspect.”

hhhhhmmmmm i luv dat film, the characters, effect, sooo onnn.

still waiting 4 season ii

Another Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) official has been killed by gunmen, six months after one, Edoga Eze, was gunned down in Imo State on his way back from court together with his colleagues.

EFCC Head of Forensic Unit, Abdulahi Muazu, was assassinated in the wee hours of Tuesday in his residence in Kaduna.

A statement issued by the EFCC condemning the murder also accused the Rivers State Government of sponsoring attacks on its officials and office in Port Harcourt.

EFCC Spokesman Femi Babafemi, who signed the statement, said Muazu was killed in a cruel manner by unknown assailants.

“Those behind this attack may have succeeded in killing a strategic hand and a key witness in some of our ongoing cases but their act has failed to dampen our spirit or deter us from continuing our investigation and prosecution of all forms of economic crimes and corruption in the country,” Babafemi stressed.

EFCC Chairman Farida Waziri has directed a team of operatives from the headquarters to go to Kaduna and assist the security agencies in the investigation of the murder.

Babafemi alleged that “public funds are again being diverted in Rivers State to sponsor attacks on our men and office in Port Harcourt. These attacks are to begin with the mobilisation of 1,000 persons from each of the 23 local government areas of the state to stage a protest against the EFCC on September 15.

“This is to be followed by yet another protest by various women groups rejecting the presence of the EFCC in the state. The real motive behind these sponsored protests is to set ablaze the Commission’s zonal office in Port Harcourt in a desperate bid to cripple (its) activities in the state and the entire South South.”

However, the EFCC gave an assurance that while it will continue to do its work within the ambit of the law, it has the right to defend itself and its officials against hirelings paid to attack them under the guise of staging protests.

“The EFCC remains a creation of the laws of the Nigerian Federation and as such, no force of gangsterism in any part of the country will stop it from carrying out its statutory responsibilities.”

Waziri had on March 21 launched a counter offensive with the argument that the attacks on her and other EFCC officials, which led to the death of Eze, were politically motivated.

“I am a frustrated woman,” she lamented, saying the EFCC lacked the enabling environment to function effectively.

Five EFCC operatives were on March 19 attacked on the Mbano-Okigwe Road on their way to Enugu.

They were returning from Owerri where they had attended court proceedings in a case involving Albert, the husband of the former Aviation Minister, Kema Chikwe.

Albert is being tried for an alleged N40 million fraud.

Waziri told a press conference at EFCC headquarters in Abuja on March 21 that she was alerting the nation of a grand plot by unscrupulous elements to embarrass the Commission and its leadership.

She said this was done through false publications, campaigns of calumny and of rumours.

She added that the EFCC personnel were ambushed and shot by about 15 hired assassins on their way from the Federal High Court, Owerri.

“It is with deepest regret that the Commission lost one of its officers in the unfortunate incident. Two other staff were critically injured in the attack and are currently receiving treatment in a hospital.

“In a manner typical of cowards, the officers were trailed from the court premises by the assailants who later opened fire on them along Okigwe Road,” Waziri recounted.

She vowed, however, that no amount of threats or attacks on the staff of the EFCC by the “highly placed Politically Exposed Persons” would deter them from prosecuting the war against corruption.

“While we pray that the soul of the departed rests in perfect peace and that the injured receive a very quick recovery, we wish to assure all Nigerians and indeed the international community that the resolve and determination of the Commission to bring all corrupt elements in the country to justice can never be shaken by acts of intimidation and blackmail.”

Waziri maintained that the fight against corruption is at the centre of governance in Nigeria, the EFCC cannot, therefore, shy away from such an important responsibility because of threats “by the very people whose conduct has inflicted unimaginable damage on the economy, and avoidable poverty on our people at large.”

She described herself as a “frustrated woman” as the EFCC does not have the tools to work with.

“I am a frustrated woman. I asked for a Special Court and it is not forthcoming. The cases are being stalled. The Asset Forfeiture Bill that was put together was thrown out by the National Assembly.”

Heh! Dis joke is just ,
2much!
@studio y re u so diff.
Kai! U blind!

true talk @Studio is dumb, (so where is d joke) dats his language

it is real

IS IT FOR REAL

www.bunibuni.com

am not sure he slap his dad, n if its true. hhhhhhhhhhmmmmmm

HE'S ORIGINA BASTARD

well is a good idea, but dats not d solution 2 nigeria problem.

they should bann unemployment 1st

is like u urself u like eating outside instead of cooking 4 both of u, though nting is wrong 4 him 2 take u out to eatries bt u cant expect dis 2 happen everi time, n if u dnt knw how 2 cook beta go n learn it n cook nice food 4 u n ur boifriend, stop thinkin out go to eatry or buka always, u r a woman u r goin to marry one day, will u be buying eatry food 4 ur hubby? so pls dear sister go n learn how to cook, it wl be good for u.

cheerss

pls i need amala and ewedu soup with cat fish

u r a maga 4 life, imagine someone u gv ur office address came to visit u some hours later, she showed up, wat u ddnt plan 4 b4, or wat? she came 2 ur office n with 2 guys, abi? d nxt thin shes tlkin abt 11k 4 transport why dnt 2 tell her 2 sit down 2 entertain her, since she came visiting not 2 fight or watever, she collect d 11k n comot abi? ur story is nt geniue my guy, even if its u r a mungun 4 real, hhhmmmm i pity u eeennn how come u knw later dat she stays around ur office n wen u find out wad dd u do? sara money, idiot. maga no fit finish.

those needed 4 d jobs are @ home sleeping while they are suffering all this people are just in doin rubbish exams, they already recruit their people they are goin 2 use 4 their selfish interest.

i only pity those people inside the hot sun.

kai nigerians we don blind,

best counselor ever on the thread, [color=#550000][/color]


abi i jst think he shld go n c those ash***weo 4 d best intimacy service, so to save d poor gal's future.

Boogey(man),a 16 year old girl should be in high school or even finished-depending on when she started so if you love her encourage to focus on her studies instead of intimacy.[color=#006600][/color]

but if u knw u cnt control ur shot middle n ur intimacy thin is driving u crazy, den i cn recommend u 2 go n f***ck ash****wo is it only cost u money n save d gals virginity.

Too quiet on what ground? is he a politician or will he go to the street and start flogging all these irresponsible act of our so called politician? Pls he is a man of his own and a man of God let him go on as he is doing and have his peace of mind. Quiet or talking is not the answer to Nigeria problem the nation political arena has failed the populace if even Baba Adeboye started talking belief me they wont listen infact they will even go after him so all we need is to come back to the basis and make a mend if not too late and left Baba Adeboye out of this.[color=#990000][/color]

i support ur comment jare, let baba be. d only thing i knw he can do is to pray 4 our country n 4 those on top dat called themselves leaders.

interesting

L N G in NL pls if there is ani issue to tackle or to advice, says ur part or contribution nt to start abusin or causing each other is unfair. what is in my mind mit not be in ur mind coz we r different pple wt diferent style, n our thinking ar not desame, pls stop abusing or causing, am sure if dis issue now is face 2 face not online i cn bet it most of u wl nt tlk. some one wil jst come 2 contribute course and abusive words instead of sayin beta thin n dis is bcoz no one is seeing each other.

Angel michael ko, angel aliyu ni.

Confusion of a failed State !!!

The best thing for Dr. Jonathan is to stay out of the elections and conduct a proper election for the contestants. That will be his legacy. He shouldn't even join anybody as VP.

gd advice, cool

There is no link to this story, and how do we know the question that was asked him before he said what he said. Many other guys, including these critics, spend more than the plantain boy on their girlfriends. I don't see the need for all these criticism or is it because he used the word "salary"?
Please stop mentioning Gravity here, does the fact that Kelly Hansome sang negative about Mo'hits make Wande and D'banj fools, illiterates or unwise spenders? If you know other things Timaya does with his money, most of these crap won't be said.

thnks joo. u said it all, pple shld stop all dis crap abt Timaya, let him be.

pls omotola nyash wen don expire na im you still call sexy.at rita can ware a swimmiming trunk or swim wear to show her beautiful skin but omtola no fit make she unclothed or wear swim wear whether every body no go run 4kids my nyash


u don c her yansh b4 u open ur mouth gboa dey tlk, abi u wan tell me say u don c all her pics finish. ode

shes active in any role dat comes her way, she can play iya arugbos role, she can play bad girl, nice girl, even street hawk gal, bt genny dou shes hot too, but her role in move is one way, i mean nice guy always or mums pet dat fall in luv.

hersafety air bag is even active. do touch it.

i gv it to Beambor gal,

spot d different between d monks

my fine ugly guy

Ete panpa

naija people u dis dat Mr. Gorilla and OBJ, ar u sure say dat Gori no be im Cousin? coz d resemblance is 3much aba kai.

As for Kemistry dou she gt dis kani sex eyes but wowo na wowo, u c dats pics? dats make up 4 u?

tlk abt Azeezat infact i like dat her ponmo lips, it wl good 4 chewing.

Omoba baba my guy its just dat his face wey be like lai sugar baffles me alot.

What is the use of having a woman who doesn’t know how to cook my food properly? It is so bad that if I don’t go out, I give my mother or sisters money to make my food. I have tried to make her change but she is very adamant, preferring to do what she likes.

She goes to fast food joints to buy food, garnish it for me to eat. Because I have stopped complaining as well as attempts to make her learn, she has started accusing me of having girlfriends. This prompted her to come to my office to disgrace one of my female colleagues she thought I was dating. But for the benevolence of my boss who has natural likeness and respect for me, I would have been sacked. He covered up the whole incident. Also my female colleague is a very matured mind, didn’t take offence at all.

The same cannot be said of my neighbour she accused of trying to break her home. It was a real show of shame as this woman descended on my wife and gave her the beating of a lifetime. It became a Police matter prompting the landlord to give me quit notice.

I have complained to her parents who have severally tried to talk sense into her head. The father, a very forthright man, right in my presence heaped the entire blame on my mother-in-law that he indicted for not teaching her daughters the right things to do as a woman.

He has kept pleading with me to be patient and even suggested she goes for some cooking lessons.

There are several things in the house she doesn’t know how to do. It is just that I have decided, for the sake of peace, to ignore these things. I have also deliberately kept my family out of this, because I know what my mother is capable of, if given the free reign, to interfere.

But at every point, I kept meeting with disappointment. We have been married for two years with no child. One would have expected her to be the anxious one, but she isn’t. And because I didn’t want to get her worried I refused to dwell on the matter only for me to discover that my wife who should be worried is actually on birth control pills. When I discovered the pills where she hid them on the side of her wardrobe when I was looking for a wrapper to cover her up during the fight with my neighbour, she didn’t deny it, insisting she wasn’t ready to be a mother now. Shouldn’t I be informed over such an important matter? This has really shattered me and as well make me doubt her motive for marrying me. Would a woman in love with her husband be this callous and adamant?

I don’t know what to make of all these. I am nearing my wits exhaustion in this marriage. I really don’t know if I still love her or not.

Please help me because right now I feel like ending it all. Because of her peace seems to have deserted me completely. I don’t want to die before my time.

even 2face himself knws dat Akon is like Godfather to him in terms of everitin, am sure 2face will vote for Akon if only he can c dis on nairaland. am sure 100% sure he will vote for him dat he is d best.

Akon gbaski 4 u. tua le

after 3 issues, she still stand fit, even persona wey nva born sef no fit stand beside her. bt 4 Rita, she look like doll baby.

[We all know without a doubt that Omotola brush and over brush Rita by 500%

Haba, see question, even back in the days of "thorns of Rose" wen omotola still be pikin, she still fine pass rita.

When rita start back in those gbidigbi years wey she bleach her hair red, infact she bi wowo dat time, now money don make am fine.

I don yan finish ]

:PWe all know without a doubt that Omotola brush and over brush Rita by 500%

Haba, see question, even back in the days of "thorns of Rose" wen omotola still be pikin, she still fine pass rita.

When rita start back in those gbidigbi years wey she bleach her hair red, infact she bi wowo dat time, now money don make am fine.

I don yan finish


dat na tru yan