₦airaland Forum

Was there a census? Nigeria is a joker.

I will not doubt the story. Most Nigerian pastors and bishops, especially the so-called pentecostal ones,  are thieves. Those buying airplanes from money obtained by deceiving their members with prosperity preaching are also included in this categorization.

Maduekwe Probes N1.5bn Fuel Allocation
03.22.2009

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Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, has ordered a probe into the N1.5 billion allocated for the purchase of generator fuel in some diplomatic missions abroad.
The allocation is contained in this year’s Federal Government budget as approved by the National Assembly.
“I have directed an investigation into that.  If it is true that money has been budgeted for missions in countries that do not have power failure at all, I do not want to preempt the outcome,'' Maduekwe told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
He added: “But any evidence of wrongdoing is going to attract the severest sanctions that the rules permit. I intend to go to the root of this.''
The minister pointed out that the probe became necessary not just because of the amount involved but also as a result of its `strange' capture in the budget.
According to the breakdown of the ministry's budget for 2009, the highest allocation of N6 million each was set aside for the missions in Jakarta and Pretoria.
Others are Berlin, N5.5 million; London, N4.1 million; Washington, N2.8 million and Atlanta, N2 million.
Meanwhile, a retired diplomat, who sought anonymity, told NAN that problems such as this arose from the flawed budgeting process.
According to him, funds are often voted for projects and programmes that are either not necessary or do not reflect the actual needs and priorities of government Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
He noted that in some missions’ host countries where primary and secondary education was free for diplomats and their children, government still voted huge sums as school fees at the expense of critical needs of the missions such as payment for electricity, gas and telephone.
“Missions are by law not permitted to vire from one over-funded subhead with surplus funds to others not adequately funded. There is the need, therefore, for a radical reform of the budgetary process to address the chronic problem of under-funding and misallocation of resources to the missions,'' he added

Sordid Tales Of How Nigeria Was Looted

THE modus operandi of the 'Abacha criminal organisation' and efforts by Nigeria to identify and retrieve funds looted by the late General Sani Abacha and associates are the focus of an upcoming book on Recovering Stolen Assets.

It is edited by Mark Pieth of the Basel Institute on Governance and published by Peter Lang, to be released later in the year.

A chapter of the book is written by Enrico Monfrini, the Federal Government lawyer in proceedings in 10 jurisdictions (countries) against members of the Abacha family and their associates.

It stated that the government used a combination of sending requests for mutual assistance and lodging criminal complaints for money laundering in jurisdictions "where assets of the Abacha criminal organisation had been identified or were suspected to be."

"This strategy resulted in the freezing of about $2 billion in 10 jurisdictions, of which to date, $1.2 billion has been recovered by Nigeria through mutual assistance, forfeiture or settlements," it said.

Countries identified as holding some of the looted funds include Switzerland, Luxembourg, United Kingdom, Liechtenstein and Jersey.

In addition, mutual assistance and/or criminal proceedings have been initiated in Austria, the Bahamas, Belgium, the Cayman Islands, France, Germany, Kenya and the United States.

The road to identifying and recovering some of the looted funds was paved by the Abdulsalami Abubakar regime, when on July 23, 1998, it set up a Special Investigation Panel (SIP) with the task of investigating the looting and corruption that took place during the Abacha government.

The panel, headed by Deputy Commissioner, Peter Gana of the Special Fraud Unit of the Nigeria Police, published a preliminary report in November 1998, which focused on the crimes for which evidence could be found in Nigeria, notably the systematic pillage of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The report described the modus operandi of the looters thus:


General Sani Abacha directed Ismaila Gwarzo, his National Security Adviser, to present him with false funding requests for security operations or equipment, which he had the power to authorise.

Funds were mostly directly remitted in cash - $1,131 million and �413 million or in travellers' cheques $50 million and �3.5 million - by the Central Bank of Nigeria to Ismaila Gwarzo, who then had most of the funds taken to General Sani Abacha's house.

From there, they were taken by his oldest son, Mohammed Abacha, and laundered through Nigerian banks or by Nigerian or foreign businessmen to offshore accounts belonging to Mohammed Abacha, Abba Abacha, Abdulkadir Abacha and Abubakar Bagudu.

The book stated that Nigeria had long been plagued by corruption, but under General Abacha, corrupt practices became blatant and systematic.
"Funds were removed in cash from the Central Bank, sometimes by the truckload, and taken out of the country by members of the Abacha family and their associates.

"Inflated public contracts were also awarded to members of the Abacha family and/or their associates," it added.

Stressing that though many were aware at the time of the exceptional level of corruption of the Abacha regime, the full extent of the practice and the modus operandi of those crimes were only revealed to the general public after the end of the dictatorship and the investigations that followed.

The book stated that in a limited number of cases (36 transfers, totalling $386 million), the money was transferred directly from the Central Bank of Nigeria by wire to bank accounts abroad.

Such accounts were held by offshore companies, belonging either to members of the Abacha criminal organisation or to Nigerian or foreign businessmen, who then remitted the same sums to members of the organisation.

At least $1,491 million and �416 million had thus been found by the SIP to be embezzled by the Abacha criminal organisation.

The book also revealed that during the first stages of the SIP investigation, a large quantity of assets and cash was seized in Nigeria or returned to the Nigerian authorities. Other illegally acquired assets were also identified.

It said that Gen. Abubakar, in order to give a legal basis to the forfeiture of these assets, issued the Forfeiture of Assets, Etc, (certain Persons) Decree No. 53 of 16 May 1999.

This decree ordered the return to Nigeria of real property and movable assets, as well as cash, that had been acquired and held illegally by:


General Sani Abacha;

certain members of his government (notably Ismaila Gwarzo, National Security Adviser, Anthony A. Ani, Minister of Finance and Bashir Dalhatu, Minister of Power and Steel);

certain members of his family (notably Mohammed Abacha and Abdulkadir Abacha); and

other third parties (Abubakar Bagudu and Abdulazeez Arisekola Alao).

"More than $800 million was thus returned to Nigeria as a result of this measure with Mohammed Abacha, Abba Abacha and Abubakar Bagudu returning $635 million and �75 million," it said.
Interestingly, according to the book, no evidence whatsoever of corruption could be found in Nigeria, although it was well known that Gen. Abacha, "in exchange for granting his approval for contracts of over $50,000, was taking bribes, representing up to 40 per cent of the contract price."

"This proved to be due to the fact that all corrupt payments were made from offshore bank accounts of the contractors to offshore bank accounts of members of the Abacha criminal organisation," it said.

However, on the basis of evidence gathered in Nigeria, 115 counts of charges of receiving stolen property (Article 317 Penal Code Law) were filed at the High Court, Abuja, against Mohammed Abacha and Abubakar Bagudu.

Additional charges of 68 counts were filed at the High Court against Mohammed Abacha and Abba Abacha, the two oldest surviving sons of Gen. Abacha.

Though these criminal proceedings are currently stalled by objections and appeals lodged by Mohammed Abacha, the Abuja Court of Appeal found in 2005 that Mohammed Abacha could not claim any immunity from prosecution based on Decree No. 53 of 1999.

He could also not claim 'sovereign immunity' that his father allegedly enjoyed. An appeal is still pending before the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

The book regards the Abacha case a "success story" not only because of the amounts recovered so far ($2 billion, with $1.2 billion internationally), "but because the recoveries were obtained through the mutual co-operation of prosecutors, examining magistrates and police in several jurisdictions."

It credited this success to the extraordinary political will by successive Nigerian governments, to pursue the investigations and recovery efforts, "despite efforts to destabilise by members of the Abacha criminal organisation, who were still rich and powerful."

It also commends the efforts of co-operating authorities, to assist Nigeria to recover the proceeds of crimes committed at its expense.

Book noted that by so doing, those authorities "deemed that it was in the public interest to investigate and prosecute the acts of fraud, money laundering and participation in a criminal organisation that had taken place within their respective jurisdictions on a very large scale."


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I’ll remain a fisherman for life, says Argungu winner 
Written by Bashir Yahuza Malumfashi & Musa Diso     
Saturday, 21 March 2009 
Forty-five-year-old Malam Abubakar Dadu Tarasa is the overall winner of the recently concluded Argungu Annual Fishing Festival. In an exclusive interview with our reporters, he stated that he is not planning to ditch his profession of fishing. Rather, he would use whatever he gained from the event to boost the trade.

You emerged as the winner of this year’s Argungu Fishing Festival. How do    you feel? Malam Abubakar: I thank Allah, the Most High for it because I believe my success is entirely from Him and I regard it as an important achievement in my life. I would not say anything better than render my thanks to Allah for giving me the chance in life to witness this event and my parents and other well wishers that assisted me toward achieving success in my endevours.

Before embarking to join this competition, did you have an inkling that you’d be the overall winner?

Abubakar: By Allah, in His ultimate sovereignty, I never envisaged anything like this to happen to me in my life because if you observe the event, more than thirty thousand fishermen took part in the competition. Therefore, I will never forget that day in my life due to the fact that it was the day I became famous, not only in Nigeria alone but the world over. This has encouraged me to continue to take part in this competition.

When you were receiving the prize and you received a handshake from the President of this country, how did that make you feel?

Abubakar: It was a great thing because it has uplifted my status from a common man that lives in Turasa Ward of Birnin Kebbi, to a champion that drew the attention of not only national but international community. This is indeed a historical and joyful event in my life that I will never forget.

We learnt that you have received some financial reward as part of your prizes. Do you have any plan on how to spend it?

Abubakar: In the first place, my ambition is to assist my brothers, sisters and friends within my new financial position. Secondly, I want expand my fishing profession and to continue practicing fishing for life.

Ukraine-based Nigerian pastor in fraud charges

EZRA IJIOMA

Flambouyant Nigerian pastor and apparently Ukraine’s most prominent Pentecostal leader, Sunday Adelaja, has been indicted on fraud charges. Pastor Adelaja is the senior pastor of the largest church in the Ukraine, "The Embassy of the Blessed Kingdom of God for All Nations, Kiev."

The Ukrainian Interior Ministry has accused him of defrauding citizens of money, the ministry’s Department for Media Liaison and International Activity said. Sunday Champion gathered that the amount is over $100m.

"The investigator has brought charges against Nigerian citizen Sunday Adelaja, who permanently resides in Ukraine and is a senior pastor at the Embassy of God church. The charges were brought under Part 4, Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (the embezzlement of funds in very large amounts via fraud)," the ministry said.

Last month, several church members went to authorities saying they were unable to recover the money they invested, which left many of them bankrupt. Police later arrested one of King’s Capital leaders, Aleksandr Bandurchenko, on suspicion of fraud.

Speculation about Adelaja’s involvement with King’s Capital grew after reports surfaced that he was part of a bank in Nigeria known as GS Microfinance Bank Limited. Some speculated that Adelaja, a native of Nigeria, invested funds from King’s Capital in the African bank and planned to leave the country.

Adelaja, however, said those accusations are unfounded. He said he has never been involved with King’s Capital but denied that it is a Ponzi scheme, which uses later investments to pay dividends to earlier investors.

He said King’s Capital was a legitimate business that failed under the pressure of the global financial crisis. He said because the company poured most of the investment capital into real estate, which decreased in value, it has been unable to pay investors.

"When the economic crisis came, all the real estate is no more selling. The land is enough to pay back the money owed. , The problem is , everything is stopped in the country--nothing is selling now in Ukraine,’’ he said.

Adelaja said Interior Affairs Minister Yurii Lutsenko accused the church of involvement because he wants to undermine the evangelical movement in Ukraine. With several thousand members across the nation, God’s Embassy is one of the most influential congregations in Ukraine.

"(Lutsenko) is in a very bad situation," Adelaja said. "He’s got to prove now that (King’s Capital) is a pyramid scheme, but he cannot."

Adelaja said he never encouraged his church members to invest in the company and cautioned them to invest in businesses that offer insurance. "Of course , if you invest with insurance you get less percentage," he said. "What happened was many people said they didn’t need insurance because the (King’s Capital leaders) were Christians."

He acknowledged being affiliated with GS Microfinance, but said he invested his name and influence in the bank, not millions of dollars. He said GS Microfinance was formed to give small loans to poor Nigerians as a way of lifting them out of poverty. "It’s not about what you can get, but the vision of the program is to elevate and get as many people out of poverty as possible," Adelaja said. "That is one of my lifetime passions , because I grew up in poverty."

Although Adelaja has repeatedly denied any involvement in King’s Capital, which has not officially been deemed a fraudulent business, Pentecostal and charismatic leaders across Ukraine are calling on him to repent, saying they heard him encourage church members to invest in the company on several occasions.

"He was not a president of this company, but he was the No. 1 spiritual leader, and he told them what they have to do," said Bishop M. S.Panochko, leader of the All-Ukrainian Union of Pentecostal Churches of Evangelical Faith, which is comprised of 1,500 churches across the nation. "He can do everything to tell them that he is not involved, but all the leaders have a lot of facts, and we have a lot of video of when he was pushing people, and he encouraged people to invest in this business."




Panochko was one of 10 leaders who met with Adelaja last Tuesday to confront him about his alleged support of King’s Capital and the negative impact some of his actions have had on the evangelical church in Ukraine.

The Pentecostal bishops, who together represent more than 2,500 congregations, listed seven items of concern and said Adelaja has a pattern of making exaggerated statements. They pointed particularly to his alleged claim that he led the 2004 Orange Revolution--when Ukrainian voters protested a presidential election many considered fraudulent--and his reports that God’s Embassy has 100,000 members across the nation. The bishops say those and other statements are untrue.

After the meeting, Adelaja issued a statement saying he did not organize the Orange Revolution, though his congregation participated in the demonstrations. He also asked forgiveness for the negative impact the King’s Capital scandal has had on Ukrainian churches, but he added that he did not personally have any involvement in the company.

Despite the statement, Panochko said the bishops would continue waiting for Adelaja to apologize for allegedly endorsing King’s Capital. If he does not repent, Panochko said the bishops would issue a statement to Christians in Ukraine and abroad, and to the Ukrainian government, denouncing Adelaja and claiming no affiliation with him.

Moscow-based pastor Rick Renner, founder of the Good News Association of Churches and Ministries for Russia, Latvia and Ukraine, said Adelaja’s claims are hurting Christians in the former Soviet Union.

If convicted, Adelaja may spend up to 12 years in imprisonment, according to Part 4, Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Anxiety In S/Eeast Over DIG Onovo's Fate

President Has Not Extended Okiro's Tenure -Presidency

No IG From Southeast Since Independence -Igbo

New Paradigm Emerges After Sunday's Publication

From Martins Oloja
(Abuja Bureau Chief)

GUARDIAN

TO quote Alan Paton in Cry the Beloved Country, "anxiety" of some Nigerians of Igbo extraction has turned into "fear" over the fate of Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Ogbonna Okechukwu Onovo.

This is because the crack cop may miss the opportunity of being the nation's first law enforcement officer since 1964 when Louis Edet was appointed the first indigenous IGP.

Since the publication of its lead story last Sunday - Scramble for Replacement of Soludo, Okiro, Pepple, Arab - The Guardian has been inundated with inquiries from concerned Igbo elders, diplomats, retired and serving bureaucrats and even clerics about the fate of the only opportunity they have in the polity to get the first Inspector General of Igbo extraction.

Recall that the first opportunity came about two years ago when Sunday Ehindero retired as IGP and being the most senior DIG at the time, Onovo was made to act in that capacity.

Although he was incumbent IGP Okiro's course mate, he (Onovo), through promotion, was slightly ahead in career progression.

An agitated Igbo described the confirmation of Okiro as Inspector General of Police as "the triumph of 2007 politics of management of the Niger Delta people over due process in the Police Service."

Onovo, who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) 1976, hails from Enugu State.

Okiro is due for retirement in two months' time while Onovo still has three more years to retire, having joined the service on August 1, 1977. He was born on February 7, 1954 and thus will clock 35 in service before reaching 60.

Though the agitation for due process has been quiet within Nigerians of Eastern extraction, their fear has been palpable, as the authorities, and the ruling class, can decide to retire all the DIGs in the Police Force in order to pave the way for a preferred candidate, in this regard.

Indeed, some concerned observers claim that they had got intelligence that the presidency might not be disposed to having yet another IGP from the South "at such a time like this when so many things are at stake concerning security and flashpoints emerging" across the country.

This development emerged at the weekend, as the presidency denied media report (not The Guardian) that the president had actually approved extension of tenure of Mike Okiro, the outgoing IGP, by one year.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, disclosed last night in a telephone inquiry that: "I am not aware of any such decision by the President."

One respondent on the issue, who sent a fact-sheet on the history of the Nigeria Police, laments the marginalisation of the Igbo people in a document entitled: 'IGP Distribution According To The Six Geo-Political Zones'.

The document reads:

North East has had 3 IGPs, namely: Kam Salem (1966-1975); Adamu Suleiman (1979-1981); Gambo-Jimeta (1986-1989).

North West has had 2 IGPs namely: MD Yusuf (1975-1979); Ibrahim A. Comassie (1993-1999).

North Central has had only 1 namely: Adamu I. Attah (1989-1993).

South West has had 4 IGPs namely: Sunday Adewusi (1981-1983); M.A.K Smith (1999-2002); Tafa Balogun (2002-2005); Sunday Ehindero (2005-2007).

South-South has had 3 IGPs namely: Louis O. Edet (1964-1966); Etim Inyang (1984-1986); Mike Okiro (2007-Date).

South East has had no IGP(s).
------------ ------

Woman nabbed for stealing identical twins 21/3/2009






Stories by EbeleBONIFACE


A forty-year-old woman, Kudirat Sulaimon Atanda, who claimed to be childless but nursed the ambition of having children of her own has been arrested for allegedly stealing four-year-old identical female twins.

Atanda, who resides at Ajegunle, Lagos was arrested last week in Birnin-Kebbi in Kebbi State. She was interrogated by the Army Intelligence Officers units attached to First Battalion, Birnin Kebbi and was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Lagos for further investigation.

The suspect was alleged to have stolen the twins, Taiwo and Kehinde Ogedengbe from 14, Odufua Street Ajegunle and 2, Akintoye Street, Ajegunle, respectively, all in Lagos on February 17, 2009. The mother of the twins, Rose Ogedengbe is said to be of unsound mind and hospitalised in a herbal home in Lagos.

It was revealed that the suspect once lived in Ajegunle but relocated to Kebbi State about two years ago. She was a close friend of Mrs. Rose Ogedengbe, the legitimate mother of the stolen twins. She is said to be a regular visitor to the house of Ogedengbes, as at the time the latter gave birth to the twin girls and she reportedly took delights in feeding and taking care of them.

According to a relation to the mother of the twins, one Mrs. Betty Lander (aka Mama Ijaw), the suspect had been a close friend to the family of the twins. She said: "The suspect, Mrs Kudirat Atanda is very close to the family of the twins. All of them live in Ajegunle, Lagos. The woman used to pay the family visit, and on several occasions, she would buy biscuits or some other gifts for the twins. She was also fond of cuddling the twins. Right from 2007 to 2008, the woman had been very close to the mother of the twins and she had been taking care of the twins without anybody suspecting her intention."

Continuing, she said: "But on February 17, when the woman came to Ajegunle from a long distance travel, she started showing great care to the twins to the extent that the twins were calling her ‘mother.’

"The fact is that the real mother of the twins is currently in a local hospital undergoing treatment for a psychiatric-related illness. So, she was not around when the suspect came around to steal the children. Nobody saw her when she took them away.

"When the family could not locate the twins, they reported the case to the police and after all efforts to find the children failed, they were declared missing. Their photographs and details of their disappearance were published in a national daily."

Lander further said: "However, when a copy of the newspaper was bought by a soldier in a barracks in Kebbi State where the suspect was hiding with the twins, the soldiers got the information and immediately gave the woman out as he attracted the attention of the police in the state.

"When the police investigated the woman, she confessed that the twin girls were not her children, rather, she took them away from Lagos without the permission of their parents but wanted to keep them as her children as she was childless."

The case, Lander said, was later transferred to the SCID, Panti, Lagos. Efforts to see the new Deputy Commissioner of Police, Barrister Nicholas Duru Nkemdeme for his comment proved abortive.

The Nation

later met the Commissioner, Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Marvel Akpoyibo in his office, who said, "The suspect will be charged to court."

Sammy107_d:
I'm not sure you can finish your dinner without uttering the name of a tribe

My brother, that is the truth. Check the records. It is either they leave our (Niger Delta) oil money for us or we will continue to make a mince meat of them

Though a Nigerian, I will be lying and deceiving myself if I say Nigeria is the real giant in Africa. South Africa (SA) is. But I will never live in SA even for the whole world.

Actually not only SA, but several other African countries enjoy better facilities than Nigeria. Botswana, Seycheles, Ghana, Namibia and also Gabon are examples. Gabon may be worse than naija in terms of democracy, but the living standard is better over there. Nigeria is at best a sleeping or a clay-footed giant that needs to wake up and take its rightful place. If not for our BASTARD leaders (may they all rot in hell), who is SA to even compete with Nigeria?

Is Muda an Ijaw?

They never release the names yet?

Gov alleges death threat over stoppage of N100m monthly pay to militants
From Segun James in Yenogoa and Omon-Julius Onabu in Warri, 03.20.2009
Friday, March 20, 2009

Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, said he has received threats on his cell phones from an unknown militia group over his decision to discontinue the payment of N100million monthly package to repentant militant groups in Bayelsa.

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Also, a three year old boy was among the casualties in a renewed clash between rival cult gangs in Bayelsa following a gun battle on Wednesday night.

Sylva, while appearing on a Radio interactive programme tagged: “Relax with Governor Sylva” , claimed that his mobile phone number had, in the last few days, been bombarded by text messages threatening to make the state ungovernable for him if the N100million monthly package for militants along the creeks and waterways of the state were stopped.

He said he remains undaunted by such threats and that the state security apparatus would be briefed for necessary action.

THISDAY gathered that Icelanders and the Greenlanders, whose action, penultimate week, led to the killing of 13 football supporters, once again engaged themselves in a battle at the in Biogbolo area of the state capital forcing residents of the area to take to their heels.

The battle which took place at a popular open bar left one of the cultists and his girlfriend dead and a little boy who was killed by stray bullet.

The screaming of a woman (said to be a seller of cigarettes and other alcoholic drinks near the bar) holding her little son attracted sympathisers who were astonished by the killings.

Contacted on the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Inniobong Ibboilette, confirmed the incident but said two persons had been arrested and the Commissioner of Police had since ordered a full investigation in order to bring the culprits to book.

Also yesterday, atleast seven persons including a traditional ruler were feared killed yesterday folowing a communal calsh between the Umuebi and Amai communities of Delta State. Both communities are in Ukwuani Local Govenrment Area of the state.

The deaths reportedly occurred after some youths from Amai allegedly launched an attack on the Umuebu community, where all the dead victims hailed from.

Kazuya M:
Ijawman, the photo was copied from a chinese newspaper website, how is it fake! It was also mentioned on BBC. Or is he related to you!! And you are desperately trying to rescue him!! CALL THE POLICE!!

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-03/18/content_7589084.htm

It just does not add up to me. Forget the Chinese paper. Those guys are fakers of everything. How this guy will move such a huge cache of drugs from the Nigerian airport still befuddles me. As for being my relation, he is Nigerian and I am only concerned. I doubt if any of my relations will be involved in such.

People, pls take a hard look at the photo of the Nigerian drug courier. My trained eyes tell me it is forged. Look at the boy's head in relation to his body size. Look at the right hand of the official on the right of your screen which is supposedly placed on the boy's shoulder. Looks weird. Look at the overall size of the man in relation to the two officials, never mind that the boy is supposed to be sitting.

ijaw_girl:
when are they going to ban you from this forum?
pls stop using our name to post bs!

Don't be such an idiot. Who made you the Ijaw custodian and the decider of who is or is not Ijaw? Do you know me?

After sleeping over it, I came away with the impression that this story is false
1. How did this guy get past the airport check in?
2.How did he get past the plane itself when you can never carry more than 40 kg (at most) of luggage?
3.What airplane did he fly to China?
4.Why was his name withheld?

This is fake, and is either a computer joke or something different, but definitely not true. Nigerians are so gullible and easily deceived. This also shows in how our leaders decieve us so easily.

Cant wait to see the names. I already can guess that it will be 60% Yoruba, 30% Hausa-Fulani and 10% others. That is always the proportion of corrupt looters at the federal level, especially since and after Obj's evil regime.

Halliburton: Senators want Nigerians involved in bribery scandal exposed
By Oluwole Josiah, Abuja
Published: Friday, 20 Mar 2009

The Senate may commence investigations into the allegations of bribery involving the engineering subsidiary of Halliburton, Kellog Brown and Root Inc. of the United States and some top Nigerian officials if it approves the prayers of a scheduled motion.

The motion slated for Tuesday next week, is praying the Senate to open up an investigation to expose those Nigerians involved in the bribery scandal.

The prime mover of the motion, Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw, noted that KBR had pleaded guilty to five charges brought by United States prosecutors that it paid $180m as bribes to Nigerian officials.

He said the same report was aired by the CNN International for a number of days during the month of February 2009.

Ewa-Henshaw also observed that, ”the General Counsel of the KBR, Mr. Andrew Farley admitted to the US District Court in Houston that the company paid the bribes to high ranking Nigerian officials in the executive branch and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in a scheme to secure four lucrative Bonny LNG contracts worth about $6bn over a period between 1994 and 2004 in violation of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.”

According to him, Halliburton and KBR accepted to pay fines totaling $402m of which Halliburton share in $382m to the Justice Department.

”In a separate settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Halliburton would pay a further fine of $177m bringing the total fines to be paid by both organisations to $579m the single largest combined settlement ever paid by US companies under the FCPA,” he said.

He lamented that this was one of the most embarrassing and scandalous cases of corruption involving Nigerian officials to come to light.

He said this was a very serious crime against the economic well-being of the government and people of Nigeria amounting to sabotage

Ewa-Henshaw noted since the current administration had declared the fight against corruption and respect for the rule of law as cardinal policies of this administration, it should now begin to take appropriate action, adding that since the news of the bribery became public, the government or its officials had not commenced or taken a firm public stand to expose and prosecute those involved.

In the prayers, the motion urged the Senate to ”Appeal to the relevant authorities in the United States to cooperate with and assist the government and people of Nigeria in their fight against corruption by making public and/or compelling Halliburton and KBR to name and expose for the benefit of the Nigerian public the Nigerian bribe takers.

It also seeks to ”Urge the Federal Government of Nigeria to take all necessary steps to expose and prosecute those involved and to recover from them the sums received by them as bribes.

“Direct its committees on Judiciary and Human Rights, Gas, and Drugs, Narcotics and Anti-coruption to conduct a separate and independent investigation on the matter in accordance with Section 88 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and report back to the Senate with one month.”

The motion is being co-sponsored by Senators Ikecukwu Obiorah, Victor Ndoma-Egba, Uche Chukwumerije, Omar Hambagda, Wilson Ake, Ahmed Lawan, Lee Maeba, Chris Anyanwu, Smart Adeyemi and Enyinnanya Abribe.

Corruption: I’m ready for trial – Obasanjo
By Emeka Madunagu, Hamed Shobiye and Segun Olugbile
Published: Friday, 20 Mar 2009

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday said he would be willing to stand trial for corruption if invited.
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obasanjo

Speaking on the British Broadcasting Corporation’s Hard Talk programme monitored in Lagos, he challenged those accusing him and his family of corrupt acts to provide the evidence.

Obasanjo, who was visibly agitated at the interviewer’s reference to links made to him and his family in various probes at the National Assembly, the Nigerian media and in the United States, described the allegations as “nonsense.”

Asked if he was ready to face trial for corruption and alleged kickbacks, Obasanjo replied, “Very, very much so. Very much so.”

He added, “And if you have any evidence, please show it to me and I will defend myself anywhere in the world. It is absolute nonsense, with all due respect.

“I am the only leader in Nigeria that has been examined and reported upon by the anti-corruption bodies in Nigeria. I am the only one.”

At a point during the interview, Obasanjo accused the host of making personal allegations against him and said he was taking undue advantage of the setting of the interview.

In response to a question that his successor, President Umaru Yar’Adua, had accused the Nigerian elite of sustaining endemic corruption in the country, Obasanjo said the President should also be held liable since he was part of the elite.

The former president said that under his administration, top officials linked to corruption were brought to trial while some were convicted.

However, he stated that a glaring instance was the alleged link of his former deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to the corruption probe of an erstwhile US Congressman, Mr.William Jefferson.

He said he would not take responsibility for the alleged involvement of his eldest daughter, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, because she was old enough to answer for herself.

The former President also rejected the notion that Nigeria had failed to utilise its oil wealth and other opportunities to attain true greatness.

He acknowledged that there had been lapses in governance, but noted that they would be corrected in time to come.

Obasanjo said he fought corruption by setting up two anti-graft agencies, a unique feat worldwide, according to him. He said his administration’s hard stance on corruption attracted commendation from the London Metropolitan Police.

He, however, declined to assess Yar‘Adua, saying it was too soon to do so.

Pressed further, Obasanjo said, ”I know that this man (Yar‘Adua) to the best of my knowledge, for now, is a good person. But he himself knows that being a good person alone does not make you an effective, successful and great president. You need much more than that.”

Below are excerpts from the interview:

Let us talk about justice and accountability in a more personal setting. And let’s bring the conversation to Nigeria. I’ve looked across the Nigerian press, I’ve listened to people from the National Assembly and I’ve also looked at some records coming out of the courts in your country and America as well and they are serious allegations concerning you and your family on corruption and kickbacks. Are you prepared to face those charges and to give a full account…

Very, very much so. Very much so. And if you have any evidence, please show it to me and I will defend myself anywhere in the world. It’s absolute nonsense, with all due respect. I am the only leader in Nigeria that has been examined and reported upon by the anti-corruption bodies in Nigeria. I am the only one.

When your successor (Yar’Adua) took over, he described corruption as very endemic and he said it was the country’s elite that was responsible.

He (Yar’Adua) is one of them.

One of what?

He is one of Nigeria’s elite.

Of course, he is. And he said that as he took over and looked at what was happening inside government, there is corruption to the very top. It doesn’t reflect well on you.

If he said that, did he mention Obasanjo? Did he mention Obasanjo?

But, you were the President?

I am (was) the President.

You were the President and you were responsible for the governance of your country.

But I am not responsible for the corruption of every Nigerian.

Not every Nigerian but you were in the end, the chief executive of a country which your successor said was endemically corrupt.

Please, please, please, you have made strong allegations against me personally and against my family…(Almost rising out of his seat in anger and pointing his fore finger at the interviewer).

I’m coming to that…

…and you have no way to substantiate it. Substantiate it. And if not that this is something where you are taking undue advantage, I would have even said that I would go beyond here.

Now, let’s talk specifically, then.

Yes.

Halliburton and various Halliburton subsidiaries have paid vast amounts of money in fines in the US because of bribes paid out to Nigerian officials. If one takes the testimony…

Are those Nigerian officials, am I one of them? (Pointing at the interviewer).

Let’s talk about that. Albert Jack Stanley confessed last year to bribing, and this is according to US court documents and quote, “three successive holders of a top level office in the executive branch of the Nigerian government. He negotiated with these executive office-holders’ representatives regarding the amount of bribes. Now, if one cross-checks that…

Who are they? Who are they?

I’m coming to that. If one cross-checks that with the testimony before a French prosecutor, Jeffrey Tesler, another Halliburton agent involved, I’m sure you know these names…

Yes, yes…

He named you as one of three Nigerian successive heads of state who had been involved in negotiations with the Halliburton subsidiaries which were later, in a US court, found guilty of bribery and corruption on a massive scale.

Tesler would never say that.

It’s in the French records.

Let Tesler bring that out. By the time you say that somebody is guilty of corruption, there must be the giver, there must be the taker and there must be the evidence.

Did you have any communication with Jeffrey Tesler?

No.

Never?

No, absolutely not. Not me personally.

As you know, he has been arrested and the US is now seeking his extradition. Are you worried about what he may say in a US court?

I am not worried. He will bring evidence. I am not worried. I am very, very sure of my position and my stand. Alright. I do not say that people in my government were not corrupt but I am not corrupt.

Let me stop you just there. Are you saying that people in your government were corrupt?

Of course. Are you saying that the people in the government of any country are not corrupt?

I’m talking about senior people. I’m talking about ministers, I’m talking about your closest allies. Do you now believe that some of them were corrupt?

Well, my then vice-president (Atiku Abubakar) had something to do with Jefferson, which is part of the case in America. I don’t know whether corruption has been proved or not but he had questions to answer.

Isn’t this a terrible failing? Well, leave aside, perhaps, the courts to decide whether you personally can be held for all this. But do you accept that it was a terrible failing for you as president to see inside your government, at the very top of your government, according to your own successor, that there was rampant corruption?

I do not accept that. If in any government somebody is found to be corrupt, the onus lies on the head of that government to bring that man to book. When I was the head of government, there was no case of corruption against any minister, any high government official that…

But that sort of system doesn’t work?

No, I don’t agree with you.

But corruption was prevalent inside your country when you were President and yet, not one senior official inside your government has been convicted of serious corruption.

I do not agree with you. You don’t have your facts right. In my government, three ministers were charged to court. In fact, one died in the process. The (former) Inspector-General of Police (Mr. Tafa Balogun) was charged and convicted. The then President of the Senate, in my own party (Adolphus Wabara) was charged to court. A minister of education was charged to court.

However, allegations against Obasanjo and those of some of his family members are many. They include his purchase of 200 million shares in Transcorp through a blind trust, landed property in Abuja, and the use of executive powers to organise a fundraiser where about N7bn was realised for the construction of the controversial Presidential Library located in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

His government was alleged to have sold off assets of the Federal Government to his cronies as well as expended over $13bn on the power sector without consumerate result.

Obasanjo’s daughter, Iyabo, is currently facing trial for her involvement in a N3.5bn power project involving an Austrian firm, M.C Schneider and for her role in a N10m unspent budget fund in the Federal Ministry of Health.

Some Nigerians, political parties, and non-governmental organisations had stridently called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Indepenent Corrupt practices and Other Related Offences Commission to probe Obasanjo and his administration.

At the forefront of the call is the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders which had last year filed a petition before the EFCC demanding the probe of the former President.

But the anti-graft agencies and the Federal Government had insisted that they needed ‘concrete’ facts before they could carry out such a task.

Emeka:

1. You are yet to retract all the false allegations that you made
against me in connection with the Obama inaugural at the Nigerian
Embassy on January 19.

2. You are yet to show where I made any false allegations against you
or any other player in all of the ongoing controversy.

3. You have made another false allegation against Ambassador Rotimi
below - that he made an ethnic slur in a letter. When did "rag tag
Biafran army" become an ethnic slur - and to what ethnic group in
Nigeria? Or were you referring to any other part of the letter? Or
is the accurate history of the Biafran defeat on the battlegrounds,
acceptance of its surrender, and cessation of its secession bid of
the Biafra, ragtag army or not, now an ethnic slur? Or is this the
latest attempt at historical airbrushing and national blackmail?

Let's keep all of these in perspective.

Over to you.

Bolaji Aluko




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From: Ephraim Ugwuonye

Ola, (feel freed to forward this to your mailing group and Bolaji Aluko, in particular).

I can actually correct an impression right away. I am still representing the Embassy of Nigeria on other matters even as we speak and no one has indicated that they are not satisfied with my work in general. Second, the Ambassador already complained to the Bar and his complaint is recommended for dismissal for lack of merit. Ambassador Rotimi knew that my actions were sound: all he wants is simply to disclose Embassy transactions indirectly by forcing me into defending my actions. That way, he hopes that Nigerians would forget the true reason for his recall. Also, you may ask yourselves this question: the entire payment on the real estate transaction totaling over $25m passed through me. I gave all that money to the Embassy without incident; why would I withhold only $1.5m if my goal was to take their money improperly?

Finally, for your information, the tax refund in question came to us 6 months after Obiozor left Washington and 4 months after Rotimi assumed office. So, all that happened occurred during Rotimi’s tenure. Why are they trying to drag Obiozor into it if not because they want to emphasize that both I and Obiozor are Igbos? Do you know that Obiozor was not the one that signed any of my retainer agreements. That was done by a property management committee comprising of 5 top officers of the Embassy. Indeed, you know that I have been representing the Embassy well before Obiozor became the Ambassador. You also know that Obiozor was not my friend per se. Indeed, he arrived in Washington at a time that the NIDO conflict had thoroughly demonized me before the arriving Ambassador. In fact, it took Obiozor nearly a year in office before he looked at me and told me: “Emeka, you are actually a nice guy, contrary to what I was told.” What is wrong if Ambassador Obiozor is my friend? Ambassador Rotimi is Bolaji Aluko’s friend, which is why he allowed Bolaji to host for personal profit an inauguration party at the Embassy premises in January. Did you hear anybody ask how Bolaji could charge $200 for attending an event that was deceptively characterized an Embassy event, while it was indeed a private venture that made money for the organizers? If it had been called Bolaji’s inaugural party and held in Bolaji’s house for $200 a ticket, how many people do you think would have attended? I am not accusing Bolaji of any wrongdoing. Rather, I am saying it may be normal to have an Ambassador who befriends members of the society.

Many of you would never know what kind of work I have done for the Nigerian Government and the Embassy over the years. For instance, who do you think was giving the Embassy of Nigeria legal advice as it went through the fight between Obasanjo and Atiku over the Congress Jefferson’s scandal that led to the FBI search of the house of a sitting Nigerian Vice President? Do you realize the considerable risk I took as people on Obasanjo’s side repeatedly forwarded my memos to Atiku’s people and I got disturbing calls from Atiku’s supporters? Around June of last year, the house in which this Ambassador Rotimi lives was forefeited for tax lien by the Government. Guess what, Amabassador Rotimi forgot to pay the garbage disposal fees to the county and the county government was going to auction his residence. Who do you think saved the situation? I can give you dozens of other occasions when I intervened to solve their problems. Ask Ambassador Rotimi if he ever said a thank you to me how much more pay a dime to me for saving his little butt. Maybe he would have wanted to live in a hotel for a while or maybe have his own opportunity to buy properties in Washington . Unfortunately, I cannot speak beyond these comments because I am bound by confidentiality obligations. I will speak at the appropriate time. When you see my memos to the Government on each transaction, you will see that I gave them discounts on agreed fees approximately up to 25% in each case. I voluntarily gave back money to the Government of Nigeria. How many people can do that? I cannot allow Ambassador Rotimi to drag me into a gutter war, where the intended casualty is the integrity of the Government of Nigeria.

Ephraim Emeka Ugwuonye, Esquire
President
ECULAW GROUP

FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT
MARYLAND

Ugwuonye v. Rotimi et al

Plaintiff: Ephraim Emeka Ugwuonye
Defendant: Oluwole Rotimi, Omoyele Sowore, Mobolaji Aluko and Domain by Proxy, Inc.

Case Number: 8:2009cv00658
Filed: March 13, 2009

Court: Maryland District Court
Office: Assault Libel & Slander Office [ Court Info ]
County: Montgomery
Presiding Judge: Judge Peter J. Messitte

Nature of Suit: Torts - Injury - Assault, Libel, and Slander
Cause: Diversity
Jurisdiction: Diversity
Jury Demanded By: 28:1332 Diversity-Libel, Assault,Slander
Amount Demanded: $9,999,000.00

References - Justia.com

No matter how a small percentage of Igbos try to engage in crime, the majority of them shine in legit endevours. This is one more example, plus all that I have read on this and other sites. God has blessed you guys. Just clean up as much as you can, but do not expect 100% crime-free Igbo society. Even in US and Europe there are criminals, how much less a developing society like Nigeria. There are Ijaw, Yoruba, Edo, Hausa-Fulani, Tiv, etc, bad guys as well.

Tha_dude:
See greed? the thing wen ibo man go cause??, na only GOD know! na only this guy get all that drug?, chineke??
The Ibos have turned guinea to a drug zone! they have bastardized visa applications with their drug minded intentions. And have made Nigerians under-go rigorous security checks on arrival in foreign lands.

What an idiot. Did you see an name mentioned there?

This is injustice. the man and his money belong to Ijaw people since we produce most of the oil. Besides he was going abroad with the money to share to Ijaws in Europe. The man should not have been fined. Nigeria or Ijaw leaders should recover the fine money and hand it back to Ijaws

Money laundering: Paris court fines Dan Etete $10.5m   
Written by VANGUARD     
Thursday, 19 March 2009 
A French appeal court on Wednesday fined former Nigerian oil minister, Dan Etete, eight million euros (10.5 million dollars) but lifted his three-year prison sentence.
Etete, who served as oil minister under President Sani Abacha from 1995 to 1998, was sentenced in absentia and is believed to be living in Nigeria.

The appeal court was examining a 2007 conviction for using 15 million euros in funds allegedly obtained fraudulently to purchase properties in 1999 and 2000.

These included a chateau in northwest France, a Paris apartment and a luxury villa in the chic Paris suburb of Neuilly.

I like to see achievers like this. Excellent work, sir.

Chris Abani tells stories of people: People standing up to soldiers.
People being compassionate. People being human and reclaiming their humanity.
It's "ubuntu," he says Click Here;
http://proudnigerians.ning.com/video/telling-stories-of-our-shared