₦airaland Forum

Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt, Martins Ifijeh in Lagos and Victor Ogunje in Ado-Ekiti

EFCC Searches Osborne Towers

Meanwhile, the EFCC, THISDAY gathered, has obtained a warrant from a court to search all the apartments in Osborne Towers, where the N13.3 billion was discovered.

According to sources in the commission, the EFCC at the weekend wrote to all the occupants of the building notifying them that its operatives will carry out a search of all the apartments.

THISDAY learnt that the reason for the search arose from the suspicion that there might be more cash hidden in another apartment at Osborne Towers, other than Flat 7B.

A source revealed that the whistle blower who blew the lid on Apartment 7B, had also informed the commission that another apartment has cash stashed in it.

The whistle blower, the source said, is believed to be a young graduate who works in the building.

It was for this reason that the commission went to court to obtain a warrant to search all the apartments in the building.

THISDAY gathered that upon receiving the letter of the EFCC, several occupants of the building were very co-operative at the weekend and allowed the operatives to carry out a search of their flats.

According to the source, about 21 flats in the building had already been searched by Monday, including the penthouse and three flats belonging to the former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu.

One of the suspected militants, who killed four policemen and two soldiers at Ishawo in Ikorodu, a Lagos district, has been arrested.

Endurance Ominisan alias Mighty, an Arogbo indigene of Ondo State, who was arrested during an Easter Sunday operation, however died Tuesday at a hospital as a result of the injuries he sustained.

It was gathered operatives of the Inspector General of Police’ (IGP’s) Intelligence Response Team (IRT) trailed the kingpin to his lover’s home at 20, Joel Adebolu Street, Ibeshe in Ikorodu.

It was gathered that a Turkish made Fatih 13 pistol marked 12TF00126 with four expended and five live ammunition were recovered from him.

Their onslaught on the gang was sequel to a directive from IGP Ibrahim Idris to all police units and commands in Lagos and Ogun to get the culprits dead or alive.

According to a source, Mighty, who rented the accommodation for his lover, left the creek to hide there, after he learnt about a planned attack on the creek by security forces at the weekend.

“While other policemen were in the creek waiting for signal to carry on with the operation, IRT got information that the masterminds were fleeing the creek and one of them was at his girlfriend’s place at Ibeshe. He was followed and the house surrounded.

“Mighty escaped to the roof of the house from where he fired several shots with his pistol on the IRT teams. The team responded swiftly and fatally wounded him in his hiding place on the roof. He was eventually brought down from the roof and rushed to General Hospital Ikorodu where he later died.

“But before his death, he mentioned one America, Stone, Vika and others as his gang members, who participated in the killing of the four policemen and soldiers.

“The kingpin confessed to have masterminded the kidnaps of Iba Monarch, Turkish School Girls and many others within the zone,” said the source.”

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He said that the federal government through the implementation of the TSA has saved additional N4 billion monthly which could have been held by banks, noting that a total collapse of government activities would have occurred if the TSA was not in place.

Political parties in Nigeria have been accused of often acting in desperation and devising various means of circumventing the Electoral Act and the constitution in a bid to have their way during the last general elections.

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, who made the accusation at a media chat, disclosed that apart from the general malaise of lack of internal democracy leading to imposition of candidates on the electorate, certain political parties were in the habit of seeking to alter the list of their candidates even after the mandatory period allowed by the law.

Yakubu said that in the build up to the 2015 elections, some political parties went as far as deploying fraudulent tactics in a desperate move to substitute the candidates whose names had already been submitted to the election management body.

He said that at least in two instances, a certain political party had to declare some of its candidates dead and provided every necessary documentary evidence to support its claim only for the alleged “dead candidates” to resurface at the headquarters of the electoral commission like ghosts. “I will give you an example, but I won’t mention the state.

In one of the states, before the last general elections, a political party wanted to substitute its candidate after the expiration of the 40-day window for substitution and knowing full well that the only provision under the law is in the event of death.

So INEC received a letter from that party, the letter was accompanied by the following documents: a certificate of death for their candidate, testifying to the fact that that person was dead; the second one was a letter from the family of the deceased addressed to the political party to confirm that the person was dead.

“Based on the letter from the deceased’s family, the party approached the court and swore to an affidavit that the candidate was dead.

A few weeks later, the man appeared here to say, “I’m alive”. “In another state, a political party wrote to INEC claiming that four of their candidates were driving in a vehicle to a campaign rally, had an accident and all four of them died in the accident.

Later, one of them came and said “we never even travelled in the same vehicle, let alone dying together,” Yakubu said.

The INEC boss also admitted that the phenomenon of under-aged voters participating in elections in certain parts of the country was still a challenge to the commission. He said the commission will continue to explore avenues to eliminate the challenge of under-aged voters through the cleaning up of the voters’ register.

According to him, there was not only the need to clean up the voters’ register to ensure that Nigerians who have come of age since the last election got themselves duly registered to make them eligible to vote during the next election.

He, however, disclosed that the commission has also identified another challenge, which is the phenomenon of underaged candidates in certain elections.

Yakubu said that until recently when he came to INEC, he did not know that there was also another known as under-aged candidates.

He explained that though the constitution was very clear that you have to attain a certain age before being eligible to seek election into public office, there had been cases where people below the mandatory age have beat the checks in the electoral system to contest and even win an election.

In one of the instances, he recalled a candidate who was under-aged, contested and won. But his opponent went to court to challenge the election on the grounds that the winner ought not to have contested the election.

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There are indications that the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, will brief President Muhammadu Buhari on the recovery of huge money at a private residence in Ikoyi, Lagos.

Investigation by New Telegraph revealed that the shocking discovery, and the controversies surrounding the development, has made it expedient for the commission to intimate the president of its findings.

It will be recalled that operatives of the antigraft agency had, last Wednesday, stormed the Ikoyi building where it recovered $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23, 218,000 in an apartment. Since the discovery of the huge cash, controversy has continued to trail its ownership.

While the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, had alleged that his predecessor and Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, may have diverted the billions of naira during his tenure, the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) has since claimed ownership. Amaechi has denied ownership of the money.

However, a highly placed source, who spoke in confidence with this newspaper, said the EFCC was set to brief Buhari over its own report of investigation.

The source, who spoke in confidence owing to the sensitive nature of the matter, said the anticipated report, in addition to other findings, will form the basis of whatever informed decision the Presidency will take on the recovered cash.

According to the source, “Without prejudice to any enquiry that may have been ordered, I can tell you that EFCC will submit its report of findings to Mr. President, who has zero tolerance for corruption.

“The commission is carrying out its usually meticulous investigation, and no stone will be left unturned to rid the nation of corruption and its attendant negative effects.”

Asked why the antigraft agency has kept sealed lips since the recovery, he responded: “The cash involved, the interest generated, and the ownership controversy, has made it expedient for the agency to keep mum, while it continues with its discreet investigation on this and many other cases.”

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The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim K. Idris, has ordered the immediate dismantling of all illegal roadblocks erected by revenue collection agents, transport and trade union members as well as unapproved task forces around the country.

The order, which takes effect on Monday, was announced in a statement (Ref. No.CZ:5300/FPRD/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.1/) issued on Sunday by Jimoh Moshood, Force Public Relations Officer.

To give teeth to the order, said the statement, the IGP has deployed Special X-Squad Teams of the Police Force across the country to commence the removal of all forms of illegal inhibitors to vehicular movement across the country.

"The Special X-Squad Teams deployed are under strict instructions to also arrest, investigate and prosecute any person or group of persons found committing this illegal act. It is unlawful and contrary to the laws for any individual, or group under any name to take laws into their hands and block any road or highway in full or any part of it under the guise of the collection of revenue/tax or enforcement of the interests of such organizations," the statement said.

The Force also drew attention to Section 2(2) of the Taxes and Levies Act 2004, which bars any person, including a tax authority from mounting a roadblock for the purpose of collecting tax or levy in any part of the country. It added that it has been receiving numerous complaints at police stations across the country that the illegal roadblocks are usually taken over and used by armed robbers and kidnappers.

Thus, the Police advised state and local government councils, state internal revenue boards, transport, and trade unions to desist from mounting roadblocks, as such constitutes a breach of the law.

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The face-off between the House of Representatives and the Governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El- Rufai has once again stimulated the debate on how much exactly a federal legislator earns.

Similarly, the six months pay slip of the Speaker of the House of Representative, Hon. Yakubu Dogara published in the Media earlier in the week has thrown pundits into a frenzy with some claiming that what was shown to the public could not the true state of a legislator’s salary.

The Speaker’s slip showed that he earns N346, 577. 87 monthly, with his basic salary as NN206, 425. 83. The constituency allowance also shows N 175, 461.96. Recess allowance is N20, 642.58, while a monthly PAYE deductions of N55,952 was evident.

However, many Nigerians have expressed disbelieve on the payment. While reacting to the Speaker’s published payslips, the suspended former Chairman of the House Committee of Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin said: “If what I saw is the authentic pay slip of Mr Speaker, it means I earn more than him from what I see in my salary statement of account.

“I have requested for my pay slip from NASS, I will publish it and my monthly salary statement of account. Perhaps I have been overpaid.”

“Besides salaries, allowances and running cost, no member has details of about 20 other expenditure heads captured in Namdas statement.

“I am aware majority of members feel terribly embarrassed and are presently insisting on having access to the internal budget of the House.

“Mr Speaker, you know that NILS HQ is not completely funded from NASS allocation but partly funded by FG under service wide vote,” Jibrin said.

But how much exactly does a federal lawmaker (House of Representatives) earn? While a member of the House earns about N2million basic salaries records show that in addition to the annual basic salary of a lawmaker, they receive a 100 percent as constituency allowance annually; members also receive 200 percent of the annual salary for accommodation, 75 percent for domestic staff, entertainment and utilities is 30 percent, while clothing or are robe allowance is 25 percent and 15 percent for Newspapers. Responsibility allowance ranges for 5 to 10 percent.

Others are vehicle maintenance gulps another 75 percent, for staff like personal Assistant is 25 percent; and 5 percent for House maintenance.

While aides to the principal officers’ total monthly package is between N950,000 and N500,000, five aides that lawmakers are entitled to take home between N150,000 and N450,000 monthly causing many to believe there are two sets of salaries for lawmakers: administrative and political.

The two presiding officers have about 30 aides between them. A twist to the appointment of aides is that only few lawmakers employ people other than their relatives as Senior Legislative aides.
More importantly, only a handful engage the services of consultants to support their legislative duties.

This aside, the salaries of NASS members has always been contentious with Nigerians believing that it is unwieldy if viewed against the N18,000 minimum wage of Nigeria workers. Many have called for a review saying that while the people they represent are wallowing in abject poverty, lawmaker are living in and displaying stupendous affluence.

Many reports have claimed that NASS members are the highest paid in the world with an annual basic salary of $189,500 (N30.6 m) or above. Some even adduce their payment to the high recurrent expenditure of the country.

There have been calls for transparency in the budget details of the NASS to allow a glimpse into the financial allocations of the parliament, the most recent being that of the Governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir.

He said: “Since the NASS began conceiving its budget as a single-line item, how many legislators, not to mention other citizens, have seen the details of the budget? Can anyone recall seeing the spending patterns and details in any published audited accounts of NASS recently?

“How in the 21st Century can we have any national institution that is comfortable with not being subject to any oversight, audit or scrutiny. The constitutional principle of checks and balances was not introduced for purposes of idle luxury, but to ensure that every institution exercises its power in an accountable manner.”

To the supposedly high salaries of its lawmakers, the National Assembly has always had a ready answer for such questions which is that its budget is only about two percent of the national budget and that it used to ensure that the remaining 98 percent is properly utilised.

Earlier reports that touted the National Assembly members’ salaries as the highest in the world above the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and South Africa and Kenya and others.

But the National Assembly has always said such reports were not reflective of the true state of the salaries situation.

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cleoMcdanie:
please how much does it cost to do registry marraige at ikoyi? Ineed this info urgently

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE


A 26-year old man Elias Adeyanju, popularly known as Bobo has landed in prison after he allegedly attacked and beaten a motorcycle operator, Ikot Onoja with native charm.

Adeyanju was charged before Isolo Magistrates’ Court from where he was remanded in prison custody.

The incident happened at Odo-Olowu in Ijeshatedo area of Surulere, Lagos where the victim, Onoja operates as Okada rider.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that Bobo and Onoja had a disagreement after Bobo asked Onoja to carry him for free but he declined and carried another passenger.

When Onoja returned to their park, Bobo went there and allegedly used the charm on him which makes him become motionless and speechless.

As the cyclist was hypnotised, Bobo allegedly battered him to his satisfaction before he undone the charm that make him come back to his senses.

By then, he had been wounded with various degrees of injury on his body.

Our correspondent gathered that it was other riders who saw what happened and knew Bobo had used charm on Onoja during the attack that held him and recovered the charm before handing Bobo to the police at Ijeshatedo Division.

Bobo was charged with assault and unlawful possession of charm under the Criminal Code.

He pleaded not guilty.

The police in Gwarinpa have arrested two lovers for allegedly giving a liquid substance suspected to be rat poison to their six months old baby in Gwarinpa.

Police sources said the incident happened on Tuesday at about midnight off 69 Road in the area.

A source said the man identified only as Abdullahi, 23 and his lover, identified as Hasiya, 17, might have conspired to kill the baby girl because she was delivered out of wedlock.

City News learnt that Hasiya had invited Abdullahi to come check on the sick baby on Tuesday.

“Abdullahi gave her money to buy drugs from a nearby pharmacy and administered it on her. After taking the tablet, the baby started vomiting some foamy substance,” the source said.

The source said a resident alerted the police after the incident led to chaos in the area.

The Gwarinpa Divisional Police Officer, CSP Nuruddeen Sabo said the suspects were not staying together and he described them as boyfriend and girlfriend.

He said preliminary investigation showed that the lovers conspired and administered a liquid substance suspected to be ota pia pia, rat poison, on their six months old baby whom they got out of wedlock.

He said the smell of the poison was perceived on the baby.

“The baby died and was taken to hospital for possible autopsy while the suspects are in police custody,” he said, adding that investigation was still on.

The police in Ghana have arrested a middle-aged laboratory attendant at the Abura Dunkwa District Hospital located in the Central Region for allegedly selling the blood of pregnant women to money ritualists.

Ghana News reports that the suspect,
Stephen Enyan, was arrested after a tip-off that he had been in the business of selling blood to a group of ritualists known as 'Sakawa Boys'.

According to the reports, many of the pregnant women who visit the hospital for ante-natal checks usually lost their babies or in some cases, their lives due to the activities of Enyan.

The frequency with which the loss of lives occurred led to numerous complaints being lodged to the hospital management which launched a discreet investigation into the matter.

They also involved operatives of the Abura Dunkwa District Police who launched a further probe into the matter, leading to the arrest of the suspect.

During the investigations, all fingers pointed at Enyan and it was revealed that he was the major culprit in the sale of the blood of pregnant women who visited the hospital to the ritualists after one policeman posed as one of his customers.

In a WhatsApp conversation between the undercover officer and Enyan, the policeman agreed to pay GH¢10,000 for the blood of a pregnant woman and offered GH¢250 as part payment.

The lab technician was later arrested when he went to meet the officer to collect his balance. It is believed that the suspect sold the blood for amounts ranging from GH¢5,000 to GH¢10,000.

The Cross River Universal Basic Education Board has uncovered 734 teachers with fake National Certificate of Education and degree certificates in the state.

The chairman of the state SUBEB, Dr Stephen Odey, disclosed this on Wednesday in Calabar while addressing some of the affected teachers and other stakeholders on the outcome of the state’ s teachers' verification.

“At the end of the exercise, I can inform you that we discovered 734 teachers with fake NCE and degree certificates and over 230 TC 11 referrals who are also teaching.

“ We have sent letters to the various institutions involved and we have their replies, ’’ he said.

Odey said that Gov .Ben Ayade had directed him to take any punitive measures against those involved but not to sack them.

“ So we are not going to dismiss them even though they had committed fraud but we are going to allow them on humanitarian ground to go back to school and remedy their situations.

“ We do not want to take away food from their tables. We are granting them amnesty because we are brothers and sisters, ’’ he said.

Odey said that the governor was very disturbed about the rot in the basic education system , but had given the board the go - ahead to sanitise the system at all cost .

The board chairman advised the affected teachers and others to seek admission for further studies through sandwich programmes and write his office for approval.

He said that by so doing , they could update their knowledge for the benefits of the pupils and the overall interest of the state.

Odey promised that any teacher that corrected his or her situation would be reinstated to his or her former position.

He warned teachers against truancy, adding that SUBEB had installed digital monitoring devices to monitor teachers ’ activities while in school.

Speaking, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Mr Eyo Itam, commended the board for its efforts to sanitise the basic education sector.

“ We are fully in support of you: since you assumed office, this present board had taken several steps to put the basic education in proper perspective.

“You have done many things aimed at ensuring the welfare of teachers in the state, we commend you, even though this exercise has its positive and negative parts , we are fully in support of you.

“ I advise our teachers to take full advantage of this exercise and return to school through legal means to better their lives, ’’ he said .

He called on affected teachers with genuine complaints to lodge same with the state chapter of the NUT.

Some teachers expressed their happiness with the measures taken by the board and promised to take necessary steps to remedy their situations.

Mrs Rose Ibor said that her problem was as a result of not completing her Mathematics in her school and promised to go back to the school to write the course.

“ I was employed based on the testimonial from my school since I did not pass Mathematics . I will return to my school for it, ’’ she said .
( NAN)

Military and police men early this morning begun a shoot-out over an issue that is yet to be ascertain in Damaturu the Yobe state capital.

However, no death or injury has been reported as at the time of filling this report.

Confirming the shoot-out, the Army spokesman in Damaturu, Colonel K.O Ogunsanya said they are investigating the matter to know “What transpired and who and who among their men were involved,” adding that “a statement would be issued as soon as they get to the root of the matter“.
Daily trust reports that the violent clash between the security operatives started at Presidential Lodge, around 6am and lasted up to 10am.

A security source told our correspondent that the quarrel is connected to the abduction of the Mopol commandant in charge 41, Damaturu.

“Yesterday, the Commandant was moving in a convey when a man intercepted, and the police attached to him harassed the man, not knowing that he is an Army officer. Later this morning, the Army kidnapped the commandant,”he said

He said that the Mobile Police went to the Presidential lodge to free the commandant and the fracas ensued.

Our correspondent report that the shoot-out has caused serious panic in the state capital forcing traders and government workers to retire home because of the uncertainly.

Adelani Adepegba, Abuja


The Federal Government has declared Friday, April 14 and Monday, 17, 2017 as public holidays to mark the Good Friday and Easter celebrations.

The Minister of Interior, Lt . Gen . Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd.) made the declaration on Wednesday in Abuja.

He enjoined Christians in particular, and Nigerians in general, to extend the spiritual benefits of Easter, which are love, peace, justice, sacrifice and kindness to their daily living, and through this contribute to unity and peaceful co- existence among Nigerians.

A statement by the Director, Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Muhammadu Maccido, said Dambazau further urged Nigerians to co- operate and join hands with President Muhammadu Buhari, “in his sustained efforts to build a strong and virile nation. ”

The minister wished all Nigerians a happy Easter celebration.

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Anowax:
[s]Una go just carry keyboard begin yarn dust because say internet dey cheap. Have you imagined the kind of house that could be and in what area of the house she could have possibly been locked up; where one can shout from now till 2019 and no one will hear pim? Abi you think say na face me I face you the custom officer dey live in?

The stick you're talking about shey it's the one you kept for in the room bah?

How did you know that the man didn't also forcefully seize her phone since he has the mind to lock her up for several hours?

Make you dey use your kidney think sometimes abeg if your brain don dey fail you[/s].

“He shut her inside and went out. The woman said she called for help to no avail. He returned home seven hours after and met her semi -conscious. Probably, he had put sedatives into a drink he used to entertain her.

By Vincent Ujumadu


Awka—THUGS suspected to be agents of an Anambra-born business mogul (names withheld), have been fingered in the wanton destruction of the property belonging to an Onitsha –based company, Bontus Oil and Gas Ltd. Bontus Oil and Gas is currently working out an arrangement with Dangote Group to be its main agent in Onitsha and its environs.

Officials of Dangote Group were in Onitsha penultimate week, during which they inspected facilities in the massive site, which was abandoned for many years before Bontus acquired it and contacted Dangote for a possible collaboration between the two companies for the distribution of its products, including sugar, rice, noodles, cement, among other products, in the South East.

However, barely one week after the inspection, residents of the commercial town of Onitsha were astonished when people suspected to be thugs descended on the massive property located at Kilometer 6 along the Onitsha–Owerri expressway and destroyed some of the buildings. During the mayhem, the thugs also pulled down the wall behind the premises, thereby rendering the premises vulnerable to outside attacks.

Vanguard gathered that the property in question originally belonged to a transport company and served as the depot for the sale and maintenance of vehicles and as a filling station.

It was also gathered that the company later sold the petrol station within the larger property to Bontus Oil and Gas in July 2016.

According to the information, the widow of the late Chairman of Amazu Motors, Mrs. Monica Amazu, her daughter and fifth son were involved in executing the legal documents of the property to the new purchaser.

An official of Bontus Oil said that immediately after the transaction, Bontus Oil and Gas took possession of the property, only to discover that there was a pending case in court concerning the property.

The company said: “At this stage, counsel to the director of Amazu Motors, Obiora Chandals & Co, wrote Bontus to make proper inquiries over the status of the property in question. As a result, Bontus Oil conducted a thorough search at the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, Abuja to ascertain the status of the property and it was discovered that the document of the property was in the name of Amazu Motors and not Amazoil.

“Consequently, the Iwenofu family of Obosi, the original sellers of the land on which the property lay, and Amazu Motors resolved the matter out of court, a development that threw the entire property open for sale, apart from the petrol station, which Bontus Oil and Gas had earlier purchased.

Chairman of Bontus Oil and Gas, Chief Uche Okafor said the property was later thrown open for purchase by the highest bidder and wondered why some people should pretend not to know that Bontus had purchased the property from Amazu Motors after settling with the Iwenofu family according to the terms of their agreement and was enjoying peaceful possession as the bona fide purchaser of the property until hired thugs destroyed part of it.

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The Trump administration will move forward with the sale of high-tech aircraft to Nigeria for its campaign against Boko Haram Islamic, The Washington Post has reported citing U.S. officials.

Congress is expected to receive formal notification within weeks, setting in motion a deal with Nigeria that the Obama administration had planned to approve at the very end of Barack Obama’s presidency.

The arrangement will call for Nigeria to purchase up to 12 Embraer A-29 Super Tucano aircraft with sophisticated targeting gear for nearly $600 million, one of the officials said.

The officials were not authorized to discuss the terms of the sale publicly and requested anonymity to speak about internal diplomatic conversations.

Though President Donald Trump has made clear his intention to approve the sale of the aircraft, the National Security Council is still working on the issue. Military sales to several other countries are also expected to be approved but are caught up in an ongoing White House review. Nigeria has been trying to buy the aircraft since 2015.

The Nigerian air force has been accused of bombing civilian targets at least three times in recent years. In the worst incident, a fighter jet on Jan. 17 repeatedly bombed a camp at Rann, near the border with Cameroon, where civilians had fled from Boko Haram.

That bombing occurred on the same day the Obama administration intended to officially notify Congress the sale would go forward. Instead, it was abruptly put on hold, according to an individual who worked on the issue during Obama’s presidency. Days later, Trump was inaugurated.

Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said this past week that he supported the A-29 deal to Nigeria as well as the sale of U.S.-made fighter jets to Bahrain that had been stripped of human rights caveats imposed by the Obama administration.

Once Congress is officially notified of the sale, lawmakers who want to derail it have 30 days to pass veto-proof legislation. That’s a high hurdle given Corker’s support. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., chairman of the Armed Services Committee, also said he backs the sale.

In Trump’s first phone call with Buhari in February, he “assured the Nigerian president of U.S. readiness to cut a new deal in helping Nigeria in terms of military weapons to combat terrorism,” according to Buhari’s office.

Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, said in mid-February he was “leery” of the sale because of the Nigerian military’s impunity. Cardin said this week he’s not trying to block the deal.

“Ultimately we hope that the sale goes forward,” he said. “But there is progress that needs to be made in protecting the civilian population.”

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