MOSCOW (Reuters) — Russia's defence ministry said on Wednesday it had proof that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and his family were benefiting from the illegal smuggling of oil from Islamic State-held territory in Syria and Iraq.

Moscow and Ankara have been locked in a war of words since last week when a Turkish air force jet shot down a Russian warplane near the Syrian-Russian border, the most serious incident between Russia and a NATO state in half a century.

In a briefing in Moscow, defence ministry officials displayed satellite images which they said showed columns of tanker trucks loading with oil at installations controlled by Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, and then crossing the border into neighbouring Turkey.

The officials did not specify what direct evidence they had of the involvement of Erdogan and his family, an allegation that the Turkish president has vehemently denied.

"Turkey is the main consumer of the oil stolen from its rightful owners, Syria and Iraq. According to information we've received, the senior political leadership of the country — President Erdogan and his family — are involved in this criminal business," said Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov.

"Maybe I'm being too blunt, but one can only entrust control over this thieving business to one's closest associates."


"In the West, no one has asked questions about the fact that the Turkish president's son heads one of the biggest energy companies, or that his son has been appointed energy minister. What a marvellous family business!"

"The cynicism of the Turkish leadership knows no limits. Look what they're doing. They went into someone else's country, they are robbing it without compunction," Antonov said.

The ministry also alleged that the same criminal networks which were smuggling oil from Islamic State-held areas into Turkey were also supplying weapons, equipment and training to the militant group.

Officials said that the Russian air force's bombing campaign had made a significant dent in Islamic State's ability to produce, refine and sell oil.

Erdogan last week denied that Turkey procures oil from anything but legitimate sources. He has said Ankara is taking active steps to prevent smuggling of fuel, and he challenged anyone who accused his government of collaborating with Islamic State to prove their allegations.



http://www.businessinsider.com/russia-we-have-proof-that-erdogan-and-his-family-have-been-buying-oil-from-isis-2015-12?utm_content=buffere3af8&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, November 10, 2015 arraigned former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswan and his Finance Commissioner, Omodachi Okolobia, before Justice A.R Muhammad of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, on a 9-count charge of conspiracy, bribery, abuse of office and obtaining by false pretence.

Suswan, in connivance with Okolobia allegedly diverted proceeds of the sale of shares owned by the Benue State government and Benue Investment and Property Company Limited for personal use.

The offence is punishable under Section 15 (3) 0f the Money Laundering Act 2011, as amended in 2012.

The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them.

One of the counts reads:

“That you GABRIEL TORWUA SUSWAN and OMODACHI OKOLOBIA while being the Benue State Governor and Commissioner of Finance of Benue State respectively between 8th August and 30th October, 2014 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court took possession of the sum of $15, 800,000 (Fifteen Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars) from Abubakra Umar of Fanffash Resources World-wide Limited, a Bureau de Change dealer which sum you knew to be the proceed of unlawful activity to wit: theft of the sum of N3, 111, 008,018.51 (Three Billion, One Hundred and Eleven Million, Eight Thousand, Eighteen Naira, Fifty-one Kobo ) which form part of the sum of N9,411,708,009.51 ( Nine Billion, Four Hundred and Eleven Million, Seven Hundred and Eight Thousand, Nine Naira, Fifty One Kobo), realized from the sale of shares owned by Benue Government and Benue Investment and Property Company Limited and you thereby committed and offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as Amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.”

Following their plea, counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, asked the court for a short date to commence trial.

“While we are not opposing the bail of the accused persons, I urge your Lordship to give us two days, possibly in December, for trial to commence”, Jacobs urged.

However, the defence counsel, Ahmad Raji, prayed the court to admit the accused persons to bail on self recognition citing Section 165 Sub Section (1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.

Justice Muhammad admitted the accused persons to bail in the sum of N100m (one hundred million naira) each and one surety each in like sum.

While fixing December 8 and 9, 2015 for commencement of trial, Justice Muhammad ordered the accused persons to be kept in EFCC custody pending the fulfillment of the bail conditions.


Wilson Uwujaren

Head, Media & Publicity

10th November, 2015

TheGoodJoe:
It is time this people stop paying AIT for their tarnishing Ads. It achieves nothing. If you think I am lying, ask GEJ.

masinga07:
Instead of u guys to think of better tins to do with ur lives, u are mocking someone who is d Gov of whole River state. i pity some miserable lives on nairaland

Cutehector:
Lol wike aint seeeing anything yet.... He has forgoten who his master is..

whizqueen:
Awwwww... This is so romantic
Lovely couples

sameer1212:
This is arrant Nonsense. Rubbish.

kuuljay:
deliver Wetin!!! Bross abeg yus leave me as I dey

dustmalik:
I live at Area 11, which is less than 3 miles away from Aso villa, yet electricity is terrible over here.

SLIDEwaxie:
For now, it has improved greatly because we now have 2hours of light per day from 3am to 5am.... Ain't that cool?

blackfase:
Very pathetic as usual in my area. The drunk from the creeks has been lyin his goddamn ass out since they rebranded akpeteshi.

Breiny:
I have exhausted my budget for fuel for the month. My phone has been my source of light for the last 3 days. GEJ should park well jor

kuuljay:
For we area we go dey expect light next week 24hours for atlist 3days.as we dey hurry enjoy am na so nepa dey knock ya door for dem bill.after those 3days we no go see light again till the end of next month,if you nor gree pay dem go cut ya light,if you talk too much dem remove d pole kpatakpata. I just tire

xpac01:
My second battery is charging at a business centre right now. My generator is bad and you know what that means: no light for past 4 days in my area.

nwanna89:
Not so much improvement in the power supply. However, our transmission lines are being upgraded. No more one big transformer for 100 houses. We now have 1 smaller transformer for 4 houses at most. That is a step in the right direction. Whenever power supply becomes regular, transmission wont be a problem. Unbundling PHCN into smaller private companies is a bigger achievement now than increasing power generation. Without good transmission facilities in place first, generated power cannot be utilized effectively