₦airaland Forum

HungerBAD:
President of the Nigerian Senate on Thursday, a day after he led the National Assembly to pass the 2016 Appropriation Act.

The Code of Conduct Tribunal spoilt the fun for Saraki who has been receiving commendations from his party chiefs over the passage of the budget as it refused the entreaties of the Senate President to quash his trial over the 13 count charges of false assets declaration preferred against him by the Federal Government.

Justice Danladi Umar, Chairman of Code of Conduct Tribunal had stopped the Senate President’s second attempt to stop his trial when it held that the charges preferred against the Senate President was valid and competent in law in his ruling on Saraki’s motion challenging the jurisdiction of the Tribunal to try him.

The judge noted that the Act establishing the CCT as well as the 1999 constitution, as amended, conferred the Tribunal with the requisite jurisdiction to hear and determine allegations bordering on breach of code of conduct by public officers.

On Saraki’s argument that the FG waited for over 13 years before instituting the charge against him, Justice Umar held that there is no time frame for the prosecution of a criminal offence.

In asking the Tribunal to free him of the charges, the Senate President had cited the case of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the former governor of Lagos State who was arraigned before CCT in 2011, but was discharged after only two appearances in the Tribunal.

Kanu Agabi, the Senate President’s lawyer had argued that Tinubu was freed by the Tribunal then because FG failed to fulfil necessary condition precedents capable of conferring jurisdiction on it to hear the substantive charge.

According to Agabi, the tribunal had in the case against Tinubu, noted that the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, which recommended the prosecution, ought to have invited the defendant to clarify discrepancies in the assets he declared, before the charge was initiated and consequently discharge him.

Like Tinubu, Agabi said his client was also not invited to clarify the allegations against him.

“My lord he has not been invited up till now. That was the same reason you gave for allowing Tinubu to go home, on the ground that ten other governors were invited by the CCB to make clarifications on discrepancies in the assets they declared.

“But till now, the defendant here, who is the Senate President of this country has not been invited. It is our position that the law is not discriminatory”, Agabi submitted.

He also argued that the laws establishing CCB mandated it to summon anyone perceived to have falsely declared his assets to give explanations.

“The defendant was never afforded such opportunity, not even a chance to kneel down and apologise”, said Agabi who added that the charge was politically motivated and instituted in bad faith.

Failure of the Bureau to summon Saraki to give explanations, Agabi argued was fatal to the charge.

But in his ruling on Friday, Justice Umar said the former Lagos State Governor was discharged in error in 2011.

“The tribunal has since realised that the decision it made on the case between FRN vs Tinubu was in error and has clearly departed from it”.
“It is not out of place for the prosecution to charge the defendant now. The application to quash the charge is hereby refused. The tribunal hereby re-inforce its jurisdiction in line with the constitution an section 3(d) of the CCB &Tribunal Act.

“Accordingly, the prosecution is hereby ordered to produce its witnesses for the trial of the defendant to commence immediately,” Justice Umar held.

“Tinubu’s case was based on 1979 law and the Tribunal having realised its mistake more than three years ago upturned the decision and said they made a mistake, that it was an error and that it was given without considering the 1999 Constitution,” Rotimi Jacobs, the Prosecution Counsel said while giving further elucidation to the Tribunal’s ruling to journalists.

Jacobs who had argued along this line to oppose Agabi’s request that his client should be allowed to go home based on the decision of the court on former Lagos State governor added that The Tribunal had in two other cases decided in 2012 and 2014 overturned the decision.

“If it was the Chairman of the Tribunal that was in error, should we follow the error? He has corrected it in two other judgments,” Jacobs who also said the Federal Government is ready to pursue the case against the Senate President at any other court added


http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2016/03/24/cct-trial-why-saraki-cannot-be-allowed-to-go-like-tinubu-justice- umar/

TheophilusA:
A Federal Government delegation, comprising of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami; Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu and crack detectives from the anti-graft agency, yesterday, started comparing collated intelligence notes with their United Arab Emirates(UAE) counterparts on some Nigerian former Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs). This move is ahead of the repatriation of over $200billion stashed away by 7 former governors, 6 former ministers, a fleeing ex-presidential aide in form of cash and/or acquired properties in the UAE.




Implicated in this UAE loot saga are some of the aforementioned former public officers and about 5 chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) who have fat accounts in UAE and choice properties in Marina (Dubai), Bur Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. To this end, some mansions belonging to the former PEPs and their cronies or fronts may also be seized by the EFCC officials who arrived Dubai on Saturday. The Nigerian delegation went to UAE in line with an agreement with the Federal Government. Recall President Muhammadu Buhari in January signed a “Judicial Agreement on Extradition, Transfer of Sentenced Persons, Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters, and Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal and Commercial Matters, which includes the recovery and repatriation of stolen wealth”.



http://dawntodusknews.com/200billion-loot-in-dubai-efcc-trails-7-ex-governors-6-ex-ministers-5-pdp-chieftains/

winkmart:
Parents of 20-year-old Joan Egemba, have been thrown into mourning after their daughter was stabbed and strangled by some suspected rapists in the Ijebu Igbo area of Ogun State.

Joan, who bagged a National Diploma in Accountancy from the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun State, enrolled for the 2016 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the deceased left her home in the Odo Eran, Sango-Ota area around 12pm on Thursday, March 3, for the National Open University of Nigeria centre in Awa Ijebu, where she was posted to sit for the exam the following day.

It was learnt that on Thursday evening, she was abducted at the Ijebu Oru Junction – a few distance away from the centre – by persons suspected to be rapists.

Her corpse was said to be found in a bush at the back of a secondary school in Ijebu Igbo with cuts in her thighs.

Our correspondent was told that the briefs that Egemba wore were torn, suggesting that her assailants were rapists.

Her father, Emmanuel Egemba, said she had called him on the telephone on getting to the centre, informing him that the security guard attached to the centre turned down her request to pass the night on the premises.

He said, “On that Thursday, she left home around 12.30pm, but the bus she boarded at Sango to the centre left around 2pm. She called at 5.30pm that she had arrived there, but the security man at the centre did not open the gate for her and others to pass the night on the premises. I told her to find a place in the area till the following day when she would sit for the exam.

“Around 7pm, I called her again and she said the security man had opened the gate for them. One hour after, I called again but she did not pick her calls. She was supposed to sit for the exam at 6.30am on Friday. I called her around 12pm on Friday, her phone was switched off. As early as 4am on Saturday, I went to the centre to verify whether she sat for the exam or not. I met the security man and he directed me to the JAMB office in Abeokuta. He denied that he allowed my daughter into the school compound to pass the night.

“It was a woman that told us that a girl was kidnapped at Oru Junction and taken towards Ijebu Igbo. We later discovered her corpse on Wednesday, March 9. If the candidates were allowed to sleep inside the school, this incident would not have happened.”
Emmanuel, a retired Assistant Superintendent of Nigerian Customs, said the loss of his daughter was hard to bear, but the family had taken solace in God.

“I learnt it was rapists that killed her. Her body was not mutilated, but she had cuts in the mouth and thighs. Her clothes and briefs were torn and she had bruises in the back.

“We prayed before she left home on that day. While we were praying this morning (Monday) I looked at where she used to sit and it was vacant,” he said.
He stated that the deceased’s mother, Mrs. Chimemo Egemba, was too distraught and could not speak withPUNCH Metro.

A neigbour, who identified himself only as Wale, said the Divisional Police Officer in Awa Ijebu did not act promptly when the case was reported and called for comprehensive investigation to unravel Joan’s killers.

He said, “I followed Emmanuel to the police station on Wednesday, four days after he reported the case, and I asked the DPO if he had visited the school. He said no. He should have gone to the centre instantly to investigate. He is not fit to be a policeman.

“It was at a building beside the NOUN centre that we got the information that the girl was abducted. We traced her to Ijebu Igbo with her picture. At a motor park there, we showed the picture to a man who told us her corpse was dumped in a bush at the back of a school.

“I think she struggled with her abductors while they attempted to rape her. I think they strangled her when they did not succeed in raping her. We want those that perpetrate this act to be fished out and brought to book.”

Wale said a police officer at the Ijebu Igbo division told him that they were overwhelmed by the spate of crime in the community, adding that many policemen had influenced their transfers from Ijebu Igbo to other stations.

The Ogun State Police spokesperson, DSP Muyiwa Adejobi, said the command was working with its Information and Communication Technology experts to track down the suspects.
He said, “We are working on the information we have to get the culprits.

http://www.punchng.com/rapists-strangle-utme-candidate-dump-corpse-inside-bush-2/

sixtuschimere:
The corp member pictured above was rushed to an undisclosed hospital in Rivers state after he was attacked by some political thugs in Awelga, for allegedly refusing to convey electoral material to ward 4 as ordered by a political thug during the Rivers rerun election of Saturday March 19. New reports claim the boy has given up the ghost.

See photos above

Source: http://www.trezzyblog.com/2016/03/another-corp-member-attacked-during.html

Remmyode:
http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2016/03/20/i-will-certainly-pay-workers-salaries-aregbesola/

Amiloaded:
UNIOSUN Ipetu-Ijesha Campus, is certainly not having the best of times today. In the spirit of Aluta and solidarity, the angry students ensured a total lockdown of vehicular movement to and fro the campus premises. According to an eyewitness, neither the lecturers nor students were granted access into the school.

Trouble started yesterday when some of the defaulting students were sent out of the exam hall for non-payment of the tuition fee. Initially it was considered a mere threat by the students until the authorities made good their promise.

Over 70% of the students were affected by the school's decision and this resulted in a showdown which could best be described as "action packed" . Those affected were sent out of the halls because they are yet to pay their school fees, or unable to provide evidence of payment for this session


In the defence of the students, the union leaders argued the authority's decision was harsh, unruly and selfish since the students would still pay the said tuition by whatever means necessary. Most affected are the final year students as that meant an automatic extra year for them, what a way to go.


Considering the economic situation of the country, we need not go far as to why the school is in such mess. Presently, workers in osun state are being owed over 4 months salary with no hope in sight. This cash drought hasnt left the university's coffers healthy either. On either sides, money is lacking.


Having said that, it is still humanly possible for the school management to cope even with the non-payment of student tuition rather than opting to send the students out of the exam hall because most certainly, they would still have to pay


However, i humbly plead with the student representatives to give peace a chance. Breaking bottles, locking gates, barricading routes wont give a lasting solution.

See photos below from the scene...

Source @ http://www.amiloaded.com/2016/03/uniosun-ipetu-ijesa-campus-goes-up-in.html?m=0

diana158:
http://www.punchng.com/corruption-efcc-free-to-probe-jonathan-presidency/

bumi10:
A bill for an Act to reduce incident of unsolicited telephone calls and text messages received by consumers, on Thursday in Abuja, passed the second reading in the House of Representatives. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Aliyu Madaki (Kano-APC), was intended to provide a legal framework to stop the sending of unsolicited ringtones and text messages to mobile phone subscribers.

The lawmaker explained that the bill was also intended to prohibit online telemarketing without prior consent of a subscriber. Madaki disclosed that the bill, when passed into law, would empower aggrieved subscriber to seek redress before a High Court. He explained that currently, there was no legislation to address the prevalence of these unsolicited messages in the country, thereby leaving the consumers at the mercies of telephone service providers.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, therefore, referred to the bill.

http://www.exlinklodge.com/2016/03/in-abuja-reps-bill-to-prohibit.html

thesicilian:
Great. More money down the drain of salaries and allowances

nwachinekem:
She is alone and option na dog. Na wa oòoo

morili:
The brave and gallant police officer who led the opearton to rescue the abducted school girls in Lagos, has been is pictured with Lagos state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, who expressed his gratitude after the rescue operation.


CSP. Abba Kyari who led the Special Intelligence Response Team (SIRT) of the Lagos state Police command, that rescued the 3 abducted school girls in Ikorodu yesterday March 6th, has met with Lagos state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode who expressed his gratitude after the rescue operation.

It was revealed that CSP Kyari also led the team that rescued the mother of the former Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, who was abducted in Delta State in 2012 and the arrest of notorious South West armed robber, ‘Godogodo.’


http://www.tori.ng/news/23051/brave-police-officer-who-rescued-kidnapped-lagos-s.html

drss:
na which kind pastor dey lie shamelessly like dis say GEJ no build new roads osumbande is a fake pastor.

fistonati:
Osibanjo is from Ogun state, can't he go olumo rock, lagos beach, motherless babies home, mapo hall in Ibadan, agodi gardens, national theather, national museum, unibadan Zoo and all other attractive places in Nigeria? Is this how we want the Naira to equal a dollar.
Am still waiting for President Buhari's report of his Vacation.
#amjustpreachingcommonsense

Adesiji77:
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/again-states-seek-another-bailout-osun-worst-hit/231895/

Towncrier247:
This lone protester is currently at the National Assembly wearing a banner calling for the arrest of former President Jonathan, over the ongoing $2.1 billion arms deal scandal. More pics after the cut..

http://www.newseveryhour.com/2016/02/photos-man-storms-national-assembly.html

BaddieKay:
Speaking on why he is making the revelations now, Aluko stated: “We swore on the arrangement that we had before we embarked on the political venture.
“Him (Fayose) becoming the Governor, myself becoming Chief of Staff and Honourable Femi Bamisile becoming the Deputy Governor,” he explained, dismissing claims that he was coming out with the truth because he could not get what was agreed. .


Interesting...Continue.

erunz:
IMO State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, yesterday disclosed that the state is insolvent, as its monthly wage bill has outstripped its monthly statutory allo­cation from the Federal Government. The governor said monthly servicing of the bailout fund has further compounded the situation.

This was just as he reiterated that there was no go­ing back on the state government’s decision to con­cession the management of parastatals.

Okorocha, who revealed this when he spoke to newsmen at the Government House in Owerri said the monthly wage of the state had always been high­er than what the state receives from federal alloca­tions and internally generated revenue.

“The monthly wage bill of the state is N4.2 bil­lion which is far higher than what we receive from federal allocation including the internally generated revenue which means that the state government has always been operating on a deficit. As at December 31, 2015 the state received N1.9 billion from the Federal Government while the monthly wage bill of the state for the same period was N4.2 billion.”

“We cannot continue to patch a cracked wall as if all is well, we need to break it down in order to rebuild it, and the current wage bill of the state is be­yond our capacity. Imo State now receives the least allocation among the South-East states because of the monthly repayment of the bailout fund which the state took from the Federal Government, a situation which has further compounded the financial situa­tion of the state.” The governor insisted that in spite of the financial dilemma of the state, no worker is being owed any salary.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/imo-is-broke-okorocha/

moyinoluwabun:
Maybe Aregbese think say by this appointment, she go fit help him pay all his gbese (debt). #GovernorWithoutAdministrationSkill

moyinoluwabun:
Maybe Aregbese think say by this appointment, she go fit help him pay all his gbese (debt). #GovernorWithoutAdministrationSkill

resty4:
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/01/why-i-visited-aregbesola-fayose/

Sammyashol:
Gov Ayodele Fayose in a tweet session, read tweets below.



@GovAyoFayose I don't have any house in Dubai. Anyone with information of any property linked to me in Dubai should publish the details.


@GovAyoFayose If they trace any house to me in Dubai, the federal govt should make public all
the details including pictures, location & title documents.


@GovAyoFayose The government should also confiscate such property and I am ready to waive my immunity to be prosecuted.


It is painful that the people who seized power in Nigeria through falsehood and propaganda are still lying 8 months after assuming office


https://mobile.twitter.com/GovAyoFayose?p=s


cc: seun lalasticlala mynd44

viviangist:
Check the result of the meeting click http://www.viviangist.com/efcc-boss-meets-wole-soyinka-to-discuss-how-to-fight-corruption-photos

GodsMercy1:
Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole on Thursday, said the current outbreak of Lassa fever in the country is because the administration of former president Goodluck Jonathan failed to implement a roadmap drawn in 2012.

The minister also disclosed that the ministry was going to begin testing on a potential vaccine that would be used to prevent the virus.

Adewole disclosed these while briefing the Senate Committee on Health headed by Sen. Lanre Tejuosho (APC, Lagos) on the outbreak of the lassa virus in Nigeria.

Prof. Adewole put the number of cases as of today was 129 adding that the hospital which treated the deceased victim of the disease before referral to the national hospital was being investigated.

The minister said that the virus would have been defeated by now if there was the Jonathan administration had the political will to implement a roadmap designed in 2012 to forestall future occurrence.

He said: “In 2012 we recorded 1723 cases, after that, because of the severity, the post lassa fever outbreak workshop took place and an action plan to ensure this will never happen again was put in place.

“But this action plan was never implemented because it was never funded. We will dust the old plan, modernize it and look at if from the political perspective: what can we do to provide leadership, to provide support.”

On the vaccine being developed to tackle the disease, the minister said government has been “notified of a candidate vaccine which we will put through chemical trial to find out if it would work.

“We call it a candidate vaccine and we would want to run it through trials and that takes some time. Hopefully we will do that this year, once we consider it to be effective and safe then we put it to use.

“If it works then that means that we would be able to immunize people in the affected areas but for now we will continue with our surveillance,” he said.

He revealed that the vaccine was co-developed by some Nigerians while saying that the current outbreak is a national embarrassment because although there were about 1723 cases in 2012, the percentage death rate of the current outbreak was higher.

He added that the virus had been a yearly occurrence with 400 cases recorded in 2014 although not as publicized as the current outbreak.

“We can assure you that we are not going to sleep, we will remain at work, we are actively moving across the country,” he assured the committee.

On the recent death of a victim at the National Hospital in Abuja, he said that the ministry was investigating the hospital where the victim was first treated for one week.

He said that the Abuja victim actually came from Plateau state because he was ill and landed in a private hospital where he was kept for one week before he was referred.

He said that the dead victim was only referred to the National Hospital when he was already unconscious and therefore died 24 hours later.

“It is unfortunate because if we had picked this man earlier on, we would have been able to put him on medication and he could have been alive today.

“The situation which happened in that private hospital I have asked our people to investigate. We will sanction the doctor or the proprietor if we find any act on negligence on his or her part,” he said.

In his remark, the Chairman of the Committee said that the Senate will be willing to approve money for the health of Nigerians not just for lassa but for other ailments.

http://www.orderpaper.ng/lassa-fever-minister-blames-jonathan-says-vaccine-tested/

paulsir:
i know money must have changed hands
on this,whereas he wanted to pay the
doctors in his state half of their salaries.He
shd have given him AARE GBESE means
president of debtors.

chimere66:
Osun state governor, Rauf Aregbesola has been awarded with the title of Omoluabi of Yorubaland.

Aregbesola on Tuesday, was presented with the award by the Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Lamidi Olyiwola Adeyemi III.

See photos above

Source: http://www.trezzyblog.com/2016/01/alaafin-of-oyo-awards-aregbesola-with.html

fritiyo:
My good people of nl, a friend of mine needs ur advice. He is level 8 step 3 working in d federal ministry of edu. He was paid #27, 415 instead of #51000 and above all, his December salary.

Could it be error of his bank that wrongly credited him with that sum. According to him, his colleague who is the same level n step with him received #51,000 while his bank paid in #27,415

pls he needs advice on how to go about it.

centvin008:
The death has occured  of the monther of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), today at 6:20am December 25th2015, Madam Alice Emefiele, Age 94 years.

She was the mother of Mr. Godwin Emefiele, the CBN governor among others.

Details shortly...


http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/emefiele-cbn-gogernor-loses-mother/228857/#.Vn13YMT1x_o.facebook


Cc, Lalasticlala

ionsman:
Good.
Some of these governors are not even qualified to head a secondary school. ..

egift:
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/12/govs-have-no-right-to-reduce-minimum-wage-fg/

vivianblog3:
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/business/195562-2016-budget-speech-the-budget-of-change-by-muhammadu-buhari.html

dulaman:
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/12/witches-back-buharis-anti-corruption-war/

Rawani:
Happy Birthday to the incorruptible General.

The slayer of corruption and beacon of integrity.

At 73, your leadership and charisma remains as virile as a bubbling fountain.

Nigeria celebrates you.

Donpressman:
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/we-applied-minimum-force-on-shiite-members-says-army/227952/