Alleged N322m Fraud: Court Adjourns Nwaoboshi’s Trial

A Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos State Monday, adjourned to May 28, further hearing in the trial of Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, representing Delta North, Delta State.

Nwaoboshi was re-arraigned on Friday, October 5, 2018, alongside two companies, Golden Touch Construction Project Limited and Suinming Electrical Limited, on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N322million.

EFCC spokesman, Tony Orilade made this known through a statement in Abuja.

Orilade said one of the charges reads: “That you, Peter Nwaoboshi and Golden Touch Construction Projects Limited, between May and June, 2014, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did acquire a property described as Guinea House, Marina Road, Apapa, Lagos, for the sum of N805million, when you reasonably ought to have known that the sum of N322 million out of the purchase price transferred to the vendors by order of Suinming Electricals Limited formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity of fraud and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act of 2011(as amended) and punishable under Section (15)(3) of the same Act.”

At the resumed hearing today before Justice C. J. Aneke, the prosecution counsel, Wale Ogunde, SAN, informed the court that he received a notice from the defence counsel on March 26, that it would not be convenient for the first defendant to be present in court during the proceedings scheduled for today and May 7.

“In view of this notice, I told my witness, who works in a bank, that the case would not go on today. I also assured him that I would convey the next adjourned date to him.

“Up until I sighted both the defence counsel and the defendant in court today, I had not received any counter-notice that the defendant would be present in court today”.

EFCC Confirms Saraki Probe to Cover 16 Years

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday said its probe of Senate President, Bukola Saraki will cover his activities from 2003.

The agency also denied that the investigation started after Saraki was appointed Ambassador-at-large of the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC).

Tony Orilade, EFCC spokesman, urged the public to disregard the “false connection” which the report sought to establish between Saraki’s ambassadorial appointment and the probe into his earnings when he was a state governor.

A statement he signed read: “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to a publication and wishes to correct the deliberate falsehood and misinformation it served the general public”

“For the avoidance of doubt, investigation into the Senate President’s activities while he held sway as the governor of Kwara State started long before his nomination and emergence as IHRC ambassador.

“In fact, the Commission’s letter to the Kwara State Government House which sought an inquest into Saraki’s earnings as the state governor, from 2003 to 2011 was dated Friday, April 26, 2019, predating his announcement as IHRC ambassador at large which came on Sunday, April 28, 2019, with two clear days.

“We, therefore, urge members of the public to disregard the false connect the writer sought to establish between Saraki’s IHRC ambassadorial appointment and our inquiries into his earnings as a state governor.

“We wish to restate our resolve to resist distractions from any quarter in our efforts to rid the country of corruption and corrupt elements.”

Nigerian Army Bans ‘Okada’ in 7 States

The Nigerian Army on Sunday announced ban on the use of motorcycles in the North West region.

It said the ban under exercise HARBIN KUNAMA which seeks to wipe out banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities in the zone, affects Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kastina, Sokoto, Zamfara and Niger states.

The Army said it would not tolerate the use of motorcycles within the hinterland, particularly around the forests where the armed bandits and kidnappers hibernate.

It called on the government of the affected states to enforce the order in their respective states in conjunction with the security agencies.

Acting spokesman, Colonel Sagir Musa, in a statement said: “The Nigerian Army over time has observed the use of motorcycles by armed bandits, kidnappers, criminal elements and their collaborators as enablers to perpetrate their heinous crimes especially in the states within the north-west geopolitical zone of the country.

“This informed the decision and directive to ban the use of motorcycles within the hinterland particularly around the forests where the armed bandits, criminals and kidnappers hibernate and all around where troops are conducting operations alongside other security agencies.

“While this may cause some inconveniences to some law-abiding citizens in the area, the need to use all means possible to stop the dastardly activities of these bandits across the North West part of Nigeria needs no emphasis.

“The general public, particularly in the North West and some parts of North Central in Nigeria where Exercise HARBIN KUNAMA is ongoing are enjoined to bear with the NA as concerted efforts are being made to combat the insecurity menace ongoing within the area

Ngige Playing Ethnic Card – Labour Reports Minister to Buhari

Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) on Monday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to call the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, to order.

The NUP accused the minister of attempting to split the body by playing the ethnic card.

The Labour union alleged that Ngige was sponsoring people from his tribe to cause confusion.

NUP’s position followed the emergence of another pensioners’ body – Federal Parastatals and Private Sector Pensioners Association of Nigeria (FEPPAN), which recently asked the Ministry of Labour for registration.

Reacting, NUP General Secretary Elder Actor Zal, in a statement said: “Our attention has once again been drawn to the renewed efforts by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, to illegally regroup, despite the pensioners’ resolve to remain in one indivisible union.

“To achieve this ignoble objectives, Dr. Ngige deliberately went shopping for few disgruntled elements within the union from his tribe, organised them and sponsored them with government money, including PHCN superannuation fund to the tune of N407 million recently collected by the self-appointed interim president of the minister’s pensioners’ association.

“We want to alert the general public that the effort of the minister is self-serving and is not in the best interest of the country. Furthermore, what the minister is about to do is not only contrary to existing labour laws, it will (also) amount to proliferation of industrial unions.

“This is what the labour law is actually guiding against. Section 3(2) of the Trade Union Act clearly settles this matter when it says “no trade union shall be registered to represent workers or employers in a place where there already exists a trade union."

President Buhari Gives Appointment to Ex-Minister Accused of Corruption

President Muhammadu Buhari has ratified the appointment of former Minister of Commerce, Bello Maitama-Yusuf, as member of the Board of Directors of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC.

Special Assistant on New Media to the Governor of Jigawa State, Auwal Sankara, confirmed the appointment and revealed that Maitama-Yusuf was nominated by Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, Governor of the state.

He wrote on Facebook, “In recognition of his hard work, resilience and steadfastness in the progress of APC and development of Jigawa State and Nigeria at large, the Governor of Jigawa State Alhaji Muhammad Badaru Abubakar has facilitated the appointment of Senator Bello Maitama Yusuf as a Member of the Board of Directors of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).”

Maitama-Yusuf’s appointment letter read: “Pursuant to section 5 of the Nigerian Railway Corporation Act cap. N129, LFN2004, and all powers enabling the Honourable Minister of Transportation in that behalf, and consequent upon your nomination by the governor of Jigawa State, I am pleased to inform you of your appointment by the Honourable Minister, as a member of the Directors of Nigerian Railway Corporation.

“Your tenure of appointment shall commence on the date of inauguration of the board and shall subsist at the pleasure of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, pursuant to Section 8 of the above-referenced Act.”

Anambra Assembly Makes Genotype Test Compulsory Before Marriage

In the bid to reduce the number of sickle cell patients in the state, the Anambra State House of Assembly has passed a bill that makes genotype test compulsory before marriage.

The new law also seeks to reduce abuse, stigmatisation and exploitation victims of sickle cell anaemia go through in the state.

According to the law, no religious body or marriage registry "shall perform solemnisation of Holy Matrimony", without presentation of a sickle cell disease prevention certificate from the intending couple.

"Anybody who contravenes the provisions of this section shall be guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N200,000 or imprisonment to a term of three years or both," the law states.

Speaking after the passage of the bill, Ezeani said that love is blind but the new law would ensure that lives are saved, and unnecessary death prevented.

Tinubu-Ojo: I Can Choose Anybody to Head Computer Village Market

The leader of traders in Lagos and the Iyaloja General of Nigeria, Mrs Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, has said that some traders in the Computer village market who protested against the appointment of Iyaloja and Babaloja in the market on Tuesday were ill-informed.

Addressing a press briefing on Wednesday, Tinubu-Ojo, said all the markets in the state were under her control and the computer village market cannot be an exception.

According to our constitution, I can choose anybody from any local government in the state to head the market, all the iyaloja and babaloja in all the Lagos markets are my representatives in the market where they operate.

"They cannot tell us they are not pepper sellers, everybody cannot be textile dealers; they can't tell us that computer village will be exonerated (sic) from other markets."

They don't have the initiative that the person leading the protest has finished his tenure and wants to remain in power... "Computer village is not just an ICT hub, there are a lot of commodities being sold there; nobody can say it is wrong to select a babaloja and iyaloja for the market."

Atiku: Buhari Can Order Army to Produce his Certificates if They Existn

     

In a joint petition filed on March 18, the former Vice-President and his party urged the tribunal to declare them the authentic winner of the February 23 presidential election, insisting Buhari did not possess the educational qualifications he claimed to have in his INEC Form CF001.

They said in the reply filed on April 15 by their legal team, led by Dr Livy Uzoukwu (SAN), that having not been able to attach his academic certificates to INEC Form CF001, Buhari had falsely claimed that his certificates were in the custody of the Nigerian Army.

The joint reply filed by Atiku and the PDP read in part, "In further response to paragraph 381(iv) of the 2nd respondent's reply, aver that the petitioners have no knowledge of any certificates or alleged qualifications issued to the 2nd respondent (Buhari), but contend that 2nd respondent falsely represented that his certificates are in the custody of the Nigerian Army when the 2nd respondent by his own admission is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

The petitioners also stated that "the purported training and courses", which Buhari claimed placed him "head and shoulders above" Atiku regarding educational qualifications to contest the presidential election, "did not culminate in the issuance of any certificates he claimed in his INEC Form CF001".

They stated, "In reply to paragraph 383 of the 2nd respondent's reply, the petitioners aver that the 1st petitioner (Atiku) is eminently qualified to contest election to the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and had indeed attached evidence of his educational qualifications to his INEC Form CF001 submitted to the 1st respondent, unlike the 2nd respondent (Buhari) who did not attach evidence of the qualifications he claimed in his INEC Form CF001 because he does not possess them as he falsely claimed."

Nigeria Election: INEC Reveals What Will Happen to Electoral Offenders

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday called for decisive actions against electoral offenders in the country.

The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said this at the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room Stakeholders’ Forum on Future of Elections in Nigeria, organised by a Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), in Abuja.

Yakubu, who was represented by Mr Festus Okoye, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, said the commission was in full support of the establishment of Electoral Offences Commission to punish offenders.

“It is time to take decisive action to break the cycle of impunity through the promulgation of an Electoral Offences Commission/Tribunal to handle matters relating to electoral offences.

“The commission has made it clear that it lacks the capacity and wherewithal to continue the prosecution of electoral offenders.

“And it is for this reason that the commission supports and will continue to support the creation of an Electoral Offences Commission/Tribunal to process, arrest, investigate and prosecute electoral offenders,’’ he said.

Yakubu said that INEC was set to design strategies to checkmate the act of vote buying and selling.

Senate Directs Minister, Agency to Return Alleged Diverted N14.3billion

 

The Senate has directed the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Okechukwu Enelamah and acting Managing Director of Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Engineer Terhemba Nongo to return alleged diverted N14.3 billion from 2017 NEPZA budget into the National treasury.

The upper legislative chamber in a letter written to that effect by Chairman of its Committee on Trade and Investment, Senator Mohammed Nakudu Sabo (APC Jigawa South West), warned the Minister and NEPZA boss to either comply with the directive or be ready to face serious legislative action against them.

The dissatisfaction of the committee as explained by Senator Sabo in Abuja Monday was as a result of the alleged fraudulent way the diverted N14.3billion was hurriedly transfered from NEPZA account into a private company called Nigerian Special Economic Zone Company Account between April 8, to10 with disregard to earlier warnings.

The alleged diverted fund, according to the Chairman, was first warehoused in NEPZA account with the CBN from 2017 budget allocations before it was moved into the private company account about two weeks ago.

“To prevent this fraud, my committee wrote a letter to the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele on the 8th of this month not to release the money but very annoyingly, the money is confirmed to have been released and transfered by NEPZA in collaboration with the Minister into a private company account.

“This is unacceptable and will not be condoned, hence the need for the money to be returned into national treasury,” he said.

Gunmen Kidnap UBEC Chairman, Daughter; Kill Driver on Kaduna-Abuja Highway

 

Armed men have reportedly blocked the Kaduna-Abuja highway, opened fire on some vehicles and abducted two people.

NAN reports that the attack was said to have occurred at about 3 pm around Katari village on Monday and resulted to the death of one person.

Spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Yakubu Sabo, said the attackers kidnapped the Chairman of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Muhammad Abubakar and his daughter while his driver was shot dead.

Sabo, who confirmed the incident in a statement issued in Kaduna, said two victims of the attack were rescued.

“Today April 29, we received information through DPO Katari that at about 1530hrs, he got a distress call that armed men in military uniform intercepted a Land Cruiser SUV with Reg. No 07E o4 FG and Toyota Sienna with Reg. No SLJ 465 TN at Kurmin Kare Village along Kaduna -Abuja Expressway, opened fire on the vehicles and in the process the driver of the SUV was shot dead.

“While the occupants, Dr. Muhammad Abubakar, who is the Chairman of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and his daughter were kidnapped.

“The occupants of the Sienna; one Alowonle Olalere and Onuka Victor both of Ibadan, Oyo State were injured and rescued to Katari Police Station.”

Documents Show Osinbajo, Fashola Lied About Rise in PowerGeneration

Power generation and supply in the country has plumetted from 4,000 megawatts to 2,039MW.

In February, Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, had claimed that power generation in Nigeria had improved by 100% within the space of three years.

In April 2019, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had also claimed that power generation had improved from 4000mw to 8100mw.However, documents seen by Vanguard from the office of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo state: "On April 23rd, 2019, average power sent out was 87,061.8 MWh/day.

"The situation is compounded because the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), was not able to complete the rehabilitation of the Escravos-Lagos Gas Pipeline System.Consequently, Egbin, Omotosho, Olorunsogo and paras power stations were not able to generate power for transmission and distribution, thus forcing many electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to express their helplessness to consumers.Corroborating the document, the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, said : "The National Grid is experiencing reduced power generation due mainly to emergency maintenance by NGC of its gas pipeline supplying gas to Egbin, Omotosho, Olorunsogo and Paras Power Stations."

"This was reportedly caused by leakage on the Escravos-Lagos gas pipeline, necessitating the total shutdown of the four power generating plants on 25th April, 2019."

Man Steals N1.7m Hospital’s Microscope, Sells it for N5,000

Operatives of the Kastina State Police Command have arrested a 30-year-old man, Hamza Sani, for allegedly conspiring with four others to steal a microscope belonging to the Malumfashi General Hospital, in the Malunfashi area of the state.

Northern City News learnt from a police source that Sani's arrest led to the apprehension of his cohorts, identified as Magaji Yusuf, 36; Saidu Shehu, 40; Kamala Aliyu, 33; and Emmanuel Ukelere, 48.

The state's Police Public Relations Officer, Gambo Isah, while confirming the incident, said Sani and his cohorts specialised in the stealing of hospital equipment, adding that during interrogation, Sani confessed to the crime.

Isah said, "On Saturday, April 13, 2019, around 6am, the command succeeded in smashing a syndicate that specialises in theft of hospital equipment.

Sani, who was paraded at the Katsina Police Command headquarters, told Northern City News that he sold the microscope for N5,000 because he needed money to treat his sick wife.

Five Soldiers Killed, 30 Missing in Boko Haram Battle

 

At least five Nigerian soldiers were killed and some 30 are missing three days after Boko Haram jihadist overran an army base, security sources said on Monday.

Gunmen from the Islamic State West Africa Province, the IS-linked faction of Boko Haram, attacked the base in Nigeria's northeastern Borno state on Friday.

"We have recovered five bodies of soldiers who paid the supreme price fighting the terrorists," a military officer told AFP, giving the first reports of casualty numbers.

Nigerian army chief Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai last week warned of an ISWAP-Boko Haram alliance to carve out a jihadist enclave stretching from Nigeria's northeast into the wider Lake Chad region.

15,000 out of 17,000 Students Owe School Fees – Ekiti VC

The Vice-Chancellor of Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Prof. Kayode Soremekun, said on Sunday that only 2,000 out of a population of 17,000 students had paid their school fees for the 2018/2019 session.

Soremekun lamented that the students' failure to pay their school fees had negatively impacted on the university's desire to meet many of the needs and demands of the school for more effective and enhanced academic and administrative activities.

The vice-chancellor said at Oye Ekiti in a chat with journalists that the fact that many of the students had diverted such fees had compelled the school management to devise a means by which parents could pay the fees directly instead of asking their children to pay.

"What we have found out with this is that even though the demand for education in our country is high, an effective demand which caters for prompt payment of school fees as well as being able to pay for quality education is lacking in this country.

I believe an average Nigerian parent should be able to afford this, but we keep witnessing a situation where students don't pay their school fees."

Buhari Desperate to Remain in Power to Cover up N14trn Stolen Under His Watch, PDP Alleges

 President Muhammadu Buhari's administration has been accused of electoral violence rigging and fraud by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The statement reads: "The APC and the cabal at the Buhari-led Presidency resorted to violence, intimidation as well as manipulations and alteration of results at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rig the February 23 presidential election."

"The President Buhari-led APC administration wants to remain in power to prevent investigation into the N14 trillion allegedly stolen under its watch; including the N9 trillion stolen from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, as detailed in the leaked NNPC memo; the over N1.4 trillion alleged oil subsidy sleaze and the N1.1 trillion worth of crude diverted using 18 unregistered companies linked to APC interests."

"This is in addition to the N33billion National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) fund, and the over N18 billion stolen out of the N48 billion approved by the National Assembly in the 2017 budget for the rehabilitation of IDPs in the Northeast, among others."

"The negative effect is the further dipping of our economy, as investor's confidence, which shored up at the expressed resolve by Nigerians to elect Atiku Abubakar as their next President, slumped with the rigging of the Presidential election."

Abia North: INEC Under Fire over Orji Kalu’s Emergence as Senator-Elect

 Abraham Amah, a Peoples Democratic Party chieftain and ex-Senior Special Adviser to the Abia State government on Labour and Industrial Matter, has attacked the Independent National Election Commission (INEC), over its alleged partisanship and misconduct during the just-concluded 2019 general elections.

He accused the nation’s electoral umpire of violating the guidelines it laid out for the conduct of the election in Abia north senatorial zone.

The PDP chieftain, who spoke in an telephone interview with the media, Sunday, faulted the INEC declaration of Orji Uzor Kalu, the Senatorial candidate of All Progressives Congress(APC), as winner of the February 23 senatorial poll conducted in Abia north zone, expressing optimisms that the tribunal will do the needful in ensuring justice prevail.

Buhari’s UK Trip: PDP Claims President Didn’t Notify National assemblyN

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari did not write to the National Assembly, to inform them of his trip to the United Kingdom.

Appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Sunday, the PDP’s Deputy National Chairman, Yemi Akinwunmi, said the President ought to have notified the lawmakers, indicating his mission abroad and transferring power to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

“I know by the standard convention all over the world, it is conventional that when the President is travelling out of a domain, whether privately or publicly after about six or seven days, he has to have a course to the National Assembly to disclose his mission and then transfer power to the Vice President.

“These guys are talking as if Nigeria is a private enterprise, it is not. The President derives his power from the citizens. And he is responsible not to the presidency but to Nigerians.

“The money he is going to spend in the course of the journey is derived from the federation account,” Akinwunmi said.

Buhari is expected to spend 10 days in the UK and return on May 5.

Strikes: Buhari Tackles ASUU

President Muhammadu Buhari has said industrial actions by the Academic Staff Union of Universities are inimical to the health and progress of the higher institutions in Nigeria.

According to the President, the action was worrisome and disheartening.

He stated this at the 41st convocation ceremony of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, at the weekend.

“It is only when there is peace and stability, that government is able to consolidate the gains and successes recorded in the advancement of higher education in this country,” he said.

Buhari was represented by the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Universities Commission, Prof. Abubakar Rashid.

The President noted that industrial actions cause loss of time in learning hours by young men and women; in their quest to graduate and join the nation-building.

“I am appealing to leadership and rank and file of all Universities-based unions to be more sensitive in their pursuit of welfare and other demands in the University,” he added.

Kogi Judiciary Suspends 4Month Strike

Barely one week the National Judiciary Council (NJC) wade into the impasse between the Executive and the Judiciary in Kogi State, workers under the auspice of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has called off its over four months strike in the state.

The suspension of the strike, according to a statement signed by the Kogi State Chairman Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Comrade Emmanuel Waniko and Secretary, Comrade Sule Suberu, Sunday evening, will take effect from Monday 29th April 2019.

The media recalls that the judiciary workers in the state had on 11th December 2018, embarked on an indefinite strike following a disagreement between the management and the executive arm of the Kogi State Government on proposed screening to audit its workforce.

The judiciary workers are currently owed nine months salaries.

It would also be recalled that a powerful delegation of the National Judicial Commission met with the executive arm under the leadership of Gov. Yahaya Bello were it was resolved that the strike be suspended to give room for further deliberations.

Other resolutions between the two party is that a committee be set up between the Executive and the Legislature to work out the modalities for the payment of salary arrears.