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Africcon Report: EFCC arrests ex-gov Sylva in Abuja
Africcon New Media – NewsEconomic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday arrested former Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva, over alleged money laundering.
A statement by the EFCC’s spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said Sylva was arrested while hiding “in a dingy corner in the upper chamber of his expansive mansion” at his No. 3, Niger Street, Maitama, Abuja home.
The anti-graft agency statement read, “On arrival at the facility at about 10am, the commission’s operatives were told that the ex-governor was not in town but they insisted on conducting a search on the house having obtained a warrant from the court.
“During the search, vital documents were obtained. Ironically, the ex-governor, who was said to be out of town, was later found hiding in a dingy corner in the upper chamber of his expansive mansion.
“He was immediately whisked away and is currently being interrogated at the Abuja headquarters of the anti- graft agency.
“He is being grilled in connection with fresh evidence linking him with a bouquet of fraudulent transactions that border on money laundering. Part of the new evidence includes a number of eye-popping real estate acquisitions in Abuja.”
According to the commission, Sylva’s arrest was sequel to his refusal to honour its invitations.
It said, “Rather than appear before the EFCC, he got his lawyers to inform the commission that he was unable to appear because he was sick and hospitalised in Lagos. The lawyer had promised to appear with his client on May 7 (Tuesday), 2013 but failed to do so.”
The anti-graft agency had earlier arraigned Sylva over six counts of criminal conspiracy and conversion of state’s properties and resources amounting to N2.45bn while in office.
In the suit pending before Justice Adamu Bello of the Federal High Court, Abuja, the prosecution counsel, Festus Keyamo, said Sylva allegedly perpetrated the fraud through proxies under the false pretences of using the amount to augment salaries of workers of the Bayelsa State Government.
Thursday, 9 May 2013
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Africcon Report: EDSIEC disagrees with election monitors’ reports
Africcon New Media – NewsEdo State Independent Electoral Commission, on Wednesday, described the actions of some election observers, who monitored the April 20 council poll in the state as “patently political”.
Addressing reporters in Benin, the EDSIEC Chairman, Solomon Ogor, said many of the “self-acclaimed election monitors,” who had condemned the election were those that did not meet the criteria for monitoring of the exercise.
Represented by a commissioner, Prof. Stanley Orobatror, the EDSIEC boss said those affected were people who failed to force the commission to pay them for monitoring the exercise.
He however promised that the commission would conduct credible election in Esan North East Local Government, where the exercise was postponed as well as in the remaining wards in some LGAs.
He said, “One hundred and four individuals and non-governmental organisations applied to be accredited, but on accepting their applications it was discovered that most of these applicants belonged to unregistered bodies, while some had forged registration certificates. The commission then screened the applications and reduced the number considerably and issued letters of acceptance indicating the absence of any financial commitment.
“We were shocked when some of them arrived two days before the election and started demanding money to enable them to monitor the election, while others also came two days after the election demanding that the commission offset their bills.
“It became imperative for the commission to explain to the observers that it never budgeted for their payment. Embittered by this development, some of them, who never submitted any report of their observations of the elections to the commission went to Abuja to organise a press conference to condemn the election.”
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Africcon Report: Nigeria’s future bright —Lagos Assembly Speaker
Africcon New Media – NewsThe Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, has expressed optimism about Nigeria, saying the country has a brighter future.
A statement by the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy, Security and Publicity, Segun Olulade, stated that Ikuforiji spoke on Tuesday during the visit of members of the Nigerian Youth Movement, who paid him a courtesy visit at the State Assembly complex.
Ikuforiji said, “Though many things in this nation might look gloomy and uncertain presently, the sense of focus and responsibility espoused by some youths in the country speaks volumes about the future.
“Many youths are still awake, watchful, vigilant and mindful of what some public office-holders are doing.”
The Speaker stressed that he had never been a pessimist on the Nigerian project, adding that he believed in one indivisible and progressive nation.
He said what Nigeria needed to attain lofty heights was to have the right leadership at all levels and tiers of government.
Ikuforiji urged the youth to remain focussed and diligent in the struggle for real change in Nigeria.
He said, “The future is in your hands. Don’t waste your time and don’t allow those before you to waste your future. Remain focussed and dedicated to the efforts towards a better Nigeria.’’
The youth, led by their President, Mr Folarin Adekanbi, had presented an award to Ikuforiji for his contributions to the growth and development of the state and legislature in general.
Adekanbi said, “We appreciate several novel laws and policies to enhance the creation of jobs, security of lives and property, creation of enabling investment climate and the strengthening of governance.”
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Africcon Report: Subsidy scam: EFCC alleges overpayment for 16m litres
Africcon New Media – NewsAn Appeal Court sitting in Ilorin on Wednesday commenced hearing in an appeal filed by the Olugbense Ruling House of Offa, Kwara State, against an Ilorin High Court rulings which upheld the appointment and installation of Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi, of the Anilelerin Ruling House, as the Olofa of Offa in Offa Local Area of Kwara State.
The appeal hearing is presided over by Justice Hussein Muhktar.
The Ilorin High Court had in July 2012 dismissed a suit filed by the Magaji of the Olugbense Ruling House, Alhaji Sheu Oyeniyi, praying the court to invalidate and nullify the appointment and installation of Gbadamosi.
But dissatisfied with the trial court’s ruling which upheld the installation of Gbadamosi as the Olofa, the appellant, through his counsel, John Baiyeshea (SAN), prayed the court to set aside the judgment of the High Court.
He prayed the Appeal Court to give judgment in favour of the appellants accordingly and order that Abdulrauf Keji of the Olugbense Ruling House, be installed by the state government as the Olofa of Offa.
He also prayed the court to issue an order of perpetual injunction to restrain Gbadamosi from further parading himself as the Olofa of Offa.
Oyeniyi said, “The trial judge wrongly rejected Exhibit ‘G’ in evidence. It is the original copy of the Kwara State Government press statement of 1969 informing the general public and the whole world that the chieftaincy crisis in Offa was resolved by the government which recognised two ruling houses in Offa.
“These are Olugbense and the Anilelerin ruling houses and also established rotational chieftaincy in Offa between the two ruling houses. A combination of credible, cogent, concrete and strong oral and documentary evidence and exhibits presented by the claimants/appellants are strong enough to be relied upon to give judgment in favour of the claimants.
“The purported appointment of Gbadamosi is liable to be nullified and the 2nd claimant/appellant, Prince Abdulrauf Adegboyega Keji, is entitled to be declared and installed as the Olofa of Offa.”
But the lead counsel for the respondents, Rafiu Lawal-Rabana (SAN), and Mr. Kamaldeen Ajibade, prayed the court to dismiss the appeal and uphold the decision of the lower court.
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Africcon Report: Subsidy scam: EFCC alleges overpayment for 16m litres
Africcon New Media – NewsThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission at a Lagos High Court, Ikeja, on Wednesday accused four oil marketers and their firm of receiving an overpayment for 16 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) they claimed to have supplied in 2010.
The accused marketers — Walter Wagbatsoma, Adaoha Ugo-Ngadi, Fakuade Babafemi and Ezekiel Ejidele along with their firm, Ontario Oil and Gas Ltd — are facing trial for alleged N1.9bn subsidy fraud.
The anti-graft agency made this allegation through a police investigator attached to the commission, Mr. Damon Yelma, while testifying as the first prosecution witness in the trial of the accused on Wednesday.
Yelma, who was led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), said he was among the team that investigated the alleged fraud in the Petroleum Support Fund scheme.
He alleged that the firm in the third and fourth quarters of 2010 had respectively imported 10 million and 12 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit, but claimed to have imported 19 million litres on each of the occasions.
Yelma said, “In the third quarter of 2010, Ontario bought petroleum products from Vistol SA using a modern vessel called Pacific.
“They discharged the said product to Integrated Oil and Gas Depot, the company discharged 12,070,706 litres. After delivery, the company claimed that the product delivered was 19,681,731 litres.
“When they wrote to the Federal Government for subsidy claims, the company claimed subsidy for 19 million and subsidy was paid for that quantity.”
Continuing his testimony, Yelma said, in the fourth quarter of 2010, the same company imported and discharged the product at the Obat Oil and Gas depot.
He said, “The quantity at that time, as shown on the depot Shore Tank recovered from the depot, was 10,446,544 litres but Ontario Oil and Gas claimed that the products supplied was 19,523,892 litres, and went ahead to claim subsidy for the same number of litres.”
However, Wagbatsoma’s counsel, Mr. E.D. Onyeke, faulted the witness’s allegations, saying the EFCC was only relying on the claims of the tank farm owners without further investigating it.
Onyeke said, “Two separate shore tank certificates were issued by Obat Oil Ltd. in respect of the said transaction.
“The one that had only the stamps of Obat showed that 10,146,494 litres were discharged.The other certificate which had Obat stamps and signature along with that of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency showed that 19,523,892 litres were discharged.”
The defence lawyer added that the same discrepancy was also noticed in the transaction involving Integrated Oil and Gas Ltd.
He added, “All documents generated in the course of these transactions, including the bill of lading, cargo manifest and haulage reports, showed that at least 19 million litres of PMS was imported at both times.
“Why did the EFCC rely only on the claims by the tank owners without any further investigations?”
The trial judge, Justice Lateefat Okunnu, adjourned till Thursday (today) for further cross-examination of the witness which was disrupted when the defence notified the court that the prosecution had filed an additional proof of evidence.
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Africcon Report: Obi faults Ngige on N2tn Anambra revenue
Africcon New Media – NewsAnambra State Government has faulted Senator Chris Ngige’s claim that Governor Peter Obi could not justify the N2tn that accrued to the state in the last seven years.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Chief Press Secretary to Obi, Mr. Mike Udah, said more than any previous government, the Obi administration had performed well, bringing development to the doorstep of the people of the state.
Ngige reportedly claimed that Obi had received about N2tn with which he had not done anything tangible.
But Udah said, “One is surprised that Ngige should raise this type of question, and to add salt to injury, attempt to compare Governor Obi’s legitimate administration to the stolen mandate which he enjoyed until it was taken away from him by the Law.
“In civilised societies, Ngige should have been jailed for electoral theft and forced to return to government coffers all the salaries and allowances he received while his illegal sojourn in Awka Government House lasted.
“But let us leave this for another day. The truth of the matter is that Governor Obi has surpassed whatsoever his predecessors ‘including Ngige’ did in office. I mean all they had done put together!
“A tip of the iceberg: he constructed over 380 kilometres of roads across the state with every community and local government getting its fair share.
“This equitable distribution of roads and other infrastructure was not done by Ngige when he illegally held sway.
“In addition, Governor Obi, through his spectacular partnership with the church, has revolutionalised the state’s health care and education, a scenario which the World Bank and even the Federal Government have seen as a model and recommended to all the states to emulate.
“The manner in which old structures were, and are being, refurbished and new ones begun and completed in schools and health institutions in the state is legendary. From Queen of the Rosary Hospital, Borromeo Hospital and School of Nursing and Midwifery, Onitsha, Iyi-Enu Hospital, Ogidi to Our Lady of Lourdes, Ihiala and School of Nursing, Adazi to mention just a few, the story is the same. It is one of unrivalled transformation!”
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Africcon Report: Cultists ambush, kill 20 policemen in Nasarawa
Africcon New Media – NewsNasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, and his counterpart in Benue, Gabriel Suswan, on Thursday briefed the Presidency on the precarious security situation in their states.
While Al-Makura briefed Vice-President Namadi Sambo on the killing of over 20 policemen by members of a cult group in Alakyo Village, about 10 kilometres from Lafia, the state capital, on Wednesday, Suswan filed a report on the clashes between Fulani cattle rearers and farmers with a casualty figure which he described as “high and including women and children.”
President Goodluck Jonathan is currently in South Africa where he is participating in the World Economic Forum on Africa holding in Cape Town.
Shortly after a closed-door meeting with the Vice-President, Al-Makura told State House correspondents that his mission in Abuja was to report the activities of the Ombatse Militia to the Federal Government.
He said he had convened an emergency security meeting over the activities of the group where it was decided that security operatives should raid their shrine and arrest members but that the suspected cultists waited in ambush for policemen in the shrine on Wednesday and murdered 20 of them.
The governor said members of the group usually moved from one place to another, including mosques and churches, to attack helpless citizens.
He said because of the magnitude of the incident, he decided to come to Abuja to report it to the Federal Government and seek assistance.
The governor said, “I am here to meet with His Excellency, the Vice-President to brief him on the security situation in my state. Just yesterday (Wednesday), we had a very bitter security problem that has caused the death of some security officers in the state.
“Two weeks ago, we discovered a certain militia group holding arms and carrying out cult activities in the state. Since January, this thing has not abated and in the past two weeks, it took a total different dimension.
“They have been going from one place to another, including churches and taking people for that particular ethnic group to come and take portions that are meant to empower them to do what they want to do.
“This escalated and is causing serious concern for the state. We decided to hold a security meeting to find a way of solving the problem. The solution was to go to the shrine and pick on the cult leader so that the problem will be solved once and for all.
“As security operatives were approaching the shrine, unknown to them that ambush had been laid, these people attacked them, resulting in the death of more than 20 policemen.”
Al-Makura said the militia group had been proscribed by his administration since January because of its nefarious activities.
He said their modus operandi included going about with arms and attacking any area that has conflict with any of their members.
“Victims of the attacks, those who are security operatives and those who are not, we will see how we can assist their families,” he said.
Suswan on his part told reporters that the casualties in the clash in Agatu Local Government Area of his state included helpless women and children who were attacked while asleep.
The governor said, “I came to brief the Vice-President on the security situation in Benue. You must have heard that there are serious altercations between the Fulanis and the local farmers. This time it happened in Agatu Local Government which is one of the local governments that the Senate President represents, and they almost overran the local government and there was a lot of killings, a lot of property destroyed and I felt that I should come to brief the Vice-President, who is holding forth for the President; and I also discussed other sundry issues that relate to the general security situation in the country.
“I think that we should be very decisive, the security agencies must be decisive. Where people kill uniform people with impunity is totally unacceptable and when there is a situation like that and the security agencies react and people say they are excessive, it is not right.”
Suswan said he had been able to maintain peace and order in his state until the issue of the Fulani cattle rearers.
He said he and the Vice-President felt the issue had to be discussed at the level of the National Economic Council.
The governors’ rush to the Presidency came hours after members of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, on Tuesday attacked Bama in Borno State leading to the death of persons0, including 22 policemen, two soldiers and 14 prison officials.
The Bama attack was seen as the worst of the massacres the Boko Haram elements had unleashed on the country.
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Africcon Report:Easy access to health care, our priority — Commissioner
Africcon New Media – NewsSequel to the latest statistics on Nigeria’s child mortality, released by Save the Children on Wednesday, the Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to strengthening health care delivery, with the aim of reducing maternal and child deaths.
Commissioner of Health, Dr. Jide Idris, said this at a press briefing heralding the State Council of Health Summit which commences on Thursday (today).
Idris noted that though Nigeria ranked 169th out of the 176 countries so rated, the government would not dwell on the unflattering statistics but would rather do all that was possible to check the trend.
He noted that globally, paying for health care out of pocket increased mortality, saying that was why the government wanted to use the summit to draw attention to the issue, with the aim of finding lasting solutions to it.
He said, “The government is determined to find viable financial options for sound health care coverage, with the sole aim of providing a safety net for the generality of the people.
“When this is done, it will lead to reduction in maternal and child mortality, while also ensuring universal access to good health care.”
He said in the aftermath of the summit, the state government would be able to effectively plan for better health coverage for residents.
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Africcon Report: A’Court dismisses artisan’s claim to $15m Ibori bribe
Africcon New Media – NewsThe Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on Wednesday struck out an application in which a refrigerator repairer, Mr. Olalekan Bayode, asked it to stay proceedings in the legal battle over the controversial $15m said to have been received as bribe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from an undisclosed agent of former Delta State Governor James Ibori in 2007.
The Federal Government and the Delta State Government are currently fighting over the right to claim the $15m before an Abuja Federal High Court.
The Abuja FHC had in a ruling on November 23, 2012, dismissed Bayode’s claims to the controversial sum, which had been kept in the strong room of the Central Bank of Nigeria as unclaimed property since August 2007.
The refrigerator repairer had, in the dismissed application, asked the court not to give the money to the federal and Delta State governments, but instead, give it to him to set up a Trust Fund that would be utilised for the wellbeing of Nigerians.
Dissatisfied with the FHC ruling, Bayode, through his counsel, Mr. Femi Aina, a United Kingdom-based lawyer, appealed the judgment at the Court of Appeal.
Bayode, from Alagbado, Lagos, wants the appellate court to set aside the dismissal of his claim to the cash by the FHC.
He also filed an application, asking the court to order the trial court to stay proceedings in the substantive suit, pending the determination of the appeal.
However, when the matter came up for hearing on Wednesday, a three-man panel of justices of the appellate court, led by Justice Amiru Sanusi, struck out Bayode’s application for stay of proceedings on the grounds that it did not comply with Order 7, Rule 1 of the Court of Appeal.
Bayode’s lawyer, Aina, had initially informed the court that “what we are seeking with the motion is for a stay of proceedings at the trial court pending the hearing of the appeal.”
Justice Sanusi immediately drew the counsel’s attention to the fact that the grounds upon which the application was brought before the Court of Appeal was not stated in the motion.
“What are the grounds upon which the motion was brought here? Order 7 Rule 1 states that you must state the grounds upon which you brought the motion and that is conspicuously absent,” he said.
Following Aina’s attempt to argue that the details were included in the application, Justice Sanusi noted that grounds for bringing an application was different from grounds of appeal.
Aina thereafter sought leave to withdraw the application, after which, in a short ruling afterwards, it was struck out.
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Africcon Report:Insecurity, strain on Army resources –Ihejirika
Africcon New Media – NewsThe Nigerian Army on Wednesday declared that the current insecurity in the country had put a strain on its resources.
The Army said the increasing wave of ethno-religious violence in parts of the country as well as the bombings in the North had left serious demands on its finances and funds.
Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubike Ihejirika, stated this during the Nigerian Army Finance Corps Warrant Officers/Senior Non-Commissioned Officers Training Week 2013 in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The training was entitled ‘Contemporary Security Challenges of the Nigerian Army: the Roles of the Nigerian Army Finance Corps Warrant Officers/Senior Non-Commissioned Officers’.
Ihejirika said the heightening of the violence and insecurity occasioned by the activities of some non-state actors was straining the Army’s financial resources.
The Army chief, represented by the General Officer Commanding 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Obi Umahi, identified funding as fundamental to the various efforts aimed at checking the security challenges.
He noted that in the face of other public demands on limited resources, prudent and efficient management and application of available funds had become imperative if the Army would meet the security challenges.
He said, “No doubt, you are aware of the increasing wave of socio-political and ethno-religious crisis threatening the nation’s security lately. This has assumed a high dimension, witnessing spates of bombings and attacks on Key Points, Vulnerable Points and other strategic areas of interest to the country. This has left serious demands on Nigerian Army resources.
“We also know that funding is fundamental to containing this security challenges. Success in this pursuit therefore calls for prudent and efficient management and application of available funds. I envision an army that will effectively manage its available resources to be able to meet contemporary challenges.”
Meanwhile, the Army on Wednesday said it had devised new balloons for information and intelligence gathering to tackle terrorism and other crimes in the country.
The Director, Lesson Learnt, Army Transformation and Innovation Centre, Brig.- Gen. Nwokoro Ijioma, stated this at a seminar organised by the ATIC for officers and men of 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Odogbo, Ibadan.
Ijioma, in a lecture entitled, ‘Transforming the Army into a force better able to meet contemporary challenges’, said the ATIC would reposition the force to address new challenges.
He said, “The balloons will be used in information and intelligence gathering. This will help to tackle acts of terrorism. They have since been upgraded.
“The ATIC has been tasked to optimise and implement the vision of the Chief of Army Staff by providing the lead for improvement.
“The Nigerian Army cannot afford to be left behind in the current revolution into which the force world over have already keyed.”
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