Police Arrests Billionaire Fraudsters Cloning Websites of Major World Banks from Lagos

Police Arrests Billionaire Fraudsters Cloning Websites of Major World Banks from Lagos

…Scammers Target Wells Fargo, CBN, IMF, UBA others

A cell of international fraudsters fleecing depositors of millions of dollars at banks across the world have been uncovered at a hideout in Ajah area of Lagos.

Targeting accounts with big limits of between $1million and $5million, the fraudsters, allegedly led by one Remijus Ekpe, were found to have swept huge sums from depositors’ funds using cloned websites of the Central Bank of Nigeria, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Union Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and those of American financial institutions including Chase Bank, USAA, and Wells Fargo & Company (WFC).

The cyber-crime syndicate, with foreign partners, was located and infiltrated by detectives at the Anti-fraud Unit of the Force Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Department (FCIID) Alagbon Close, Lagos, led by CP Dan Okoro, an officer with a reputation for cracking hard cases including murder and financial fraud.

According to Okoro, the fraudsters were working with insiders at the banks to obtain account and credit card details to defraud their victims.

Through what they called a coded advanced undercover investigation and high-tech forensic, the police found that the fraudsters targeted $130million in a particular bank account after receiving information from insiders at the bank.
“These frauds are going on and the banks are not informing members of the public, the customers, and innocent depositors,” Okoro said, as he disclosed that one Ifeanyi who clone websites for the gang is now in police net.

In one instance, a victim was fleeced of $1million which members of the syndicate shared using what they called 40-20-20-20 formula.

More than 50 audio recordings and videos have been retrieved from the mobile phone of the 42-year-old suspect, along with loads of forged documents of IMF, CBN, UBA; approvals from the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, and documents bearing the signature of a former President of Nigeria used in defrauding victims some years back.

Some of the documents allegedly recovered from the suspects
NewsmakersNG obtained the forensic voice interception and voice evidence of the conversations of the fraudsters with their contacts inside the banks.

In one of the recordings, the leader of the syndicate was heard giving instructions to members to get a Union Bank account with a visa card and clone both sides of the card.

“All your guys working at Union Bank, talk to them,” the voice barked out an order.
The voice also requested for American, Canada, and UK credit cards, reminding the members in a conference call that “Yahoo is our only source of Income in Nigeria. It can never stop”.

He warned the members of a Facebook upgrade that facilitates the retrieval of a scammer’s status.

From the conversations, NewsmakersNG found that accounts with ATM cards are those prone to attacks and all the fraudsters needed from the insiders were the account information and bank details.

Hoping to pave the way for further development of police detectives at FCIID to effectively combat cyber-criminals the commissioner of police and his men today paid a visit to Cybersoc, a Lekki-based incident response and security services firm with capacity for thorough investigation and deterrence of cyber-criminals involved in fraud and identity theft with hacking or phishing.

The team of detectives were received by the Managing Director of Cybersoc, Mr David Dan, who told the visitors that the risk of cyber attacks would always be there, as he urged that Nigerians should take action, build knowledge and capacity.

CP Okoro, right, in a handshake with the MD of Cybersoc, Mr David Dan, on his side is Mr Alabi, ACP Sola Oketunji, and left, Mr Yaniv Ovitz and ACP Olusegun Ajamolaya, during a visit with his team
After a tour of the firm, Okoro thanked Dan on behalf of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Ibrahim Idris. He described the visit as a huge educational process.

Speaking during the visit, Mr Gbade Alabi, the Chairman of CBC EMEA, a leading Technology and ICT player in Africa specializing in integrating ICT Systems and providing technology solutions, said, “The war is not the physical war anymore; it’s the cyber-war.”

Addressing reporters in his office at Alagbon, Okoro said, “The Anti-fraud unit of the Force CID has unravelled the circumstances surrounding fake bank documents, corporate bodies documents, Federal High Court documents, CBN documents, individual and multi-national documents, that a group of syndicates have been circulating to members of the public and multi-nationals on-shore, off-shore, and this group of persons dwell in areas of forging these documents and circulating. People should be wary of these documents – clearance documents, and final payment documents from the banks… These documents that are purported to be genuine documents are being issued out to the members of the public…

“We’ve made arrests and the case is still being investigated, but we want to quickly warn members of the public to be very careful of such syndicates who are now demanding for credit cards and account numbers with the assistance of their collaborators who are insiders at the banks and corporate offices.

“People should keep their identities as secret as possible; that’s why they are called passwords and pin numbers. These syndicates are operating generally within the shores of this country and outside. Some of them are with us now, and we have been able to investigate them; they clone domain of people and clone websites, and they continue to operate as if they are members of the corporate bodies whose websites have been cloned.

“We are now investigating most of these areas that are in question. We have documents to show members of the public and those of them whose documents are shown should come forward for us to be able to streamline what is really going on. There are serious cyber-attacks going on now.

“We also stumbled on those who operated from Banana Island, in the name of transferring huge sums of money. We have equally arrested a young man from Union Bank in Bayelsa, who moved millions of money in the name of transfer. It was found to be a fraudulent transfer. The monies have been recovered and handed over to the owners. We are trying to get those operating in the names of some banks in the country. Lots of people who are insiders in these banks are concerned.
“The scammers’ clone ATM cards. 

Members of the public should be careful with their ATM cards. They buy ATM cards, pin numbers, passwords; these are the numbers used to source for penetration. Account officers divulge information from the banks.”

Ekpe, who slumped when he was arrested by the police, was found to have spent three years in jail, in Spain, before setting up his base in Nigeria.

APMT Abandons Badagry Deep Seaport, Invests Billions In Ghana, Liberia

APMT Abandons Badagry Deep Seaport, Invests Billions In Ghana, Liberia

APM Terminals is investing billions of dollars in West Africa seaports - but not in Lagos, the current (and much-maligned) container port hub for the region.

In Liberia, Maersk's terminal division has put $110 million into its port at Monrovia in line with a concession agreement with the government.

According to country director George Adjei, these expenditures include $50 million for wharf improvements and $60 million for equipment.

The investment is already near the total amount that APMT promised to put into the port over the entirety of its 25-year lease, according to local outlet Liberian Observer.

APMT and its partners are also spending $1.5 billion on a greenfield multi-purpose port in Tema, Ghana, located on a site adjacent to the current seaport. Tema's port handles about 70 percent of Ghana's trade, and it is overwhelmed by cargo traffic.

The new facility will have 3.5 million TEU of capacity, 17 berths and enough depth for neopanamaxes of up to 13,000 TEU - many times larger than the biggest vessels that currently call at Tema. About 20 percent of the total investment will go not to the port, but to improvements to the highway that connects Tema with Ghana's capital, Accra. Construction on the port is under way, and it is expected to open next year.

APMT also holds an existing lease at the Apapa terminal in Lagos, Nigeria, the busiest container terminal in all of West Africa.

However, it has not announced major plans to invest in its operations there.

Lagos is notoriously congested, due in large part to the unusually poor state of the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.

Potholes give sections of the highway the appearance of an offroad racetrack; gridlock is a near-permanent condition; and truck drivers routinely park their vehicles and take up residence in the road. 

When traffic is at its worst, car and minibus drivers have taken to driving on the wrong side, headed against the flow, in order to bypass jammed lanes.

In July, Nigeria's government reportedly blamed Maersk and Cosco for the congestion.

“Like many ports in Europe and the United States, Lagos grew from a port into a city and at some point, the limitations of that combination is reached,” said Peder Sondergaard, Africa-Middle East Region Head for APM Terminals, in a statement in August.

To bypass these limitations, APMT said that it was negotiating with Nigeria's government to build a $2.6 billion multipurpose facility at Badagry, 35 miles to the west of Lagos and 30 miles east of Cotonou, Benin.

Many Nigerian importers have begun to land their cargoes in Benin in order to avoid Lagos, especially since Cotonou Port has made significant improvements in productivity in recent years. A brand new port at Badagry would create a modern alternative to Lagos, but closer to market than Cotonou and located within Nigeria's borders.

However, Maersk's ambitions at Badagry face headwinds. Badagry's free trade zone component received government approval in 2017, but little progress has been made since, and Drewry has noted that falling container volumes in Nigeria have undercut the business case for greenfield port projects in the region.

Even if it were built, the highway between Badagry and Lagos would not be much of an improvement over the Oshodi-Apapa: even Nigeria's government admits that it is in a "deplorable state."

The Badagry port development consortium's website was online as recently as late August, but it is no longer available.

SON Confirms Human Flesh In Chinese Drugs

SON Confirms Human Flesh In Chinese Drugs

The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has confirmed the receipt of a letter sent on Chinese Drugs reported to be made from human flesh.

The National Intelligence Agency (NIA) earlier alerted the SON, National Agency for Food Drugs and Administration Control (NAFDAC), Nigerian Customs Service on a Chinese drugs made with human flesh.

The Technical Assistant/Head, Public Relations of the organisation, Mr Bola Fashina, explained that his organisation is on the lookout for the products even though he explained it is the primary responsibilities of both NAFDAC and Customs Service.

In vestigations revealed that the capsules were filled with powdered flesh from dead babies.

They were made in North Eastern China from babies whose bodies were chopped into small pieces and dried on stoves before being turned into powder.

Thousands of the drugs were first confiscated in South Korea in 2012.
However, according to NIA, “the South Korean Customs Service, on 30th September 2018 revealed that it has seized 2,751 Chinese drugs/capsules, containing human remains from foetus, infants and flesh imported into the country by some Chinese nationals.

“The manufacturers claims that the drugs/capsules can boost stamina, cure cancer, diabetes and some other terminal diseases.

“The capsules were smuggled in suitcases and through international mail.”

The agency revealed that South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety indicated that 18.7 billion viruses, including hepatitis B virus were found the capsules.

It stressed that the making of the human remain drugs and consuming them are crimes against humanity, which can also lead to serious health challenges.

NIA explained that it was monitoring the situation for detailed information.
“However, it is important for all relevant health regulatory agencies in Nigeria especially the Federal Ministry of Health, NAFDAC, NDLEA and SON to sensitize Nigerians of this development and warn them of the inherent dangers of patronizing drugs imported from China.

“The Customs Service, NIPOST and other mail delivery services should also step up monitoring of cargoes and packages with drugs imported into Nigeria.”

In 2011, Chinese officials launched investigations into the production of drugs made from dead fetuses.
The capsules were disguised as stamina boosters and some people believe them to be a panacea for disease.

Acting President Osinbajo sacks DSS boss, Lawal Daura

Acting President Osinbajo sacks DSS boss, Lawal Daura

Director General, DSS, Lawal Daura
Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja
The Acting President , Yemi Osinbajo, has sacked the Director - General of the Department of State Service, Lawal Daura.

Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, disclosed this on his Twitter handle, @ akandeoj.

He wrote, “AgP Yemi Osinbajo has directed the termination of the appointment of the DG of the DSS, Mr. Lawal Musa Daura.”

Details later …

Nigeria Generates N8.3bn From Zobo Exports

Nigeria Generates N8.3bn From Zobo Exports

Nigeria generated $23million (N8.3 billon at prevailing rate of 360/$) from exportation of hibiscus flower (zobo) to Mexico, America and other European countries in seven months.

Coordinating director of the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), Vincent Isegbe, who disclosed this over the weekend to LEADERSHIP, said the exportation was done from January to September 2017.

Isegbe, who was represented by the head, media and communications of the service, Dr. Gozie Nwodo, said the core mandate of the service was to facilitate trade and help farmers to excel in the international market.

According to him, “NAQS is here to make farmers excel and that was why Nigeria was able to export over $23 million worth of hibiscus flower (Zobo) to Mexico, America and other European countries from January to September 2017.”

He also disclosed that the service was collating the figure for the last quarter of 2017 and what has been exported in 2018 to the above mentioned countries.

Meanwhile, the coordinating director of the service has issued a stern warning to Nigerian exporters who breached process of exporting agriculture produce to western countries.

Isegbe, who was speaking against the backdrop of vegetables and edibles that were returned from the United Kingdom over lack of phytosanitary certificates stated that the affected exporters whose goods were returned would be suspended from exportation.

Though, he refused to mention the names of the exporters, he said the service would no longer tolerate breach of due process by exporters. He urged exporters to visit NAQS office to get more education on exportation of produce to meet international standard.

He said that Nigerian agricultural produce were being exported every day without complaints and rejections and urged exporters to always visit their website for information and guidelines on exportation of perishable items.

“NAQS is here to help farmers and our core mandate is to facilitate international trade. We are created to help farmers excel and also to allow their produce meet international standard.

“We however, extend stern warning to exporters shunting the process of exporting agriculture produce. We are not proud of our produce being rejected. Also, every day our produce go to the United Kingdom and they are not being rejected because procedures are followed, so they should stop breaching the process, “ Isegbe advised exporters.

Also speaking, head of inspection, NAQS, South-West Zone, Ikeja, Dr. Moses Adewumi, made this known while destroying the food items in Lagos. According to him, under the international movement of agricultural produce and products, there were some standards to be met as domiciled in the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).

“We have 41 standards that guide commodities and movement of vegetables and other perishable foods. Before any perishable food can be exported, it must be accompanied with phytosanitary certification. We want all exporters and those that are trying to come into the business to be aware of phytosanitary certification. It states all the health issues of the commodities being exported,” Adewumi said.

He, however, called on exporters to always visit any quarantine office for procedures on exportation of perishable foods. Dr. Dayo Folorunso, a scientist at the zonal office, Ikeja, said before planning for export, a farm must have good structure such as staff, toilet facility, storage, pack house, before coming to the quarantine office.

Folorunso said that there was the need for intending exporters to have cooling vans. He said that because some Nigerians like cutting corners, this was what led to the return of the consignments after getting to United Kingdom.

Folorunso urged exporters to desist from cutting corners when exporting goods, adding that such practice tarnished the image of Nigeria and also accumulate losses by the exporters. He said that the export certificate of the defaulter would be suspended indefinitely to serve as deterrent to others. 

Read More at: https://leadership.ng/2018/08/06/nigeria-generates-n8-3bn-from-zobo-exports/

Full List Of 2018 Posting For Justices Of The Court Of Appeal

Full List Of 2018 Posting For Justices Of The Court Of Appeal

The President of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Z.A. Bulkachuwa, has approved the posting of Justices to Various Divisions of the appellate court.

The new posting was contained in a circular dated 21st day of July 2018, which she personally Signed.

The posting of the following Justice is slated in this order:-

Court of Appeal Division Justices
Abuja Headquarters Hon Justice Z. A. Bulkachuwa – President

LAGOS DIVISION (1) Hon Justice M.L. Garba Presiding
(2) Hon Justice J.S. Ikyegh
(3) Hon Justice T.S. Yakubu
(4) Hon Justice T. Abubakar
(5) Hon Justice B.A. Georgewill
(6) Hon Justice U.A. Ogakwu
(7) Hon Justice A.O. Obaseki-Adejumo
(8) Hon Justice J.Y. Tukur
(9) Hon Justice E. Tobi
(10) Hon Justice G.O. Kolawole

KADUNA DIVISION (1) Hon Justice U.M. Abba Aji Presiding
(2) Hon Justice M.A. Oredola
(3) Hon Justice I.S. Bdliya
(4) Hon Justice 0.0. Daniel-Kalio
(5) Hon Justice O.A. Adefope-Okojie
(6) Hon Justice J.G. Abunduga

IBADAN DIVISION (1) Hon Justice 1.0. Bada
Presiding
(2) Hon Justice H.S. Tsammani
(3) Hon Justice N. Okoronkwo
(4) Hon Justice A.M. Talba
(5) Hon Justice F.A. Ojo

ENUGU DIVISION (1) Hon Justice M.B. Dongban-Mensem
Presiding
(2) Hon Justice I.I. Agube
(3) Hon Justice C.E. lyizoba
(4) Hon Justice M.N. Bolaji-Yusuf
(5) Hon Justice J.O.K. Oyewole
(6) Hon Justice A.S. Umar

BENIN DIVISION (1) Hon Justice H.M. Ogunwumiju’ Presiding
(2) Hon Justice C.E. Nwosu-lheme
(3) Hon Justice P.M. Ekpe
(4) Hon Justice S.C. Oseji
(5) Hon Justice T.O. Awotoye
(6) Hon Justice M.A.A. Adumein

JOS DIVISION (1) Hon Justice A.G. Mshelia
Presiding
(2) Hon Justice U. Onyemenam
(3) Hon Justice H.A. Abiru
(4) Hon Justice T.Y. Hassan
(5) Hon Justice M.N. Oniyangi
(6) Hon Justice B.M. Ugo

PORT HARCOURT DIVISION (1) Hon Justice A.A.B. Gumel
Presiding
(2) Hon Justice 1.0. Akeju
(3) Hon Justice I. Jombo-Ofo
(4) Hon Justice B.G. Sanga
(5) Hon Justice M. Mustapha
(6) Hon Justice A.M. Lamido

ABUJA DIVISION Hon Justice A. Aboki
Presiding
Hon Justice A.D. Yahaya
Hon Justice A. Jauro
Hon Justice S.J. Adah
Hon Justice T. Akomolafe-Wilson
Hon Justice P.O. Ige
Hon Justice E. Agim
Hon Justice M.B. Idris

CALABAR DIVISION (1) Hon Justice M.A. Owoade
Presiding
(2) Hon Justice O.F. Ogbuinya
(3) Hon Justice Y. Nimpar
(4) Hon Justice M.L. Shuiabu

ILORIN DIVISION (1) Hon Justice I.M.M. Saulawa
Presiding
(2) Hon Justice C.N. Uwa
(3) Hon Justice H.A. Barka
(4) Hon Justice B.B. Aliyu

OWERRI DIVISION (1) Hon Justice R.C. Agbo Presiding
(2) Hon Justice T.N. Orji-Abadua
(3) Hon Justice A.O. Lokulo-Sodipe
(4) Hon Justice I.G. Mbaba
(5) Hon Justice R.N. Pemu
(6) Hon Justice I.A. Andenyangtso

SOKOTO DIVISION (1) Hon Justice H. Mukhtar Presiding
(2) Hon Justice A.A. Wambai
(3) Hon Justice F.O. Oho
(4) Hon Justice A.M. Bayero

YOLA DIVISION (1) Hon Justice O.F. Omoleye  Presiding
(2) Hon Justice S.J. Abiriyi
(3) Hon Justice S.T. Hussain

EKITI DIVISION (1) Hon Justice A.O. Belgore
Presiding
(2) Hon Justice F.O. Akinbami
(3) Hon Justice P.O. Elechi
(4) Hon Justice O.W. Williams-Daudu

AKURE DIVISION (1) Hon Justice U.I. Anyanwu
Presiding
(2) Hon Justice M.A. Danjuma
(3) Hon Justice R.M. Abdullahi
(4) Hon Justice P.A. Mahmoud

MAKURDI DIVISION (1) Hon Justice J.H. Sankey
Presiding
(2) Hon Justice J.T. Tur
(3) Hon Justice O.A. Otisi
(4) Hon Justice J.E. Ekanem

Mayweather Sued $2m By Nigerian Firm For Breach of Contract

Mayweather Sued $2m By Nigerian Firm For Breach of Contract

Following the highly publicised visit of Floyd Money Mayweather to Nigeria and other parts of African countries which was reported before it was canceled, a Nigerian company has alleged it was screwed out of a fortune by the wealthy American and is now suing to get its money back.

A report from TMZ making rounds says  the company behind the lawsuit is Zinni Media, which claims it booked Floyd to make five appearances in Nigeria and Ghana in June 2017, for the low sum of $375,000.

According to the report, the company says it got Floyd to make a video confirming the appearances — so, they thought they were good to go.

They even wired him $210,000 in advance.

But, days before the first event, Floyd bailed — and the company was left holding the bag.

In the suit, Zinni claims Floyd’s reps offered to reschedule for Dec 2017 — and added more appearances to the list — but, he also raised the price to $550,000.

Zinni claims they were told they could use the $210k toward the new booking price.

Zinni says they accepted the new deal — but, when they asked Floyd to make a new video confirming the new dates, he bailed again … and never returned the original $210,000.

Now, Zinni is taking legal action in federal court in California — claiming Floyd damaged their reputation and defrauded them. Zinni wants at least $2million to make things right.

Gunmen kill seven policemen in Abuja

Gunmen kill seven policemen in Abuja

Unknown gunmen have shot dead seven policemen who were on patrol along the Nnamdi Azikiwe Road, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

It was learnt that the assailants, who were in a vehicle , shot the men in a surprise attack and zoomed off after the dastardly act earlier on Tuesday.

Our correspondent gathered that the incident caused panic as motorists and residents ran away in fright as gunshots went on incessantly.

But it could not be immediately ascertained if the attackers went away with the firearms of the slain policemen.

The bodies of the slain cops were later evacuated from the scene in a police van. The pictures of the men later surfaced online.

The Commissioner of Police , Sadiq Bello , who confirmed the incident, said he was in a briefing and could not provide details of the attack.

He stated that the Command would soon issue a statement on the incident.

Court Affirms $3.6b Penalty Imposed On Shell By FG Over Bonga Oil Spill

Court Affirms $3.6b Penalty Imposed On Shell By FG Over Bonga Oil Spill

Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of the Federal High Court in Lagos has dismissed a suit filed by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd challenging the fine of $3.6billion imposed on it over Bonga Oil Spill of December 20, 2011 by the Federal Government through the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA).

Justice Olatoregun, who affirming the power of NOSDRA to imposed the penalty on the oil company, held that Sections 5, 6 and 7 of the agency's Act do not violate the Constitution.

Shell had dragged NOSDRA before the court asking it to declare the action of the agency illegal.

The oil company had also urged the court to declare that NOSDRA cannot, in the light of Section 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the 1999 Constitution, validly exercise any powers under Section 5, 6, 7 and 19 of the NOSDRA Act.

Shell said the sections’ provisions encroach on judicial powers vested exclusively in the courts.

The oil giant argued that it is the Federal High Court that is vested with the jurisdiction to determine liability and to assess, impose and direct the payment of any sum as penalty, damages or compensation in connection with an incidence of oil spillage, particularly the Bonga Oil Spill of December 20, 2011.

Shell urged the court to declare that the decision leading to the imposition of $3,600,191,206.00 on by NOSDRA was in breach of its right as enshrined in Section 36, 43 and 44 of the 1999 Constitution.

It also urged the court to nullify NOSDRA’s powers to impose such levies over oil spills.

However, NOSDRA, through its counsel D. A. Awosika, contended that the cause of action arose on March 25, 2015 when it served Shell with notice of sanction over the Bonga Oil Spill.

Awosika contended that Shell was enjoined to exercise its right of litigation if it felt aggrieved by the letters within three months from March 25, 2015 and not beyond.

“The plaintiff waited for more than 13 months to institute this action against the defendant,” NOSDRA said, adding that Shell’s action was caught by the statute of limitation," he said.

Besides, NOSDRA said it did not act outside its powers in imposing the fine on Shell.

Justice Olatoregun, in her judgment, held that NOSDRA acted in line with its powers and did not violate Shell’s rights in any manner.

“I found no conflict with the duties conferred on NOSDRA by law and the power of the court to adjudicate in this matter…I find no violation of the 1999 Constitution within these sections,” the judge held.

Justice Olatoregun further held that NOSDRA’s demand letters to Shell were not in conflict with Section 44 of the 1999 Constitution.

The judge said: “The plaintiff had notice and opportunity to fair hearing. The plaintiff ought to have had recourse to the court for the determination of its civil rights and a proper adjudication on the issues if it felt its rights were infringed or about to be infringed.

“I do not find the two letters ultra vires the duties and functions of the defendant.

“I have no reason to set both letters aside as well as the sums ordered, as parties did not make evaluation of the assessed damage an issue for consideration in the questions raised for determination. No evidence upon which an evaluation could be made was also proffered.

“In the final analysis, all the questions raised by the plaintiff are resolved in favour of the defendant. The only thing left to do is make an order dismissing the suit. Same is dismissed.”

Buhari okays appointment of 12 A-Court Justices, 16 new Judges

Buhari okays appointment of 12 A-Court Justices, 16 new Judges

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, approved the appointment of new 12 Justices for the Court of Appeal, 9 for the Federal High Court and 7 for the Federal Capital Territory High Court.

Appointment of the 28 judicial officers followed their recommendation by the National Judicial Council, NJC.

According to a statement that was signed by the Director of Information at the NJC, Mr. Soji Oye, the 12 new Justices of the appellate court are Justice P. A. Mahmud, Justice F. O. Ojo, Justice I. A. Andenyangsto, Justice G. O. Kolawole, Justice B. B. Aliyu, Justice Ebiowei Tobi, Justice J. G. Abundaga, Justice A. S. Umar, Justice A. M. Talba, Justice A. M. Bayero, Justice A. M. Lamido and Justice M. B. Idris.

Those elevated to the Federal High Court bench are; Sunday Bassey Onu, Mrs. Adefunmilola Adekemi Demi-Ajayi, Peter O. Lifu, Obiora Atuegwu Egwuata, Sa’adatu Ibrahim Mark (Mrs), Mobolaji Olubukola Olajuwon, Aminu Bappa Aliyu, Tijjani Garba Ringim and Nkeonye Evelyn Maha.

While Binta Mohammed, Modupe Osho-Adebiyi, Gaba Venchak Simon, Babangida Hassan, Akobi Iyabeni Anna, Samirah Umar Bature and Asmau Akanbi Yusuf were appointed Judges of the FCT High Court.

The statement disclosed that whereas the new Justices of the Court of Appeal will be sworn-in by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice W. S. N. Onnoghen, on Friday.

Those appointed for the Federal High Court will be sworn-in on June 25, while swearing-in of the new Judges of the FCT High Court will take place at the Supreme Court on June 26.

Legal validity of posthumous awards and June 12 Holiday

Legal validity of posthumous awards and June 12 Holiday

Femi Falana, SAN 

The Honourable Justice Alfa Belgore, a retired Chief Justice of Nigeria was reported to have questioned the legality of the decision of President Buhari to confer posthumous awards on Chief M. K. O. Abiola and Chief Gani Fawehinmi SAN. Curiously, his lordship did not refer to any section of the National Honours Act or any other law that has been violated by the President. In like manner, some persons have alleged that the June 12 holiday declared by the President is illegal on the grounds that the approval of the National Assembly was not sought and obtained.  

With profound respect to the Honourable Justice Alfa Belgore, the National Honours Act has not prohibited or restricted the powers of the President to confer national honours on deserving Nigerian citizens, dead or alive. No doubt, paragraph 2 of the Honours Warrant made pursuant to the National Honours Act provides that "a person shall be appointed to a particular rank of an Order when he receives from the President in person, at an investiture held for the purpose..." But paragraph 3 thereof has given the President the unqualified discretion "to dispense with the requirement of paragraph 2 in such manner as may be specified in the direction." Therefore, since the national awards conferred on Chief Abiola and Chief Fawehinmi cannot be received by them in person the President may permit their family members to receive same on their behalf.

Furthermore, section 2 (1) of the Public Holidays Act stipulates that in addition to the holidays mentioned in the Schedule to the Act, the President may appoint a special day to be kept as a public holiday either throughout Nigeria or in any part thereof. It is crystal clear that the President is not required by law to seek and obtain the approval of the National Assembly before declaring a public holiday in the country. 

In view of the combined effect of the National Honours Act and the Public Holidays Act the legal validity of the well deserved awards and the historic holiday has not been impugned in any manner whatsoever. 

Democracy Day: MKO Abiola’s Daughter, Hafsat, Sings Buhari’s Praises in Epic Poem …Condemns Obasanjo

Democracy Day: MKO Abiola’s Daughter, Hafsat, Sings Buhari’s Praises in Epic Poem …Condemns Obasanjo

By Hafsat Abiola-Costello/

Twenty five years after June 12: Our Long Wait for Justice is Ending
I had expected that the handover from military rule to democracy would be held on the 12th of June.

That would have signalled the completion of a circle that began with a dream deferred.

That became one fulfilled.

But I waited in vain.

The handover was set for May 29, a date pulled out of thin air, signifying nothing.

Then I thought that the chief beneficiary would ask the country to observe a minute of silence,
In memory of MKO, Kudirat, Alfred Rewane, Umaru Yar’Adua, Bagauda Kaltho, the thousands of students, the tens of journalists, traders and politicians who lost their lives fighting to actualise an unjustly annulled election.

Again, I waited in vain for he started his inauguration speech…
And nothing was said.

The first four years passed and it became clear that the goal was to erase the name of the man whose sacrifice paved the way for our democracy.

Those four years set the tone.
And I got tired of waiting
As it slowly became clear that to wait was to wait in vain.

I stopped expecting my country to do the right thing by my father and instead began to understand why Nigeria struggles to find patriots among its leaders.

Until today.

Today when President Muhammadu Buhari gave an executive order to declare that June 12 was Nigeria’s Democracy Day;

To confer on MKO the title of GCFR, an honour reserved for presidents of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;

To confer on Gani Fawehinmi, the dogged fighter for justice, and my father’s running mate, Babagana Kingibe, the title of GCON, the second highest in the land;

And in one day, demonstrated to my bruised heart that integrity, fairness, honour were alive and well in a country for which both my parents had sacrificed their lives.

There are no words that can capture the depth of my gratitude nor the breadth of my joy.

I thank God that I am alive to witness this day.

May we live to witness many more days when justice triumphs over injustice, when sacrifice and service win over arrogance and fraud, and when the blood of our heroes reach from across time to boldly claim the reward that their actions wrought.
May the sacrifices of our past heroes and heroines never be in vain.

Freight Cost To Soar As Vessels Attack Rises At Ports

Freight Cost To Soar As Vessels Attack Rises At Ports

Incessant attacks on vessels discharging while berthing at Nigerian terminals will attract additional $200,000 in freight cost at the nation’s seaport, LEADERSHIP investigation has shown.

Freight cost is the cost incurred in moving goods. It includes packing, palletizing, documentation and loading unloading charges, carriage costs, and marine insurance costs.

Recently, terminal operators operating at the Apapa Port Complex raised the alarm of incessant attacks on vessels at berth by miscreants and hoodlums.

Shipping experts have argued that a minimum of $200,000 (N72million at a prevailing rate of N360 to a dollar ) would be introduced as insurance premiums by foreign shipping companies before they could call that the nation’s seaports.

For instance, MV Pamyat; MV Asia Ruby, MV Aquata, MT Sichem New York, MV Kiana and MV Dino were all attacked at different time in the last four months at the Lagos and Tin-Can ports.

MV Pamyat, with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) number 8701040 was attacked at berth 14, operated by ENL Consortium of the Lagos Port Complex (LPC), Apapa onn March 2, 2018 when some bandits gained access into the ship with ease.

MV Asia Ruby was attacked at 0415hours on April 24, 2018 at ENL, consortium on berth 8 of Lagos Port Complex (LPC) while discharging her cargo. The robbers carried out their nefarious act on the ship without resistance from anyone.

The Tin Can Island Port Complex (TCIPC) also in Lagos is not spared the robbery attacks.

A report from the Port Security Officer (PSO) of TCIPC, indicated that at about 0320hours on Friday March 3, 2018, eight persons suspected to be armed sea robbers launched attacks onboard MV Aquata and MT Sichem New York, which were discharging cargoes at berths 2 and 1 operated by Josepdam of the port respectively.

Preliminary findings revealed that a gang of sea robbers came through the waterfront in an outboard engine boat and launched attacks onboard MV Aquata where three of the robbers succeeded in climbing into the vessel while the remaining five were on standby inside their boat by the portside of the vessel. The crew watchmen onboard sighted one of the robbers at the paint stores and raised alarm immediately.

However, when the terminal security and armed policemen on duty rushed onboard but discovered that a watchman onboard was injured by one of the robbers before they jumped into the water and escaped. There was blood stain on the main deck of the vessel,” the PSO stated in the report.

Further findings revealed that in the wee hours of March 18, a group of sea robbers numbering about 20 gained access into Josepdam terminal through the waterfront and headed to the terminal’s fuel dump.

The robbers beat up and tied the security guards at the fuel dump before they connected a hose from their standby boat to evacuate fuel from the terminal’s fuel tank.

The robbers, who reportedly operated unchallenged for more than an hour, succeeded in carting away about eight drums of diesel from the terminals.

Four days later and precisely on March 22, 2018, the robbers called at Josepdam again. This time, they launched an attack on a ship named MV Kiana. The ship, which was discharging its cargo of bulk sugar belonging to BUA Sugar Refinery, has Nura Shipping Limited as its agent in Nigeria.

The robbers, as usual, stormed the ship using canoe, which they brought alongside the ship and gained access onboard with the aid of a rope tied to a hook.

At the Rivers Port in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the sea robbers are also having a field day. It was revealed that a ship, MV Dino, laden with 20,721MT of bulk wheat was attacked about 80 nautical miles to the Fairway Buoy on her way to PTOL terminal at about 5am on Saturday 7th April 2018.

These unabated attacks are however confirmed by the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) at the Quarterly Stakeholders Meeting of the agency in Lagos last week.

The Managing Director of the authority, Hadiza Bala Usman who was represented at the meeting by the Executive Director, Marine and Operations, Dr. Sekonte Davies also noted that some of the attacks on vessels discharging at the port came from miscreants occupying shanties and illegal structures around the ports.

She said, “Of great concern to us recently is the attack on vessels, especially at the ENL terminals, the attacks have increased and we are very worried, we have also established that it happens especially when they are offloading.

The NPA MD also disclosed that part of the measures to forestall the attack is the the demolition that the agency is carrying out in collaboration with Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) Nigerian Navy, and the Police.

“It is an ongoing action carried out to ensure that we have a safer environment to do business, devoid of attacks.

“We have started pulling down all illegal structures and shanties hindering free movement to the port”
But, the General Manager of ENL Consortium, Mark Walsh one of the terminal under attack also complained of high rate of unchecked attacks on vessels at the Apapa Port in the last four months.

The attacks according to the manager are done around the Apapa axis and the attacks have informed shipping agents mulling hiring armed police officers before cargo discharge at the seaport.

The armed police officers are to wade off miscreants attacking vessels at berth.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP, a maritime consultant and policy Analyst, Galtima Liman agreed that the spike in attacks on vessels at berth would increase the premium and insurance on vessels to the nation’s ports.

He also wondered why shanties would e allowed close to the Lagos Port saying that would also fuel attack on vessels.

“There is going to be increase in insurance and premium for shipping companies that are coming to berth in the port,” he told LEADERSHIP correspondent. He continued, “and despite improvement in making Nigeria food dependent, we still substantially rely on import and most of the vessels that ferry these imports are foreign vessels and in the event that we are not fully compliant with the ISPS codes that brought lot of improvement in the security of the ports after the 9/11 attack in the United States.

Speaking on shanties around the Lagos ports, he said, “having shanties around some ports is an eyesore and I think these is a clarion call on administration of NPA and NIMASA to ensure that our ports are rid of these adjoining shanties,” he told LEADERSHIP Yesterday.

Also speaking, the President, Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA), Alhaji Aminu Umar said attacks on vessels at Nigerian ports and jetties have been on the rise in recent time with little or no action from requisite agencies.

The NISA President said the implication of the attacks on ships at the ports are grave and “it puts our name in the international maritime wall and that it is dangerous and high risk area to do business particularly for ships to call”.

According to him, “If the ports in Nigeria are considered as high risk area, what it means is that any ship owner coming here pays an additional insurance premium for coming into a zone that is called war risk zone.

Some pay as high as $100, 000 to $200, 000 dollars for every seven days they are to stay on Nigeria waters.”

By YUSUF BABALOLA, LEADERSHIP NEWSPAPER.

FG Promises Early Completion Of N22.3b Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Expressway

FG Promises Early Completion Of N22.3b Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Expressway

The Federal Government has pledged early completion of Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta expressway to fasten socio-economic growth and international trade within Ogun and Lagos corridors.

The rehabilitation and reconstruction of the about 80 kilometres road was last week awarded by the Federal Government to Julius Berger Plc at the cost of N22.38 billion.

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), who spoke at the flag-off of the road reconstruction at kilometre zero, Ile-Zik, along Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, regretted that the road had suffered several abandonments and contract variations owing to paucity of fund.

He, however, stressed the readiness of the present government to prioritise key infrastructure to drive the economy and address the security challenges by ensuring that critical roads like the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta road is completed in record time.

The minister said the government was considering alternative funding source apart from the regular budgetary allocations from Sukuk bond.

Fashola, represented by Director of Highway Construction and Reconstruction, Federal Ministry of Works, Mr. Olalekan Busari, said the Federal Government was committed to completion of the road because of its socio-economic importance, and as an alternative to Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ilorin-Ile-Ife, as well as an international link to Benin Republic.

Fashola emphasised that the re-award of the road signified a new vista as the contractors have been mandated to recover the failed portions alongside the main work for ease of traffic and to boost economic activities and security.

Construction works on the road, he said, would also generate both direct and indirect employment during the construction expected to last for one and half years.

“Already, the contractors have commenced palliative work on mostly damages portions.

“The contractors have been asked to immediately address critical sites that have entirely failed,” he said.

He reiterated that the contractors have been mobilised to site with 15 per cent down-payment, representing about N3.8 billion, while there will be need for complete review of the drainage system occasioned by new development on the corridor, including the BRT road being constructed by Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).

Head of Julius Berger, West Division, Mr. Wolfgang Loesser, who spoke on behalf of the contractor, expressed readiness to complete the project within schedule.

He said the company had mobilised workers to site to carry out palliatives as directed by the government to address critical failed portions to ease traffic and lessen the travel time on the road.

$322m Abacha Loot To Be Spent On The Poor – FG

$322m Abacha Loot To Be Spent On The Poor – FG

The federal government said yesterday that it will spend the $322.51 million Abacha loot on empowering indigent Nigerians.

Speaking with journalists in Washington DC yesterday, The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, confirmed the recovery of the sum of US$322,515,931.83 Abacha funds from the Swiss Government into a special account in the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The funds, according to her, have been earmarked for the National Social Safety Nets programme of the federal government.

“The objective of the National Social Safety Nets Project for Nigeria is to provide access to targeted transfers to poor and vulnerable households under an expanded national social safety nets system,” Adeosun stated.

She also hinted that the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) has raised the tax payers’ base from 13 million in 2015 to 17 million as at 2018, with more high net worth individuals being captured.

According to her, some states have recorded a surge in assets declaration by high net worth individuals, citing Lagos and Ogun States as examples.

She said, “The level of compliance has been considerable especially personal income taxes, and the state is excited about the number of people who have adjusted their level of compliance.

“Let me give example with Ogun State. I was speaking with the Chairman there, and he said the number of people paying N10 million and above in Ogun State has risen to 200. We asked for that statistics before; I do not think that Ogun had more than 20. So, VAIDS has succeeded in getting a High Networth Individuals (HNIs) really stand up to pay their fair share for national development.”

Adeosun mentioned that the rate of compliance as well as requests from professional bodies led to the extension of the deadline from March 30, 2018 to June 30, 2018.

FG To Sustain Economic Growth Outlook- Emefiele

Meanwhile, governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele assured yesterday that the apex bank will do everything possible to ensure that the country’s positive growth outlook is sustained.

The CBN governor spoke during a joint press briefing with the Minister of Finance, Adeosun, at the end of the 2018 International Monetary Fund and World Bank Spring Meeting in Washington DC, United States.

On the monetary front, Emefiele disclosed that the country’s foreign reserves had risen to US$47.93 billion.
He reiterated Nigeria’s positive growth outlook, noting that the IMF and World Bank had projected a growth of 2.5 per cent for Nigeria.

“There is need to save for the raining day and also continue to grow the foreign reserves. If we had enough reserves, we wouldn’t have suffered the recession shocks,” he explained.

The CBN governor assured that concerted efforts were ongoing to realise the 80 per cent target for financial inclusion by 2020.

On her part, Adeosun, who noted that the present growth outlook contrasted with the outlook in 2015, stated that inflation rate was slowing down while the foreign reserves were rising.

Expressing optimism on federal government’s sustenance of the growth trajectory, the minister however called for vigilance and focus for the country not to fall back into recession.

She said, “We are confident that if we diligently implement our economic plan, we will grow the economy. We have room to grow but other countries do not have rooms to grow.

“By 2019, the growth will be far more robust than the present level in 2018.

We are therefore very optimistic in sustaining Nigeria’s economic growth.

We are going to use this opportunity to grow our fiscal buffers, particularly aggressively growing our revenue base.

“The Administration has succeeded in building macroeconomic resilience for Nigeria, particularly revising the funding mix, rebuilding fiscal buffers, enhancing foreign exchange reserves and focusing on import substitution strategies.”

On the State-Owned-Enterprises such as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, she disclosed that the government would continue to efficiently and effectively manage their costs and plug leakages.

“We must make sure that every money that is earned comes in. We will drive the process of improving governance,” she added.

On the nation’s domestic debt, the Minister stated that the Government would not aggressively grow the debt.

She disclosed that the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) deadline was extended by three months till June 30, 2018 due to the appeals from taxpayers for more time to regularise their tax status.

She revealed that the present Administration has raised the taxpayers’ base from 13 million in 2015 to 17 million as at 2018.

‘We Weren’t Consulted For The US-Nigeria Investment Summit’

Meanwhile, faulting the comment made by the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, berating government officials for not attending a US-Nigeria Investment Summit at the Nigerian embassy on Saturday as part of the World Bank-IMF Springs Meeting going on Washington DC, USA, the Minister of Finance and the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Adeosun and Emefiele, have said they were not scheduled to attend the summit.

Speaking at the joint press conference in Washington DC yesterday, Emefiele and Adeosun said it was unfair for the public to flay them over an event they were not aware of beforehand.

The CBN governor who apologised to investors who attended the summit explained that he was not aware of the summit before he arrived for the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings.

He said, “I think, it is important for me to say this. When I arrived in Washington, the officials of the Embassy spoke with me that there was going to be a US-Nigeria Summit and I said I will check my schedule because I wasn’t consulted when this summit was being organised.

“What one would have expected is that they would have checked my schedule and that of the Finance minister if they thought that our presence at the summit was very necessary. They could have checked our schedule to see that there was no conflict.

“I sit here to say the US Nigeria Summit was meant to hold between 2pm and 3pm, whereas the World Bank Development Committee plenary session which is an assembly of ministers and governors of central banks was to hold between 2.15 and 5pm. There was no way the minister of finance and myself could have been at those meetings”.

The CBN Governor further explained that the minister of Finance and himself were in Washington DC to attend the statutory meetings of the World Bank and IMF.

“The minister of Finance and for me being the governor of the CBN, what takes preeminence is the meetings in the IMF as well as the meeting at the World Bank”, he added.

On her part, Adeosun said while she got to know of the event late, there was no way she could attend, as she had to represent not only Nigeria but 22 other countries in Africa.

She noted: “I attended the IMFC which is the highest decision making body of the IMF and I represent 23 African countries in that role. So, one of the things I have to do is to issue a statement on behalf of those 23 countries, which includes most of the Anglophone countries like South Africa, Mozambique and others.

“So, my primary role here as well as having the Nigerian hat on is to represent the 23 African countries. There has been some controversy over the scheduling. I wasn’t due at any event. I was here as a governor of the IMF and member of IMFC to represent the 23 African countries and that schedule is what I must adhere to. I think maybe there was some scheduling challenges there”.

Naira Slides Down Further At Investors’ Window

Naira Slides Down Further At Investors’ Window

The Naira on Thursday, depreciated further at the investors’ window, exchanging at N360.31 to the dollar.
The Nigerian currency lost 15 kobo from N360.16 traded on Wednesday.

The naira also dipped at the parallel market, selling at N363 to the dollar while the Pound Sterling and the Euro closed at N515 and N445.

Trading at the Bureau De Change (BDC) segment saw the Naira closed at N362 to the dollar while the Pound Sterling and the Euro closed at N515 and N445.

The Naira traded at N305.6 to the dollar at the CBN window.

Meanwhile, traders at the BDC segment said they had been experiencing liquidity squeeze, adding that some BDCs had been technically edged out of the CBN window due to operational loses.

Some employees of BDCs have been laid-off as a consequence of the liquidity squeeze, thereby increasing the number of the unemployed at the labour market.

However, CBN had continued to inject foreign exchange into the market to defend the Naira from the antics of currency speculators.

In 2017 alone, CBN injected about 16 billion dollars to the FOREX market.

EFCC Recovers N2.273b Assets From Fayose, Obanikoro, Omisore

EFCC Recovers N2.273b Assets From Fayose, Obanikoro, Omisore 

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered property and cash worth N2.273 billion from Governor Ayodele Fayose, ex-Deputy Governor Iyiola Omisore and a former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, out of the N4.685 billion allocated to them by the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA).

The said cash, which was sourced from the $2.1 billion voted for arms procurement, was meant for the 2014 governorship campaign by Fayose and Omisore on the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The trial of Omisore by EFCC is expected to begin any moment from now because charges have been preferred and filed against him.

The EFCC is awaiting a date from the court for the arraignment of Omisore, who might be re-arrested.

But the prosecution of Fayose is withheld till after the completion of his tenure and immediately he hands over to the next governor of the state.

But Obanikoro, who was allegedly the courier of the fund to Fayose and Omisore, was still being investigated by detectives following more cases he was allegedly linked with.

A fact-sheet obtained from the EFCC revealed that out of the N4.685 billion, detectives traced N2.0030 billion to Omisore; N685 million to Obanikoro and N1.3 billion and $5.377 million (at the exchange rate of N168 to $1) to Fayose.

The document said: “The N4.685 billion was disbursed by ONSA through a company, Sylvan McNamara Limited, which was submitted by Obanikoro for onward transfer to Fayose and Omisore for their gubernatorial election in 2014 on the platform of the PDP.

“Out of the sum, Omisore got N1.7 billion and additional N330 million was given to him through his company, Fimex Guilt Limited, bringing his campaign slush cash to N2.0030 billion.

“From his share, Omisore has paid back N350 million. Although he pleaded for more time, EFCC is expecting the balance from him.”

The fact-sheet stated that charges have been preferred against Omisore.
The document gave the details of how arms cash was allocated to Fayose and the retention of N685 million by Obanikoro.

It said: On his part, Fayose was allocated N1.3 billion and $5.377 million (at the exchange rate of N168.

The $5,377,000 was handed over in cash by Obanikoro to Fayose while the N1.3 billion was received by Fayose’s associate, Mr. Abiodun Agbele, in the presence of the ex-Minister’s Aide-de-Camp, who also accompanied them to the bank along with bank officials.

“From the $5 million, Fayose gave his Personal Assistant, Agbele about $1million, which he exchanged to Naira and paid for properties on behalf of the governor. Detectives suspected that Fayose added more of the N1.3 billion cash to what he gave Agbele to buy the affected assets.

“The properties worth N1.8 billion purchased with the said proceeds of crime have been recovered from Fayose and his sister, Moji Ladeji.

“These assets include four in Lagos (N1.1 billion) and two in Abuja worth about N500 million to N700 million.

“But Fayose has been claiming that he used his company, Spotless to obtain a loan of N120 million from Zenith Bank as part of what he used to buy one of the properties in Abuja. We are already tracking how he disbursed the N1.3 billion.

“A prima facie case has been established against Fayose but he is enjoying immunity from prosecution as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.

He will, however, face trial as soon as he hands over power to his successor.

“But the associate of the governor, Abiodun Agbele, has been charged to court accordingly.”

Regarding the investigation of Obanikoro, the fact-sheet indicated that “the ex-minister retained N685 million out of the N4.685 billion given to him by ONSA.

“A sum of N123 million has been recovered from Obanikoro, who claimed he was only asked to deliver the cash to both Fayose and Omisore for their gubernatorial campaign.

“The ex-minister is still under investigation following some cases allegedly still linked with him.”

•Judges nullify victory at high court
THE Court of Appeal yesterday ordered two accounts of Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose domiciled with the Zenith Bank to be frozen.

The court gave the order having been convinced by the argument of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that they were used to keep proceeds of crime.

The three-man panel, led Justice Joseph Shagbaor Ikyegh, allowed the EFCC appeal and upturned the judgment of the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti, which was delivered about one year and four months ago.

Other members of the panel are Justice Boloukurumo Moses Ugo and Justice Mohammed Mustapha.

The judgment of the lower court, which unblocked the governor’s two accounts, was delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo on December 13, 2016.

Fayose withdrew N5 million from one of the accounts immediately and transferred the sum of N75 to his lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN).

Dissatisfied with the Ado-Ekiti Federal High Court’s verdict, the EFCC filed an appeal at the appellate court on three grounds.

The anti-graft agency contended that the immunity enjoyed by the governor did not preclude his account from being frozen.

The Appeal Court allowed the appeal and held that Fayose’s accounts, which were unblocked by the Federal High Court, be frozen.

The court delivered the judgment upon reading the record of the appeal and after hearing EFCC’s counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, Fayose’s counsel, Mike Ozekhome and Zenith Bank’s counsel, Mr. Oluwasegun Ayinde.

Justice Ikyegh ordered “that the appeal is meritorious and, having resolved all three issues agitated in the appeal in appellant’s (EFCC’s) favour.

“That the appeal is hereby allowed; that the judgment delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Ekiti Judicial Division, on the 13th day of December, 2016, granting the claims of the 1st respondent in Suit No: FHC/AD/CS/27/2016 is hereby set aside.”

The two accounts had earlier been frozen by Justice Mohammed Shuaibu of Federal High Court, Lagos in an ex-parte motion brought by the EFCC.

Sultan Gives Miyetti Allah 2 Months To Fish Out Killer Herdsmen

Sultan Gives Miyetti Allah 2 Months To Fish Out Killer Herdsmen

The Sultan of Sokoto and president-general of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, yesterday gave the leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) two months to identify and apprehend herdsmen behind the killings in the country.

Specifically, he charged the association to find out whether Fulani herdsmen are responsible for the killings or some bandits are disguising as herdsmen to perpetrate the act.

Speaking in his palace during the formal swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected executives of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, the Sultan decried the unwarranted labelling of Fulanis as the killer herdsmen behind massacre in Nigeria.

He insisted that Fulanis are not purveyors of trouble but apostles of peaceful coexistence, just as he warned that generalising a whole race to be bad is a grievous injustice on the people.

He said, “To you the newly elected leadership of MACBAN, I want to remind you that your task is a very challenging one. Don’t forget that Fulanis are also being killed in Nigeria and no media attention is given to it.

“However, we are giving you two months to go round the entire country and find out why Fulanis are accused of being behind the killings. Go and find out who are those Fulanis doing the killings. Also find out if it is other people that are doing the killings and are accusing the Fulanis. Please, we want to get the truth from you within two months”.

The Sultan urged the Miyetti Allah leadership never to be ashamed of being called Fulanis because they are simply herders and not troublemakers.

He said, “We are not ashamed to be called Fulanis because Fulanis are not trouble makers. Despite the fact that any wrong doing in Nigeria now is erroneously said to be caused by Fulanis.

“We however want people to know that though there might be bad ones amongst the Fulanis, just like there are in every race, that is not enough justification to generalise that all Fulanis are bad”.

Insisting that there are herders who are not Fulanis, the Sultan said a typical Fulani man caters for his cattle and will never have time to go for trouble.

Urging the Fulanis to fear God in all their dealings, the religious and traditional leader equally charged Nigerian security agencies to wake up to their responsibilities by ensuring that all those wielding weapons to ferment trouble are arrested and prosecuted.

Appealing to Nigerians to embrace peaceful coexistence, the Sultan charged other states to emulate Sokoto State on how best to accommodate people for peaceful coexistence.

Responding on behalf of all newly elected officers after the oath of office was administered on them by Barrister Abdulrahman Harande Tsamiya, the national president of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Mohammed Kirowa, appealed to Fulanis to continue to embrace peaceful coexistence.

Kirowa who said that Fulanis are not purveyors of troubles added that they will never relent in ensuring that Fulanis live in peace with everybody.

Senate Seeks Review Of Security Tactics

Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately review his security tactics as well as change heads of security agencies and service chiefs, saying it is time to appoint men and women with fresh ideas.

Apparently frustrated and angered by the unabated spate of killings across the country by herdsmen and criminal militia groups, the Senators submitted that because Nigerians are increasingly becoming disappointed and frustrated over government’s failings and inactions on the growing insecurity, democracy has become endangered.

In a motion moved on the matter, Senator Suleiman Adokwe (PDP, Nasarawa State), said the president should seek immediate help from the international community to arrest the worsening insecurity situation in the country.

On his part, Senator Solomon Adeola Olamilekan (APC, Lagos State) insisted that President Buhari must inject fresh ideas into how the security problems in the country can be remedied.

Adeola noted that there is nowhere that is safe in Nigeria with the daily killings that the nation is regaled with.
“The security situation has not improved and what the president need at this time is fresh ideas on how to tackle numerous security challenges confronting the nation” the lawmaker stated.

He argued that the only way to get fresh ideas for the president to address the security challenges is to remove the incumbent service chiefs to give room for those with fresh ideas, stressing that the nation should do away with unproductive tenure elongation in areas where fresh ideas are needed.

“We know the way the military organisation operates. Those with fresh ideas dare not come out against their superiors or else they risk premature retirement from service. So, the current service chiefs should go to allow officers with fresh ideas address our alarming security issues”, he stated.

Also speaking, Senator Jeremiah Useni (PDP, Plateau State), identified the constant clashes among security agencies as part of the security problems.

He maintained that heads of such agencies be removed to pave way for more harmonious relationship among security agencies.

Defending his motion earlier, Adokwe said: “Throughout the weekend and up to the moment that I am speaking, herdsmen have unleashed terrorism and mayhem on the people of my senatorial district, leaving many dead bodies, numerous wounded persons and hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons. The victims are largely the Tiv-speaking ethnic nationalities with a reported dead toll of 32 persons and we are still counting.

“The real tragedy is not in the well-coordinated and simultaneous carnage across Awe, Obi, Keana and Doma local government areas of Southern senatorial district but the tragedy stems from the fact that for four days running, this mayhem continues unhindered, unchecked, unstopped by any arm of the law and security enforcement agencies”.

Also contributing, Senator Barnabas Gemade (APC, Benue State) stated that the country is becoming a state without control, a state that is experiencing anarchy and a state in which ethnic cleansing has been witnessed.

According to him, “it is a shame that a sitting government could watch criminality go to the level that we have seen it today and rather than rise up and take very decisive steps against it, we embark on deniability and simply shield this evil by just explaining with flimsy excuses that these are communal clashes in those communities.

“I don’t understand why responsible people elected to control the governments of Nigeria will simply turn away from the reality of facing this matter squarely. And the Inspector-General will fly by helicopter to a town, land in the market square and be asking people whether there is militia in this town or not. And nobody whatsoever seems to call anybody to order. This is very sad. We have done enough of a minute silence for innocent Nigerians being killed”, he added.

Ruling on the motion, deputy president of Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, noted that the primary purpose of government anywhere in the world is the preservation of the lives of citizens.

“If citizens are being killed, we owe the responsibility as a parliament to give it the desired attention. And we will never stop talking about these killings. Unless it stops, we will never be tired of speaking about it”, he stated.

On the need to seek external help, he said, “The time has come for us to seek help from other countries as some of us have suggested here. We should not be ashamed to ask for help.

“The President met with the UK Prime Minister and she was of the opinion that Britain would help us security wise. America is also offering to help. We should not be reluctant to come out openly and say we need help because what we have now is a global village”.

CJN Moves To Enhance Efficient Justice Delivery

CJN Moves To Enhance Efficient Justice Delivery 

In a bid to ensure efficient justice delivery and case management in the country, the judiciary has adopted the use of new technology, with the introduction of Nigeria Case Management System (NCMS).

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, disclosed this in Abuja during the opening ceremony of a refresher course for magistrates, organised by the National Judicial Institute (NJI).

The CJN said the innovative case management system is presently being piloted by the Supreme Court and will soon be rolled out to the strata of courts in the country.

According to the CJN, technology has transformed the manner in which service of court processes, record keeping and retrieval of data and other operations are carried out in courts.

“Technology has afforded us the opportunity to have virtual libraries and law reports at our finger tips.

Case management tools can now be accessed 24 hours a day from the comfort of our homes and hearing notices will, in the nearest future be e-mailed to lawyers once enrolment on the Judiciary’s Nigerian Legal E-Mail System (NILES), is fully achieved in conjunction with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

“As we speak, the deadline for paper court processes in the Supreme Court has been fixed for July 2018, the CJN stated and urged Magistrates to be proficient in the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) as the e-proficiency will become a veritable pre-requisite for career advancement within the judiciary”.

While charging the Magistrates to carry out their judicial functions in line with the constitution of the country, Onnoghen said continuing judicial education is a mandatory requirement for every judicial officer who sits on the Bench for adjudication.

“It is pertinent to remind you as Magistrates, that you must be mindful of your professional duties as well as the ethical content of the Code of Conduct for judicial officers.

“It is an indispensable guide to the proper conduct and performance of your duties”, he said and urged the Magistrates to take charge of their courts in the discharge of their judicial functions.

The NJI administrator, Justice Rosaline Bozimo, who also spoke at the occasion with the theme: “Promoting excellence in the administration of justice in lower courts” said it was in line with the current drive of the CJN, in ensuring that excellence in service delivery is enhanced at all levels of the judicial process.

She said the course was organised by the institute in fulfillment of its statutory mandate for judicial officers and their supporting staff with a view to expanding and improving their overall knowledge and performance in their duties.