The Nation Newspaper

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  • Alleged N109m pension fraud: Court rules Nov 14

    A Federal Capital Territory High Court will on November 14 rule on the preliminary objection by a former Deputy Director of Finance of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Hassan Tukur.

    Justice Maryann Anenih fixed the date after hearing the application seeking to quash the criminal charge against him.

    Tukur, Babatunde Abisuga and Mohammed Ndakupe are facing a 12-count charge of conspiracy to commit fraud, forgery and fraudulent conversion of funds of the commission.

    Abisuga retired from the commission as an Assistant Director of Finance last year. Ndakupe is said to be an official in the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.

    They pleaded not guilty.

    At the resumed hearing of the case yesterday, Tukur, through his counsel, Ego Umukoro, urged the court to quash and dismiss the charge on the grounds that the EFCC had no evidence against him.

    From the proof of evidence and witness’ statements presented by the EFCC, he maintained that there was nothing to link him to the alleged offence.

    Abisuga’s counsel Umoh Eyo and Ndakupe’s, Anthony Agbonlahor, did not oppose the application.

    But the EFCC counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, asked the court to dismiss the application.

    He urged the court not to hear the motion but to proceed with the trial.

    Tahir argued that Tukur was trying to frustrate trial.

    He referred the court to its records of July 11 where the court had dismissed a similar application to quash the criminal charges against him.

    The accused allegedly between October and November 2010, withdrew money from several First Bank Plc accounts belonging to the Commission.

  • Oteh must go, Senate insists

    Oteh must go, Senate insists

    TROUBLED times are still ahead for the embattled Director-General, Security and Exchange Commission, Ms Arunma Oteh.

    The Senate insisted that she must be relieved of her job, saying President Goodluck Jonathan is on his own by retaining Oteh.

    In a statement by its Committee on Capital Market, the Senate aligned with the resolution of the House of Representatives that the SEC chief be sacked.

    The statement reads:”You will recall that the House, few months ago, set up an Ad-Hoc Committee, which investigated the near collapse of the Nigerian Capital Market.

    “Consequently, the House passed a resolution based on the report that the President should sack the Director-General (SEC), Ms. Aruma Oteh.

    “The House further resolved that should the President fail to comply with its resolution, the House would cease to accord any recognition to the SEC DG.

    “You are also aware that instead of complying with that resolution, the SEC DG was reinstated in flagrant disregard of the resolution.

    “Again, on resumption from recess last month, the House reaffirmed its earlier resolution and gave a 14-day ultimatum for compliance. Till date that ultimatum has been ignored.

    “Furthermore, since Ms. Oteh’s resumption of duty, there have been protests against her administrative style.

    “Rather than seek amity with the workforce, she has continued with the same style for which the Presidential Review Committee indicted her.

    “Specifically, the workers have accused her of high-handedness, sole administrator-ship, intimidation, insensitivity, malice and vengeance.

    “Consequently, the Senate Committee on Capital Market, at its meeting on September 26, considering this and other matters at the Commission, resolved to support the position of the House that Ms Oteh be removed forthwith.

    “The Committee also resolved to have nothing to do with Ms. Aruma Oteh for as long as she remains at the helm of affairs at the SEC.”

  • Fed Govt urged to legislate against small arms

    Abia State Governor Theodore Orji has urged the Federal Government to enact laws that will check the proliferation of small arms and light weapons now circulating across the country.

    The governor advised the Federal Government to monitor the nation’s border towns for such weapons.

    Orji spoke in Umuahia, the state capital, at a sensitisation programme organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    The programme was in conjunction with the ECOWAS Commission and West African Action Network Against Small Arms (WAANASA) on: Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons Proliferation, Insecurity and Integration in West Africa.

    Participants at the one-day programme included security agents, legislators, traditional rulers, youths’ leaders, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other stakeholders.

    Orji, who was represented by his deputy, Sir Emeka Ananaba, wondered what constitute small and light arms.

    He asked if bow and arrows, which are used by the insurgents to perpetrate crimes across the country, could be classified with those weapons.

    The governor said the proliferation of small and light arms has become a security challenge that can result in a civil war, if left unchecked.

    Orji noted that people without proper training on the use of arms should not be allowed to carry them.

    The governor advised security agencies to always share information with one another in the fight against proliferation of small and light arms than the undue rivalry that exists among them.

    He stressed that such rivalry would divide them.

    Orji said: “There is need for the security agencies in the state to have a synergy between them, as it will help the various arms of security to cooperate to combat crime in Abia State in particular and country in general.”

  • Briton in trouble for ‘smuggling 32m arms to Nigeria’

    A 42-year-old British arms dealer who is accused of smuggling 80,000 guns and 32 million rounds of ammunition worth £840,000 from China to Nigeria has dismissed the allegations as ‘ludicrous’.

    Gary Hyde, of Newton on Derwent, East Yorkshire, allegedly smuggled 40,000 AK47 assault rifles, 30,000 other rifles, 10,000 9mm pistols and the ammunition across the world in 2007.

    The York-based businessman – a former director of UK companies York Guns and Jago Ltd – is said to have organised the trade and transportation of the weapons in contravention of UK arms laws.

    But this is the second time Hyde has faced the accusations and he continues to refute the charges, with his barrister telling Southwark Crown Court that the allegations are “completely ridiculous”.

    “The idea Mr Hyde sat down and made a decision to breach this law willy-nilly, knowing full well the consequences, is, we suggest, ludicrous,” Stephen Solley QC, defending, told the court.

    ‘Mr Hyde is a legitimate businessman, and to suggest he had a cavalier, couldn’t care less approach and is going to go ahead regardless we suggest that was simply not the picture.

    “The idea you could be sure this man put two fingers up to the criminal law knowingly is completely ridiculous.”

    However, prosecutors say Hyde failed to obtain the correct export licence, and a record of flights in 2006 and 2007 to China when the sales allegedly happened has been put before the jury.

    But Mr Solley said prosecutors had not given a complete picture of Hyde’s travel, missing out several overseas trips not seen as relevant but gave a fuller picture of his working life.

    “Some people think there is a glamour to international travel,’ he told the court.

    “But the glamour wears off pretty quickly. What a struggle it must have been to keep up all the various components of his life, his English business, and his international business.’”

    Mr Solley told the court Hyde was working for one of the largest arms-dealing firms in the north eastof England, juggling international deals, a domestic business, and his family life.

    He also pointed to 38 other potential deals with China which were being negotiated at the time the alleged crimes took place.

    Stephen Solley QC, defending Hyde, who has been trading in arms and dealing regularly with government departments for 20 years, gave a prepared statement protesting his innocence when brought in for questioning.

    “I do not believe that I engaged in any activity in the UK which I understood to require a licence but where instead I decided to ignore that obligation,’ he said. ‘Apart from a couple of administration errors, I have always been compliant.’”

    Mr Solley also warned the jury not to think badly of Hyde because of his profession.

    “There’s nothing wrong with arms dealing,” he said. “This was nation state to nation state sale and purchase, between the government of China and the government of Nigeria. It was not to some ramshackle gang somewhere – it was government to government arms sales.’”

    Hyde has pleaded not guilty to smuggling the 80,000 guns and 32million rounds of ammunition.

    A previous trial into the charges against Hyde was abandoned, the jury was told.

    Hyde denied two counts of becoming knowingly concerned in the movement of controlled goods between March 2006, and December 2007. He also denied one count of concealing criminal property between March 2006, and December 2008.

    The trial continues.

  • Jonathan urged to intervene in FUT Minna crisis

    President Goodluck Jonathan has been urged to intervene in the crisis rocking the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State on the appointment of a vice-chancellor.

    A group, Nigeria United for Transformation, in a letter to the President, said merit should be considered above ethnicity in the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor.

    The president of the association, Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi, said: “There has been division in the school on the appointment of a new VC for the school. While some persons are clamouring for the appointment on the basis of merit, others are saying that an indigene of the state should be made the head of the institution.

    “We would like to first and foremost start by reminding the ethnic propagandists in Niger State that the Federal University of Technology, Minna is a Federal Government institution merely sited in Niger State and not only to train Nigerlites but all Nigerians, including foreigners, who are interested in the doggedness and thoroughness of the British Educational curriculum.

    “For record purposes, the Minister of Education was informed of the commencement of the selection process via a letter by the Regisrar of the school on August 14, 2012, which was duly received and acknowledged.

    “The Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission was also notified to give the process the deserved national colouration on September 12, 2012 and the Governing Council immediately went into action to ensure that all candidates were screened based on the laid-down procedures, which equally motivated all interested qualified academics to participate in the exercise.

    “However, a meeting of the Governing Council arranged for September 29, 2012 to announce the screening results, which would have translated to the emergence of a vice chancellor, designate had to be put off on the order of a Niger State High Court presided over by Justice A.L.B.Bwari, a fellow Nigerlite.”

     

  • 15 injured in Ibadan students’ clash

    A clash between students of the Government College, Ibadan (GCI) and Apata Community Grammar School yesterday disrupted activities at Apata-Ganga in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    About 15 students from both schools were injured in the melee, which lasted for about two hours.

    Twenty vehicles were vandalised.

    It was gathered that the trouble started on Wednesday at a hideout where some students from both schools had gone to gamble, when a student from the Apata Community Grammar School, simply identified as Idan, manipulated the game.

    It was learnt that yesterday, some GCI students, who lost their money to Idan the previous day, stormed the Apata Community Grammar School and started beating the boy.

    Sources said students of the Apata Community Grammar School defended Idan.

    They said the GCI students mobilised themselves after school hours and laid ambush for the students of the Apata Community Grammar School.

    This led to a free-for-all fight in front of GCI’s main gate, in which the students reportedly used stones, broken bottles, clubs and on themselves.

    Sources said the wind screen of about 20 passing vehicles were broken during the clash.

    When The Nation visited the scene at about 3pm, some GCI teachers were dragging some of their students into the school premises.

  • Covenant Varsity urged to produce Nobel laureates

    The Covenant University (CU), Ota, Ogun state has been urged to work towards producing Nobel Laureates in the next decade by boosting the research capacity of its students and academics.

    Delivering the school’s 10th Anniversary Lecture, titled: “Covenant University at Ten: Looking Back, Looking Forward” yesterday, the Pro-Chancellor of Crawford University, Prof. Peter Okebukola said among other steps, the university should invest in globally-relevant research; partner with highflying universities abroad, especially and seek out training opportunities with living Nobel Laureates.

    Okebukola said: “Significant efforts should be invested in capacity building of CU researchers and fostering partnerships with renowned researchers outside Africa.

    “Tutelage under Nobel-prize winners is another pathway. Training CU graduates under the wings of Nobel Prize winners will foster cultivation of research methodologies, attitudes and values needed to be a prize winner.

    “CU should undertake a study of institutional location of Nobel Prize winners and seek partnership with such institutions and centres where the Laureates are serving.

    “Bright graduates, preferably first-class degree holders, can be carefully selected to undertake postgraduate education in such centres. We should begin to fade out the vogue of partnerships with little known universities and laser focus on one or two outstanding universities and programmes where Nobel Prize winners serve.”

    Okebukola also underscored the need for the university to improve on its physical infrastructure, train teachers to deliver the curriculum in more practical and innovative ways, and strengthen some programmes it wishes to be known for.

    “The suggestion to mount new programmes should be seen alongside the need for CU to be noted for particular programmes as national or regional centre of excellence. CU authorities should undertake an assessment of the comparative strengths of the programmes being run and strengthen those identified to be the flagship in the coming years,” he said.

  • FERMA set to build trailer parks on Lagos-Ibadan Road

    The Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has concluded plans to build trailer parks in Ogere on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

    FERMA Chairman Olajide Adeniji spoke yesterday on “Financing Road Rehabilitation in Nigeria” at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) during the Guest of the Month program.

    Adeniji said tankers parked on the highway have caused a lot of havoc on the road and the agency was determined to curb them.

    He said the trailer parks would be completed before the end of next year and truck drivers would be charged some fee for the parks’ maintenance.

    Adeniji said the agency would revamp Nigerian roads in the next eight years with the support of the newly introduced Public Private Participatory Road Maintenance Program.

    He said: “The agency has decided to start conceding roads to contractors for a certain period of years, during which they will be held responsible for any damage or problems on such roads.”

    Adeniji said the Federal Government has spent over N1.05 trillion on roads from 1976 to 2012.

    He said: “Nigeria needs an estimated N320 billion to effectively maintain the 194,200km national road network annually. 34 per cent of this sum would be required for federal roads, 16 per cent for state roads and 50 per cent for local government roads.”

  • Dangote cement: Monarch denies misappropriating compensation

    The host community of Dangote Cement, Ibese, yesterday said its traditional ruler, the Aboro of Ibese, Oba Joel Bamgbose, has not misappropriated the compensation paid to the community by the company.

    Speaking to reporters in Abeokuta, the Asiwaju of Ibese, Chief Hezy Idowu, said the community has managed the money transparently.

    He said the traditional ruler has not signed any agreement with Dangote Cement in his personal name.

    Idowu said the coming of Dangote Cement was a dream come true.

    He said the monarch deployed his personal resources to facilitate the establishment of Dangote Cement in Ibese.

    He said the allegation against the traditional ruler was meant to incite the people against him and cause confusion.

    Idowu said any true indigene of Ibese should be concerned with how to make the community peaceful so that Dangote Cement can operate maximally for the benefit of the people.

    Idowu denied that the 95-year-old monarch, who has been on the throne for 54 years, misappropriated N49 billion paid for the acquisition of the community’s land.

    He said the money was paid to the Ogun State government under the administrations of Aremo Segun Osoba and Otunba Gbenga Daniel.

    According to him, the community only received N1.2 million.

    He said:”During the administration of former Governor Segun Osoba, the Dangote Group, in its bid to set up a cement factory at Ibese, paid a compensation of N230 million to the state, but not a dime of the amount was given to Ibese community by the government.”

  • Woman held over Lagos robberies, kidnappings

    A WOMAN the police claim to be the brain behind most robberies, kidnappings and assassinations in Lagos has been uncovered by the Police Command.

    Ngozi Onowu, is being interrogated at Area ‘E’, Command, FESTAC Town, on Lagos-Badagry Expresseway.

    According to the police, a vehicle belonging to the suspect was used for robbery at Itire, Lagos Mainland where two policemen were killed.

    She also sponsored the abduction and killing of businessman Oddi Nweze and other prominent people in FESTAC, Ikoyi, Surulere, Amuwo-Odofin, Apapa, and Ago Palace Way, all in Lagos.

    Police sources at Area ‘E’ Command told our reporter that besides arranging hotel accommodation for a gang being led by her younger brother, she allegedly registered SIM cards with mobile communications network providers’, using fake names and wrong addresses.

    The source said: “It’s with these SIM cards that they use to communicate with their victims before their abductions and assasinations. If they are not hired to kill their victims, they will use the SIM cards to communicate with their relations and family members for ransom. The moment ransom is picked, the SIM cards are destroyed.” The source lamented that efforts by investigating officers to unmask the owners of the SIM cards used by members of the gang have not been fruitful

    “We hit a brick wall as all information provided by the person who registered the SIM card will be discovered to be false”.

    The two kidnap kingpins who were declared wanted by the Lagos Police Commissioner Umar Manko, for their alleged involvement in the killing of Nweze have turned out be younger brother and cousin to the accused.

    “She was the one that arranged their escape. Chibuzor Onowu and Kingsley Okwudili led the gang that killed the businessman. It was Ngozi that helped them to escape out of the country,” the source said.

    A senior police officer attached to the Area Command noted that after the suspects who were arrested for their alleged involvement in the killing of Nweze were paraded at the Lagos Command headquarters on October 2, investigators decided to further interrogate them.

    The Area Commander, Mr. Dan Okoro, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), had called for all the case files that had to do with the suspects in all the Division within the command.

    The source said: “When our commander finished studying the files, it was discovered that Ngozi’s name was prominent.

    “She was the person that took the armed robbers on bail and was also going around police stations to say that her car was snatched by robbers at gunpoint anytime a vehicle was abandoned by her gang during exchange of fire with the police while operating.

    “There was this case were two policemen were killed by members of her gang at Itire. The gang had earlier snatched a vehicle from somebody in Surulere.

    “They however abandoned the vehicle after they were overpowered by the police and fled through the bushes. The gang found their way back to Ngozi’s house, told her what happened and she promised them that she will recover the vehicle, a Peugeot 607 with registration number CL921RBC.

    “She went to Agboju Police Station and reported that the car was snatched from her at gunpoint at Second Rainbow Bus Stop on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway. She even went to the police station with her elder sister’s baby, claiming to be a nursing mother.

    “The policemen at the station were convinced with her claims and was trying to help her to recover the vehicle, but unknown to them it was her gang that snatched the vehicle from one Ogugua .C. Peter of 23 Brown Road, Aguda.

    “When police investigating officers discovered that the vehicle had been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), they directed her to go and pick it from there but her brothers advised her not to go as she would be placed under serious interrogation which may lead to her confessing.

    “That was how she abandoned the vehicle. Their intention was to recover the vehicle and sell it in neighbouring countries.”

    It was learnt from the suspect’s confessional statement that members of her gang resorted to kidnapping and assassination when they discovered that armed robbery was becoming more risky and dangerous.

    “She confessed that they abandoned armed robbery for kidnap and hired assassination because it was more lucrative and less risk involved. She confessed that they have kidnapped that over 20 persons have been abducted since they changed business last two years and have also killed so many other that they were hired to kill”, the police said.

    In a chat with The Nation, Onowu admitted to have been involved in most criminal operations in the state, saying that her brothers may have charmed her into doing their bidding.

    She claimed not to know initially that her brothers were into crime until the day she saw them with AK47 guns and other assault rifles in a hotel room she arranged for them.

    Onowu said: “I do not understand what has been happening to me. I did not want them to kill me and that was why I refused to go to the police. I can help policemen find them. Okwudili used to have a chemist store in either Taraba or Adamawa. It was when we met again here in Lagos that we decided to form a gang.”

    Okoro, who is currently in Ghana where he is being conferred with the award of the Best Police Area Commander in Nigeria by Security Watch Africa, confirmed that the suspect was still being held.

    According to him, the suspect is assisting them in tracking other members of her dreaded gang.