The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ACCUSATION

  • Two arraigned for ‘false’ accusation

    The police have arraigned two men for allegedly giving false information and accusation against an innocent man.

    Patrick Onomhante, 54 and Dickson Igoche, 52 are facing three counts of conspiracy, false accusation and making false statement under Sections 94, 95(c) and 96(b) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2011, before Magistrate B.O Osunsanmi.

    Prosecuting Inspector Simon Imhonwa told the court that the defendants committed the offence against one Paul Njoku.

    He said the defendants alleged threat to life  and unlawful diversion of assets belonging to Fountain Guards Limited.

    Imhonwa said that their allegations, which were found out to be false, led to the arraignment of Njoku, who happened to be the owner of the said company.

    The alleged offence, Imhonwa said was committed on February 26, 2014, around 11:45am at the premises of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence  Department (SCIID) Panti-Yaba.

    However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

    In his submission, Defense counsel, AEP Oyenetor urged the court to admit the defendants to bail in liberal terms, noting that the matter had been taken before another court.

    The lawyer said: “Your honor, this matter has been taken to another court and the defendants have been in custody since then. I pray the court to grant them bail in liberal terms.”

    Granting her relief, Magistrate Osunsanmi admitted them to bail in N100,000 each with two sureties and adjourned to January 13.

  • IPMAN dismisses fuel diversion accusation

    IPMAN dismisses fuel diversion accusation

    The National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Chief Obasi Lawson, has dismissed the allegation of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, that marketers are diverting fuel to neighbouring countries.

    Speaking yesterday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, while inaugurating Ben Dumbari Dimkpa as the Eastern Zonal Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of IPMAN, he said it was the duty of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to apprehend those involved in diverting fuel.

    Kachikwu, who doubles as the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), had while speaking at a stakeholders’ forum in Lagos accused marketers of diverting fuel, especially petrol, to Chad, Cameroon and other neighbouring countries.

    Lawson said: “We met with the Minister (of State for Petroleum Resources) two weeks ago, in connection with fuel scarcity in Nigeria. We made all necessary arrangements to alleviate fuel scarcity in Nigeria. The minister also stated that the fuel scarcity will be over very soon. By the grace of God, fuel scarcity has started to go down drastically. The price (of petrol) is going back to its normal position of N86.50 per litre.”

  • AGF, NSA, EFCC trade accusation over custody of recovered Abacha loot

    Offices of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are trading blames in court over which one of them is in custody of what was recovered from the money looted from the nation’s treasury by the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha.

    While the EFCC said the recovered funds could be accounted for by the offices of the AGF and the NSA, they have both denied knowledge of what has been recovered and where it is being kept.

    The claim among the three Federal Government’s offices is captured in the court processes they filed in reaction to a suit filed by a group, the Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP), seeking information about the state of the recovered loot.

    LEDAP, in 2011, instituted the suit under the Freedom of Information Act after the EFCC (earlier named as the sole defendant) refused its request for the information.

    It later joined  the AGF and the NSA when the EFCC, in a counter-affidavit, said it was only offices of the AGF and NSA that could account for the recovered looted funds.

    An EFCC official, Austin Emmumejakpor, said in the counter-affidavit of March 5, 2012, that he was “informed that remittances relating to the estate of the late Gen. Abacha were coordinated by the offices of the National Security Adviser and the Attorney-General of the Federation and not the respondent (EFCC) as erroneously thought by the applicant.”

    The offices of the AGF and NSA, in separate counter-affidavits filed by their lawyer, Godwin Onwusi, denied knowledge of details of the recovered loots. They urged the court to excuse them from the suit.

    In a counter-affidavit dated March 25, 2014, both offices denied custody of the requested information on behalf of both the AGF and the NSA, stating: “That the 1st and 2nd parties sought to be joined (AGF and NSA) did not coordinate the remittances relating to the estate of late Gen. Abacha.”

    In another counter-affidavit of January 28, 2015, it was stated that the 2nd party sought to be joined (NSA) did not coordinate the remittances relating to the estate of the late Gen. Abacha.

    “The 2nd party sought to be joined is neither in custody nor in possession of information relating to the remittances referred to in paragraph 5 above. The 2nd party sought to be joined is neither a necessary party nor an indispensable party in this suit.”

    Lawyer to the plaintiff, Chino Obiagwu, has, in a reply on point of law, argued that both the offices of AGF and the NSA are parties necessary for the just determination of the case.

    He argued that by virtue of the provisions of Section 21 of the FoI Act, 2011, “the onus is on such body to prove that the information is not within its control”.

    Justice Mohammed has adjourned hearing on the applications to October 8.

  • FALSE ACCUSATION: I didn’t grant any interview – Plateau FA boss

    FALSE ACCUSATION: I didn’t grant any interview – Plateau FA boss

    • Says he will back any candidate from the state

    Plateau State FA Chairman, Sunday Longbap, has denied reports credited to him that he will not nominate Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) presidential aspirant and owner of Premier League Clubside, Ambassador Chris Giwa, for the post of the Presidency.

    Longbap was alleged to have refused to nominate Giwa because of financial mismanagement.

    But an angry Longbap in a telephone interview with SportingLife on Thursday described the reports as a fabrication.

    He also alleged that some people who are aggrieved are trying to use his name to settle score with their perceived enemy.

    “My brother, I am still in shock with the publication because I have received series of phone calls from well wishers asking me about the publication and between me and God, I didn’t grant any interview with anybody concerning Ambassador Chris Giwa or any candidate,” Longbap told SportingLife.

    “I saw the publication and I was sad. It was a assumption of the writer of the story. Nobody has brought form for me to sign and let me say it loud and clear that I am under obligation as State FA chairman to sign for any candidate as far as the candidate is from Plateau State. And anybody coming for nomination for support must have the backing of entire executive board of the State FA. I was surprised when people stated calling me of the purported article in the media.”

    Longbap also warned media to try and verify their report before going for publication.

    “People should find another means of venting their anger to the people of Plateau and not using my name. If they have any grievances they should find another means. I am still taking my time to know what to do with the originator of the story.”