The Nation Newspaper

Tag: arms

  • Activists: interrogate Jonathan for $2.1b arms scandal

    Activists: interrogate Jonathan for $2.1b arms scandal

    Human rights activists have urged the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to invite former President Goodluck Jonathan to explain his role in the $2.1 billion arms fund allegedly misappropriated by the former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki.

    Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) chief, Mr Malachy Ugwummadu and Civil Society Network Against Corruption Comrade Lanre Suraj agreed that Jonathan’s statement that Dasuki couldn’t have stolen $2.1 billion, provided the anti-graft agency the caveat to interrogate the ex-President.

    They spoke on a Television Continental (TVC) programme monitored in Lagos.

    Ugwummadu said EFCC should take advantage of the statement to interrogate Jonathan.

    According to him, the ex-President had dragged himself into the fray of investigation.

    The human rights activist said Jonathan should prove or deny the evidence given by ex-Minister of State for Defence Senator Musiliu Obanikoro that he collected several millions of naira from Dasuki, which he delivered to Governor Ayo Fayose to prosecute his governorship campaign.

    He said the EFCC should invite Jonathan to react to the evidence of the ex-National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, that he (Jonathan) approved the N400 million paid into his private company’s  account in respect of services provided for the former President during the electioneering campaign.

    The rights activist noted that shortly before leaving office last year, Jonathan said his aides should be prepared for persecution under the Buhari administration.

    “But some of his lieutenants suspected to have taken part in the looting have returned their share. With his statement defending Dasuki, Jonathan has started the process to undermine the anti-graft war of the Buhari administration,” Ugwummadu added.

    Suraj urged Jonathan to  controvert the statement credited to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) National leader Chief Olu Falae that the former President approved N100 million into his account for his party to work for him in last year’s presidential election.

  • Edo polls: I was not arrested with any arms – Ex-militant

    Edo polls: I was not arrested with any arms – Ex-militant

    An ex-militant, General Pere Ojune, who was reportedly arrested in a hotel in Benin City has said that he was not arrested with any firearms.

    General Pere said he was invited by the police after he was told that his younger brother, Ade, was arrested for being in possession with firearms.

    Pere said he believed that his subsequent detention by the police was because he recently defected to the People’s Democratic Party.

    The ex-militant leader said he is an Ijaw from Ovia South West and not an imported militants from any neighboring states to cause mayhem during the elections.

    He spoke yesterday while being paraded at the Edo State Police Command saying that it was his younger brother.

    His words, “It was on Thursday that I saw my younger brother Ade on handcuff and he told me he was arrested at Upper Sakpoba road that they caught him with one double barrel and one cut to size gun.

    “He said he told the police that I am the only one that can come and rescue him and that was why he brought the police to my place. I had earlier warned them not to be involved in any illegal deal.

    “The police said I must come and see the CP myself. I came here with my car and he asked me how I knew this man and I told them he is my brother. They said I should wait and see the CP that was how they kept me inside the cell till today I have not done anything, I am a repentant militant now working with everybody to ensure peace in our society” he stated.

    Ade on his part said it was one man identified as CSP that promised to give him N10, 000 and a parcel of land that gave him the gun to deliver in a hotel.

    He said he using a bicycle to convey the firearms when the police arrested him and he took them to his elder brother who he believed could free him.

  • Firms deny tracing of arms fund to ex-Army Chief’s children

    The management of Chok Ventures Limited and Integrated Equipment Services Limited has denied reports that N2billion out of the $15 billion arms deal was traced to five children of ex-Army Chief.

    The company in a statement said the allegations published in The Nation of August 13 were false and misleading.

    In discharge of the corporate social responsibility to the public and upholding corporate  integrity, the management of the companies made the following claims:

    1. That Chok Ventures Ltd and Integrated Equipment Services Ltd are distinct, reputable corporate entities, registered under the Companies and Allied Matters Act, Cap 59, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1990 and NOT criminal enterprises as portrayed in the said publication.
    2. That it is blatantly untrue that children of any ex-Army chief used our companies for any shady deals or for any unimplemented contracts as purported in the said article.
    3. That the two entities share some commonalities in terms of shareholding and management personnel was not hidden to the authorities, neither is it contrary to any law(s), regulation(s) or stipulations of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
    4. That both companies at the appropriate times when the matter is eventually before the law courts would vigorously prove its innocence as previously done before the CADEP committee.
    5. That both companies are Defence contractors and intend to remain so, working with all relevant security agencies of government and the private sector that requires our services.
    6. That between 2011 and 2013, both companies were awarded contracts under the Emergency Procurement rules of the Bureau of Public Procurement, to supply specialized Toyota and Mitsubishi vehicles for the Nigerian Army.
    7. That all contracted vehicles were purchased, shipped and cleared at the TIN CAN ISLAND & APAPA WHARFS by the NIGERIA ARMY PORTS CLEARING COMPANY LIMITED.
    8. That upon clearing by the NIGERIA ARMY PORTS CLEARING COMPANY LIMITED, the contracted vehicles were delivered to the NIGERIAN ARMY HEADQUARTERS, S AND T POINT ROAD, APAPA, LAGOS.
    9. That the contracted vehicles were moved to the various units needing them within the Army, by Nigerian Army personnel from the S and T facility in APAPA.
    10. That presented with such huge paper trail (Manufacturers, Shippers, Clearing agents, Army S and T unit, End Users) it is impossible for any independent adjudicator to suggest that such vehicles just disappeared into thin air without a trace.
    11. That if 10 above is indeed the position of the Panel, we are ready to provide names and ranks of soldiers and officers who personally took deliveries and acted on behalf of the Nigerian Army at all stages of implementing this contract as and when required.
    12. That our companies were paid only AFTER complete delivery of these vehicles.
    13. That we challenge the Newspaper to reveal details of payments from our bank accounts to individuals including the details of the children of the Army chief as alleged in the aforesaid article.
    14. That it is injurious not only to our corporate image, but to the overall image of Nigeria, for the general public to be fed with such unsubstantiated and unjustifiable allegations of this nature; unverified weighty allegations that could trigger unwarranted animosity against innocent persons (individual or corporate) and jeopardize our business interests, thereby putting at risk the livelihood of hundreds of Nigerians who directly or indirectly rely on our business activities for economic survival.

    In the light of the foregoing and to put the records straight, we, ipso facto furnish the public with the comprehensive list of all vehicles procured by Chok Ventures Ltd / Integrated Equipment Services, for and on behalf of the Nigerian Army and delivered to the Nigerian Army, between 2011 and 2013.

  • $2.1b arms scandal: ‘I collected N100m approved by Jonathan’

    $2.1b arms scandal: ‘I collected N100m approved by Jonathan’

    Former presidential aide Dr. Doyin Okupe, yesterday admitted collecting more than N100million from the Office of National Security Adviser(ONSA) when Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.) was in charge.

    The former Senior Special Assitant (Media and Publicity) to former President Goodluck Jonathan said part of the cash was a N10milion vote to furnish his rented apartment.

    The ex-President approved the release of the funds from his security vote, Okupe said.

    He also faulted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) for making his heart-related challenge, called sinus bradycadia, public.

    Okupe and his companies are under probe for allegedly receiving N162million illicit payments to him and his companies by Dasuki  and Chanchaga Local Government Area in Niger State.

    In a reaction to his intermittent grilling by the EFCC, Okupe, who opened up on his Facebook page, said he used the funds allocated to him to run his office between 2012 and 2015.

    He was hired in 2012 by Jonathan for propaganda purpose against the opposition, which was critical of the past administration.

    Giving the details of how he collected money from the ex-NSA, he also confessed that his company secured contract from Chanchaga Local Government Area in Niger State.

    He said:  “The initial N50m was approved by the President to be paid to me from his security vote. N10m was to furnish my rented living apartment and another N10m for my office. The balance N30m was approved as take-off grant.

    “The N10m I received from the ONSA monthly was to run my office, pay salaries of staff, including overheads, pay expenses for our numerous press conferences, pay for publications in newspapers, magazines, local and foreign, television programmes, bulletins, and media consultants who assist and facilitate our work. I had about 23 staff, 11 were graduates out of which five were masters degrees holders.

    “ The second N50m was approved again by Mr. President when I reported to him that the monthly allowance had been cut from N10m to N5m and that I was no longer in position to keep running a one hour NTA network programme called INSIGHT which was aired 9-10am every Friday.

    “We paid NTA about N1.2m monthly for airtime. Two presenters were paid N600, 000 monthly.

    The lead presenter on Insight earned N400,000 and the second presenter earned N200,000. We paid for tapes and editing per programme. Besides, we also pay honorarium for guests either directly or in form of hotel bills for those outside Abuja or transportation.

    “This cost averagely N500,000 weekly or about N2m monthly. All in all, we spend about N4m monthly on the programme. Mr. President promised to help with the expenses. About a few months later when we had incurred some debts the NSA sent me this N50m which was to cover the cost of the program for 12 months.

    “I am not a thief. I have only two houses in Lagos and in my hometown. The monthly allowance was not my salary. It was meant to be used to run the office. 40% went on salaries. Salary sheets with names and offices of employees were submitted to EFCC.

    I was paid a salary of N853,000 per month through the office of the SGF.”

    On the N76.5m contracts awarded to his firm, Romix Soilfix, by Chanchaga Local Government Area of Niger State, Okupe said the firm was “one of the over 20 construction companies who were duly awarded contracts for rural roads some five years ago by the Niger State Government”.

    He said the jobs were delayed because of irregular payment to contractors by the council.

    Okupe added:  “The job is still ongoing. The relationship of this to my service as senior special assistant to President is still not clear.”

    Okupe faulted the EFCC for allegedly making his heart-related challenge, called sinus bradycadia, public.

    He said: “I was born with sinus bradycadia, a non-disease based slowness of the heart. It precluded me from vigorous exercise from childhood but I have, by God’s grace, been able to live a normal and active life.

    “With age, the slowness grew worse and life threatening. I sought medical help and went through a procedure at the Arrhythmia Cardiac Research Centre in Atlanta, where this defect was corrected. It was just a year ago and I am still under satellite monitor from the USA. This is what I revealed to the EFCC and they made it a public issue.”

  • Amnesty office urges militants to drop arms

    Amnesty office urges militants to drop arms

    • 72 ex-militants graduate in fishery

    Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator, Amnesty Programme, Brigadier General Paul Boroh (rtd) Wednesday called on militants in the Niger Delta to drop arms and embrace peace.

    Speaking at the Institute of Oceanography in the University of Calabar, during the graduation ceremony of 72 ex-militants who were trained in fishery, Boroh said blowing up pipelines was counter-productive and would only hurt the people of the region.

    He debunked rumours about the stopping of the amnesty programme, saying it was still on course and successful.

    He said so far 13, 031 delegates have been trained successfully in various fields of endeavor.

    His words, “You can agitate through various means but not through violence. Blowing up pipelines in the Niger Delta only affects us, our children, our environment and the economy of our country. You can protest peacefully and you will be listened to. We must develop as a country. Nigeria is the only country we have. Any other country you go to you will always be a second-class citizen.

    “A strategic thinker never uses his home as a battleground. You have to make sure your resources are preserved. If you damage your place, where will your children stay? What future will we have? Let us not damage our territory. The Niger Delta must develop and we are the only ones that can do it. We must think forward and positively.

    “We are happy to see you graduate in agriculture. Agriculture is the mainstay and focus of the present administration. The skills you have learnt here are critical. You should all go out there and practice what you have learnt. We will start arranging your empowerment immediately. Make a difference as you go back. Educate others too to tune their minds towards agriculture. Agriculture should be your mantra. With agriculture we can never go wrong. It is what can transform this country economically.

    “The amnesty is on course and successful. You people are a success story. Any government that has interest in developing your capacity has your interest at heart. Continue to keep in touch with us, as you are still part of the office.”

    Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Niger Delta, Mr Essien Ayi, called the graduands for embracing peace and agreeing to lay down arms.

    “We are glad and urge you to talk to your brothers to also drop arms and embrace peace. We will make sure you are properly reintegrated into the society. We will not allow you to roam on your own. We want peace in the Niger Delta region and I want to use this medium to call on others to lay down arms. Peace will return to the Niger Delta,” he said.

    Vice Chancellor, University of Calabar, Prof Zana Akpagu said it was a rare privilege to train them in the amnesty programme.

    “We are proud to have you here and be part of the amnesty programme. It is a rare privilege. Congratulations to all that have participated in the programme. It is hoped that the skills learnt here will be put to use to help you be more productive. You are equipped not to be job seekers but employers of labour. You should be big entrepreneurs and train others on what you have learnt on fish farming. We are always available for you if you need further consultations,” Akpagu said.

    Director Institute of Oceanography, University of Calabar, Prof Paul Udoh said, “We are glad to have trained the amnesty delegates. We have been opportune to give them the best we have here in terms of aquaculture. We urge that as they go, they put all they have learnt to practice. You are always welcome to come back anytime you require further assistance. We spent six months here teaching them all aspects of fish farming. We are proud to be part of the amnesty training. More should be sent for training. We have enough facilities to accommodate more,” he said.

    Commissioner for Agriculture in Cross River State, Prof Anthony Eneji, said, “We thank the amnesty office and the University for Programme. We also have a women and youth empowerment programme in the ministry. We would be pleased to work with the University on this programme as it will translate to us empowering more youths.”

    Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries of the programme, Mr Surubor Amadikeme, expressed gratitude to President Muhamadu Buhari for his commitment to the amnesty programme.

    His words, “We are grateful for the programme. We appreciate the effort of the president to this programme. In spite of the economic situation and insecurity, we thank the president for last month stipend. Initially I thought the amnesty programme was not sincere but now I have seen that President Buhari is very sincere about the amnesty. We would continue to support him. We advise our brothers who are still out there to embrace peace. This government is our government. We also ask the Federal Government to facilitate our empowerment after this programme because an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. We believe the government will not forget us.”

  • PFN to IGP: Prosecute Fulani herdsmen for carrying arms

    PFN to IGP: Prosecute Fulani herdsmen for carrying arms

     

     

    The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) in Cross River State has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to as a matter of urgent national interest, arrest and prosecute all gun-carrying Fulani herdsmen.

    This Christian body said was because the carrying of arms without license violates the laws of the land.

    A communiqué signed by the Chairman, Rev Lawrence Ekwok and Secretary, Apostle Frank Umo, issued to The Nation in Calabar Tuesday, also strongly condemned the attack and killing of people in the middle belt and southern parts of Nigeria by the Fulani herdsmen.

    The communiqué read, “We call on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency ensure the arrest and immediate prosecution of the perpetrators of these heinous crimes.

    “PFN in Cross River calls on the various legislatures to enact legislations against free movement of destructive animals such as cows in their states.

    “The Cross River House of Assembly should enact a bill prohibiting any portion of the Cross River State land to be forcefully taken or otherwise for the purpose of grazing cattle as it will attract negative consequences on the economy and lives of Cross Riverians.

    “PFN CRS calls on all members of the National Assembly in the state to resist the National Grazing Reserve Bill in view of its negative economic consequences on the indigenes of the state, and on our already fragile pressure on our land.

    “PFN CRS strongly condemns and opposes the proposed Executive Bill by Governor El-Rufai of Kaduna State designed to restrict all forms of preaching in the state. Such a Religious Regulation Bill is contrary to the provisions of Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution.

    “PFN CRS condemns in very strong terms the new trend of Muslims abducting Christian girls and forcing them into marriage and conversion into Islam.

    “PFN CRS rejects plans by the Federal Government of Nigeria to fund the 2016 budget deficit from an “Islamic Compliant” loan.

    “PFN CRS condemns the decision of the Kano State governor to use Sunday for sanitation in the state. This is a deliberate poly to hinder Sunday worship by Christians in the state.

    “PFN CRS opposes the alteration of the school curriculum of Nigerian schools with the intention to exclude the teaching of Christian Religious Knowledge in schools.

    “It is our hope and prayer that all stakeholders of our country will work for the common good, well-being and continued unity of Nigeria.”

     

  • Troops seize‘largest single cache of arms, ammunition’ at Alagarno forest

    Nigerians troops yesterday discovered the largest single cache of arms and ammunition dump at the Alagarno forest in the Northeast.

    The Theatre Commander, “Operation Lafiya Dole”, Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, spoke yesterday at a news conference in Biu, Borno State.

    He said the arms and ammunition were hidden in bunkers made by the terrorists in the forest.

    “Following a tip-off, troops of “Operation Lafiya Dole’’, supported by some Civilian JTF today (yesterday) went on a clearance patrol to Borgozo-Alargano general area where they discovered large cache of arms and ammunition at Gursum village.

    “The patrol team also cleared remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists that were dislodged from the Alagarno forest and were hibernating at Kadari, Camp Abu Fatima, and Gursum.

    “The troops discovered a large cache of arms and ammunition that include 36 boxes of .51mm calibre, 5 x 20 Lyra beefcake mixture of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, large quantity of 7.62mm (special), ammunition and one 81mm mortar tube.

    “In addition, the troops recovered one Toyota Hilux, one generator and several motorcycles.

    “It will be correct to assert that this is, so far, the largest single cache of arms and ammunition to be discovered in the Northeast,” he said.

    Irabor said the arms and ammunition found were enough to dislodge a sizeable number of any enemy’s force.

    He said the discovery confirms the military’s earlier assertion that the Boko Haram group operates several underground logistic bases in the region.

    Gen. Irabor said troops operating in other locations in the Northeast have cleared more terrorist hideouts in the last three days.

    He acknowledged the support of the Air Force in the recent successes recorded by the military.

    Gen. Irabor said ground troops enjoyed tremendous support from the Air Force’s aerial surveillance and bombardments.

    The commander urged Nigerians, particularly residents of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements to security agencies for prompt action.

  • Customs intercepts arms, ammunition at Lagos port

    Customs intercepts arms, ammunition at Lagos port

    The Nigeria Customs Service, (NCS), Tin-Can Island command, Tuesday intercepted arms and ammunitions concealed in a container and arrested a suspect.

    Speaking while handing over the contraband cargoes, NCS Area Comptroller, Mr. Yusuf Bashar said that the healthy collaboration amongst security agencies working in the command led to the interception.

    Bashar also said that the Customs will continue to synergise with all relevant government agencies to ensure the security and safety of the ports and border stations.

    The seized items included 980 rounds of live 9mm ammunitions, one Taurus pistol with number THX43606.

    Others included military ware, a pair of black boot, a military face cap, a pair of camouflage hand gloves and an army coloured plastic container.

    He added that the contents of the box were prohibited items not to be imported by any individual adding that these are material that can only be imported by the Army.

    “We believe that there must a sinister reason for the importation of the prohibited materials. There is a network of moving and distributing these arms and ammunition.”

    He said that the cargo was shipped from the United States were discovered in a one by forty foot container with number crhu452745/2.

    The suspect, the CAC said, was with the Directorate of the State Security Service ( DSSS) for further investigation.

    Meanwhile, the command generated a total of the N24.8billion last month of January, surpassing the figure of N20billion in January, 2015.

  • $2.1b arms fund: Soft landing likely for those returning loot, says Sagay

    $2.1b arms fund: Soft landing likely for those returning loot, says Sagay

    Constitutional lawyer and  Presidential Anti-corruption Advisory Committee Chairman Prof. Itse Sagay has hinted of a possible soft landing for treasury looters and corrupt politicians, who return their shares of the $2.1 billion arms procurement and other loot traced to them.

    Sagay, in an interview with The Nation in Warri, Delta State at the weekend, confirmed that some members of the past administration and other beneficiaries of the looted arms money were secretly making refunds.

    He would, however, not disclose names of those making the refunds or how much has been recovered, saying: “If I knew (how much), I can’t tell you.”

    The lawyer affirmed that “a lot of money has been recovered and the result of that is that such people are likely to be given soft landing”.

    Sagay, who was in the oil city for his inauguration as a member of the Olu Advisory Council of Warri Kingdom, added: ”The President is much on course in the struggle, not only against corruption, but in the fight to stabilise this country and repair it for the march ahead towards development. I support what he is doing, because he is doing the right thing.”

    He flayed those who accused President Muhammadu Buhari of making the fight against corruption his sole agenda.

    His words:  “This is a fallacy that I hear all the time. In fact, Buhari is not personally involved in the anti-corruption war. Is he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Code of Conduct? He is not the head of these agencies.

    “There are ministers of Health, Education and others working round the clock so that the totality of governance is being covered and it is being promoted by these ministers and ministries.

    “So many good things are happening and nobody is talking about those. In the next four years, we are going to have a modern and technologically high and scientifically involved society.

    “So many people are working in different areas and he is not involved in the corruption battle. Many of us hardly see him because he is not directly involved, but we know what to do. He has put us, people in position; EFCC people and everybody is involved. That the EFCC is doing an excellent job does not mean that is the only thing going on.”

    On the alleged “padding” of the 2016 Budget, Sagay blamed it on the civil servants, stressing that the Presidency had nothing to do with it. He also traced the problem to the migration from the previous budgeting method to the zero system.

    “These allegations of padding came from the Civil Service, not from the Presidency. And from what I gathered, the President is upset and is determined to punish those responsible.

    “We have been using envelop system for a long time and suddenly the zero sum system was introduced and they are not quite familiar with it. There is some confusion and not all the inconsistencies and disparities were deliberate.

    “It has nothing to do with the President and you should know that he is a man who stands for the truth and whose integrity is known worldwide and he would not do anything that would become an embarrassment to the country,” he said.

  • Re: Arms scandal and NPAN’s moral predicament

    SIR: I really felt embarrassed by Mohammed Haruna’s assertion that ‘…after all there was nothing illegal about the compensation…’ in his defence of the newspapers that collected N10m or was it N9m from the Dasukigate sleaze, in his column titled above.

    No, Mallam Mohammed. That money given to the newspapers as compensation is allegedly a stolen property. Legally, both the giver and the receiver of such funds are guilty, if proved. By law, no amount of feigning of ignorance of the source can get the receiver off the hook. The onus lies on the newspapers to have carried out their investigation in determining the source and propriety of the funds before accepting the Greek gift. Indeed, there would not be any point in prosecuting any one involved in the Dasukigate beside Dasuki himself, if Haruna’s assertion is left unchallenged.

    The newspapers must therefore be prodded to pay back that money and later plead for leniency, not to be prosecuted.

     

    • Muhammad bn Umar,

    baayaru@gmail.com