The Nation Newspaper

Tag: investigate

  • Offa robbery: Reps to investigate death of key suspect

    The House of Representatives is to investigative the circumstances surrounding the death of Michael Adikwu, a key suspect in the Offa, Kwara State, bank robbery.

    The incident, which occurred seven months ago, claimed many lives.

    The Committee on Police Affairs, Human Rights and Justice mandated to carry out the investigation, is expected to uncover the issues and answer questions as to when the suspect died, how he died, why the police denied the facts of his death, at what point the police leadership discovered the death of the suspect and why the police are covering up the facts.

    The committee is also expected to unravel issues of human rights abuse, extrajudicial killings and manipulation of criminal investigation by the police.

    Read also: Offa Bank Robbery: How prime suspect died – Police

    The decision of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance by Zakari Mohammad (PDP, Kwara), who noted how shocking was the disclosure by the police that Adikwu, the principal suspect in the bank robbery in Offa, Kwara State, which occurred on Aprii 5, is dead.

    He said: “The police initially confirmed to the Attorney- General of Kwara State through the Police Public Relations Officer, Moshood Jimoh, that the principal suspect was alive and in custody and was helping the police in the investigations of the robbery that led to the killing of 22 people and recovery of firearms that were carted away.

    “Of concern, however, is that it took the police so long to make the disclosure about the death of the principal suspect after denying its veracity as was reported in the media.

    “It is equally worrisome that there have been inconsistencies in the various statements by the police and a possible cover up of this extra-judicial killing with the aim of tarnishing the image of some innocent individuals for political purposes.

    “It is common knowledge that it is the constitutional duty of this hallowed chamber to take action wherever such level of irresponsibility and recklessness of an important law enforcement agency such as the Police have arisen in the course of investigations into a vicious crime.”

     

  • NCC, CPC investigate teleco sector

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), yesterday in Abuja, inaugurated a joint investigative committee for consumer issues in the telecommunications industry. The inauguration was held at the NCC headquarters in Abuja.

    A statement by both bodies at the end of the inauguration, said the collaboration will ensure regulatory clarity and eliminate possible multiple regulatory approaches to similar issues.  This, they contend, is consistent and complimentary to the Federal Government’s commitment to “Ease of Doing Business” and the Economic Recovery and growth Plan (ERGP), which prioritises people and firm but clear regulation that protects citizen, and promotes business and investment.

    The joint inquiry, the statement read, which is also in further partnership with relevant security agencies, is in part on account of incessant and continuing dissatisfaction and complaints by consumers.  Besides, it is also partly in response to a resolution of the Senate of the National Assembly requiring investigation and remedial measures of vital service issues and grievances by consumers.  Both NCC and CPC intend to keep abreast of this important issue to ensure enhanced operations and customer satisfaction.

    Explaining the scope of the work of the joint investigative committee, the statement said it essentially includes service quality, service issues such as call masking, unsolicited subscriptions, difficulty with unsubscribing to billed value added services, and transparency in billing. This is with respect to clarity, data roll over, disclosures about real consumption, deductions for value added services and other key telecommunications services.

    “The expected outcomes are better services, more transparent charges and increased customer service responsiveness by telecommunications operators.  NCC and CPC have assembled a team of skilled operatives to discharge this assignment and look forward to the cooperation of consumers, operators and other stakeholders, particularly with providing information as may be, and when necessary that could be relevant to the subjects of the inquiry,” the statement read.

  • ‘Investigate public officers living above their wages’

    The Federal Government has been urged to empower the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate public officers who live above their means.

    A former governorship aspirant under the All Progressive Congress (APC) platform, Chris Ogiemwonyi, an engineer, decried public sector corruption.

    He spoke in Lagos at the launching of a book: The Nigerian Civil War, 50 Years After… Reflections of A Younger Generation”. The book, is authored by Ebho Abure, a Petroleum Engineer, and Agbose Akinwole, a Business Management Consultant.

    Ogiemwonyi,  who chaired the event, said: “The country is in a bad situation. Buhari alone cannot change Nigeria.  We all have to do it collectively and key into the war to make it a success.”

    Ogiemwonyi  said the book, coming after 50 years of the civil war,  is proof that war should never be an option in settling national  differences.

    “We should never pray for war no matter how hard the discussion will be. There is a Bini proverb which  literally translated means ‘war is never beautiful,” he said.

    He urged  those asking for war or the country’s separation to bear that proverb in mind.

    “We have read various accounts of the Nigerian civil war from warlords,  politicians and eye witnesses. This account is a compilation of facts as witnessed by victims who saw part of the war.

    “The book mentioned a time in Nigeria where tribalism was not an issue, however with successive coups and the civil war, things started falling apart,” he said.

    A professor of English at the University of Lagos, Hope Eghagha,  who reviewed the book, urged Nigerians to shun propaganda and hate speech to avert a reoccurrence of the events that led to the 1967 civil  war.

    “Anyone who has gone through a war cannot hope for another. A child that goes through a war loses their childhood. We should not promote the ideology of war by narrative or default,” he said.

    Prof. Eghagha  praised the authors for bringing to light narratives from the civil war as well as the reconciliation efforts of subsequent regimes.

    The co-author Abure urged Nigerians to read the book and give feedback as appropriate.

    He said the authors’ intention was not to make money but to ensure that the story of the civil war is heard and for lessons to be learnt from it.

    “The objective of the book is also to create a better union in Nigeria,” he said.

  • Senate to investigate digital currency trading

    Senate to investigate digital currency trading

    The Senate will probe tradings in digital currency (cryptocurrency) and examine whether investments in it are viable. The Senate Committee on Banking and Other Financial Institutions will investigate the viability of bitcoin as a form of investment, come up with recommendations on how to control its uses and trade, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu said while presiding over yesterday’s session in Abuja.

    Lawmakers noted with “deep concern” that bitcoins are openly sold in Nigeria, with promises of quick returns luring investors, according to a motion put forward by Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu.

    Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Godwin Emefiele likened the trade in the digital currency to gambling, and urged for caution in a Jan 24 interview. “We cannot as a central bank give support to situations” where people risk savings to “gamble,” he said.

    Emefiele joined regulators globally who have expressed concern about bitcoin, one of the most popular cryptocurrencies, because of high volatility and a perception that it facilitates crime. In January 2017, the central bank released a circular to lenders asking them not to use, hold, or trade virtual currencies pending “substantive regulation and or decision by the CBN.” The Senate committee is expected to make recommendations within two weeks, Ekweremadu said

  • Investigate alleged defection, group urges Kwara APC

    A group within the Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), known as the Progressive Caucus (PC), has called on the leadership of the party to investigate the alleged defection of the Special Adviser to the Senate President, Hon. Moshood Mustapha. Stories of Mustapha dumping the ruling APC for the opposition PDP went viral on social media during the week.

    Rising from a meeting in Ilorin, the state capital, on Thursday, the group said the online news has caused disquiet among members of the party in Kwara State, particularly when it has not been debunked by the person involved. It therefore called on the party to look into the matter and establish the truth or otherwise of the matter in order to calm frayed nerves within the party.

    “We are concerned that the leadership of our party in Kwara State has abdicated its primary roles for mundane and pedestrian moves. The personality involved is not a small fry in the party, so this story cannot be wished away for whatever reason. The party has suffered huge image battering in recent times while the leadership of the party in Kwara State appears to be on vacation.

    “Since Honourable Moshood Mustapha has not denied the report or counter those claims in the online report it behoves the party to find out the true state of things from him,” the statement, signed by Kayode Sullyman, said.

    Efforts by The Nation to get the reaction of Hon. Mustapha to the story proved abortive as calls and text messages sent to his phone line got no response from him.

     

  • Reps investigate Customs import waivers

    Lawmakers in the Green Chamber yesterday mandated its Customs and Excise Committee to investigate the handling of import duty revenues, waivers and bonds on import duties collected by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) from 2010 till date.

    The resolution was sequel to the passage of the prayers of a motion sponsored by a member, Hon. James Abiodun Faleke (APC, Lagos) and 14 others.

    The committee is also mandated to “determine the nature and extent of abuse of the Customs Pre-Arrival Assessment Reports (PAAR) by importers and officials of the Customs Service in order to recover the revenues due to the Federal Government but  which were not paid.”

    The House further empowered the committee to probe the abuse of import duty waivers given by the Federal Ministry of Finance and its effects on the economy and identify the companies or individuals that have refused to redeem the bonds even after clearing their imports.

    The committee is to conclude its assignment and report back to to the House within 90 days for further legislative action.

    While moving the motion, Faleke said that except those that were granted waivers and are on the prohibited list, the Nigeria Customs Service is mandated, among other things, to collect duties on all goods imported into Nigeria.

    He said: “the Nigeria Customs Service customarily issues Pre-Arrival Assessment Reports which are used to assess duties payable on imported goods but the Reports are sometimes compromised by importers, thereby leading to under payment of duties in billions of Naira;

    “The Ministry of Finance gave series of duty waivers to companies in line with the policy of government to assist businesses, but in most cases, the waivers were used to import goods not listed on the approval, thereby depriving the government of the needed revenues;.”

    “Some importers, most times, issue bank and/or insurance bonds to Nigeria Customs Service in lieu of duty payments to enable the importers clear the imported goods immediately and thereafter expected to redeem the bonds by paying the appropriate duty rates, but information reveals that the Bonds are either partially redeemed or never redeemed at all.”

    According to the lawmaker,   the inability of the federal government to finance the 2017 budget and meet its other obligations made the ministry of finance to source for funds from local Banks and the capital market through “sukuk” etc., meanwhile there are leakages in revenue collections by the Nigeria Customs Service.

  • Police to investigate poly student’s suicide bid

    Nasarawa State Police Command is to investigate an attempt by a student of Nasarawa State Polytechnic to commit suicide, spokesman Idrisu Kennedy told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview in Lafia.

    NAN reports Chinedu Iromuanya, a National Diploma 2 student in Public Administration department, attempted to commit suicide by drinking an insecticide.

    A nurse at Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia, where Iromuanya was taken to, told NAN he was discharged.

    Kennedy said the polytechnic management was yet to report the matter.

    “I am just hearing this. I don’t think the authority of the institution has reported the case to the police.

    “I will confirm from our officers in charge of the area where the incident occurred, to unravel the reason for the attempted suicide.”

    He advised students and workers to report any suspicious person, movement or activity to law enforcement agencies.

    The spokesman advised students to be law-abiding and desist from resorting to suicide, no matter the circumstance.

     

  • Group urges EFCC to investigate aspirants

    Group urges EFCC to investigate aspirants

    Group, the Anambra Conscience Movemnet (ACM), has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate four governorship aspirants over the allegation of using accumulated funds for constituency projects to woo delegates at primaries.

    The group accused the aspirants, who are members of the National Assembly, of misusing funds for constituency projects.

    The aspirants are Senator Stella Oduah, Senator Andy Uba, Tony Nwoye and Lynda Ikpeazu.

    The petition, which has been received by the office of the EFCC chairman, was signed by the group’s president, Chief Godwin Chukwuyenlu, and secretary, Prince Osita Nwankwo.

    Former presidential aide Senator Uba has been in the National Assembly for six years, Senator Oduah is in his second year in the Senate. Nwoye has spent a year and eight months while Rep. Ikpeazu is spending the second year of her second term in the House of Representatives.

    The group stated in the petition: “We also have received credible information that orders have been placed for a large number of cars, tricycles and motorcycles also to be diverted for election campaign purposes. These orders are to be paid for with funds which were supposed to be used for Constituency projects but which were diverted.

    “Some of the materials like sewing machines, grinding machines, motorcycles etc are materials which were collected over the years for empowerment of constituents from the MGD office and other empowerment agencies of government but were hoarded and are now being used to induce delegates.

    “Several of the people being given these items are not from within the constituencies being represented by the members who are involved in this. Every Senator and Honourable member has a specific constituency which is not the whole state. The act of denying constituents of their rightful benefits and the use of such materials for campaign purposes and outside the constituency it is originally meant for is condemnable and must be stopped immediately.

    “You will recall Sir, that the Electoral Act provides that candidates for election into the office of Governor of a State should not spend more than N200, 000, 000:00 (Two Hundred Million Naira) only and should not receive donations in excess of N1, 000, 000:00 (One Million Naira) only from any individual.

    It added: “We call on you to immediately invite all the aspirants who are currently public officers including the above named members of the National Assembly to inquire into the sources of the humongous amounts of money they are sharing, unravel to confirm the source of money and the identity(ies) of the public officer(s) who has or have ordered for the cars, tricycles motorcycles, sewing machines and other items.

  • Reps to investigate AGIS over land allocation

    The House of Representatives is set to investigate the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS) over its alleged failure to process land applications for scores of Nigerians in the six Area councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The lawmakers complained that AGIS’ refusal to process land applications in the Area councils through the Accelerated Area Councils and Sectional Title Reissuance Scheme (AACSTRIS) has denied many of their Certificates of Occupancy (C of O).

    The lawmakers insisted that the investigation was meant to ascertaining the amount generated and remitted (if any) by the Scheme from inception to date, the operational costs of the Scheme from inception to date, the number of applications received, the number of applications verified or processed and any challenges facing the Scheme, and make appropriate recommendations.

    The proposed investigation followed the adoption of a motion by Olatubosun Olajide  (APC, Oyo), who noted that AACSTRIS was established by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to fast-track the processing of applications for the issuance of C of O for land located at the Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

    He said, “The original plan was that while AACSTRIS, which is manned by private consultants appointed by the FCTA, will be processing the huge backlog of applications relating to Area Councils’ land or property, the AGIS will be producing the C of Os of successful applicants.

    “Under the scheme, members of the public with valid or genuine ownership of land or property in the Area Councils were required to apply for revalidation and processing of their C of Os on payment of the non-refundable fee of ¦ 100,000 only per application. However, since the establishment of the scheme, thousands of Nigerians who are desirous of perfecting their title documents to land or property located in the Area Councils have applied and paid the prescribed fees, which run into billions of Naira without getting any commensurate service from AACSTRIS which appears to have derailed from its mandate and is now just serving as a platform for generating revenue for successive FCT Administrations.

    “It is of concern that the failure of AACSTRIS and AGIS to fast track the processing of C of Os of genuine land and property owners who are qualified, has encouraged the fraudulent practices that are often associated with the processing of Area Councils C of Os in the FCT, Abuja and wonders why despite the failure of AACSTRIS to discharge its mandate effectively and efficiently to the public, successive FCT Administrations have retained the services of the consultant manning the Agency”.

    Committee on Federal Capital Territory Area Councils and Ancillary Matters that was mandated to undertake the investigation was given eight weeks to report back for further legislative action.

  • NNPC vows to investigate diversion of diesel in Abuja mega station

    NNPC vows to investigate diversion of diesel in Abuja mega station

    The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) at the weekend vowed to investigate alleged diversion of diesel to premium dealers and black marketers at its mega retail outlet on Olusegun Obasanjo Way, Abuja.

    The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, promised that “we will despatch our team of investigators to go there right now.”

    The Nation on Thursday got a hint that that the station was selling diesel to dealers, who were billed to sell in the black market while “unconnected” customers waited endlessly without being served.

    Some customers were waiting with jerrycans while mini-trucks were about to load the product.

    An attendant who simply identified himself as Ferdinand O. said: “Come and look at the six drums, they are empty, except the one that belongs to Chevron.”

    For two days, the station manager was not available.

    It was however gathered that “there was kerosene and diesel supply shortage following the reluctance of marketers to import the product.”

    Sources said the station was conserving its products due to the shortage of diesel and kerosene.

    Ughamadu said the refineries were still producing and releasing their products to the depots.

    He said: “As we speak, the refineries are on and releasing their products. It depends on what you mean by dealers. NNPC has a subsidiary known as NNPC Retail. As we sell to independent and major marketers, we  also sell to them. They get kerosene and diesel from us as well as the majors. So, if you know the particular station, we will investigate to find out why they are not selling.”

    On being told it was the NNPC station on Olusegun Obasanjo Way in Abuja, Ughamadu promised that “we will despatch our team of investigators to go there right now.”

    The National President, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Alhaji Abubakar Dankingari, explained that marketers were not importing kerosene and diesel because the products were not deregulated.

    Marketers would not want to import the product to compete with NNPC, which has access to forex and sells at a lower price.

    According to him, NNPC sells diesel for between N160 and N165 while other stations sell for between N265 to N270.

    Dankingari said : “They are selling above the NNPC regulated rate, which they give marketers. So that is the reason why you see some marketers who buy at that rate cannot sell at their filling station at the government regulated rate.

    “But the DPR should take note of those depots which are selling at the government’s rate because if they continue selling it at that rate to the marketers, the marketers have no no option than to increase the money above the government price.”