The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Joseph Jibueze

  • Patience Jonathan’s case adjourned as protesters storm court

    Patience Jonathan’s case adjourned as protesters storm court

    Placard-bearing women again stormed the Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday for the hearing of a suit by the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and others.
    The suit, before Justice Mohammed Idris, is over the seizure of $15.591 (about N4.8billion) which she claims belongs to her.
    Skye Bank Plc, where the money is lodged, Jonathan’s former aide Waripamo-Owei Dudafa and four companies are the other respondents.
    The firms are Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Ltd and Avalon Global Property Development Ltd.
    The companies, through their representatives, had pleaded guilty to laundering the money last September 15 when they were arraigned before Justice Babs Kuewumi of the same court.
    They were charged along with Dudafa, a lawyer Amajuoyi Briggs and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku, for laundering the money.
    Unlike the companies, Dudafa, Briggs and Bolodeoku pleaded not guilty to the 17-count charge.
    Mrs Jonathan is praying the court to unfreeze the accounts to enable her access her funds.
    On Wednesday, her lawyer, Chief Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), sought for an adjournment to enable him serve the companies with an amended claim.
    He added that other defendants had been served and that they had responded with their counter-affidavits.
    In a supporting affidavit to the suit, Mrs Jonathan’s aide, Sammie Somiari, said Dudafa helped the former first lady to open the four banks accounts.
    He said Dudafa, on March 22, 2010, brought two Skye Bank officers, Demola Bolodeoku and Dipo Oshodi, to meet Mrs Jonathan at home to open five accounts.
    The deponent claimed Mrs Jonathan was the sole signatory to the accounts and that she had no relationship with the companies.
    He said after the five accounts were opened, Mrs Jonathan later discovered that Dudafa opened only one of the accounts in her name while the other four were opened in the names of companies belonging to Dudafa.
    The deponent said Mrs Jonathan continued to operate the accounts even though they were not opened in her name.
    The bankers were said to have promised to rectify the problem but never did.
    “However, since 2010 up until 2014 and thereafter, the applicant (Mrs Jonathan) had been using the cards on the said accounts and operating the said accounts without let or hindrance,” the deponent said.
    Several women groups in different uniforms again stormed the court, bearing placards.
    The inscriptions on them read: “As you have frozen her account, you have also frozen the lives of millions of less privileged she helps;” “Injustice to one is injustice to all,” “Open her account because she’s not a criminal,” “Leave her alone, she is a woman of integrity”.
    Others read: “Mama Peace has always been independent,” “the freezing of Mama Peace’ account is a witch-hunt,” “Treat her as you treat other first ladies,” “Women say no to intimidation”, “EFCC don’t be misled, why do you want to probe her?” and “Is she not a Nigerian?”
    EFCC claimed that the frozen money was the proceed of crime and was allegedly laundered.
    Justice Idris adjourned till February 13 for hearing.
  • Massive turnout as voting begins in Akoko

    Massive turnout as voting begins in Akoko

    Voting in the governorship election has started in Akungba, Akoko Southwest in Ondo State.
    The process of simultaneous accreditation and voting has been peaceful.

    In Unit 006, Ibaka Town Hall in Akoko Southwest, there is a long queue of voters.

    Voting started at exactly 8am in the unit which has 550 registered voters.

    In Salami Street, Unit 011, Ward 5, Ikese, voting began at about 8.30am.

    In most of the units visited, electoral officers arrived early with voting materials.

    As at 7.40am, voting materials had arrived the Unit 013 in Ayepe III (Holy Trinity Area), Ward 7 in Akoko Southwest.

    However, in Units 16 and 17 of Ward 5, no materials of electoral officers were present when our reporter visited.

    Three policemen and two men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said they were still awaiting the arrival of the officers and materials. ‎

  • BREAKING: Banire steps down as APC’s legal adviser

    BREAKING: Banire steps down as APC’s legal adviser

    • Quits electoral reform membership
    The National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Muiz Adeyemi Banire (SAN), has stepped down from the position following an allegation that he bribed a judge with N500,000.
    The decision is contained in a letter on Monday to the party’s National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.
    Banire also wrote the Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami (SAN) about his decision to quit his membership of the Electoral Reform Committee.
    He said he was offering to step aside on moral grounds until investigation into the allegation is concluded.
    Banire’s letter is entitled: Offer to Step Aside as National Legal Adviser Pending Conclusion of Investigation of My Person by the EFCC. He copied President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN).
    The former Lagos Commissioner for Transport and the Environment said he read an online publication on October 29 entitled: APC National Legal Adviser, Muiz Banire, Allegedly paid Federal Judge N500K.
    He said he voluntarily reported to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to help clarify the issues.
    “The allegation, as I have come to understand it, is that a Statement of Account of one judge of the National Industrial Court, the Honourable Justice J. T. Agbadu-Fishim, who is the subject of an ongoing EFCC’s investigation, contained a June 2013 entry of a ‘N500,000.00’ payment ascribed as being from one ‘Dr. Muiz B’.
    “I did not hesitate in confirming that this probably referred to me because I remember that about three years ago, I received a text message from someone I recollected at the time to be an old colleague in my days as a lecturer at the University of Lagos, an ‘Agbadu-Fishim’ who was then a Research Fellow at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, informing me of the death and funeral programme of his mother.
    “The last contact (of any sort) I had with this person before that text would have been about 14 years earlier, that is, before I was appointed Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State at the inception of civil rule in 1999 (now 17 years ago).
    “Indeed, it was with considerable difficulty that I was able to eventually recognise his face when I eventually saw him again (after 17 years of my leaving the University of Lagos) on my attendance at the EFCC on Thursday the 3rd day of November, 2016.
    “When I received the said message and his information to me of the death and funeral programme of his mother in which he solicited for financial assistance in a tone suggesting great distress, I considered it necessary to assist an old friend in dire need.
    “Without any further prompting, he sent his account details to me and I made a cash gift of N500,000.00 to him,” Banire said.
    He said while he personally never appeared before the judge, two cases worth less than N2million in legal fees were handled by lawyers in his chambers.
    Banire said: “As I have now come to realise after my interactions with the EFCC, that payment is being investigated from the angle of whether or not it was to influence the receiver in the performance of his judicial duties on the Bench of the National Industrial Court.
    “This is perfectly understandable to me within the general context of the investigation in which the allegation had arisen, and considering that I have lately come to also realise that two of my colleagues in chambers had been involved as defence counsel in two cases before the subject judge amongst 12 cases in all they have ever done at the Industrial Court since inception.
    “My review of the two case files which I came to be conscious of after my interactions with the EFCC shows that one of them was amicably settled between the parties for a sum less than N1.2m, thereby technically losing the case, whilst they won the other and that the combined professional fees (net of taxes) for the two cases was less than N2m.
    “While protesting my innocence, and will therefore do everything within legal limits to defend myself, I have, from the first instance, become aware of the allegation, offered my full cooperation to the EFCC and will continue to cooperate with, and give it all the assistance it may require of me in the course of its ongoing investigation into the matter.”
  • EFCC re-arraigns Kalu for allegedly diverting N3.2b Abia funds

    EFCC re-arraigns Kalu for allegedly diverting N3.2b Abia funds

    Former Abia State Governor Mr Orji Uzor Kalu on Monday lost his bid to avoid being re-arraigned in Lagos for an alleged N3.2billion fraud.
    He had petitioned Chief Judge of the Federal High Court Justice Ibrahim Auta opposing a bid to transfer of his case from the Federal High Court Abuja to the Lagos Division.
    But, the CJ refused the prayers, paving the way for his re-arraignment before Justice Mohammed Idris sitting in Ikoyi.
    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) re-arraigned Kalu along with Udeh Udeogu and Slok Nigeria Limited on 34 counts of money laundering.
    They were first arraigned on September 27 before Justice Anwuri Chikere of the court’s Abuja division.
    On learning that the case had been transfered to Lagos, Kalu, through his lawyer Prof Awah Kalu (SAN), filed an ex-parte motion seeking leave of court to apply for an order of mandamus to compel the CJ to reverse the transfer.
    He also prayed that the order should operate as “a stay of all actions, matters or issues ancillary to or relating to or pertaining to or connected with the case, pending the hearing and determination of the suit.”
    EFCC, Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), and Justice Auta are the respondents.
    In a supporting affidavit deposed to by a lawyer, Mr Ikechukwu Njoku, Kalu said the case, filed after he left office in 2007, suffered delays due to interlocutory appeals.
    Kalu said he temporarily relocated to Abuja to face the trial, therefore it would be in the interest of justice to let the case remain in Abuja.
    The suit, filed after the transfer of the corruption case to Lagos, is still pending in Abuja.
    Kalu and his co-accused allegedly diverted about N3.2billion from the Abia’s treasury while he was the governor.
    Kalu was said to have allegedly diverted the funds in tranches of N200million, N50million, N200million, N300.8million, N545million, N429million, N288.4million, N190million, N157million, N152.8million, N100million, N84million and N50milliob between August 13, 2003 and January 12, 2005.
    The offence is said to be contrary to Section 17 (c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2003 and punishable under Section 16 of the same Act.
    The EFCC accused Slok Nigeria Limited of conniving with one Emeka Abone said to be at large, to help Kalu retain the allegedly stolen funds in its accounts.
    The prosecution said Slok “knew or at least suspected the said Orji Uzor Kalu to have engaged in a criminal conduct.”
    Udeogu was accused of helping Kalu to pay part of the allegedly stolen funds into Slok’s account with the defunct FinBank Plc.
    They were alleged to have utilised Manny Bank (now Fidelity Bank Plc), Spring Bank Plc, the defunct Standard Trust Bank and FinBank, now First City Monument Bank (FCMB) to divert the funds.
    In counts one to 10, the accused were alleged to have retained about N2.5 billion in different accounts, which funds were said to belong to the Abia State government.
    Kalu was alleged to have, between August 13, 2003, and August 10, 2005, used his company Slok to retain N2.5billion in his account domiciled with the Apapa branch of  First Inland Bank.
    EFCC said the money formed part of funds illegally derived from the state’s treasury and were converted into several bank drafts before they were paid into Slok’s account.
    In counts 22 to 33, Kalu, Udeogu, Slok and Abone allegedly collaborated to conceal the genuine origin of N2.1billion, which formed parts of funds Illegally derived from the treasury between August 13, 2003, and August 10, 2005.
    The defendants pleaded not guilty.
    Kalu’s lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), urged Justice Idris to allow him to continue on the bail earlier granted him.
    “We are seeking the court’s discretion for the first defendant to continue on the existing bail granted to him on April 20, 2008 by Justice Adamu Bello.
    “Since this matter has started, he has not jumped bail. He is an employer of labour; therefore, he will not undermine this court,” the SAN said.
    Udeogu’s lawyer, Mr Solo Akuma (SAN), also urged Justice Idris to allow his client to continue on the existing bail granted him.
    “The second accused person is a retired permanent secretary and his wife is a judge of the Federal High Court,” Akuma added.
    Prosecution counsel Mr Adebisi Adeniyi did not oppose the applications.
    Justice Idris granted as prayed and adjourned until December 12 and 23 for trial.
  • Tompolo: Associates seek to quash N47.6b fraud charge

    Tompolo: Associates seek to quash N47.6b fraud charge

    • Keyamo’s absence stalls trial as workers protest
    Some associates of wanted Niger Delta militant, Chief Government Ekpemupolo (alias Tompolo), have asked the Federal High Court in Lagos to quash a N47.8billion fraud charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
    Tompolo and others were arraigned in absentia on April 18 on 22 counts of conspiracy, stealing, advance fee fraud and money laundering.
    He was charged along with a former Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency’s (NIMASA’s) Director-General Dr Patrick Akpobolokemi, who pleaded not guilty.
    Others are Kime Engozu, Josephine Otuaga, Rita Uruakpa, Mieka Dive Training Institute Ltd/GTE, Oyeinteke Global Network Limited, Wabod Global Resources Ltd, Boloboere Properties Estate Ltd, Gokaid Marine Oil and Gas Ltd, Muhaabix Global Services Ltd and Watershed Associated Resources.
    Also named in the charge are Akpobolokemi’s four brothers – Victor, Nobert, Emmanuel and Clement – said to be at large. They were said to have aided the suspects commit the fraud.
    The trial was stalled due to the absence of prosecution counsel Mr Festus Keyamo, who wrote to inform the court that a principal prosecution witness would not be available.
    One of the defence counsel, Mr. Oyesoji Oyeleke (SAN), said he filed a preliminary objection challenging the competence of the charge.
    He argued that since the prosecution failed to depose to an affidavit stating that it had concluded its investigation, the court should strike out the charge.
    Another defence counsel, Mr. Sylvester Ekweme, representing one of Akpobolokemi’s brothers, Clement, said his client had been in detention since April, adding that his bail application was still pending.
    EFCC alleged that the defendants conspired among themselves to defraud the Federal Government of the sum between December 2, 2014 and last April 10.
    The EFCC claimed that the accused persons of “falsely pretending to the Federal Government that a parcel of land and its appurtenances situated at Mieka Dive Training Institute, Kurutie, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State had been acquired by NIMASA for the temporary campus of the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko.”
    The alleged offence violates Section 1 (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other fraud related Offences Act, 2006 and were liable to punishment under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
    The defendants were also accused of swindling the Federal Government to the tune of N11.940billion, by presenting a forged Certificate of Customary Right of Occupancy of Bendel State of Nigeria dated May 6, 2014 to NIMASA on the false claim that the forged document was genuine and issued by Warri South-West Local Council, Delta State.
    Some staff members of Global West Vessel Specialist Limited stormed the court yesterday to protest the alleged non-payment of their salaries for 15 months.
    The company was charged along with Tompolo, Akpobolokemi and others in a separate case.
    EFCC, in the 40-count charge before also before Justice Ibrahim Buba, said the suspects allegedly diverted N34 billion for personal use.
    It alleged the money accrued from the public private partnership agreement between NIMASA and Global West Vessel Specialist, said to be owned by Tompolo.
    The workers said due to the freezing of the company’s accounts, their salaries had not been paid for the past 15 months.
    They bore placards, which read: “Global West is not owned by Tompolo”, “We are suffering, some of our colleagues have died in the process”, “Global West Vessel Specialist Limited workers need our 15 months salaries” and “Mr President save our soul; we are in support of your government, we are not militants”.
    One of the workers, Roland Omobude, said: “If the company has a case, are we, the workers, to suffer for this case? Can’t they identify the people that are involved in this case and pick them up? Let them pay us our salary. Some of our colleagues have died. About four or five people have died in the process. We are about 350 workers; we are in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Warri and Bayelsa.
     “They said the EFCC has frozen the accounts of Global West and since they’ve frozen the account since last year when this new Buhari regime came, nothing has been done. And without them defreezing this account nothing can be done. We are begging the Federal Government, we are begging everybody in this country to come to our aid; we are suffering.”
    Justice Ibrahim Buba adjourned the first case till November 10 for hearing of pending applications. He fixed trial for December 13 and 14.
  • Tompolo to judge: Refer my case to Appeal Court

    Tompolo to judge: Refer my case to Appeal Court

    Wanted ex-Niger Delta militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo (alias Tompolo), on Tuesday asked Justice Mojisola Olatoregun-Ishola of the Federal High Court in Lagos to refer his case to the Court of Appeal for determination.
    Tompolo is seeking an order “nullifying, voiding, striking down and expunging sections 221 and 306 from the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 to the extent of their inconsistency with the 1999 Constitution.”
    The applicant said the issues raised in his suit were novel. According to him, since there is no precedent, it would be better for the Court of Appeal to determine the case as any decision reached on the case“would affect many criminal and civil cases all over Nigeria where the ACJA is being applied.”
    In a supporting affidavit deposed to by Oladapo Sofola, Tompolo said: “A decision of this court on these issues will eventually be submitted to the Court of Appeal for review. Valuable time and resources will be saved if these issues are henceforth referred by this honourable court to the Court of Appeal as requested. The interest of justice will be better served if the substantial issues of law are so referred.”
    Through his lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, Tompolo said sections 221 and 306 of the ACJA were unconstitutional because they prevent a court from entertaining any objection to a criminal charge or an application for stay of proceedings pending appeal.
    Section 221 says: “Objections shall not be taken or entertained during proceedings or trial on the ground of an imperfect or erroneous charge.” Section 306 says: “An application for stay of proceedings in respect of a criminal matter before a court shall not be entertained.”
    Tompolo wants the Court of Appeal to determine the following: (1) whether the ACJA sections are in consonance with sections 4 (8) 6 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution; (2) whether the sections are in consonance with Article 7 (1) (d) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act of 2004; and (3) whether the sections do not constitute flagrant violations of the guaranteed constitutional right of the applicant.
    Opposing Tompolo’s application, Attorney-General of the Federation, represented by Tolu Mukoro, urged the court to dismiss it. He said the Section 45 of the 1999 Constitution permits the government to enact any law such as the ACJA.
    He further submitted that since Tompolo has been consistently absent in the main criminal proceedings leading to the civil suit, he should not be allowed to take benefit of his wrongdoing to obtain any favour from the court.
    Counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Mohammed also urged the court to dismiss the suit.
    Justice Ibrahim Buba, before whom criminal charges against Tompolo are pending, had on January 14, issued a warrant for Tompolo’s arrest. But Tompolo, on January 27, filed an application to set the warrant aside. OnFebruary 8, Justice Buba dismissed the application. Tompolo thereafter appealed the ruling on February 18.
    EFCC, on March 22, arraigned Tompolo in absentia over N34billion fraud after he failed to turn up despite being declared wanted. He was said to be “at large” in the charge.

    He was also absent on April 18 when his co-accused, former Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Director-General Dr Patrick Akpobolokemi and others, were arraigned for alleged N22.7 billion fraud. He was also said to be “at large”.

    Justice Olatoregun-Ishola adjourned until December 12 for ruling on Tompolo’s application.
  • Police arraign health workers over N92m fraud

    Police arraign health workers over N92m fraud

    The police Special Fraud Unit (SFU) on Tuesday arraigned four sales representatives of Global Healthcare Limited at the Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly defrauding the company of over N92million.

    Badmus Oladimeji, Austin Odokara and Ademola Olanisha were accused of converting the company’s N92,391,350.25million to their own use.

    Prosecution counsel Effiong Asuquo said they allegedly collaborated with the firm’s National Sales Manager, Olufemi Olaniyan, to perpetrate the fraud between October 2014 and last February.

    The police said they “did convert” the money to their use “with the aim of concealing or disguising the illicit nature or origin of the funds.”

    The police said another sales representative, Gbenga Babatunde, also collaborated with Olaniyan to convert the company’s N2.5million.

    Oladimeji was also accused of forging and falsifying local purchase orders to unlawfully obtain pharmaceutical products from Global Healthcare to the company’s detriment.

    The alleged offences are contrary to Section 15(1)(a)(ii) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended and Section 1 (2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act of 2004.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    Oladimeji’s lawyer, Chima Adiele, pleaded with Justice Abdulazeez Anka not to remand his client in prison because he has a bullet in his body and was supposed to be in the hospital.

    He said the defendant was shot by robbers in 2012 while on official assignment and that a “stubborn” bullet was still stuck in his body.

    But the judge refused the prayers, wondering why the bullet had not been removed for four years. He directed defence counsel to file bail applications.

    Justice Anka ordered the defendants to be remanded in prison. He adjourned until September 24 for trial.

  • “Cameron’s statement is true but politically incorrect”

    “Cameron’s statement is true but politically incorrect”

    A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), ‎Prof Fidelis Oditah, who is also a Queen’s Counsel, believes Cameron’s statement is true but politically incorrect and impolite.
    “The comment may be impolite and is politically incorrect because as far as we know, Nigeria and Britain are friendly nations.
    “I don’t think it’s good politics to make such a statement about an ally on the eve of the anti-corruption convention.
    “Much as it is diplomatically incorrect, I think that the substantive content of that comment is generally correct,” he said.
    Oditah does not think Nigeria should demand an apology from Downing Street following the prime minister’s remarks.
    “Is Nigeria not fantastically corrupt? Why should it demand an apology for speaking the truth? It may be impolite, but the fact is that the President said his agenda is to fight corruption to a standstill, and pretty much the first 12 months of his administration has been dominated by headlines of ‘corruption’. I don’t see why people should be so sensitive about the statement.
    “When I read the broadcast of Aguiyi Ironsi in relation to 1‎966 coup, he was talking about the need to rid the country of corruption. That’s 50 years ago. In January 1984 when Babangida/Buhari came to power, it was to rid the country of corruption. When Buhari has returned this time it is to rid the country of corruption.
    “I think that Nigerians should be happy that the British prime minister is telling them that Nigeria is ‘fantastically corrupt’ because the country is indeed fantastically corrupt,” he said.
    Oditah said there are still exceptional Nigerians who are not corrupt, therefore, he does not thing the statement is a characterisation of all citizens.
    “I think the statement has to be understood in that context. I don’t think he’s speaking about each of every of the 170 million Nigerians.
    “In general, the country is fantastically corrupt, both in the public and private sector. ‎I think that such statement should be understood to be addressing the generality,” he said.
    ‎A Constitutional lawyer, ‎Mr Ike Ofuokwu, believes Cameron’s statement did not take into consideration President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade.
    “What he said is true, but it is an undiplomatic statement. It is not a fair comment especially considering that this administration is putting a process in place and is working hard towards ridding the country of corruption.
    “For the first time, very top personalities are being charged to court and some are also refunding what they stole.
    “In that sense, it is not a fair comment to make at this time, but it is the truth and Nigerians have a duty to correct that perception,” Ofuokwu said.
  • Man in Court for hawking petrol in gallons

    Man in Court for hawking petrol in gallons

    A 35-years-old man, Ganiyu Suleiman, was on Tuesday arraigned at the Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly hawking petrol in gallons.
    The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) arrested him on March 15 along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
    Prosecution counsel, Matthew Omosun said 10 gallons of 50-litre petrol was found in a Toyota Camry Car belonging to the accused.
    Suleiman allegedly conspired with others now at large to engage in the sale of petroleum products without lawful authority, the court heard.
    The alleged offence is contrary to sections 1 (17) and 3 (6) of the Miscellaneous offence Act, 2004‎.
    Suleiman pleaded not guilty to the charge.
    Justice Abdulazeez Anka granted the accused bail for N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
    The sureties must be around 40 years of age, with a landed property in Lagos, and must depose to an affidavit of means, to be verified by the court’s registry.
    He adjourned until June 14 for trial.
  • NLC threatens strike over fuel scarcity

    NLC threatens strike over fuel scarcity

    • We won’t frustrate govt’s efforts, says NUPENG
    The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday threatened mass action if the persistent fuel scarcity is not urgently addressed.
    It said it could be forced to demonstrate against public officers who have not delivered on their mandate and to demand their removal for allowing increasing suffering and deprivation to become the lot of Nigerians.
    “Electricity has become an essential commodity, public utilities have since gone to the dogs, petroleum products have grown wings and vanished, compounding an already bad transport system, reducing Nigerians in all parts of the nation to compulsory trekkers.
    “Having observed the increasing alarm and seeming confusion within the corridors of power on possible solutions to the socio-economic quagmire, we make haste to say that Nigeria is indeed at crossroads today and the extent of suffering is such that this nation has not witnessed throughout its history.
    “We, therefore, want the government at the centre to quickly talk to Nigerian workers and the masses on why we should continue having trust and patience with them.
    “We urge them to tell us why we should not be in the streets calling for mass resignations of officers of this government, and to also tell us why we should not be worried when all the macro-economic indices are moving downwards,” NLC said.
    NLC, at a briefing in Lagos by its factional president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, along with his deputy, Achese Igwe, who doubles as the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) president, urged the government to focus on getting the refineries working.
    It said the licenses granted local refiners should be reviewed and withdrawn from those who lack the capacity.
    The workers’ body said with stolen funds being returned by looters, the government should deploy the monies to execution of projects.
    “We urge the government to come clean as promised and account for what it has actually recovered from the treasury looters, giving Nigerians details of the culprits and how much each stole.
    “We also urge the president and his cabinet to set up appropriate machinery to deploy the recovered funds to fill the resource gaps complained about because of the dip in global oil prices,” NLC said.
    Igwe said NUPENG was willing to collaborate with the government to ensure the petroleum products are distributed seamlessly when available.
    He added, however, that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was yet to reach out to NUPENG leadership on how the union can help end the fuel crisis.
    “NNPC is yet to partner with NUPENG. They are yet to sit down with NUPENG on how to get this problem solved. But we are willing to partner with NNPC to end this fuel crisis,” Igwe said.
    On the leadership crisis in NLC, Ajaero said his faction was still open to reconciliation, adding a seven-man committee that was set up to reconcile the factions at the state chapter level was frustrated.
    “We are waiting for reconciliation. For now we have two NLCs, one for the government and one for the people. We are for the people,” Ajaero said.