The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Judicial Commission of Inquiry

  • Ex- Airways workers urges Buhari to probe indicted persons

    ….Calls for commission of inquiry

     

    As the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA) and Federal Ministry of Finance begin the payment of N 22.3 billion to ex- workers and pensioners of liquidated national carrier –  Nigeria Airways Limited this week, President Muhammadu Buhari is beaming the searchlight on those that ruined the carrier.

    The searchlight on the rested national carrier by Buhari it was also learnt involved recovery of huge sums of money including billions of naira and millions of dollars from individuals, organizations and agencies that mismanaged the airline.

    Besides, recovery of misapplied funds, the President , it was also learnt is putting efforts in place through the relevant agencies of government to initiate prosecution against indicted individuals, organizations and agencies.

    The Justice Obiora Nwazota , who served as chairman of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry  submitted its white paper to government.

    The Judicial Commission for the investigation of Airways worked for 12 months and submitted its report to government on May 8, 2002.

    It submitted the draft of the white paper on November 18, 2002.

    Other members of the Judicial Commission were : Mrs Catherine Okon ; Secretaty ; Chief Chimezie Ikeazor ( SAN); Chief Yemi Adefulu; Dr Mfon Amana; Alhaji Mika Anache and Chief Eni Okoi.

    Sources close to the liquidated carrier said Buhari is constituting a team to initiate a probe into how the fortunes of the rested airline dwindled before it closed shops.

    In particular, the President it was learnt intends to look at the white paper on the Report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry for the investigation of the management of Nigeria Airways Limited between 1983 -1999.

    The white paper indicted some high profile Individuals and organizations/ agencies  from whom various sums running into billions of naira.

    The panel was mandated to the financial position and financial management of Airways to examine all books of account and records to ascertain their compliance with appropriate regulations.

    The panel was to investigate the application of funds, including budgetary allocations, special grants , loans for specific projects and proceeds from the sale of its product and services as well as verify , evaluate, ascertain the authentic level of indebtedness between 1983 and 1999.

    Confirming the development, Chairman of Aviation Union Grand Alliance (AUGA) and Chairman of Ex – Airways Workers , Comrade Lookman Animashaun said though the workers and pensioners are excited over the approval for payment of their severance benefits, they want Buhari to ask questions on how the airline was ruined .

    He said the President should go beyond asking questions but insist on the implementation of the recommendations in the White Paper released by the Justice Obiora Nwazota Judicial Commission of Inquiry .

    Read Also: That Nigeria Airways’ financial jamboree

    Animashaun said looking into the recommendations of the White Paper could not be more apt than now, when the Justice Nwazota is still alive to give credence to the contents of the document.

    He said ex- Airways workers would want Buhari to push for the prosecution of politically exposed persons who were indicted in the White Paper , but straddle across the political landscape untouched.

    Animashaun said “Though we thank President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the release of our severance benefits, but we learnt the president has started asking questions on what led to the collapse of the firmer national carrier .

    “Beyond asking questions, Buhari must ensure government goes back to the white paper and institute a commission of inquiry , more so that Justice Obiora Nwazota is still alive.

    “Every recommendation in the white paper should be implemented to the letter and the names of persons inducted in the report should be prosecuted. It is only when government does this that the wounds inflicted on the psyche of former workers of the rested national carrier would heal .”

    Meanwhile, not less than four commercial banks have besieged the precincts of the Skypower Catering limited  to scout for customers as verification and payment of severance benefits to ex – Airways workers and pensioners kicked off in the Lagos region at the weekend.

    The sleepy premises of Skypower Catering Limited, the only surviving subsidiary of the rested national carrier came alive with hundreds of ex- workers and pensioners thronging the venue to perfect documentation for their payment which will run between October 15, 2018 and October 22, 2018.

    Officials of Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB) , First Bank, FCMB and Sterling Bank have erected canopies at the venue to scout for customers willing to deposit or transfer their monies in their banks.

    Besides, officials of the PICA and other groups were on ground to educate the ex- workers and pensioners on the requirements and modalities of payment.

    It was learnt that next of kins of beneficiaries that have died after the initial payment of severance benefits were also on ground to acquaint themselves of the requirements and procedure for payment.

    A source hinted that they were requested to supply the staff number of the late beneficiary; the pensioner number; letter of attorney as well as a letter of identification.

    Other requirements, a source hinted should include a death certificate and obituary publication in a newspaper announcing the death and burial programme of the late beneficiary.

    An official who declined to give his name said :” Our mandate as representative of government on ground is to ensure that only those entitled to get the severance benefits are paid. The whole essence is to ensure that are not deprived of their money , provided they abide by the procedures .

    ” All we have done so far is to ensure we verify the names on the list and go ahead to pay them their entitlements in the next two weeks.”

    A source hinted that the last batch of the severance benefits will be processed for payment before the next six months .

  • Waiting for Uyo tragedy’s White Paper

    Waiting for Uyo tragedy’s White Paper

    On July 7, Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel received the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the December 10, 2016 Reigners Bible Church building collapse.

    Justice Umoekoyo Essang, who chaired the panel, presented the report to the governor at the Executive Council Chamber, Government House Uyo. After receiving the report, Emmanuel said: “I want to thank you for this great job that you have done and to assure you once again that the recommendations of this report would be taken seriously. We would do everything to implement and prevent future occurrence of this tragedy. May this affliction never occur the second time”.

    Emmanuel used the occasion to commiserate with families of those who lost their loved ones in the tragedy.

    He said: “Things of this nature should go beyond politics. When the incidence occurred it did not select members of a political party, it did not only affect a particular denomination, race or colour. It was a tragedy that affected all. It’s unfortunate that people decided to politicise a tragedy of this nature. Such people do not deserve to express opinion in the public.”

    The report was submitted a little over six months after the  Uyo tragedy. One of those it took away was Josephine Effiom. Governor Emmanuel survived by the grace of God. Effiom, who was a polytechnic student, a friend said, “was one of the first three brilliant chaps in my class”. Her seat at the polytechnic lecture theatre is now occupied by another, a sad reminder to her course mates that a brilliant soul had been wasted.

    Effiom was the face of a tragedy in a house of God, where fear should have been the last thing on anyone’s mind. The founder of the church was to have his ordination as a bishop. He is not a small fry. So, the church was jam-packed. Emmanuel came with some of his commissioners and aides. Some of the commissioners were new in the State Executive Council at the time having been sworn-in December 1, last year.

    Thirty minutes into the governor’s arrival hell literally came down. No thanks to human error, the church’s iron pillars gave way and the blue roofs came thumping down. Of course on people! And Effiom died. And many others too. An account even said someone was cut into two by the iron pillars. A policeman who reportedly saved the governor is now six feet below. And some others broke their necks, their limbs and their back. The founder of the church, Pastor Akan Weeks, had his leg broken.

    As typical of our nation, no one appears sure of how many people died. The day after, we saw figures as high as 160 in the media. It was attributed to the Chief Medical Director of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, who later denied it. Police gave the figure as 29.

    Commissioner for Health Dr.  Dominic Ukpong said 26 people died in the unfortunate incident. His words: “Death toll now 26. Patients in the hospitals are 168. Total out patients are 50. Total deaths 26. Nine hospitals have the following patients. UUTH, 28 patients; Ibom Specialist Hospital Uyo, 70 patients; Sifon Clinic, 9 patients; Lifecare Clinic, 24 patients; Premiers Clinic, 9 patients; St Lukes Hospital, 22 patients; Gateway Medical Centre, 2 patients; Uwah Mfon Clinic, 1 patient. First Line Clinic, 1 patient. Alma Clinic and Surgery, 2 patients.”

    And no one is willing to give the names of the dead. Thanks to Effiom’s classmates who revealed her identity, she would have died anonymously!

    This tragedy turned the University of Uyo Teaching hospital (UUTH), Anua General Hospital, Life Care Hospital and the Ibom Specialist Hospital into Mecca of some sort. In these hospitals, those who defeated death received treatment to heal their broken necks, arms, back and heads. Tears from families of those recuperating now rented the air in these hospitals for weeks. The story at the mortuary sections of these hospitals was grimmer.

    For students of the University of Uyo and the Uyo City Polytechnic, which are believed to have been worst hit by the disaster, reality looked like dream.

    Emmanuel’s men who crawled out of death’s hole had interesting testimonies to share. His Chief Press Secretary Ekerette Udoh said an iron rod nearly cut his neck, but eventually hit him on the back. The cap of his left knee was broken and pains travelled all over his body.

    The Commissioner for Information, Charles Udoh who joined the State Executive Council only some one week earlier, thought he was watching a movie when the pillars started coming down. He was on his way out of the church to catch a flight when tragedy struck. He would have been out but protocol demanded that he told the governor before vanishing from the church hall. It was this protocol-induced task he was accomplishing when death almost took him away like Effiom and the others whose true figures and names we may never know. He had to run here and there to prevent the iron pillars from turning him to a candidate for the mortuary.

    Nollywood actor Ekere Nkanga, who had acted almost all roles imaginable and was some sort of bad man in Emem Isong’s ‘Weekend Getaway’, was humbled when he had to wade through bodies to safety.

    “Shortly after the governor and his entourage and the bishops took their seats, the next thing I heard was the bang from the falling iron. By the time the iron came down, I noticed that people from the safe areas were  running to the centre, where I was sitting,” he said, adding:  “I hid under some people. A few seconds later, as I was trying to get up, the body of a man cut into two and fell on me. There were other corpses on me. I looked out for my brother but I couldn’t find him. Later, I found my phone. I called the Chairman, Uyo Local Government Area, to mobilise rescue officials to the venue.”

    He managed not to have a direct impact with falling rods, but he later discovered his neck was broken.

    “The impact of diving must have been responsible for my broken neck,” he said.

    He had to wear a neck collar and was under observation in the hospital for some time. Effiom and others would have gladly given testimonies if Nkanga’s fate had befallen them.

    Pastor Weeks argued it was the devil fighting back and he urged Christians to unite and not see it as his battle alone. The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) said the tragedy was caused by shoddiness.

    My final take: I believe the government will issue a White Paper on the tragedy and punish those who killed Effiom and others. The Reigners Bible Church Int’l Inc tragedy is one too many and everything must be done to prevent it. Everything must be done to implement the recommendations and prevent future occurrence of this tragedy. This affliction must never occur the second time.

  • Kaduna releases White Paper on Zaria clashes

    Kaduna releases White Paper on Zaria clashes

    …Says Zakzaky’s group responsible for clashes, consequences

     

    The Kaduna State Government on Monday released the White Paper on the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Zaria clashes of December 2015.

    The white paper however blamed the clashes and their consequences on the Sheik Ibraheem Zakzaky led Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), saying, “all IMN members and its leadership are jointly and severally liable for all violations of the law in the last 30 years, and are therefore responsible for the clashes and its consequences”.

    The Judicial Commission of Inquiry which examined, among other issues, the immediate and remote causes of the clashes between the Nigerian Army and the outlawed IMN, submitted its report in July 2016.

    Presenting the white paper before newsmen at the government house, Kaduna, Special Assistant to Governor El-Rufai on Media and Publicity, Samuel Aruwan said, following the receipt of the report, the government made the report public within 10 days, and set up a committee of senior public servants to prepare a draft White Paper.

    According to him, “this White Paper sets out the views and decisions of the Government on all the recommendations that have been made to it by the Judicial Commission of Inquiry. All recommendations that are within the purview of the Kaduna State Government can be accepted, noted or rejected. Those pertaining to institutions or tiers of government not under the direct control of the state government are noted and referred to the appropriate institution for consideration and decision.

    “Regarding the clashes in the Gyallesu area of Zaria where the Nigerian Army mounted a cordon and search operation, the White Paper observed that many civilians were evacuated from Gyallesu, but that IMN members rejected the opportunity to vacate the area.

    “The White Paper also acknowledged that the Nigerian Army abided by its Rules of Engagement and further observed that: the Judicial Commission of Inquiry failed to take into account the years during which the activities of the IMN in Gyallesu had threatened peace and security; for all intent and purpose, the IMN is an insurgent group and ought to be treated as such; the sheer numbers of IMN members congregating in Zaria from across the country that night, with many bearing arms, was such that the Nigerian Army was in no position to accurately determine how armed and organised they were and had to be concerned on what their intention for Zaria was.

    “With regards to the findings of the Commission on the conduct of the Nigerian Army, the State Government noted the recommendation that members of the Nigerian Army that may have been involved in the unlawful killing of 347 citizens should be brought to trial before a Court of competent jurisdiction.

    “The Kaduna State Government is assured that the Federal Government will not condone unlawful killing of any citizen and that this conduct will be further investigated and any culprits identified will first be subjected to court martial by the federal authorities, followed by civil prosecution by the state government.”

    “The Kaduna State Government accepted the following recommendations, among others: The IMN is an unregistered organisation that cannot be sued. Therefore, all IMN members and its leadership are jointly and severally liable for all violations of the law in the last 30 years, and are therefore responsible for the clashes and its consequences.

    “Members of the IMN owe absolute loyalty to Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky. He therefore bears responsibility for all the acts of lawlessness committed by the organisation and should therefore be held responsible, fully investigated and prosecuted;

    “The evidence before the Commission, from the testimonies and memoranda submitted to it by the various interest groups and stakeholders, clearly shows that IMN has become a law unto itself; disregarding the authority of the Nigerian State as vested in the police and other security agencies which many a times lead to several confrontations such as the one of 12th to 14th December, 2015 between it and the Nigerian Army;

    “All incidents of violence and aggression by the members of the IMN against individuals, groups or communities, which have resulted in grievous bodily harm, destruction of properties and deaths, should be fully investigated and culprits brought to book. Where appropriate, compensations should be paid”, the white paper read.

  • Army/Shiites Clash : El-Rufai raises white paper committee

    Army/Shiites Clash : El-Rufai raises white paper committee

    Gov. Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State has set up a nine -man committee to produce a white paper on the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Army/Shiites.

    The Army/Shiites clash in Zaria last December.

    This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Samuel Aruwan, Media aide to the governor, in Kaduna on Wednesday

    El-Rufai said that the committee would commence work immediately and submit the draft white paper within two weeks.

    The committee is headed by Adamu Mansur, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education.

    The governor also mandated the committee to make any other recommendation that would assist government in addressing issues raised in the report.

    The committee members were the permanent secretaries of the Ministries of Environment and Natural Resources, Works, Housing and Transport, Local Government, Cabinet Affairs and Special Services.

    The other members were the permanent secretaries Ministry of Justice, Civil Service Commission, and Mr M. Aliyu of the Ministry of Justice, as well as Mr Alexander Sule of the Office of the Secretary to the State Government.

  • Army/Shiite panel adjourns sitting till April 11

    Army/Shiite panel adjourns sitting till April 11

    The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Dec. Shiite/Nigerian Army clash in Zaria, has adjourned sitting till Monday April 11.

     

    The Justice Muhammadu Lawal-Garba-led panel adjourned the session on the request of Muhammed Sani-Kato, the counsel representing the Jamaatul Nasrul Islam and other groups at the sitting.

     

    The panel had earlier slated the day for members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) to make their presentation, but failed to appear.

     

    It would be recalled that counsel to the Ibraheem El-Zakzaky-led movement, Festus Okoye, had announced their withdrawal from the panel.

     

    In spite of the absence of the Shiite members, the panel allowed the JNI through its National Secretary, Dr Khalid Aliyu and the Zaria Branch Chairman, Abdullahi Yahya to make presentation.

     

    Yahya in his presentation, advised the Federal Government to take proactive measures to curtail the excesses of the movement for peaceful coexistence among the people especially in Zaria.

     

    He appealed to the state government to ensure that all religious movements operated within the law of the state and the Constitution of Nigeria.

     

    When the commission resumes on Monday, it is expected to hear the submissions of the Kaduna State Government.

     

    NAN reports that the Nigerian Army in its presentation on Wednesday said its action against the Shiites was within the ambit of the law.

     

    The Chief of Administration, Army Headquarters, Maj.-Gen. Ado Abubakar, said they followed all necessary rules of engagement to clear the blockade by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) during the incident.

     

    The Army told the commission in their memorandum, supported by audio/visual clips and still pictures that their response was to thwart alleged attack by the IMN members on Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015.

     

    They alleged that the IMN members had blocked the road and denied access to the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai.

     

    According to him, the Army was compelled to use minimum force to disperse the sect members after all civil efforts failed.

     

    NAN reports that the Army was also represented by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division, Maj,-Gen Olaniyi Oyebade, Army Acting Provost Marshal, Brig.-Gen. Ayuba Hamman, and Col. S.K Usman, Acting Army Public Relations Officer.

     

    They told the panel that their men had conducted a cordon and search operation in Zaria on Dec. 14, 2015 and recovered various weapons.

     

    The Army denied involvement in the alleged killing of Shiite members during the incident as claimed by the IMN leader, El-Zakzaky, currently in DSS custody.

  • Rerun: Wike swears in Judicial Commission of Inquiry

    Rivers  State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike on Wednesday  swore in  the  Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the violence / killings that negatively affected  the March 19 rerun  legislative elections,  with  a charge to the commission  to get to the root of the matter.

     

    The governor  also  on Wednesday  swore in Mr  Ugbana Isaruk  as a Commissioner  in the  Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC.  Mr Isaruk replaces a late member  of  the  commission.

     

    Swearing in the members of  the  Judicial Commission of Inquiry under the  chairmanship of  Justice  Monima Wenike Danagogo, Governor  Wike  decried  the  violence witnessed during  the  rerun elections,  saying  that  it  was necessary  to  ascertain the  root causes with a view to checking  a recurrence in the  future.

     

    He charged the Judicial Commission of Inquiry to  identify  those involved  in the killings,  those killed  and the scope of violence  during  the  elections.

     

     

    The  governor  also  charged the Judicial Commission of Inquiry to identify  property  damaged in the course of the violence  and the owners of such  property.

     

     

    He urged the Chairman  of  the  Judicial Commission of Inquiry to use his experience  to guide other members  towards making necessary recommendations  that will enhance  political  stability  and  peace in the  state.

     

    He said : “The commission  has one month beginning  today  to submit  its report.  We must know those involved  in the violence  and killings.

     

    “We must get to the root of the violence  and  killings  during  the  March 19 rerun elections.  Since we were not at the location  of  the  violence,  we rely on the  Judicial Commission of Inquiry to  investigate what took place,” Wike concluded.