The Nation Newspaper

Tag: looters

  • Anti-graft war: Reps seek 20-year jail term for looters

    Anti-graft war: Reps seek 20-year jail term for looters

    Despite Senate’s  insistent rejection of the nomination of Ibrahim Magu as the substantive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) last week, the House of Representatives is seeking to make the agency financially and operationally independent of the executive and legislative arms of government.

    The bill seeking to further empower the anti-graft scaled second reading with unanimous support despite a few dissenting voices to a proposal for a special court devoted to the trial of financial and other related crimes. According to two of the four sponsors of the consolidated  bill, Kayode Oladele (APC, Ogun) and  Bassey Ewa (PDP, Cross River), if passed into law, neither the Executive nor the Legislature can turn the anti-graft agency into its tool. Oladele said: “The bill is seeking to expand the scope of those that can head the agency. The extant law restricted it to only former or serving security personnel but we want a situation whereby people of character can be sourced from non-security sector; we don’t want the door to be shut on the rest of brilliant Nigerians with impeccable character. The independence of the agency can only be guaranteed if it is placed on first line charge. If that is done, the agency will no longer have to make do with whatever it was given to it by the Budget office, which may not be enough for its financial activities”. Oladele added that the creation of Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) domiciled in EFCC but independent would go a long way in tackling corruption in the country. “It would enable Nigeria access the international data of the Egmont Group in tackling complex corruption cases with international dimension,” he said.

    On his part, Ewa said the bill is seeking a 20-year minimum jail term for public servants, who corruptly enriched themselves while in office as well as the creation of EFCC court, designed to try corrupt officials to avoid undue delays.

    In his comparative analysis of other countries that have passed through similar circumstances, Ewa said Ghana prescribes 15 years with hard labour, Republic of Cameroun had 20 years imprisonment, and India has 20 years imprisonment while Egypt has 20 years imprisonment.

    On funding of the agency, Ewa said the bill seeks to delete Section 35 of the Act to be replaced with 0.1percent of the total value of contracts awarded by the Federal Government shall be credited to the commission’s account; 0.1percent of the Internally Generated Revenue of the Federal Government shall be credited to the commission’s account; and 0.1percent of the sums of money recovered from the looted funds shall be retained by the commission.

    “The EFCC Act is further amended to establish an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Court to handle all cases emanating from investigations carried out by the EFCC bothering on financial crimes. The court, so established, shall have divisions in the six geo-political zones of the country. The court shall within 180 days dispense with any matter that is properly brought before it as appeals emanating from it shall only lie to the Court of Appeal and the Court of Appeal shall within 90 days dispense with any matter brought before it from the judgment of EFCC Court,” he added.

    While Oladele cautioned his colleagues on the establishment of the EFCC court, a number of his colleagues vehemently opposed it. Oladele opined that the scope of the EFCC court would be too limited which was why he was proposing an all – encompassing Special Court Bill that would take care of variety of financial, terrorism and other related crimes. “There is need for us to bring all the special crimes such as cybercrime, terrorism, financial crimes together into one so that the special court can be fully operational”.

    While he supported operational autonomy for the agency, Oladele however called for caution over funding of the agency, saying if passed into law as proposed; the funding sources might turn out to be over-pampering of the agency. Tajudeen Yusuf (PDP, Kogi) who also supported the EFCC court, said it has become necessary to free the agency from its dependence on the Executive. He however faulted the proposed funding of the agency saying it was too huge.

    However, antagonists of the EFCC got a boost when Speaker Yakubu Dogara pointed out that the position of the constitution should be considered on the feasibility of the EFCC against High courts. While Nicholas Ossai (PDP, Delta) aligned with the Speaker, saying there was a need to examine the position of the constitution, Igariwey  Enwo (PDP, Ebonyi) said, “Mine is only a voice of caution because it is easy to give out powers but very difficult to take it back as this special court may have to serve as subordinate court to the state high courts”. Mohammed Soba (APC, Kaduna) and a number of others said the EFCC court is unnecessary. According to them, the constitution has already empowered the High Court to carry out the proposed duties for the EFCC court. They opined that being a constitutional issue, an amendment of the constitution must be carried out. They said if passed into law, the powers of the High Court would be usurped. They also felt that the creation of the court would also give too much power to the anti-corruption agency.

    But when the bill was put to voice vote, it got the support of the majority of the lawmakers.

  • NBA to FG:  Stop allowing looters enjoy part of loot

    NBA to FG:  Stop allowing looters enjoy part of loot

    The Nigeria Bar Association has urged the Federal Government to stop allowing looters of public fund to enjoy any part of the loot.

    It said the fight against corruption would remain a joke if looters were made to pay fine or part of the looted fund.

    Delivering a keynote address entitled “Evaluating the Current Anti-corruption Efforts of the Federal Government in Nigeria”, Edo State Chairman of NBA; Barrister Ede Asenoguan said there was no enforcement of stringent sanction against those who looted public funds.

    Asenoguan noted that corruption has been fostered in the country when those who looted public funds  pay a fragment of the huge sum of money stolen from government coffers and allowed to work on the streets freely without forfeiture and adequate sanctioning.

    He was speaking at a forum organized by CLEEN Foundation.

    His words, “I can assure you that over 80% of Nigerians, if given the chance, would prefer to steal N5b and pay the sum of N5m or to go to jail for six months or one year and later come out to enjoy the balance of the N5b.

    “The fight against corruption must not be centred on only the influential people in the country but should cut across board regardless of whoever that is involved.”

    Head, Public Relations, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, South-South zone, Mr. Oluwale Oladele, said the commission secured a total of 1,500 convictions between 2015-2016.

    Mr. Oluwale said the EFCC has proven that it is working and proactive owing to the number of persons it has prosecuted.

    He explained that the commission could only be more effective in its fight against corruption when Nigerians join hands to fight corruption by volunteering information to the body that can lead to the arrest and investigation of individuals.

    Project Manager of Budgit, Abayomi Akinbo, noted that the trust and confidence of Nigerians in the administration of President Mohammadu Buhari could only be restored if money recovered from looters are made known to the public.

  • Ojudu: looters wishing Buhari dead

    Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters Babafemi Ojudu has said looters of the nation’s treasury are wishing President Muhammadu Buhari dead.

    He said the President would soon be back from his medical vacation.

    The presidential aide spoke with reporters at the weekend at a get-together for leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the 16 local government areas of Ekiti State.

    He urged Ekiti APC members to be united and continue “aggressive” mobilisation  ahead of next year’s governorship poll.

    Ojudu advised Governor Ayo Fayose to start packing and prepare himself for an APC takeover of power “very soon”.

  • ‘Looters spreading rumour of Buhari’s death’

    ‘Looters spreading rumour of Buhari’s death’

    A Chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Sir Lucky Worluh, has described those spreading rumours of President Muhammadu Buhari’s death as “treasury looters and economic saboteurs”.

    Worluh spoke yesterday at the two-day summit organised by Ikwerre Youth Movement (IYM) in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

    According to him, until Nigerians show a willingness to support the fight against corruption, treasury looters will continue to openly celebrate their loot.

    Worluh said the rumour on President Buhari’s health showed how much corruption had eaten into the fabric of the country. He called on youths to hate corruption and its practitioners instead of celebrating them like kings.

    His said: “As far as I’m concerned, those spreading rumours about President Buhari’s health are treasury looters, including those sabotaging the country’s economy. They became restless the day President Buhari won because their lives revolve around corruption.”

    “We must kill corruption by hating the treasury looters.”

  • TUC: convicted looters should pay interest on stolen money

    TUC: convicted looters should pay interest on stolen money

    The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) said yesterday those found to have stolen public funds should be made to pay interest rate on the money.

    Reacting to the judgments on the subsidy fraud case, its President, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama and General Secretary, Comrade Musa-Lawal Ozigi, said recovering the money alone without interest was not good enough.

    The Congress hailed “the judiciary and Nigerians over the recent rulings by Justice Lateefa Okunnu at the Ikeja High Court, that  sentenced the Managing Director of Ontario Oil and Gas Limited, Mrs. Adaoha Ugo-Nnadi to 10 years in prison for defrauding the Federal Government of N754 million in oil subsidy transactions and that of a Federal High Court in Abuja, that ordered the forfeiture of oil Prospecting Licence (OPL 245) to the Federal Government until investigation and trial of suspects are concluded”.

    It said: “These are good signs of our speedy recovery, if we faint not and we urge the anti-graft agencies to investigate other people involved in the subsidy fraud, other financial crimes and bring them to book.

    “It hurts that while Nigerians are groaning and asking for the basic things like food, infrastructure, job and others, some greedy Nigerians under the guise of oil marketers are milking the country dry.

    “The Congress is of the opinion that these culprits start paying interest on whatever amount of money they have stolen henceforth. Returning the actual is not good enough. For instance, when the said money was stolen a dollar was less than N200, but today, a dollar is equivalent to N500.

    “The money will help to fund our national budget, especially now that we cannot predict oil price in the international market. The economy is on its knees today because institutions saddled with the responsibility of fighting corruption were sleeping. This impunity has to stop.”

    TUC said its members were expecting more of this from this administration.

    It said no stone should be left unturned in the fight against corruption, adding that “Nigerians are asking for justice”.

    “Yes, the  blood and families of citizens who have died in car accidents as a result of roads that were left undone and pregnant mothers, who lost their lives due to lack of good medical facilities are crying for justice.

    “These monies could have to some extent helped to build infrastructure, create jobs, and reposition the economy.  We are truly happy about this development and hope to see more of it. It just can’t be business as usual,” TUC said.

  • Niger Delta bombings: Looters recruited militants against us — Buhari

    Niger Delta bombings: Looters recruited militants against us — Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday took a fresh dig at those who “stole Nigeria dry.”

    The looters, he said,in New York instigated the recent spate of attacks on oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta by recruiting militants to  cripple the economy under his administration

    “Those who stole Nigeria dry are not happy,” Buhari told US-based Nigerian professionals at a meeting.

    “They recruited militants against us in the Niger Delta, and began to sabotage oil infrastructure.

    “ We lose millions of barrels per day, at a time when every dollar we can earn counts.

    “ I prayed so hard for God to make me President. I ran in 2003, 2007, 2011 and in 2015, He did.

    “And see what I met on ground. But I can’t complain, since I prayed for the job.

    “In the military, I rose from 2nd Lieutenant to Major-General. I was military governor in 1975 over a state that is now six states. I was head of state, got detained for three years, and headed the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) which had N53 billion of that time in Nigerian banks.

    “God has been very good to me, so I can’t complain. If I feel hurt by anybody, I ask God to help me forgive. He has done so much for me.”

    He said the economic situation in the country is so bad now that no fewer than 27 states of the federation are finding it difficult to pay their workers.

    “It is a disgrace that a minimum of 27 states, out of 36 that we have in Nigeria, can’t pay salaries,” he said.

    President Buhari offered to work with every Nigerian, including the best brains in the Diaspora, to return the country to prosperity.

    “Wherever you go in the world, you find highly competent and outstanding Nigerians,” Buhari’s  Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina,quoted him as saying.

    “They not only make great impact on their host countries and communities, their financial remittances back home also help our economy, particularly at a time like this, when things are down”.

    Tracing the origin of the current economic recession,he said:”We got into trouble as a country because we did not save for the rainy day.

    “For example, between 1999 and 2015, when we produced an average of 2.1 million barrels of oil per day, and oil prices stood at an average of $100 per barrel, we did not save, neither did we develop infrastructure.

    “Suddenly, when we came in 2015, oil prices fell to about 30 dollars per barrel.

    “I asked: ‘Where are the savings? There were none. Where are the railways? The roads? Power? None’.

    “ I further asked: ‘What did we do with the billions of dollars that we made over the years? They said we bought food. Food with billions of dollars?

    “I did not believe, and still do not believe.

    “ In most parts of Nigeria, we eat what we grow. People in the South eat tubers, those in the North eat grains, which they plant, and those constitute over 60 per cent of what we eat. So, where did the billions of dollars go?

    “We did a lot of damage to ourselves by not developing infrastructure when we had the money.”

    He also updated his audience on the war against Boko Haram in the Northeast.

    His words:”Talking of our military, they earned respect serving in places like Burma, Zaire, Sudan, Liberia, Sierra-Leone, and then, suddenly, that same military could no longer secure 14 out of 774 local governments in the country.

    “Insurgents had seized them, calling them some sort of caliphate, and planting their flags there, till we came, and scattered them.

    “We raised the morale of our military, changed the leadership, re-equipped and retrained them.

    “USA, Britain and some other countries helped us, and today, the pride of our military is restored.

    “Boko Haram ran riot, killing innocent people in churches, mosques, markets, schools, motor parks and so on.

    “Now, we have dealt with that insurgency, and subverted their recruitment base.”

    The Nigerians pledged to invest in Nigeria, if the government would provide an enabling environment that would make businesses thrive.

  • Fantasy of thieves, looters and blinkered murderers

    Someday, death will become something more than an unexplainable mystery to the incumbent ruling class. Every public officer will die; their family members too. Despite their inhumanity, they are human after all. They breathe and bleed just like we do. At their demise, they shall discover what manner of life they deserve in the afterlife. They shall find that money and rank they covet are useless after the last howl had fallen silent, at their funeral. They shall learn that currency-activated prayers their clerics hoist above them will serve like raincoats under a blitz of cannon balls, at the end.

    In the wake of their demise, how shall they be remembered? How do we remember men who summon our joys to harness it with a sable bind? Shall we remember them with rage and rant? Shall we wish they burn in the earth, like splinters of wood fed into the hearth to spite the fire? Shall we wish that they lie in plagued repose low down with the worm and ant?

    How shall we be remembered? How shall posterity remember the ones who have perfected the art of letting their voices trail off in confusion at decision time? What will our children think of our desperation to keep the worst of our kind in power? What pantheons or dungeons shall we inhabit in the annals of Nigerian citizenship?

    The troubles of Nigeria are unwieldy like a storm. By our perversions, we impregnate and corrupt history and civilization 54-years old. Great evil lies in you and me, and by our perpetuation of it, we make history the way of the diabolic, that decapitated his newborn to satisfy his hunger pangs. Too many threads of heedlessness, woven of gluttony and lust, of racism and fear, inequality and blind hate of the stranger, form in our souls, a thick network.

    Yesterday, we suffered violence and bloodshed by militants in our creeks, down in the Delta. Today, we suffer violence and bloodshed by Boko Haram and Niger Delta Avengers.

    Every day, we suffer greater violence and bloodbath by murderous and incompetent ruling class. The most remarkable characteristic of the Nigerian ruling class, according to Prof. Itse Sagay, “is its complete and total insensitivity to the public outcry and outrage over the percentage of our resources that the members appropriate to themselves for their own consumption.”

    Sagay, in his lecture on ‘Good Governance and Enforcement of Law and Order’ at the Nigerian Institute of Management’s 2013 Management Day, lamented that while Nigerian Senators and House of Representative members earn $1.7m and $1.4m respectively per annum, American Senators and British parliamentarians earn 174, 000 and £65,738 respectively per annum.

    Yet income per capita for the US and UK is $46,350 and $35,468, respectively, while that of Nigeria is $2,248. The figure have grown more outrageous over time. Simply put, Nigerian legislators pay themselves the highest salaries of all legislators in the world, even though their country is amongst the least developed in the whole world.

    More worrisome is the government’s inequitable distribution of benefits and punishments meted out to people from different classes and professions, along with the asymmetrical distribution of respect and dignity. Eventually, you get the feeling that some people don’t count and never expected to count in the Nigerian State.

    In the wake of violence and bloodshed by successive terrorist groups, mostly constituted by youths, in the country, Mr. President, legislators and governors simmer in frustration and moral outrage. Jumping on to the bandwagon of these elected representatives’ deceitfulness and officialese, monarchs, clerics, newspaper columnists and other bastions of society pay lip service to the degeneration of the Nigerian youth and State.

    It is hardly astonishing that the government and cohorts resort to explanations of criminality, a feral underclass, and dysfunctional parenting. These are easier explanations for which the government does not need to accept responsibility. However, a careful assessment of the situation reveals that a greater percentage of the culprits are motivated by poverty, illiteracy, dysfunctional parenting, unemployment and inequality induced by unfair government policies, insensitivity and oppression by the ruling class.

    But such cruelties foisted on us by the most insidious ruling class, do not justify the descent of the Nigerian youth into barbarism or bloodthirstiness of any kind – but we choose to be savages anyway. Insensitivity and bloodlust enjoy sweet repose in the psyche of the Nigerian youth thus habituating them to all manners of savagery and triviality.

    Hence it wasn’t surprising to see the youth, the media and the general public descend on Shema Obafaye, former Lagos State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) as violently as a mugger, as frighteningly as an armed robber, and as deadly as a hit man, over his gaffe when he featured as a guest on a breakfast show on Lagos-based private television, Channels Television.

    For Obafaye’s “My oga at the top” slip-up and his inability to accurately state his organization’s internet address, he became an object of nationwide ridicule. Footage of his blunder went viral on the social media making him an object of malicious jokes and caricature on Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger, T-shirts, and rascally musical medley by local disc jockeys (DJs).

    It was one gaffe that Nigerian youths particularly, couldn’t forgive; consequently, branded mugs, face-caps and T-shirts with the inscription: “My oga at the top!” were produced and sold at a profit in merriment over Obafaye’s gaffe.

    Several celebrities cashed in on the madness and donned the branded T-shirts to major public events in pitiful desperation to replenish their dwindling acclaim. A smart movie producer attempted to cash in too on the national ridicule of a man and public servant while it lasted by hastily putting together and releasing a film titled, “My oga at the top.”

    Nobody cared what sorrow or misery burdened Obafaye’s heart nor did anyone pause to imagine what shame and disillusionment his wife and kids are forced to relive and suffer daily long after the mockery had quieted to a murmur.

    If the Nigerian citizenry, the youth particularly, could be so coordinated and methodical in their perpetration of such “good-natured” ridicule and hate, would it not do Nigeria immense good to have us unite in more coordinated and disciplined revolt against the oppression and cruelties of the incumbent ruling class?

    We are past the novelty of coordinated mockery and moral outrage. The most powerful indignation we could express exceeds the pages of acerbic columns and social media; it subsists in latent courage and will we haven’t yet summoned the courage to express.

    Until we mature in grace and learn to apply ourselves to passionate pursuits for the love of the good, our pains shall run amok where we seek ease and bliss, always. It’s a matter of choice; to which system of thought should we commit our lives to? Is there anything in our norms worth saving? Shall we define the Nigerian dream in the language of humanity? Shall we begin to officiate for posterity’s sake? Shall we begin to affect the honesty and decency to which we pay lip service? Shall we choose the right candidates and vote them in at election time?

    It’s about time we refined the subtleties that make the Nigerian dream the fantasy of thieves, looters and blinkered murderers.

  • What to do with recovered stolen assets – Experts

    What to do with recovered stolen assets – Experts

    Legal experts and other stakeholders Thursday called for the establishment of a centralised agency to manage assets recovered from looters.

    According to them, having a central asset management institution would prevent duplication of roles by security agencies that are empowered to seize stolen assets.

    They spoke in Abuja at the ongoing three-day National Stakeholders’ Workshop on the Recovery and Management of Recovered Assets, organised by the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat.

    Speakers included PACAC chairman Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), Executive Director Prof Bolaji Owasanoye, member Prof Etannibi Alemika; Director, Stolen Assets Recovery Initiatives at the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC)/World Bank Dr Oliver Stolpe, Chattered Institute of Bankers president Prof Segun Ajibola, international legal experts Nicolaas Van Zyl and Fitzroy Drayton, among others.

    After a breakout session on the second day of the workshop involving deliberations by participants, it was recommended that a law should be enacted to guide asset recovery processes across all agencies.

    The law, speakers said, will also contain assets disposal guidelines, timelines, and specify who should should recovered assets.

    A clear policy, they recommended, will create a common system for the management of recovered assets and prevent re-looting or their mis-management.

    Rather than only seizing assets and allowing them to rot away, it was suggested that experts should be allowed to manage them pending when a final forfeiture order is made. Where funds are involved, they could be put into an investment or interest-yielding account.

    For instance, Prof Owasanoye noted that some forfeited vehicles are allowed to waste in court premises when they could be put to better use by asset managers, by either being valued and then sold.

    “The courts are not supposed to manage assets. They are ill-prepared to do so,” he said.

    It was agreed that there must be a database or record of all assets being seized, including video records and photographs of the assets to be taken at the point of seizure.

    Every monetary seizure, they said, should be kept with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), while pre-qualify persons should act as receivers to ensure a credible and transparent policy.

    It was also suggested that an inter-agency committee could be created to liaise with all the agencies empowered to seize assets, such as the police, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and anti-graft agencies.

    Another suggestion was that all security agencies involved in assets seizure must have a common reporting format, and must publish annual reports of all assets either seized temporarily pending conclusion of trial or permanently .

    There was, however, a debate as to whether all recovered monies should to go into the federation account in cases where those monies are looted from states.

    Prof Ajibola said: “There must be a legislative action as to where recovered assets should go, whether to the federation account or to a dedicated account.”

    He said the international community should do due more due diligence on people who bring huge funds into their countries.

    According to him, “whoever received stolen funds is also an accessory to the crime.”

    Director, Rule of Law Division at the Commonwealth Secretariat, Ms Katalaina Sapolu, said suspected looters should not complain of rights violation when effort is made to recover assets from them.

    She said efforts by previous administrations to recover Nigeria’s looted assets did not yield much result because of lack of trust by the countries holding the stolen assets.

    “This international cooperation is very important; and I would have to say that from my own experience it is really that trust. This is because much of the reluctance or the reason that is given by other countries is that, ‘are we returning the money to safe hands to be reused for the benefit of the people of the countries?’

    “So, I strongly believe that with the new political leadership and the political will that has been demonstrated internationally, it will work. It will help a lot.”

    Sapolu said apart from the political will demonstration by the Buhari administration to fight corruption, the Commonwealth’s new Secretary-General, Patricia Sapolu, had made anti-corruption part of her priorities.

    “I refer to the ‘tackling corruption together conference’ held by the Commonwealth in London in May.

    It was held the day before the London Summit that was hosted by the Prime Minister David Cameron at the time and President Buhari was our special guest at the Commonwealth conference.

    “He spoke very passionately and very inspiringly about the priority his government is giving to combatting corruption and he said ‘more importantly we want the recovery of stolen assets’.

    “So it was discussed between him and my Secretary-General; we have a new Secretary-General at Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland (QC), and one of her priorities is tackling corruption.

    “We are here to further the agreement between the Secretary-General and the President that the Commonwealth will give its support to Nigeria in fighting corruption.”

    The workshop ends Friday.

     

  • U.S. to move against Nigerian looters

    •Envoy silent on alleged sex scandal against lawmakers

    Outgoing American Ambassador to Nigeria Mr James Entwistle has said his country will not allow looters launder Nigeria’s funds in United States banks.

    Entwistle spoke on the U.S. 240th Independence anniversary in Abuja at the weekend.

    He denied any controversy by America against buying oil from Nigeria.

    “As you fight corruption, we offer technical assistance, training for investigators and prosecutors, and a commitment to ensure that no stolen funds are laundered through our banking system,” he said.

    He went on: “There is no conspiracy for the U.S. not to buy oil from Nigeria. Price of oil is determined by international market and any business people will get the best product for the best price. That something happens to us with our oil! But I wish you listen to my last statement where I talked about the importance of the private sector, the commitment of the US companies to help build this country (Nigeria).”

    On the economy, Entwistle urged the Muhammadu Buhari-led government to create an environment that would attract more foreign investment into the country.

    He said: “I am not much of an economist but I think the government is starting in the right direction and things as fuel subsidy, exchange rate, things like that, I will encourage them to continue to create an environment that is welcoming to foreign investment. Some of the biggest U.S. companies in the world are here, they’ve been here for decades, they are happy. So it’s better to maintain an environment that will attract more foreign investment.”

    On his reaction to the controversial sex scandal against the three House of Representatives members, the ambassador said: “I have nothing to say about that.”

    The envoy said the future of Nigeria belongs to the people of Nigeria.

    “The future of Nigeria belongs to Nigeria. More specifically, it belongs to Nigeria’s heroes – to those men and women who are brave enough to believe that they can change the word. And the United States stands with every Nigerian who believes that this country can be healthier, safer, and more prosperous.”

    He decried the humanitarian crisis in the Northeast.

    Entwistle, who lamented the level of suffering in the region as a result of Boko Haram activities, said people are dying of starvation and this should not be.

    He assured Nigeria of U.S. support in the final push to route Boko Haram in the Northeast and other security challenges.

    He said: “ As you fight Boko Haram and secure and rebuild the Northeast, and as you strive for harmony in the Niger Delta and across the land, we will continue to help in every appropriate way. Indeed, let us redouble our efforts on the humanitarian front in the Northeast. Nigerians are dying of starvation in Nigeria. How can that be? he queried.

    Quoting copiously the famous phrase of President John Kennedy, which says, “ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country, the envoy said ‘’he cannot wait to see what Nigerians will do, and can do together not just for political freedom but for the freedom of all.”

     

  • How Fed Govt can prosecute looters, by lawyer

    The Federal Government has been advised to push for the amendment of the Constitution to stipulate a time limit for the prosecution of corruption and related cases to eliminate delays in the trial of corrupt public officers and treasury looters.

    A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Sebastine Hon, who said this, warned that the trials of some public officers may linger beyond the tenure of this administration if nothing was done to ensure speedy prosecution of corruption and related cases. He suggested the inclusion of some major provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) in the Constitution.

    Hon, who noted such ACJA provisions as prohibition of stay of proceedings in criminal trials, said he support the effort by the National Assembly to review the Constitution, but said such review must give financial autonomy to the Judiciary and local governments.

    The lawyer spoke in Abuja on Saturday while announcing plans for the presentation, in Abuja, on July 12, of his 1,300-page book – S.T. Hon’s constitutional and migration law in Nigeria – which discussed, among others, over 4,000 decisions of Nigerian and foreign courts on issues covered.

    Hon advocated the abrogation of pension provisions for political office holders  on the grounds that it was immoral for people, who begged to be elected to serve to constitute liability to the state by drawing pensions. He faulted the restriction of immunity to leaders of the Executive arm, and argued that the nation should either abolish the concept of immunity or extend it to other arms of government.

    He called for a review of the jurisdiction of the National Industrial Court (NIC), because, as it is, it is arguable whether, besides fundamental rights cases, there is a right of appeal against its decision.

    “It is not good to say that matters that affect the welfare of workers and their employers are going to terminate at the NIC.  I will suggest we push up the appellate jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal to include appeals from the NIC. My book has proactively dealt with this issue. It is necessary that we amend the 3rd Alteration Act to expressly restore the supervisory jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal on all matters dealt with by the NIC.

    “I will also suggest an amendment that will provide time limit, in the Constitution, for trials of corruption and terrorism matters. Because when they first amended Section 285 and introduced sub-sections 6, 7 and 8, which provide for 100 days at the election trial and 60 days each for the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, most of us criticised it. But now everyone agrees there is wisdom in the amendment.

    “So, nothing also stops us from abridging the time within which trials on corruption and terrorism matters should start and conclude. Nothing also stops us from elevating those provisions in the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) concerning the prohibition of stay of proceedings to become constitutional provisions, because we are faced with a hydra-headed monster called corruption, and except something is done and done quickly and fundamentally, we may be saying goodbye to project Nigeria’’.