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  • Breaking: 23 days after, EFCC frees Monday Ubani

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) at about 11am today released a former 2nd Vice-President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Monday Ubani after 23 days in its custody.

    Ubani was arrested and detained on March 19, along with ex-Senator Christopher Enai for allegedly failing to produce a former Managing Director of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, Mrs. Ngozi Olejeme, who both men stood for as sureties.

    Olojeme is facing a N6.4billion fraud charge preferred against her by the EFCC.

    Read Also: Alleged fraud: EFCC opens case against bank, staff

    Ubani had maintained his innocence over Olejeme’s disappearance insisting that she absconded after the EFCC raided her home

    He also stated that his decision to stand surety for Olejeme was because he compelled her to return to Nigeria to face the charge against her and all effort to secure her bail was frustrated by the EFCC.

  • Updated: Deal ruthlessly with bandits, kidnappers, others, Buhari orders security chiefs

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday charged the security agencies to put their acts together and deal ruthlessly with bandits, kidnappers and other security challenges in the country.

    The Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin, briefed State House correspondents at the end of about two hours meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    According to him, the President said that no stone should be left unturned towards securing every part of the country.

    He said “The security meeting we just had with Mr. President today is to review the strategy that we are adopting in confronting security issues in Zamfara State especially and other places nationwide.

    “And this review strategy is to address all the issues including kidnapping, banditry and other associated issues confronting the nation.

    “And we are coming out with a revised strategy to handle those challenges.” he said
    Asked if there was any marching order from the President, he said “Yeah, the marching order is for us to deal with this issue immediately and ruthlessly and ensure that all those bandits are immediately dealt with and all those issues that are bordering with our security are properly addressed.”

    The Acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, said that the frequent kidnapping on the Abuja-Kaduna road have been tackled.

    Read Also: Buhari greets Professor David Ijalaye at 90

    He said that the route is now very safe.

    He said “I want to assure Nigerians that Kaduna–Abuja roads are now safe. We have cleared the roads, we have arrested a lot of kidnappers and in confrontation with some of them, some were fatally injured.

    “So the road is cleared. Our patrol teams, the combined security services that are patrolling the road are constantly there, 24 hours.” he added
    The Service Chiefs at the meeting included Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonishakin, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Yusuf Buratai, Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok-Ete IIbas, and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar.

    Others at the meeting included the National Security Adviser, Major Gen. Babagana Monguno, Director General of National Intelligence Agency, the Director General, Department of Security Service and Acting Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu.

    Also at the meeting were the Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dangazzau and the Minister of Defence, Brigadier Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali.

  • BREAKING: Presidential poll: FG warns Atiku against resorting to self-help

    The Federal Government on Thursday warned the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alh. Atiku Abubakar against resorting to self-help over the outcome of the February 23 presidential election.

    It asked Atiku to realise that the only lawful channel for challenging the result of an election is through the courts.

    The government said it was absurd that Atiku had hired a lobbying firm to convince the United States not to recognize the re-election of President Buhari until the Supreme Court has ruled on the suit he filed.

    It said it was unfortunate that Atiku was thinking of replicating the Venezuelan model right here in Nigeria.

    The government made its position known at a briefing in Abuja by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alh. Lai Mohammed, which was attended by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu.

    Mohammed said: “As you must have noticed in recent times, posters bearing the picture of former Vice President and the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, with the inscription: ”THE PUKKA, H.E. ATIKU ABUBAKAR, THE REAL AND THE RIGHT”, have surfaced across major streets in Abuja.

    “The appearance of these posters coincide with the media report that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has hired a US lobbying firm to convince the United States not to recognize the re-election of President Buhari until the Supreme Court has ruled on the suit by the PDP presidential candidate

    “The posters and the hiring of US lobbyists, the latest of such by the PDP candidate, have triggered questions about what Alhaji Abubakar is up to. Is he starting a fresh campaign after the elections have been won and lost?

    “Has he rescinded his decision to challenge the results of the presidential election in court, perhaps after realizing that the results he claimed to have obtained from the INEC back server are cooked? Is he now going for self-help? What really is Atiku’s motive?

    Read Also: Atiku denies paying US lobby group $30,000 to stop Buhari’s inauguration

    “Gentlemen, we are aware of media reports that the PDP presidential candidate on Wednesday distanced himself from the posters that are circulating in Abuja. He also reportedly denied hiring US lobbyists, claiming tongue-in-cheek that the APC fabricated the report.

    “If the media reports are right, it means that the former Vice President has suddenly realized the grave implication of his actions, hence has decided to beat a quick retreat before it is too late.

    “As a self-avowed democrat, he should realize that the only lawful channel for challenging the result of an election is through the courts. Resorting to self-help, as he seems to be doing now, is an act of desperation and the consequences are dire.

    …Details shortly

  • Banditry: Senate approves N10bn intervention to assist displaced persons in Zamfara

    The Senate has proposed that a N10 billion intervention be made part of the 2019 Budget to assist persons displaced by banditry in Zamfara.

    This followed a motion by Sen. Kabiru Marafa on Wednesday at the Upper Chamber.

    The Senate further called for establishment of a 10-year Presidential Initiative to cater to the needs of displaced persons affected by banditry in the state.

    Presenting the motion, Marafa said recent public protest staged in Abuja and Nigerians in the Diasporas was a reaction to the deteriorating state of insecurity in Zamfara.

    He said there was need to commend those who staged the protest for their show of support and to sustain the solidarity.

    The lawmaker lamented that the activities of armed bandits, cattle rustlers and kidnappers for ransom in villages and communities had remained unabated in the state.

    “The activities of these armed bandits and cattle rustlers have since 2011 to date, resulted in the death of many people.

    “This is in addition to creating humanitarian crises which included, but not limited to, growing number of widows, rape victims and orphans

    “A conservative estimate of 11,000 male adults have been killed by armed bandits, leaving behind an average of 22,000 widows, at 2 wives per person and an estimated 44,000 orphans, at an average of 4 children per deceased.

    “Owing to cultural and religious consideration, the burden of these widows, orphans, rape victims and displaced persons are borne largely by close relatives.

    “Their needs are borne by extended families and sometimes immediate neighbours, who are now overstretched to a point they can no longer cope,” he said.

    The lawmaker also said the killings had brought untold hardship on several families who had to accommodate displaced persons and families, over stretching accommodation, scarce food, clothing and other necessities.

    According to him, the negative consequences arising from the crisis and the need for more humanitarian interventions for the growing number of widows and orphans had become necessary.

    He therefore urged the senate to commend all Nigerians who, irrespective of cultural, religious and tribal differences, came out in their number to show solidarity to the plight of their brothers and sisters in Zamfara.

    Read Also: Senate set to override Buhari’s veto on two bills

    He further urged the senate to make provision for the sum of N10 billion in the 2019 Appropriation as Intervention Fund to cater for the IDPs and other persons affected by the activities of armed bandits in the state.

    He equally urged the Federal Government to set up an Adhoc Committee to be known as Presidential Initiatives on Zamfara State (PIZAMS), with a 10 year life span to manage the said funds and subsequent allocation and donations.

    Contributing, some lawmakers recommended the creation of State police and constitutional amendment to devolve more powers to the states as part of solutions to the problem.

    They said the three-month ban on the use of commercial motorcycle imposed by the state government would go a long way in addressing banditry in the state.

    The lawmakers equally noted that the only way to tackle the numerous security challenges in the country was to decentralise the Nigerian Police Force.

    In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, said until Nigeria began to look at the possibility of establishing State Police, the country would continue to have security challenges.

    He expressed concern at the turn of events in Zamfara, saying the state used to be very peaceful.

    Saraki charged relevant authorities not to rest on their oars in nipping the crisis in the bud.

    The president of the senate put the recommendations to voice vote and they were unanimously adopted.

  • How politicians ruined 2019 elections, by INEC chair, IGP, others

    Politicians and their agents are responsible for the large scale malpractices and widespread violence that marred the 2019 general elections.

    This was the submission of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu; Acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu and President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba among other stakeholders.

    They spoke on Wednesday in Abuja at the Forum of Anti-corruption Situation Room organised by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA).

    In a keynote address, Yakubu said vote buying and selling have become a source of great worry to the Commission, the Nigerian people and the international community.

    The INEC chair, who was represented by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, Mr. Festus Okoye, narrated how politicians and their agents devised various methods to compromise the electoral process.

    According to him, one of the methods employed by the politicians and their agents was to buy up Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) of registered voters in the political “safe haven” of their opponents before the day of election.

    He also accused them of compromising security agents and some ad hoc staff of INEC who looked the other way while votes were being bought and sold.

    Yakubu said some political money bags bought over agents of other political parties who compromised and betrayed their own political parties for money.

    Read Also: INEC fixes November 2 for Bayelsa, Kogi governorship polls

    The INEC chairman also cited situations where voters were made to surrender their PVCs to middlemen as a precondition for assessing government amenities and facilities in their localities.

    “Politicians compromised traditional and religious leaders and community leaders by persuading them to persuade voters in their domains to vote in a particular way.

    “In some instances, they persuaded willing ad hoc staff to abandon the use of Smart Card Readers and provision of social amenities close to Election Day,” Yakubu added.

    The INEC chief charged the various Election Petitions Tribunals to prosecute proven cases of electoral offences pending the establishment of a designated body for that purpose.

    Acting IGP Adamu said police personnel on election duty were constrained by the law, which prevented them from bearing firearms around voting areas.

    The IGP, who was represented by Assistant Inspector General of Police, Mr. Peter Ogunyanwo, said this made it impossible for police personnel on election duties to confront heavily armed political thugs who attacked voters and disrupted voting at polling centres in different parts of the country during the 2019 elections.

    He lamented politicians lacked patriotism, nationalism and the fear of God in their conduct during elections.

    He lamented politicians, who he described as beneficiaries of electoral malpractices, lacked the required will and patriotism to put in place the needed electoral reforms.

    According to him, measures prescribed by law to punish electoral offenders

    Continue on Page 2

  • Updated: Court gives Evans last chance to get lawyer by May 17

    An Igboseree High Court, Lagos Wednesday gave suspected billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike alias Evans, till May 17 to get a counsel to defend the criminal charges against him.

    Justice Adedayo Akintoye told Evans, whose case has suffered three adjournments following his failure to secure legal representation, that he had only three options.

    He could defend himself, get a new counsel or the court would appoint a legal aid counsel for him, Justice Adedayo said.

    The judge gave the warning following the third consecutive absence of Evans’ counsel, Chino Obiagwu (SAN).

    At the last sitting on March 1, Obiagwu did not make an appearance but sent a letter informing Justice Akintoye of his absence.

    No member of Evans’ legal team, Including Olanrewaju Ajanaku, was present.

    Acknowledging his letter, the judge adjourned till yesterday for address by counsel for trial within trial.

    On March 29, an Ikeja High Court also gave Evans one more chance to get a lawyer to defend him in a similar case.

    Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo gave him till May 10, to do so, otherwise he could defend himself or the court would appoint a legal aid counsel for him.

    Wednesday’s adjournment in Igbosere, the third consecutively, followed that of January 31, foisted on the court by the non-appearance of another defence counsel, Emmanuel Ochai, and that of March 1.

    Evans is standing trial alongside Joseph Ikenna Emeka, 29, Chiemeka Arinze, 39, Udeme Frank Upong, 43, on a seven-count charge of murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to kidnap and selling of firearms.

    At the commencement of yesterday’s proceedings, no member of Evans’ legal team was present.

    There was also no letter to the court to explain their absence.

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    Upon an enquiry from Justice Adedayo, Evans said: “The last time we spoke, he told me that on the next adjournment he will be in court.”

    Judge: “So, he’s not here today?”

    Evans: “Yes.”

    Prosecuting counsel Yhaqub Oshoala prayed the court to invoke Section 233 (3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) which empowers it to appoint a counsel for the defendant.

    He said: “The provision is that where the defendant fails or is unable to secure a counsel, the court has the discretion to order the legal aid counsel to provide a representation for the defendant.

    “This is the third time this matter is called and the first defendant (Evans) is not represented”.

    Acknowledging his submission, Justice Adedayo turned to Evans and asked: “What exactly is the position? I understand they don’t want to appear for you. Do you want the court to appoint another lawyer for you?”

    Evans shook his head and said: “No, my lord.”

    The judge advised him to ensure that he got a legal representative before the next adjourned date.

    Justice Akintoye said: “If your lawyers don’t want to appear, we cannot force them.
    “You have three options, you can get another lawyer to represent you or the court can appoint one for you or you can defend yourself, which is not advisable.

    “Today is the last chance that I have given, otherwise I will do what I have said. After today, there will be no more adjournment.”

    The judge adjourned till May 17 for continuation of trial.

     

  • Assassins after my life, says AAC’s Awara

    The governorship candidate of African Action Congress (AAC) in Rivers State, Biokpomabo Awara, has raised the alarm on plots to assassinate him.

    Awara, an indigene of coastal Kula-Kalabari in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers state, told our correspondent on phone he was robbed of his well-deserved victory during the March 9 election by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    He accused the officials of collaborating with leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The governorship candidate of AAC, who is being backed by the All Progressives Congress (APC), said: “Information reaching me is that some boys have been dispatched to trail and assassinate me, even in Abuja, since I have refused to give up on my March 9, 2019 mandate.”

    Read Also: Navy arrests three suspects with 416 bags of contraband rice

    Awara maintained that as at the time the collation of results of the polls was suspended by INEC headquarters in Abuja on March 10, he had 281,000 votes as against Wike’s 79,000 votes.

    He also expressed displeasure his agent, Dr. Lawrence Chuku, was prevented on April 2 and 3, from accessing the collation centre inside INEC office on Aba Road, Port Harcourt.

    He alleged the commission’s compromised officials and security personnel allowed Nenye Kocha, who was accused of impersonating AAC, as the party’s collation agent, despite AAC’s protest.

  • Khashoggi murder: Family denies considering settlement

    The children of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, on Wednesday denied discussing any sort of settlement over his killing by Saudi agents.

    This followed a report that the family was considering accepting financial and material compensation for his death.

    “Currently the trial is taking place and no settlement has been discussed or is being discussed,” said the statement, published on Twitter by Khashoggi’s eldest son, Salah.

    The Washington Post, where Khashoggi was a columnist, reported last week that the children were given million-dollar houses and monthly five-figure payments as compensation.

    But it added however, that it was a separate deal from any potential “blood money” payment that could be negotiated after the murder trial under the Saudi justice system.

    Read Also: Jamal Khashoggi: Murder so horrible

    While ruling out a “settlement,” the statement did not, however, explicitly deny receiving the compensation.

    “Acts of wisdom and generosity arise from high morals and humanity and are not an admission of guilt or error. We were raised to be grateful for favours and not reject them,’’ the family said in the statement.

    The Kashoggi family, however, could not be immediately reached for further comments on the matter.

    Eleven suspects are on trial for last year’s murder of Kashoggi, which the CIA and some Western governments believe was ordered by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

    The authorities have continued to deny Salman’s role or knowledge of the killing, which sparked an international outcry and limited sanctions by Western allies.

  • Dispatch rider, one other killed as hoodlums clash in Fadeyi

    Two persons were confirmed dead on Wednesday when a fight broke out at Fadeyi, Ikorodu road area of Lagos State among hoodlums popularly called ‘area boys’.

    The Nation gathered the two persons were a dispatch rider killed by a stray bullet when he rammed into the scene and an unidentified man from the hoodlums.

    Police officers, stationed at the area to maintain orderliness, confirmed the killing, adding they have deposited the corpses at the morgue.

    Although Fadeyi is noted for incessant cult clashes, residents of the area confirmed the fight was between two factions of “area boys” of two streets in Fadeyi.

    The fracas, according to eyewitnesses, broke out around 11am with sporadic shooting that left people scampering for their lives and the federal road closed down for hours.

    Residents, who spoke with our correspondent, were not certain of the cause of the clash between the two factions of the hoodlums.

    “The crisis is not a small matter. Immediately the shooting started, the police on ground ran away, because those boys were heavily armed.

    “They were not carrying pistols. I don’t know how to describe their guns, but the guns they carried surpassed that of the police in terms of the sophistication.

    “It was after the whole crisis has simmered that the police and some SARS officials came to the scene,” a resident of the area said.

    Our correspondent, who visited the scene, met high presence of patrol vans and armoured personnel carriers of the Lagos State Police Command on the ground.

    Remnants of broken bottles, blood spills and sticks littered ground of the street.

    Residents, who also sustained various injuries, were also seen receiving treatments on the street.

    The residents feared they may be reprisal attacks due to the ‘high profile’ person killed from one of the factions.

    A resident, who prefers not to be named, said similar incident occurred sometime last year when the hoodlums stormed the street and carted away items from traders, including six motorcycles from a park.

    According to the residents, number of death recorded from fighting in Fadeyi this year alone stands at five.

  • Judge withdraws from Okorocha’s certificate of return suit against INEC

    A judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice Taiwo Taiwo has withdrawn from a suit filed by Imo Governor Rochas Okorocha with which he sought to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue him with a certificate of return.

    INEC has failed to issue Okorocha a certificate of return weeks after declaring him winner of Imo West Senatorial District with the returning officer claiming to have acted under duress.

    The decision by Justice Taiwo to withdraw from the case was informed by allegation of bias raised against him by the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in the February 23 National Assembly election – Jones Onyeriri and Senator Osita Izunaso.

    Onyeriri wrote petition to the court’s Chief Judge, querying the judge’s neutrality while Izunaso filed a motion, asking the judge to disqualify himself from further hearing the case on grounds of likelihood of being bias.

    Justice Taiwo, while announcing his withdrawal on Wednesday, said he would return the case file to the court’s Chief Judge for re-assignment to a new judge.

    Onyeriri , in his petition, accused the judge of making utterances in which he “clearly prejudged the substantive issues that will be resolved in this matter and clearly showed he has taken sides with the plaintiff (Okorocha).”

    In an affidavit deposed to by a lawyer, Chijioke Nzekwe, on his behalf, Onyeriri claimed the judge told INEC’s lawyer, Wendy Kuku that the electoral body was responsible for the problems associated with the election.

    He added: “’The honourable judge went further to say that he has read through the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and found nothing therein that robs him of the jurisdiction to hear his suit.’

    Read Also: Igbo women chide INEC over Okorocha

    “This pronouncement shocked all the counsel who were present in court and even members of the public and press men, who were in the gallery because 2nd and 3rd defendant (INEC and Onyeriri) have notices of preliminary objection, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear this matter.”

    Izunaso, in his motion on notice dated April 8, 2019, asked for an order transferring the suit to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for re-assignment to any other judge of the court.

    In the motion, filed by his lawyer, Prince Orji Nwafor- Orizu, Isunso urged the judge to desist from further hearing the suit, on the grounds that “there is likelihood of bias on the part of this honourable court to continue to hear the suit as the honourable presiding Judge has expressed an opinion favourable to the plaintiff even without the hearing of the substantive suit.

    “The said utterances were made on April 5, 2019 which utterances clearly pre-judged the substantive issues that will be resolved in this matter and clearly showed that the Honourable presiding judge has taken sides with the plaintiff.”