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Tag: probe

  • ‘I ’m not shielding my predecessor from probe’

    ‘I ’m not shielding my predecessor from probe’

    Members of the Niger State House of Assembly and other stakeholders have alleged that Governor Abubakar Sani Bello is shielding his predecessor, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, from probe. In this interview with reporters in Minna, the state capital, the governor explains the delay in probing the former governor. He also highlights the challenges confronting his administration. Justina Asishana was there.

    It has been 250 days after you were sworn in as governor. How has it been?

    The experience has been tough for many reasons. First, because of the shift of government from the PDP government to the APC and we have to start a fresh in some sectors. We have a lot of new hands and some old hands joining the government. So, for the first few months, I must confess have been really tough, but I believe that we are on ground now and we are making serious progress. So far, it has been good.

    How far has the administration gone with its investigation into the financial dealings of the previous government?

    The investigation is led by the police and a committee and it is on-going. We are investigating various activities and we are making recoveries. At this moment of the recovery, we are expecting an inflow of within N600m to N700m. We are making progress.

    In the cases that are very bad, that we need to go to court, we are reviewing them. However, we need clear evidence for us to go to court. There is no point going to court, if you do not have clear evidence. In that case, it will amount to wasting tax payers’ money. So, we are reviewing such cases and at the appropriate time we address you people.

    It is assumed in some quarters that you are shielding the previous administration from probe. What is your take on this?

    No, I think people are getting it wrong. The Finance Committee is going on with its assignment and we cannot wait until they finish because as things are now, we have discovered new things. When we discovered these new things, we send to them and they look at it and they advised us. It is just an advisory committee and we cannot wait until it finished its work 100 per cent before we take action on some of them.

    However, with regards to shielding the previous administration, from my assessment, they are all referring to the former governor of Niger State. With regards to that or any other person; you cannot arrest, arraign or charge any person, unless you have had substantial evidence. Most times, people talk and when we request for hard evidence, they never come back.

    We are being very careful in investigating most of the actions of the previous administration and we are making progress. The police are working day and night and I believe very soon we will get some response. So, we are not shielding anyone. The three months we gave the committee earlier was when we have not had a clear understanding of what was on ground. As it is now, on daily basis, we uncover unusual situations. The problem is more than what was  anticipated.

    Critics have said that you travel more frequently and hardly have time to govern and attend to state matters….

    Well, I travel a lot, but not as much as they think. But, that is part of my job. My job is to travel and bring activities to the state and not to hide myself in the room. I have to travel and address issues. Sitting down in one place when I do not have money is counter-productive. And all my trips have been official apart from one. During Christmas, I went on vacation.  For example, when I have the Economic Council meeting, I have to travel. For the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, I have to go to Abuja. When I have the meeting of the Northern Governors Forum, I have to travel to Kaduna or Abuja. So also is when I have security meeting in Kaduna. Sometimes we have to meet with Mr. President, I have to go. I have meetings with organisations and investors, I have to go. That is part of my job and that is what I am paid for. I am not paid to sit at my desk and sleep.

    So, when people criticize my trips, I am not really concerned because they do not know what the office is all about and it is difficult for people to know what the office is all about. If only they know what the office of the governor is, they should understand me more. However there is a bit of misconception about my all my trips. All my trips are official.

    The issue of 7.5 percent deductions from civil servants salaries for contributory pension has been of major concern to the public. What is the administration doing about it.

    With regards to 7. 5 per cent deductions, which is the contributory pension scheme, I have come to the conclusion that the problem is not the scheme itself, but it had to do with the way it is operated.

    Secondly there are some elements of fraud and that agitated people. When 7.5 per cent is being deducted from your salary every month and it does not reflect in your account, then you, have to start getting worried. That is under investigation and what I can tell you is that the problem started when people realized that their salaries were being deducted and their accounts with the pension management administrators were not credited. And we are talking about a gap of over N6 billion. Even if there were not workers, even myself will react the same way.

    However, the scheme itself is a brilliant and a sustainable one. The old scheme, to be honest, is not sustainable. So, we are investigating the matter and we are in discussion with the labour, workers and all parties, including the House of Assembly, in trying to find a lasting solution the problem. It is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. Pension is not something to play with and I hope within next few weeks, the problem will be laid to rest once and for all.

    What is your relationship with traditional rulers and what is you plan for them?

    I love traditional rulers and infact, I have a very cordial relationship with them. I treat them as my parents and they have provided very quality advices, especially in the security of their emirates. We also need their support to maintain law and order. So, we are actually working on we can collaborate more in the area of security. They have been very helpful.

    What is your plan for agricultural development in the state?

    We have plans to move into sustainable agriculture in the state. We need to see agriculture as business now. We have to be more serious when it comes to agriculture. The Federal Government is trying its best; we also are trying our best. The Central Bank of Nigeria is focusing on areas of agriculture. We have had a meeting with investors in India and they are on ground in some areas of the state. I think what we need to do is to encourage farmers more and to create a window for youths to participate in agriculture; change mindset of people that going back to farm is not a degrading occasion or profession.

    We are putting in place all instruments on agriculture and how to interact with people in the rural areas; even with people in the towns to embrace agriculture. On government’s part, especially in the area of irrigation, we are partnering the Federal Government through the ministry of water resources. We are looking at some of our dams areas for irrigation farming. There are two dams in the state that are not yet completed.

    I personally went to see the Minister of Water Resources and pleaded with him that we have two dams, Federal Government projects that needed to be completed. I strongly believe if those dams are completed and the land is cleared for irrigation, it will boost agriculture in the state. Clearing the land and constructing water canals to allow water flow by gravity is capital intensive, which most of our farmers in the rural areas cannot afford. Such things like this, government should get involved. These are things that I hope we can be able to achieve within the shortest possible period.

    What efforts is the administration making to woo investors into the state?

    We have made tremendous efforts in the past and we are still making progressive efforts. Like I said, we have discussed with investors in India and Singapore and United Kingdom. In my opinion, as a country now, we need to put certain things in place, especially security. The believe out there is that Nigeria is very insecure place and so it is not good for investment. We have lots of sensitisation to make. What are doing in Niger state is addressing security problem head on. Without security we cannot have investors.

    The Federal Government is also addressing the issue of power which is very important for investment. We have received positive responses from different companies they will be coming to Minna. You may ask why are investors not coming the way they are expected to come.

    Apart from the issue of security, the monetary issue is equally important. As you can see, our currency has not been stable. That is a major setback because any person that is investing is coming with foreign currency and if the currency is not stable, it becomes a problem.

    I believe the Central Bank of Nigeria is doing its best to address the issue of foreign exchange. In Niger state, policies are there to encourage investors. The investors are coming with their money and as soon as they are able to process their capital importation, they will enter our state. I have been able to convince them that the environment is conducive and this is the right time for them to come and invest in Nigeria especially in Niger state in the area of agriculture and solid minerals.

    I was with the Minister of Solid Minerals few weeks ago and our discussion focused on what we can do to attract investors and I think very soon the ministry will come up with policy that will help to motivate investors to come to Niger state.

    What measures are on ground to improve the internally generated revenue of the state?

    We must put our heads together to see how we can improve on our income. It has become clear that we cannot survive on monthly statutory allocation from Abuja. In doing that we are looking at board of internal revenue. Presently, I am engaging someone, who is directly under my office, to look into how we can increase the IGR. We are trying to enact some laws to allow us get revenue of some sectors which need some laws to enforce. We have made draft to the law reform commission. So, that is a top priority because everything that I have mentioned, if we do not increase our IGR we cannot achieve them.

    We cannot do development without money and for us to get money we have to work hard and look at those new sources to create revenue. We want it to be that we are more depended on our internally generated revenue, whatever comes from Abuja is just to augment. For now we are augmenting from the IGR.

    Our revenue is fluctuating within N300m to N400m monthly;  for the state like Niger it is not acceptable. I have held a meeting with the Ministry of finance and the board of internal revenue. We have engaged some consultants to advise us on how best to go about it.

    As a pilot scheme, revenue from just one hospital, the General Hospital in Minna alone was N22m that was remitted for the month of February. So, I begin to wonder what has been happening over the years. Yes, the IGR is key and we welcome anyone that can guide us on how to increase our internal revenue.

  • Bello: I’ve no intention of shielding Aliyu from probe

    Bello: I’ve no intention of shielding Aliyu from probe

    Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello has said he has no intention of shielding former Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu from probe.

    He added that progress is being made in the investigation of most of the actions of the last administration.

    The governor said the state expected an inflow of N700 million as part of the recovered funds looted by the previous administration.

    Bello, who reacted to the allegation that he shielded the former governor from probe, said his administration could not arrest any person without evidence.

    According to him, most witnesses disappeared after being asked to produce evidence.

    The governor, who promised that the people would be informed of the recovery of the looted funds, said the Finance Committee did not give its report after the three months deadline given it because it discovered new discrepancies everyday.

    He said the state is working to improve the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), as the money coming from the federal allocation can no longer sustain it.

    Bello said: “We must put our heads together to see how we can improve on our income. It has become clear that we cannot survive on the monthly statutory allocation from Abuja. In doing that we are looking at the Board of Internal Revenue. We are trying to enact laws to allow us get the revenue of the sectors, which needs laws to be enforced. We have made draft to the Law Reform Commission. So that is a top priority.

    “We cannot carry out development without money, and for us to get money, we have to work hard and look at the new sources to create revenue. We want to depend on our Internally Generated Revenue. Whatever comes from Abuja is just to augment it. For now, we are augmenting from IGR.”

  • Buhari orders probe into Benue killings

    Buhari orders probe into Benue killings

    President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered investigation into the clashes between herdsmen and indigenes of communities in Benue State.

    Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, expressed shock at the latest incident, which led to hundreds of deaths in four communities in Agatu.

    He ordered security agencies to get to the root of the problem.

    “We will conduct investigation to know what happened; the only way to bring an end to the violence is to look beyond one incident and ascertain factors behind the conflicts.”

    All Nigerians, he said, must learn to live together as one, in peace and in unity.

    “We are one nation and one people. There should not be any reason why Nigerians of any group or tongue cannot live with one another wherever they find themselves after decades of living together.”

    The President condoled with the government and people of Benue State, particularly the people of the Agatu communities, assuring them that the government would ensure that no such incident occurred again.

    “Once the investigation is concluded, we will address the problem,” he said.

  • $180m Halliburton scandal: EFCC may opt for fresh trial

    $180m Halliburton scandal: EFCC may opt for fresh trial

    Agency to probe how ex-NSA Gusau, others brokered settlement

    Some of the suspects implicated in the $180million Halliburton bribery scandal are likely to be retried, following fresh evidence, it was learnt yesterday.

    Also yesterday, an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) source said it may review claims that a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Aliyu Gusau and a former Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS), Col. Kayode Are, facilitated an out of court settlement with five companies on the scandal.

    A document submitted to the EFCC indicated  that the government opted for settlement agreement because of Julius Berger’s strategic roles in the nation’s economy.

    It was also gathered that the EFCC was prevailed upon to adopt plea bargain because the nation’s laws on the subject matter were weak.

    But the anti-graft agency has not foreclosed the trial of the suspects.

    A source said: “The EFCC is making significant progress in its ongoing investigation and at the end of the day, it may retry some of the suspects implicated in the scandal. Already, one of the suspects has a pending application before the Supreme Court.

    “There are other suspects who will also be arraigned, depending on the outcome of our investigation. All the key actors have written us to explain their roles.

    “We are probing the role of all past and present public officers involved in the deal.”

    In one of the documents made available to the EFCC, it was recommended that there is nothing wrong in prosecuting suspects afresh if there are new evidence.

    “On the issue of the Nigerians involved, we opted in the exercise of the prosecutorial discretion to charge them piecemeal and the lawyers commenced the prosecution. The proceedings were however not as fast as we expected because of lack of sufficient evidence and witnesses.

    “There is nothing stopping the EFCC from proceeding with these cases if they now have sufficient evidence and the requisite witnesses to prosecute instead of trying to impugn a transaction they initiated, participated and consummated. It should be noted that the EFCC vetted and co-signed all the Non-Prosecution Agreements.

    “Given the entirety of the circumstances and the facts at our disposal at the time the negotiations were conducted, we did our best to preserve the national interest.

    “Government is therefore invited to objectively review the transaction in order to arrive at an informed position and should not rely on the misconceived views and opinions of persons and agencies that have an interest to serve.”

    A document obtained by our correspondent yesterday confirmed the ongoing investigation by the EFCC that many public officers played some roles in the deal with the five companies.

    It alleged that Gen. Gusau and Col. Are facilitated out of court settlement with five companies on the $180million Halliburton bribery scandal.

    The document, which is being reviewed by the EFCC, states in part: “As soon as the criminal suits were filed, the then NSA, General Aliyu Gusau, called for an Out of Court Settlement in view of the strategic role that Julius Berger (one of the companies implicated in the bribery scandal) plays in our economy.

    “It was, therefore, agreed that a settlement meeting be held in his office and he nominated the Deputy NSA in the person of Kayode Are to chair the meeting.

    “At the meeting convened for that purpose, we took a critical look at the position of our laws and agreed that our laws on the subject matter were weak and reliance on the penal sanctions provided under the laws, only pittance by way of fines could be realized from the out of court settlement.

    “As a result, we opted to pursue the companies on the ground of ‘reputational damage’ occasioned the country by the alleged acts of bribery.

    “It was therefore resolved that the companies involved would be asked to pay fines for reputational damage to the country.

    “To serve as deterrence, it was agreed that companies involved would be made to disgorge 5 (five) times the amount that was transmitted through them and also pay the solicitors’ fees as was done in the Pfizer’s case involving the Federal Government.

    “That was how Julius Berger was made to pay $26million to the Federal Government of Nigeria exclusive of the solicitors’ fees, which was paid to them directly. This was with the knowledge and involvement of the EFCC nominated lawyer and Secretary.

    “This strategy became the threshold for negotiations with the rest of the companies at the instance of the EFCC themselves who came up with a lot of companies to negotiate and pay the FGN directly through the CBN and over $200 million were collected.”

    Also, insights were given on how the five lawyers, who fostered the plea bargain, were appointed.

    The document said in  2010, the then Chairman of the EFCC, Mrs Farida Waziri, got a “letter from some American lawyers to the effect that they wanted to sue Halliburton and other associated companies in respect of the LNG bribery scandal on the understanding that they would be entitled to 33 1/3 of whatever they recovered as professional fees.”

    The document said the government  felt “very uncomfortable with the approach and rather called for the files to  review the entire subject matter and fashion out an appropriate strategy that would best serve Nigeria’s over all interest.

    The document said after a review of the files on the subject, the government came to the considered view that the “best approach would be to assemble a team of Nigerian solicitors working together with the EFFC to commence criminal proceedings against the foreign companies involved, while reviewing on the basis of available evidence how best to deal with the Nigerian individuals involved.”

    To constitute a team to commence prosecution, the lawyers were nominated as follows: the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr J.B. Daudu, SAN, Mr. E.C. Ukala, SAN, Mr. D.O. Dodo, SAN(the Office of the AGF) and the EFCC, nominated Mr. G.O. Obla, SAN and Mr. Emmanuel Akomoye, the then Secretary of the EFCC to participate in the trial and monitor the ensuing negotiations.

    “The then Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, Mr. Roland Ewubare, was also co-opted because of his extensive experience on the issue from the American perspective, having practised law in the United States of America for a long time.”

    An Abuja High Court on March 27, 2013 struck out the case against six Nigerian suspects arraigned over the Halliburton scandal.

    Those set free were a former Permanent Secretary,  Ibrahim Aliyu, Mohammed Gidado Bakari and four companies.

    The four companies are Urban Shelter Ltd, Intercellular Nigeria Ltd, Sherwood Petroleum Ltd and Tri-Star Investment Ltd.

    The six accused persons had  stood trial for allegedly  serving as conduits and receiving bribes in hard currency to facilitate natural gas contracts between 1994 and 2005.

    Justice Abubakar Sadiq Umar  said the prosecution had failed to diligently prosecute the case.

    Also, Bodunde Adeyanju,  former aide to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, was arraigned in 2010 alongside George Mark, Jeffrey Tesler(at large), Hans George Christ, Heinrich J. Stockhausen; Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and Bilfinger Berger GMBH.

    Mark, Tesler, Christ, Stockhausen; Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and Bilfinger Berger GMBH were alleged to have sometime between 2002 and 2003  conspired to make several cash payments in the sum of US$1million (five times) totalling in equivalent $5million to Bodunde .

    They were alleged to have committed an offence contrary to Section 16 of the Money Laundering Act 1995(as saved by Section 23(2) of the Money Laundering Act 2004) and punishable under Section 15(2) and (3) of the Money Laundering Act 1995(as saved by Section 23(2) of the Money Laundering Act, 2004).

    The EFCC is closing  in on more suspects in its ongoing probe of the whereabouts of the $200m (N66billion) penalty fines paid by five companies involved in the scandal.

    The anti-graft agency has asked the lawyers who handled the settlement to account for the fines and about $12million(N3.960billion) collected as “legal fees”.

    One of the lawyers, Mr.  Damian Dodo (SAN), in a letter to the EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu admitted that the  legal team got $3.5million out of the $4.5million paid to it.

    He said the balance of  $1,000,000 was remitted to the Federal Ministry of Justice as “reimbursement cost to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    The $180million bribery scandal involved the former Halliburton subsidiary, Kellogg Brown and Root (KBR), in respect of the Liquefied Natural Gas plant in Bonny.

    Albert J. Stanley admitted before a Houston court in the US on September 4, 2008 that he orchestrated more than $180million in bribe to senior government officials.

    Stanley alleged that the bribe was channeled through a UK lawyer, Tesler, in four installments of $60million; $32.5million; $51million and $23million.

    The bribe was allegedly facilitated between 1995 and 2005 in London.

    The countries where the bribe money was allegedly stashed by some top government officials and their accomplices are France, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Portugal and Seychelles.

    Tesler, 63, was in February, 2012 sentenced to 21 months in prison in the US after pleading guilty in March last year to bribing Nigerian Government officials with $132 million between 1994 and 2004. He also forfeited $149 million to US authorities under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).

    According to sources, Tesler played a fast one on Nigerian officials who were to benefit from the $180m by diverting $133, 073,750million to his account in Switzerland.

    He shared only about $22, 417, 000 and DRM 500,000 to some top government officials.

    Upon discovery of the $133, 073,750m in Tesler’s account, the Swiss government froze the account and during the trial of the accused person, the looted fund was transferred to the US.

    But the Federal Government, through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, has initiated moves to recover the $133, 073,750m which was found in Tesler’s account.

  • Court dismisses Oduah’s suit over bullet-proof cars’ probe

    Court dismisses Oduah’s suit over bullet-proof cars’ probe

    Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court Wednesday  dismissed a fundamental rights suit filed by Senator Stella Oduah.

    The judge upheld an objection by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami (SAN).

    Justice Abang said he lacked jurisdiction to determine the case because what was complained about did not occur in Lagos.

    He awarded cost of N15,000 against Oduah, to be paid to the AGF.

    Justice Mohammed Yunusa, now of the Enugu Division, had last August 26 granted an interim injunction restraining anti-graft agencies from taking any action against Oduah pending the determination of her suit.

    It is over the 2013 purchase of two armoured BMW cars for over N255million by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) under her watch.

    The case was later re-assigned to Justice Abang who had adjourned for judgment before he was transfered to Abuja Division.

    He returned to Lagos to deliver the verdict.

    Justice Yunusa had barred the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the AGF and the Inspector-General of Police from inviting the former minister for interrogation.

    The order was to subsist until Wednesday’s  judgment.

    Dismissing the suit, Justice Abang upheld the AGF’s preliminary objection which challenged the court’s jurisdiction.

    The judge held there was no evidence that the former minister’s right was to be violated in Lagos.

    Besides, the judge said it would not amount to a violation of her right if the Federal Government had any valid reason to arraign Oduah in a Lagos State High Court as she alleged.

    AGF contended that by virtue of Section 46(1) of the Constitution and Order 2 Rule 1 of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure, only a court within the state where Oduah’s rights were allegedly violated could hear the case.

    “From the whole of the applicant’s averments, there is nowhere she mentioned that her right was or is being breached by the respondents within the territorial space called Lagos.

    “There is nothing to show that the applicant was invited, arrested or detained in Lagos by any of the respondents in the suit.

    “The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos cannot assume jurisdiction to entertain alleged breach of fundamental rights did not take place in Lagos State,” AGF’s lawyer T.A. Gazali argued.

    Justice Abang agreed with Gazali’s submissions.

    The AGF also said Oduah had not established any cause of action against it, having not proved that she had been invited, arrested or detained by the AGF.

    “The applicant’s suit is not in conformity with Order IX of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules 2009, hence null and void.‎ The applicant’s case for the most part is hypothetical and speculative,” Gazali said.

    The vehicles, bought under Oduah’s watch as aviation minister, were said to have cost N255million, an amount that sparked huge outrage.

    Oduah, in a supporting affidavit to the suit, had justified the 2013 purchase of two bullet-proof BMW cars by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

    The former minister, who represents Anambra North Senatorial District in the Senate, said the vehicles were bought for the use of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) officials who were in the country to inspect and certify the 22 airports being rehabilitated under her watch.

    According to her, the vehicles were acquired to safeguard the foreign officials lives so that they would not be attacked by the rampaging Boko Haram insurgents who were causing havoc in the Northeast.

    Oduah said the bullet proof cars were especially necessary because the visit of the airport inspectors coincided with “the peak of Boko Haram terrorists’ menace in the country, when the United Nations building and the headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force were bombed in Abuja.”

    “It was thus imperative that the NCAA, which is an apex regulatory authority in the Nigerian aviation industry, operating under the SARPs of the ICAO and subject to assessment by ICAO, acquire its own armoured vehicles for the use of the ICAO officials coming for inspection and certification at the time,” Oduah said.

    She added that the bullet-proof vehicles were captured in the 2013 budget, adding that they were duly procured in line with the Bureau of Public Procurement regulations.

    Oduah said the bid to arrest her for a crime she did not commit began as the general elections approached.

    According to her, the House of Representatives led by Aminu Tambuwal (now Sokoto State governor), and its Committee on Aviation, were especially out to get her.

    But the lawmakers’ move, she said, was part of a grand plan by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to capture power by all means.

    The party, she said, carried out a campaign of calumny by “demonising” the most visible leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Being a frontline PDP member, she also became a target, especially as she was seen as playing a crucial role towards the realisation of President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid.

    She said as part of the APC’s campaign of calumny against her and others, the party’s leadership commissioned some faceless organisations to write letters to the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation.

    Among others, she said she was falsely accused of “all manners of corrupt practices and offences in respect of my stewardship as Minister of Aviation.”

    Oduah said was shocked by the allegations because the aviation ministry under her watch was run in the cleanest manner imaginable.

    The former minister said despite her selfless service to Nigeria and the posive changes made by the ministry under her  watch, including the revamping of the country’s air transportation, Tambuwal still ordered her investigation based on the petitions containing “spurious and wild allegations.”

    She said because of her electoral value and strategic politicking, she had been a target of the ploy by the APC to weaken the PDP and distract its leaders with trumped up charges.

    According to her, part of the APC plan was to charge PDP leaders “in a criminal trial in a Lagos State Government-controlled court.”

    Oduah said unless the court intervened, “the APC will unleash repression against her and others and this may cause the country to recede to a one-party state, with gross adverse effects and irreparable damage to our nascent democracy.”

  • CNPP urges transparency in NNPC probe

    CNPP urges transparency in NNPC probe

    The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has urged the Federal Government to ensure transparency and probity in the on-going probe of the past financial transactions of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

    The CNPP in a statement by its Secretary General, Chief, Willy Ezugwu, in Abuja, Monday, said that the reforms being introduced by the Minister of State/Group Managing Director of the corporation, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has exposed the activities of the cabals who had held the oil sector hostage.

    According to the statement, Ezugwu said that the best gift the President had brought to the table in recent times was the appointment of a non-partisan professional and technocrat, Kachikwu as the minister of state GMD of the corporation.
    ‎
    The organization warned that it was aware of moves by some cabal to blackmail the minister and continue business as usual.

    It warned that Nigerians were ready to defend the minister in his attempt to sanitize the sector.

    The CNPP maintained that Nigerians now had hope in the leadership of the oil sector that had seen some positive and masses oriented reforms in the last few days and thereby warned that the upcoming probe by the government should not be politicized for any reason.

    “CNPP is aware that the worst set of dangerous black marketers in the world exist within the NNPC as oil cabal and this is to sound a warning to them that Nigerians will not tolerate any unwarranted attack under any guise by these agents of darkness to either bring the corporation down or pull the government down on its people oriented leadership,” the statement read.
    ‎
    He said Kachukwu had proven to be interested in probity and transparency of every single Kobo that the country earns from crude oil, adding that “we would encourage him to keep his books open and allow Nigerians to face the cabal while himself and the President are allowed to concentrate.”

    He urged Kachikwu to be courageous, saying he has the support of Nigerians.

  • Falana urges ICC to probe Dasuki, others

    Falana urges ICC to probe Dasuki, others

    Lagos lawyer Femi Falana (SAN)  has urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate alleged crimes of inhumanity against some former and serving military officers, including former National Security Adviser Col. Sambo Dasuki.

    The request is contained in a petition of January 19 to the Prosecutor of the ICC, Mrs Fatou Bensouda.

    Falana urged the ICC prosecutor toinvestigate the allegations of the diversion of the security fund of $2.1 billion and N643 billion earmarked  “by suspected perpetrators, with a view to determining whether these amount to crimes against humanity within the Court’s jurisdiction”.

    He urged the court to invite representatives of the Federal Government to provide written or oral testimony.

    The lawyer pleaded with the prosecutor to bring to justice those suspected to have deliberately underfunded the armed forces through widespread and systematic corruption.

    He urged the government to fulfil its obligations under the Rome Statute to cooperate with the ICC by complying with the requests to arrest and surrender suspected perpetrators of the  criminal diversion of security fund and provide other support to the ICC.

    The lawyer, whose firm represented a majority of the soldiers charged with mutiny, cowardly behaviour and sundry offences before the court-martial instituted by the former military authorities, said the only “offence” proved against the soldiers were that they had the temerity to demand weapons to fight Boko Haram.

    Falana alleged that the insurgents have killed about 25,000 soldiers and civilians.

  • Families of missing DSS agents seek probe

    Four months after seven Department of State Service (DSS) agents went missing in Ikorodu, Lagos State, their families have called for a presidential investigation into the matter.

    They also decried the agency’s silence on the plight of its agents.

    The distraught families urged President Muhammadu Buhari to unravel the whereabouts of the agents, who were said to have been abducted by suspected vandals.

    They appealed to the President to compel the DSS to pay the salaries and other entitlements of the missing operatives to their jobless wives, hungry children and take full financial responsibility of their families.

    The sister to one of the abducted DSS agents, Ms Mercy Obiorah, said: “Let Nigerians ask why the DSS should keep silent on the sudden disappearance of their gallant officers who were on a national assignment and refuse to even ask their families how they have been faring!

    “Reason and responsibility demand that the DSS should cater for the temporary financial needs of the families until they are back.”

    Those copied in the letter, titled: “A plea for thorough investigation into the case of seven missing DSS operatives with Lagos Command,” are: the Senate, the Inspector-General of the Police (IGP) Solomon Arase and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

    Ms Obiorah condemned the silence of the DSS since the incident happened, despite efforts by her family to ascertain the whereabouts of her brother.

    The woman, who wrote from Texas, the United States of America (U.S.A), described the silence of the DSS as a show of aggressive impunity and corrosive erosion of professionalism, which must be rejected by well-meaning Nigerians.

    She urged President to compel the DSS to tell Nigerians whether the missing operatives were dead or alive; investigate their disappearance and explain their mission at Arepo or Ishawo.

    Ms Obiorah said: “Rumours must be debunked for the sake of public good. A public pronouncement by the DSS on this matter is long overdue.

    “I strongly reject this aggressive and inhuman tendency from the DSS. These missing guys are human beings with wives and children; yet, they are being treated like animals. This is a show of aggressive impunity and corrosive erosion of professionalism that must be rejected by well-meaning Nigerians.

    “I need not dramatise my unimaginable mental burden, nor that of my family, that after four months, the DSS Office cannot inform us on the whereabouts of my brother who, along with his six colleagues, were sent to work from their Lagos command on September 15, 2015.

    “Incessant visits by my family back in Nigeria to the Office of the DSS in Lagos since September 15 have consistently left everyone with a most traumatic and painful experience. The Lagos Director, Mr Ajanaku, kept telling them that …my brother and his colleagues were alive and hidden somewhere in the creeks.

    “This information, quite unprofessional as it has been, is becoming tellingly unsavoury, objectionable and most devastating to the entire family members, especially with the passing days.

    “The DSS cannot permanently keep silent on a serious matter of national concern as this. In the U.S, when such incidents happen, it takes the Sheriff a few hours to go on air and inform the citizens. It is the right of citizens to get informed.

    “My missing brother’s wife confirmed that her husband told her that they were going for the rescue of a kidnapped woman in Ikorodu, contrary to ubiquitous reports that they were going to hunt down pipeline vandals or going for the funeral of their fallen colleague. This matter needs to be investigated.

    “My family back home in Nigeria went to the DSS Office in Lagos many times where my brother’s director assured them that they went to work and were kidnapped and that the DSS was negotiating for their release. At other times, the director said the military and the Navy had taken over the matter.

    “The question is: How could the military and Navy take over the investigation of a kidnap case of highly placed senior officers of DSS when they (the DSS) are adept at cracking high profile kidnap cases? We, and other Nigerians, smell a rat somewhere.”

  • Extend anti-graft probe to LG joint account – NULGE

    Extend anti-graft probe to LG joint account – NULGE

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    The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to extend the anti-graft probe to the management of local government joint accounts in the 36 states of the federation.

    The call is contained in a statement issued by the President of the union, Mr. Ibrahim Khaleel in Kano on Tuesday.

    The statement quoted Khaleel as saying “the anti-corruption war cannot be complete without a searchlight on the management of the local government joint account system in the country.

    “In the area of corruption, a lot of breakthrough is being recorded as some culprits are being brought to book.

    “I, therefore, call on President Muhammadu Buhari to extend the fight on anti-graft to the management of states and local government joint accounts across the 36 states of the federation.’’

    The Union boss also commended the Federal Government “for the concerted efforts to tame insurgency in the country.’’

     

  • Panel to probe allegations against NITDA’s chief

    Panel to probe allegations against NITDA’s chief

    Minister of Communications Adebayo Shittu has set up a committee to probe alleged breach of the Public Procurement Act 2007 and financial abuse in the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

    The minister was angered by the non-adherence to a letter ofAugust 14, 2015, by a former Permanent Secretary, Dr. Tunji Olaopa, who queried alleged breach of rules by the NITDA Director-General, Mr. Peter Jack.

    Jack was alleged to have  mismanaged state funds running into hundreds of millions of naira and breached civil service rules.

    A source close to the minister said a petition by Information Technology Law Practitioners Association of Nigeria, signed by its President, Fredrick Uyabeme and Secretary Olumide Aboyade-Cole, accused the director-general of fraud and administrative impunity in its six-page memorandum on NITDA and annexure attached as exhibits 1-12.

    The petition was also sent to the anti-graft agencies.

    Olaopa, in the letter to Jack, titled: “Reported Breaches in NITDA”, copy of which was made available to reporters in Ibadan at the weekend, stated: “It has come to my attention that there are several anomalies in your agency, which touch on the following: breach of public service rules pertaining to recruitment and secondment of staff; breaches of the Public Procurement Act 2007 and non-implementation of board directives as well as failure to seek approval of the ministry in absence of a board.

    “I have also been inundated with news of your invitation to answer to sundry queries for breaches, yet you have not deemed it fit to update me on issues so I can appraise our principal as required. Notwithstanding the foregoing, I am directing that you reverse all recruitment and secondment implemented without the approval of your board.

    “You are to also ensure that all procurement processes are implemented with strict adherence to the Public Procurement Act 2007; and furthermore, I am reminding you that the absence of a board does not confer the liberty to breach the NITDA Act nor the Public Service rules.

    “You are required to comply with the letters and spirit of the circular of July 16, 2015, on matters that would normally require the attention of the NITDA board.”

    But the minister was worried that months after the letter was issued by the former permanent secretary, “the director-general continues to treat the matter with disdain”.

    This attitude informed the minister’s resolve to set up a ministerial committee headed by the Director, Research and Statistics to probe the matter.

    The committee is expected to submit its report this week.