The Nation Newspaper

Tag: probes

  • China probes auto makers, tech firms

    China probes auto makers, tech firms

    Chinese regulators have launched a series of anti-monopoly investigations of foreign auto makers and technology providers, stepping up pressure on foreign companies that feel increasingly unwelcome in China.

    On Wednesday, a regulator said Chrysler and Germany’s Audi will be punished for violating anti-monopoly rules. Mercedes Benz and Japanese companies also are under scrutiny. A probe of Microsoft was announced last week.

    The investigations are fuelling unease among foreign companies that complain Beijing uses regulatory measures to hamper them and promote potential Chinese competitors in technology and other fields in violation of its free-trade commitments.

    Regulatory conditions are “less certain and more challenging,” said James Zimmerman, a former chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China and managing partner of the Beijing office of law firm Sheppard Mullin Richter and Hampton.

    “Foreign companies view recent investigations and prosecutions as politically motivated,” he said.

    In an apparent effort to force down consumer prices, regulators have launched investigations of foreign auto, technology, pharmaceutical and dairy companies over the past two years using a 2008 anti-monopoly law.

    In the auto industry, investigations appear to have been prompted by complaints prices of imported vehicles are too high and foreign auto makers abuse their control over supplies of spare parts to gouge customers.

    A spokesman for the Cabinet’s planning agency, the National Development and Reform Commission, said investigators concluded Chrysler, a unit of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, and Audi, Volkswagen AG’s luxury unit, engaged in unspecified “monopolistic behaviour.”

    “They will be punished accordingly,” said the official, Li Pumin, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. The report gave no details of penalties.

  • EFCC probes three agro dealers for N892m fertiliser ‘scam’

    EFCC probes three agro dealers for N892m fertiliser ‘scam’

    Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are set to uncover  a suspected fertiliser racketeering in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.

    A source in the anti-graft agency said three agro-allied companies, one of them owned by a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Borno State, were allegedly found in the scam.

    The companies, according to findings, obtained a N892 million loans from banks to buy the fertiliser from the ministry at highly subsidised prices.

    A breakdown of the loans showed that one of them obtained N353 million, while the other two got N308 million and N231 million.

    The source alleged that the fertiliser was diverted to Cameroon, where it was sold at exorbitant prices and denying local farmer access to the commodity.

    “These people got the fertiliser from the ministry at highly-subsidised cost, with the promise that the product would be sold to local farmers. But the fertiliser was diverted to Cameroon where it was sold at huge prices.

    “The sad aspect of the case is that these people have also refused to pay back the loans they obtained from the banks. Rather than respond to efforts by the banks to recover their money, they’ve been going round town, telling everybody that they are above the law,” the source said.

    Another source in the EFCC told The Nation that the lid was blown open when the banks petitioned the commission after their unsuccessful attempt  to recover the loans.

    It was learnt that EFFC’s efforts to get to the root of the scam was being hampered by bureaucracy.

    “We have done everything possible to invite two permanent secretaries from the agriculture ministry. They are the ones that can throw more light into how this racket operates. But the ministry top guns are refusing the commission access to them. It is indeed very frustrating,” the source said.

    In a telephone chat with our reporter, EFCC spokesman Wilson Uwujaren said he was not aware of the case.

    The spokesman said there were several similar cases with the commission.

    He said: “I am not aware of the case you just mentioned and I have not been notified of such petition.”

  • Lagos Assembly probes market demolition

    The Lagos State House of Assembly will today host stakeholders from Ifelodun Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in a bid to unravel the mystery behind the demolition of the re-developed Amukoko market on May 18.

    This is the second time in a month that unknown people, who reportedly came in unmarked vehicles, have demolished the market.

    “Tomorrow (today), the chairman of the council will join other stakeholders that were invited by the House to meet with the appropriate committee with a view to really find out those behind the act and their motive,” a source told The Nation yesterday.

    The intervention of the assembly, it was learnt, followed the protest last week, by traders at the market, who stormed the council’s secretariat with placards, denuding urgent action.

  • Military probes mutiny in Borno barracks

    Military probes mutiny in Borno barracks

    All was calm yesterday at a military facility in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, after soldiers fired shots in anger.

    Soldiers at the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army threatened to attack the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Division, Major General Ahmed Mohammmed, The Nation learnt.

    A military source, who spoke in confidence, however, said the situation had been brought under control.

    The incident happened at the Maimalari Barracks of the 7 Division early in the morning over alleged exposure to “unnecessary risks” by military authorities.

    The revolt coincided with the visit of the GOC to Maimalari Cantonment to boost the troops’ morale of troops.

    It was also learnt that some of the soldiers were angry that they had become war wearied because the military has not been rotating troops as it is conventional.

    Others were also said to be aggrieved over provision of obsolete equipment, which had made them vulnerable to insurgents.

    Although a few others were alleged to have complained about short-payment of allowances, a military source said all stipends and inconvenience allowances had been paid up to date.

    The grouses of the troops were:

    •cheap exposure to ambush by Boko Haram insurgents due to uncoordinated information;

    •needless killing of soldiers as a result of misleading information;

    •insufficient food(one meal per day);

    •obsolete equipment, limited arms and ammunition to fight insurgents

    •alleged short-payment of accruing allowances; and

    •non-rotation of troops leading to diminishing returns.

    A source said: “These soldiers attacked the convoy of the GOC who escaped by the whiskers.

    “But some orderlies of the GOC, who are fellow soldiers, were shot. The injured soldiers are receiving treatment.

    “The mutiny was allegedly triggered by the arrival of the bodies of four soldiers, who were ambushed and killed in the Chibok axis by Boko Haram insurgents.

    “When the soldiers saw the bodies of their colleagues, tempers rose and they revolted against the GOC.

    “They attributed the killings to misleading information. Some locals had provided clues which could lead to the location of the abducted girls.

    “But while following the clues, the troops were ambushed by Boko Haram and killed. The soldiers claimed that unverified clues from locals by the military hierarchy had been leading to needless killing of soldiers.”

    A military source said: “The situation was immediately brought under control by the Military High Command.

    “The report available indicated that the soldiers only shot sporadically into the air in protest; they did not attack the GOC.

    “They registered their displeasure over misleading information by the locals in Chibok and other frontline areas leading to incessant ambush and killing of troops.

    “Some of them also demanded the adoption of rotation system for troops because the same set of soldiers had been battling Boko Haram insurgents.”

    Responding to a question, the source added: “The mutiny was not about allowances because these had been paid to date.”

    The Defence Headquarters yesterday said a board of inquiry would be raised to probe the shooting.

    The Director of Defence Information, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, made the clarification in the military’s reaction to troops’ mutiny .

    The statement said: “The 7 Division of the Nigerian Army is to  institute a military board of inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the conduct of soldiers who fired some shots today while the General Officers Commanding was addressing troops in Maimalari cantonment Maiduguri.

    “The incident occurred when the bodies of  four soldiers who died in an ambush while returning from patrol duties in Chibok were being conveyed to the morgue.

    “There is calm in the cantonment and all normal operations  activities are ongoing.”

    Apart from the statement, there were indications last night that the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, sent a team to Maiduguri for preliminary stock-taking of the mutiny.

    The source said: “The CDS has sent a team of senior officials to the 7 Division for preliminary findings. This is without prejudice to the board of inquiry which will be set up.”

    The Borno State Government released the list of 23 more students whose identities were confirmed by their parents in the video clip of Boko Haram.

    A statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Communication, Alhaji Isa Gusau, also said the identification of the abducted girls was continuing at press time.

    The statement said: “Please find the names of the additional 23 girls that had been identified. The names are 1. Fibi Haruna; 2. Laraba Mamman; 3. Saraya Yanga; 4. Hauwa Mutan; 5. Deborah Abari; 6. Hauwa Nkeki Mbalala; 7. Rejoice Musa8. Yana Joshua ; 9. Esther Ayuba; 10. Helen Musa; 11. Mwa Daniel; 12. Hannatu Ishaku; 13. Yayi Abana; 14. Mary Ndamah; 15. Monica Enoch ; 16. Amina Ali; 17. Ashe Ezekiel; 18. Lydia Simon; 19. Na’omi Bitrus; 20. Kawuna Lalai; 21. Kawuna Luka; 22. Lydia Habila; 23. Margaret Watsai

    “The exercise is continuing with a new set of parents, teachers and students. The three sets of people (parents, teachers and students) were brought to Maiduguri in batches. Another set is to continue the identification exercise tonight and we will get back too you with any update.”

     

  • Panel probes ‘DPO who raped detainee’

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, has ordered investigations into the alleged rape of a woman detainee by a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Lagos.

    A panel of three senior police officers drawn from the Lagos State Command’s X- Squad, Human Rights Section and the Public Relations Office has been set up to investigate the case.

    A non-governmental organisation, Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRI), had petitioned the IG over allegation of rape of Miss Idowu Akinwunmi (31), by the DPO, Onikan Police Station, Adekunle Awe, a Superintendent of Police (SP) in his office on April 15.

    The victim, who informed NOPRIN that she works at ‘Abua Mamaput & Bar’ (makeshift restaurant) at 11, Keffi Road, Ikoyi, said she was arrested by police operatives attached to the division on April 15 about 1am at the place over a complaint lodged against her at the police station by her employer, Mrs. Pelumi Idowu.

    While she was being detained in the cell, Inspector Ajiduwe allegedly took her to the office of the DPO about 10pm, where she was raped.

    The victim alleged that the DPO forcefully had canal knowledge of her without protection and threatened to send her to prison if she mentioned it to anyone.

    She alleged that she was released the next day after the Investigating Police Officer (IPO), Inspector Taiwo, took N10,000 from her. She said after her release, she started suffering severe stomach pains following the alleged sexual abuse by the police officer.

    The National Coordinator of NOPRIN, Okechukwu Nwanguma, lauded the IGP’s prompt intervention, noting that the IGP had by his commendable action, indicated his commitment to checking police abuse of authority and impunity for human rights violation within the police.

    He said NOPRIN had continued to follow up the progress of the investigation, adding that it was satisfied that the investigating team had made far-reaching efforts to unravel the truth and recommend appropriate disciplinary and remedial actions.

    “With the confirmation of the narrative by the victim in her statement to the police, especially her description of the DPO’s office and the illustration made of it; and with the conflicts in the various statements made by the DPO and other detained police officers on duty on the day of the incident, there is no doubt about the veracity and credibility of the victim’s claims.

    “We call on the investigating team to remain focused, steadfast and professional and resist any pressure to compromise investigations. We expect that investigation should be concluded early and the report be made public and appropriate sanctions imposed on the culprits, as deterrence. There is need to send out a strong message that rape will no longer be tolerated and that perpetrators will no more escape justice,” Nwanguma said.

  • Assembly probes whereabouts of N5b SURE-P fund

    The Plateau State House of Assembly has begun the probe of over N5 billion suspected to be missing from the state government’s account.

    The money is the state’s share of the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P), which the Jonah Jang administration reportedly received from last January till date.

    The probe, the lawmakers said, became necessary following public outcry that the funds might have been misappropriated by the government.

    It was learnt that the SURE-P has not taken off in Plateau State, despite the monthly disbursement of the funds to the state.

    Speaker John Clark Dabwan set up an Ad Hoc committee to investigate the state’s SURE-P funds.

    The eight-man committee, chaired by Dalyop Mancha, submitted its report to the Assembly last week.

    The committee decried the refusal of the government officials, who appeared before it, to give details of the bank accounts of the SURE-P funds.

    But it hailed the Commissioner for Finance, Davo Mang, for admitting before the committee that the state had been receiving N218 million monthly, since last January as its share of the SURE-P funds from the Federal Government.

    The accumulated funds the state has received is believed to be over N3 billion.

    The Ad Hoc committee also reportedly discovered that the state government has been receiving N146 million monthly on behalf of its 17 local governments from last January year. The funds have accumulated to over N2 billion.

    The state and local governments’ shares of the SURE-P funds, according to the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dr. Paul Wai, as well as the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) State Chairman Emmanuel Loman, have been channelled to the state government through the Federation Account Committee (FAC) on a monthly basis.

    The state’s and local governments’ shares have been put at over N5 billion.

    Mancha noted that despite several requests by the committee, Mang and the Accountant-General, Mr. Boyi sauka, failed to speak on the details of the account.

    He said: “The government officials, who appeared before us, claimed that the funds have not been misappropriated by the state government and that the funds are intact. But they failed to provide us with the bank’s statement and details of bank transactions to substantiate their claims.

  • Fed Govt probes Gambian Chief Justice for alleged corruption

    Fed Govt probes Gambian Chief Justice for alleged corruption

    The Federal Government is currently investigating Nigerian Acting Chief Justice of The Gambia, Justice Joseph Wowor over his role in an alleged bribery scandal.

    Foreign Affairs Minister Olugbenga Ashiru spoke yesterday in an interactive session with reporters at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat, Abuja.

    Justice Wowor was allegedly video-taped while negotiating for bribe from a party to litigation in his country of assignment, The Gambia.

    Ashiru said the aim of government’s investigation was to establish the veracity of the allegation against Wowor

    The minister said the Nigerian Government would ensure that the interests of Nigerians living abroad are protected, adding however that any of them found wanting would be held accountable.

    He said: “We believe in the rule of law and we believe in due process. That is what we even do in Nigeria here in terms of our judiciary where our Chief Justice is working round the clock to sanitise the system.

    “The case in The Gambia is being looked into and if there is any case of highhandedness or whatever, the Nigerian Government will look into it and take necessary steps to ensure that the interest of Nigeria is protected.

    “I want to make it clear that we are all living witnesses to the fact that where any government in Africa unduly takes action against Nigerian, the Nigerian Government will act appropriately. We have various ways to do that. We have done it in the past and we will continue to do that.

    “One of our own principles is that we will stand up for and defend Nigerians anywhere in the world, especially where it is a case of victimisation or injustice. But when a Nigerian willfully plans to commit crime, then he is on his own because as a government, we don’t support criminality, indiscipline or anybody going to break the laws of any country”.

     

  • Senate probes $27m ‘fraud’ in Nigerian Embassy

    Senate probes $27m ‘fraud’ in Nigerian Embassy

    The Senate yesterday began a probe of the alleged sale of some Federal Government’s prime properties in the United States of America valued at $27 million.

    The cash was said to have been embezzled by Nigerian Embassy officials in the US.

    The fund was realised from the sale of “four prime properties in Washington DC and Maryland.”

    The allegations are contained in a petition sent to Senate President David Mark by Daniel Elombah on behalf of Transform Nigeria Citizen Initiative, a non-government organisation (NGO).

    Mark directed his Chief of Staff, Senator Anthony Manzo, to refer the petition to the Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Matthew Nwagwu, for action.

    Nwagwu, who opened the investigation of the matter yesterday, invited Dr. George Obiozor, Nigerian Ambassador to the US from 2004 to 2007; Prof. Joy Ogwu, current Nigerian Representative to the United Nations and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, 2006 to 2007 and Ambassador Ade Adefuye, current Nigerian Ambassador to the US, who resumed duty in October 2010 for interaction.

    Before the investigation moved into a closed door session, Nwagwu said there were allegations of embezzlement of funds in Washington, in particular the sale of properties in the US.

    He said it was alleged that the resources were squandered by Nigerian Embassy officials in the US.

    Nwagwu said: “Ours is to give you a chance to address the committee, to tell us what you know about the administration and management of the funds within your tenure from 2004 to date.

    “There is a petition before the committee on the issue. We have the petition and we are taking it on the face value.

    “We are giving this opportunity to the Minister and Ambassador to explain what happened.

    “We are not a court of law and you are not on trial. We just want to keep the record straight.”

    In the letter to Mark, entitled: ‘Petition concerning misappropriation and embezzlement of funds by the Nigerian Ambassador to the United States and others,’ the petitioner requested Mark to investigate what happened to the funds realised from the sale of certain properties of the Nigerian government in the United States between 2004 and 2007.

    It said available records showed that between 2004 and 2007, Nigerian Embassy sold four prime properties of the Nigerian government located in Washington DC and Maryland.

    The Embassy, it said, also began the sale of a fifth property in San Francisco, California.

    It said: “For the sale of those properties, Nigerian government retained the services of ECULAW law firm.

    “Of those sales, Nigeria realised approximately $27 million.

    “Funds realised from these sales, except those set aside as fees, were remitted to the Nigerian Embassy in Washington DC.

    “As at June 2007, when the Law firm that advised the Embassy on the sale of the properties met the Embassy officials on the Embassy premises in Washington, all these funds and transactions were duly confirmed.

    “On that occasion, it was also confirmed that the Nigerian Embassy had placed the funds in a special account with M&T Bank in Washington DC.

    “M&T Bank had been the bank the Embassy used for other transactions and had about three accounts with that bank.

    “It was confirmed in clear terms that their bank was holding huge deposits comprising the proceeds of the sale of these properties.

    “This remained the position after Ambassador Obiozor had returned to Nigeria upon completing his service in Washington.

    “Those huge funds were lodged in Washington rather than being remitted to Nigeria.

    “Any honest observer of these events would suppose it would be only a short period of time pending a brief protocol necessary for the remittance of those funds to the Nigerian treasury.

    “However, and surprisingly, the Nigerian Embassy left that money in Washington partly because it yielded substantial monthly interests, which the Embassy officials would never have to account for.

    “The funds remained in those account throughout the tenure of Ambassador Oluwole Rotimi.

    “Then arrived Ambassador Adebowale Adefuye in Washington.

    “When Adefuye got to Washington, the funds were still lodged in the M&T Bank account intact.

    “Between the time Adefuye became the Ambassador until March, 2012, the millions in the account mysteriously disappeared.

    “This became clear when the M&T Bank was forced to close the bank accounts of Nigerian Embassy and terminate all banking relations with the Embassy at the beginning of 2012.

    “In the correspondence between the bank and the Embassy, which were made public, it became clear that the accounts of the Embassy with M7T Bank, including the one containing the proceeds of the sale of the Embassy properties had been drawn down to barely $400,000.”

    The petition claimed that since March 2012, there has not been any explanation of what happened to the millions of dollars realised from the sale of the Embassy properties in the US, which were in the bank account at the time Ambassador Adefuye assumed office.

    He said it was time to focus on the truth about the missing money.

    He noted that the least the government should do is to come out and explain to Nigerians what happened to the funds.

  • INEC probes proxy APC’s letter of intent

    INEC probes proxy APC’s letter of intent

    SENIOR officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are probing the receipt and letter of intent submitted by the African Peoples Congress- the group that is claiming the same acronym as the All Progressives Congress formed by merging parties.

    The association, which held a news conference yesterday in Abuja, is “the product of a conspiracy between a top INEC official and the PDP, aimed at pre-empting the decision of the commission on the confusion over the APC acronym,” a source said.

    INEC has said no party has been registered with the name APC, but the promoters of the African Peoples Congress, backed by a senior INEC official and a senior presidential aide held a press briefing.

    The popular thinking in INEC is that the application by the African Peoples Congress to form a political party was faulty and ought not to have been received or even entertained by the Commission.

    Said the source, who pleaded not to be named: “First, an individual or a lawyer cannot apply for registration of a political party. Thus, the application of the African Peoples Congress to form a political party ought not to have been received or even entertained by the Commission.”

    The group’s letter was accepted because of the influence of the INEC official, it was learnt.

    Another source said: “The speed and ease with which the impostor African Peoples Congress (APC) has moved with INEC since the letter submitted by a lawyer applying for approval to register a faceless and officeless party has been made possible due to active inside connivance from within the top hierarchy of INEC. We have it on good authority that a senior INEC official in the PPM&L with a few others deep inside INEC have been tapped by the Presidency to work to register at all cost the African Peoples Congress – all in an effort to frustrate the merger plans of the opposition parties.

    “INEC’s collusion is deep, aided by the Presidency where a very senior aide and confidant of the President is in constant touch with the top INEC official to do all that is necessary to register the African Peoples Congress. The presidential aide, who is also from the same geo-political zone as the president and a very senior member of the PDP Board of Trustees have continued to push and pile undue pressure on some senior INEC officials to force through the registration of APC and where possible promote confusion by sponsoring other groups to apply for registration using the same party acronym, APC.

    The story of how an association that only sent a letter of intent to INEC on February 28, 2013 through a fake office address could exactly two weeks later hold a press briefing announcing to the world that it has fulfilled all registration procedures and going ahead to announce itself as a national party depicts the level of corruption in INEC. It remains the fastest formation of a party in Nigeria or anywhere for that matter.”

    “The promoters of the African Peoples Congress seeing that their game has been exposed and credibility damaged moved quickly to put together a hasty press briefing in which they lied to Nigerians and the world that they had been registered.”

    The INEC official aiding and abetting the irregularities is said to have advised the promoters to submit new applications for party registration with the acronym, APC.

    INEC is said to received two other applications from Integrity Chambers dated March 5, 2013, asking for party registration for All Progressives Congress, APC, and another from All Patriotic Citizens, APC, dated March 8, 2013, asking for registration.

    “All of these is aimed at causing confusion and frustrating the opposition APC from being registered,” the source said.

     

  • Imo Assembly probes deputy governor

    •Govt: the matter has been resolved 

    The Imo State House of Assembly has refuted reports that it has begun impeachment proceedings against Deputy Governor Jude Agbaso.

    It said it is only probing Agbaso for an alleged contract scam.

    In a statement by the Senior Special Assistant (Media) to Speaker Benjamin Uwajumogu, the House said there was no plot to impeach the Deputy Governor.

    The statement reads: “The attention of the Imo State House of Assembly has been drawn to several reports that Deputy Governor Jude Agbaso would be impeached by the Assembly.

    “There is no plot to impeach the deputy governor. The media report is false.

    “The Assembly is only investigating a case of corruption, abandonment of contract site and over-payment involving Agbaso and a construction company, Jepros Nig Ltd.

    “An ad hoc committee has been set up to look into the allegation and the deputy governor has appeared before the committee three times.

    “The committee is yet to submit its report. And the Assembly will not allow external forces to influence its investigation.”

    Agbaso was alleged to have committed some misdeeds, a situation that led to a protest by some contractors.

    Sources said this was responsible for his removal as Commissioner for Works by Governor Rochas Okorocha.

    Some contractors, it was gathered, accused Agbaso of alleged sharp practices, an allegation that prompted the House to begin investigation.

    Efforts by the House to summon the Chairman of the Contractors Association, Kenneth Oguenyi, who led a protest in Onuimo Local Government Area, proved abortive.

    All entreaties for him to appear before the Committee investigating the allegation were unheeded.

    A source said the probe would have began earlier, if Oguenyi had come forth to prove the allegation.

    “We have officially summoned him on radio without response.

    “He even demanded for air ticket which we obliged, yet he has refused to show up.

    “We are going ahead with our job. Already, we have enough evidence to act on and at the end of the day, there will be no sacred cows.

    “Anyone indicted and found guilty will be punished.”

    The House last week ordered the Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Katsina, to issue a warrant to arrest Oguenyi.

    But the Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Ebere Uzoukwa, said the face-off between Agbaso and the House has been resolved, following Okorocha’s intervention.

    “The governor, who was to travel abroad for an official engagement, aborted the trip.

    He met with the committee, the deputy governor and some All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) leaders, which ended the face-off.”

    Uzoukwa said Agbaso denied the allegation, promising to face the law if found guilty.

    “The deputy governor has said the allegation was to tarnish his image and cause disaffection between him, the governor and other stakeholders.”