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Tag: seize

  • EFCC seeks to seize $8.4m, N7.35b ‘from Jonathan’s wife’

    EFCC seeks to seize $8.4m, N7.35b ‘from Jonathan’s wife’

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has asked the Federal High Court in Lagos to order the temporary forfeiture of $8,435,788.84 and N7.35bn suspected to be owned by Mrs. Patience Jonathan.

    The EFCC yesterday told Justice Mojisola Olatoregun that the funds, which it believes came from Bayelsa State, were found in 15 bank accounts linked with the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    The anti-graft agency’s counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, said the order would prevent Mrs Jonathan from dissipating them.

    According to the EFCC, the funds were moved from Bayelsa State’s coffers at a time when the former First Lady served as a permanent secretary.

    The agency alleged that Mrs. Jonathan gained access to the funds by fraudulently assuming the identity of one Esther Oba as the signatory to the said account.

    The EFCC’s claims were contained in an ex parte application presented by Oyedepo before Justice Olatoregun.

    The proceedings were, however, interrupted by a train of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) led by Mr. Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN) and Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), who challenged the court’s jurisdiction to entertain the ex parte application.

    The SANs told the judge that the funds, which the EFCC seeks to seize, were already subject of litigation.

    But Oyedepo maintained that the SANs had no right of hearing in the court, since his application was ex parte.

    Wondering how they got wind of the move by the anti-graft agency, he urged the judge to disregard their appearance.

    The judge upheld Oyedepo’s submission, following which the SANs left the courtroom.

    In view of the development, the judge adjourned till January 23, 2018 and directed the EFCC to file an affidavit to convince the court that there were no pending lawsuits relating to the funds sought to be forfeited.

    In the said ex parte application, the EFCC listed Patience Jonathan and five firms and Esther Oba as respondents.

    The firms that were listed as second to sixth defendants were Globus Integrated Services Ltd., Finchley Top Homes Ltd., Am-Pm Global Network Ltd., Pagmat Oil And Gas Ltd. and Magel Resort Ltd.

    The ex parte application was backed by a 15-paragraph affidavit deposed to by an investigator with the EFCC, Huleji Tukura.

    Tukura claimed that investigation by the anti-graft agency revealed that the funds found in the bank accounts linked to Patience emanated from the coffers of Bayelsa State and that the funds were moved at a time when the former First Lady served as a permanent secretary in one of the ministries in Bayelsa State.

    According to Tukura, Patience first opened a First Bank account and then “procured” the then Senior Special Assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, to fund the account with “proceeds of unlawful activities.”

    Tukura averred, “That the said Dudafa Warripamo-Owei procured one Festus Isidohomen Iyoha and Arivi Eneji Peter, who were domestic staff attached to the State House, Abuja, to deposit the funds, reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, in the account of the 1st respondent (Patience).

    “That in depositing the funds into the account of the 1st respondent, the said domestic staff, in a bid to conceal their identity, deposited the funds, reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful act, into the 1st respondent’s account, using fictitious names.

    “That the total sum of $4,036,750.00 (Four million, thirty-six thousand, seven hundred and fifty United States’ dollars) reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, were deposited into account No. 2022648664 domiciled in First Bank Plc in the name of the 1st respondent.

    “That on the 28th day of September, 2016, the 1st respondent, in dissipating the property sought to be forfeited, transferred the sum of $3,640,794.72 to the 1st respondent’s account No. 2031277178 domiciled in First Bank Plc.

    “That on the 5th day of October, 2016, the 1st respondent withdrew the sum of $1,000,000.00 cash from the said account leaving the balance of the sum of $3,645,013.73 which sum we are urging this honourable court to forfeit in the interim to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    “That as at the time the various sums were deposited in into exhibit EFCC01, the 1st respondent was a serving permanent secretary in the employment of the Bayelsa State Government.

    “That the funds sought to be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria are not the 1st respondent’s lawful earnings but are rather reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.”

    The investigator further explained that the firms mentioned in the application were not into “any legitimate income-yielding business venture” but were rather incorporated at the Corporate Affairs Commission for the purpose of warehousing proceeds of unlawful activities for the former First Lady.

    He claimed that every now and then domestic servants at the Presidential Villa were sent to deposit money into the company’s accounts for Patience.

    “The depositors into this account are domestic staff of State House, Abuja, who were procured by the said Dudafa Waripamo-Owei to deposit the funds sought to be forfeited in a bid to conceal the true origin of the funds,” Tukura said.

    Making specific reference to Globus Integrated Services Ltd., Tukura said, “None of the Directors of the 3rd Respondent are signatories to the said account.

     

     

     

  • Soldiers seize Rivers stadium for Jonathan’s rally

    Soldiers seize Rivers stadium for Jonathan’s rally

    • It’s height of impunity, lawlessness, says Amaechi
    • PDP gov. candidate inspects facility
    • APC office bombed in Patience’s home town
    • Don’t dare us, Police warn

    The oil city of Port Harcourt is on edge after armed soldiers were yesterday drafted to take over the Rivers State Government-owned Adokiye Amiesimaka Sports Complex in Igwuruta, Port Harcourt in readiness for Wednesday’s rally of President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Earlier yesterday, hoodlums lobbed explosives unto the sports field of National School, Okrika in the state, which the All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship candidate,Mr. Dakuku Peterside ,had planned to use later in the day for his campaign.

    Okrika is the home town of First Lady Patience Jonathan.

    The APC blamed the attack on the PDP.

    The soldiers sealed off the two main entrances of the uncompleted stadium near the Port Harcourt International Airport at about 2am yesterday.

    They turned back construction workers and other ‘unauthorised people’ who went there at day break.

    The Rivers State governorship candidate of the PDP, Nyesom Wike, accompanied by several party leaders, was however let in yesterday to inspect the facility at about 12.55pm.

    About 20 soldiers and two Hilux vans were spotted at the complex.

    The Rivers State government accused President Jonathan and Wike of engineering the soldiers’ forceful seizure of the stadium and planning to create chaos in the state while the APC called the soldiers action a disgraceful show of force.

    Former Petroleum Resources Minister,Professor David Tam-West asked that the soldiers leave  immediately.

    Information and Communications Commissioner, Ibim Semenitari, said President Jonathan and Police Inspector General Suleiman Abba should rein in their people.

    Giving the state’s side of the story, Semenitari said: “The matter of the Adokiye Amiesimaka Sports Complex is a simple one. The complex is still under construction. As a work site, it is an unsafe environment for use at this time.

    “The PDP makes reference to the fact that the APC had held its rally at the same venue. What they failed to mention is that the contractor was moved out of site during the time the APC’s rally held and re-mobilised to site right after that rally.

    “With less than five months to the end of its tenure, the Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi’s administration is working on ensuring the completion of all its projects before the handover date of May 29th. With that being the case, the River State Government cannot move its contractors out of site at this time.

    “Unlike the PDP that has consistently refused the APC the use of stadia and other facilities in Abuja and other states where it is in control, the Rivers State Government has magnanimously offered the PDP the use of the Liberation Stadium Elekahia, which is also a state facility.”

    The Rivers government said that the resolve of the PDP leaders to unlawfully break into the Adokiye Amiesimaka sports complex was to fulfill the threat issued by some members of the party (PDP) that they would burn it down.

    The PDP chairman in the State Felix Obuah had earlier said that Governor Amaechi’s refusal to allow the party to use the stadium smacked of impunity.

    “We dare him, because it is not his personal property. On January 28, we are going to use that place. We have made official reports to the police, the DSS (Department of State Services) and all the other law-enforcement agencies,” Obuah said.

    Also reacting, the APC National Publicity Secretary,Alhaji Lai Mohammed  condemned the stadium seizure and called for an end to impunity.

    Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Prof. Tam David-West, asked President Goodluck Jonathan to withdraw soldiers from the Adokiye Amasieamaka Stadium, immediately.

    The former minister described occupation of the stadium as a worrisome and dangerous trend.

    He said it is an impunity that can cause a lot of trouble, adding that it is a plot to cause crisis that will justify calls for shift of date for the next month election.

    “I strongly advise President Jonathan to withdraw soldiers from the stadium immediately to avoid confrontation and problem. We need peace in Nigeria, not war.

    “What PDP is doing is a plot to cause confusion to justify change of date of the election,” David-West said.

    Amaechi had on Tuesday asked the PDP to use the state-owned Liberation Stadium if it had no ulterior motive.

    The Okrika bombing took place at about 3.45am while contractors were erecting canopies and podium for the now cancelled rally.

    Two vehicles including a Toyota Highlander and Nissan Primera, were burnt by the hoodlums while a Ford cooling truck was also vandalised.

    APC chairman in Okrika, Christian Asifamaka, said of the attack: “In the wee hours of the morning of Saturday 24, 2015 at about 3:45am some armed youth started shooting at the venue of the APC governorship rally National school field Okrika.

    “Those setting up the sound system and the podium were forced to flee for their lives. At about 4am they started shooting explosives into the arena and destroyed the podium, sound equipment and some canopies.

    “Okrika is the home of Nigeria’s First Lady Mrs. Patience Jonathan. She was present and held the PDP governorship rally at the same venue on Thursday January 22, 2015.

    “The boys came in a white Hiace bus and allegedly came in from Igbiri a community that shares borders with Mrs. Jonathan’s Oba Ama community.”

    Peterside’s campaign organisation’s director of communications said: “Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, the APC’s governorship candidate, was expected to have unveiled his Roadmap to Prosperity, a revolutionary economic blue-print for the massive development of Rivers State to the Okrika electorate as well as highlight the choice space the area holds in the plan.

    “The cancellation was necessitated by the massive Friday overnight and early Saturday gun violence unleashed on members and supporters of APC in Okrika by suspected thugs hired and commissioned by the opposition PDP.  Heavily armed thugs had in the wee hours of the morning of Saturday 24, 2015 at about 3:45am, besieged the National School Field, Okrika, venue of the APC governorship rally and opened fire.

    “Workers setting up equipment and canopies were forced to flee, as bullets poured down like rainfall. By divine intervention, nobody died in the attack. The injured were rushed to different hospitals in Port Harcourt.”

    Soldiers were later deployed to the scene.

    An army officer said: “We are here to ensure that the situation does not escalate. Please, do not take any photograph for security reason.”

    The Rivers Police command confirmed the attack but vowed to enforce law and order and provide adequate security for all political parties and their members.

  • Lagos denies ‘plan’ to seize fire victims’ land

    Lagos denies ‘plan’ to seize fire victims’ land

    Victims of the Jankara Market fire in Lagos have accused agents of the state government of attempts to seize their land.

    They spoke on Wednesday before the Panel of Enquiry sitting on Lagos Island.

    A fire occurred in the market last December when fireworks stored in a building at No. 45, Ojo-Giwa Street, exploded.

    Some of the victims alleged that the Lagos State Urban Renewal Authority (LASURA) and Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) were trying to frustrate the panel.

    But LASURA General Manager Kehinde Benedict denied attempts to seize the victims’ land.

    He said the state was only proposing to redesign the area to comply with the original plan.

    Benedict said: “We are not forcing them to release their land to us. We want to plan with them to improve their economic base and improve the aesthetics of the area.”

    The victims alleged that the agencies met with them after the tribunal was inaugurated.

    Their lawyer, Olawale Ajiya, tendered copies of letters from the agencies to attend meetings at the Old Secretariat, Ikeja.

    The letters, dated March 12 and March 27, directed the victims to come to the meeting with photocopies of documents of the affected property.

    In their testimonies, some of the victims alleged that the agencies urged them to give their land to the government.

    Ajiya said: “When a tribunal set up by the state government and headed by a retired judge is presiding over a matter and the matter has not been concluded, why should government officials representing various ministries, including the Ministry of Justice, be meeting with the victims in a private place and threatening them to part with their land? It is a serious matter.

    “This is an insult to the tribunal. What the state agencies are doing is to prejudice the outcome of the tribunal. They are also wasting the state’s resources.

    “If the government does not need the tribunal, why ask the victims to appear before it? We have minutes of the meetings where our clients were told to submit their land. The agency said the land owners would not be allowed to rebuild their land individually and would have to go through a recommended developer.”

    Ajiya urged Governor Babatunde Fashola to investigate the matter and assure the victims that they would not be dispossessed or restricted in the use of their land.

    Benedict said no land would be seized.

    Speaking with The Nation, he said: “The state government is not asking them to forfeit their property. If you go to the site, you will see that each plot is on a small piece of land.

    “I have photocopies of the Daily Times of 1961, where it was reported that the colonial master then in charge of Lagos Colony wanted to redesign the place. The government acquired the entire area for redevelopment as early as 1951.

    “Nobody wants a disaster to happen, but since it has happened, this is an opportunity for us to plan with the owners and give them back nothing less than their original number of square metres.

    “We have held consultative meetings with them. Why continue to build on what we wanted to do away with since 1951? We are not acquiring anything and are not forcing them to release their land to us.

    “Now that the place is burnt, nobody is occupying it. This is an opportunity to survey the area and demolish the burnt buildings, which have been tested and found to be structurally defective. We do not want any building to collapse on anybody.

    “The government and each family will decide on what to build there. This is an opportunity to build commercial ventures, redesign the area, improve roads and put facilities in place. It is a win-win situation.”

    Fashola inaugurated the tribunal on February 18 to find out the immediate and remote causes of the fire and recommend how to avoid a recurrence.

    The panel is headed by Justice Sunday Ishola (rtd.). A Chief State Counsel, Mrs. Olubunmi Fagbayi, is the secretary.

    Members include a Special Adviser in the Lagos State Office of Infrastructure and Asset Management, Mr. Olokunola Wasiu and Founding Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Section on Legal Practice (SLP) Mr. Richard Ahonaruogho.

  • Islamist militants seize 20 foreign hostages in Algeria

    Islamist militants seize 20 foreign hostages in Algeria

    IN what could be the first spillover from France’s intervention in Mali, Islamist militants yesterday attacked and occupied a natural gas complex partly operated by energy company BP in Southern Algeria.

    Two foreigners were killed and dozens of others, including Americans, were taken hostage.

    A militant group claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was in revenge for Algeria’s support of France’s operation against al-Qaida-linked Malian rebels groups far to the southeast. It said it was holding 41 foreigners, including seven Americans.

    Algerian forces have surrounded the complex and the state news agency reported a bit more than 20 people were being held, including Americans, Britons, Norwegians, French and Japanese, citing the local authorities.

    “Algeria will not respond to terrorist demands and rejects all negotiations,” Interior Minister Daho Ould Kablia said on television.

    He denied that the militants were from Mali or Libya, possibly suggesting they were from Algeria itself.

    In a statement, BP said the site was “attacked and occupied by a group of unidentified armed people,” and some of its personnel are believed to be “held by the occupiers.”

    The number and identities of the hostages were still unclear, but Ireland announced that a 36-year-old married Irish man was among them, while Japan and Britain said their citizens were involved as well. A Norwegian woman said her husband called her saying he had been taken hostage.

    United States (U.S.) State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said that according to their information “U.S. citizens were among the hostages.”

    In addition to those killed — one of them a Briton — six were wounded in the attack, including two foreigners, two police officers and two security agents, the state news agency reported.

    Hundreds of Algerians work at the plant and were taken in the attack, but the state news agency reported that they have gradually been released in small groups, unharmed by yesterday afternoon.

    A group called the Katibat Moulathamine, or the Masked Brigade, called a Mauritanian news outlet to say one of its affiliates had carried out the operation on the Ain Amenas gas field, taking 41 hostages from nine or 10 different nationalities, including the seven Americans.

    The group’s claim could not be independently substantiated and the U.S. Embassy said it wasn’t “aware of any U.S. citizen casualties.”

    The caller to the Nouakchott Information Agency, which often carries announcements from extremist groups, did not give any further details, except to say that the kidnapping was carried out by “Those Who Signed in Blood,” a group created to attack the countries participating in the offensive against Islamist groups in Mali.

    The Masked Brigade was formed by al-Qaida’s longtime strongman in the Sahara region, Moktar Belmoktar, a one-eyed Algerian who recently declared he was leaving the terror network’s Algerian branch, al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb for his own group.

    He said at the time he would still maintain ties with the central organization based out of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

  • October 13 BATTLE OF CALABAR: Gomo Onduku to seize the day

    October 13 BATTLE OF CALABAR: Gomo Onduku to seize the day

    Sharks striker Gomo Onduku has admitted that receiving his invitation to the Super Eagles camp for the upcoming Africa Nations Cup qualifier against Liberia was both a thrill and a surprise.

    Onduku told supersport.com that the immediate past season was his best ever, and that the call-up was a reward for his brilliant performance, but that it came at a time he least expected.

    “I am quite excited about this call-up, but it came as a surprise because I thought I’d been overlooked by the national selectors,” he said.

    “This has been the best season so far in my career, as I scored nine goals from open play and created many more for my teammates.

    “I’d been expecting to be called up in the course of the season since the Eagles were involved in a lot of qualifying games and friendly matches, but the call didn’t come then.

    “So to be called up at the conclusion of the season was a bit of a surprise, though a pleasant one, and I’m happy that recognition at this level has finally come my way,” he added.

    And having finally caught the eye of the national selectors, the former Bayelsa United forward is determined to make the best of the opportunity and hopes his versatility would give him an edge in camp.

    “I fancy my chances because virtually all the players in camp started from the local league, so I’m looking forward to doing well in training and leave the rest to the coaches,” he said.

    “I can play on either wing or behind the main striker, though I prefer playing wide on the right as it is easier for me to cut inside and score from there.

    “However, I’m ready to play in any position the coaches feel will benefit the team.”

    Onduku is one of 23 players from the Nigeria Premier League called up by Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi for return leg of the final Africa Nations Cup tie against Liberia billed for Calabar on October 13.