Tag: thrills

The year 2016 will be remembered for several reasons in Nigeria. From the release of 21 Chibok schoolgirls,  alleged budget padding and the release of former Delta State Governor James Ibori to the arrest of judges, the memories of the year will linger for a very long time. JOSEPH JIBUEZE reviews some of the major events that shaped year.

The release of 21 out the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls by their Boko Haram captors in the town of Banki close to Nigeria’s border with Cameroon in the early hours of October 13, last year brightened hopes for the remaining 219 girls still being held by the insurgents.

They were handed over to a team from the International Committee of the Red Cross that provided assistance during their transfer by insurgents to government troops.

It was a piece of cheering news in the ‘costly’ fight against Boko Haram insurgents who have killed thousands of people and destroyed much of the country’s northeast in the past six years.

The girls’ release came as a surprise because a month earlier, the government – under intense pressure to do more to free the students – announced that negotiations with the Islamist group had broken down.

There were conflicting reports but one security official claimed that four Boko Haram commanders were freed as part of a swap.

The AP news agency also reported that a “handsome ransom” – in the millions of dollars – was paid by the Swiss government on behalf of the Federal Government.

But, the government denied any prisoner swap. Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo said: “Absolutely, there was no exchange of any kind.”

 

Soldiers capture Sambisa

Before the curtain dropped on the year, Nigerians got one of the most soul-lifting messages yet from President Mohammadu Buhari: the routing of the terror sect Boko Haram from its stronghold of Sambisa Forest in Borno State.

The entire 1300 square kilometre forest fell into the hands of the troops at about 1.35pm on December 22, according to Buhari in what he himself called “the long-awaited and most gratifying news.”

The President said he was delighted at the news and “most proud of the gallant troops,” which made it all possible.

He particularly acknowledged “the determination, courage and resilience of troops of Operation Lafiya Dole at finally entering and crushing the remnants of the Boko Haram insurgents at ‘Camp Zero’, which is located deep in the heart of Sambisa Forest.”

Buhari, who was briefed on the development by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, confirmed that the terrorists “are on the run, and no longer have a place to hide.”

His message: “I am delighted at, and most proud of the gallant troops of the Nigerian Army, on receipt of the long-awaited and most gratifying news of the final crushing of Boko Haram terrorists in their last enclave in Sambisa Forest.

“I want to use this opportunity to commend the determination, courage and resilience of troops of Operation Lafiya Dole at finally entering and crushing the remnants of the Boko Haram insurgents at “Camp Zero”, which is located deep within the heart of Sambisa Forest.

“I was told by the Chief of Army Staff that the Camp fell at about 1:35pm on Friday, December 22, and that the terrorists are on the run, and no longer have a place to hide.  I urge you to maintain the tempo by pursuing them and bringing them to justice.

“I, therefore, call on all Nigerians to cooperate and support the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies by providing useful information that will expose all the terrorists hiding among the populace.

“Further efforts should be intensified to locate and free our remaining Chibok girls still in captivity. May God be with them.”

 

Kaduna Shi’ite killings

No fewer than 11 people were reportedly killed across Katsina, Kaduna and Sokoto states, when Shi’ite members and youths clashed during their procession on October 12. Five were killed in Katsina, four in Kaduna and two in Sokoto.

In Tudun Wada community of Kaduna South Local Government Area, irate youths attacked and killed four suspected members of the Shi’a sect, and torched the residence of their group’s leader, witnesses said. The mob also demolished the Shi’ite’s Islamic school in the area.

The incident occurred a day after a clampdown by security forces prevented the Shi’ite members from embarking on their planned annual procession.

In July, the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the Kaduna State Government to investigate the December 12-14, 2015 clash between the Nigerian Army and members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shi’ite or Shi’a sect, indicted the leader of the group, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, for alleged acts of lawlessness by his members.

The 13-member panel headed by Justice Mohammed Garba Lawal, in its report submitted to Governor Nasir el-Rufai, said El-Zakzaky and his members should be held responsible for the bloody clash with the Nigerian Army, which led to the deaths of 349 people, including a soldier.

The report also accused the Nigerian Army of “disproportionate use of force contrary to its rules of engagement”, declaring that soldiers and officers who were involved in the killing of 348 members of the Shiite sect should be prosecuted.

 

Ibori’s release

Convicted former Delta State Governor James Ibori was released on December 20 despite attempts by the Home Secretary to retain him in prison. The Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, has no plan to deport Ibori to Nigeria until over £18 million of “proceeds of crime” has been transferred to the Federal Government. A High Court judge described attempts to detain him as “quite extraordinary”.

Ordering Ibori to be immediately freed from prison, Mrs. Justice May said: “You don’t hold someone just because it is convenient to do so and without plans to deport them.”

A Home Office application that Ibori be electronically tagged and subject to strict curfew conditions was also rejected after the judge accepted arguments that the home secretary was attempting to misuse her immigration and deportation powers.

Ibori, a former London DIY store cashier, was jailed for about £50 million fraud in April 2012.

He evaded arrest and prosecution in Nigeria after a mob of supporters attacked a detachment of the police in his Oghara country home in Delta State. He fled to Dubai where he was arrested in 2010 by International Police (Interpol) and extradited to the United Kingdom (UK). He was subsequently prosecuted based on evidence from the Metropolitan Police (MetPol).

 

Fed Govt announces

recession

The Federal Government announced on July 21 that the economy was in recession. It, however, said there was no cause for alarm. It would be short, Finance Minister Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, assured Nigerians.

Mrs. Adeosun broke the depressing news to senators in plenary while briefing them on measures adopted by the executive to get the economy out of the woods. She said the government had released N247.9 billion in the last two months for capital expenditure.

She also said that N60 billion would be released for capital vote in the next few weeks, adding that N74 billion went to the Works Ministry. All the releases, Mrs. Adeosun explained, had been fully cash-backed.

 

Stalemate

in Abia

There was anxiety in early July in Abia State after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) issued Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah a Certificate of Return (CoR) as governor-elect. But, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, told residents to remain calm and insisted that he remained the governor.

The INEC action followed a judgment by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, that following discrepancies in Ikpeazu’s tax papers, he should not have run as a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 election.

Ogah, who came second in the PDP primary, was declared the candidate. Justice Abang ordered INEC to withdraw Ikpeazu’s CoR and issue Ogah with a certificate since the PDP won the election. The logjam was resolved by the Supreme Court, which upheld Ikpeazu’s election.

 

Militants blow up oil wells

Oil production was disrupted by militants who blew up facilities, including multinational bases and pipelines in the Niger Delta. On June 1, the militants attacked two major oil facilities in Delta State – RMP23 and RMP24 – operated by oil giant Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL). The affected facilities were at the Opia/Ikia axis of the Dibi/ Olero oil fields in Egbema Kingdom of Warri North Local Government Area.

A group, Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), in early morning tweets, claimed responsibility for the destruction of the facilities, bragging about how the reported deployment of heavy military equipment to the Niger Delta had failed to curtail its strikes.

“With the heavy presence of 100 gunboats, four warships and jet bombers, NDA blew up Chevron oil well RMP23 and RMP24 at 3:44 am this morning. This is to show the whole world that Nigerian military is good in harassing innocent civilians. RMP23 and RMP24 are Chevron’s swamp highest producing wells,” the group claimed in three tweets.

There were several other bombings which the NDA claimed responsibilities for last year.

PDP’s troubles

The leadership crisis rocking the rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) climaxed last year with two camps laying claim to the national chairmanship of the party.

The two conventions organised by the party in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, to pick its national officers failed. There was confusion on August 16 over the party’s convention. Two Federal High Courts – one in Abuja and the other in Port Harcourt – stuck to their conflicting rulings on the convention.

Justice Ibrahim Watila of the Port Harcourt Court gave the greenlight for the convention, but his Abuja counterpart, Justice Okon Abang told the organisers to pull the break.

The judges were ruling on separate suits brought by the PDP caretaker committee led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi and the National Executive Committee (NEC) chaired by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff. The leadership crisis has not been resolved.

 

Jonathan’s wife’s $15m

Former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamo Dudafa, was arraigned before Justice Babs Kuewumi of the Federal High Court in Lagos for alleged money laundering.

He was charged with some companies, which pleaded guilty last September 15 to laundering $15,591,700 (about N5 billion).

Jonathan’s wife Dame Patience claimed the money in the companies’ accounts belongs to her. She has approached the court to defreeze the accounts to enable her have access to them. The case comes up before Mohammed Idris on January 18.

In late November, other accounts belonging to her, with about N9 billion in them, were frozen by Justice Mojisola Olatoregun-Ishola.

 

Ese Oruru

The kidnapping of Ese Rita Oruru, the youngest child of Charles Oruru and Rose Oruru, occurred on 12 August 2015 at her mother’s shop in Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa State. Ese, 13, at the time, was abducted by Yunusa Dahiru (a.k.a. Yellow) and taken to Kano, where she was raped, forcibly Islamised and married off without her parents’ consent. The conversion and marriage took place in the palace of a prominent northern Emir.

Ese’s story first caught the attention of media organisations when her parents pleaded with the public for her release. Efforts to return the young teenager to her parents proved futile. However, on February 29, last year, Ese was reported to have been rescued by the Kano State Police Command and placed in custody of the Federal Government. She was later discovered to be carrying a five-month-old pregnancy after her release.

On March 2, Oruru and her mother were reunited in Abuja. Upon her arrival to the city, she was pregnant for Dahiru.

Panama papers

Senate president Bukola Saraki, his predecessor David Mark and other prominent Nigerians were named in leaked papers from a Panamanian law firm, Mossack Fonsecca. The papers were obtained by German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung.

The 2.6 TB files, involving 214,488 entities, exposed incredible secrets of the underworld economy, where a network of banks, law firms and other middlemen utilise shell companies, sometimes to hide illegal wealth.

Premium Times identified at least 110 Nigerians and companies operating offshore shell companies in tax havens. Senate President Bukola Saraki was battling yesterday to fend off what looked like a fresh allegation about his assets. He said he fully complied with the provisions of the law on declaration of assets by public officers.

In the claim contained in the Panama Papers, a huge trove of documents by the offshore provider, Mossack Fonseca and shared by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), Saraki failed to declare assets belonging to his wife, Mrs Toyin Saraki, in secret offshore territories.

In his reaction, the former Kwara State governor noted that properties owned individually by himself and his wife were included in his various assets declarations.

Other prominent Nigerian named in the document include former Delta State Governor James Ibori, Saraki’s brother Laolu, his associate Obi Asika and Olufela Ibidapo.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s associates, South African President Jacob Zuma, soccer star Lionel Messi and son of former Ghanian President John Kufuor, were also named.

 

Metuh tears statement

Embattled former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesman Olisa Metuh sank deeper into into trouble after creating a scene in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) He tore the statement he made on oath.

The EFCC later charged him in court for alleged willful destruction of government property and obstruction of operatives from performing their job.

 

Armsgate

In January last year, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) asked politicians who partook in the $2.1 billion arms cash were asked to return what they got or face trial. The funds voted to kit troops fighting Boko Haram insurgents in the Northeast, were allegedly shared by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for election purposes.

A former military administrator of Kaduna State, Gen. Lawal Jafaru Isa, was said to have refunded 60 per cent of the money he allegedly collected from the ONSA.

Metuh later admitted that N400 million was transferred into a company in which he has substantial interest from the arms cash.

Some of the beneficiaries of the cash include: former governors Peter Odili (N100 million); Rashidi Ladoja (N100 million), Attahiru Bafarawa (N100 million), Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi (N100 million); Jim Nwobodo (N500 million); Chief Tony Anenih (N260 million); ex-PDP National Chairman Ahmadu Ali (N100 million); Chief Bode George (N100 million and $30,000), Yerima Abdullahi (N100 million); Chief Olu Falae (N100 million); Tanko Yakassai (N63 million); Gen. Bello Sarkin Yaki (N200 million) and Raymond Dokpesi.

Others are: Iyorchia Ayu’s company (N345 million); BAM Properties (N300 million); Dalhatu Investment Limited (N1.5 billion); ex-PDP National Chairman Mohammed Bello Haliru, Abba Mohammed, Sagir Attahiru, serving and former members of the House of Representatives (over N600 million); former Chairman of the House of Representatives on Security and Intelligence, Bello Matawalle (N300 million); ACACIA Holdings (N600 million); Bashir Yuguda (N1, 950,000) and many companies.

 

Aero Contractor crisis

After more than 50 years of historic operations, foremost airline, Aero Contractors closed shop temporarily.

Its crisis was triggered by series of challenges bordering on financial constraints and inability to retrieve the aircraft in its fleet from an offshore maintenance facility.

The closure drew industrial unrest as workers marched on the headquarters of the company, occupying it for weeks to register their disenchantment with the shabby way the management handled the airline’s affairs.

Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, promised to intervene in resolving Aero’s imbroglio, the challenge last year threw up more questions than answers about how troubled airlines applied the intervention funds offered to them.

 

Arik’s strike

Arik Air, arguably the largest carrier in the country, had its greatest challenge of the decade last year. Aviation unions grounded operations of the 10-year-old airline over alleged unpaid salaries and sundry issues.

Another major development that affected Arik Air operations was the temporary suspension of its flights over delay in renewing the insurance policy on some of its aircraft.

Its passengers also staged a protest over the short landing of their flight from London and the delay in the arrival of their luggage. The protest disrupted flight operations at the international wing of the Lagos Airport.

The huge violation of passengers’ rights by the airline forced the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to impose a N6 million sanction on the airline. It was mandated to pay $150 each to passengers affected by the infraction.

 

First Nation Airways

First Nation Airways also shut down its flights temporarily over failure to keep to the fidelity of its aircraft maintenance.

International certifications

Medview Airlines, Overland Airways and DANA Air were in 2016 admitted into the International Air Transport Association (IATA) register otherwise known as International Operations Safety Audit (IOSA).

Their registration was a landmark for the aviation sector as the three carriers joined the highest operational safety standards of global airlines.

 

Fraud controversies in agencies

Allegations of fraud rocked aviation agencies culmination in the removal from office of former Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) Managing Director, Ibrahim Abdulsalam, who is still standing trial at the Lagos High Court alongside other agency directors. A junior Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) worker was arrested by EFCC operatives over his alleged involvement in the embezzlement of over N100 million in the accounts department.

 

Concession controversies

The aviation sector was enmeshed in controversies over planned concessions of some international airports. Aviation unions staged nationwide protest to show their opposition to the proposal. They insisted the process lacked transparency.

The year 2016 will be remembered for several reasons in Nigeria. From the release of 21 Chibok schoolgirls,  alleged budget padding and the release of former Delta State Governor James Ibori to the arrests of judges, the memories of the year will linger for a very long time. JOSEPH JIBUEZE reviews the major events that shaped year.

IT was a year that witnessed things that were hitherto alien to Nigerians. Last year, the war against corruption was taken to a new height that earned the Federal Government local and international accolades. But it was thumbs down for the government on the economy.

Fuel price pegged at N145/litre

On May 11, the Federal Government removed the subsidy on petrol and announced a new price regime of N145 per litre. Prior to the May 11, the pump price was N86.50 per litre but it was easier for the Carmel to pass through the needle’s eye than for end users to get the product at the regulated price from the filling stations.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, said the new pump price was to ensure supply and stabilise quantity of the product across the country. The government also approved all oil marketers to import petrol.

The minister said the only option and course of action open to the government was to take the following decisions:

“In order to increase and stabilise the supply of the product, any Nigerian entity is now free to import the product, subject to existing quality specifications and other guidelines issued by Regulatory Agencies.

“All oil marketers will be allowed to import PMS on the basis of FOREX procured from secondary sources and accordingly PPPRA template will reflect this in the pricing of the product.

“Pursuant to this, PPPRA has informed me that it will be announcing a new price band effective today, 11th May, 2016 and that the new price for PMS will not be above N145 per litre.”

So far, the hike tuned out as solution to the perennial fuel scarcity that Nigerians endured.

Budget padding

The budget padding scandal rocked the Green Chamber for much of last year. House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara refused to resign over allegations that he and some principal members of the House of Representatives padded the budget to the tune of N40 billion.

Whistleblower Abdulmumin Jibrin who chaired the House Committee on Appropriation was removed on September 28 over the face off. On September 28, the lower chamber of the National Assembly slammed a 180 legislative day — a full session — suspension on Mr. Jibrin after being found guilty of violating lawmakers’ ethics and privileges.

He said the body of Principal Officers was uncomfortable with him over his refusal to cover up plans to allocate N40 billion out of the N100 billion allocated to the entire National Assembly the principal officers as constituency project funds.

Jibrin also alleged that Dogara, Deputy Speaker Lasun Yusuff, Chief Whip Ado Doguwa and Minority Leader Leo Ogor, met to demand the N40 billion worth of projects in addition to about N20 billion “wasteful projects” which they allocated to their constituencies.

The lawmaker, who accused the Speaker of seeking N30 billion personal requests with three other officers, said his removal as appropriation committee chairman was to cover up the 2016 Budget padding secrets before the recess.

Ocholi’s death

On March 6, the Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, James Ocholi (SAN), his wife and a son died in road crash on the Abuja-Kaduna Road.

The cause of the accident became a subject of controversy as the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) blamed it on incompetence on the part of the driver, who the agency insisted had no valid driver’s certificate.

But, the accident was reportedly caused by burst tyre which resulted in the loss of control and somersaulting of the car.

The FRSC said the crash occurred at kilometer 67 on Kaduna-Abuja Road after Doka village.

Ocholi , a graduate of the Nigeria Law School in 1986, studied law at the University of Jos, Plateau State in 1985. Until his foray into politics, he was the Principal Partner and head of Chambers, Ocholi James (SAN) & Associates, and had his pupilage in the law firm of Richard Efa & Co. (Calabar) and D.D. Abutu & Co. (Idah).

Saraki’s trial at CCT

Nothing gripped the public as much as the trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). Saraki is facing a 13-count charge of false assets declaration.

The case has witnessed all manners of delay since the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) filed the charge on September 14, 2015. Although Saraki took his plea on September 22, 2015, the prosecution has been unable to move beyond calling its first witness.

After months of delays, with Saraki challenging almost every step taken by the tribunal – its jurisdiction and the composition of judges up to the Supreme Court – the trial eventually began  last April 5, with the calling of the first prosecution witness, Michael Wetkas.

The prosecution wasted no time as Wetkas concluded his evidence-in-chief on April 18 (within three adjournments). But it took the defence team 14 adjournments, spanning over seven months to cross-examine the first prosecution witness.

The defence team, comprising of senior lawyers, including former Attorney-General of the Federation and Justice Minister Kanu Agabi (SAN), one-time Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Chairman, Joseph Daudu (SAN), Paul Erokoro (SAN), Paul Usoro (SAN) and Mahmud Magaji (SAN), among others, cross-examined Wetkas between April 18 and November 8, 2016.

When the defence announced its conclusion of what the prosecution lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) described as the longest cross-examination in the history of the nation’s criminal jurisprudence, the tribunal also stunned all when it adjourned further proceedings from November 8 to January 11 this year.

‘Sting’ operation

No fewer than three serving judges are currently on trial for corruption. The Department of State Services (DSS) said it recovered over N270 million from the houses of the judges it raided late on October 7 and in the early hours of October 8.

Those arrested in the wake of the raid were Justices Sylvester Ngwuta and Inyang Okoro, both of the Supreme Court, the suspended Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, Justice Mohammed Ladan Tsamiya, Justice Kabiru Auta of Kano State High Court and Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The summary of monies recovered from some of the justices are as follows: Justice Ademola – N54million, $171, 779.00, £80.00, 1,010.00 rupees, and €4,400.00; Justice Ngwuta – N35, 208,000, $319,475, £25,890, €280 , 380 UAE, 420 Gambia Dalais, four Argentine Notes, and 20 Ghana Cedis; Justice Okoro: N4, 350,000, $38, 833, £25,890 and €1,000.00.

Also recovered were: $530,087, £25,970, €5,680, N93, 558, 000.00, 1,000 Rupees, 380 UAE, 430 Gambia Dallalis, four Argentine Notes and 20 Ghana Cedis. Some of the judges have been arraigned. They pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Justice Ademola and his wife Olabowale, in a 15-count charge filed against them by the Federal Government, were accused of “corruptly” receiving a total sum of N248, 101,300 and $520, 000  as gratifications from law firms and other sources between 2013 and 2016.

Justice Ngwuta was arraigned for allegedly transferring the total sum of N505 million “denominated in naira and US dollars” to a building contractor, Nwamba Linus Chukwuebuka, between January and May 2016. The N505 million was alleged to be part of proceeds of Ngwuta’s “unlawful” activities.

Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, whose house was not raided, was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly collecting N5 million gratifications from a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Godwin Obla. She had earlier been barred from elevation to the appellate court for gross misconduct.

She and Obla were arraigned on a 30-count charge at the Lagos High Court for allegedly conspiring to pervert the course of justice last May 21. The EFCC claimed that Obla transferred N5 million to Nigel & Colive Ltd, a company the judge is a sole signatory to. The judge and Obla pleaded not guilty.

Senate refuses to screen Magu

The Senate shocked President Muhammadu Buhari on December 15 as it rejected the nomination of Ibrahim Magu as the substantive Chairman of the EFCC. The lawmakers cited damning security report available to them on the acting anti-graft chair as their reason for refusing to confirm Magu’s appointment.

Senate spokesman Aliyu Abdullahi, after the senators emerged from a closed-door meeting where Mr. Magu’s confirmation was discussed, said: “The Senate wishes to inform the public that based on available security report, the Senate cannot proceed with the confirmation of Ibrahim Magu as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

“The nomination of Ibrahim Magu is hereby rejected and has been returned to the President for further action,” Mr. Abdullahi said.

The Senate had slated December 15 to screen Magu, who was named as acting EFCC Chairman in 2015. The Presidency through July memo signed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in his capacity as acting President requested the Senate to confirm Magu.

President Buhari was overseas when his vice made the request but the upper chamber failed to act. The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, read Osinbajo’s letter on July 14.

But the Red Chamber then failed to schedule a confirmation hearing, fueling suspicions that some ‘corrupt’ senators were bent on blocking Magu from the position. Following widespread pressure from Nigerians, the lawmakers fixed December 8 for the session. But the screening did not come up and it was rescheduled for December 15.

 

Senate versus SGF

On December 14, the Senate urged President Buhari to suspend and ensure the prosecution of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, over alleged breach of Nigeria’s law in handling contracts awarded by the Presidential Initiative for the Northeast (PINE).

The upper chamber’s resolution followed the presentation of the report on mounting humanitarian crisis in the Northeast by the Shehu Sani-led ad hoc committee.

Mr. Lawal’s company, Global Vision Ltd., was one of the companies indicted by the committee for allegedly benefiting from inflated and phony contracts – or ones not executed at all – awarded by the PINE.

Mr. Lawal’s firm was said to have been awarded over N200 million contracts to clear ‘invasive plant species’ in Yobe State.

The committee discovered that as of the time the contract was awarded in March 2016, Mr. Lawal was still the director of Global Vision and that he just resigned in September. Despite his resignation, the SGF continued to be a signatory to the company’s account.

Lawal’s directorship of the Global Vision while being a public official – Secretary of the Government of the Federation – contravened Nigeria’s code of conduct for public officials as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, the Senate held.

Global Vision was incorporated in 1990 to carry out ICT services; but it received contract to clear grass in 2016 even while the owner is senior government official, the lawmakers found.

“Babachir Lawal is a disgrace to the All Progressives Congress,” said Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi West); adding that the SGF “is exhibiting anti-Buhari tendency”.

Less than an hour after the Senate indicted him and called on authorities to punish him, Lawal, accompanied President Buhari to the National Assembly to present the 2017 budget proposal.

After the presentation, the SGF told reporters that the Senate was only victimising him and trying to “rubbish” his personality.

“The senate is talking balderdash; it has developed the habit of bring-him-down syndrome,” he said.

“I have the report of the senate committee in which it was said that I didn’t resign from Rholavision Nigeria Limited. Let me tell you, Rholavision was formed by me in December 1990, and it has been a company that was run very successfully.

“Now, when I was appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation, I resigned from that company on 18th August, 2015. I can see that in their report, they are talking about 2016. I don’t know where they got their facts.

“By the way, it is very instructive that when the committee was sitting, no effort was ever made to invite me to come and make submission. It is therefore, surprising that they devoted a whole session of today (Wednesday) at maligning me, claiming what is not true without even giving me the chance to come and put my own case before them.”

But when the Senate resumed, Melaye brought the matter up, saying his privilege and that of his colleagues were breached by the SGF.

The Senate insisted on its committee’s findings and Senators took turns to lambast Lawal.

“President should review how somebody like Babachir Lawal managed to get into this government,” said Chukwuka Utazi (PDP-Enugu).

 

Acting CJN

On November 10, Walter Samuel Onnoghen was inaugurated by President Buhari as the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN). It followed the retirement of Justice Mahmud Muhammed as CJN.

Onnoghen was sworn in based on Section 230 Subsection (iv) and Section 231, Subsection (I) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria. As the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court, he took over from the immediate past CJN. His appointment is due for confirmation by the Senate.

Onnoghen was born on 22nd December, 1950 at Okurike Town, Biase L.G.A. of Cross River State.

He attended the Presbyterian Primary School, Okurike Town between 1959 and 1966 and later proceeded to Accra, Ghana to attend Odorgorno Secondary School, Adabraka, between 1967 and 1972 for his West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

He was at Accra Academy, Ghana, between 1972 and 1974 for his WAEC (A-Levels) before proceeding to the University of Ghana, Legon, between 1974 and 1977 to obtain his Bachelor of Law Degree (LL.B (Hons)) and graduated with 2nd Class Upper Division and was among the best graduating students.

The Acting CJN attended the Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island, Lagos, between 1977 and 1978 for his B.LL certificate.

But eminent jurists flayed the appointment of Onnoghen in acting capacity. Former NBA President, Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), said Justice Onnoghen ought to have been appointed in a substantive capacity.

“It is just causing uncertainty because it went through a normal procedure,” he said.

Agbakoba, however, noted that his appointment in acting capacity has “nothing to do with the dispensation of justice, since, even in acting capacity, he has the power of a CJN. The point is that it creates uncertainty of whether he will be confirmed or not.”

Another senior advocate, Olu Daramola, who described the development as strange, urged the acting CJN to ignore the intrigues and do his job irrespective of his acting position.

“This is a strange development, because the process of his appointment is constitutional. Since the process is in line with the constitution, then he should not have been appointed in acting capacity,” he said.

To Paul Ananaba (SAN), such development unsettled the office holder. He pointed out that such CJN may not settle down in three months for optimal performance.

He said: “The judiciary is not a sector where we should be having uncertainty. He needs to know when to leave the office. If for instance, he is not confirmed, the law did not permit a reappointment, another person has to come in and this is not the best for the judiciary.”

But former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Akin Olujimi (SAN), differed. He did not believe the development has any implication on the judiciary in any aspect.