The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Tijani Tumsah

  • Non-assets declaration: Court frees director, brother

    *Says Obono-Obla panel can’t prosecute

     

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has freed the Director of Finance and Accounts in the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing, Ibrahim Tumsah and his brother, Tijani Tumsah arraigned for allegedly failing to declare their assets.

    Ibrahim and Tijani (Vice Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on North East) were arraigned on a two-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/4/2018, filed last year by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel on the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP), headed by Okoi Obono-Obla.

    The panel had, upon an order of court, seized 86 luxurious vehicles, four houses and a quarry plant in Abuja which the panel claimed belonged to the two defendants.

    In a ruling on Monday, Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo, held that the SPIP lacked the powers to file charges against anyone and could also not prosecute anyone for any infraction as it relates to the law that created it.

    The judge said there is nowhere in the SPIP establishment Act, where the panel is given power to engage in prosecution or filing of charges on behalf of the Federal Government, the Federal Republic of Nigeria or the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) as it has done.

    Justice Ekwo said, by the law establishing the SPIP, its powers ends after concluding its investigation on any case and submitting its findings to the President of the country.

    The judge said by virtue of an earlier judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, to the effect that the SPIP cannot prosecute, his court’s jurisdiction is ousted on the charge against the Tumsah brothers until the judgement is set aside by a superior court.

    The judge proceeded to dismiss the charge and discharged the two defendants.

     

    Details shortly...

  • Herdsmen: FG begins construction of affected communities

    Governor Samuel Ortom on Tuesday, flagged off the reconstruction of some selected destroyed public infrastructure in some communities affected by the attacks by herdsmen in Benue State.

    The Governor called on the federal government to address head-on, the problem of insecurity that gave rise to the killings of people and destruction of public and private properties.

    Governor Ortom, who flagged-off the long-awaited work reconstruction work at the Comprehensive Health Centre, Gbajimiba, one of the 28 projects to be reconstructed in the state by the federal government in partnership with the Benue State government, called on President Muhammadu Buhari not to hurriedly stop the work of “operation whirl stroke” but rather, to empower the military more to eliminate the threat of attacks on the communities.

    He also adversed the federal government as a matter of urgency restore the needed peace and stability that would lead to the return of the internally displaced people to their homes. .

    Represented by his deputy, Engr. Benson Abounu, Governor Ortom expressed delight at the response by the Victims Support Fund (VSF) led by Gen. Yakubu Danjuma (rtd) to his request for help in reconstructing the damaged public and private infrastructures

    He demanded that the work, expected to be carried out in 21 communities, spread over Guma, Logo and Agatu local government areas in the first instance will reach other communities affected by the attacks.

    Read Also: Ortom restates call for Intelligence gathering

    While appreciating the VSF for the 5 Health Clinics to be built in the state, Governor Ortom appealed to them to also provide the required equipment to enable the State government take over their running.

    The Executive Director, VSF, Prof Sunday Ochoche disclosed that on the basis of the request for assistance by Governor Ortom, and an assessment visit to the state in March, the Committee approved the construction of 23 classroom blocks and 5 comprehensive medical centers in the 3 local government areas.

    He stated that the projects, which cost N700m are expected to be completed within 3 months and called on the local communities to see them as their own projects and give their support to the contractors to enable them execute the work within the time frame.

    Dr. Magdalene Dura, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Development Cooperation, SDGs and NEPAD, and Rev. Dr Phillip Tachin, Executive Secretary, Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) in their separate goodwill messages, thanked the federal government for the intervention, but called for more to be done given the magnitude of the destruction caused in the state.

    The VSF team led by its vice chairman, Tijani Tumsah had earlier paid a courtesy visit on Governor Samuel Ortom before proceeding to Gbajimba.

  • FG arraigns Director, brother for not declaring assets

    FG arraigns Director, brother for not declaring assets

    The Federal Government  ( FG ) on Thursday arraigned a Director of Finance and Account in the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing, Ibrahim Tumsah and his brother, Tijani Tumsah, before a Federal High Court, Abuja, for allegedly refusing to declare their assets.

    Ibrahim and Tijani (Vice Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on North East) were arraigned on a two-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/4/2018, filed by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel on the Recovery of Public Property

    Tijani is also said to be a former Interim National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Before Thursday, the panel had on December 6, 2017 obtained an order of interim forfeiture on property allegedly owned by the two brothers.

    Justice Muawiyah Idris of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Apo gave the order on 86 luxurious vehicles, four houses and a quarry plant in Abuja which the panel allegedly seized from the two defendants.

    After pleading not guilty to the charge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba granted the defendants bail in the sum of N20 million and two sureties in like sum.

    Prosecution lawyer, Festus Keyamo (SAN), did not object to the bail applications by defence lawyers – Abdul Mohammed (for Ibrahim) and Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN) – (for Tijani).

     

  • FG arraigns 2 brothers for non-declaration of assets

    FG arraigns 2 brothers for non-declaration of assets

    The Special Investigative Panel on Recovery of Public Property, on Thursday, arraigned two brothers, Ibrahim and Tijani Tumsah for non-declaration of assets.

    Ibrahim and Tijani, who are public servants, were arraigned on a two-count charge of refusal and neglect to declare their assets.

    They entered a not guilty plea and were admitted to bail in the sum of N20 million and two sureties in like sum.

    Other conditions for their bail included that the sureties could be either private business men or civil servants and must show proof of ownership of landed property anywhere within the Federal Capital Territory.

    The court held that where the sureties were civil servants, they must not be below grade level 15.

    In addition, the defendants were ordered to deposit their international passports with the court registry and not to travel outside the country without the permission of the court.

    The judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, however, ordered that the defendants be remanded in Kuje Prison should they fail to perfect their bail conditions within three days.

    Read Also: Assets declaration: Justice Ngwuta asks CCT to dismiss charges

    Earlier, Mr Kehinde Ogunwumiju, (SAN) and Mr Abdul Mohammed, counsel to the defendants prayed the court to grant their clients bail since the offence for which they were standing trial was bailable.

    Mr Festus Keyamo, (SAN) counsel to the panel informed the court that he was not opposed to the application for bail.

    One of the count read; ”That you, Ibrahim Tumsah and Tijani Tumsah on or about Oct. 10 and 25, 2017, being public officers with the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing Abuja and Presidential Committee on North East Initiative Abuja respectively within the jurisdiction of this court committed an offence to wit:

    “Refused to declare your assets without reasonable excuse and upon notice to declare your assets before the Special Presidential Investigative Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Abuja, contrary to and punishable under Section III (3) of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provision) Act 2004.”

    Justice Dimgba adjourned the matter until March 1 for commencement of trial.

    NAN