The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Unknown

  • OKE, WIFE’S WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN

    THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)  could not proceed yesterday with its planned arraignment of former National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Director-General Ambassador Ayodele Oke and his wife Folasade were absent at the Federal High Court in Lagos as the whereabouts of the couple was unknown.

    They were to appear before  Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, although the case was not formally listed for the day. The court was said have been informed that Oke and wife would not be present as they were not in EFCC’s custody, hence the non-listing of the charge. Prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, was in court to arrange for a new date for arraignment.

    It was learnt that the arraignment will now take place on Wednesday, February 6. Unconfirmed reports said they might have left the country.

    An EFCC’s spokesman in Lagos, Babatunde Suleiman, confirmed that the case was not listed. He, however, said he was unaware of the whereabouts of Oke and his wife.  Asked about reports that they might have travelled out of the country and whether they were ever in EFCC’s custody, he said: “I can’t comment on their whereabouts, please. But I will get back to you on this.” Oke and his wife were charged in connection with the $43, 449, 947, 000 found in Flat 7B, No. 16 Osborne Road, Osborne Towers in Ikoyi, Lagos. Justice Muslim Hassan had on June 6, 2017, granted a final forfeiture order of the funds since no one appeared before the court to claim them.

    Read also: CCT serves Onnoghen trial notice

    The four-count charge against the couple was signed by Oyedepo, Nnaemeka Omewa and Idris Abubakar Mohammed. EFCC, in the Proof of Evidence, revealed how Flat 7B was bought for $1, 658,000 (N596, 880,000). It said one Alhaji Shehu Usman Anka will give evidence of the receipt of the sum of $1, 658,000 from the wife of the ex-NIA boss. The anti-graft agency also said that the agency got about $289, 202, 382.00 from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). It added that one Benjamin Kiksenenso will give evidence of how he was instructed to go to the CBN to collect the $289, 202, 382.00.

    The charges against the ex-NIA boss are: “That you, Amb.  Ayodele Oke, Mrs. Folasade Ayodele Oke on or about the 12th day of April 2017 in Lagos concealed the sum of $43, 449, 947, 000 property of the Federal Government of Nigeria in Flat 7B, No. 16 Osborne Road, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

    •The $43m Ikoyi cash

    “That you Amb. Ayodele Oke and Mrs. Folasade Ayodele Oke between 25th day of August 2015 and 2nd day of September 2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this court, indirectly used the sum of $1, 658, 000 property of the Federal Government of Nigeria to acquire Flat 7B, No. 16 Osborne Road, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

    “That you Amb. Ayodele Oke and Mrs. Folasade Ayodele Oke between 25th day of August 2015 and 2nd day of September 2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this court directly retained $160, 777, 136. 85 property of the Federal Government of Nigeria which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

    “That you Amb. Ayodele Oke and Mrs. Folasade Ayodele Oke between 25th day of August 2015 and 2nd day of September 2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this court directly converted $160, 777, 136. 85 property of the Federal Government of Nigeria to your own use which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”

  • UNCERTAINTY OVER EX-MINISTER ADEOSUN’S WHEREABOUTS

    •Likely out of the country

    THE whereabouts of immediate past Minister of Finance Kemi Adeosun is unknown.

    Attempts by our correspondent to track her whereabouts to determine if she was in the country proved abortive.

    Though her phone rang, it was with a tone for roaming calls outside the nation’s shores.

    Attempts to reach her media aides were unsuccessful with their phone lines switched off.

    When contacted an official of the Ministry in the protocol department said it was “likely Madam has traveled out of the country this morning.”

    Our correspondent’s checks revealed the only airline that could have been available is British Airways with an 8:05am departure time with 14:35pm London arrival time.

    The need to locate the former minister followed alarms raised by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Adeosun may have left the country or planning to leave to avoid arrest and prosecution over her admission that the NYSC certificate she presented was forged.

     

  • Man in Linda Ikeji’s life unknown

    •As celebrity blogger reveals pregnancy

    Celebrity blogger, Linda Ikeji seems to be enjoying the cloud surrounding the man in her life. She has made her followers curious over the suspense when, first, she conceded to an engagement rumour in late March, and two days ago, made public her pregnancy in a baby bump photo show with a lengthy online post on her love for kids.

    Putting paid to the engagement rumour in March, Linda’s younger sister, Sandra had joined other celebrities to congratulate the blogger, lending credence to the news that she was affianced to a man described as a long-lost friend.

    She said: “Congratulations @officialLindaIkeji So happy for you sweet sis! This tells me that sometimes the wait is worth it. Can’t wait to plan…”

    A buildup to the blogger’s gradual transition into a family life happened on Sunday in a viral show of her baby bump.

    “…Imagine that in a few months, I will look down at a baby, and it won’t be a neighbor’s child, a friend’s child, a sister’s child, but my own child, my own flesh and blood, carried in my womb. My own son. It’s surreal. I can’t get over it,” she said in the post.

    According to Ikeji, “2018 started with me finding out I was pregnant. When I missed my period and my friend and I did a home pregnancy test and it read positive, my friend began to cry with happiness but I was just there staring at the stick like, you’re not messing with me, are you? This is real and not a joke on me, right? I refused to believe it and asked my friend to drive me to a lab for another test. And there it was confirmed, I was pregnant. Me, Linda, I am going to have my own child. Please don’t wake me up from this lovely dream..lol”

    Ikeji who disclosed she is in her Trimester, announced she will be having a baby shower in a few weeks.

    There are indications the suspense will linger until a marriage ceremony in a few months, where the man in her life will be unveiled.

  • ‘Unknown disease’ in Kogi diagnosed as gastroenteritis

    Kogi State Health Commissioner Dr. Saka Audu said yesterday the alleged unknown disease had been diagnosed as gastroenteritis.

    He called for calm.

    The commissioner told News Agency of Nigeria in Lokoja those so far diagnosed were found to be suffering from gastroenteritis and malaria.

    The Ministry of Health, had in a statement, said the disease killed many people in Okunran, Okoloke and Isanlu-Esa in Yagba West Local Government.

    “Information available to us is that the disease started six weeks ago in Okoloke village in Yagba West, a settlement inhabited by Fulani herdsmen.

    “There have been cases of reported deaths following abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea, but the patients who showed signs of illness had been evacuated to Kogi State Specialist Hospital Lokoja, for better treatment.

    “So far, we have evacuated 39 patients from Okoloke and only six of them were admitted and have shown sign of improvement, while others have since been discharged.

    “Of the six that were admitted, three of them were diagnosed with gastroenteritis, the remaining three were just cases of malaria, and they have shown signs of improvement,” Audu said.

  • Unknown importer

    Unknown importer

    Olufunmilayo Ransome-Kuti was thrown from a distance far enough to break her down. She was old already and just enjoying her son’s hospitality when the devils came in uniforms and messed things up. She died later, most likely as an after-effect of the cruelty of man to man. Or is it man to woman, in this case?

    It all happened at Kalakuta Republic, that small country Fela Anikulapo-Kuti founded but never got the United Nations to recognise.

    The government of that era said it probed the attack on Fela’s Republic, which occupied a conspicuous spot in Ojuelegba, Lagos mainland, and it found out the character behind it all was an unknown soldier. This ridiculous claim led to a hit song ‘Unknown Soldier’ by the late Fela.

    After the Unknown Soldier saga, we have seen others such as unknown armed robbers, unknown assassins and so on and so forth. Bola Ige, Marshal Harry and an endless list of others were killed by unknown assassins. Unknown robbers have rendered many penniless and lifeless. And security agencies have not been able to remove the veils on the faces of these unknown characters.

    I remembered the Unknown Soldier case because of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS). This is the story: Exactly a week ago, the Customs said it impounded two helicopters brought in by unknown importer. It said the seizure of the two civil models Bell helicopters was done by its Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command.

    The Customs was not done. It said it immediately handed over the helicopters to the Nigerian Air Force for use in the fight against insurgency.

    Customs accused the importers of failure to produce the end user certificate from the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), thus contravening Section 36 (2) of the Customs and Excise Management Act.

    The Customs Area Controller, Frank Allanah, said the duty value of the two helicopters and other accessories was about N9, 757,135,240.86. The choppers, said he, were detained at the Skyways Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) shed.

    “The unknown importer could not produce end user certificate from the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA); an act which contravenes section 36 sub section 2 of the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) laws of the federation of Nigeria  2004. Consequently, seizure was effected on November 7, 2016 in line with section 46 of CEMA.”

    Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar said the configuration of the two Bell choppers and accessories is fitted for military combat operations.

    The day after, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike came out with information which exposed the agency’s underbelly and revealed the previous day’s event as nothing but a show of shame. And my heart was broken.

    Contrary to the Customs’ claim, the importer of the helicopters was not unknown. The importer is Rivers State government. The helicopters were imported in 2012 when Rotimi Amaechi was governor. Evidence shows that Governor Nyesom Wike wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari asking that the two helicopters be handed over to the Nigerian Air Force. He also wrote the Customs on the high duty charged for the helicopters.

    Wike said: “These helicopters were imported by the immediate past administration. When I assumed office, we wrote to the Federal Government that it was strictly for security use. What am I going to use armoured helicopters for?

    “In any case, where will the Rivers State Government get money at this time to import armoured helicopters? The previous administration imported it because they had the money.

    “I went to the Federal Government to give me a waiver for us to clear the helicopters, but the Federal Government refused. I wrote a letter to the President and to assure him that the helicopters are meant for security purposes, it should be handed over to the Nigerian Air Force. We stated that we cannot pay the custom duties because the helicopters are not for commercial use. They are to be used to monitor the creeks and track criminals.

    “I wrote to the President to give the helicopters to the Airforce.  It is shocking that the custom would turn around to claim that they impounded the helicopters. The Chief of Staff to the President admitted that I have done well when I wrote the letter to the President.”

    More facts were to come out when Amaechi issued a statement last Sunday. And after going through his statement, I felt ashamed about the obvious lies told by the Customs. What did the agency and its leadership hope to gain by lying? Shame guys, shame!

    I even had more cause to be sad when, from Amaechi’s statement, it became clear that $15m, which is like half of the cost of the helicopters, came from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). What this means is that the helicopters are jointly owned by Rivers and the Federal Government.  A waiver was actually granted by the Goodluck Jonathan administration for the clearance of the helicopters. They were to be operated and managed by federal security agencies in collaboration with the Rivers State government. But when the helicopters eventually came, Amaechi and Jonathan had fallen apart and the then president did not give the consent for their release. They were left to waste away at the airport, only for the Customs to lie to us that the helicopters, partly owned by the Federal Government, was imported by an unknown person. Cover you heads in shame guys.

    Another side of it that I will blame the Customs for is creating a room for Amaechi and Wike to clash yet again. Amaechi said Wike fed Jonathan with lies that led to his government’s inability to clear the helicopters. The governor has described the claim as hogwash. He said his former boss ordered for the helicopters because he could not provide good governance to the people.

    The micro-blog, twitter, was also another medium through which Amaechi threw jabs at his successor. In a series of late night tweets on Monday night, which have so much in common with his statement on the matter, he said Rivers would be safer if Wike had cleared and taken possession of the helicopters.

    He said: “I am deeply troubled that Gov Wike has abandon & dump the 2 Survellance helicopters that would make R/State a far more secured & safer place

    “Wike took an oath to protect lives & property, yet he plays politics with the lives of Rivers people. Sad, very sad.”

    Although Wike did not personally reply him, some people with sympathy for the governor took him on. One of them even went to the ridiculous extent I dare not mention here. To those with sympathy for the governor, there was no nexus between the helicopters specially-built to track criminals and a safer Rivers!

    Those who supported Amaechi with their tweets hailed him for expressing his concerns over the ‘loss’ of the helicopters.

    My final take: I am still baffled why Customs chose to follow a bad route. It was simply needless. What sense is there in abandoning a tarred road and choosing a path riddled with thorns and broken bottles? Unfortunately, its miscalculation has renewed a rivalry only heavens know when it will end. It has also unfortunately introduced us to another unknown character. This time it is the unknown importer. It is time government agencies stopped lying to us. They are not paid with tax payers’ money to lie but to give us quality service.

  • Unknown gunmen kill four in Kano

    wo unknown gunmen yesterday in Kano shot dead four persons near a mosque on Zoo Road.

    Some Sudanese traders sell locally brewed tea in the area.

    An eyewitness said the incident occurred about 6.45pm.

    It was gathered that the two gunmen, who were riding a motorbike, stormed the area and opened fire on the four persons.

    The victims died on the spot.

    Two of the victims, a source said, were employees of Kano State Road Transport Agency.

    They were said to be on duty at the time of the attack.

    Before men of the Joint Task Force (JTF) arrived on the scene, the gunmen had escaped.

    The JTF cordoned off the area while the residents ran for safety.

    Police spokesman Magaji Musa Majiya, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), confirmed the incident.

    He said investigation has begun to track down the fleeing gunmen.

     

  • Unknown gunmen kill six in Plateau attacks

    Unknown gunmen kill six in Plateau attacks

    Gunmen have stormed a drinking bar in a Plateau State village killing four people.

    Two other persons were killed earlier.

    The incident took place at about 8pm in Gindin Akwanti, Gashish district of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area as the victims and others were enjoying the locally brewed drink, burukutu.

    Plateau State has been in the grip of violent attacks, leading to the deaths of hundreds of people in what mainly are ethno-religious crises.

    The five gunmen disappeared after firing at the people.

    Eight people were hit by the bullets. One of them, Bitrus Chuwang, died instantly. The others were rushed to the Plateau State Specialist Hospital in Jos.

    Those killed apart from Chuwang are: Mrs Serah Luka, Irimiya Damina and Ishaya Tanko . Those injured are: Yunana Daniel, Mabur Maren Makwin, Manyas Bala Dariyan, Horo Davou Dasong and Henry Irimiya Mangyet.

    Barkin Ladi is about 50 kilometres from Jos, the state capital, a town that has endured violence at various times.

    It was gathered that a week before the Sunday night attack, two persons were ambushed and killed by unknown gunmen in the community.

    The two victims were said to be on their way from a nearby market at about 8pm when four assailants armed with machetes hacked them to death.

    That attack took place in Dorong, a boundary village between Barkin Ladi Council and Mangu Council. The two victims, who hailed from Barkin Ladi, have been buried.

    Barkin Ladi Local Government Chairman Emmanuel Loman, who confirmed the attack, said: “The attack took place in Gindi Akwanti and as I am talking to you now, three of the victims, including a lady, have been confirmed dead, the other four injured are receiving treatment right now.”

    Loman said: “We now live at the mercy of unknown gunmen and this has continued for some time. We have pleaded and tried to make the environment peaceful but such killings have refused to stop, and I don’t know why.”

    The spokesman of the Special Task Force (STF) on Jos crises, Captain Salisu Mustapha, said “three suspects have been arrested in conection to the attack”.

    Capt. Mustapha said: “The incident occurred at about quarter to 8pm last Sunday in Gindi Akwanti village where unknown gunmen opened fire on innocent people relaxing at a local joint.

    “One of them died instantly and seven others were evacuated to Plateau Specialist Hospital. “Men of the STF have cordoned off the area and investigation has commenced on the attack. The area remains calm.”

    Similar killings and attacks have been on in Barkin Ladi and Riyom local government areas for over two years, despite the presence of the security task force.