Presidency keeps mum as Head of Service implicates Buhari, Senators threaten to serve arrest warrant on Nigeria Police chief
EFCC summons ex-NIA chief Oke, wife over $43 million Ikoyi money; Presidency keeps mum as Head of Service implicates Buhari; Senators threaten to serve arrest warrant on Nigeria Police chief and much more.
1. Maina: Presidency keeps mum as Head of Service implicates Buhari
About 24 hours after information leaked that President Muhammadu Buhari was in the know about the questionable reinstatement of a dismissed pension fraud suspect into the civil service, the presidency has refused to speak on the matter.
The allegations that Mr. Buhari was briefed of the scheme to surreptitiously recall Abdulrasheed Maina, a fugitive from justice, were raised in an internal memo by the Head of Civil Service, Winifred Oyo-Ita — signalling an escalation in the scandal and its growing impact on the president’s avowed ‘war on corruption.’
“I sought an audience with His Excellency, Mr. President on Wednesday, October 11, 2017, after the FEC meeting where I briefed His Excellency verbally on the wide-ranging implications of the reinstatement of Mr. A. A. Maina, especially the damaging impact on the anti-corruption stance of this administration,” Mrs. Oyo-Ita said in the memo to Mr. Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari.
2. $43 million Ikoyi money: EFCC summons ex-NIA chief Oke, wife
The anti-graft agency, EFCC, on Wednesday announced that it was inviting the former head of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ayodele Oke, for questioning.
Mr. Oke was sacked as NIA chief by President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, about six months after he was first suspended. He was sacked alongside Babachir Lawal, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, who was involved in a fraud case.
The former intelligence chief was suspended after the EFCC found about $43.45 million in a house in Ikoyi. The commission later said the house where the money was found was rented in the name of Mr. Oke’s wife, Folashade; and eventually secured a court order to ensure the money was forfeited to the federal government.
Mr. Oke’s NIA had admitted owning the money and said the presidency through the National Security Adviser was well briefed of its intelligence operations.
3. Why I can’t answer questions relating to Metuh’s corruption trial — Dasuki
The Nigerian government on Wednesday insisted on questioning former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, in the ongoing trial of former Peoples Democratic Party spokesperson, Olisah Metuh.
Mr. Metuh is facing trial for alleged diversion of N400 million from the office of the former NSA.
Mr. Dasuki who was ordered into the witness box to testify on Wednesday, told the court that he could only comment on questions relating to the allegations against himself after looking through documents relating to the exercise of his duty while in office.
Asked if he could recall having to deal financially with Mr. Metuh and his company, Dextra Investment, Mr. Dasuki said until he is released and given a chance to examine his past official records, the answer to the question was ‘no’.
4. Alleged N500 million fraud: You’re trying to evade justice in UK, Judge tells Diezani
A federal judge in Lagos on Wednesday slammed former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, for trying to abuse court process and deliberately attempting to evade justice in the United Kingdom.
Justice Rilwan Aikawa of a Lagos Division of the Federal High Court while delivering a ruling on Mrs. Alison-Madueke’s application to be joined as a defendant in a money laundering suit said the move was not only a misuse of court processes, but a deliberate ploy to run away from justice in the UK.
“This is not the proper time to join the applicant as a defendant,” the judge said.
“The applicant has aroused my curiosity as to why she waited this long before coming up with the application for joinder The court lacks the power to interfere with the powers of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
5. Misau: Senators threaten to serve arrest warrant on Nigeria Police chief
A Senate investigation into various allegations levelled against the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris by a lawmaker, Isah Misau was postponed due to the absence of the police chief.
A Senate ad-hoc committee, which threatened to compel the IGP to appear before it, was recently constituted to investigate the allegations against Mr. Idris and had sent a letter on October 16 summoning him to appear Wednesday, November 1.
The chairman of the committee, Francis Alimikhena, Edo-APC, informed journalists that the “Inspector General has gone to court, and if he appears before the committee, it would amount to subjudice.”
6. I received list of 1,124 corruption cases before Nigerian courts — CJN Onnoghen
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, said he has received 1,124 corruption cases from heads of courts of the various jurisdictions across Nigeria.
Speaking during the inauguration of the Corruption and Other Financial Cases Trial Monitoring Committee (COTRIMCO) at the complex of the National Judicial Council, the chief justice, CJN, said the committee was formed “as part of the commitment of the Judiciary to lend support to the efforts of the present regime, to rid the nation of corruption.”
He promised that all aspects of judicial duties would be scrutinised, improved and re-aligned towards reform.
Mr. Onnoghen called for maximum support for the committee in the discharge of its mandate.
7. Ghost Workers: Nigerian govt charges nine suspects
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Wednesday arraigned nine suspects for allegedly being responsible for several ghost workers on the payroll of the federal government.
The suspects include Usman Dayo, Osuntope Opeyemi, Johnson Adedokun, Ojeido Sylvanus, Oyebode Ayodeji, Florence Dada, Olaolu Dada, Blessing Ejeh and Aderibigbe Taiwo.
Many of the suspects are civil servants from government agencies like the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources; Environment Ministry and the Federal Civil Service Commission, FCSC.
The federal government has repeatedly said it lost billions of naira to ghost workers and has removed thousands of them from its payroll.
8. Nigeria fines 23 radio, TV stations for hate speech, vulgar lyrics, unverifiable claims
Twenty three radio and television stations across Nigeria have been fined for various breaches of broadcasting rules set by the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC.
The NBC spokesperson, Maimuna Jimada, said in a statement that the stations were punished for hateful speech, vulgar lyrics and unverifiable claims.
The breaches contravened the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code in the third quarter of 2017, according to the NBC.
Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES, Wednesday, the spokesperson said there will be higher sanctions if erring stations fail to comply with the fine.
“It is clearly stated in the code, if you are sanctioned this way and you don’t comply then you get a higher sanction”, Ms. Jimada said. “Everything is laid down in the code”, she added.
9. How Nigeria police officers tortured, extorted, harassed us — Victims
Despite receiving training on human rights of citizens, officers of the Nigeria Police Force have continued to unlawfully detain, torture, and harass members of the public, victims of police abuse told a human rights panel in Lagos.
The panel, which comprised members of the National Human Rights Commission and Human Rights Law Services, held a public hearing on police abuses in Nigeria on Monday.
Over 30 participants were in attendance including the Network of Police Reforms in Nigeria, Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action, and other civil society organizations.
A communique issued at the end of the hearing called for, among other measures, civil society organizations to initiate campaigns to hold Divisional Police Officers responsible for violations at their police stations.
10. Nigeria Customs seizes bullet-proof vehicles ‘hidden in Ikoyi home’
Officers of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, have impounded four bullet Sports Utility Vehicles from a house in Ikoyi, Lagos.
According to the Customs, the operation was based on intelligence reports and ownership of the vehicles remains a mystery as nobody has come forward to claim the cars.
Mohammed Garba, the Customs Area Controller, FOU, said other similar vehicles were also seized from car parks around Lagos.
“Our operatives trailed and evacuated 59 assorted vehicles from car marts in Ikoyi among of which over 40 are 2017 models ranging from Toyota Prado Jeeps, Lexus Jeeps, Toyota Hilux, Toyota Camry, Coaster Bus, Toyota Hiace Bus among others currently under detention awaiting relevant customs document from the dealers within a grace of one month,” Mr. Garba said.
