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AU silence on xenophobic attack shameful – FG

Olugbenga ADANIKIN
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AU silence on xenophobic attack shameful – FG

THE Federal Government on Friday described as shameful the silence and inactions of the African Union (AU) on the persistent xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission disclosed this during Sunrise Daily, ChannelsTV programme held to discuss and proffer likely solutions to the menace.

She said a stronger policy action becomes imperative to address the problem, especially through the executive arm of both Nigerian and South African governments.

“As the Nigerians were robbed, others were also robbed…the killings of xenophobic attacks against Africans in South African are something South Africans should deal with. I have also said it several times; even the African Union has to intervene,” says Dabiri-Erewa. “It’s a shame that in the 21st century, we are talking about Africans killing Africans when we should be talking about Africa taking the continent to higher levels.”

The Senate, Dabiri-Erewa had earlier warned over the attacks saying it would no longer be tolerated. The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), due to killings also threatened to shut down South African investments in the country.

So far, 118 Nigerians in South Africa have been reportedly killed in recent years.

The former federal lawmaker cited how the South African authorities turned back Nigerians aboard airline to their country, and the Nigerian government had to retaliate. She also mentioned the sudden increase of visa fee by the SA embassy leading to Nigeria taking the same decision.

The former presidential aide, however, disclosed that ministers of foreign affairs from both nations would meet when Nigeria’s cabinet is fully inaugurated to solve the issue and review previous agreements signed by both countries.

She also called for reorientations of the South Africans through billboards, jingles, and cultural exchanges among others to discourage crime rates. She added that eight South African policemen have been charged to court over the killings.

“The ministers at the level of foreign affairs with his counterpart in South Africa will have to review what they put in place called the early warning signals, and if they agreed it’s not working and something stronger needs to be done.

“I’m sure as soon as the minister resume office that will be looked at. I agree, we need a stronger policy in that regard but you can’t tell us we don’t have the moral authority to demand the outcome of investigations. We do and we will.”

Concluding, she noted efforts made to persuade the NANS who had threatened to attack South African investments in the country. “But if you keep hearing every day of deaths, that will be difficult. But we have appealed to them and they have agreed that may not be the solution. But it will get to a point where you can’t just keep begging them anymore.”

In his remarks, Dr. Dapo Thomas, Senior Lecturer at Department of History and International Studies, Lagos State University (LASU) said Nigeria has been in a fixed-position since 1994 for not taking decisive action against the South African government over the years of killings.

He, however, advised the government to use its strength since diplomacy appeared to have failed. “You concentrate on your area of strength and you take it from that position to weaken your adversary”.

Some of the strategies he identified include showcasing superiority in like areas of trade relations, the extent of diplomatic relations and the political clouts of the government.

“These are things you are supposed to utilised but if you fail to use any of these instrumentalities, then what are you doing,” he queried.

Fraud: Court Jails former New Prudential Bank MD, Adetunji Abudu

Editorial
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Fraud: Court Jails former New Prudential Bank MD, Adetunji Abudu

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction and sentencing of Adetunji Abudu, a former Managing Director, New Prudential Mortgage Bank Limited, to two years imprisonment for N195m fraud before Justice I.N. Buba of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.

EFCC made this disclosure in a statement on Thursday.

The convict was arraigned on Wednesday, February 17, 2016 on a four-count charge of acting in contravention of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act( BOFIA) 2004 to the tune of N195m( One Hundred and Ninety-five Million Naira).

Abudu, while being the Managing Director of the bank, obtained a N35m loan and another N110m loan without authorisation.

The former New Prudent Bank boss also approved the setting off of a N50m loan granted to Total Access Concept Limited by Addoser Micro-finance Bank, which was also not authorised in accordance with the bank’s policy and in contravention of BOFIA 2004.

In another count, the defendant failed to disclose his interest in Total Access and Integrated Concept Limited, an offence contrary to Section 18(8) and punishable under Section 18 (11) of the BOFIA LFN 2004.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him by the prosecution, thereby leading to his full trial.

In the course of the trial that began on April 12, 2016, the lead prosecution counsel, A.B.C. Oziokor, called seven prosecution witnesses and tendered several documents that were admitted in evidence by the court, while the defence presented five witnesses.

Both parties consequently adopted their written addresses, after the closure of the case.

Delivering his judgment on Justice Buba found the defendant guilty on counts one, two, three and four as charged.

The Judge further held that “The court has considered the fact that the convict is a first-time offender, a family man and a breadwinner.

“The court will be lenient, given that the convict is a first offender. But this will also send the right signal that it is this type of attitude that has led our financial institutions into trouble.

“This is a matter the convict should not have allowed to go through the rigours of a criminal trial, having been given the opportunity to refund the money. But he still remained obstinate.”

The Judge, therefore, sentenced the convict to two years on counts one, two, three and four, without an option of fine, with effect from the day of Judgment.

The sentences are to run concurrently.
The convict was ordered to make restitution to the complainant, in accordance with Section 321(a) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, “if the properties released cannot meet up the amount of exposure to the complainant.”

ActionAid to politicians: Fix public schools, check corrupt practises 

Olugbenga ADANIKIN
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ActionAid to politicians: Fix public schools, check corrupt practises 
Ene Obi, Country Director of ActionAid on Thursday tasked politicians and relevant government authorities in the country to fix public schools and make it competitive in order to check the trend of Nigerians travelling abroad to acquire quality education. 
She made the call during a two-day stakeholders’ dialogue organised by the Non-Governmental Organisation in collaboration with Policy Alert under the SCRAP-C Project in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Obi said it was high time the common people in the country started to actively engage in the fight against corruption by making government officials accountable.
“When I attended public schools, many of the leaders also attended public schools but today they take their children to study outside the country with the money they have looted because we know the child of whom they were,” Obi said.
“Because of corruption, those students would go and study abroad and still come back to the country and start struggling with the few jobs.”
She said corruption has far-reaching effects than HIV/AIDs and malaria in the country because the future of Nigerian children, both born and unborn, are being ruined.
She charged the audience to demostrate active citizenship by ensuring that the goverment  fight corruption more vigorously.
“Why is it important to empower Nigerian citizens to effectively fight corruption? The answer is in the social cost of corruption and how it has fuelled unemployment and poverty and undermined the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). All of us must acknowledge the fact that corruption is our common enemy. You don’t have to be silent when and where you need to speak.”
In his remarks, Inihebe Effiong, a human right lawyer who was the keynote speaker, charged the federal government to listen to the concerns of the common people, rather than using the instrumentality of the state to suppress the people.
“We are unhappy that despite the fact that our president used taxpayers money to treat his ear infection at a hospital abroad, he is not listening to the cries of the citizens. When the former governor of Akwa Ibom State had an accident, he quickly ran abroad for medical attention despite the earlier claim that the Ibom Specialist Hospital had the capacity to handle medical cases for which Nigerians run abroad.”
People in atendance include traditional rulers, the state chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Ndueso Ekwere; the state Commissioner for the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC),  Mr Shola Shodipo; members of the civil society organisations, youth groups, students and journalists.

Court convicts oil thieves in Port Harcourt

Amos ABBA
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Court convicts oil thieves in Port Harcourt

The Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has convicted 12 oil thieves for illegally trading in petroleum products.

The presiding judge, Justice A. T Mohammed who delivered the judgment on Wednesday, sentenced the criminals to a fine of N100,000 each.

The convicts are Kabiru Saidu, Saleh Muhammed, Yusuf Bala, Salisu Usman, Hamisu Sha’Ibu, Aliyu Muhammed, Umar Mohammed, Muhammed Aliya, Sunday Emmanuel Udo, Malam Garba Abubakar, Ifeanyi Duru and Sani Haruna.

Acting Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, spokesman, Tony Orilade, in a press release, said the convicts were intercepted by men of the Nigerian Army, 6 Division, at different locations in Port Harcourt for dealing in petroleum products without a licence.

Trading in petroleum products without a license violates Section 4(1) of the Petroleum Act, Cap P10 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, LFN, 2004, and punishable under Section 4(6) of the same Act.

It is unclear, how much Nigeria loses to crude oil theft daily but an AfriCheck report in 2015 estimates that between 250,000 to 100,000 barrels of crude oil are stolen daily.

The EFCC, Port Harcourt zonal office, arraigned the convicts on a one-count separate charge, bordering on illegal dealing in petroleum products.

Investigations carried out by the EFCC revealed that the convicts were arrested alongside trucks with registration numbers: XL 985 KRD, XE 471 GUS, KMC 846 XA, NSR 08 ZL GME 185 XX;  MKA 719 ZB; JMT 155 YR; BDG 196 XS; KAF 681 XA; EZA 766 XA and XR 690 PHC.

The count charge reads “That you Kabiru Saidu, sometimes in, 2017 at Abuloma, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did distribute petroleum products, AGO, conveyed in a truck with registration number XL 985 KRD and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 4(1) of the Petroleum Act, Cap P10 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004 and punishable under Section 4(6) of the same Act”.

The defendants pleaded guilty when the charges were read to them.

In view of their pleas, prosecuting counsels, A. Osu, C. O Ugwu, Esin-Otu Ebipade, F. C Obinwa, and M. T Iko prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.

Counsels to the defendants, M. M. Suleiman, Babatunde Opadola and E. X Eboh did not oppose the prayer of the prosecution.

Justice Mohammed ordered the convicts to pay a fine of N100,000 and ordered that the products found with them should be forfeited to the Federal Government.

#RevolutionNow protest: Counsel vows to review court detention order on Sowore

Olugbenga ADANIKIN
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#RevolutionNow protest: Counsel vows to review court detention order on Sowore

INIHEBE Effiong, Counsel to Omoyele Sowore, Convener of the #RevolutionNow protest has vowed to file a new application to ‘vacate’ and counter today’s court ruling which extended Sowore’s detainment to 45 days.  

Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Abuja Federal High Court, Thursday morning, earlier granted to the Department of State Security Service (DSS) right to keep the accused in their custody pending the outcome of investigations by the security operatives.

But Effiong, who is also the National Legal Adviser of the African Action Congress (AAC), a political platform Sowore rode to contest for presidency in 2019, described the decision as a cowardly attempt by the Federal Government to clamp down on innocent citizens.

“We will review the decision and see the reasons adduced by the judge and also possibly make an application to have that order vacated,” Effiong told The ICIR.

He said the application would be made next week.

“We respect the court. But we are still of the position that the federal government does not have any reason in law, to have even made the application to say you want to detain him because the issues that led to his arrest are matters of public knowledge.”

Sowore, ahead of the planned nationwide #RevolutionNow protest was arrested by the security operatives. But the arrest has largely been condemned by the Nigerian Labour Congress, Amnesty International Nigeria office and other notable Nigerians who have demanded his release.

Moreover, Effiong emphasised that a team of defense lawyers lead by Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) would have developed new strategies prior today’s ruling but resolved to suspend the undisclosed move until when needed.

He insisted the actions against Sowore infringed on fundamental human rights of the activist.

“If the terrorism Act is now being used to clamp down on people who disagreed with the government, it is a sad commentary for the country and as human rights lawyers; it is a collective responsibility to ensure the precedent is not set.”

 

#RevolutionNow protest: EU backs freedom of speech in Nigeria

Olugbenga ADANIKIN
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#RevolutionNow protest: EU backs freedom of speech in Nigeria

THE European Union (EU) on Thursday threw its weight behind the principles of freedom of expression in Nigeria, saying it remains fundamental in any democratic dispensation.

Ketil Karlsen, the EU envoy to Nigeria disclosed this while reacting to the #RevolutionNow protest held in selected parts of the country and eventual arrest of Omoyele Sowore, Publisher of Sahara Reporters newspaper.

“The European Union stands firm on the principles of freedom of speech and our fundamental values. Of course, it is important in any democratic society for people to be able to participate,” says Karlsen, adding that he was not aware of any petition from the protesters to report poor governance of the current administration.

“I am not aware of any petition following the latest events in Nigeria but what I can say is that as long as people seek peaceful means to demonstrate and voice their political opinion, this is what we see as a natural part of a thriving democracy.”

But he said the responsibility still lies with the Federal Government to manage its internal affairs in line with provisions of the judicial system as it would be inappropriate for the EU to judge if the action taken against Sowore was right or otherwise.

According to an exclusive interview with Punch, Karlsen spoke at an orientation programme held for the 2019 Erasmus+ Scholarship Awardees in Abuja.

“Of course, any democracy or any society in the world must jealously guard and make sure that such pronouncements are always non-violent and that they respect the fundamental rules of the game and democracy at the end of the day and it is for the Nigerian justice system, in the end, to follow up on specific cases and as long as these cases are being dealt with in the Nigerian justice system, it is not for the EU or the EU ambassador to judge what is right or wrong in these occasions but of course we always follow very carefully when there are dissenting voices in the countries where we operate and we listen very carefully to all of them,” he added.

Sowore was arrested by the Department of State Security (DSS) for allegedly planning to overthrow the government. But lawyers and other human right activists had insisted the accused has the right to express himself, public gathering as well as freedom of opinion.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo the Abuja Federal High Court, Thursday morning, earlier granted the request of the DSS to further detain the activist beyond the statutory 48 hours to 45 days pending investigation for the alleged offense committed.

Court remands former INEC boss Maurice Iwu over 1.2bn fraud

Rebecca Akinremi
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Court remands former INEC boss Maurice Iwu over 1.2bn fraud

A FEDERAL High Court has ordered the remand of  Maurice Iwu, former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the custody of Nigeria’s anti-graft agency till Friday when his bail application would be heard. 

The order was given by Justice Chuka Obiozor on Thursday during the sitting of the court in Lagos, according to ChannelsTv.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned the former INEC boss for concealment, fraud and money laundering of N1.2 billion.

In four-count charges, EFCC alleged that Iwu encouraged the concealment of a total of N1,203,000 between December 2014 and March 2015.

The sum was said to be in a bank account belonging to Bioresources Institute of Nigeria Limited, a company where Iwu is currently the Executive Director, and domiciled in the United Bank for Africa, UBA Plc.

The anti-corruption agency believed that the money was part of the N23.29 billion slush fund allegedly shared by former petroleum minister, Diezani Allison-Madueke, in a build-up to the 2015 presidential election.

Iwu was not only the former INEC officials fingered as one of the beneficiaries of the fund, but Auwal Jibrin, former Deputy Director of the commission had also been sentenced to six years imprisonment for receiving gratifications from the former Minister of Petroleum.

At the court hearing today, Iwu, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

His counsel rather applied for bail. While the bail application hearing would be heard on Friday, the court ordered that Iwu should remain in the EFCC custody.

Maurice Iwu, a professor of Pharmacognosy, was appointed the chairman of the electoral commission in June 2005 and was removed from office in April 2010 over his questionable conduct of the election.  He was replaced by Attahiru Jega in June 2010.

Army says “lack of intelligence made soldiers kill three policemen”

Amos ABBA
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Army says “lack of intelligence made soldiers kill three policemen”

FOLLOWING the police’s accusation that soldiers allegedly opened fire on police personnel on legitimate duty which led to the death of three police officers, the Nigerian Army on Thursday countered the claim, stating that the policemen were mistaken for kidnappers. 

On Wednesday, police operatives of the Intelligence Response Team, IRT, were allegedly attacked by soldiers of 93 Battalion Nigerian Army Takum, along Ibi-Jalingo road in Taraba State, leaving four people dead with others sustaining varying degrees of injuries.

Among the dead includes, a police inspector, two sergeants, and a civilian, while the kidnap suspect, in police custody, was freed in the process.

Sagir Musa, Army spokesperson countering the accusation in a statement said the police officers had refused to stop at checkpoints which raised red flags prompting the soldiers to respond to the situation.

“The suspected kidnappers numbering about ten were driving in a white bus with Reg No LAGOS MUS 564 EU refused to stop when they were halted by troops at three consecutive checkpoints.

“The flagrant refusal of the suspected kidnappers to stop at the three checkpoints prompted a hot pursuit of the fleeing suspects by the troops. It was in this process that the suspected kidnappers who were obviously armed opened fire at the troops sporadically thus prompting them to return fire,” he said.

He also stated that the commander of the troops made enquiries at the police station in the area whether they were aware of any police team being dispatched to operate, but the divisional police officer claimed he was not informed.

He submitted that “this lent credence to the distressed call from members of the community that the policemen, on a covert mission, were rather suspected kidnappers.”

“In the resultant firefight, four suspects were shot and died on the spot while four others sustained various degrees of gunshot wounds and 2 others reportedly missing.

“It was only after this avoidable outcome that one of the wounded suspects disclosed the fact that they were indeed Policemen dispatched from Nigerian Police, Force Headquarters, Abuja for a covert assignment,” he affirmed.

Sagir said the incident was unfortunate and could have been avoided through appropriate intelligence as the police are partners in the fight against crimes such as kidnapping amongst other internal security threats facing the country.

“To avert future occurrences of this nature, the Army Headquarters and the Force Headquarters of the Nigerian Police have agreed to constitute a joint investigation panel to be headed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Criminal Investigation Department, DIG Mike Ogbizi, to jointly investigate and report on the true circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident,” he said.

#RevolutionNow: Court grants DSS to detain Sowore for 45 days

Rebecca Akinremi
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#RevolutionNow: Court grants DSS to detain Sowore for 45 days

A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja has granted the Department of State Security (DSS) to detain for 45 days Omoyele Sowore, human right activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters that convened the #RevolutionNow protest in Nigeria. 

The permission was given by Justice Taiwo Taiwo on Thursday on an ex parte application filed by the DSS.

The State Service last Saturday had arrested Sowore, former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), for convening a protest and filed an application on Tuesday, requesting to detain Sowore for 90 days in order to help it “carry out a further investigation” on why he called for revolution.

The agency predicated its application on the provision of section 27(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment Act.

The judge said the Sowore should continue his detention for a period of 45 days, starting to count from Thursday, August 8. He added that the detention order would be renewable after the expiration of the 45 days on September 21.

The justice said he granted the DSS application, “only to the extent” of allowing the security operatives to conclude its investigation.

But if the security agency required more time to conclude its investigation after the expiration of the first 45 days, Taiwo said there was liberty to apply for its renewal.

Being an ex parte application, neither Sowore nor his legal team was represented at the court ruling.

The judge noted that he would be failing in his duty not to grant the request for a detention order, even if it was one-sided.

“…although the hearing of the application is one-sided as provided by 27(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment Act, the use of the word,  ‘may’, in the provision is ‘directory and not ‘discretionary,” he said.

Sowore convened the nationwide protest which held in a few states in Nigeria on Monday but many of the protests ended in violence as the security operatives dispersed the protesters with teargas, arresting of them. The protest, according to the organisers, was meant to drive social change and foster a better Nigeria

He was arrested two days to the protest.

Meanwhile, his arrest had been frowned at by many national and international organisations. The Amnesty International had called for his immediate release on Wednesday.

SERAP takes grievance of Nigeria’s human right violations to UN.

Nneoma BENSON
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SERAP takes grievance of Nigeria’s human right violations to UN.

THE Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an open letter to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council in Geneva, over the arbitrary arrest and repression of ‘#RevolutionNow’ protesters and organisers.

The open letter, as contained in a statement, was signed by its deputy director Kolawole Oluwadere on Thursday.

The letter recognised the repression by Nigeria Police Force and other security forces of ‘RevolutionNow’ protesters, organizers, activists, and journalists who covered the protests on Monday across the country.

It called for a special session to help stem the attack on human rights and contribute to UN efforts to prevent further abuses including arbitrary detention and excessive use of force.

The organisation stated its concern over the suppression of freedom of expression, attacks on journalists, bloggers, and human rights defenders by several state governments, as well as the intimidation and harassment of Amnesty International in Nigeria.

It noted the Amnesty International in Nigeria is consistently besieged by paid protesters, preventing it from carrying out its activities and giving the organisation ultimatum to leave Nigeria.

The organisation said the human rights situation in the country has drastically deteriorated, with the authorities at the Federal and State levels violating human rights and refusing to obey court judgments.

“The Human Rights Council should heed the rising chorus of concerns by Nigerians, journalists, human rights defenders, activists, and lawyers, and urgently convene a Special Session on the growing human rights crisis in the country,” SERAP said.

It called on the Council to address the “rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in several states of Nigeria as a matter of priority” and help prevent human right violations by Buhari government.

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