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FLASHBACK: How Maina, friends and family ‘stole’ over N1bn pension funds

Rebecca Akinremi
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FLASHBACK: How Maina, friends and family ‘stole’ over N1bn pension funds

EDITOR’S NOTE: This piece was originally published in November 2015.


After months of evading summons by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Maina, whistle-blower and pension reform advocate, has been declared wanted for allegedly stealing over N1billion of pension funds.

The irony of the situation could not have been lost on anyone who had followed the saga of the monumental plundering of pension funds in Nigeria by corrupt civil servants.

On Tuesday, but for a last-minute adjournment, Maina, former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, PRTT, who blew the lid on the looting of more than N100billion pension funds at the pension offices of the Head of Service and Police Pension Office, along with his front companies, would have been arraigned before the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The EFCC had earlier on Monday declared Maina wanted after he repeatedly refused to appear before it to respond to allegations of stealing and money laundering.

Recall that on March 8, 2012, in the same court building where Maina is likely to face trial, another trial took place involving top civil servants that Maina and his task team had accused of stealing about N60 billion of pension funds from the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, HOSF

Arraigned for trial were Teidi Shuaibu, former Director (Pensions) in the office of the Head of Service, Phina Ukamaka Chidi, Deputy Director in the same office and 30 others on a 134 count charge of conspiracy, fraud, stealing and misappropriation of public funds.

Months later, on May 28, 2012, at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Gudu, another set of senior civil servants, including two former directors at the Police Pension Office, Esias Dangaba and Abubakar Kigo, (later Permanent Secretary) along with others, was arraigned for stealing more than N32 billion police officers pension funds.

However, today, the table has turned as Maina himself has been slammed with a 35-count charge bothering on stealing, Advance Fee Fraud (419) and money laundering, along with Steve Oronsaye, former HOSF, Osarenkhoe Afe, a consultant to the PRTT, and four companies.

Earlier, on July 10, 2015, Oronsaye, Maina, Afe and a company, Fredrick Hamilton Global Services, were arraigned before the Federal High Court, Abuja, on a 24-count charge bordering on stealing, fraud and misappropriation of public funds.

However, on Tuesday, the companies allegedly used by Maina to launder the money he is accused of stealing were added to the charges. The companies are Cluster Logistics Limited, Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited and Drew Investment & Construction Company.

An earlier report by the ICIR, N1 Billion Pension Fraud: The Case Against Oronsaye, Abdulrasheed Maina, detailed how Oronsaye and Maina allegedly masterminded the stealing of over N1 billion from pension funds at the office of the Head of Service using bogus biometric enrollment contracts given to companies controlled by their friends, cronies and associates.

However, after the initial arraignment, amendments made to the charges showed in detail how Maina allegedly laundered his loot to foreign jurisdictions, mostly to Dubai, where he has been resident for nearly two years, using companies and accounts controlled by him but opened and run by his family members, including his brother and sister.

The alleged coordinator of Maina’s laundering activities was his junior brother, Khalid Aliyu Biu, who worked in Fidelity Bank until the last quarter of 2012. Khalid facilitated the opening of several company and personal accounts for Maina with a total turnover of nearly over N1 billion between 2009 and 2015.

Apart from the above mentioned companies, Khalid opened two other personal accounts in the name of Nafisatu Aliyu, believed to be his sister, and Abdullahi Faisal. (Maina’s son is named Faisal).

Khalid opened an account in Fidelity Bank in the name of Cluster Logistics while he worked there. A search at the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, shows that the company had three directors – Khalid Aliyi Biu, Hassan Dahiru and Sani Musa. The company registration papers also had Maina’s Kado Estate residence as office address. The sole signatory to the company was Abubakar Mustapha who is believed to be Maina.

Khalid was the account officer to the Cluster Logistics account until he left Fidelity Bank when he handed over to Toyin Meseke who has since managed the account. Meseke and his bosses confirmed to EFCC investigators that Maina operated the Cluster Logistics account.

The account officer said he usually got instructions from Maina through the phone or e-mails to authorize transactions on the account and that such “debit note” transactions were regularized later by Maina providing a cheque. He said he had had to go to Maina’s home in Abuja to collect such cheques. He provided investigators with the phone number and email address with which Maina passed instructions to him.

Investigators found out that funds were later systematically moved out from the Cluster Logistics exaccount and transferred to Bureau de Change operators who converted the money into dollars and wired to Maina in Dubai.

EFCC’s examination of the account’s statements showed several huge withdrawals which ended up wired to Maina in such a manner. For instance, on May 2, 2014, the account officer said that Maina sent an instruction through e-mail authorising a withdrawal and transfer of N33.8 million to a Bureau de Change, which converted the money into dollars and delivered to the former pension task team boss.

A few days later, on May 6, he allegedly authorized another transfer of N42.5 million to the same Bureau de Change, which delivered the equivalent to him in dollars. Other withdrawals authorized by him include N16.1 million on October 3, 2014 and another N15.8 million on the same day.

Perhaps, the most curious transaction in the Cluster Logistics account was an inflow of N61,8555,858 on March 16, 2011 from the Department of State Services, DSS. It could not be determined what the money is meant for but Maina actually also helped the security agency to reform its pension administration system.

Meseko said he was told by Maina many times to withdraw money from the Cluster Logistics account and hand over to specific persons. In one instance, he said that Maina authorized the withdrawal of N6.5 million and asked him to bring it to Oronsaye’s home. However, according to Meseke, the cash unit of the bank had closed so he could not withdraw the money until the next day. When he took the cash to Maina’s house the next day, he was told that it was meant to pay for a car he had bought from Oronsaye.

Meseke also told investigators that Khalid handed over the two other accounts, which he had opened in the name of Nafisatu Aliyu and Abdullahi Faisal to him. He said that Khalid told him that the two accounts were also controlled by Maina, although his name does not appear in the account documentation. The account officer said he was told to honour all instructions on the accounts from Maina; and he did exactly that.

The Drew Investment and Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited accounts too were operated in the same manner by the former pension task force boss. A CAC search indicated that the Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited was registered by Hajiya Fatima Abunakar, believed to be Maina’s sister, while Drew Investment was registered by one Maimuna Idris.

Apart from the company and personal accounts that Maina is accused of using to launder money, he is also alleged to have a safe deposit box (no 489) with Fidelity Bank in Abuja, which he opened in the name of Nafisatu Aliyu.

There were speculations last week that Maina might have sneaked into the country before he was declared wanted by the EFCC on Monday, but he did not appear at the Federal High Court, Abuja on Tuesday where the case against him was supposed to be heard.

In the new charges brought against the accused persons, Maina alone is accused of laundering over N700 million using his front companies.

That you Cluster Logistics Limited, Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited and Abdulrasheed Maina, (alias Abdullahi Faizal now at large) between 3rd March, 2012 and 31st May 2012 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did collaborate in concealing the genuine nature of the sum of N219,000,000.00 (Two hundred and nineteen million naira) by depositing the said amount in cash into the account of Abdullahi Faizal, maintained by Abdulrasheed Maina (alias Abdullhi Faizal, and when you knew that the said sum form part of the proceed of an unlawful act, to wit; corrupt acts of Abdulrasheed Maina and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section15 (1) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.

Count 26 of the charges reads: That you Cluster Logistics Limited, Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited and Abdulrasheed Maina (alias Abdullahi Faizal now at large) on or about 4th of June, 2012 in Abuja within the jurisdiction ofthis honourable court, did collaborate in concealing the genuine nature of the sum of N210,000,000.00 (Two hundred and ten million naira~) by placing on a fixed deposit the said amount into the account of Abdullahi A.Faizal maintained by Abdulrasheed Maina (alias Abdullahi Faizal) and when you knew that the said sum form part of the proceed of an unlawful act, to wit; corrupt acts of Abdulrasheed Maina and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 15 (1) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.

The case has been adjourned to November 25.

Interior ministry confirms recall of wanted-for-corruption Maina

Kingsley OBIEJESI
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Interior ministry confirms recall of wanted-for-corruption Maina

Abdulrahman Dambazau, Minister of Interior, has confirmed the recall of Abdulrasheed Maina, former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Force, who is wanted by the EFCC for corruption.

However, he said the offices of the Head of Service of the Federation and the Federal Civil Service Commission are the bodies to answer questions over the recall of Abdurasheed Maina.

Maina fled Nigeria to the United Arab Emirates in 2013, after he was accused of fraud running into several billions of naira.

He was secretly recalled and posted to the Interior Ministry as the new Director in charge of Human Resources Department.

After the conspiracy was reported in the media, Ehisienmen Osaigbovo, Press Secretary to Dambazzau, released a statement confirming the development but absolving the ministry of any blame.

The statement explained that Maina “was posted few days ago to the Ministry of Interior by the Office of the Head of Service on an Acting capacity to fill a vacancy created following the retirement of the Director heading the Human Resources Department in the Ministry”.

According to Osaigbovo, the office of the Head of Service and the Federal Civil Service Commission are the two bodies responsible for “issues relating to discipline, employment, re-engagement, posting, promotion and retirements of Federal Civil Servants”.

“It is understood that Maina’s last posting was with the Ministry of Interior, and that is probably why he was re-posted to the ministry,” the statement added.

Maina, who was appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2010 to help sanitize the pension sector, is accused of spearheading a massive fraud scheme amounting to more than N100 billion.

He was invited by a Senate Joint Committee on Public Service and Establishment and State and Local Government Administration, and an arrest warrant was issued against him later.

Maina then sued the Senate and Mohammed Abubakar, the then Inspector-General of Police, and went into hiding when he was declared wanted by the police.

In July 2015, Maina was mentioned by the EFCC as a major accomplice in a 24-count charge filed against Stephen Oronsaye and two others.

The other accused appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to the charge, but Maina remained at large.

He has spent the past years in the UAE.

Amina Mohammed tells old Nigerians to stop competing with youth for UN jobs

Chikezie OMEJE
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Amina Mohammed tells old Nigerians to stop competing with youth for UN jobs

Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General and former Minister of Environment, has urged older Nigerians to stop competing with younger Nigerians for UN jobs.

NAN reports that Mohammed spoke at a cultural night organised by Nigerians working at the United Nations Systems in New York.

She said Nigerian employees in the UN system are getting older, pointing out the need to groom younger people by allowing them to fill available job openings.

“Whenever there are opportunities, try and pave the way for the young ones; you are getting old and we want to see the young ones in the system,” Mohammed said.

“We need to give the youth the opportunity because if we don’t give them the opportunities, they can easily fall victims of crimes.”

She said the older Nigerians in the UN system should think of bringing their expertise home rather than competing with young Nigerians for jobs in the UN.

“Home really does need us; there are leaders and we are trying with the professionals that we see in the United Nations.

“The work we need to do is not just to the world but also to remember that at the root of all that, you are only as good as where you come from.

“And it’s really important that we remember, with what we do here, what we can get back home, that we can encourage those at home and inspire them.

“It’s not just what we do for the world.  Can’t we take those expertise back home?”

She said Nigeria has not been taking advantage of sponsoring its young people to gain experience under the Junior Professional Officers’ (JPO) Programme, which has 37 openings for Nigerians.

The JPO programme provides young professionals with hands-on experience in multilateral technical co-operation, and is one of the best ways to gain entry-level positions within the UN system.

JPOs are sponsored by their own government, which fund their placement in one of a range of UN organisations.

I never went to school but I now supervise master’s and Ph.D. holders, says Indimi

Chikezie OMEJE
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I never went to school but I now supervise master’s and Ph.D. holders, says Indimi

Muhammdu Indimi, the businessman from Borno State who admitted donating $900,000 to Lynn University, US, last year, says he never had any formal education but he now supervises those with masters and Ph.D.

“Thank God today, as an unlettered person by western standards I still supervise people with master’s and Ph.D.s who are working in my organisation,” Indimi told the Premium Times.

“As a matter of fact, if any of my employees wants to approach me with any project proposal or some kind of memo or presentation, they have to be well-prepared and make sure they did their home work well because they know I will definitely point out any error therein. So, Alhamdullillahi, I thank God for his kindness upon me.”

He said he learnt how to speak English by listening and associating with people who spoke the language, as he never attended any Western education school.

“It may interest you to know that I have never been to any formal school all my life,” Indimi said.  “No teacher of western education can say he or she had taught me how to pronounce the alphabet ‘A’ in my life.

“I simply learnt by listening and associating with people. I am a very committed person when it comes to learning and adapting.”

Indimi said the money he donated to Lynn University was to build a bigger lecture hall in the university, where 10 of his children graduated from.

He said he was moved to make the donation after students of the university invited him to deliver a lecture on how he became an accomplished businessman without formal education, only to get there and discover that the venue of the lecture was small.

“The students approached me and asked if I could be available to give them an insight as to how I was able to accomplish such business successes without any form of formal education,” Indimi said.

“What they wanted was some kind of talk or lecture. And when I went to share my experience with them, I found out that the venue was too small for the crowd that attended the programme, and it was from there I pledged to help them build a better and befitting lecture for the faculty.”

He expressed surprised at the controversy that trailed the donation in Nigeria, pointing out that those that castigated him were ignorant of his company’s corporate social responsibility in the country and his philanthropic gestures.

“I did that in my kind gesture as a father to many children that graduated from that school, and also in appreciation of the recognition and regard they gave me.

“But what will I hear back home? All kinds of insinuation. Sadly, some persons, especially those from a south south of the country, felt it is their money I took to go build a lecture hall for an American university.”

Indimi is the chairman of Oriental Energy Resources and his wealth was alleged to have come from the oil blocks he was allocated to during the military rule of Ibrahim Babaginda.

He is also an in-law to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Shehu Sani: FG’s list of looters must include ‘broomers FC’ members

Kingsley OBIEJESI
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Shehu Sani: FG’s list of looters must include ‘broomers FC’ members

Shehu Sani, the senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, says FG must include corrupt people in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in its list of treasury looters to be published soon.

Sani said this, albeit figuratively, via a Facebok post on Friday, noting that the list should not be limited to members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“The Federal Government’s decision to publish the names of looters is commendable,” Sani wrote.

“Hope the ‘call-up’ list will not be limited to the ageing ‘Umbrella United’ players, but will include those in the ‘Broomers FC’ and ‘Paris Saint Germain’ and ‘Dynamo Cabal FC’ players.”

The PDP logo is an umbrella while that of the APC is a broom, and by “Dynamo Cabals FC”, Sani was referring to the alleged ‘cabal’ in the presidency that many believe is running the country’s affairs.

Sani has always insisted that there is a cabal in President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.

In a recent interview on Channels Television, Sani said the allegations of insubordination raised by Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, against Maikanti Baru, Group Managing Director of the NNPC, is a sign that there exists “a government within Buhari’s government”.

His latest post is a reaction to the reports that Buhari has directed ministries, departments and agencies to compile names of people from whom funds has been recovered so far in the anti-corruption campaign.

Osinbajo’s father-in-law ‘annoyed’ that Abiola was misled into declaring himself president

Kingsley OBIEJESI
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Osinbajo’s father-in-law ‘annoyed’ that Abiola was misled into declaring himself president

Olutayo Soyede, close associate and son in-law of late Obafemi Awolowo, who is also the father in-law of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, says it was a mistake for M.K.O Abiola to have declared himself President in 1994.

Soyede, who spoke in an interview with Punch, said Abiola ought to have accepted the bail conditions given to him by Sani Abacha, Nigeria’s Head of State at the time, and perhaps he would have found other means of actualising his mandate, but he was misled by persons who were not even part of his presidential campaign.

Abiola was the winner of the 1993 general election, later annulled by Ibrahim Babangida, who stepped aside as Head of State months after.

“Where trouble came in was when Abiola went to declare himself President. Those who told him to declare were not even part of us,” Soyede said.

“We were the ones who worked for Abiola to win the primary. We even voted against our former chairman, Baba Gana Kingibe.

“Mama HID Awolowo told us to work for Abiola, who was never one of us. He was in another party before but many of the people who took the credit were never there.

“We were surprised that the Abiola we supported started drifting towards other people.

“Initially, Abiola was not locked up in a cell but was given comfortable places to live outside the prison. Abacha left Abiola to enjoy himself, but something happened that changed all these.

“The so-called people who misled Abiola told him to continue to claim his mandate and reject the bail conditions.”

Soyede said they were already making arrangements on how to transport Abiola to Lagos as soon as he was released when they learnt that he had rejected the bail, insisting that he must be declared President.

“We were weeping when we got back. That was the first time Abiola was put in a proper prison,” he said.

“If you noticed, within three weeks, Abiola’s health had started deteriorating. That was the end of Abiola. We lost contact with him.”

When reminded that if Abiola accepted the bail he was offered by Abacha, it would mean forfeiting his mandate, Soyede replied, “Well, did he have the mandate now?”

“In such a thing, you accept anything. It is when you are free that you could claim a mandate.

“He was misled and it always annoys me. However, Abiola remains a hero.

“If he accepted the bail condition, he could have found his way out of Nigeria and maybe declare government in exile; that was our own thinking.”

The first day Awolowo called me on phone, I knelt down till the phone fell, says son-in-law

Kingsley OBIEJESI
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The first day Awolowo called me on phone, I knelt down till the phone fell, says son-in-law

Obafemi Awolowo, the late Premier of the defunct Western Region, was so idolised by his followers that phone calls from him were big deals and the gifts of even his used shoes were celebrated.

This was revealed by Olutayo Soyede, Awolowo’s close associate and son-in-law, who is also the father of Dolapo Osinbajo, wife of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Soyede, who was speaking about the statue of Awolowo unveiled by Akinwumi Ambode, Lagos State Governor, recently, said if Awo gifted anyone his used shoes, it was considered a blessing.

The statue had generated lots of controversies as persons close to Awolowo said it is not a true reflection of the man idolised by many Nigerians.

For instance, the statue depicted Awolowo as wearing boots, something almost all his followers said he never wore.

Commenting on the statue, Soyede said he would not condemn the statue as it was a sign that Awolowo’s works were recognized and appreciated.

However, he said: “I know Papa didn’t wear boots. He was always wearing nice shoes.

“All of us would remember that because every two years, Papa would always distribute his shoes to all his sons-in-law.

“He used to buy shoes a lot. If he saw a pair of shoes that he loved, he would buy three pairs. It was a must. He would put one pair in Apapa, one pair in Ibadan and one pair in Ikenne.

“So, shoes were always many and wherever he went, we didn’t have to carry shoes around.

“After two years, the house would be full and he would have to distribute them to us. So, I got many, and thankfully, we were of the same size.

“But even if Papa gave you shoes and you were not of the same size, you would put paper inside. Papa’s shoes? That was like a blessing.”

Soyede, who will be 75 in January 2018, also shared how he met his wife, Awolowo’s daughter, in the UK and how he tricked her family into allowing him to marry her.

“I met her in London where we were both studying and we fell in love. It was basically about students meeting each other in the UK during studies,” he said.

“I felt that before Chief Awolowo would say his daughter must not marry me, I needed to adopt what we used to call two-in-one, meaning marriage and pregnancy, so that by the time he would know, his daughter would have been pregnant and stopping us from getting married would be difficult.

“You know in that atmosphere, people tend to be more reckless. So, I did the two-in-one and both of us had to tell our parents what happened.

“When I told my father, he screamed, saying I had put him in trouble. When she told her mother, I didn’t know how she too screamed, but I remember one afternoon, at about 2:30pm, a call came in from Lagos.

“When I picked it, the person said: ‘Is that Tayo Soyode?’ I said yes. The person said: ‘This is Obafemi Awolowo’. I started trembling and knelt down, till the phone almost fell in my hand.”

Buhari’s govt ‘secretly recalls’ Maina, ‘corrupt’ ex-pension boss, to interior ministry

Kingsley OBIEJESI
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Buhari’s govt ‘secretly recalls’ Maina, ‘corrupt’ ex-pension boss, to interior ministry

Abdulrasheed Maina, former Chairman of the Presidential Task Team on Pension Reforms, has been recalled by the federal government and made a director in the Ministry of Interior.

Maina was declared wanted by the EFCC following allegations of corruption and fraud of over N1billion.

According to Premium Times,  Maina was secretly recalled and promoted to the position of Director in charge of Human Resources in the Ministry of Interior.

Maina was an Assistant Director in the ministry before he was appointed in 2010 by former President Goodluck Jonathan to head the pension reform task force.

But in 2012, he was accused of leading a massive pension fraud scheme amounting to more than N100 billion, and in 2013, he was dismissed by the Federal Civil Service Commission following a recommendation by the Office of the Head of Service.

Maina was invited by the Senate Joint Committee on Public Service and Establishment and State and Local Government Administration. Later, an arrest warrant was issued against him by the joint Senate panel.

He ignored the panel and went ahead to sue the Senate and Mohammed Abubakar, the then Inspector-General of Police, The police subsequently declared him wanted and he went into hiding.

In July 2015, Maina was charged by the EFCC alongside Stephen Oronsaye and two others before a Federal High Court on a 24-count charge of procurement fraud and obtaining by false pretence.

Oronsaye and the two other accused appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to the charge, but Maina remained at large.

Reports had it that Maina fled to the United Arab Emirates from where he kept lobbying to win pleasure of the Buhari administration.

After the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, members of the defunct Presidential Task Team on Pension Reforms offered to work with the administration, saying it would be easier to sanitise the sector as Buhari is known for his anti-corruption stand.

“Two years after, it appears the prayer of the team has been answered by the current administration,” Premium Times reports.

“Maina’s reinstatement was shrouded in secrecy and was handled “at the highest level” according to an informed source. The reinstatement was not announced by the presidency or any federal government agency.”

Sources in the know said the plot to recall and reinstate Maina was orchestrated by Abubakar Malami, Minister of Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and Abdurahman Dambazzau, Minister of Interior.

Dambazau did not answer repeated calls to his phone seeking clarification on the issue, while Salihu Othman, spokesman of Malami, said he had no idea of his principal’s connection to the case.

A retired director in the Office of the Head of Service who is familiar with the matter said Maina’s recall was a slight on the rule of law.

“He should not have been reinstated. Doesn’t Mr. Maina have a case in court? The rules provide for action to be taken only after the courts have dispensed of the case fully,” the source said pleading anonymity.

Similarly, an official of the EFCC said Maina is still wanted by the commission in relation to the pension scam for which he was arraigned in absentia.

“We are still looking for him. He is a wanted man. He ought to be arraigned with Oronsaye and the rest but he disappeared,” said the official.

Femi Adesina, President Buhari’s Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, said he was unaware of the development.

The anti-corruption war must continue with or without me, says Magu

Chikezie OMEJE
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The anti-corruption war must continue with or without me, says Magu

Ibrahim Magu, Chairman of Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), says Nigeria’s war against corruption must continue with or without him. 

President Muhammadu Buhari has insisted Magu is the only man for the job after the legislature rejected his nomination as substantive EFCC Chairman.

But on Friday, Magu said the anti-corruption project would go on without him. He also asked Nigerians not to expect commendation in joining the fight against corruption because “it is a thankless job”.

“I am determined in the fight against corruption,” he said. “I urge other Nigerians not to get exhausted. Don’t expect anyone to thank you for fighting corruption. It is a thankless job.”

NAN reports that Magu spoke in Lagos at the sensitisation forum on the plan to launch ‘EFCC-Creative Youth Initiative Against Corruption (CYIAC) Corruption Busters’.

Noting that the fight against corruption had become tougher, he urged all Nigerians to use whatever weapons they have to join the fight.

“The fight against corruption is becoming tougher. We cannot fight it alone. We want to mobilise everyone in the fight; the more people in the fight, the better.

“Whatever weapons you have, use it against corruption. Use your strategic thinking; the fight must go on with or without me, it is not a personal thing.

“The press have a lot to do in this fight. If they do more, the battle would be half-solved.”

Foluke Michael, Coordinator of CYIAC, said the corruption busters would be launched on December. 9 to mark the UN International Anti-Corruption Day.

Michael said that her platform is EFCC’s preventive project, stressing that the forum is a sensitisation programme for children, youth and women.

She said the CYIAC was launched in 2016 with the pilot scheme tagged ‘My New Nigeria: Free from Corruption’, and the  2017 edition would kick off with online campaign to sensitise children, youth and women.

“The online campaign will be followed by the launch of CYIAC APP and nationwide registration portal on Nov. 1 for participants between ages 9 and 14 for category 1, and 15-25 years for category 2,” she said.

“Participants will also be required to submit essays, short stories or creative ideas online based on the theme: `Imagine the World free from corruption’ between Nov 1 and Dec 15.”

Joe Okei-Odumakin, President of Women Arise and Chairman, steering committee for Movement Against Corruption, said both organisations had endorsed CYIAC as vehicle to reach out to children, youth and women.

“The idea to involve young people in advocacy and fight against corruption is a movement in the right direction,” Okei-Odumakin said.

“Corruption must be destroyed from the root in Nigeria if the sufferings of the masses will be alleviate.”

‘Underwear bomber’ Abdulmutallab sues US govt for violating his rights

Kingsley OBIEJESI
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‘Underwear bomber’ Abdulmutallab sues US govt for violating his rights

 

Umar Abdulmutallab, the Nigerian man sentenced to life imprisonment in the United States of America, has sued the US government over alleged breach of his rights to speech and religious beliefs.

Abdulmutallab, better known as ‘the underwear bomber’, attempted to detonate a bomb hidden in his underpants while aboard an aircraft travelling from Amsterdam to Detroit, USA, on Christmas Day 2009.

Following the failed suicide attack, Abdulmutallab, then 22, was overpowered by passengers on the plane and handed to security officials.

He was convicted of terrorism and sent to the United States Penitentiary-Administrative Maximum Facility in Florence, Colorado, where he will serve out his life sentence.

However, in a suit filed at a Colorado federal court on Wednesday, Abdulmutallab, now 30, said authorities in the prison do not allow him to communicate with the outside world or practice his religion as a Muslim.

Gail Johnson, counsel to Abdulmutallab, stated in the charge sheet that immediately his client arrived at the prison, he was placed in long-term solitary confinement and placed under special administrative measures (SAMs).

He was prevented from communicating with any member of his family until last year when he was allowed to talk to his sister.

“Prisoners retain fundamental constitutional rights to communicate with others and have family relationships free from undue interference by the government,” Johnsons aid in a statement to the New York Times.

“The restrictions imposed on our client are excessive and unnecessary, and therefore we seek the intervention of the federal court.”

Before his failed suicide attempt, Abdulmutallab was said to have trained at an al Qaeda camp in Yemen under the direction of Anwar al-Awlaki, a US-born Muslim cleric.

Abdulmutallab’s father, Umaru Abdul Mutallab, is a former Chairman of First Bank and former Minister of Economic Development under the military government of Murtala Mohammed.

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