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Defence Equipment Audit: Information Ministry Is Wrong

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Defence Equipment Audit: Information Ministry Is Wrong
Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed
Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed

By Samuel Malik

The www.icirnigeria.org can reveal that the press statement issued on Friday by the Ministry of Information on the recent arms panel report is misleading as it contained factual errors.

In the statement signed on behalf of the Minister of Information, Lai Muhammed, by Segun Adeyemi, his spokesman, the minister said the report by the Presidential Committee on the Audit of Defence Equipment Procurement, which indicted former army chiefs, Azubuike Ihejirika and Kenneth Minimah, both retired Lieutenant Generals, and 52 others covered only 2011 to 2015.

“What has been released so far is the report of the audit covering the period 2011 to 2015… When the documents regarding procurement from 2007 to 2010 are available and scrutinized, the committee will then issue its report on that,” the ministry said.

However, details contained in the panel’s report contradict this statement.

According to the report released on Thursday, “In continuation of its assignment, the Committee on Audit of Defence Equipment Procurement (CADEP) in the Nigerian Armed Forces, analysed procurement contracts awarded by or for the Nigerian Army between 2007 and 2015.”

It added that within this period, 2007 to 2015, N185,843,052,564.30 and $685,349,692.49 were spent on procurement for the Nigerian army. This shows that contrary to the claim by the ministry that procurement documents for the previous four years were not available, the panel actually had access and perused necessary documents to be able to determine the amount of money spent in that time.

Furthermore, the panel provided proof to show that it covered 2007 to 2010.

“Between 29 April 2005 and 19 October 2010, the MOD awarded 2 contracts to Progress Limited for the supply of 42 units of BTR-3U Armoured Personnel Carriers and spare parts for the Nigerian Army. However, neither the MOD nor the NA could provide the contract agreements to ascertain the cost of the APCs. Although 26 of the APCs were delivered in 2007 and immediately deployed for Peace Keeping Operations in Sudan, the APCs scandalously broke down on induction. The Committee observed that the APCs did not meet the operational requirement for the Army, caused Nigeria international embarrassment and deprived her appropriate reimbursement from the United Nations,” it stated.

When the minister’s spokesman was contacted to clarify the statement, he could not make convincing clarifications. He said the mention of 2007 in the report referred to the scope of the committee’s work.

“It was talking about its mandate, that its work covers 2007 to 2015. That is the overall mandate. This is an interim report (and it only) covers 2011 to 2015 but the mandate of the committee covers 2007 to 2015,” Adeyemi said.

Our reporter however pointed out to him that the report stated with examples, that the committee analysed documents from 2007 to 2015.

“That does not also mean that all the contracts awarded by then for the Nigerian army have been treated. However, there are also still documents on the Nigerian army contracts that are still pending. When they get those documents, they will also still send out another report covering Nigerian army,” Adeyemi stated.

It is important to note that the panel has not said it does not have all the documents it needs. In fact, contrary to what the information ministry said, the panel has access to all necessary documents it needs.

This was evident in the first interim report it submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari, where it was stated that documents from the Office of the National Security Adviser, Defence Headquarters, Nigerian army, Nigerian navy, and Nigerian Air Force were studied.

“So far the total extra budgetary interventions articulated by the committee is Six Hundred and Forty Three Billion, Eight Hundred and Seventeen Million, Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty Five Hundred Naira and Eighteen Kobo (N643,817,955,885.18).

“The foreign currency component is to the tune of Two Billion, One Hundred and Ninety Three Million, Eight Hundred and Fifteen Thousand US Dollars and Eighty Three Cents ($2,193,815,000.83),” Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President, said on November 17, 2015.

So far, the arms probe panel, inaugurated in August 2015, to probe weapon procurement by the military from 2007 to 2015, has submitted three interim reports, revealing shocking details of how individuals brazenly looted funds meant for the purchase of weapons and ammunition.

The first report, released on November 17, showed how the Office of the National Security Adviser awarded contracts worth billions of naira without due process or evidence of work done.

The second report, released on January 15, 2016, focused on the Nigeria Air Force. It indicted very senior Air Force officers, including former Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, a retired Air Chief Marshall.

The latest and third report was released yesterday showing how senior army officers helped themselves to funds meant for weapons procurement.

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Dasukigate: EFCC Arraigns Contractor

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Dasukigate: EFCC Arraigns Contractor
Former NSA Sambo Dasuki
Former NSA Sambo Dasuki

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned one Olugbenga Obadina before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court Abuja on an eight-count charge of criminal breach of trust, corruption and money laundering to the tune of N2.4 billion.

Obadina was alleged to have collected N2.417 billion paid into his company’s account in tranches, between 2013 and 2015 from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, under Sambo Dasuki, without contract award.

The accused person pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.

Counsel to EFCC, Aso Peters asked the court to fix a date for trial to commence and urged the court to remand the accused in prison custody.

But Chris Uche, SAN, representing the accused prayed the court to grant the defendant bail as he had a pending application to that effect which had been served on the prosecution.

Responding, Peters said that the prosecution was served on July 13 and he had the right of 48hours to respond.

Peters also told the court that the defendant had refused to cooperate with the Commission in the course of investigation, adding that his profile had not been taken.

“My Lord, he (Obadina) refused giving his fingerprint and biodata; he is a flight risk. He claimed he was advised by his lawyer”, Peters added.

Justice Dimgba adjourned the case to July 18 for ruling on the bail application and ordered the accused person to be remanded in Kuje prison.

Army/Shiites Clash: Judicial Panel Submits Report

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Army/Shiites Clash: Judicial Panel Submits Report
Governor El-Rufai Receiving the report from Justice
Governor El-Rufai Receiving the report from Justice Garba

The Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the Kaduna State Government to investigate the clash between soldiers and members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria in Zaria on December 12, 2015, has submitted its final report to the State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

Chairman of the Commission, Justice Mohammed Garba, submitted the report on Friday at the Government House, Kaduna.

Garba said that the panel received over 3,000 memoranda from different groups and individuals both within and outside the state.

He explained that the panel gave all warring parties right of fair hearing in line with its mandate, noting, however, that the Islamic movement failed to appear before the Commission to give their own account of the incident.

Receiving the report, Governor El-Rufai assured the panel that it would be diligently studied and implemented in order to prevent a future occurrence of such ugly incident in any part of the state.

The also said that the commission’s report will not be made public for the time being.

Meanwhile, Ibrahim Musa, Spokesman for the Islamic movement, has reacted to the claim by the Commission that they refused to make submissions.

Musa said that by the continuous detention of their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, and other members of the movement, the Nigerian government showed it was not willing to give the group fair hearing, and thus would not get justice from the Commission of Inquiry.

He maintained that the only way to ensure peace was to release the Shiites leader and other members of the group from detention.

Recall that Femi Falana, SAN, lawyer to El-Zakzaky had initiated a N2 billion suit against the Nigerian government for what he described as the violation of his client’s human rights as a result of his continued detention.

But FG said El-Zakzaky was taken into custody following intelligence report that he was going to be attacked and killed.

Ayodeji Ibitoye, an operative in the legal services department of the DSS, said Zakzaky was evacuated to the medical facility of the service where he is being attended to by the best doctors and his treatment has gulped millions of naira at the expense of the state.

Police Smash Kidnap Gangs In Kogi, Rescue Victims

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Police Smash Kidnap Gangs In Kogi, Rescue Victims
The suspects: Ojonimi Negedu, Awodi Ezekiel and Micheal Sule
The suspects: Ojonimi Negedu, Awodi Ezekiel and Micheal Sule

The Nigeria Police Force says it has continued to record successes in the operations to rid the country of dangerous gangs specializing in armed robbery and kidnapping, especially in Kogi State and its environs.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Don Awunah, made this known in a press release on the Force’s website on Friday.

Awunah said that the Intelligence Response Team, IRT, again smashed some notorious kidnap gangs that have terrorized Kogi State and its environs and rescued four kidnapped victims.

He said “In a special intelligence led operation conducted by the operatives of the Intelligence Response Team of the IGP’s Monitoring Unit at different black spots in Kogi State, three members of a notorious kidnap gang that has for a while operated in major cities in Kogi and neighbouring States were trailed and arrested at their hideouts in the outskirt of Egume and Anyimgba Towns in Kogi State.”

“The leader of the gang who gave his name as Ibrahim Nasarawa led the operatives of Intelligence Response Team to their den where Edward Abutu Amedu was held hostage. On sighting the  Operatives, the armed guards who were stationed by the gang to keep watch over their victims opened fire on the Police and the operatives responded and overpowered them in a tactical operation that saw three members of the kidnap gang suffer fatal injuries while their victim was rescued unhurt,” Awunah stated.

He added that two policemen sustained gunshot injuries during the confrontation and are currently responding to treatment in the hospital, while the other members of the gang escaped with bullet wounds.

Awunah also stated that another intelligence-based operation led to the arrest of three members of a dare-devil kidnap gang that had abducted three persons in Egume area of Kogi State and were demanding a ransom of N20 million.

Their confession led to the rescue of the victims who had sustained various degrees of injuries in the hands of their abductors, but are now receiving treatment in the Hospital.

The arrested suspects include: Ojonimi Negedu, Awodi Ezekiel and Micheal Sule, aged 32, 26 and 21 respectively.

The FPRO said the renewed onslaught on criminal elements in Kogi State is designed by the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to stem the tide of kidnapping for ransom, armed robbery and other criminal activities and shall be sustained until all the criminal elements are flushed out of the State.

“IGP Idris warns all criminal elements operating in any part of the federation to turn a new leaf and be counseled or ignore the warning and end up in the arms of the law,” Awunah stated.

He assured the general public of the police’s determination to continue to provide community-oriented service that will ensure active community partnership in crime prevention and control.

Outrage Over Terror Attack In France, 84 killed

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Outrage Over Terror Attack In France, 84 killed

The world is outraged at the terror attack in Nice, France that left not less than 84 people died, including women and children.

A suspected terrorist who posed as truck driver slammed his lorry through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day – France’s National Day – in the southern French city of Nice.

The driver ploughed on for 2 kilometres on top speed, swerving and zigzagging in an apparent attempt to hit more people, before he was shot dead by police.

Police reportedly found in the lorry “an ammunition magazine, a fake pistol, a replica Kalashnikov rifle, a replica M16 rifle and a grenade that had no explosives.”

The attack in Nice began shortly after the end of a firework display on the seafront.

French President, Francois Hollande, condemned the attack which he described as one of “an undeniable terrorist nature”. President of the United States, Barack Obama, called the attack “horrific” and ordered the national flag to fly at half-mast.

Many world leaders have continued to offer condolences to the French President and families of the terror victims.

No group has so far said it was behind the attack.

A state of emergency, which has been in place since November’s Paris attacks carried out by militants from the so-called Islamic State group, in which 130 people died, has been extended by three months.

The Attacker was identified as 31-year-old French-Tunisian, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, who has a record with the police in connection with drugs and alcohol-related offences but never with terrorism-related offences.

A three days of mourning has been declared in France beginning from Saturday.

 

Court Turns Down Omisore’s Bail Application

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Court Turns Down Omisore’s Bail Application
Iyiola Omisore
Iyiola Omisore

A Federal High Court in Abuja, has turned down the bail application of the former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Iyiola Omisore, who is presently in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over alleged fraud of 60 billion Naira.

Justice Olukayode Adeniyi held that Omisore’s application for bail is premature and incompetent, asking him to await the expiration of the 14-day remand order granted by a Court of Coordinate Jurisdiction before exercising his right to bail.

The Judge held that any attempt to grant the bail application will be tantamount to vacating a subsisting order made by the same court.

He added that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act makes it lawful for the EFCC to detain a suspect for the initial 14 days and another 14 days if circumstances warrant.

He adds that in the instant case, the court lacks jurisdiction to set aside the order it made for the remand of the suspect.

 

Arms Scandal Report Not Doctored – FG

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Arms Scandal Report Not Doctored – FG
Information and Culture Minister, Lai Mohammed
Information and Culture Minister, Lai Mohammed

The federal government has said there is no truth in the insinuation that the report of the Presidential Committee on the Audit of Defence Equipment Procurement in the Armed Forces (2007-2015) was doctored for whatever reason.

This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by Segun Adeyemi, special assistant to the Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed, which said that “what has been released so far is the report of the audit covering the period 2011 to 2015, adding that the Committee would commence the audit of procurement from 2007 to 2010 as soon as the necessary documents are available.

”When the documents regarding procurement from 2007 to 2010 are available and scrutinized, the committee will then issue its report on that. The audit is being done on phases, and the report that was released on Thursday is the third of such,” the Minister said.

Mohammed assured Nigerians that the anti-corruption campaign by the federal government is non-discriminatory, and called on all citizens to keep an open mind as events unfold.

”No one should attempt to distract from the seriousness of the issues involved in this audit of defence equipment procurement. It is important to note that even though the total amount spent for procurement and operations within the period were N185,843,052,564.30 and $685,349,692.49, the irregularities in the awards ensured that the military did not get value for money, with very serious consequences,” the Minister said.

Arms Procurement: Buhari Orders Further Probe

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Arms Procurement: Buhari Orders Further Probe
Buhari arms deal probe
File

President Muhammadu Buhari has given approval to the Committee on Audit of Defence Equipment Procurement, CADEP, which is currently investigating procurement of arms in the military between 2007 and 2015, to carry out further investigation of those involved in the procurement during the period in review.

The committee made this known late Thursday evening in its Third Interim Report presented to the President.

According to the report signed by Jon Ode, a retired Air Vice Marshal and head of the committee, the total amount spent for procurement and operations within the period were N185,843,052,564.30 and $685,349,692.49.

The committee said it reviewed some of the contracts awarded by the ministry of Defence, MOD, and found out that most of the contracts were given out without “significant input” from the end users – the Nigerian Army.

Names of persons that played key roles in the procurement of arms between the period in review include that of 18 serving and retired military personnel, 12 serving and retired public officials and 24 chief executive officers of companies.

The military personnel include former Chiefs of Army Staff, OA Ihejirika and KTJ Minimah, JAH Ewanisha, U Buzugbe, ER Chioba, AAI Muraina, EJ Atewe – former commander operation PULO SHIELD, DD Kitchener, DM Onoyiveta, AJS Onibasa, M Mamman, N Ashinze, AA Abubagaji, AM Inuwa, MS Dasuki – former National Security Adviser, El-Hussaini Boyi, M Oyaduogba and Abubakar Usman.

The serving and retired public officials include Nurudeen Mohammed, Bukar Goni Aji, former Head of Service, Haruna Sanusi, E.O. Oyemomi, Abdulrazak Salau, Jonah Otunla, former Accountant General of the Federation, Josephine Opara, Abdullahi Maikano, John Bamidele, Buba Gamawa, Tajudeen Fetuga and Salisu Shuaibu.

Company CEOs to be probed are Olu Bamgbose, Amit Sade, Noam Sade, Jimmy Ntuen, O Ayandele, Hima Aboubakar, Gujja Attom, Maisudan Bello-Mohammed, Lawal Oriyomi, Chinedu Onyekwere, Eleojo Peters, Alon Samuel and Edward Churchill.

Others are Rohit Nandal, JM Claassens, Kingsley Onyeabor, Donald Peterson, Kaja Onyemachi, Ponnle Abiodun, Kime Ngozi and four others whose names were not given.

The committee cited various examples where contracts were awarded to companies that lacked the technical abilities to carry out the procurement or, in other cases, contracts were awarded without any verifiable bidding process.

In some other extreme cases, contracts were awarded, monies released but the projects have not been completed even till date.

“As an example, 3 contracts with a total value of N5,940,000,000.00 were awarded to DYI Global Services Ltd and Doiyatec Comms Nig. Ltd (owned by the same individuals) for the procurement of military hardware including 20 units of KM-38 Twin Hull Boats and 6 Units of 4X4 Ambulances fitted with radios. The committee found that the 2 companies collected N5,103,500,000.00, representing 86% of the total value of the 3 contracts worth N5,940,000,000.00, but only performed to the tune of N2,992,183,705.31,” the report read.

It added: “In another instance, 2 contracts were awarded to Baram International Nigeria Limited, amounting to N420,726,799.20 for the procurement of 53 Armoured Vehicle Spare parts at the cost of N169,916,849.77 and that of Ballistic Vests, Night Vision Binoculars and 3 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles at the cost of N250,809,949.50. Sadly, the contract worth N169,916,849.77 with 90 days completion time is yet to be completed 5 years after.”

The committee said in its interactions with field operators, it was “revealed that although the platforms and ammunitions procured for the Nigerian Army were deployed for the NE operations, most of them were over aged or expired and support spare parts were insufficient or completely not available.

“The platforms were prone to breakdown without immediate recovery support. The non-adherence to the procurement procedures resulted in procurement of some unreliable equipment that reduced the capacity of the Nigerian Army in the NE operations and resulted in avoidable loss of lives and equipment.”

The committee stated that it observed several breaches of laws and regulations on payments of With-holding Tax, WHT, and Value Added Tax, VAT.

Gov. Gaidam Calls On UN To Scale Up Humanitarian Intervention In Yobe

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Gov. Gaidam Calls On UN To Scale Up Humanitarian Intervention In Yobe
Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Geidam
Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam

Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State has called on the United Nations World Food Programme,WFP, to scale up its humanitarian intervention in his state in order to swiftly help people ravaged by Boko Haram insurgency.

The Governor made this appeal on Thursday when he hosted the agency’s Regional Director for West Central Africa,  Abdou Dieng, at the Government House, Yobe.

Dieng was appointed as regional director of WFP two weeks after working as coordinator of UN response to the Ebola crisis in Guinea.

Accompanied by key officials of the WFP including Nigeria Country Director, Sory Ibrahim Ouane, Dieng described the humanitarian situation in the Northeast region as ‘complex’.

He said the WFP is keen to scale up its humanitarian intervention in Yobe State and the Northeast especially now that people affected by Boko Haram attacks were gradually returning to their communities.

He pledged to collaborate and coordinate with the Yobe State Government in the effort to provide succour to the victims of the Boko Haram insurgency.

Gaidam recounted the destructive impacts of Boko Haram on communities in Yobe State and said that up to 300,000 people were displaced by the insurgent group.

He said: “One of the biggest challenges before us and our partners is that of resettlement, reconstruction and rehabilitation of the affected areas and assistance to people whose property and assets were either destroyed or vandalized.”

He asked the WFP to provide further assistance to IDPs and other vulnerable people in the state.

Meanwhile Co- Chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, Bill Gates, the Chairman of the Dangote Foundation, Aliko Dangote have met with the Yobe State Government to appraise the progress made so far in the fight against polio and other  child-killer diseases in the state.

The three parties had in January this year signed a memorandum of understanding, MoU, on strengthening routine immunization in the security threatened north east state of Nigeria.

Theresa May Unveils New Cabinet

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Theresa May Unveils New Cabinet
Britain new cabinet
Top: David Davis, Boris Johnson and Philip Hammond. Below: Amber Rudd, Liam Fox and Michael Fallon

New British Prime Minister, Theresa May, has made sweeping changes in her first full day in office as she forms a new government.

First to get the boot was Michael Gove, former justice secretary under David Cameron, who has been replaced by Liz Truss.

Gove was one of the leading figures in the campaign to leave the EU and also contested for the PM position, but he came a distant third at the final round of voting by the parliamentarians.

Education Secretary, Nicky Morgan, was also sacked and former international development secretary, Justine Greening, was chosen in his stead.

Culture Secretary, John Whittingdale, didn’t make it either; but Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt retained his post and Philip Hammond is the chancellor.

Amber Rudd took over from May as Home Secretary, David Davis was made Brexit Secretary and Liam Fox took up a new post of Secretary of State for International Trade.

Michael Fallon was retained as Defence Secretary.

Andrea Leadsom , who pulled out of the race for the conservative leadership, was appointed Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Perhaps the most surprising of May’s appointment so far is Boris Johnson, former Mayor of London and a key Brexit campaigners, who was appointed as Foreign Secretary.

Analysts had likened Johnson to US Republican presidential front runner, Donald Trump, due to the brazen manner with which he pursued the Brexit campaign.

He was wildly thought to be the next in line for Prime Minister before he ruled himself out.

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