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Football Federation Officials Docked Over N99 Million Scandal

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Football Federation Officials Docked Over N99 Million Scandal

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has revisited its N99 million case against the former chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Sani Lulu Abdullahi, and three other board members charged with conspiracy and breach of due process which is in contravention of the Public Procurement Act.

Abdullahi, alongside Amanze Uchegbulam, Bolaji Ojo-Oba and Taiwo Ogunjobi were first arraigned in October, 2010 on a 10 count charge of conspiracy and breach of due process.

At the resumed hearing of thecase before Justice E.S Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Thursday, an operative of the EFCC, Adeniyi Adebayo, told the court that the accused persons breached due process in the purchase of two Marcopolo buses as approved by the National Sports Commission.

Adebayo testified that the contract for the purchase of the two buses was awarded to Ekene Dili Chukwu through direct procurement option at the cost of N99million.

He stated that the National Sports Commission, NSC, like every other ministry sets threshold for its agencies and that for a committee to go beyond the threshold, it has to revert to the supervising body.

Adebayo further told the court that the accused persons, instead of reverting to NSC for approval after the contract with Ekene Dili Chukwu which exceeded the N20 million threshold was terminated, unilaterally re-awarded the contract to another company, CNBC Nigeria Limited, for the same sum of N99m.

The witness further stated that CNBC Nigeria Limited rather than supply the two Mercedez Benz Marcopolo buses as stipulated in the contract agreement, supplied two Iriza buses which were. Healer and of inferior quality.

The two Iriza buses, he said, also lacked some essential parts which had to be replaced.

The offence committed is contrary to and punishable under S. 518 (1) and (7) of the Criminal Code Act cap. C., 28 Laws of the Federation, 2004.

After listening to the witness, Justice Chukwu adjourned the case to May 7, 2014 for continuation of trial.

Court Orders Payment Of N50 Million To Lamido Sanusi For Illegal Passport Seizure

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Court Orders Payment Of N50 Million To Lamido Sanusi For Illegal Passport Seizure

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Thursday declared as unlawful the seizure of passport of the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, governor, Lamido Sanusi, and ordered the federal government to return the document and tender a public apology to him.

The presiding Judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba, also awarded the sum of N50m as damages in favour of the suspended CBN Governor.

The court further restrained the federal government through its agents or representatives from arresting or detaining Sanusi without following due process of law and from interfering with his freedom of movement.

On the allegations of terrorism financing made by the government, the court upheld Sanusi’s argument that the allegation was an afterthought because even a careful look at documents put before the court showed that there was no evidence provided by to substantiate the allegation.

The court held that it was unlawful for security agents to arrest and detain a person before looking for evidence, adding that it is only the minister of Internal Affairs that has the power to withdraw a citizen’s passport under Section 5 of “Issuance of Passport and Miscellaneous Act.

The law specifies that the minister can so act when it is established that the passport was obtained by fraud or that it has expired. Following the withdrawal of such passport, the law says that the act must be gazetted.

Also, where a person holds more than one passports,  the minister can, in the interest of public safety, publish such a person’s name.

“The mere suspicion of a commission of crime does not give security agents the authority to arrest and detain a citizen,” Justice Buba held.

Gov Yuguda Orders Three Chinese Men Arrested For Illegal Mining

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Gov Yuguda Orders Three Chinese Men Arrested For Illegal Mining

Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State has ordered the arrest of three Chinese nationals for allegedly causing health hazards to communities at a mining site in Toro local government area of the state.

Yuguda gave the order on Wednesday during an unscheduled visit to some mining sites in the area.

He also ordered the immediate closure of the three mining sites in the area.

Yuguda said that the affected miners had failed to comply with the mining regulations after they had registered with the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals.

He said that the miners violated all that was required of them before embarking on mining activities, stressing that their activities posed serious danger to both human and animals in the area.

The governor said the miners had also failed to pay compensation to the host communities and failed to relocate the host communities before embarking on mining activities in the area.

“I received a report from the state ministry of health that the activities of the firms are casing health hazards to both human and animals in the area. Over 18 communities living in the affected areas had been displaced,” the governor stated.

Yuguda assured the people that government would liaise with traditional and community leaders as well as security agencies to relocate those displaced by the activities of the mining companies.

He said that the miners would be allowed to continue with their mining activities when they fully comply with the mining regulations.

The permanent secretary in the ministry of Solid Minerals, Ahmed Tahir, told the governor that the affected miners had been operating in the area since 2011.

Tahir said that all efforts made by the state government officials to encourage them to follow due process had proved abortive.

Reps Probes Alison-Madueke Over N10 Billion Chartered Jets

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Reps Probes Alison-Madueke Over N10 Billion Chartered Jets

The House of Representatives committee on Public Accounts has written to the minister of Petroleum, Diezeani Alison-Madueke and relevant stakeholders, informing them of its decision to commence full scale probe into the controversial operation of chartered Private Jets for personal local and foreign trips by her.

The lower chamber had mandated the committee chaired by Solomon Adeola Olamilekan, to get details on the curious charter arrangement which allegedly gulped a whooping N10billion in two years, following a motion moved by Samuel Adejare, an APC member from Lagos State.

In the letter dated March 26, the committee asked the minister to within one week submit a written presentation, stating all she knows about the transactions for the chartered private jets, whether or not she was entitled by her portfolio to charter private jets for private use and whether or not she has breached public service rules by her actions.

The committee also sought to know the source of funding for such high taste and other necessary information that would assist it in getting to the root of the matter.

Stakeholders also written to concerning the matter include: the group managing director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Andrew Yakubu, the Evergreen Aviation Terminal and Vista Jet International as well as the Authorities of the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria, FAAN.

Olamilekan said the private jet operators are to make available copies of the contract agreements between them and the NNPC from 2011 till date; including all the flight schedules, the passengers’ manifests from the 2011 till date and the amount of money paid to them during the period under review.

The committee has uncovered several new flight schedules operated on foreign trips by the minister between 2012 and 2013.

The passengers’ manifest of the new flight schedules frequently featured the name of the minister and those of one Prince Haruna Omoye and Abubakar Fari Ahmed.

It was also alleged that one of such trips gulped the sum of $300,000 (about N50 million) while  another from the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja to Mastson Airport in the United Kingdom with the Global Express Xrs cost N57.5million as against the normal N6million if it were not to be a chartered flight.

The committee would fix a date for the public hearing on the matter as ordered by the House as soon as it has all the information it seeks.

Edwin Clark’s Son Kidnapped In Delta

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Edwin Clark’s Son Kidnapped In Delta

As kidnapping continues to thrive in the Nigeria’s South east and South south, , unknown gunmen Wednesday kidnapped Ebikeme Clark, the son of elder statesman and Ijaw national leader, Edwin Clark.

The incident reportedly occurred at Kiagbodo in Burutu local government area of Delta State.

A top police source in Delta, who confirmed the kidnap, said Ebikeme’s abductors emerged from the water in the evening and whisked away their victim to an unknown destination.

The state police command has stepped up efforts to trace the suspected kidnappers and location where they are holding their victim.

The incident, it was gathered, is already generating tension in Kiagbodo.

Ebikeme, who is politically inclined just like his father, contested and lost the last elections to represent Burutu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

The elder Clark is currently attending the National Conference as a delegate from Delta State.

Senate Disagree Over Proposal To Share Powers With Executive

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Senate Disagree Over Proposal To Share Powers With Executive

The Senate was on Wednesday divided over the proposed amendment seeking to insert a clause to grant the President the power to initiate process for fashioning out a new constitution.

A heated debate broke out when the Senate Constitution Review Committee presented its report containing the Fourth Alteration Bill which seeks to further alter the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

The committee chairman and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, said the request for an amendment to Section 3 (b) of Clause 2 of the Bill which deals with how a new constitution can be processed was pertinent as it will take care of Nigeria’s future needs for drafting a new Constitution.

He noted that Section 9 of the first Alteration Bill provided for how a new Constitution can come into being through the National Assembly, but that the new clause was aimed at granting the President powers that were otherwise vested only in the National Assembly.

Ekweremadu explained that the new clause would now create an option such that either the National Assembly or the President can initiate the process for a new Constitution.

Supporting his position, the Deputy Senate Leader, Abdul Ningi, also a member of the Committee, said the clause was inserted to satisfy the yearnings of Nigerians and urged members not to view the proposal as an attempt by the current administration to use the outcome of the on-going National Conference for tenure elongation.

“Our findings show that there is clamour by Nigerians that the Constitution is not made by Nigerians. So, we decided to come up with a provision for creation of a brand new Constitution. We thought it should not be a single monopoly of the National Assembly to initiate a new Constitution. So, we brought in the President,” he told the House.

Another senator, James Manager, from Delta State observed that it was okay for the President to initiate the re-writing of a new Constitution by forwarding it to the National Assembly as an executive proposal.

He said that re-writing the Constitution could be initiated by the National Assembly and a member of the executive in the rank of the President.

A senator from Adamawa State, Tukur Bello, who also backed the committee’s report, said it was the timing that created suspicion in the minds of the opposing senators.

“I support the proposal. The only problem is probably the timing, other than that there is no problem with the proposal. The timing is what is creating the fears, especially, considering the on-going National Conference,” he observed.

Earlier in the week, delegates to the confab were of divergent opinions on the effectiveness of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), but came to a conclusion that the conference lacked powers to initiate such a document.

But opposing the proposal, Odion Ugbesia, a senator from Edo State described the clause as “superfluous” because there are existing provisions for amendment of the Constitution.

“This proposal is superfluous because we don’t need a new Constitution. There are adequate provisions for amendment of the Constitution.” Ugbesia said.

Victor Lar, from Plateau State also argued that the existing provision should not be tampered with; saying the power to initiate a new Constitution was the exclusive right of the National Assembly.

“The National Assembly should exercise the sovereignty which is vested in it by the people as their elected representatives. We should not be in a hurry. We should leave this Constitution as it,” he stated.

Also against the report were Ahmed Lawal, from Yobe State and Kabiru Marafa from Zamfara State, who said the insertion of theclause  would make the National Assembly become “redundant”, thereby losing its relevance.

Lawal argued that it would amount to diluting the powers of the National Assembly adding, “we should not allow it else we may run into Constitutional confusion”.

“We should be careful not to make a law that will make us lose our powers and become an ineffective body. There are fears and mistrust by many Nigerians that the National Conference is seeking to create a window for its resolutions to be imposed on the National Assembly,” Marafa said.

Besides the Bill, the committee’s report also proposed the inclusion of past Senate Presidents and Speakers of House of Representatives as members of the Council of States.

It also seeks to empower the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to de-register any political party that fails to win presidential, governorship, chairmanship of local government areas or a seat in the National/State Assembly.

The report also wants to confer exclusive jurisdiction on the Federal High Court for trial of offences arising from the violation of the provisions of the Electoral Act.

Senate President David Mark announced that the senators would vote on the amendment proposals on April .

“Your argument is not to impress anybody, but to convince others to see or support your position. Each of you is expected to vote on Wednesday and any position that enjoys the majority of votes would carry the day,” Mark said

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Nigerian Athletics Federation Bans American For Doping Violation

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Nigerian Athletics Federation Bans American For Doping Violation

Fulbright scholar and winner of two Olympics gold medals, Lee Edward Evans has been banned from coaching athletes for four years after the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Anti-Doping Committee found him guilty of giving a young athlete performance enhancing drugs.

Evans, an American and gold medallist at the 1968 Olympic Games is a consultant to Lagos State Government on sports. He set a world record of 43.83 seconds in the 400 meters race in that event and went on win another gold medal anchoring the 4 x 400 race, setting another world record of 2.56.16.

According to a release on the website of the Athletic Federation of Nigeria website, athleticsnigeria.com , the coach confessed to giving performance enhancing drugs to a minor. Evans was banned alongside Coach Abass Rauf who was slammed with a life ban.

The panel headed by Ken Anugweje, with Femi Ayorinde and Eric Cambell as members discharged and acquitted the third accused Tony Osheku.

The athlete, a minor whose name was not given told the panel that Abass took her to a medical doctor who injected her with an unknown substance despite the fact that she was not sick.

She claimed she collapsed after the injection and when she was revived, she asked the coach why he brought her to be injected and he said she should have confidence in him that he could not harm her. He also warned her not to disclose what happened to anyone although she confided in her mother.

She revealed that Evans introduced her to supplements and amino acid and a sport drink when she was in Lagos State training camp.

Osheku told the panel he was not aware that Evans gave the athlete any substance whether prohibited or not.

Evans admitted he gave the athlete supplements (amino acid complete and metaboliq infusions) between February and March 2013. He tendered the supplements he gave to the athlete and concluded that he gave the athlete the substance because women need supplements for their health and that the substance given were not prohibited.

Abass admitted he took the athlete to their family doctor for treatment for malaria when she complained of feeling feverish but she was never injected by the doctor, rather she was given tablets.

On cross examination, Abass contradicted himself by saying that the injection was given in the doctor’s apartment and not in the hospital.

The panel concluded that Evans and Abass gave the athlete performance enhancing substances and that these substances may have been responsible for the analytical findings in her urine.

The panel was convinced that the analytical finding in her urine was not due to her fault or negligence and having provided substantial assistance to the panel by mentioning the coaches who gave her the subtances.

The panel established that Evans gave the athlete supplements without the knowledge of the medical doctor and assistant coach attached to the Lagos State athletics team, and concluded that it is not impossible that the substances he gave to the athlete could have been laced with prohibited substances found in the athlete’s urine.

The panel therefore recommended a four year ineligibility period taking effect from date of hearing February 17, 2014 for the legendary athlete.

Abass, on the other hand, was found guilty of administration of prohibited substance to a minor athlete without being sick.

The panel said he tried to conceal the truth by lying thereby attempting to mislead it.

FG To Retire Over 1000 Civil Servants

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FG To Retire Over 1000 Civil Servants

The federal government says it would retire 1,050 workers over the next three weeks from the federal civil service.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, HOCSF, Bukar Aji, made this known in Abuja at the 60th anniversary celebration of the Nigeria Public Service Commission.

He said the 1,050 civil servants are made up of persons who ought to have retired but have somehow managed to remain in the service illegally.

Aji said that they were discovered during the screening done by Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, and would be shown the way out before the end of April.

“Through the IPPIS, we are able to screen those who are supposed to have retired long time ago and they will leave the service within the next two to three weeks,” he said.

The head of the service said that their leave would create opportunities for those in legitimate service to be promoted.

He assured that the Federal Civil Service would be better in 2014, adding that he would not relent in efforts to improve the service.

Scores Injured In Stampede At UNIBEN

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Scores Injured In Stampede At UNIBEN

From Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin

The Nigeria Immigration Service recruitment incident about two weeks ago which claimed at least 19 lives across the country nearly replayed Tuesday during the screening of fresh candidates seeking admission at the University of Benin, UNIBEN, Edo State.
Our correspondent reports that scores of applicants sustained various degrees of injuries following a heavy stampede caused by an attempt by the crowd (numbering thousands) to force their way into the Akin Deko auditorium-venue of the screening exercise.
They were reportedly prevented by the institution’s security personnel who forcefully shut the gate against them, causing many to fall down in the push, while others trampled on them in the commotion created.
It was rumoured that one person died in the process but that could not be verified although it was confirmed that many injured persons were rushed to unknown hospitals.
As proof of the struggle, the iron barricade of the western gate entrance into the university was broken, even as students still held on to it as they tried to get their way into the hall.

The University is yet to comment on the incident and efforts made to reach its public relations officer, Harrison Osarenren, for comments were unsuccessful.

Gov Wamakko Moves To Reduce Deputy’s Powers

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Gov Wamakko Moves To Reduce Deputy’s Powers

The political division between the governor of Sokoto State, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, and his deputy, Mukhtari Shagari, is set to widen with the divestment of the latter of his cabinet responsibility.

Wamakko decamped to the All Peoples Congress, APC months ago but Shagari remained in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, creating a curious political arrangement between the two politicians.

Wamako and Shagari were elected into office on the PDP platform in 2007 and re-elected in 2011 but the governor joined other governors of the ruling party who moved to the APC months ago.

The governor’s move is seen as an attempt to weaken Shagari’s hands as he is likely to be the choice of the PDP for the governorship seat in the 2015 election.

The deputy governor, a lawyer and former minister, had been overseeing the ministry of Science and Technology until he was relieved of the position which has now gone to a newly sworn in commissioner, Ibrahim Hussain.

The adjustment was contained in a statement signed by the permanent secretary (Political) in the Office of The Governor, Malami Ladan.

The statement further named one Tukur Alkali as the new commissioner for Religious Affairs, while Harande Mahe becomes the special adviser for Security Matters and Musa Guru, the special adviser for Cooperatives and Finance.

Alkali took over from Musa Garba Maitafsir, who is the chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB.

During the swearing-in ceremony, Governor Wamakko said that the changes are intended to re-jig the public service.

“Our political adventure is constantly being championed in the interest of our people, not by our selfish motives,” he said.

However, the development is interpreted by political observers as an unspoken indication of a cold war between the governor and his deputy since they both now belong to different political parties as the governor defected to the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC few months ago.

His deputy, Shagari, however, stayed back in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the platform on which both of them were elected and re-elected in 2007 and 2012 respectively.

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