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China’s Popular Politician, Bo Xilai, Gets Life Sentence For Corruption

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China’s Popular Politician, Bo Xilai, Gets Life Sentence For Corruption
 A court on Sunday sentenced Bo Xilai, one of China’s up-and-coming politicians, to life in prison for corruption.

The former Politburo member and Chongqing city party leader was convicted for bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power in a case set in motion by his wife’s poisoning of a British business associate in late 2011.

His trial was widely regarded as a political prosecution and a sign that top leaders had turned against the charismatic populist.

The Jinan Intermediate People’s Court deprived Bo of political rights for life and confiscated all his personal assets.

A lawyer with direct knowledge of the case said Bo indicated that the verdict was unjust and was expected to appeal, but observers say he has little chance of success.

He has 10 days to appeal.

Despite fears of public strife or brutal political infighting spearheaded by Bo’s supporters within the leadership, there has been no major official backing for Bo, either within the Communist Party or in the public — although he remains popular among many Chinese.

Security Forces Take Charge, Enforce Curfew In 6 Nasarawa Committees

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Security Forces Take Charge, Enforce Curfew In 6 Nasarawa Committees

By Godwin Ojoshimite

A dusk to dawn curfew imposed on six local governments in Nasarawa State owing to recent insecurity took effect Saturday.

Security agents including troops deployed by the federal government to the state took positions on strategic streets to ensure strict adherence to the curfew.

Governor of the state, Tanko Al – Makura gave a list of the affected communities on the state television on Friday, warning that security operatives have been directed to deal with anyone found violating the curfew.

“Government has decided to ban the movement of motorcycles between 7:00pm and 6:00am in Awe, Doma, Keana, Lafia, Obi, Nasarawa Eggon and Akwanga Local Government Areas of the State,” he said.

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The governor assured the people of the state that government will not rest on its oars until the perpetrators of the dastardly act are made to face the full wrath of the law.

A week ago, scores were killed and many houses razed in a renewed fracas between the outlawed Ombatse militiamen and Alago people at Assakio community in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa.

Al – Makura called on all well-meaning citizens and communities to continue to be vigilant and remain steadfast in prayers in its collective resolve to bring back love, peace and progress to the state.

 

GL 07 Civil Servant Arrested For Taking Bribe

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GL 07 Civil Servant Arrested For Taking Bribe

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has arrested one Abbah Adikwu, a GL. 07 officer with the Federal Civil Service Commission, Abuja for allegedly demanding a bribe before performing his official duties.

Head of Media, ICPC, Folu Olamiti, said an unnamed petitioner, had filed a petition on September 16, 2013 at ICPC against Adikwu for demanding a bribe before his file could be treated.The Petitioner further informed ICPC that he had been visiting the suspect’s office since December 2012 to regularise his service but that the suspect frustrated all his efforts through unethical conduct and brazen demands for a bribe.

The suspect was thereafter put under surveillance by ICPC and arrested through a sting operation after collecting marked money from the petitioner within the premises of the Civil Service Commission.

Olamiti said Adikwu “violently resisted arrest and was about to bolt away but was physically restrained by ICPC operatives”.

The Commission’s spokesman said a mild drama played out at the point of taking the suspect out of the Commission’s premises when some of his colleagues and other persons blocked the gate and allegedly assaulted and detained the ICPC operatives sent on the mission by holding them hostage in the office of the Chief Security Officer.

“It took the intervention of a back-up security team from ICPC to secure their freedom and whisk the suspect away,” he said, adding that some of the officials who assaulted and obstructed ICPC operatives were arrested the following day.

Olamiti said at the end of investigations, Adikwu and others may be charged to court for alleged infractions against the ICPC Act 2000.

Section 41(f) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 prescribes one year imprisonment without option of fine for anybody who assaults or obstructs officers of the Commission in the execution of their duties.

DSS Arrests 12 Boko Haram Suspects In Abuja After Shootout

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Department of State Services, DSS, said that twelve suspected members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect have been arrested following a shootout between the insurgents and security operatives behind Apo Legislative Quarters in Abuja early on Friday.

A statement by the Deputy Director, Public Relations of the State Services, Marilyn Ogar, disclosed that the operation was carried out on a tipoff obtained from two Boko Haram elements, Kamal Abdullahi and Mohammed Adamu, who had earlier been arrested for terrorist activities.

Ogar said that the two led the security team to uncompleted buildings where arms were purported to have been buried underground. She stated that the team came under heavy gunfire from Boko Haram elements within the area as they began digging for arms. This prompted immediate response from the security team.

The clash, according to her, left some persons injured while twelve others were arrested in connection with the incident, and are said to be making useful statements.

Ogar, however, said that calm has returned to the area as appropriate security measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of citizens in the FCT. She advised members of the public to go about their normal businesses.

The DSS spokesperson urged Nigerians to be vigilant of  and promptly report suspicious activities in their immediate environment to security agencies, saying our National security must remain the collective responsibility of all Nigerians.

 

Pat Utomi took Undisclosed N59m Loan From Bank PHB – EFCC

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Pat Utomi took Undisclosed N59m Loan From Bank PHB – EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday disclosed that Pat Utomi, the first defense witness in the trial of a former managing director of BankPHB, now Keystone Bank, Francis Atuche and two others, took loan facilities to the tune of N59million at different times from the bank during his tenure as the vice chairman of the bank.

The disclosure came while Utomi was being cross-examined by the EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, before Justice Lateefa Okunnu of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja Presenting the documents before the court, Pinheiro said Utomi took facilities worth N59 million naira from the bank during the tenure of Atuche.

Pinheiro noted that the facilities granted to Utomi and many others were not disclosed at the time the board of directors of the bank was ratifying facilities granted by the bank.

“I suggest to you that the application for these loans predated the meeting. The reason why you did not pose opposition to the ratification of those huge loans was because of the various huge facilities taken by you. You did not voice opposition to the grant of over one hundred billion naira facilities presented to you for ratification. It is the practice  in every minutes that the purpose of facilities granted are stated in the minutes, but the minute of the Board of Directors meeting  of July 9, 2008 was an exemption”, Pinheiro put to Utomi under cross examination.

Analysing how the loan was given, Pinheiro said a N40 million facility was granted to the witness on July 3, 2008, and another draft of ten million naira was also raised on September 23, 2008 in favour of the witness.

He added that Utomi, through a company, UR Maintenance Limited, took another facility of N5 million.

It was also disclosed that a relative of the witness, Emmanuel Utomi, received a cheque of four million naira allegedly on his behalf from Clairemount Management Services, a company in which Atuche is alleged to be the sole signatory.

Pinheiro also declared that other board members took various loan facilities from the bank.

According to him, Mike Ajoku, a kinsman of Utomi from Ibusa in Delta state was granted a N428 million loan facility.

Fidelis Idita, also a kinsman of Utomi from the same community, took a loan facility from the bank.

It was also alleged by the prosecution that one Consolidated Business Support Services got a facility of N1 billion. The company is allegedly linked to one Ifeyinwa Osime, also a member of the bank’s board.

Pinheiro posited that these facilities were not listed when the CBN called for a list of debtors was because the board members were beneficiaries of the questionable facilities.

He noted that Utomi, at some point, contradicted his earlier claims that the bank’s credit officer presented the list of all companies to the board for ratification when he couldn’t recall if the chief credit officer was male or female.

“On the day over one hundred and twenty billion naira was allegedly ratified by the Board of Directors, you could not recall whether the chief credit officer who was alleged to have made the presentation before the Board was male or female.” said Pinheiro.

The case was adjourned to October 3, 4, 23, 24, 25; November 18 and December 3 and 4, 2013 for continuation of trial.

 

Revealed: Breakaway PDP Has More Than 7 Governors

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Revealed: Breakaway PDP Has More Than 7 Governors

By Nma Shekwolo

Many more than the seven widely known governor of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, might be in support of the breakaway faction, with others preferring to remain anonymous.

One of the key figures in the PDP faction led by Abubakar Baraje, governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, disclosed this Friday, adding that the others were quietly supporting the new faction.

Speaking while receiving the executive director of the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, governor Aliyu said there are “many members of the G7 who intends to remain silent.

There are silent members.

Although he refused to disclose the identity or number of the other governors, he said that it was in the interest of the breakaway group for the Bamanga Tukur led PDP to believe that not more than seven of the state chief executives were in the faction.

The seven governors in the breakaway PDP are Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) and Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers).

Several key members including the governors and former vice president Atiku Abubakar walked out of the last PDP convention in Abuja and formed a parallel party and subsequently went to court to ask for an order restraining Tukur and others from parading themselves as executive officers of the PDP.

Attempts to bring the breakaway group back into the ruling party’s fold are still on going.

The governor in receiving his guests urged them to ensure in the good work and promote unity in the north.

He also asked the foundation to work in collaboration with other bodies to harness income and improve the lot of northern Nigeria while assuring the foundation that he would join hands with them to plead to other state governors who have not redeemed their pledge to the foundation.

Earlier, the executive director of the Foundation, Shettima Ajayi said the foundation has helped to train 350 women and youths in vocational and entrepreneurship programs adding that most of the trainees have started their own businesses.

He also said that the foundation has reached out to some northern states affected with insecurity and has rendered assistance to some of them.

Yobe: One Soldier, Two Civilians Dead In Fresh Attack

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Yobe: One Soldier, Two Civilians Dead In Fresh Attack

By Iro Babayola

One soldier and two civilians, including the wife of a senior policeman, have been killed in a fresh attack executed by members of the banned Boko Haram sect on Wednesday in the Buni Yadi town of Yobe State.

The attackers reportedly laid siege on the community at about 10:00pm, setting ablaze public buildings armed with Kalashnikovs, rocket launchers and homemade bombs.

According to a resident of the area, the son of the Yobe Peoples Democratic Party’s youth leader, Ado Bomboy, was killed in the attack while many shops, houses and two telecommunications masts were set ablaze.

He added that the assailants numbered about 50.

Confirming the attack, the Yobe State Police Commissioner Sanusi Ahmed Rufa’i said the attackers killed one soldier, wounded two and burnt the Divisional Police Officer’s wife inside her house.

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A make-shift police station, fire service, L.E.A office and two JTF Hilux vans were also set ablaze by the insurgents.

Telecom masts in the town were also burnt by the insurgents, the police commissioner also revealed.

It would be recalled that this will be the second time Buni Yadi was attacked by Boko Haram in the last few months.

 

Borno Assembly Passes Vote Of No Confidence On Jonathan

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Borno Assembly Passes Vote Of No Confidence On Jonathan

The Borno State House of Assembly has passed a vote of no confidence on the President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration over the ongoing Boko Haram crisis in the state, insisting that the situation has deteriorated.

Leader of the Assembly, Idrissa Jidda, while expressing displeasure over the handling of the security situation by the federal government, hailed the state governor, Kashim Shettima, for his approach to the impending security challenges.

Jidda said the governor has done creditably well in giving hope to the people of the state and could have performed better if he had received the necessary support from the federal government.

Another lawmaker, Abubakar Tijjani, representing Maiduguri metropolitan council in the state House of Assembly, said it was time for the federal government to shun politics and take the necessary steps that would bring a lasting solution as well as give hope to those who have been affected.

Meanwhile, the death toll from the last attack launched in the Benishiekh area of the state has risen to 150, as the army remains mystified about  the ambush which has left the most number of soldier casualty since the fight against insurgency began in the region.

Property destroyed in the two-day attacks by the suspected insurgents include 15 trucks, 18 cars, eight motorcycles, six bicycles and more than 280 houses and shops of residents who had fled into the bush on the directives of soldiers deployed in the town.

Army spokesman, Mohammed Idriss Yusuf, said on Wednesday that over 300 Boko Haram insurgents invaded the town by 5p.m. and started to attack houses and shops with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and petrol-bombs for about 10 hours.

He added that as the soldiers ran out of arms and ammunition to face the firing powers of the insurgents, some of the soldiers had to take cover in the nearby bush, after the residents were directed to flee also for their safety.

Saidu Yakubu, of the Borno State Environmental Agency, BOSEPA, said at least 150 dead bodies had been recovered.

He said besides the torching of people’s houses and shops, the office complexes of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), boarding primary school and the council’s secretariat were also set ablaze by the gunmen.

 

Jonathan Sacks Emordi, Olagunju

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Jonathan Sacks Emordi, Olagunju

Barely a week after he laid off nine ministers. President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday terminated the appointment of two of his special advisers,

This was disclosed in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on media and publicity, Reuben Abati.

The statement said the appointment of Joy Emordi, who was special adviser to the President on National Assembly matters, and that of Tunji Olagunju, his special adviser on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, NEPAD, had been terminated with immediate effect.

“President Jonathan thanks Mrs. Emordi and Dr. Olagunju for their services and wishes them success in their future endeavours,” the statement further added.

Olagunju had served as special adviser to the President on NEPAD since June 2007 while Emordi was appointed in 2011.

Anambra Commissioner Resigns Over Fraud Allegation

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Anambra Commissioner Resigns Over Fraud Allegation

The Commissioner for Special Duties in Anambra State, Vincent Ezenwajiaku, who was declared wanted by the police over a N10.6 million fraud has resigned.

Ezenwajiaku was declared wanted by the police on Wednesday after an unnamed petitioner accused the commissioner of inducing him to part with the said sum which he claimed he paid through instalments between 1996 and 2002.

The commissioner said that his resignation was to give him room to prove his innocence as he was prepared to do all it takes to clear his name.

Narrating his own side of the story, Ezenwajiaku accused the complainant whom he referred to as his former business partner of taking the matter too far.

He admitted he was owing the complainant, his former business partner, the sum of N6 million and not N10.6 million as claimed, adding that he could not meet up with the payment because of an illness that kept him bedridden.

“The issue of owing this man came up in 2004 after the meeting of the board of the company and it was agreed that I should pay him N7.5m which I agreed to do. We have never quarrelled,” he said.

The ex-commissioner has also filed a N250 million libel suit against the commissioner of Police in charge of the Special Fraud Unit, SFU, as well as one Chuks Mgbemena of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA and Okposiakpo Elolor, a Chief Superintendent of Police.

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