The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has commenced a nationwide three-day warning strike over unfair labour practices by some oil companies.

As a result, fuel scarcity looms as the union has directed petroleum tanker drivers not to load products in all fuel depots and tank farms across the country during the period of the warning strike.

Already some leading filling stations like Total and Oando in the nation’s capital were shut Monday and some transporters have begun to increase their fares, while others have commenced panic buying.

The national president of NUPENG, Achese Igwe, explained that Agip Oil Company recently promoted 96 of its contract workers to the level of senior staff casual workers, instead of first converting them to full staff employees of the company.

“The law states that beyond six months you should convert them to employees. If you don’t want to convert them, then you leave them as contract workers till you are ready. But promoting them to senior staff level (PENGASSAN) is to do what? Is it to still serve as contract staff or slaves for more years? So this country must change in culture of job regulations,” he said.

Chevron too is accused of converting workers from contract labour to service labour and the Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC is said to have refused a collective bargaining agreement with casual workers and also denied them the right to join a union, among others.

“We want to see a serious commitment on the side of government on this issue. A situation where a company like Agip will want to promote NUPENG contract workers to PENGASSAN contract workers has never happened anywhere in the world.”

Achese said the union initially issued an ultimatum to the company but since then, there has not been any improvement.

Agip is also accused of sacking 93 contract workers that had put in between 25 and 35 years, without benefits despite directives by the ministry of labour and productivity.

He argued that if the agreements reached with the multinational companies at a meeting called by the labour minister, Emeka Wogu, in May 2012, was implemented, these issues would have been resolved.

NUPENG is also protesting the alleged refusal of National Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, to implement the signed collective bargaining agreement with tanker drivers and the impassable state of the Nigerian roads.

It warned that should government and other stakeholders fail to address its grievances after the three-day warning strike, it would declare an indefinite strike.

The union therefore, called on the federal government to summon an all-stakeholders’ national conference on oil and gas to address, among others, labour issues in the sector before the expiration of the three days strike to avert a national crisis.

No fewer than 175 inmates were let loose Sunday as unknown gunmen attacked the Olokuta medium security prison in Akure, shooting sporadically into the air and setting off bombs in strategic places.

This is the third record of prison break this year alone, the others being Ganye Prison in Adamawa state where 127 were set free and a prisons office in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno state, where one civilian was killed and all the inmates released.

The trend many say is worrisome. Speaking to reporters shortly after the incident, the comptroller of prisons in the state, Tunde Olayiwola, said some of the inmates who escaped during the jail break have been re-arrested.

He confirmed that one officer was seriously injured, and was rushed to the hospital for treatment.  He did not disclose the officer’s name.

Altogether, at least four persons were injured in the gun battle, but nobody was reported to have been killed.

Olayiwola said some of his men were on the trail of the escapees, saying that those who were caught were lured through a mobile-talking device as signals were sent out immediately to the police. He however did not state how many of the prisoners were recaptured.

Eyitayo Jegede, the Ondo State attorney general  and  commissioner for justice after his visit to the scene described it  as pathetic and said the state government would summon the top officials of the prison.

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“With what we are seeing here, the state government will look into the incident and if need be, we will summon all the security chiefs and top prison officers,” he said

A large detachment of men and two armored personnel carriers have been deployed to the prison to ensure security in the area.

The police have also dispelled rumours that the attack on the prison was carried out by Boko Haram insurgents.

No reason was however given for that position.

The Nasarawa Police Command has on Friday at the police headquarters, Lafia, paraded 20 suspected criminals, including armed robbers, who were arrested at different locations in the state.
The commissioner of police, Umaru Shehu, while parading the suspects said since he resumed work in May, the force had embarked on a clampdown on armed robbery which has led to the massive arrest of armed robbery suspects and the nipping in the bud of several crimes in the state.

The commissioner said on June 8, a combined team of police and local vigilante while on patrol arrested one Umar Mohammed of Waterside, Masaka and recovered one locally made pistol with five rounds of live ammunitions.

The suspect, Shehu said, confessed that he belong to a gang of criminals that specialises in snatching women’s handbag and handsets.
The commissioner of police also pointed out a case where his men arrested one Monday Anthony of Asokoro, Abuja and one Fedelis of same address who conspired with another suspect popularly known as Dan-Nasarawa, to lure a lady to a party at Laminga inNasasarawa State, with the intension of killing her using her for rituals.

The criminals had agreed to sell her head for N3 million and according to Shehu named an Alhaji who resides in Nasarawa local government as their sponsor.

Another of the paraded suspected criminals was Baba Sule of Lafia, who was caught vandalizing a transformer located at Tudun Larabaarea, Doma local government area of the state.

Sule said he usually sold the wire and armoured cables he stole fromvandalised transformers to receivers whom he named as GamboMusa, Mustapha Tahir, Awalu Umar, Muttaka Abdullahi all of SabonPegi, Lafia.

All of them had been arrested to the police and confessed to receiving stolen cables from Sule.
While parading the suspects, the commissioner called on citizens of the state to be law abiding and accord the force the needed support in carrying out its legitimate duties while assuring that the police would continue to do its best to provide security for the people.

The federal government says it is ready to defend the recent execution of four convicts in Edo State, which ended a seven-year moratorium on death penalty in the country.

The minister of foreign affairs, Olugbenga Ashiru, gave the indication in Abuja on Friday at a consultative forum on the forthcoming review of human rights in Nigeria under the United Nations Universal Period Review, UPR.

Ashiru acknowledged that the executions in Edo would likely come up when the country appears before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva this October for a periodic review of its human rights.

The June 24 execution in Edo had been criticised by the government of United Kingdom, the United Nations, UN and the European Union high representative, Catherine Ashton.

According to the top EU diplomat, the execution negates recent commitments repeatedly made by Nigerian officials, most recently in May, to maintain the de facto moratorium on executions.

Ashiru told reporters that the execution would not act as an impediment to “tremendous improvements” by government on human rights issues in the country. He reminded countries accusing Nigeria of human rights violations to remember that the criminal code was inherited from the ‘colonial powers.

The minister said state governments are autonomous in Nigeria and for the execution in Edo State, governor Adams Oshiomhole acted within the confines of the law.

“I agree that there was an unwritten code that we should have a moratorium pending the time when our Constitution is reviewed.

“But don’t forget that the constitution we follow is supreme but the criminal code that we use is still the same handed over to us by the colonial powers. So, until the statute books are reviewed, there is nothing anybody can do and I think the governor of Edo acted within his constitutional powers,” he said.

The minister recalled that the governor gave reasons why he signed the death warrants “because the circumstances under which the crimes were committed were really heinous and in itself a crime against humanity.”

Earlier, the minister told the forum reviewing the draft national report before its submission to the UN Human Rights Council not to be “apologetic” on the country’s stance on same sex marriage.

“We should not shy away to defend what is right, what is correct and what is in our Constitution,” he said.

He also told the forum to strongly defend the records of Nigeria’s armed forces on human rights.

“They have been tested and trusted and they have distinguished themselves in numerous peacekeeping operations across the world,” he said.

The solicitor-general of the federation, Abdullahi Yola, recalled that Nigeria underwent the first cycle of UPR in 2009 during which a number of recommendations were made to the country.

“Nigeria accepted 30 recommendations out of 32 and rejected recommendations 12 and 13 of UPR 2009 on same sex marriage and abolition of death sentence,” he said.

Bem Angwe, the executive secretary, National Human Rights Commission, said the country was conscious of its obligations to the international community under different human rights instruments.

“Our obligations to the international community will not be dictated by the dictates of particular nations. The obligations will be dictated by the dictates of humanity and what we as a people continue to agree and observe.

Participants at the two-day event include government officials, non-governmental organisations, civil society groups and members of the academia.

Owners of about 500 houses in Emmanuel Estate along Airport Road in Abuja have accused the minister of the Federal Capital Territory,FCT and the administration of demolishing their homes so as to reallocate the land to powerful Nigerians.

The owners of the houses told an Abuja High Court that the estate was demolished illegally and for no just cause causing untold hardship and losses running into billions of naira just so that the land can be allocated to federal lawmakers and other government officials.

At the resumed hearing of the suit filed by the home owners, their lawyer Chris Uche, invited the court to visit the demolished site after arguing over the survey map submitted by the town planners who admitted not visiting the site before, during and after the demolition.

The trial judge, Justice Danlami Senchi after listening to arguments and counter arguments adjourned the suit to Monday 1st July to enable parties in the matter visit the demolished site before fixing a judgment date.

The development control department of the Federal Capital Development Authority had embarked on the demolition of several estates, including Emmanuel Estate, early this year claiming that it did not have proper building approvals.

Spokesman of the department, Josephine Mudashiru said, “These structures do not have valid land documents or building plan approval. Announcements were made last year warning people not to patronize these fraudsters and at that time the estate had not been developed”.

However, the home owners in the estate insist that they saw FCTland approval documents on the land before they bought their houses. They claimed that they were told that the approval was revoked and that it had been given to members of the National Assembly for a new legislative quarters project.

The Senate on Thursday began investigating the alleged disappearance of $27 million from the sale of Nigerian property in New York, according to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.

A former permanent representative to the United Nations,  former ambassador to the United States and the incumbent have appeared before the Senate committee on foreign affairs in Abuja.

They are George Obiozor, ambassador to the U.S. (2004 to 2006); Joy Ogwu, permanent representative to the UN (2006 to 2007), and the incumbent ambassador, Ade Adefuye, who assumed duty in March 2010.

The probe followed a petition by Transform Nigeria Citizen Initiative, a non-governmental organisation, over alleged misappropriation of funds by the officials of the Nigerian Embassy in Washington D.C. The petition was signed by one Daniel Elombah.

Elombah had urged the Senate to investigate why the proceeds from the sale of some Nigerian government property in the U.S. between 2004 and 2007 were not accounted for.

“Available records showed that between 2004 and 2007, the Embassy of Nigeria sold four prime properties of the Nigerian Government located in Washington D.C and Maryland,” he said.

“It also commenced sale of a fifth property located in San Francisco, California.

“For the sale of those properties, the government of Nigeria retained the services of ECULAW Law Firm. Out of those sales, Nigeria realised the sum of 27 million dollars.

“All funds realised from these sales, except those set aside as fees, were remitted to the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington D.C,” the petitioner alleged.

He alleged that all the funds and transactions were duly confirmed in June 2007 by ECULAW Law firm when it met with embassy officials at the embassy premises in Washington D.C.

He alleged that instead of remitting the proceeds to Nigeria, the funds were lodged in M&T Bank Washington which he said the embassy used for other transactions and with which it had about three different.

“It was confirmed in clear terms that their bank was holding huge deposits comprising the proceeds of the sales of these properties”Elombah stated, adding that “this remained the position after Dr George Obiozor had returned to Nigeria upon completing his service in Washington.”

The petitioner alleged that the money was not repatriated home but left in the bank “partly because it yielded substantial monthly interests, which the embassy officials would never have to account for.”

Surprisingly, he said, the money disappeared without trace in March 2012.

“This became clear when the M&T Bank was forced to close the accounts of Nigerian Embassy and to terminate all banking relations with the embassy at the beginning of 2012,” he said.

According to him, since March 2012, no explanation had been given as to the whereabouts of funds which were in the bank accounts when the incumbent assumed office.

The chairman, Senate committee on foreign affairs, MatthewNwagwu, confirmed that the committee received the petition alleging embezzlement of funds in Nigeria’s embassy in Washington.

“There is a petition before the committee on the issue. We have the petition and we are taking it on the face value.

“We are giving this opportunity to the minister and ambassador to explain what happened. It is alleged that the resources were squandered by embassy officials.

“Ours is to give you a chance to address the committee, to tell us what you know about the administration and management of the fund within your tenure from 2004 till date.

Journalists were, however, ordered out of the committee room before the testimonies of the three envoys were taken.

Following the complaint launched by Denis Utsa against the paramount ruler of Giza in Keana local government area of NasarawaState, Sangari Umar and his wife Dorcas; another resident, TerkimbiLorfa, has accused the monarch’s wife of trespass and mischief at the Kadarko Area Court.

The www.icirnigeria.orghad reported on June 11 in the story NasarawaMonarch Entangled In Land Dispute Utsa’s complaints of threats by the traditional ruler whose wife allegedly encroached on his land.

In a suit filed by Terkimbi, he alleged that Dorcas brought some building engineers to build a house for her and in the process encroached on his plot of land.

He said further that when he confronted the engineers, the lady threatened to acquire his land by all means, boasting of her husband’s status as the paramount ruler of Giza.

Terkimba who likened his situation to that of the Utsa family said all efforts by the elders of the community to resolve the dispute proved abortive. According to him, Dorcas recruited her younger brother as a thug to beat up the chief of the clan and his own younger sister

He said that she acted the way she did because of the support that she is getting from her husband, the paramount ruler of Giza.

Our investigation shows that the land in dispute was occupied by a herbalist Ali Samu who built a hut on it. When he died, he was buried on the piece of land.  The herbalist, according to other residents was more or less a stranger in Kadarko but got the piece of land out of goodwill of the community.

However, since he died the land which should have returned to the community was left undeveloped until Sangari took it over to build a house for his wife who according to Tiv tradition has no place in her father’s house after marriage.
Meanwhile, the sitting which was scheduled to hold on June 25 has been adjourned to July 19 July to enable the court bring all parties before it.

In a bid to ensure transparency, free and fair election in 2015, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC Attahiru Muhammadu Jega, has stated that any of the staff of the commission found guilty of rigging and other electoral malpracticeswill be prosecuted.

Jega who admitted the presence corrupt officials and staff in the commission gave this assurance at the official unveiling/public presentation of  strategic programme of action of INEC from 2012 to 2016 to political parties and electoral stakeholders in Abuja.

He said that no INEC official or staff is immune from prosecution adding that his assessment of what has happened previously showcased that few bad eggs were in the commission and have been quietly dealt with accordingly but not captured in the media.

“INEC officials are not immune to prosecution. In fact, since we came here, as a commission we have prosecuted INEC officials, probably it was not well advertised but we prosecuted INEC officials who have been found guilty of breaching established laws, rules and regulations; we have also quietly shown people the way out.”

“There were many people who were indicted for activities incompatible with the objectives and responsibility they were expected to bring to this job. We have retired people. We have dismissed people and asked people to withdraw their services. We have done a lot quietly and it is not something that really should have been advertised in our view”, Said Jega.

The  assurance given by INEC boss was prompted by various knocks given by chairmen of some political parties including SamNkire of the Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA, Chekwas Okorie of the United Progressive Party, UPP, and Victor Umeh of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA.

Umeh had called for a review of  adhoc staff recruitment by INEC, noting that their activities  posed great threats to the success ofINEC’s efforts in conducting credible elections.

He said that there are bad soldiers/policemen who forcefully change results or make things untidy and have never been reported byINEC, adding that these attitude taints the electoral body’s image.

“I don’t know if INEC staffs are immune to prosecution. Before now, they are the ones who give result sheets before elections. There are bad eggs who help to doctor results”, he said.

Nkire also emphasised the need to checkmate corrupt INEC officials whom had given it a bad image, while Okorie stressed the need to expedite action on the Electronic Voting System EVS, saying it would limit the mistakes of the commission.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has confirmed that Festus Keyamo Chambers has the authority of the Attorney General of the Federation to prosecute Femi Fani-Kayode, a former aviation minister, in relation to a money laundering charge.

In a letter dated June 27, 2013 and signed by Chile Okoroma, its acting director of legal and prosecution department, the Commission said Keyamo and his law firm have been instructed to handle the case since 2008 and that the firm has “diligently prosecuted the matter up to the supreme court and back to the Federal High Court”.

The letter titled “Legal Representation In Respect Of Charge No. Fhc/L/ 523c/2008: Between Federal Republic Of Nigeria Vs FemiFani-Kayode” was addressed to the chief registrar of the Federal High Court, Lagos, apparently in reply to questions raised over the matter by the court.

Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High court, Lagos, Tuesday restrained Festus Keyamo from further prosecuting Fani-Kayode, until he is able to tenders a fiat from the Attorney General of the Federation authorizing him to do so.

The judge held that the prosecutor has shown no evidence of being delegated to prosecute the case, raising doubts as to whether or not Adoke had issued a fiat to the chambers of Keyamo.

The court’s ruling followed the contention raised by Ifedayo Adedipe, one of the counsels to the defendant, who on June 6 challenged the appearance of the prosecutor in the case.

Adedipe had argued that it was not clear whether Ahaotu, a lawyer from the Keyamo chambers was prosecuting on behalf of the federal government or the EFCC.

Going by the response of the EFCC, it is apparent that KeyamoChambers is prosecuting the accused on behalf of the commission and not the Attorney General and it is not clear if the judge who had insisted on a fiat from the Attorney-General will now consent to a continuation of trial.

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Fani-Kayode is standing trial on a 47-count charge of money laundering. He was accused of making transactions with fundsexceedingN500,000 without going through a financial institution.

The former minister is also alleged to have accepted cash payments of about N230 million.

Below is a copy of the confirmation letter sent by the EFCC:

“EFCC/EC/FHC/100/13

June 27, 2013

The Chief Registrar,

Federal High Court,

Ikoyi,

Lagos.

Dear Sir,

LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN RESPECT OF CHARGE NO. FHC/L/523C/2008: BETWEEN FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA V. FEMIFANI-KAYODE

Kindly be informed that since 2008, Mr. Festus Keyamo and his firm, Festus Keyamo Chambers, have been instructed to prosecute the above mentioned Charge on behalf of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. They have since diligently prosecuted the matter up to Supreme Court and back to the Federal High Court.

We hope this will clear any doubt as to the authority of the firm to prosecute this matter.

Accept the assurances of our highest regard.

Thank you.

Chile Okoroma

Ag. Director, Legal & Prosecution Department

For Executive Chairman

CC:

1.     The Attorney-General of the Federation,

Ministry of Justice,  Abuja.

2.     Festus Keyamo Chambers”

The federal government has recovered over £22.5 million allegedly stolen by the late  military head of state, Sani Abacha.

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, said this on Thursday at the on-going ministerial platform in Abuja.

He said the money was recovered in 2011, from one Raj ArjandesBhojwani, an Indian national and associate of the late Abacha.

Adoke also said that the Principality of Liechtenstein recently confiscated the sum of €175 million from the Abacha family and associate companies iwhich his ministry ensure is equally repatriated.

“During the period under review, the ministry intensified its efforts to trace and repatriate Nigeria’s stolen assets abroad. In this connection, …our close liaison and negotiation with the Island of Jersey led to the recovery and repatriation of the sum of £22.5 million confiscated by the Royal Court of Jersey from Raj ArjandesBhojwani, an Indian national and associate of General Sani Abachaon account of his money laundering transactions from Nigeria,” the minister said.