EFCC boss, Ibrahim MaguThe acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu has accused some banks in Nigeria, of funding terrorists as well as helping politically exposed persons to steal and launder public funds.
President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed worry over the rebuilding of nations that have been ravaged by the terrorist insurgency in the last ten years.
The President of the General Saudi Sport Authority, Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Al-Faisal has been scheduled to be made the President of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF).
The election of Prince Abdulaziz, who will replace Turki Al-Sheikh that recently resigned from the post, will be done at the extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly of ISSF to be held on Monday, April 8 in Jeddah.
The new President of ISSF, who has also been serving as President of the Saudi Olympic Federation (SOF), will be in office till 2021.
Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki has been a keen leader in the sporting world and an avid industrial development expert. He is currently the Board Chairman of Saudi General Sports Authority (SGSP); President of Saudi Arabia Olympic Committee (SOC) and President of International Camel Racing Federation (ICRF) as well as member of the IOC Marketing Commission.
He was once Board chairman of the Saudi Arabian Industrial Resin Limited, from where he restructured the industrial outlook of Saudi Arabia, leading to increase in total turnover of the system, despite the economic crisis in North Africa.
Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki, born on April 6, 1983, was also instrumental to the development of the Middle East Radical Championship to be most complete championship in the region, with more than 25 cars on the Grid and a turnover of more than one million Pound Starling in the first year.
According to information from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, chairman of the Board of ISSF for the period between 2019 and 2021, Dr. Yousef AlOthaimeen will also be unveiled at the event.
The General Secretary of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), according to the information, will attend the meeting where the fifth version of the Islamic Solidarity Games in 2021 will be discussed, alongside the administrative, technical and financial reports done by the General Secretariat of the Federation.
It said that the ISSF will hold two Directors of the Board meetings.
The world cup bound Nigerian female side, the Super Falcons woke up from a shocker in the 31st minute when Reimus Magda of Icelandic grabbed a goal for Solfoss, to embark on goal harvest.
Uchenna Kanu got a 42nd minute equalizer to keep both teams at par till the end of the first half.
On resumption of play in the second half, it became apparent that UMF Solfoss had no checkmate for rampaging falcons.
Courtney Dike opened scoring in the 57th minute of the second half even as Ini Umotong took over from Dike to earn a brace in the 62nd and 69th minute.
Courtney Dike completed her hat-trick when she again scored in the 72nd and 76th minutes and Thomas Dernneby coached team held on to their massive lead to the end of the match.
Goal Keeper Chiamaka Nnadozie was particularly impressive as she pulled a great save to deny their Icelandic opponents a comeback chance in the 89th minute. Rasheedat Ajibade was of great support providing assist for Dike’s hat-rick
The team will next take on Canada on the 8th of April as part of preparation for the World Cup in France.
Abike DabiriSenior Special Assistant (SSA) to President Muhammadu Buhari on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa has said that the country would prefer to celebrate many Nigerians that are doing great things in other countries of the world rather than gloating over a few ones that are tarnishing the image of the country.
“We have Nigerians doing great things all over the world; we are going to focus on them.”
Dabiri-Erewa, who announced in an interview with newsmen in Abuja today, Friday, the arrest of another Nigerian woman in Jeddah airport, Saudi Arabia for allegedly smuggling about 1,138g of cocaine, expressed disappointment that this is coming shortly after a Nigerian lady was executed in the same country for a related offence.
“The sad thing is that in the midst of talking of about 20 Nigerians on death roll, even as eight had been executed, just yesterday another Nigerian, Wahid Somade, was arrested at Jeddah airport with about I,138g of cocaine. The latest one would be added to those that could be executed.
”We keep appealing to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to ensure trial is fair. And we keep begging Nigerians to obey the laws of other countries and Saudi has replied us officially, saying their law is their law.
“However, diplomatic engagement will continue at the highest level.
“It does not matter where you come from, you hold a green passport. Do not let a few people denigrate every one of us,” she said.
Photo credit: Business InsiderThe current richest man in the world and founder of Amazon, 55 year old Jeff Bezos and his wife, 48 year MacKenzie have finally divorced as Jeff was left with 75 percent of their stock in the tech giant while she went away with nearly $36 billion in shares.
This was even as MacKenzie Bezos said that she would give all of her stake in The Washington Post and the space exploration firm Blue Origin to her husband in what bookmakers described as the biggest divorce settlement in history. She also gave him voting control of her remaining Amazon stock.
Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie, a novelist, married in 1993 and have four children. Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in their Seattle garage in 1994 and turned it into a colossus that dominates online retail.
In a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Amazon, which has a market capitalization of some $890 billion, said MacKenzie Bezos will control four percent of the company’s outstanding common stock.
At Amazon’s current share price that would be worth some $35.6 billion.
According to Forbes magazine, the divorce settlement makes MacKenzie Bezos the third wealthiest woman in the world after L’Oreal heiress Francoise Bettencourt Meyers and Walmart’s Alice Walton.
Jeff Bezos, who now owns 12 percent of Amazon, remains the world’s richest man and the largest shareholder in the company with an estimated fortune of $110 billion, Forbes said, ahead of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Berkshire Hathaway chairman Warren Buffett.
Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos announced their separation in January and posted Twitter messages on Thursday revealing the divorce settlement.
“Grateful to have finished the process of dissolving my marriage with Jeff with support from each other and everyone who reached out to us in kindness,” MacKenzie Bezos wrote.
“Happy to be giving him all of my interests in the Washington Post and Blue Origin, and 75% of our Amazon stock plus voting control of my shares to support his continued contributions with the teams of these incredible companies,” she said.
“Excited about my own plans. Grateful for the past as I look forward to what comes next.”
Jeff Bezos, in a Twitter message of his own, said his wife had been “an extraordinary partner, ally, and mother.”
“She is resourceful and brilliant and loving, and as our futures unroll, I know I’ll always be learning from her,” he said.
“I’m grateful for her support and for her kindness in this process and am very much looking forward to our new relationship as friends and co-parents,” Bezos added.
Bezos has largely kept his personal life private during his years steering Amazon.
But it was thrust into the spotlight with the announcement in January that he and his wife were divorcing after 25 years of marriage and the revelation by the National Enquirer that he had been having an affair with a former news anchor, Lauren Sanchez.
When the National Enquirer, controlled by President Donald Trump’s ally David Pecker, threatened to release lurid, intimate pictures of Bezos and Sanchez, Bezos fought back by releasing the details of his exchanges publicly.
“Rather than capitulate to extortion and blackmail, I’ve decided to publish exactly what they sent me, despite the personal cost and embarrassment they threaten,” Bezos wrote in a blog post.
A lawyer for the National Enquirer denied that the supermarket tabloid had tried to extort and blackmail the Amazon founder.
Trump has been a frequent critic of the Post, which Bezos purchased in 2013, claiming that the newspaper is biased against him and calling it the “Amazon Washington Post.”
Amazon shares closed down 0.1 percent at $1,818.86 on Thursday.
Acting IGP, Mohammed Abubakar AdamuThe Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu has launched what is called ‘Operation Puff Adder’ as measure to finally flush out bandits, armed robbers, kidnappers and other criminals across the country.
According to a statement today, Friday, by the Force spokesman, Frank Mba, the operation would be carried out in collaboration with the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Department of State Services (DSS) and would involve massive deployment of well-trained, well-equipped and well-motivated personnel and combined operational assets from the various security agencies.
Mba said that the operation is tailored towards ridding the country,, especially the Kaduna – Abuja Expressway, Kogi, Katsina, Niger and Zamfara States of all forms of crimes and criminality.
He said that during the launching which took place at katari Bishin District, Abuja – Kaduna Expressway today, Friday, the Inspector General admitted that no police agency anywhere in the world, no matter how well-trained, equipped or motivated, can solely achieve its community security and safety mandate without the support of the community.
He therefore called for the full support and cooperation of the civil populace, particularly, traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth associations, market bodies, cultural associations and professionals among others in the fight against criminals especially kidnappers, armed robbers, cattle rustlers amongst others.
The IGP also made a special appeal to drivers, commuters and other citizens that may come in contact with police officers deployed for the Operation to cooperate with them and show understanding in the interest of public safety.
This was even as he sounded a note of warning to persons who engage in criminal activities, especially along the Abuja–Kaduna Expressway, to give-up their nefarious activities and embrace other legitimate means of livelihood or be prepared to face the full consequences of their actions.
General Manager of National Theatre, Dr Stella Oyedepo has claimed to have spent N29 million to renovate toilets and is facing query from the National Assembly Committee on Tourism and Culture.
Dr. Oyedepo who was reviewing her 2018 budget performance, had told the lawmakers that she expended N29 million to renovate toilets in the National Theatre.
But the lawmakers quickly interjected by asking her to explain how she spent such a huge amount in renovation of toilets.
The Chairman of the committee, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama said: “there’s need to critically look at how you spent N29 million to fix toilets.”
In her response, Dr. Oyedepo said: “there were 500 toilets in the complex and it was making the place unattractive because they were in bad shape. What we did was to completely overhaul the toilets to make the complex look better. “
In his ruling, the chairman, said: “the GM just resumed duties, she can be excused but she has to go and put her documents to enable the committee properly do its job.”
Meanwhile, the representative of the DG of National Art Gallery, Richard Ovie, was walked out of the committee for improper representation.
Source: Vanguard
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has once more made an intervention of $247.8 million in the retail Secondary Market Intervention Sales (SMIS) and CNY 34.8 million in the spot and short tenored forwards segment of the inter-bank foreign market.
According to the Director in Corporate Communications Department of the apex bank, Isaac Okorafor, the intervention was for requests in the agricultural and raw materials sectors while the Chinese Yuan was for Renminbi denominated Letters of Credit.
Okorafor, today, Friday, expressed satisfaction over the continued stability of the foreign exchange which, according to him, was largely due to sustained intervention by the Bank.
He assured that the apex bank Management would remain committed to ensuring that all the sectors of the forex market continue to enjoy access to the needed foreign exchange.
Meanwhile, $1 exchanged for N360 at the Bureau de Change (BDC) segment of the foreign exchange market, while CNY1 exchanged at N53.
Onnoghen: The Man, The Judge, The End, By Joseph Jibueze
Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, born December 22, 1950, started his career as a pupil state counsel between 1978 and 1979.
He left public service to join the firm of Effiom Ekong & Company (1979 till 1988).
He later became the Principal Partner at Walter Onnoghen & Associates, Calabar from 1988 to 1989.
Soon after, he began a career on the Bench. As High Court judge of Cross Rivers State, he was made the Chairman of the state Armed Robbery and Firm Arms Tribunal, a post he held for three years between 1990 and 1993.
In 1998, he served as the Chairman, Failed Banks Tribunal, Ibadan Zone.
Onnoghen was elevated to the Court of Appeal in 1998 from where he served until 2005 when he was elevated to the Supreme Court.
In February 2016, Onnoghen led a seven-man panel of Justices of the apex court who reviewed and upheld the death sentence of Chukwuemeka Ezeugo (aka Rev. King) of the Christian Praying Assembly.
In 2007, Justice Onnoghen played a huge role in 2007 election which saw the Late Umaru Yar’aduaas President of the federal republic of Nigeria.
He had a dissenting judgment that annulled the presidential election. His position was, however, a minority judgment.
Appointment as CJN
Onnoghen’s confirmation as CJN was dogged by controversy following its protracted nature. The National Judicial Council (NJC), on October 10, 2016, recommended him to President Muhammadu Buhari, being the most senior at the Supreme Court after the retirement of Mohammed Mahmud.
It took until February 7, 2017 for Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to transmit Onnoghen’s name to the senate for confirmation as substantive CJN.
He was confirmed by the Senate on March 1, 2017 and sworn in on March 7, 2017.
His trial
Onnoghen made the unwanted history as the first CJN to be suspended and docked.
Onnoghen’s trial started when a petition was filed by the civil rights group the Anti-Corruption and Research Based Data Initiative (ARDI) at the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
It was alleged that he owned “sundry accounts primarily funded through cash deposits made by himself up to as recently as 10 August 2016, which appear to have been run in a manner inconsistent with financial transparency and the code of conduct for public officials.”
The trial commenced January 14 but Onnoghen was absent. It was then adjourned to the following week because Onnoghen faulted the summons procedure.
The next hearing was slated for January 22 but he failed to show up in court again. Following his absence again, President Buhari suspended him on January 26 and appointed Tanko Ibrahim as Acting CJN.
Onnoghen’s office was thereafter sealed by the police, which sparked outrage by lawyers and politicians.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar described Onnoghen’s suspension as “dictatorship taken too far” but Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, accused those criticising President Buhari over Onnoghen’s suspension as hypocrites.
In the course of the saga, different courts gave orders of injunction against his arrest and prosecution, most of which where subsisting before the CCT order that led to his suspension.
Following Onnoghen’s suspension on January 25, the United States issued a statement on the development, with Osinbajo saying he was not aware of the former CJN’s planned prosecution.
Even the Senate weighed, challenging Onnoghen’s suspension at the Supreme Court. Onnoghen sued the Federal Government over his suspension but lost his bid to stop his CCT trial at the CCT, which ordered his arrest, forcing him to appear for his arraignment, which took place on February 15.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on February 7, said it traced $30,000 paid to Onnoghen’s account paid to him by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
The CCT, on March 29, dismissed Onnoghen’s no-case submission, following which he opened his defence, calling only one witness. He closed his defence on April 3.
After NJC recommended him for retirement, Onnoghen tendered his resignation before the President could act on the recommendation.
The case against Onnoghen
The NJC reached the decision to suspend Onnoghen after reviewing damning evidence by EFCC against him, argued by two brilliant prosecuting counsel Ekene Iheanacho and Rotimi Oyedepo.
They argued successfully that Onnoghen violated the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers.
He was accused of infidelity to the Constitution and violation of other laws prohibiting economic and financial related offences.
EFCC said he could not prove the legitimate source or origin of the sum of $1,716,000.00 found in his account.
“The respondent, who never declared having $1,716,000.00 in his asset declaration form as cash in hand, wanted this honourable Panel to believe that he accumulated the said sum in his house and only deposited them in the bank between 2009 and 2016 in cash.
“My lords, the respondent also attempted to suggest to the Honourable Panel that the $1,716,000.00 cash deposit was earned by him upon his part-time appointment as Justice of the Supreme Court of Gambia.
”My lords, this explanation with due respect is laughable in that the Respondent was appointed on the 22nd day of November, 2012.
“On the face of the appointment letter, it is clear that the Respondent is entitled to the 5,000 GBP and 22,000 Dalasis which is payable per session to be determined by the Chief Justice of Gambia in line with the Rules of the Supreme Court of Gambia.
“The respondent failed to show this panel that consequent upon his appointment in November, 2012 and the assumption of that office in 2013 the number of sessions he sat as a member of the Supreme Court of Gambia.
“The respondent also failed to state how much he earned from Gambia, how he was paid whether cash or through his account. What is clear is that if the respondent is to earn any fee from Gambia it will be GBP and not USD. What is in issue is the USD paid in exhibit P4C.”
EFCC also questioned a Mercedes Benz GL 450 worth N7, 000,000.00 from Mr. Joe Agi (SAN) to Onnoghen in the 2009.
The commission said the SAN also made a cash deposit of $30,000.00 on June 29, 2009 to His Lordship’s account.
“The respondent failed to show this Honourable Panel how he paid for the vehicle from his lawful earnings.
“As a matter of facts the respondent was confronted with all his account before this honourable panel during cross examination to prove how and the source of the money he purportedly gave to Joe Agi SAN as purchase price of the vehicle but couldn’t as there is no such payment.
“Our findings and humble submission is that these defence shows clearly that the respondent is fully aware that by virtue of his appointment as a Judicial Officer, the receipt of car gift worth N7, 000,000.00 and $30,000 from a practicing legal practitioner is clearly misconduct under the code of Conduct for Judicial Officers.
“We therefore urge my lords to find in our favour that the respondent received the car gift and the sum of $30,000.00 from the DW2 a practicing lawyer who had appeared, appearing and may still appear, before him.”
EFCC also said Onnoghen received pecuniary gifts from practicing lawyers, namely Ogunsanya Adewunmi(N250,000), Paul Usoro (SAN) (N350,000), Emeka Etiaba (SAN) (N250,000), Onyechi Ikpeasu (SAN) (N300,000), and Eze Duru Iheoma (SAN) (N100,000).
Although Onnoghen said the cash gifts were given to him during his daughter’s wedding, and that the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers does not forbid judges from accepting gifts that are cultural, EFCC said Onnoghen was under the obligation to avoid situations which might reasonably give rise to the suspicion of or appearance of favouritism or partiality with individual members of the legal profession who practice regularly in court where the respondent presides.
“My lords, by the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, members of the public expects a high standard of conduct from a Judge who at all time must avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all his activities both in his professional and private life.
“It is, therefore, our humble submission that in view of the evidence before this Honourable Panel the petitioner has established the breach of the Code of Conducts for Judicial Officers against the Respondent and we urge my lords to so hold,” EFCC said.
Source: The Nation.