Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has made it clear that President Muhammadu Buhari has no intention of dispensing with the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu whether or not his appointment is confirmed by the Senate.
The position of the Presidency is coming against the background of a controversies brewing between the Senate and Professor Osinbajo over his statement on the manner the Senate has been treating the administration’s nominee to lead the EFCC.
The acting President said at the inauguration of the Kaduna office of the anti graft agency today, Thursday: “Mr. Chairman (Magu), two weeks ago, I discussed the EFCC and your appointment with President Muhammadu Buhari and he told me he has every confidence in you and every confidence in the commission and the work that you have been doing. And as long as he is president you remain the chairman of the EFCC.”
He said that those who think that they were winning in fighting back against the government’s war on corruption, should wake up.
Osinbajo, who was represented by Governor Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State, said that President Buhari is solidly behind Magu and wants him to continue to work as the Chairman of the (EFCC.
“Last night, I spoke with the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who reconfirmed the position of the President and told me that as long as he remained the Acting President or Vice President, Ibrahim Magu would remain the chairman of the EFCC.
“That is the only message from the President, so those who are thinking that corruption is winning this war, Magu would remain their nightmare for the next two years or six years as the case may be.”
Governor El-Rufai had earlier said that his government donated the office to the EFCC to demonstrate its “zero tolerance to bad behaviour by public office holders, contractors, businesses and citizens.
Meanwhile, Ibrahim Magu restated his call for the setting up of prison for corrupt ones in the Sambisa forest, “where they can be kept away and have the sobriety to be truly reformed.” [myad]
Contractors in Nigeria working for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA), have accused some policemen attached to the Inspector General of Police (IGP’s) Special Tactical Squad, of using the whistle-blowing policy of the federal government to black-mail and extort various sums of money from them. This was even as the officers of the squad denied such allegation.
The contractors alleged that the policemen, led by a Superintendent of Police (SP) in the tactical squad and leader of the investigative team, Ben Kalio Bright, blackmail and intimidate them using the name and office of the IGP, Idris Ibrahim and the Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) Sir Mike Okiro.
They said that the squad, working with some court officials, have given court orders to freeze bank accounts of individuals and companies under the guise that their accounts are being investigated under the whistle-blower policy.
The aggrieved contractors said that the officers would contact them individually to open negotiations on how to unfreeze the accounts at a price which is said to run into millions of naira.
One of the contractors who spoke to our reporter on condition of anonymity for fear of further victimisation, claimed that the team leader is running a syndicate under the whistle blower policy to harass and extort money from them and some top civil servants.
“This officer has the backing of his bosses and has continued to run a syndicate under the whistle-blower policy to harass and extort huge sums of money from contractors and top civil servants in Nigeria.
“He harasses us and drops name of the current Inspector General of Police (IGP), Idris Ibrahim and current chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mike Okiro, who is a retired IG, and other top police officers.
“The syndicate has been successful basically because they are working in cahoots with some courts in the FCT, for the purpose of carrying out their new trade.
“Information available to us revealed that the officer has already obtained orders of a magistrate court in the FCT that we believe is in collaboration with him, to freeze bank accounts of many contractors working for MDAs.”
But, the Squad Commander, ACP Yusuf Kolo, dismissed the allegation, saying that the squad does not have the authority to initiate such investigation without the order of a competent court.
He explained that several investigations ordered by the court were on-going and are not restricted to whistle-blowing related cases, just as it is not within the job description of his squad to freeze or unfreeze any account,
According to him, the squad is charged with investigating and reporting its findings to the courts, adding that any irregularities concerning freezing and unfreezing accounts would have to be traced to the courts.
The commander insisted that he was not aware of negotiation with suspects or defendants in any case, and that the police cannot collaborate with criminals to pervert the course of justice.
Also, speaking on the allegations against his team, SP Bright said that every investigation by the team is assigned by the commander following a court order which is usually a consequence of
a petition.
Bright said that his team, like other teams in the squad, investigate issues raised in such petitions by inviting the parties involved to make statements among other techniques, but has no dealings with the court.
He complained that the allegation was the handiwork of some powerful people bent on frustrating the squad’s investigation, adding that the only case where accounts of suspects were unfrozen, even as the investigation was yet to be completed, was without the knowledge of the investigating team. [myad]
Kano State Government has renamed the Northwest University in Kano to Yusuf Maitama Sule University.
A statement by Salihu Tanko Yakasai, Director General, Media and Communications in the Government House Kano, said that the renaming was approved by the state governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and the State Executive Council (SEC) after an extraordinary meeting of the council late last night to immortalise late Danmasanin Kano.
The statement said that late Yusuf Maitama Sule made immense contributions to the development of Kano, Arewa and Nigeria at large.
It said that also, the Council approved the renaming of Dawaki Road where the residence of Late Danmasanin Kano is located to Yusuf Maitama Sule Road while the current Yusuf Maitama Sule link Road has been renamed Jafaru Dan Mallam Link Road.
The statement said that the decision was after taking into account, people’s calls from within and outside Kano, for the state government to honour the late Danmasanin Kano since his demise.
“Governor Ganduje’s administration is determined to honour sons and daughters of Kano who have sacrificed their lives to the development of the state.” [myad]
About 100 government supporters were reported to have burst into Venezuela’s opposition-controlled National Assembly, where they beat up several lawmakers.
Eye witness accounts said that the confrontation came after an assembly session to mark the country’s Independence Day.
It was learnt that no fewer than 350 people were besieged for hours, including journalists, students and visitors.
The assembly’s speaker, Mr Julio Borges named five of the lawmakers injured, some of who were taken away for medical treatment, including Deputy Speaker, Américo De Grazia. He was carried out on a stretcher.
Deputy Armando Armas told reporters as he got into an ambulance: “this does not hurt as much as seeing every day how we are losing our country.” His head swathed in bloody bandages.
Military police guarding the site were said to have stood by as intruders brandishing sticks and pipes broke through the gate.
Meanwhile, the government has vowed to investigate.
Reacting to the incidence, President Nicolas Maduro said: “I will not be complicit in acts of violence.”
Venezuela has been shaken by often violent protests in recent months and is in economic crisis.
The US state department has condemned the violence, calling it “an assault on the democratic principles cherished by the men and women who struggled for Venezuela’s independence 206 years ago today.”
AFP, whose journalists were at the scene, said reporters were ordered to leave by the attackers, one of whom had a gun.
Before the intruders rushed the building, Vice-President Tareck El Aissami made an impromptu appearance in the Congress with the head of the armed forces, Vladimir Padrino López, and ministers.
Former Nigeria Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has described the Senate President Bukola Saraki as ‘irresponsible’ for telling Nigerians that recalling Dino Melaye from the Senate was “a waste of time.”
Ezekwesili, in a series of tweets, said that it is irresponsible for the Senate President to speak down on the efforts of the citizens.
She wrote: “really? Digging in your pattern of “pocketizing” our Democratic Institution, right? I sorry for you & your ilk.
“No serious leader of any institution of Democracy in a serious country that respects its citizens speaks like you. Many of us have no dog in the Kogi recall fight. BUT, it is a DEMOCRATIC PROVISION. Don’t talk down on Citizens.”
During a plenary on Tuesday, the Deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu had said the Senate had to be convinced that Melaye’s constituents had done the right thing and that it was a waste of time to embark on the recall.
“They (constituents) need to come back here and convince everyone of us that they have done the correct thing. Unless they do that, they cannot even give effect to it. So, why are we wasting our time? Let us move on and allow them to waste their time,” he said.
In support of his deputy, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, also said, “There is no need for further comments. The Deputy Senate President has said it; 10 years is no joke in leadership. We have seen clearly the processes. Let the process speak for itself. I don’t know why funds are being wasted, which should have gone on more important things. INEC is also at the middle of a test. Eventually, it must come back here for us to decide whether it is satisfactory or not.” [myad]
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote has been named the second most powerful man in Africa, coming behind Egyptian President, Abdel el-Sisi and beating other African leaders.
Aliko Dangote, who is the President of Dangote Group, was also named in the list of top 100 most powerful people in the world.
This is even as the Russian President, Vladimir Putin was named as the most powerful man on earth, followed by American President-elect, Donald Trump and German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, as the 2nd and 3rd most powerful persons in the world, respectively.
Dangote came 2nd in Africa and was named the 68th most powerful man on earth.
Forbes, in the latest edition of its 74 World Most Powerful People ranking list, indicated that the 64-year-old Putin is the most powerful in the world, ahead of Trump who was second on the list. Former U.S. President, Barack Obama was placed 48th on the list.
Leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis was in fifth place, while world’s richest man, Bill Gates, comes in the seventh even as Chinese President, Xi Jinping came before the Pope in number four, while the Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, was the 10th most powerful person in the world.
Forbes reported that there are nearly 7.4 billion people on planet earth but that the listed men and women are the most powerful that make the world turn. [myad]
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami has made it clear that the federal government is ever ready to release the names of the treasury looters in the country, but would be subject to certain conditions.
Malami, who was answering reporters’ questions at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, shortly after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting today, Wednesday, said that in obeying the court order eary]ier passed today, certain factors have to be considered as far as making disclosures are concerned.
“Let me place it on the record that we have Freedom of Information Act in place. And the government is fully aware of its responsibility. But we have to take into account and consideration, the fact that there are some factors that have to be considered as far as making these disclosures are concerned.
“There are matters that are sub-judice in court. There are matters of reconciliation, compilations and other associated things.
Malami said that on the need and compliant basis, the federal government has been making public necessarily statements.
According to him, the disclosure will be made, but that it would be contingent on reconciliation of associated considerations as they relate to sub justice principles and as they relate to Concluding, reconciliation and confirmation of figures.
“So, that has been done and the government will at the appropriate time, make necessary disclosures, perhaps intermittently, against the background of the prevailing conditions relating to the pendency of certain things and associated things.” [myad]
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has compelled the President Muhammadu Buhari’s Federal Government to immediately release to Nigerians, information about the names of high-ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered and the circumstances under which funds were recovered, as well as the exact amount recovered from each public official.
The judgment was delivered today, Wednesday, by Justice Hadiza Rabiu Shagari, following a Freedom of Information suit number: FHC/CS/964/2016 brought by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
The suit followed disclosure last year by the Federal Government of funds recovered from some high-ranking public officials and private individuals.
In her judgment, Justice Shagari agreed with SERAP that “the Federal Government has legally binding obligations to tell Nigerians the names of all suspected looters of the public treasury past and present.”
Joined in the suit as defendants, are the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed and the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.
Justice Shagari also granted the following reliefs:
A declaration that by virtue of the provisions of Section 4 (a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2011, the Defendants are under a binding legal obligation to provide the Plaintiff with up to date information relating to the following:
To widely disseminate including a dedicated website information about the names of high-ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered since May 2015, the circumstances under which stolen public funds were returned
SERAP is now processing a certified true copy of the judgment.
The Deputy Director of SERAP, Timothy Adewale, SERAP who argued the case on behalf of SERAP and was in court this morning when the judgment was delivered said “This is a victory for justice, rule of law, transparency and accountability in this country.
“The judgment shows the way forward in the fight against corruption and impunity of perpetrators.
“We will do everything within the law to ensure full compliance by President Muhammadu Buhari and Acting President Osinbajo with this landmark judgment.”
It would be recalled that the Ministry of Information last year published details of the recoveries, which showed that the Nigerian government successfully retrieved total cash amount N78,325,354,631.82, $185,119,584.61, £3,508,355.46 and €11, 250 between May 29, 2015, and May 25, 2016. Also released were recoveries under interim forfeiture, which were a combination of cash and assets, during the same period: N126,563,481,095.43, $9,090,243,920.15, £2,484,447.55 and €303,399.17. Anticipated repatriation from foreign countries totalled: $321,316,726.1, £6,900,000 and €11,826.11. The ministry also announced that 239 non-cash recoveries were made during the one-year period. The non-cash recoveries are – farmlands, plots of land, uncompleted buildings, completed buildings, vehicles and maritime vessels.
Subsequently, SERAP issued an FOI request and gave the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed 14 days to disclose the names of all suspected looters.
The request reads in part: “While we believe that suspects generally are entitled to be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction, SERAP opposes blanket non-disclosure of names of high-ranking public officials from whom some of the funds were recovered.”
“SERAP insists that the public interest to know is greater than any other legitimate interest that the government might wish to protect. The Nigerian government has an obligation to balance whether the risk of harm to the legitimate aim (that is secrecy of ongoing corruption investigation and presumption of innocence) from disclosure of the names of public officials is greater than the public interest in accessing the information.”
“According to public interest test, even if the government demonstrates that the publication of the names of public officials would substantially harm a legitimate interest, it is nevertheless obliged to disclose the requested information if, as it is the case here, the public interest in disclosure is sufficient enough to overweigh the harm.”
“SERAP believes that the recoveries, specifically from high-ranking public officials (and not private individuals), are matters of public interest. Publishing the names of those public officials will provide insights relevant to the public debate on the ongoing efforts to prevent and combat a culture of grand corruption and the longstanding impunity of perpetrators in the country.”
“The gravity of the crime of grand corruption, the devastating effects on the socially and economically vulnerable sectors of the population, and the fact that recovery of huge funds from high-ranking public officials entrusted with the public treasury raise a prima-facie case and therefore amount to exceptional circumstances that justify naming those high-ranking officials in the public interest.”
“SERAP also argues that Nigerians are entitled to the right to truth derived from the obligations of the government to carry out an investigation of violations of human rights and crime of corruption committed within its jurisdiction; to identify, prosecute and punish those responsible; and to ensure that victims have the simple and prompt recourse for protection against violation of fundamental rights, as well as to ensure transparency in public administration.”
“SERAP believes that the right to truth allows Nigerians to gain access to information essential to the fight against corruption and in turn development of democratic institutions as well as provides a form of reparation to victims of grand corruption in the country.”
“Publishing the names of public officials involved could go a long way in preventing senior public officials from turning the public treasury into a private cash box. SERAP argues that the public interest in publishing the names of the high-ranking government officials from whom funds were received outweighs any considerations to withhold the information, as there would be no prejudice against those whose names are published as long as the information is appropriately framed and truthful.”
“There is a general public interest in promoting transparency, accountability, public understanding and involvement in the democratic process. While the government in some limited cases can legitimately place restrictions on the public’s right to access certain information, attempts of the Nigerian authorities to justify the total closure of information related to the names of public officials from whom funds were recovered on the basis of “ongoing criminal investigation” and “presumption of innocence goes far beyond the limitations allowed under international law, and would promote secret recoveries.”
“The information being requested is not related to detailed investigatory activities of anticorruption agencies regarding the recoveries so far made. Similarly, the mere fact that the information being requested is related to ongoing investigation does not necessarily mean that the information could not be disclosed. In addition, governmental agency has the obligation to prove that the disclosure of the names of public officials would disrupt, impede, or otherwise harm the ongoing or pending investigations or presumption of innocence.” [myad]
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has undertaken to go into retail auction through the authorized dealers in the inter-bank foreign exchange market, even as it asked banks to submit to it, requests made by their customers.
The auction by the CBN is coming on the heels of the success achieved so far in its intervention in other segments of the market on July 3, to the tune of $195 million.
According to the Acting Director of the Corporate Communications at the apex Bank, Isaac Okorafor, the results of the bids for retail auction will be released in the coming days.
The banks chief spokesman said that the move is in continuation of bank’s drive to ensure liquidity and stability in the foreign exchange market.
At the Bank’s intervention on July 3, authorized dealers in the wholesale window were offered the sum of $100 million. The Bank also allocated the sum of $50 million to the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) window, while it allocated the sum of $45 million for invisibles such as Basic Travel Allowance, tuition and medical bills.
Okorafor had disclosed on Monday that the objective of the Bank’s intervention was to strengthen the international value of the Naira, while also ensuring accessibility to forex by customers requiring it for genuine purposes.
Meanwhile, the Naira continued to maintain its stability in the Bureau de Change (BDCs) segment across major cities of Nigeria, closing at an average of N360 to the United States dollar on Wednesday, July 5, 2017. [myad]
Former President Goodluck Jonathan may soon appear before the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on OPL 245 to testify in the ongoing investigation on alleged massive corruption in Malabu Oil.
The committee, which announced its intention to formally invite Jonathan on this controversial matter, said that it had conducted an extensive investigation into the OPL 245 saga and about to close it.
The Committee said that in the interest of thoroughness, natural justice and fair play, it is imperative that evidence should be taken from the former President.
A statement by the committee today, Wednesday, said that it took account of the following facts:
(i) That Dr. Jonathan was the President at the material time the Ministers brokered the deal that leads to the allegation of $1bn diversion of funds;
(ii) That Dr. Jonathan’s name features in the proceedings initiated by the Public Prosecutor of Milan in Italy;
(iii) That a U.K. Court Judgment in relation to an application to return part of the money being restrained castigated the Jonathan Administration as not having acted in the best interest of Nigeria in relation to the ‘deal’;
(iv) That the Attorney-General of the Federation at the material time, Mohammed Bello Adoke, has recently instituted proceedings in court wherein he pleads that all his actions were as instructed by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“Accordingly, pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution, the Committee has decided to request that former President Goodluck Jonathan gives evidence as to his role in the matter.”
The statement sent by the House, said the Secretariat will write to him asking for his response and submissions. [myad]
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A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has compelled the President Muhammadu Buhari’s Federal Government to immediately release to Nigerians, information about the names of high-ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered and the circumstances under which funds were recovered, as well as the exact amount recovered from each public official.
