$20 Million Loot: Between Being Patience And Becoming A Patient, By Israel A. Ebije

September 13, 2016

Nigerian historians will definitely scribble the activities of Dame Patience Jonathan as the most controversial First Lady in the history of the country. When you analyse her according to the support she has given to her husband, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, in the area of mobilization, you might want to ascribe to her the last vestige of Eva Peron of Argentina. But the flip side of her badly perfumed mimicry of Mrs. Peron is the avalanche of hate, disgust and loss of goodwill she made her husband to suffer at the polls in 2015.
It however appears she is not done with her strings of controversies as her audacity to muscle in on a huge stash of cash, which she brazenly claims belongs to her, has left many wondering if we should continue to be patient with her or dismiss her as a patient suffering from intense visitation from the gods.
If the news making the round in several national dailies, including credible social media networks, are worth the substance of facts therein, then the ex-First Lady may have opened the gallows for a massive head crop for her husband, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, and other eligible criminals who looted Nigeria fibre by fibre to the bones.
It may be recalled that the former First Lady has reacted swiftly against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s order to restrict $20 million traced to her and associates. Speaking through one Gboyega Oduwole, she informed the Federal High Court in Lagos that she has filed a fundamental application against the EFCC, claiming ownership of the money.
The Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), has insisted the fresh admission by Patience Jonathan claiming ownership of the monies, means the anti-graft agency has the right to probe her. According to Sagay, if the former First Lady is claiming that she owns the money, then she must explain how she earned it. The former First Lady is however maintaining that she earned the money!
If the monies traced must be subjected to forensics based on pedestal calculation of what a former permanent secretary, which was the position Mrs. Jonathan was occupying at a time when she was the First Lady, and possible income from her businesses, including sales return from her ice-cream business, then it can be imagined the quantum of corruption that characterized the immediate past administration.
We have not allowed the memory of the build up to the last presidential election to slide past us. The picture of the dramatis personae is still very fresh. Those who said or did something are not going to be forgotten. Dame Patience was leading the pack in infamy. She made many utterances that contributed measurably to the ouster of the Peoples Democratic Party. She was unbridled, unguarded and untamed.
At the height of her diatribe, vituperations, I began to wonder if Jonathan was really at any time ideal to rule Nigeria on account of how untamed the wife was let unleashed against the system she knew nothing about. Nobody could stop her, but the burden of the Peoples Democratic Party was indeed the asset for the All Progressives Congress needed for victory.
It may be true that she is the most educated wife of any president in Nigeria so far, with a Master’s Degree. It is also heart wrenching that she is the only unenlightened. She bandied her trade of ignorance at every facet of the society, reducing the Presidency to kitchen and bedroom talk of a husband and wife. Her perception could be felt in her utterances, which ordinarily would have been half ideal for a tête-à-tête with her husband in the confines of their bedroom.
The devil that has managed to marionette her has indeed tickled the beast of anti-corruption against the past administration to roar the more. Just the way she fired up hate against her husband’s administration, she has managed to put more wood in the flame to smoke out more corrupt Nigerians.
Her audacity may have been premised on some of these permutations: first her unbridled approach to issues, which makes her assume the status of the lord of the fife. Secondly, her misconnected perception over the South South assumed victimization meted on Jonathan. Then the third assumption is that the interest of Nigerians is beginning to wane in matters that concern corruption, recovery of looted funds since many opine it has not translated to immediate economic fortunes.
She may have tinkered all the above but managed to forget that the era of impunity is over and reality beckons as Nigerians are seeking vengeance against people like her. Interestingly, no sane person will permit her effrontery against the sensibility of Nigerians to slide without condemnation.
It is however very possible that in the script of her comedy of errors, she hopes to get public support when she finally makes it to the duck or dragged along to detention by the EFCC operatives. She may never get the sympathy she is angling for. It might just be another suffocating blonder that will take her further down the lane of infamy.
She once mentioned that “this Buhari will jail me and my husband”. The prediction might just be about to become a reality on account of her impudence. Sane minded corrupt Nigerians will bow their heads in shame upon revelation of such financial rascality. Her audacity of greed is certainly the most unfortunate, provocative and indeed cantankerous, which wouldn’t have fit in Nollywood catalogue of badly written scripts.

. Ebije can be reached via: ebijeo5@gmail.com or ebijeisrael@yahoo.com. [myad]

You Are Not A Good Muslim If You Don’t Love Your Neighbour – Scholar

Greenbarge Reporters

September 12, 2016

The Chief Imam of Chibiri in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ustaz Mohammed Chibiri has warned Muslims against disregarding Allah’s injunction on how they should relate with their neighbours, whether such neighbours are Muslims or not.
In a sermon he delivered after Eid prayer in Chibiri today, Monday, Ustaz Mohammed said that Muslims owe their neighbours attention and care, adding that any Muslim who disregard such Islamic injunction has gone off the religion.

This was even as former Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan called on Nigerians to emulate self-sacrifice and put Nigeria first before any other thing.

In his Sallah message, Dr. Jonathan called on Nigerians to emulate Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son for mankind.

“On Eid-El-Kabir, we honor Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son. This must teach us that we must all sacrifice for Nigeria’s greatness.

“Without self sacrifice, we will never see the Nigeria of our dreams and will always think ‘what about me’ instead of ‘what about Nigeria.

“Let us imbibe Prophet Ibrahim’s ideals and put Nigeria first in all we do. I salute the Muslim Ummah this Sallah. Happy Eid-El-Kabir.”

Also, the Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, charged Muslim faithful not to forget the very tenets of the religion, which are love, obedience and perseverance, as they celebrate eid-el-kabir.

Akpabio, whose goodwill message was contained in a release by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, urged Nigerians to eschew bitterness and hatred and imbibe the spirit of love, unity and faith as they celebrate eid-el-kabir.

He added: “It is only in a state of peace and tranquility that governments at all levels would be able to get the country out of the current economic recession.”

Akpabio assured the people that government at all levels were working round the clock to reduce the economic hardship currently being faced by the masses with a view to returning the country to the path of greatness and prosperity.”

He charged Nigerians to continue to use the period to pray for the leadership of the country, noting: “The leadership of this country needs prayers and support from everyone, without any regard for political, religious or ethnic leanings, because economic hardship does not recognise politics, religion nor ethnic divides. This is time all hands must be on deck to salvage the situation for the benefit of Nigerians at home and in the diaspora.” [myad]

Are You Patriotic, Then Don’t Fear EFCC- President Buhari

Greenbarge Reporters

September 12, 2016

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured patriotic Nigerians that they have nothing to fear in the fight against corruption being executed by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), and that his administration will ensure justice and fairness to all.
Speaking to journalists Monday in Daura after attending Eid prayers to celebrate Eid-el-Kabir, President Buhari said those who abuse public trust will face justice, in addition to returning the stolen assets to the nation’s coffers.
The President thanked Nigerians for supporting the Federal Government policies, programmes and actions aimed at improving security, revamping the economy and combating the fight against corruption.
“We should thank God this year, the reports I’m getting, which is very pleasing, is that we will have a bumper harvest this year.
“I want Nigerians to realize that what this government inherited after 16 years of the PDP government was no savings, no infrastructure, no power, no rail, no road and no security.
“Nigerians can see what we have done on Boko Haram and what we are doing to resolve the problem in the Niger Delta.
“Before the elections, we identified three major problems confronting our country. The first is security; we need to sufficiently secure our country to manage it well.
“The second is economy, especially job for the youths and fighting corruption which is continuous.
“For the youths, graduates and non-graduates who are interested in agriculture, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the CBN are doing something to provide employment for them.”
President Buhari is observing this year’s Eid holiday in his native home Daura, Katsina State and will return to Abuja after the two-day. [myad]

Aisha Buhari Challenges Muslims To Let Lesson Of Eid-El-Kabir Reflect In Them

Greenbarge Reporters

September 12, 2016

Mrs. Aisha Buhari, wife of President Muhammadu Buhari has challenged Nigerian Muslims to let the sacrifice which Eid-el-Kabir represents, to reflect in their daily life.

In her Sallah message, Mrs. Aisha Buhari stressed that the only way the Change mantra would be imbibed and assimilated quickly is for Nigerians to embrace self-sacrifice and be disciplined.

Describing Eid-el-Kabir as a very special festival to Muslims because of its spiritual uplifment and exhortation on the position of sacrifice, the President’s wife advised Muslims to mark such special occasion by reappraising their closeness to God.

“All lessons in the act of worship must be reflected in our daily endeavor, as a means to influence change that will improve our lives.”

She called for consistent prayers for leaders and the safe return of the abducted chibok girls to their parents.

Aisha Buhari had earlier, today, Monday, joined thousands of Muslims to observe the Eid prayer at Ansar uddeen mosque in Wuse II. [myad]

Sultan Of Sokoto Fingers Foreigners As Cause Of Insecurity In Nigeria

Greenbarge Reporters

September 12, 2016

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III has fingered foreigners, especially, those from the neighbouring countries as having been behind series clashes between farmers and people in some villages in parts of Nigeria and herdsmen.

The Sultan, in his message to Muslims at Eid el-Kabir, said that such foreigners are terrorists and should be treated as such by the Nigerian security agencies.

“The Nigerian herdsmen are very peace-loving and law abiding people,” he said.

The Sultan, who expressed concern over what he called “some bad eggs” that have infiltrated the Fulani herdsmen, challenged the security agencies to be proactive.

Sa’ad Abubakar acknowledged that there are problems between the Fulani herdsmen and the farmers, which should only be resolved through dialogue.

The Sultan stressed the need for all Nigerians to live peacefully with each other, irrespective of any religious or ethnic differences. [myad]

South African President, Zuma, Refunds $542,000 House Renovation Scandal

Greenbarge Reporters

September 12, 2016

South African President, Jacob Zuma has refunded $542,000 public money which he spent to refurbish his private home, bringing to an end a controversy that has dominated his second term in office.

The country’s highest court had found earlier this year, accused Zuma of violating the constitution by defying an order to repay some of the funds used to renovate Nkandla, his traditional homestead.

It ordered him to refund the funds spent on non-security upgrades, including a chicken coop, swimming pool and amphitheatre, valued by the treasury at 7,814,155 million rand ($542,000).

“President Zuma has paid over the amount… to the South African Reserve Bank as ordered by the Constitutional Court of South Africa,” the presidency said in a statement.

It added that the president raised the money through a home loan.

The treasury confirmed separately that the payment had been received.

The Nkandla scandal has dogged Zuma’s presidency, becoming a symbol of alleged corruption and greed within the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party and triggering several unsuccessful impeachment bids by the opposition.

A 2014 report by the public ombudswoman, Thuli Madonsela, found that Zuma and his family had “unduly benefited” from the upgrade work, valued in 2014 at 216 million rand (then $24 million), and ordered him to pay back some of the money.

The president reacted by ordering two government investigations that cleared his name, including a report by the police minister which concluded that the swimming pool was a fire-fighting precaution.

In March, the Constitutional Court ruled that Zuma had “failed to uphold, defend and respect the constitution as the supreme law of the land”.

The ANC suffered historic losses in South Africa’s local elections last month, garnering less than 54 percent of ballots cast, an eight-point drop from the last local poll in 2011 and its worst showing since the fall of white-minority rule in 1994. [myad]

EFCC Grabs Dame Patience’s Houseboy, Driver She Allegedly Used To Open $15 Million Accounts

Greenbarge Reporters

September 12, 2016

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested four domestic servants, including a driver and a houseboy, whose names were used to open bank accounts for Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan, the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Sources within the anti-graft agency said that the companies’ accounts were opened at Skye Bank. The companies are Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Limited, Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited and Globus Integrated Service Limited.

The four companies’ accounts, which have since been frozen by the EFCC, have a balance of about $15 million while another account, which bears Patience Jonathan’s name, has $5 million.

Mr. Sammie Somiari, who deposed to an affidavit on behalf of the ex-President’s wife, said the former First Lady was the owner of the money in the accounts.

She had revealed that she gave millions of dollars to the then Special Adviser to the President on Domestic Affairs, Waripamowei Dudafa, to open accounts for her.

Somiari, however, claimed that Dudafa opened five accounts for Patience and that only one of the accounts was in her name, while the other four were opened in the names of companies belonging to Dudafa.

A detective at the EFCC, however, revealed that Dudafa used his domestic servants’ names to open the four other accounts and then deposited the money into the accounts.

The operative added, “We were investigating Dudafa when we stumbled on those four companies’ domiciliary accounts opened at Skye Bank with a balance of about $15m. On further investigation, we were able to identify the directors of the companies.

“When we detained the directors, we found out that they were Dudafa’s domestic servants. One of them was a houseboy while another one was a driver. Their photographs were used in opening the accounts and their signatures were forged.

“We found out that these domestic servants were completely innocent because they had no access to the accounts. We have since released them. The sole signatory to the accounts was Patience Jonathan and she was issued with a special card, which is accepted worldwide. She has a separate account, which was opened in her name and has a balance of $5m.”

The detective said a lawyer, Amajuoyi Briggs, who allegedly helped Dudafa to perpetrate the fraud, would also be arraigned.

It was learnt that two Skye Bank executives, Demola Bolodeoku and Dipo Oshodi, who helped Dudafa to open the accounts on March 22, 2010, were also being investigated.

The detective added, “This is a clear case of fraud and there is no way the bank officials will say they did not know what was going on. They are under investigation and those found culpable will be arraigned.”

The EFCC operative said he could not immediately confirm if the transaction was reported to the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit.

He explained that the commission had discovered a trend which politicians used in laundering and concealing funds, saying it was becoming more rampant due to the operation of the Bank Verification Number which links all accounts owned by an individual.

“What we have noticed is that in order to conceal funds, what politicians and top civil servants do is to open bank accounts in the name of family or friends and then make themselves the sole signatory to the account.

“Don’t forget that we traced about 17 bank accounts to the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (retd.).

“Often times, they do this in connivance with bank officials and that is why the EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, has said henceforth, whenever we are investigating a bank official, we will probe the entire bank as well because these officials usually act under the instruction of their superiors.”

Jonathan’s wife has, however, sued Skye Bank for freezing her bank accounts and giving the EFCC vital information about her finances.

She also wants the court to order Skye Bank to pay her damages in the sum of N200m for what she termed a violation of her right to own personal properties under Section 44 of the 1999 Constitution.

Source: PUNCH. [myad]

Kogi Catches 5 Top Civil Servants Who stole N230 Million Pension Fund

Greenbarge Reporters

September 11, 2016

Kogi state government has caught five top civil servants soiling their hands in the treasury, stealing a huge N230 Million meant for the payment of pensioners.
The Accountant-General of the state, Alhaji Yusuf Okala, who confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja today, Sunday, said that the alleged fraud was discovered in the course of the work of the Staff Screening and Verification Committee which he chairs.
“Yes, it is true. We have been able to recover N20 million from them through the efforts of the police command in the state.”
That was even as the state Auditor-General, Alhaji Ahmed Ododo, said that the money would be recovered in full from the suspects. The money was said to be part of funds released by the administration of Captain Idris Wada for the payment of pensioners.
Over 9,000 retirees in the state are owed between four and five months pension arrears as a result of the alleged diversion and the lack of funds by the government.
Ododo explained that the suspects would be made to face the law, even as he commended the state government for setting up the committee for conducting the verification in the interest of the state.
He said apart from identifying ghost workers and pensioners, the committee was working to plug loopholes through which public funds were being stolen.
Ododo promised that all genuine workers and pensioners would soon be cleared for the payment of salaries and pensions.
“The screening of workers and pensioners is going to be a continuous exercise. No authentic staff or pensioner will have any cause to fear.
“Governor Yahaya Bello-led administration in the state has high regard for both workers and pensioners.
“The ongoing verification is not aimed at victimizing anybody but an effort targeted at saving money for the state to take adequate care of its responsibilities.”

NAN. [myad]

Regulator Issues Last Warning To Mobile Network Operators To Stop Unsolicited SMS

Greenbarge Reporters

September 11, 2016

The Nigerian Communications Commission has issued what it called ‘last warning’ mobile network operators in the country to stop unsolicited Short Messages Service or text and calls to subscribers.
Director of the Commission’s Public Affairs, Mr. Tony Ojobo, in a statement today, expressed worry that in spite of earlier warnings to telecommunication service providers to activate their ‘Do-Not-Disturb’ facility which gives subscribers the freedom to choose the messages they receive, the Commission is still inundated with complaints by subscribers of continuing text harassment by operators.
The Direction issued to industry operators to activate the 2442 ‘Do Not Disturb’ Short Code took effect from July 1, 2016.
Ojobo explained that the Direction mandates the operators to take immediate action which will allow the subscribers to take informed but independent decisions on what messages to receive from the networks.
He said that industry compliance doesn’t seem to have matched the seriousness of the Direction and that the Commission is therefore compelled to issue a final warning to the operators.
According to him, the directive takes into cognizance the broad range of services, which include: Banking/Insurance/Financial products, Real estate, Education, Health, Consumer Goods and Automobiles, Communication/ Broadcasting/ Entertainment/ IT, Tourism and /Leisure, Sports, Religion (Christianity, Islam, others.
The Commission directed the operators to give the necessary instructions and clarifications that will enable subscribers subscribe to a particular service/services/none at all.
In fact, a Full DND which is SMS ‘STOP” to 2442 does not allow the subscriber to receive any unsolicited messages from the operators at all.
The following are the various options:
“SMS 1” for receiving SMS relating to Banking/Insurance/ Financial Products to 2442
“SMS 2” for receiving SMS relating to Real estate to 2442
SMS 3” for receiving SMS relating to Education to 2442
“SMS 4” for receiving SMS relating to Health to 2442
“SMS 5” for receiving SMS relating to Consumer Goods and Automobiles, to 2442
“SMS 6” for receiving SMS relating to Communication/ Broadcasting/ Entertainment/ IT, to 2442
“SMS 7” for receiving SMS relating to Tourism and Leisure to 2442
“SMS 8” for receiving SMS relating to Sports to 2442
“SMS 9” for receiving SMS relating to Religion to 2442
Ojobo called on the service providers to immediately comply with the directive as further complaints from the subscribers would be taken as serious infractions to a major regulatory intervention by the Commission. [myad]

How To Survive Economic Recession, Gov Obiano Offers, Greets Muslims At Eid-El-Kabir

Greenbarge Reporters

September 11, 2016

The governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano has called on Nigerians to imbibe the virtues of love, tolerance and harmony as advocated by the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, to survive the challenges created by the recession in the nation’s economy.
In a Special Message today, Sunday, felicitating with Muslims on the occasion of Eid-el-Kabir, Governor Obiano observed that the celebration of this year offers Nigerians a chance to show love for one another and strengthen the bonds of nationhood.
The Statement signed by James Eze, Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Media, said that Nigeria has always bounced
back from difficult positions in the past and that the teachings of the Holy Prophet should serve as a guide to her steady steps out of the current recession.
“Nigerians should love one another, show more tolerance for one another and work more closely together to pull the
country out of the throes of depression.”
The governor appealed to Nigerian Muslims to continue to put Nigeria in their prayers, pointing out that Nigeria needs such prayers now more than ever before. [myad]

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