Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu, has vowed to personally appear in court to prosecute corrupt people as a way of doing things differently from his predecessors. In a chat with news men in Abuja, Dr. Musa Adamu said that one of the steps he would be taking to improve the system is to show himself in court during the prosecution of persons charged with corruption by the ICPC. The ICPC boss said that he would involve the Nigerian Law School, (NLS(, in the fight against corruption. “As the Chairman of ICPC, I will be appearing in court during prosecutions. If there’s a case I feel the need to go the court, I will be there. “This is one of things I will do differently as the Chairman of ICPC.” He said that he would be deciding on the very case to attend and could also assign some others to his senior staff. The ICPC boss promised to ensure that the staff strength of the Commission is increased. He said that working closely with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), would help reduce the manpower deficit.
How I Was Attacked By Thugs In Kogi Govt House – Senator Echocho
The senator representing Kogi East in the National Assembly, Isah Echocho has narrated how thugs attacked him inside the Government House, Lokoja, Kogi State after a meeting he had, along with other lawmakers from the State, with Governor Yahaya Bello. The lawmaker told newsmen that himself, Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West) and other All Progressives Congress (APC) federal lawmakers from the state had gone to pay homage to the governor yesterday, January 9, after the festive season. He said that the thugs singled him out of other legislators and pounced on him, accusing him of being responsible for APC’s poor performance in the last governorship election in Kogi East senatorial district. The Senator said: “I was attacked by thugs in Government House Lokoja but the police rescued me. “What happened was that all APC senators and the House of Representatives members from the state visited the governor on a courtesy call for the New Year. “Being one of them, I was not left out. We went up and we had some brief meeting with the governor, though he expressed dissatisfaction over APC performance in Kogi East (my senatorial district) in the last governorship election. “I told the governor that I tried all I could to convince my people to vote for the APC. I campaigned vigorously for APC in Kogi East but the people were resolute in voting for another candidate despite my efforts. “It is not as if APC performed woefully in the election in Kogi East. There were pockets of LGs and wards that we won. There was no other thing I could have done beyond what I did. “We exchanged pleasantries with the governor, took a group photograph and left. “As we were coming out, in front of the Governor’s Office, the thugs pounced on me, that I was responsible for APC’s failure in Kogi East. “To my surprise, they brought out knives and other weapons to attack me but police officers around were able to rescue me inside my vehicle and we zoomed off. I thank God I didn’t suffer any injury. The police were able to provide sufficient security.” When asked if the governor was aware of the attack, he said: “The governor cannot descend so low and send thugs to attack me. “The governor spoke with me after the attack, and he assured me that the thugs would be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law, but I told him not to worry since I’m safe.” Meanwhile, six persons have been arrested in connection to the attack, even as the governor banned unauthorised persons from accessing the Government House, calling for the immediate prosecution of the culprits. A statement today, January 10, by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Onogwu Mohammed confirmed that the lawmakers had visited the Governor to congratulate him on the peaceful and credible conduct of the November 11 governorship election and to pledge their loyalty to him and the incoming administration. “Shortly after the fruitful discussion, the governor received with rude shock the news of the harassment of some of the lawmakers on their way out of the Government House and swiftly ordered the arrest of the culprits.” The statement said that the governor had charged security agencies to investigate the issue thoroughly and ensure that the offenders face the full wrath of the law. Governor Yahaya Bello was quoted as saying: “Information just got to me as I left the office to the residence that one man called Suleiman and others embarrassed Senator Jubrin Echocho in the Government House. I’ve directed CSO to arrest all those involved in such a stupid act and bring them to justice immediately. I will never condone acts of hooliganism and indiscipline.” It will be recalled that APC’s Usman Ododo finally won the November 11, 2023 Governship election with 446, 237 votes, though his main challenger, Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), won the majority of his 259,052 votes in Kogi East Senatorial District. Both Ajaka and Echocho are from the Kogi East Senatorial District.
The leadership of the two anti corruption agencies in Nigeria: the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practice and other related offences Commission (ICPC) have acknowledged the political will exhibited by President Bola Tinubu that are tonics to the war against the epidemic. Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, who hosted his ICPC’s counterpart, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, on a solidarity visit to his office today, January 9, said that the political will demonstrated recently by President Tinubu were enough boost for anti-corruption agencies to give their best. “We believe that with the kind of President that we have, who is willing and ready to do the right thing as demonstrated in the last 48 hours, it is clear that the President is providing the political will and the leadership for the anti-corruption agencies to work and I believe that with this, there’s no hiding place for us and we must ensure that we give our best. “We are going to give the President the right support and we believe that the courage would be there to take the right decisions. Nobody is too big to be investigated in this country. Once you are not playing to the rules, we’ll investigate you.” The EFCC boss said that the two Commissions have areas of similar mandates and that with the population of about 250 million people, “there’s so much in our hands and I can tell you that the enormity of the work demands that we work together.” This was even as the ICPC boss, Dr. Musa Adamu stressed the importance of the two Commissions to work together towards the same goal of ridden the country of endemic corruption. “I am aware that there’s an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) between the EFCC and ICPC and I’m willing and ready to partner whenever there’s any issue of interest in the fight against corruption. “I’ll be reaching out to my brother and Chairman of EFCC on issues I think we can partner because there’s no need for us to be duplicating responsibilities, wasting resources and time. I hope with this first meeting, we are going to be meeting regularly to review what we are doing together.” The meeting was held at the headquarters of the EFCC and was attended by the management team and staff of the two anti-graft agencies.
Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practice and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (left), and Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede have a meeting today, January 9, in Abuja, to re-strategize on ways to tackle the flood of corruption now ongoing in Nigeria.
The former Director-General of the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Campaign Organisation, Dr. Doyin Okupe has called it quits with the party, saying that he had realised that he had all along been in a wrong party. In a letter dated January 8, 2024, addressed to the national chairman of the party in Abuja, he said that he had found it exceedingly difficult to continue to stay in the Labour Party that is ideologically rooted in the left of the center. “I have been a rightist and a Liberal Democrat all my entire life. “It is therefore this ideological conflict that makes me seek an exit so that I may continue my political activities with liberalism, sincerity and freedom.” Okupe’s letter reads: “I submit herewith my letter of resignation from the Labour Party with effect from today. You will recall that our flagbearer, Mr Peter Obi, myself and others left the PDP abruptly and had to look for a Special Purpose Vehicle in which to contest the 2023 Presidential Elections. “The Labour Party, your good self, and other members of your executives provided us with this veritable platform with no burdensomeness whatsoever and for which we were extremely grateful. “We did contest the election on the platform of the Labour Party and lost. This makes it exceedingly difficult for me to continue to stay in the Labour Party which is ideologically rooted in the left of the center. “I have been a rightist and a Liberal Democrat all my entire life. It is therefore this ideological conflict that makes me seek an exit so that I may continue my political activities with liberalism, sincerity and freedom. “I wish to thank you in particular and other members of the leadership of the party for the cordiality and respect accorded to me as the Director General of the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organization. “I wish you and the party success in your future endeavors. Long live the Labour Party. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Your brother, friend and compatriot, Omooba (Dr Doyin Okupe, Former Director General Obi-Datti Campaign Organization.”
President Bola Tinubu has formally reduced the number of officials in his entourage whenever he is traveling outside the country and within. This could be a move to cut the cost of governance in the country. A list, posted on some WhatsApp groups today, January 9, showed that while on foreign trip, the President can be accompanied by only 20 officials while the Vice President and First Lady would have five officials each accompanying them For local trip (within the country), Tinubu reduces his (Presidential) entourage to 25 officials while the Vice President would go with 15 officials as First Lady would have 10 officials. However, as at the time of publishing this message, no official confirmation had surfaced.
Telecommunications service providers, MTN and Globacom are currently on each other’s throats over a debt running into billions of Naira. In the ensuing rivalry, MTN had already secured the permission of the regulatory body, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to disconnect Glo from its network, even as Glo kicked, insisting that it is not owing MTN a cent. It all began yesterday, January 8, when NCC granted MTN Permission to partially disconnect Globacom, over Globacom’s refusal to pay interconnect debt of about N70 billion. In a public notice, the telecom regulator said that Globacom has been given a 10-day notice, starting from January 8, after which the disconnection will be implemented. When implemented, Globacom subscribers will be unable to call any MTN number but can receive inbound calls from MTN customers. The notice read in part: “All subscribers are, therefore, requested to TAKE NOTICE that: The Commission has approved the Partial Disconnection of Globacom to MTN in accordance with Section 100 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, and Paragraph 9 of the Guidelines on Procedure for Granting Approval to Disconnect Telecommunications Operators, 2012. “At the expiration of 10 (ten) days from the date of this notice, subscribers of Globacom will no longer be able to make calls to MTN but will be able to RECEIVE CALLS. The Partial Disconnection, however, will allow inbound calls to the Globacom network. Please note that this disconnection will subsist until otherwise determined by the Commission.” In 2020, former Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Professor Umar Danbatta put the interconnect debt figure at over N70 billion, saying that it had been threatening the operators’ capacity to expand their infrastructure for quality service. He had at that time, noted that the interconnect debt was “a big challenge to infrastructure expansion and inimical to healthy competition” which are needed for facilitating the digital economy in Nigeria. However, in a swift reaction today, January 9, Globacom Ltd, a Nigerian Telecommunications Company, denied reports that it is owing MTN interconnect charges. A reliable source in Globacom told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the amount due for payment was N1.6 billion and it had been paid without controversy. The Glo official said that a proper cross checking of facts should have been done before concluding that the telco was owing MTN. “We are not owing MTN any interconnect charges,” the Glo official said. The official reminded NCC and Nigerians that Glo was the first telecom company that introduced the pay per second form of billing, thereby cutting the monopoly of MTN and other foreign companies operating in Nigeria. The Glo official described as totally false, report against Glo, which is Nigeria’s fully indigenous telecommunications company, adding that Glo has redefined access to communications at all levels.
The remains of Hajiya Hafsat Ahmed Gimba, mother of Dr. Hassan Gimba, Publisher/CEO of Neptune Prime, has been laid to rest in Potiskum Local Government Area of Yobe State. Hajiya Hafsat died at the age of 85 years on Monday at Potiskum Specialist Hospital after a brief illness. The funeral prayer took place at the Palace of the Emir of Fika in Potiskum, drawing a massive crowd of friends, relatives, and others. Dignitaries present at the graveyard included Chairman of Potiskum Local Government, Salisu Mukhtari; Shamakin Fika, and Rector of the College of Administration Management and Technology, Potiskum, Ibrahim Bomai Zarma, among others. Late Hajiya Hafsat is survived by eight children, including Dr. Hassan Gimba, the Publisher/CEO of Neptune Prime Network and Magistrate Hadiza, wife to His Royal Highness Emir of Fika Muhammad Abali ibn Muhammadu Idriss. She also left behind 77 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has protested the fine of N100 Million in favour of the immediate past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele and is set to appeal against the judgement by the Federal High Court, Abuja. The judgement by the Abuja High Court was based on violation of the fundamental human rights of Emefiele. Emefiele had instituted a fundamental human rights suit against the agency, the Federal Government, and the Attorney-General of the Federation. Yesterday, the court ordered the EFCC and the Federal Government to pay ex-CBN Governor N100 million for violating his rights. Responding, the EFCC said: “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has expressed dissatisfaction with a judgment of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court awarding N100 million damages against it in favour of a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele.” The Commission’s spokesman, Dele Oyewale, in a statement said: “Justice O.A Adeniyi, on Monday, January 8, 2024, fined the Commission after he ruled that the Commission’s detention of Emefiele in the course of his investigation was a violation of his right to liberty. “The decision failed to take cognizance of the fact that the former CBN boss was held with a valid order of court. Consequently, the Commission will approach the Court of Appeal to set it aside.”
The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has fined the Federal Government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) N100 million for flagrantly violating the human rights of the immediate past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele. The court ruled that the prolonged detention of Emfiele, without trial was a flagrant violation of his fundamental rights. It also restrained the Federal Government and its agents from re-arresting or detaining Emefiele without an order of court. The judgment was given in a fundamental human rights suit filed by the former CBN governor following his prolonged detention in the custody of the Department of State Services. He asked the court to order the respondents to pay him N1 billion damages and to restrain them from further arresting and or detaining him. The ex-CBN boss was arrested on June 10 shortly after his suspension by President Bola Tinubu. Listed as defendants in the suit were the Federal Government, the Attorney General of the Federation; the EFCC and its chairman.
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