Nigeria House of Representatives has ordered an investigation into the implementation of the Land Swap Policy initiated by former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bala Muhammad. The move followed a motion by Rep. Yunusa Abubakar (Gombe-APC) representing Yamaltu/Deba Federal Constituency of Gombe State.
In the motion, Abubakar stressed the need to investigate the abandoned capital projects and alleged malpractice associated with the land swap deals in the FCT.
He expressed dismay that most infrastructure-based projects in the FCT had been abandoned, after the administration initiated them and made adequate provisions for such in its budgets.
He said that the immediate past administration of Dr Goodluck Jonathan allegedly approved variations in the contract values of some of the projects without due process.
The representative said that in a bid to source funds as additional revenue, the FCTA embarked on land swap policy.
He added that in the policy, green lands were granted to estate developers to build roads, install electricity, potable water, drainages and sewage lines.
He said that investigation was needed, following widespread allegations that the selection of investors was tainted with fraudulent practices and undue favoritism.
“The beneficiaries of the Land Swap Policy have resorted to selling the lands to the public at exorbitant prices in utter disregard for the principles of the land swap deals.”
The Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, who presided over the plenary, mandated the Committee on the FCT, when constituted, to carry out the investigation.
The Committee is also to unravel the cause or causes of frequent contract variations and abandonment of capital projects by the Administration.
It will report back to the House its findings with appropriate recommendations to checkmate further breaches, if any. [myad]
President of the United States of America, Barack Obama has called the head of medical charity Doctors without Borders (MSF) and the Afghan President to apologize for the US air strike which hit a hospital in the provincial capital of Kunduz.
Obama was said to have called Afghan President, Ashraf Ghani and MSF President, Joanne Liu to apologize for the air strike that killed 22 people and injured 37 others.
White House spokesman, Josh Earnest said that Obama offered his condolences to the aid group’s staff and assured that there would be a thorough and objective accounting of the facts.
Earnest said that Obama told the group that the US, if necessary, would make changes so such incidents are less likely to happen.
The White House said Obama also pledged to keep working closely with Ghani’s government. [myad]
Former Nigeria Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, has dumped Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and announced that he is leaving active politics.
Clark who is an Ijaw leader said in Abuja today when a group, Think Nigeria First Initiative, paid him a courtesy visit at his residence, said that he would not join the governing party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Clark, who was a staunch supporter of former President Goodluck Jonathan, however, praised the anti-corruption crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said that it is wrong for anyone to accuse the President of fighting a selective war in his drive to return sanity into the polity even as he called on Nigerians not to distract the President from achieving his goal. He also appealed to the President to remain focus in his desire to rid the country of corruption. [myad]
The head coach of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, Thomas Finke has made it clear to his players that this weekend’s friendly game against the Super Eagles of Nigeria isn’t friendly at all but ‘war.’ He said that the march will be part of his team’s massive preparation for their world cup qualifiers in November.
Both teams will kick off their World Cup campaign in November, before continuing their AFCON 2017 qualifiers in March.
Finke was quoted by the Indomitable Lions media officer, Vincent De Paul Atangana as having reminded his players about the importance of the regrouping in Belgium, adding: ”the friendly with Nigeria is important and it is to prepare the team for 2018 World Cup qualifiers which begins in November.”
Nigeria will face Cameroon in an international friendly in Belgium on Sunday, three days after the Super Eagles face Congo DR.
The Eagles coach also reiterated that the games are meant to help him fine tune his team ahead of their 2018 world cup qualifiers against either Djibouti or Swaziland. [myad]
Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has dragged former senior special assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on media and communications, Dr. Doyin Okupe and two others to the Federal High Court in Lagos over N34,168, 064.51 loan which they have allegedly refused to pay to Gulf Bank Plc.
Joined with Okupe in in the suit are an investment company, Value Trust Investment Limited and a Director of the company Mr. Ray Ahazie.
NDIC as the liquidator of Gulf Bank Plc in the suit is claiming from Okupe the chairman of the investment company and other defendants the sum of N34,168, 064.51. as outstanding balance of a loan they took from liquidated Gulf Bank Plc. but alleged to have refused to pay.
NDIC is also claiming the interest on the said sum at the rate of 21 percent per annum from May 2007, until the final liquidation of the said sum.
Initially, NDIC had filed an application before the court to place the suit on an undefended list before Dr Okupe and other defendants in the suit sought the leave of the court to file their defence and counter claim.
NDIC in its statement of claim filed before the court on 10 July, 2007 by its lawyer, Dr. Abiodun Layonu, stated that the defendants were granted a credit facility in October 2000 by Gulf Bank Plc, to finance the importation of 10,000 metric tonnes of rice for delivery to the Balyesa state government in the sum of N448, 000, vide an offer letter dated 27 October, 2000, and that the terms and conditions of the offers and acceptance were later formalised in a memorandum of agreement duly signed and stamped between the bank and the defendants.
The plaintiff stated that in securing the facility granted the defendants, the Balyesa state government through its banker, Society Generale Bank granted a bank guarantee in contract sum of N500 million in favour of Gulf Bank and in further securing the facility, the Investment company’s directors, Dr. Okupe and Ahazie, entered into joint and several guarantees to the full amount granted in favour of Gulf Bank Plc. NDIC further stated that when the ship carrying the 10,000 metric tonnes of rice arrived Nigerian territorial waters on 28 December, 2000, it could not berth at Apapa Port until 3 January, 2001, because the port was congested. The ship arrived Port Harcourt territorial waters on 26 July, 2001, but refused to berth on the ground that the shipping agency fee of $155,000, (about N18.6 million) had not been paid.
Upon enquiry, Nigeria’s representative of the shipping company, Koda International Nigeria Limited, informed Gulf Bank Plc that a bill of $155,000, had been sent to the first defendant, Value Trust Investment Limited, for settlement as per the agreement between the investment company and the overseas supplier Luck Rice International. But NDIC stated that it had no knowledge of such agreement on the shipping fee.
The plaintiff stated further that Gulf Bank Plc upon further enquiry was informed by Koda International Nigeria Limited that the $155,000, was for port dues, that is, harbour, conservancy and anchorage fees, and after reviewing the Charter Party agreement between Value Trust Investment Ltd and Lucky Rice International under “Clause 28”, showed that liability for the payment of shipping fees was actually for Value Trust Investment Ltd, and when it appeared that the investment company could not come up with the $155,000 shipping agency fees, Gulf Bank decided to pay the fee to Koda International Nigeria Limited.
NDIC further averred that when Balyesa state government reneged on its promise to take the rice, Gulf Bank was forced to commence an open market sale of the rice, before the open market sale of the rice, some of the bags were damaged, culled or lost on board which consequently affected the amount realized from the sales. It stated that the total number of sound bags stood at 196,000; torn bags 2,941; caked or stained bags 869; public relations bags 105; and leap on board 85 bags.
At the end of the sales, Gulf Bank was only able to realize the sum of N454,574,150, in the account resulting in a difference of N70, 425, 850 between the initial overdrawn position of N525 million in Value Trust Investment Limited account, and the difference has been attracting interest since 2001.
Sometime in September 2005, it had a meeting with the defendants at the Ikoyi office of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to resolve the indebtedness of the defendants. It was agreed in its letter dated 21 September, 2005, to waive the sum of N196,642,996.08, from the outstanding debt of N240,811,060.59, thereby repayment due to Gulf Bank stood at N44,168,064.51 and sequel to the meeting at the EFCC office in September 2005, the defendants were only able to pay the sum of N10 million, leaving the outstanding balance unpaid in the sum of N34, 168, 064, 51.
. However, the defendants have refused, neglected and failed to liquidate their indebtedness despite repeated demand on same and despite the fact that the defendants have admitted owing the aforesaid debt, as this was evidenced in their letter dated 15 February, 2006.
Consequently, NDIC is claiming the sum of N34,168,064.51, being the agreed outstanding indebtedness of the defendants; and interest on the said sum at the rate of 21 percent per annum until the final liquidation of the said sum. It is also claiming the cost of instituting the legal action.
However, in an amended statement of defence and counter claim, Dr Okupe, while denying not owing Gulf Bank Plc is counter claiming the sum of N100million against NDIC and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as general damages for the wrongful detention, torture, gruelling frustration, health challenges he suffered and the exorbitant cost of his special meals in detention which EFCC could not provide.
Okupe alleged that the bank decided unilaterally without notice to sell the 10,000 metric tonnes of rice thereby preventing their company from repaying what was outstanding on its account. Consequently, the bank breached the contract as it did not allow the Government of Bayelsa state of Nigeria or its agent to sell the rice from which their company are now liable to NDIC or Gulf Bank in the sum of N34,168,064.51
Okupe further alleged that the letter purportedly written by Value Trust Investment Ltd was no agreement that the defendants were owing the bank N34,168,064.51 as the letter clearly stated that the indebtedness was being forced on the company due to pressure, detention and coercion by EFCC and his unjustifiable detention and torture by the officers of the anti-graft agency.
Consequently, he contended that the claim of the plaintiff is not only frivolous, but gold digging, vexatious and lack in merit and should be dismissed, while his counter-claim should be allowed by the court.
The presiding judge, Saliu Saidu has adjourned till 27 October, 2015 when legal hostility between the two parties will commence. [myad]
A 51-year-old man, Sunday Imoleayo, who is seeking the dissolution of his 28-year-old marriage to his wife, Funmise, has told an Ado-Ekiti Customary Court, Ekiti State that his wife was impregnated by one of her numerous lovers and allegedly aborted it.
Imoleayo, who resides at Omolayo, behind Queen’s Court, Ado Ekiti, the state capital, said his wife sleeps around with several men, adding that she confessed to him that she had aborted a pregnancy belonging to one of her lovers.
“She fell sick and after I had taken her to many hospitals for treatment without solution, the family elders consulted the deity and it was found out that she had committed adultery.
”They told her that for her to get well, she must confess and that was when she confessed that she had aborted a baby for one of her boyfriends.”
Funmise, 45, on her part debunked the allegations, saying that it was her husband who had abandoned her for a long period of time without considering her and the children.
She however agreed to the dissolution of the union while asking the court to award the custody of their daughter to her.
While delivering his verdict, the President of the court, Joseph Ogunsemi, dissolved the union and awarded custody of the 15-year-old daughter to Funmise. He said that the first son who is 27, should decide who to stay with. [myad]
Nigerian human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has called on the United Nations to prosecute King Mswati III of Swaziland over the death of no fewer than 60 young women, including virgins in his kingdom.
The young women reportedly died in an auto crash en route the venue of the Swaziland annual dance festival, Umhlanga Reed Dance, where King Mswati III usually picks one of “thousands of half naked virgins as his new wife.”
The victims, who were allegedly loaded up into a truck used for conveying building materials, reportedly died following a collision into their truck by another vehicle coming from behind.
Falana, who observed that the annual dance festival and forced marriage was a violation of human rights, said that it was particularly insensitive of the Swaziland monarch to have reportedly allowed the dance festival to proceed despite the news of the victims’ death.
He said that it was also condemnable that rather than address the issues of rights violation, King Mswati III had continued to cover it up by trying to prevent publication of reports on the incidents.
Falana’s petition, dated October 2, 2015, was sent to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Mr. Juan Ernesto Mendez; the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, Ms. Dubravka Simonovic; and the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions, Mr. Christof Heyns.
The petition read in part, “I argue that the annual Umhlanga Reed Dance itself is unlawful as it has continued to perpetuate forced marriages, entirely inconsistent with international human rights standards.
“I also argue that religion, culture and tradition cannot be used to justify human rights violations, including violence against women, which is what the annual Umhlanga Reed Dance constitutes. The continuation of the Umhlanga Reed Dance also gives rise to other human rights abuses, including forced marriages.
“Under international human rights law, states like Swaziland are to be held accountable if they fail to act with due diligence to prevent violations of rights such as those highlighted above or to investigate and punish acts of violence against women and provide effective remedies and access to justice for victims and their families.
“By packing the girls onto the back of open trucks, the government of Swaziland should have reasonably foreseen that this would lead to violation of their rights to life and human dignity.
“In fact, due diligence places a strict standard of conduct upon the government of Swaziland to protect all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction, including the girls and women.
“I argue that the government of Swaziland has the supreme duty to prevent acts such as those highlighted above that can cause arbitrary loss of life such as the unnecessary deaths of these girls.
“The expression “inherent right to life” cannot properly be understood in a restrictive manner, and the protection of this right requires that Swaziland adopt positive measures to prevent violation of the right to life, something the government has failed to do in this instance.
“I look forward to your urgent intervention in this case so that the government of Swaziland can be held accountable for these serious violations of human rights and victims and their families can receive justice and effective remedies.”
Falana argued that the Swaziland dance was a violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which Swaziland had ratified. [myad]
The verification and biometric exercise of students of Delta State origin benefiting from the State Students Assistance (Bursary) Scheme, has led to the discovery of about 8,141 ghost students who benefited immensely from the scheme during the government of the former governor of the state, Emmanuel Uduaghan.
The verification and biometric exercise of students of the State origin under the scheme was ordered by Ifeayin Okowa when he assumed duty as governor of the state.
Briefing news men after the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting at Government House, Asaba, the State Commissioners for Information and Higher Education, Patrick Ukah as well as the Executive Secretary, Scholarship Board, Jude Sinebe and Elijah Ologe, respectively, explained that the verification exercise has brought down the number of beneficiaries to 31,859 from over 40,000.
They assured that the Ifeayin Okowa-led administration is poised to clean up the Scheme of all shady and fraudulent practices, adding that the verification exercise was ongoing and subsequent payments would be based on the verified and realistic figure of students obtained by the Scholarship Board.
The Commissioners also disclosed that the state government would blacklist students and institutions involved in sharp practices and shady deals in the Student Special Assistance Scheme (Bursary), just as they urged the National Association of Delta State Students (NADESSTU) to cooperate with government in the verification exercise to rid the scheme of sharp practices.
According to them, the State’s Executive Council also approved the revalidation of the approval of N400 million for the payment of 2013/2014 bursary award to 31,859 who have been verified and confirmed as students of the state origin in higher institutions and are on the list of the Scholarship Board. [myad]
The House of Representatives has expressed concern over the increase in the electricity tariff and asked the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to immediately stop distribution companies (Discos) from such increase. The directive came up during plenary when the House summoned NERC and the Discos appeared before it to answer questions on the issue to ensure Nigerians were not short-changed. The resolution emanated from a motion sponsored by Rep. Solomon Maren (PDP-Plateau Mangu/Bokkos) on the need to stop the proposed “unrealistic upward review of electricity tariff’’ by the distribution companies. Maren expressed concern that power generation and distribution in the country was in a state of comatose leading to the closure of industries causing unemployment and hampered development of Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs). He explained that though the House had resolved against the further collection of flat rates termed illegal and not in tandem with best practices, Discos had begun devising other means of collecting monies from Nigerians. “In many parts of the world, electricity tariffs are reducing due to fallen oil prices as much of electricity is generated by gas which is a component of crude. “If not checked, these unwholesome practices will continue to the detriment of the Nigerian masses which will also slow down the development of SMEs which spur industrial development. “Discos took over the distribution of electricity from PHCN close to two years now, what have they added to the sector since they took over that warrants increase in tariff,’’ Maren asked. The motion was unanimously adopted by the House presided by the Deputy Speaker, Mr Suleiman Lasun. Lasun advised NERC and the Discos to immediately begin the provision of prepaid meters to every consumer nationwide. [myad]
The Niger State National and State Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Minna, has nullified the election of Murtala Badaru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the ground of being too young to be a legislator.
Bdaru, who is representing Suleja, in the Niger State House of Assembly, was sent packing today with the Tribunal chairman holding that he had not attain the constitutional age of 30 to be a lawmaker.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the same constituency, Shaibu Iya, had challenged the election of Badaru on the grounds of certificate forgery and being underage.
While the Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Olatunde Oshodi, in his judgment, said Badaru was not found guilty of certificate forgery as alleged by the petitioner however, nullified his election on account of underage.
Justice Oshodi then ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh election in the constituency within 90 days even as counsel to Badaru, Chris Osuagwu, indicated that his client would appeal the judgment.
Meanwhile, the tribunal upheld the election of Alhaji Musa Sule (APC-Kachia) in the state House of Assembly.
The tribunal held that the petitioner, Ibrahim Ndaman of the PDP, failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Sule forged his certificate from Zungeru Polytechnic and was an ex-convict.
It dismissed the case for lack of merit and ordered the petitioner to pay the sum of N100,000 each to the first (Sule) and second (APC) respondents in the matter as cost. [myad]
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