How Sowore Got Dollars From Foreign Sponsors To Overthrow Buhari’s Govt – DSS

August 20, 2019

The Nigerian secret police, Department of State Services (DSS) has revealed how the publisher of an online newspaper, SaharaReporters, Mr. Omoyele received undisclosed amount of Dollars from foreign sponsors to overthrow the government of Muhammadu Buhari and to set the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) or Shiites, Ibrahim El-Zazaky free.

The Service said that investigation it carried out so far showed that ‘Revolution Now’ stage-managed by Sowore, a candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the last presidential election, was a smokescreen for the actual intention of his attempt to overthrow Buhari.

The security agency alleged that Sowore intended to free Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, the detained leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) having received millions of Dollars from foreign sponsors.

The DSS also said that it engaged in a painstaking investigation of Sowore’s activities in view of the quantum of evidence so far gathered and may return to court to seek an extension of the 45 days granted it by the Federal High Court, Abuja to detain him.

The DSS made this known in a fresh document it filed at the Federal High Court yesterday, August 19 in response to an application by Sowore, challenging the court’s order, granting the security agency 45 days to detain him pending investigation.

In the counter-affidavit deposed to by Godwin Agbadua, an official of the DSS, it was stated that Sowore was arrested on reasonable suspicion of having committed a capital offence, upon his alleged involvement in terrorists’ activities.

“The respondent/applicant (Sowore) planned to violently change the government through the hashtag RevolutionNow. The respondent/applicant hid under the cover of call for mass protest with the hashtag RevolutionNow to mislead unsuspecting and innocent members of the public into joining him to topple the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

“In his plot to topple the government the respondent/applicant held series of meetings with members at a prescribed terrorists‘organisation, Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) with a view to mobilizing strong forces to realize his agenda at changing the government

“The respondent formed an alliance with a fugitive, Nnamdi Kanu, a self-acclaimed leader of the proscribed terrorists group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to launch series of attacks on Nigeria with a view to violently removing the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

“After series of closed-door meetings between the duo in the United States of America, they addressed a press conference wherein they both stated their resolve to form alliance against the Nigerian government, the duo stated that they have a well-planned out strategy to realize their objective, which is toppling the government.

“The applicant/respondent is investigating the activities of the respondent /applicant as it relates to a terrorists organisation, IPOB. The facts show a conjecture between the respondent/applicant and IPOB activities.

“There is the need for the applicant/respondent to investigate such reasonable suspicion of the relationship between the respondent/applicant and IPOB.

“The respondent held series of meetings with some foreign collaborators outside Nigeria including Dubai where millions of dollars were given to him to sponsor a widespread attack on Nigeria with a view to violently removing the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and freeing Ibrahim Yaqub Elzakzaky (Shaikh).

“In furtherance to the plans to violently free Elzakzaky from lawful custody. The respondent held several meetings with a proscribed terrorist’s organisation. Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) where they strategized on how to carry out attacks to force the government to free Elzakzaky.

“The respondent stated in one of his videos that Shiite members, who are members of the proscribed terrorists group, IMN were going to join forces with him in bringing down the government. The statement and the meetings of the respondent/applicant raises issue of grave suspicion of supporting a proscribed terrorists’ organisation, IMN.

“The suspicions require diligent investigation by the applicant/respondent. The planned action constitutes a threat of violence to intimidate or cause panic in members of the public as a means of affecting political conduct

“The investigation is still ongoing. Upon the completion of investigation, the case file will be forwarded to the office of the Attorney General of the Federation for advice and possible prosecution.”

UK’s Process And Industrial Development Vs Nigeria: A Review, By Reuben Abati

Editorial staff

August 20, 2019

The report that a commercial court in the UK has ruled that Nigeria must pay a UK firm, Process and Industrial Development Limited (P & ID) a sum of $9.6 billion or have its assets in the UK to the tune of that amount forfeited has generated more than a little interest. For a country with a foreign reserve of $45 billion and sovereign debt profile of over $80 billion that judgment debt is quite a lot, potentially capable of rendering Nigeria even more technically insolvent. Dayo Apata, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice and Solicitor-General of the Federation has told the public that Nigeria will appeal the judgement and apply for a stay of execution to forestall the enforcement order that has been granted. Whereas this may be a logical step to take, even if it may achieve nothing in the long run other than putting more money in the pockets of counsel, there are specific issues that have been thrown up by Nigeria’s (mis)management of the case so far and the ruling of the UK court.

The first issue is Nigeria’s habitual disregard for the sanctity of contracts and terms of agreement, and the failure of Nigeria’s representatives in many cases to enter into agreements that are in the best interest of the country. The facts of the case in Process & Industrial Development vs. Federal Republic of Nigeria (2019) EWHC2241 (Comm), by way of summary are as follows: In January 2010, the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN), through its Ministry of Petroleum Resources entered into a Gas Supply and Processing Agreement (GSPA) with P&ID. Under the terms of the agreement, Nigeria “was to supply natural gas (wet gas) at no cost to P&ID via a government pipeline to the site of P&ID’s production facility.” P&ID was required to construct and operate the facility, process the wet gas and return to the government of Nigeria, lean gas to be used for power generation at no cost to the government of Nigeria. P&ID was entitled to other derivatives stripped from the wet gas. The GSPA had a tenure of 20 years from the date of first supply of wet gas. Clause 20 of the GSPA provided for (a) the agreement to be construed in accordance with the laws of Nigeria; (b) in the event of a dispute over the interpretation or performance of the Agreement, which cannot be resolved amicably, either party will serve on the other a notice of arbitration, (c) the Arbitration award shall be final and binding upon the parties and (d) “the venue of the arbitration shall be London, England or otherwise as agreed by the Parties.” Two years later, a dispute arose between the P&ID and the Nigerian Government, and as this could not be settled amicably, the former served a notice of arbitration on the Nigerian government on the grounds that Nigeria had failed to make Wet Gas available in accordance with the GSPA.

The matter went before an Arbitration Tribunal, under the Rules of the Nigerian Arbitration and Conciliation Act 2004, with London, England as place of Arbitration. After affirming its jurisdiction in the matter, the Tribunal began its procedural hearing to determine whether or not there was any repudiatory breach of contract. At this point, there was an attempt by the Ministry of Petroleum to reach a settlement agreement with P&ID to the tune of $850 million, payable in instalments. This was submitted for Presidential approval a week to President Jonathan’s departure from office. It would have amounted to tying the hands of the incoming government to grant the approval for the payment of that sum. Meanwhile, the Arbitration Tribunal had bifurcated the case and by July 2015, it affirmed that indeed Nigeria had failed to perform its obligations under the GSPA and then unanimously decided that P&ID was entitled to damages with interest. It took the new Nigerian government more than 4 months to respond. The excuse given for the delay, by Ms. Folakemi Adelore, witness for Nigeria, was that there had been a change of administration in Nigeria and that Ministers, including the Attorney General had only just been appointed. Nigeria asked for an extension of time to act on the outcome of the Arbitration Tribunal.

The Commercial court led by Phillips J. dismissed that appeal and the explanation for the delay at the time. Unsuccessful in having its way in England, Nigeria took up the matter at the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, seeking essentially the same reliefs that were rejected by Phillips J. When notified of the proceedings in the Lagos High Court, P&ID dismissed the proceedings as “abusive and as a deeply unattractive attempt to forum shop”. There was a back-and-forth exchange of emails between the parties involved and the Tribunal over the meaning of venue or seat of arbitration. The Tribunal would eventually rule that London is the seat of arbitration “in the juridical sense”. The Nigerian government then went back to the Lagos High Court to set aside the Tribunal’s Procedural Order No. 12 and got favourable judgment. The Arbitration proceedings in London continued nonetheless to determine the quantum of damages and on January 31, 2017, the Tribunal issued its Final Award. The Tribunal insisted that P&ID would have played its own part in the contract if Nigeria had not repudiated its own obligations. It therefore ruled in favour of P&ID and ordered Nigeria to pay US$6.597,000, 000 being net present value of the profits which would have been earned by the P&ID. The Federal Government was also asked to pay interest on the amount at 7% per annum from March 2013. This final ruling was given in 2017. The Nigerian Government refused to pay and also failed to appeal the ruling! Why?

It may be routine conduct in Nigeria to ignore court orders, and assume that nothing will happen but things don’t work like that in the international domain. In March 2018, P&ID went to the Commercial Court in England to institute proceedings for the enforcement of the Final Award as declared by the Arbitration Tribunal. The Nigerian Government again did not respond in time. It waited till October 2018 before it finally acknowledged service and applied for relief for sanctions. The matter would finally be heard by Justice Christopher Butcher. It should be noted that on all the issues raised before the court of Butcher J. viz: the seat of arbitration and the order of the High Court of Lagos, issue estoppel, the conclusions of Procedural Order No. 12, (that is the ruling of the Arbitration Tribunal), public policy, pre-award interest and whether or not, the Final Award in favour of P&ID was excessive and punitive, the Court found in favour of P&ID on all the issues. Justice Butcher’s ruling raises cogent and recondite points of law, in a learned and rigorous manner; but in one word, he butchered Nigeria. The manner in which he did so, I intend to indicate shortly.

For now, what is clear to me is the reckless manner in which Nigerian officials often enter into agreements, on behalf of the country, without paying attention to the small print of the agreement and thinking through the feasibility of the agreement entered into. The net result is that the country incurs liabilities that are detrimental to corporate interest. On the face of it, the GSPA with P&ID would have been beneficial to Nigeria, particularly in terms of the constructive use of associated gas and the supply of lean gas to the national electricity grid for both industrial and domestic use. The GSPA was signed by the Ministry of Petroleum on behalf of Nigeria: was the Ministry not in a position to know the volume of wet gas that would be required to fulfil Nigeria’s obligations? What happened to the proposed pipeline? It would appear as if Nigeria signed the agreement in 2010 and just went to sleep. Where international contracts are involved, and we breach the terms of agreement, we end up projecting the country as an unfit and risky destination for investment. Even the private sector has been accused of failing to respect contractual agreements, the most recent example being the case of Nigerian airline operators and Boeing which has more or less blacklisted Nigerian airlines from leasing its aircraft. As it is with the Federal Government, so it is with the states. The Lagos Metro line project conceived by the Lateef Jakande administration in 1983 could have solved the perennial mass transit crisis in Lagos but it was soon politicized. When the Buhari military regime came to power, the project was eventually cancelled in 1985, without regard for the terms of the contract. The foreign contractor went to court and Nigeria had to pay a penalty of more than $78 million. The contractor was compensated for doing nothing!

Another issue is the lack of diligent prosecution of cases in which Nigeria is involved by those whose duty it is to do so. I assume that this is due to our tendency to either politicise everything or focus more on personal interests, or failure on the part of either representing counsel or the Attorney General’s office. As stated, it took Nigeria in this case about five months to respond to the initial ruling of the Arbitration Tribunal in London. The excuse that Nigeria was busy with elections and that new Ministers were not in place until November 2015 naturally appeared strange and laughable. When final ruling was given, Nigeria also did nothing. It had to wait until P&ID sought enforcement.

Butcher, J. in his August 16, 2019 ruling made heavy weather out of several acts of omission on the part of the Nigerian authorities. He observed in one instance, that “…the FRN had remedies for any procedural unfairness, but it did not utilise them”. Nigeria could also have objected to Procedural Order No. 12 or question the Final Award. In the words of Butcher J., “it did neither and the time for doing so is long past.” This is a serious indictment (see paragraphs 64 -66 of the ruling). The energy that should have been devoted to the Arbitration in London was diverted towards obsession with “seat of arbitration” and getting a favourable judgment from the Lagos High Court which in Nigeria’s contention was the “supervisory court”, a point about “sovereignty” both the Tribunal and the Court dismissed. Nigeria failed to pursue relevant questions: Questions for example about the quantum of damages. Or the tax that would have accrued to Nigeria through P&ID. Besides, what is the profit value of Nigeria’s 10% equity? And why were questions not raised about in-door management rules? It is also curious that Nigeria failed to insist on something quite obvious: the competence and the failure of P&ID to build the facility stated in the GSPA. Equity aids the vigilant, not the indolent. Could the Nigerian team have been making needless mistakes in order to help the other party? In a country that is perpetually in search of patriots, particularly in official corridors, this is a relevant question.

The Commercial Court in London has held that the Final Award by the Tribunal in favour of P&ID is not punitive or excessive, rather it is compensation for damages suffered. The Court gave an order enforcing the Final Award. There is no guarantee that Nigeria will succeed with either its appeal or its request for stay of execution. Whatever happens, the (mis)handling of this case requires introspection and steps to be taken to ensure that this kind of embarrassment does not occur again, hoping that there are no such similar cases in other jurisdictions or in hibernation which may soon come to the knowledge of the Nigerian public. The success of P&ID may well embolden other parties with similar issues with Nigeria to go to court. Our case is not helped either by the politicization of the matter with the on-going trading of blames. It may be necessary for the National Assembly when it returns from its recess to conduct an inquiry into how Nigeria, with all the concerns about revenue and growth, is now faced with a judgment debt of $9.6 billion, with daily interest accruing. Who are the state officials and their collaborators if there are any, who failed to ensure due diligence, both at the level of the contract and the management of the dispute with Process and Industrial Development Ltd? Why was wet gas not made available? Did the Attorney General’s office even vet the GSPA at all? From all indications, the dispute could have been settled out of court. Why did that option fail? $9.6 billion is about 20% of the country’s external reserves and 2.5% of GDP. Every single person, dead or alive, lawyer or state official, who has a hand in this mess must be called out.

Performances Of Ministers To Be Strictly Monitored; Get Their Portfolios Tomorrow

Editorial staff

August 20, 2019

The 43 ministers who will be sworn-in and their portfolios assigned to them tomorrow, August 21, will have their performances monitored by an evaluation monitory body to be constituted.

This fact came to light today, August 20, as a two-day retreat came to an end at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The retreat was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari himself.

According to a statement by the special adviser to the President on media and publicity Femi Adesina, after their swearing in tomorrow, each minister will be given a mandate, based on the assigned ministry which will spell out priorities, deliverables and timelines.

“In addition, a robust monitoring and evaluation framework will also be put in place to track the implementation of all policies and programmes over the next four years.”

He said that President Buhari charged the incoming ministers to rise to the challenging responsibilities of ministerial office, adding among the issues tackled were cabinet processes and procedures, aligning government policies with the ideology, manifesto and campaign promises of the ruling party, budgeting, civil service reforms, public procurement, relationships between ministers and Permanent Secretaries and effective partnerships between executive, legislature vis-a-vis State governments.

He quoted the President to have reminded the ministers, in his closing remarks, about the challenges ahead of his government and advised them to work collaboratively and purposefully, and give their best to the task of delivering a more prosperous country for all Nigerians.

Buhari In Handshake With Oshiohole At Ministerial Retreat

Greenbarge Reporters

August 20, 2019

President Muhammadu Buhari congratulation the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole as the two-day retreat for the new minister at the Presidentia Villa, Abuja came to an end today, August 20. With them are the President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon Ahmed Idris Wase and Sulieman Adamu. Photo by Sunday Aghaeze.

Mrs. Nyako And Jimeta Remand Home For Marital Disputes, Children Rehabilitation

Greenbarge Reporters

August 20, 2019

Though Mrs. Fadimatu Musa Nyako is one of the staff of Adamawa State’s Ministry of Women Affairs, she belongs to the Social Development Department of the Ministry. She is a worker that is not only passionate but discharges her core responsibilities and duties with exceptional passion and undiluted excitement, which is bereft of sycophancy.

At the Government Remand Home Jimeta (her duty post), in Jimeta Local Government Area of the State, Mrs Nyako, and her colleagues have, by remanding and through counselling, helped to awesomely rehabilitate several delinquents and minors who commit or perpetrate crimes.

Mrs. Nyako, in a chat with PRNigeria, said their Remand Home is a beehive of activity on daily basis, as many couples throng their facility to report their marital disputes and other lingering domestic issues.

“It is common to see men bring reports about their wives’ attitude, and vice versa. Also, we receive ‘wayward’ children and adolescents who are been brought to our Remand Home for stealing money or people’s properties. And then, we persuasively, and gently talk to them. We advise them to change their bad habits for their own good,” she said.

Based on their findings, Mrs. Nyako pointed out that a form of separation between husband and wife, whereby the couple don’t stay under one roof, but separately in different towns or places, is the major cause of children inculcating bad, and naughty behaviours from corrupt societies.

As for couple who are antagonistically estranged, workers of the Jimeta juvenile detention centre, assiduously make attempt to reconcile partners who insist on divorce. But if they remain adamant and bent on separation, they are taken to the Remand Home’s court in Adamawa for marital dissolution.

Similarly, parents who desire to see their stubborn children reformed and properly rehabilitated, send such children to the Home after obtaining a court warrant. They are thereafter detained for a period between two weeks and three months for proper counselling.

Officials of the juvenile Home are occasionally deployed to IDP camps across the State to interact with the IDPs with a view to identify their personal challenges and proffer solutions to them.

“In the last two months, we have taken 18 teenagers who were convicted for various crimes such as stealing, into our custody. And by the time their cases are due for hearing, they are taken to the court.

“But if they are able to pay back the money or pay for the items they stole, they are instantly released. Sometimes, we the workers even tax ourselves to contribute money to pay for the money or other items stolen by the minors we remand, so that they can be released.

“Likewise, we also receive teenage girls whose boyfriends and men abandoned them after getting them impregnated. In one month, we get at least five cases of unwanted teenage pregnancy. While we look after the health of the pregnant-girls, we ensure that the men who are responsible for the pregnancies are compelled to marry them after they successfully deliver. But in the event that they cannot do that, we ask them to always provide monthly upkeep for the young ‘mothers’ and their babies,” she said.

She said that even though the State Government provides them with feeding allowance for inmates, they too (staff of the Home) regularly donate their money for the smooth running of the centre.

She added that they also partake in home-visit to monitor the implementation of their counsels, and also see how children who are been bullied or physically molested by their parents, family member and other persons are doing after counselling.

“Though, we don’t handle children or adolescence who engage in drugs and substances’ abuse, or youth restiveness. But if we discover that any delinquent or minor brought to us abuse drugs and engage in thuggery, what we do is to counsel them on the dangers of what they are doing. We urge them to shun hooliganism, smoking, drug abuse and drinking. The fact is, most of the teenagers who engage in stealing are those who are steeped into drug abuse activities,” she stated.

On the achievements recorded by their humanitarian activities, the soft-spoken Adamawa-born lady, said they are always delighted seeing couples heeding their advice, adding that “we have resolved about 50 domestic problems among married men and women since the beginning of this year.”

She explained that their interventions have severally resolved marital feuds and help to restore peace, stability and love among numerous couples. She added: “When abandoned babies are discovered, we are promptly called upon. We take them to our remand home and give them parental care and show them motherly love. By the time the children are two years old and above, we give them out to parents who wish to adopt them as their children.”

Hajiya Nyako, however lamented that financial constraint has hindered them from carrying out several activities at the Home, just as it has also affected them from providing quality welfare for arrested teenagers and orphaned children.

“Again, some men we invite to come talk to us concerning issues affecting their children or spouses often tend to intimidate us. Whenever they appear and see that we are women, they disrespect us. Some of them even quarrel and try to fight us. They will only cooperate with us by the time they notice we want to invite the Police or any other law enforcement officers,’ she noted.

Responding to PRNigeria’s inquiry as to whether they empower the young but able-bodied teenagers they detain, the rehabilitation expert, said their detention Home currently lacks the capacity to train inmates on requisite vocational skills.

“Before I was deployed here, there use to be sewing machines, and other equipment for learning tailoring, beads’ making, soap production and several others things. But they are no more. Nevertheless, there is need for government to provide machines for training the inmates on lucrative vocational skills and artisanal trades. They should be empowered so as to dissuade them from stealing and committing other crimes after they are released.

“Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and other spirited bodies who have been helping us should not relent. They should continue to provide us with necessary aids, financial grants and vital relief materials. They should directly bring it to us first, rather than taking their donated items to the Ministry. But even more important is that they should monitor the delivery processes of items they donate. This will prevent corrupt officials from diverting them,” she appealed.

Mrs. Nyako, who expressed gratitude to Almighty Allah, said she is ‘extremely’ fulfilled serving humanity, by generously offering both her financial resources and moral support to young persons and children who desperately need them.

She advised couples to be patient, show understanding and tolerate one another, adding that they should also be willing to endure and live together because of their children, rather than opting for the divorce option.

“Whenever parents separate or choose to divorce, they are endangering the lives of their children, to a very large extent. Among other things, it will affect their children’s upbringing, adequate welfare and induced the absence of parental love and guidance for children. Therefore, they should be open, sincere and faithful to each other. They should politely communicate their feelings and reservations to each other in order to resolve their disputes amicably.”

How Soldiers Opened Fire On Police Officers That First Arrested Me – Wadume

Editorial staff

August 20, 2019

Suspected kidnap kingpin, who has been rearrested by the Nigeria Police in Kano, Bala Hamisu, alias Wadume, has confessed that friendly soldiers opened fire on police officers that first arrested him and then unchained him.

Wadume, who was re-arrested by police officers in his hideout in Kano yesterday evening, August 19, was quoted by the spokesman of the Force headquarters, Frank Mba as saying: “my name is Hamisu Bala Wadume. Police came to arrest me, When they arrested me, army chased after them and opened fire.

“From there, they (soldiers) took me to their headquarters, and cut up my handcuffs. I went back to my house and police came to re-arrest me.”

Frank Mba had said on August 7 that policemen from the Intelligence Response Team who were taking Wadume to the command headquarters in Jalingo were attacked by soldiers.

The police officers were shot dead while the suspect was set free. The army, however, said the policemen were mistaken for kidnappers.

Ekwerenmadu Curses Kanu, Says “I Leave Him To Repercussions Of Ingratitude”

Editorial staff

August 19, 2019

Former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu,has raised curses on the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

“What we will do in this circumstance is to leave him to his conscience, the verdict of history, and possibly the repercussions of ingratitude. But I hope he won’t go to the extent of attacking any of the South East leaders anywhere.”

Senator Ekwerenmandu, who was violently attacked by members of the IPOB in Germany where he was invited to deliver a lecture on a programme organized by Igbo people in that country, said that he had no regrets speaking for justice for Ndigbo and helping to facilitate Kanu’s release from detention.

The Senator, who arrived today, August 19, from that unfortunate trip to Germany, said that the attitude of his assailants in Germany did not represent the dispositions and behaviour of Nigerians in the Diaspora.

“I think they were just people, who were misdirected and misguided. I had the feeling they were under the influence of alcohol. They don’t represent the feelings of our people. There is nothing to worry about.

“The organizers, the Igbo in Germany, have written a letter apologising for what happened. Everybody is free to go anywhere because those ones don’t represent the behaviour of Nigerians abroad.

“For me, I have moved on. The government and authorities of Germany are free to do whatever they wish about it”, he said.

Senator Ekwerenmadu said that believed in justice for all irrespective of tribe, religion or region.

“First of all, I am a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. My job is to speak out when there is injustice anywhere. We have problem in the North East. I have visited the North East.

“I visited the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps there. I donated money. I sent relief materials. We had problem in the South-South, I visited the creeks and saw the environmental challenges there for myself.

“I was one of the few people the late President Musa Yar’Adua consulted before he decided on the issue of amnesty. I was the person, who advised him that he needed to call a meeting of the Council of State. So, he had to invite the then Attorney General to discuss that issue with me and I advised them on the constitutional implications of amnesty.

“So, I have always spoken out on matters that concern Nigerians no matter where they come from. I believe in justice for all. It had nothing to do with IPOB”, he added.

Redeemed Church Owed Me N17 Million, Chased Me Out Of N15 Million House I built – Pastor

Editorial staff

August 19, 2019

A 55-year-old pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Bayo Akinjiyan has written an open letter to the leadership of the church asking that he should be paid the sum of N17 million which the church owes him, even as he complained about how he was ejected by the church from a N15 million house he built with his money in Lagos.

In the letter, which he addressed directly to the RCCG General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, pastor Bayo said that since he resigned from the church in 2013 after attaining the position of an assistant provincial pastor at Lagos Province 25, he is yet to be paid what the church owes him.

“After waiting for over two years as my grievances had yet to be addressed, I decided to write an open letter to the leader of the church.”

Pastor said that after his resignation and exit from the church, he was forced to vacate a N15 millioin house he personally built on Plot 15, Diligence Road, Redemption Camp on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, in line with the policy of the church that a non-member has no right to own any building at the camp.

He said that after handing over the property to the church, the receipt was yet to be acknowledged by the authorities of the church, even as he claimed that he is also being owed consultancy fees amounting to N2 million for projects designed, supervised and or managed by him since 2012.

His letter reads in part: “First, I want to address the attitude and response of the authorities and leadership of the Redeemed Christian Church of God over the house on Plot 15, Diligence Road, Redemption Camp Estate, Redemption Camp, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway that I handed over to them upon my voluntary exit from the church after 23 years of meritorious service and having risen to the position of assistant provincial pastor.

“This was contained in my letter of resignation, dated November 3, 2013. That I gave my best in this adventure was alluded to by the church in the letter of release, dated March 11, 2014, which states inter alia, ‘…We wish to appreciate you for your contributions to this ministry and we pray that God will reward and support you in your future endeavours…’

“Secondly, the attitude and response of the Board of Governors of Christ the Redeemers College, Sagamu, Ogun State Nigeria — a private secondary school operated by Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries, an affiliate of RCCG, over an unpaid consultancy fees on projects designed, supervised and or managed by me since 2012.

“I know the implications of my actions and having fully weighed my options, I hereby accept full responsibilities for my actions. My decision to inform the Christian community and the larger society is not aimed at destroying or tarnishing the image of anyone or maligning the church that once gave me fire, but rather, it is aimed at putting records straight and satisfying my God and my conscience.

“I have prayed over this matter, consulted those that I needed to, and I’ve come to the conclusion that God is on the side of those who have a right standing with Him.

“Let us address the first issue — the house at Redemption Camp. In line with the policy of the RCCG mission on those who build on its land, the keys to the house on the above mentioned location, which is a five-bedroom house (all en-suite), valued by a firm of chartered estate surveyors at N15.5m as of December 5, 2011, were submitted to the church through my letter to the General Overseer, dated March 4, 2014 upon my voluntary exit.

“Reminders were also sent through four other letters dated September 2, 2015, January 2, 2016, March 10, 2016, and June 27, 2016. Of all these letters and reminders, the only response I had was a letter dated October 9, 2015, acknowledging the letter of September 2, stating as follows: “We wish to inform you that the issues raised in your letter have been referred to concerned officials for their comments and response. We shall get back to you as we receive feedback and further directives from the mission authority.”

The pastor added:“Almost a year down the line, I am still waiting. My request was that the church should at least officially acknowledge the receipt of the house, even if there is no form of compensation.

“The God who built that for me can always give me a better one. This is my belief. The need to acknowledge the takeover of the house becomes necessary for at least two reasons: first, when I get to heaven (and by the grace of God I will make it), there will be an official and authentic record from RCCG in my favour, of the house that was forfeited to her as a result of doing the will of the Master here on earth.

“Secondly, it is to my knowledge that properties said to belong to the leadership of the church or that of the RCCG Mission sometimes allegedly, carelessly and surreptitiously fall into wrong hands.

“In view of this development, the question is: Is Pastor Adeboye even aware of this house in question of having been handed over to RCCG?

“If yes, has he given an instruction for my request to be granted? If yes, what is delaying his instruction from being carried out almost a year after? If no action has been taken with all these efforts of mine, what is the reason for this?”

Yes, Chief Of Staff Wrote Letter To Fowler, But He’s Not Being Investigated – Presidency

Editorial staff

August 19, 2019

The Nigeria’s Presidency has admitted that Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari actually wrote a letter to the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Babatunde Fowler over the fall in revenue but that he is not under any investigation.

A statement today, August 19, by the senior special adviser to the President on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, stressed that the letter from the Chief of Staff merely raised concerns over the negative run of the tax revenue collection in recent times.

“Taking a cue from today’s (Monday) presentation of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Retreat for Ministers-Designate, Federal Permanent Secretaries and Top Government Functionaries , which dwelt on an ‘Overview of the Policies, Programmes and Project Audit Committee,’ a body he chaired, projected revenue of government falls behind recurrent expenditure even without having factored in capital expenditure.

“Consequently, it would appear that the country might be heading for a fiscal crisis if urgent steps are not taken to halt the negative trends in target setting and target realisation in tax revenue.

“Anyone conversant with Federal Executive Council deliberations would have observed that issues bordering on revenue form the number one concern of what Nigeria faces today, and therefore, often take a prime place in discussions of the body.

“It is noteworthy and highly commendable that under this administration, the number of taxable adults has increased from 10 million to 20 million with concerted efforts still on-going to bring a lot more into the tax net.”

Germany Deports Many Nigerians Whose Asylum Applications Have Expired

Editorial staff

August 19, 2019

German government has deported a new batch of Nigerian migrants whose asylum applications have expired. The affected migrants, according to information reaching us, have already left Frankfurt Airport and headed to Nigeria’s Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos

The number of migrants deported was not ascertained as at the time of this report, but it was gathered that they were picked randomly from different accommodation centres.

It would be recalled that only last month, two batches of Nigerians were sent back home from the European country.

Co-ordination Activist for Network Refugees 4Refugees, a political platform for refugees and migrant self-organization based in Stuttgart, Germany, Rex Osa, said that those who are being deported were picked randomly from their different accommodation centres from in different regions and conveyed to a central place and finally to Frankfurt Airport.

“When their asylum application is already expired, they are obligated to leave the country.

“For those who don’t leave voluntarily, they will be given what I can translate in English to mean toleration status. This status is not a resident title; it is to show that the person is still there because the deportation is hindered because of one reason or the other.

“These people are picked up early in the morning without expecting the police. Some would be picked up from work also. When the police arrive in their rooms, they would be allowed to pack things not more than say 64 kilos. The police will be standing to make sure the person does not escape.”

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