September 2020 – Page 45

Post Date : September 9, 2020

Soldiers kill Benue’s ‘most wanted criminal,’ Gana

The Nigeria Army has confirmed the killing of Mr Terwase Akwaza, alias “Gana,” the ‘most wanted criminal’ in Benue state. The Commander, 4 Special Forces Command, Doma, Nasarawa state, Maj. -Gen. Moundhey Ali, told newsmen on Tuesday. He said that Gana was killed at a roadblock mounted by the Army along Gbese-Gboko-Makurdi road following exchange of gunfire. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Benue state government had in 2015 granted amnesty to over 500 persons including Gana, who were terrorising parts of Benue and Taraba states, but most of them relapsed into criminality. Gana was later in 2017, declared wanted by the Police while the Benue state government placed a N10 million bounty on him. According to Ali, the army has recorded another breakthrough in their efforts to rid the country of the activities of bandits, terrorists and other criminal elements. He said: “At about 12:00 hours today (Tuesday), we received strategic information on the movement of the dreaded bandit Terwase Akwaza Agbadu AKA Gana along Gbese-Gboko-Makurdi road. “Troops of Operation ‘Ayem Akpatuma III’ moved swiftly and mounted snap roadblocks along the routes. “At about 13:00 hours, there was a meeting engagement with the convoy of Gana, a shoot out ensued and the bandit was killed.” The Commander also said that 40 armed members of Gana’s gang were captured during the operation. He said the captured gang members were in Army custody and would be handed over to the appropriate authority for prosecution. Ali also disclosed that several rifles, pump action guns, ammunition, charms and explosives among other items were recovered from the gang. He said Gana’s corpse had been deposited in an undisclosed hospital mortuary.

Post Date : September 9, 2020

US President Donald Trump nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

Donald Trump has been nominated for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize following his efforts to broker peace between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The US president’s name has been put forward by Norwegian politician Christian Tybring-Gjedde, according to Fox News. “For his merit, I think he has done more trying to create peace between nations than most other Peace Prize nominees,” Mr Tybring-Gjedde, a four-term member of parliament, told the channel. On Tuesday, a White House official announced Mr Trump will hold a signing ceremony on 15 September for a groundbreaking Middle East agreement normalising relations between Israel and the UAE. As part of the deal, announced at the White House on 13 August following what officials said were 18 months of talks, the Gulf state agreed to normal relations with Israel, while Israel agreed to continue with plans to suspend its annexation of the West Bank. In 2020, there were 318 candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize. Submissions must be made online and all nominees are discussed before a shortlist of the most worthy and interesting is drawn up. Mr Tybring-Gjedde’s letter to the Nobel Committee praised the US president’s role in improving relations between the Middle Eastern nations. This is not the first time Mr Trump has been nominated for the prize. In 2018 Mr Tybring-Gjedde submitted his name following his Singapore summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The US president did not win. The Norwegian told Fox News he is “not a big supporter of Trump” but added that other people have won the prize for doing much less.

Post Date : September 9, 2020

I’ll gladly testify before Salami panel, Malami replies Magu

The Attorney- General of the Federation , Abubakar Malami ( SAN) , says he will be glad to testify before the Justice Ayo Salami-led Presidential panel if he is summoned . He said this during an interview on Arise TV on Wednesday which was monitored by our correspondent. Malami , who is also the Minister of Justice , was reacting to a letter by the suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, calling on Salami to summon the AGF . The AGF said he had nothing to hide and would not hesitate to give the Salami- led panel the full cooperation if need be. Responding to a question , Malami said , “ So , if indeed the Ayo Salami panel invites Abubakar Malami as a person or the AGF in the person of Abubakar Malami for any testimony , for any clarification , for examination or cross -examination for that matter , Abubakar Malami will wholeheartedly, gladly within the spirit and context of the rule of law be there to testify , be there to be cross – examined , be there to be examined within the context of the rule of law. “ Our position as a government is to be submissive to the rule of law and the rule of law component of it requires that when we are called upon to clarify issues , when we are called upon to be examined , when we are called upon to be cross – examined, Abubakar Malami will be there and will gladly cooperate with the inquiry institution and that indeed was an attribute of the government that translated to the victory we are seeing today arising from P& ID. “ Abubakar Malami has along the line, within the chain of the arbitral process , submitted to uncountable invitations, responded to uncountable requests for clarification of issues and indeed executed uncountable witness statements for the purpose of putting the record straight and the case of Salami will certainly not be an exception . ” Magu, who is being investigated based on a petition from the AGF , had on Monday written a letter to the Salami-led panel throughways his lawyer , Wahab Shittu, calling on the panel to summon the AGF. Shittu, who cited Section 36( a) , ( b) , ( c) and ( d ) of the Nigerian Constitution, added , “ Based on the foregoing , we humbly request that the Honourable Attorney General , who is the main accuser in these proceedings , be graciously invited to give evidence in connection with the subject matter of this inquiry with specific reference to our client in the interest of fair hearing. Shittu, who cited Section 36( a) , ( b) , ( c) and ( d ) of the Nigerian Constitution, added , “ Based on the foregoing , we humbly request that the Honourable Attorney General , who is the main accuser in these proceedings , be graciously invited to give evidence in connection with the subject matter of this inquiry with specific reference to our client in the interest of fair hearing. “ We believe this request ought to be resolved before our client is called upon to enter his defence in these proceedings .

Post Date : September 9, 2020

Gov. Uzodimma signs two developmental bills into law

Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo has signed two bills aimed at improving on the development of the state into law. One is to establish the Imo State Micro, Small and Medium Industries Development Agency and other related matters, and the second is to establish a Bureau to coordinate, supervise and monitor projects undertaken by donors or development partners in Imo State and other related matters. According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Oguwike Nwachukwu, the governor said the bills mark yet another milestone in the administration’s efforts to ensure the development and growth of the state. He listed objectives of the bills to include the empowerment of local artisans, specification of standards for them and ensuring that products being delivered to the markets are not only hygienic but fit for human consumption. Uzodimma said the bills were necessary for establishing a body to supervise local manufacturing, entrepreneurship skills, private sector-driven activity and government intervention. He also stressed the need for a bureau that would coordinate all interventions to ensure the proper management and implementation of the policies and ensure that the state derived the most value for them. He regretted that the prior interventions from the World Bank, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), French and other development partners, in form of water, erosion control, rural developments, rural roads had no records or commensurate impact on the people. The governor encouraged the international organisations to continue with their empowerment programmes bearing in mind that more coordinated, efficient and effective administrative organs had been put in place to satisfy their expectations. The governor also commended the leadership of the House of Assembly for the speedy passage of the executive bills. Earlier, while presenting the bill for the governor’s assent, the Speaker, Dr Chiji Collins said the bills had undergone all stages of legislative work. Chiji said the first bill establishing an agency that would be a “vanguard Agency and focal point for rural industrialisation, poverty alleviation and eradication, technology acquisition and adaptation, as well as job creation and sustainable livelihood.” He added that the agency would regulate activities of micro, small and medium scale industries in the state and ensure that goods manufactured were of high quality. The speaker also said that the bills would go a long way in helping with the development of the state, while reiterating the readiness of the state legislature to work with the executive to move the state forward.(NAN)

Post Date : September 9, 2020

Cross River turns to cocoa to boost revenue generation

The Cross River Government says it has diversified its revenue generation from crude oil to cocoa. Dr Oscar Ofuka, Special Adviser to Gov. Ben Ayade on Cocoa Development and Control, made this known in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja. Ofuka said the state government’s decision followed the dwindling earnings from crude oil. He said that the state government had made huge investments in cocoa, adding that thousands of jobs had also been created in the process. “Our governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, was quick to realise that cocoa is the gold of Cross River. “This gold was relegated in the past when crude oil was discovered, but now we plan to ensure that the state takes the lead in cocoa production. “We have acquired 3,800 hectares of land for that purpose, and our youths have been sensitised and are ready to key into the cocoa initiative,’’ he said. The special adviser assured that Cross River had one of the best species of cocoa, “which is easy to cultivate. “The brand of cocoa we cultivate is organic. It takes 18 months to germinate. “Between 2015 and now, the cocoa sector has employed more than 5000 youths in the state. “With the ceding of 776 oil wells to Akwa Ibom state, and Bakassi to Cameroon, the cocoa sector is now the major “funder” of infrastructural development in the state. “I am urging all Nigerians to go back to agriculture; Nigerians should think cocoa and dream cocoa because it comes with huge economic benefits,’’ he advised. He said that the government of Cross River had distributed improved variety of cocoa seedlings to farmers in the state as incentives. “We have raised 10 million improved varieties of cocoa seedlings for the rehabilitation of encroached areas and regeneration of moribund cocoa trees in government owned cocoa estates. “We have also expanded the “Small Holder’s Scheme’’ with more private sector participation in cocoa farming, which has led to the opening of mass cocoa farmlands across the state,’’ he said. He added that an ultra modern cocoa processing factory had been established in the state to further boost revenue from the sector.

Post Date : September 9, 2020

Sex-For-Marks: IMSU lecturers caught pants down in multiple videos

Multiple video clips trending in the social media may have yet again exposed the ugly underbelly of the sex-for-grade syndicates operating in the Imo State University, Owerri. The two lecturers who were caught pants down, Crimefacts gathered are senior academics and active members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Imo State University chapter. The duo who are now cooling off in Police net are- Prof Victor Obinna Njoku of the Chemistry Department, Imo State University (IMSU) and Dr. Emmanuel Esogbuonye Agomuo of the Biochemistry Department. Prof. Victor Obinna Njoku was videoed masturbating, before allegedly trying to engage in sex with a lady suspected to be a student of the institution. He was busted and arrested while still trying to make out with the lady, Crimefacts gathered. Another video clip shows where the lecturer, Dr. Emmanuel Agomuo was being handcuffed by a security operative, while still stark naked, allegedly in a totally different sexual escapade. The security personnel’s words, “That’s what you have been doing to students right, that’s good, that’s good , that’s good. A lecturer, you are a lecturer.” Confirming the incident to our reporter, the Imo State University Owerri (IMSU) spokesman, Mr. Ralph Njoku Obi said that he will get back to our correspondent after a decision has been taken on the matter. he noted that only then would he he will have something to say to our reporter. When our correspondent spoke to the Students’ Union Director of Information, Duru Victor, he declined to comment on the matter. It is believed that the lecturers will be charged to court after investigations has been concluded on the matter.

Post Date : September 8, 2020

My stand on the killing of Christians ,What Buhari told Trump

President Muhammadu Buhari, Tuesday, told the story on how he met President Donald Trump of United State, in the White House. Speaking in Abuja at the First Year Ministerial Performance Review Retreat of his second term, Buhari said he is the only African amongst the least developed countries that the President of the United States invited in the White House. My Response: “I believe I was about the only African amongst the least developed countries that the President of the United States invited and when I was in his office, only myself and himself, only God is a witness, he looked at me in the face and said, ‘Why are you killing Christians?’ “I wondered if it were you, I wondered how you will react. I hope what I was feeling inside did not betray me before him. So, I understood it. “The problem between cattle-rearers and stagnant farmers, I know which is older than me, not to talk of him, because I think I’m a couple of years older than him, were happening. And there was climate change and population growth. “I tried to explain to him that it has got nothing to do with ethnicity or religion. It is a cultural thing which respective leaderships failed the nation.”

Post Date : September 8, 2020

Bayelsa Assembly confirms more appointees of Gov Diri

Bayelsa House of Assembly has screened and confirmed two more Commissioner nominees, and three other appointees to serve as Chairman and members of the state’s Local Government Service Commission. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the house during its plenary on Tuesday accessed the capability and past records of the appointees forwarded to it by Gov. Douye Diri. Those confirmed included; Mr Keme Warebi and Erasmus Patrick as Commissioner designates. While Mr Lambert Ototo, Odudu Awipi and Cleopas Carter, were confirmed as Chairman and member of the state local government service commission. Speaking during the screening, Mrs Ebiuwou Koku Obiyai (PDP – Yenagoa constituency ll) and Wisdom Fafi, (PDP – Kolokuma/Opokuma constituency l) urged the appointees to key into the vision of Diri’s administration and work to uplift Bayelsa. (NAN)

Post Date : September 8, 2020

LASG provides solar energy to 172 schools, 11 health centres

The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Electricity Board (LSEB), says it is providing solar power to 172 public secondary schools and 11 public health centres (PHCS). The Director-General of LSEB, Mr Mukhtaar Tijani, made this known during a news briefing on Tuesday in Ikeja. Tijani said that the increasing energy demand in the state due to expanded civilisation and increase in population had led to concerns over the limited energy resources. He said that the focus of the government was on a sustainable energy supply which entailed optimised use of energy to minimise pollution. According to him, the government is committed to transforming the city’s electricity landscape and make it the pride of the nation and Africa as a whole. ”The approach to achieving the 2030 target on Sustainable Development Goal 7 which emphasises affordable and clean energy in the state has been captured in the developmental agenda of the present administration. ”The making of Lagos a 21st Century Economy entails enhancing and facilitating access to clean energy technology including renewable energy, as well as advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel energy for the state. ”Part of the effort to improve the energy mix is the Lagos Solar Project which is an initiative that is focused on implementing stand-alone solar power solutions for public facilities. ”This project is currently providing solar power to 172 public secondary schools and 11 public health centres (PHCS),” he said. Tijani said that while the solar components were currently undergoing routine maintenance, the aim is to deliver additional solar systems to rural, riverine and public secondary schools located within the rural areas. He said that at present, Lagos State Electricity Board managed over 1,300 kilometers of public lighting across the state. The Director-General said that in a bid to ensure that Lagos streets continued to enjoy improved public lighting at night, the board had intensified maintenance and surveillance of major access/link roads that serve communities. He said that this was an assurance to Lagosians of quick response time to complaints on street lights in different parts of the state. Tijani said that effective measures were taken in the rejuvenation of public lighting in Lagos. He said that some of the measures included replacement of non-functional street lights, rehabilitation of others and an introduction of LED lights. ”In addition to this, the state will in no distant time embark on the retrofitting of street lights from High Pressure Sodium Bulb (HPS) to Light Emitting Diode (LED). ”This initiative is an energy efficiency scheme that will advance the street lightening project of the state. ”While a sustainable energy future requires structural reform and the facilitation of technology transfer, the four pillars of development — economic, political, social and the environment – must be considered during policy formulation. ”This is because sustainable energy resources must be economically viable, politically supported, socially equitable and environmentally acceptable,” the LSEB boss said. He said that the board would conduct energy audit for facilities across the state with the aim of developing comprehensive master plan that would serve as blueprint towards investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology. Tijani said that this procedure was expedient as it provided the opportunity to assess the current energy level and needs of the state. According to him, this will provide means of expanding the capacity to meet the desired needs as it will cut across all sectors of the state. ”The first phase of this exercise has been completed at state-owned healthcare facilities, educational institutions, waste management facilities, parks, water works, sports, theatres and cinemas across the five divisions of Lagos. ”We would not be limiting the audit to government and public facilities as the strategy is to incorporate the private sector to harmonise all energy sources in the state and have an inclusive management plan that will cater for future expansion,” he said.

Post Date : September 8, 2020

$875.7million Alleged Fraud: EFCC Re-arraigns Malabu Oil & Gas Limited, 7 Others.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Tuesday, September 8, 2020 re-arraigned Malabu Oil & Gas Limited, Aliyu Abubakar and six others before Justice I.E. Ekwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on sixty-seven amended charges, bordering on money laundering to the tune of $875,740,000( Eight Hundred and Seventy Five Million, Seven Hundred and Forty Thousand United States Dollars). The other six defendants are: A Group Construction Company Limited; Rocky Top Resources Limited; Megatech Engineering Limited; Novel Properties and Development Company Limited, Imperial Union Limited and Carlin International Nigeria Limited. EFCC Counsel, Bala Sanga told the court that he was ready with the amended charges and for the eight defendants to take their pleas. The Charges read : “That you Malabu Oil Gas Limited, Seidougha Munamuna (at large), Amaran Joseph (at large) and Douzia Loya Etete (at large), on or about the 24th day of August 2011, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court took control of the sum of $401,540,000.00 (Four Hundred and One Million, Five Hundred and Forty Thousand United States Dollars) paid from the Federal Government of Nigeria Escrow Account No: 0041451493 IBAN 30CHAS609242411 492 with JP Morgan Chase Bank in London into account 2018288005 of Malabu Oil & Gas Limited domiciled with First Bank of Nigeria Limited, when you reasonably ought to have known that the funds formed part of an unlawful activity to wit: negotiation, signing and payment in respect of the Block 245 Resolution Agreement between the Federal Government of Nigeria with Shell Nigeria Ultra Deep Limited, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited, and Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited, whereby taxes, accruals and royalties due to the Federal Government of Nigeria were unlawfully waived and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of Money Laundering Prohibition Act.” “That you Malabu Oil & Gas Limited, Seidougha Munamuna (at large), Amaran Joseph (at large) and Dauzia Loya Etete( at large) on or about the 24th day of August 2011, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court took control of the sum of $400,000,000.00 ( Four Hundred Million United States Dollars) aid from the Federal Government of Nigeria Escrow Account No: 0041451493 IBAN 30CHAS609242441 1492 with JP Morgan Chase Bank in London into the account No. 1005552028 of Malabu Oil & Gas Limited domiciled with Bank PHB Plc (Now Keystone Bank Limited, Account No. 3610042472), when you reasonably ought to have known that the funds formed part of an unlawful activity to wit: negotiation, signing and payment in respect of the Block 245 Resolution Agreement between the Federal Government of Nigeria with Shell Nigeria Ultra Deep Limited, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited, and Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited whereby taxes, accruals and royalties due to the Federal Government of Nigeria were unlawfully waived and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011(as amended) and punished under section 15(3) and 15(4) of the same Act. “ That you Malabu Oil & Gas Limited, Seidougha Munamuna ( at large), Amaran Joseph( at large) and Dauzia Loya Etete (at large) on or about 30th August 2013, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court took control of the sum of $74,200,000.03(Seventy Four Million, Two Hundred Thousand United States Dollars, Three cents) paid from the Federal Government of Nigeria Escrow Account No: 0041451493 IBAN 30CHAS609242411492 with JP Morgan Chase Bank in London into the account No. 1005552028 of Malabu Oil & Gas Limited domiciled with Bank PHB Plc(Now Keystone Bank Limited Account No.3610042472), when you reasonably ought to have known that the funds formed part of an unlawful activity to wit: negotiation, signing and payment in respect of the Block 245 Resolution Agreement between the Federal Government of Nigeria with Shell Nigeria Ultra Deep Limited, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited whereby taxes, accruals and royalties due to the Federal Government of Nigeria were unlawfully waived and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011(as amended) and Punishable under section 15(3) and 15(4) of the same Act.” The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the sixty-seven charges. Thereafter, Sanga prayed the court to grant a date for commencement of trial. Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter to Thursday, September 10, 2020 for commencement of trial and granted that the defendants continue with their existing bail. “I presume the defendant will continue with their bail”, he said.