Crime Facts

Angola ruling party wins vote and president a second term

  Angola’s MPLA party was on Monday declared the winner of the closely fought election, extending its decades-long rule in the oil-rich country and handing President Joao Lourenco a second term. Official results announced by the National Electoral Commission (CNE) reported the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola won 51.17 percent of the ballots against 43.95 percent for the main challenger the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). “The CNE proclaims Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco, president of the republic,” commission head Manuel Pereira da Silva told a press conference. The vote was the tightest in Angola’s history. Results in past elections have been contested — a process that can take several weeks. UNITA — a former rebel movement that fought a bitter 27-year civil war against the MPLA government that ended in 2002 — had earlier rejected provisional results. UNITA leader Adalberto Costa Junior, 60, last week called for an international panel to review the count. The MPLA has traditionally wielded control over the electoral process as well as state media, and opposition and civic groups have in recent days raised fears of voter tampering. The MPLA, a former liberation movement, has ruled Angola since independence from Portugal in 1975. But it has seen a steady decline in support over recent elections. Lourenco, a 68-year-old former general educated in the Soviet Union, was first elected in 2017, winning 61 percent of the vote.

Atiku donates N50m to victims of flood in Kano

  Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic (PDP) Atiku Abubakar has donated the sum of N50 million to victims of flood at the popular textile market in Kano, Kantin Kwari. Flood due to heavy down pour, had destroyed over N200 million worth of materials and about 200 shops were equally affected according to SEMA. Delivering a speech at the residence of Malam Ibrahim Shekarau who recently dumped the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Atiku announced his donation to the victims, describing Kano as a renown commercial centre. “Kano is a renown commercial centre that has its marks in the economy. “I wish to use this opportunity to console victims of the unfortunate flood that was necessitated by heavy down pour. “I also wish to use this opportunity to donate the sum of N50 million to those affected by the unfortunate situation” he stated.

Nigeria’s foreign missions spending funds illegally – Auditor-General

  The House of Representatives’ Committee on Public Accounts has commenced investigation of extra-budgetary spending by Nigeria’s foreign missions and their refusal to remit Internally Generated Revenue despite cries of paucity of funds by the embassies and high commissions. The Office of the Auditor General for the Federation, in its report presented to the National Assembly, alleged various financial infractions by the missions between 2010 and 2019. The office decried that efforts to audit the accounts of some of the missions were frustrated by the officials who acted on a directive by the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Auditor-General, in the over 450-page document containing a list of audit queries against the missions, raised the alarm over their habit of making spending outside their budgets and without the approval of the National Assembly. The Auditor-General said, “The practice where Nigerian Missions over expended their allocations with impunity should be frowned at. It should be noted that this action is a contravention of Financial Regulation which stipulates that no expenditure on any subhead of the recurrent estimates in excess of the provision in the approved estimates or supplementary estimates may be authorised by any officer controlling a vote without the prior approval of the National Assembly. “I am deeply worried at the non-adherence to budgetary provisions by most Missions. It is important to note that this act contravenes the provision of extant regulations which stipulates that no expenditure on any subhead of the recurrent estimates in excess of the provision in the approved estimates or supplementary estimates may be authorised by any officer controlling a vote without the prior approval of the National Assembly. It should also be noted that this practice makes nonsense of the appropriation. “I have observed that most of the Nigerian Missions have formed the habit of over expending their allocations with impunity. This practice makes nonsense the essence of appropriation and should be frowned at. “I have noted with dismay that most Nigerian Missions incur expenses on most of their expenditure sub-heads in excess of the provision in the approved estimates. It should be noted that this contravenes the provisions of Financial Regulation 313 (2009 Edition) which stipulates that no expenditure on any sub-head of the Recurrent estimates in excess of the provision in the approved estimates or supplementary estimates may be authorised by any officer controlling a vote without approval of the National Assembly.” The report said while the landed property of the Nigerian Embassy in Brasilia were in a dilapidated condition without any effort to renovate them, the embassy had been spending $50,247.89 annually on rent for two of its officials, noting that amount spent on rent for three years could have been used to renovate the buildings and cut cost. The report also said the embassy exchanged six old vehicles, whose prices were not made available, for two new ones purchased at a total cost of $95,211, while an additional $17,642.08 was spent on shipment, insurance and clearing of the new vehicles, even when there was no budgetary provision for the acquisition. Another query alleged that in 2010, the then Nigerian Ambassador to Poland claimed over N9.777m annually for non-existing domestic staff. According to the report, even though the ambassador’s letter of deployment noted engagement of a cook/steward, a maid and gardener who should be engaged locally and enrolled on the payroll of the mission, they were never employed. Another query alleged that in 2011, the Nigerian Ambassador to France spent over N1.75m on entertainment of guests without any record of the guests, haircuts, manicure, hair colouring and cost of ticket to Nigeria for consultation without any evidence of any official invitation/approval for the journey. The Auditor-General described these as “very private expenses that should not have been borne by public funds.” The Auditor-General added that officials of the Nigeria Embassy in Paris were printing official receipts booklets for the collection of government revenue privately, contrary to Financial Regulations which stipulated that “under no circumstances shall temporary or privately printed receipts be utilised for the collection of government revenue.” According to the office, the practice encouraged fraudulent activities, making it difficult to track the receipts issued out and thus difficult to determine the actual revenue generated. The office also said in another query that, “At the Embassy of Nigeria, Washington D.C., USA, properties owned by the Federal Government of Nigeria were sold and the proceeds of the sales used to open a ‘Property Account.’ A scrutiny of the bank statements of the main account revealed that several transfers of funds amounting to USD17,477,677.54 (N2,619,949,997.79) were made at different times between 28th August, 2009 and 26th April, 2012, from the ‘Property Account’ to the main account. Despite these huge transfers, the main account had only a meagre balance of the sum of USD769.49 (N115,348.58) as at 16th May, 2012.

Court remands ‘prophet’ for allegedly raping, impregnating 2 sisters

  A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Kafanchan, Kaduna State, has ordered that a self-acclaimed prophet, Enoch Sule, be remanded in a correctional facility for allegedly raping and getting two sisters pregnant. Sule, who is the General Overseer of Prayer Tabernacle Ministry, Kamurum Bajju, is charged by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) with rape. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the offence is contrary to section 258 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law. The presiding judge, Samson Kwasu, however, did not take the plea of the accused person for lack of jurisdiction to hear the matter. Kwasu directed the prosecutor to forward the case files to the State Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice. He adjourned both cases until Sept.8 for further mention. Earlier, the NSCDC prosecutor, Mr Marcus Audu, told the court that the matter was reported to the corps by the Salama Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Kafanchan on Aug.8. Audu stated that Sule deceived the older sister, 19, into accompanying to the mountain for prayer and fasting. He said while on the mountain, the defendant instructed the girl to remove her cloth and pray naked as directed by the Holy Spirit. According to him, Sule forcefully had sexual intercourse with the girl, which resulted in pregnancy. He added that a month later in April, Sule repeated the same trick on the girl’s 17-year-old younger sister and also get her pregnant. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two sisters’ case against the prophet were filed and read out separately.

Why I defected to PDP — Shekarau

  The former Kano state governor and incumbent Senator representing the Kano Central Senatorial Zone, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau has explained his decision to join the PDP as the final outcome of the Shura Committee former by his supporters.   Shekarau explained that he is not after position or office but working to protect his integrity, dignity and freedom as a citizen. Delivering an address announcing his defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday, Shekarau added further that wherever he goes to and there are signs of lack of fairness and justice he will leave. He publicly announced that he is no more the Senatorial candidate under the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) saying he and all his supporters have moved to the PDP. “It is not office or position that we are interested in. It is our integrity, dignity and freedom that we are protecting. “Our political ideology as a group is moved by our commitment to fairness and justice to all. Anywhere we move to and there is no fairness and justice, me and my supporters move along. “I have since notified the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of my intention to dump the Senatorial candidacy under the NNPP and completed the due processes. “We told you our reason since we established a 30-members committee of the Shura members. They sat and came up with this decision we are announcing today” he declared.

Again, naira crosses N700/$ mark at parallel market

  The naira has continued its downward trend, falling to N702 per dollar at the parallel market on Monday. The figure represents N10 or 1.4 percent depreciation compared to the N692 it traded last week. Bureaux De Change (BDC) operators in Lagos and Abuja, who spoke to TheCable, said that there is high demand for foreign currency in the street market. The street traders, popularly known as ‘abokis‘ put the buying price of the dollar at N690 and the selling price at N700-N702, leaving a profit margin of N10-N12. Last month, the naira weakened to N707 a dollar. It later strengthened to N670 after security operatives raided a BDC hub in Abuja. At the official market, the local currency appreciated 0.08 percent against the dollar to close at N430.33 at the end of the last trading day (Friday), according to FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange, a platform that oversees foreign-exchange trading in Nigeria. An exchange rate of N444 to the dollar was the highest rate recorded within the day’s trading before it settled at N430.33.   It sold for as low as N417 to the dollar within the day’s trading. A total of $82.38 million traded in foreign exchange at the official investors and exporters window. Recently, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) released $265 million to airlines operating in the country to settle outstanding ticket sales. The move followed complaints by foreign airlines over their inability to repatriate revenue from Nigeria.

Okada riders storm Sanwo-Olu’s office, beg for suspension of ban

  Commercial motorcyclists, popularly called ‘Okada’ riders, numbering thousands, stormed Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, office of Governor Bababjide Sanwo-Olu, with a plea to suspend the ban on their activities in six Local Government Areas, LGAs, scheduled to commence on September 1, 2022, on Thursday, precisely. Recall as part of the on-going phase clampdown, Sanwo-Olu, had on August 18, 2022, announced total ban on activities of Okada riders in additional four Local Government Areas and their respective Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs of the state, commencing from September 1, 2022. Earlier, traditional rulers, religious leaders, residents, Community Development Associations, among others called on Lagos State Government to consider a total ban on the operations of Okada riders across the state to end menace and security threat posed by the group. It is instructive to note on May 18, 2022, Sanwo-Olu made a pronouncement on the total ban on Okada operations in six LGAs, and the respective nine Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, under them including all major bridges and highways of the State and the subsequent inauguration of the Lagos State Anti-Okada Squad saddled with the responsibility to aid the police and taskforce to implement and enforce total compliance with respect to the law to curtail the unruly activities of the riders. Sanwo-Olu had on May 10, 2021, reviewed the 2012 Lagos Traffic Law guiding the Okada operations, after his predecessors, Babatunde Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode’s administrations banned their activities. The initial six LGAs and nine LCDAs are: Apapa, Apapa-Iganmu LCDA, Ikeja, Ojodu, Onigbongbo, Lagos Island, Lagos Island West, Lagos Island East LCDAs, Lagos Mainland, Yaba LCDA, Surulere, Coker Aguda, Itire-Ikate LCDA. Others include: Eti-Osa, Eti-Osa East, Eti-Osa West, Iru Victoria Island and Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA. The additional four councils affected by the pronouncement, include: Kosofe, Ikosi-Isheri, Agboyi-Ketu LCDAs, Oshodi-Isolo, Isolo, Ejigbo LCDAs, Shomolu, Bariga LCDA and Mushin, Odi-Olowo LCDA. The protesting Okada riders were led by chairman of Motorcycle Operators Association of Lagos State, MOALS), Ramoni Eleniyan and few other union leaders. As if press time, 3.30pm, the leadership of Okada association were in a emergency meeting with government officials led by Deputy Governor, Dr. obafemi Hsmzat to find an amicable resolution to the issue.

Groups to Buhari: Census can’t hold when terrorists, bandits control communities

  Some groups from Southern and Middle Belt of Nigeria have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend plan to officially count Nigerians next year. The groups said some Nigerian villages are under the control of bandits and terrorists while some citizens have been displaced. They said the displacement is a threat to accurate census figures. This was according to the open letter to Buhari signed by the Prof Anthony Ejiofor, World Igbo Congress; Prince Adedokun Ademiluyi, Yoruba One Voice Worldwide; Annkio Briggs, Niger Delta Self Determination Movement (NDSDM) and Austin Okeke Esq, Igbo Board of Deputies. Others are Inalegwu John Inalegwu, Mayor of Kwararafa Kingdom; Fr Emeka Nwachukwu, Ekwenche Organization; Ene Orgah Esq, Public Interest Lawyer and Chief Malcolm Omirhobo Esq, Public Interest Lawyer. It was titled ‘Dangerous and Dysfunctional Timing of the Planned 2023 National Population Census in Nigeria’ and date August 26, 2022. It read, “Like all patriotic stakeholders, we agree on the critical need for a well-timed, positively-motivated and rigorously-conducted national population census “However, we have grave reservations and concerns about the timing of the planned National Census in 2023 “census” as follows: “The occupation of many parts of the country by terrorists and self-identified Jihadists; apart from the States of the North East, Kaduna State and Niger State are other States whose many local governments are effectively under the control and governance of the terrorists and Jihadists, while many forests in almost all States of the Southern and Middle Belt of Nigeria are occupied by these displace-and-replace invaders. “The fear and indications that under the recent National Identification Number (NIN) exercise, non-Nigerians were issued with the NIN; thus, pre-toxifying the census outcome. “The current state of flux, crisis, fear and uncertainty of the Nigerian population in that there is massive displacements and whole communities are living in improvised refugee camps scattered around the country, which are not easily accessible to the census personnel. “The contra common-sense in conducting a National Census during the period of General Elections; the juxtaposition increases the chances of igniting social combustion in a society already tensed up with security, political, social and economic failures. “That the census would be executed between the Presidential and other elections and the swearing in of the new government in 2023, compromises, at least the perception if not the reality, of the integrity of the census, as it introduces a dangerous and avoidable interdependence and correlation between the two delicate national exercises. “Why would the outgoing government conduct the Census at the last quarter of its 8-year tenure, only to jam it with the elections for a new administration? “In any case, there is no doubt that each of the two exercises, the General Elections – including the election of the President of the Country – and the National Census deserves full and undivided attention of the country and can ill afford divided attention. “It is understood that for inexplicable reasons, Biometric Technology will not be utilized for the proposed Census 2023. This is absurd to say the least, in that the very best practice in the world as would prevent manipulations and fraud was ignored in such archaic manner by the National Population Commission. “This is definitely a drawback and an effort to foist lies on Nigerians in the age of Digital Technology that is now applied in all spheres of human life and endeavors, including the elections before the proposed Census. “In view of the fact that the challenges outlined above, which have grave implications for the survival, unity, and progress of the country have largely been unaddressed or unresolved, it would be absurd and even capable of generating a suspicion of deliberate mischief, for the Federal Government to pretend that it can carry out a credible national population census under the intensely fragile condition of the polity. Rather than serve the national interest, such an exercise would be dysfunctional. “We, therefore, strongly advise the Federal Government to quickly do an orderly suspension of the National Census planned for 2023, in such a way that the exercise can be reactivated at an appropriate later time. “We also request all patriotic stakeholders and citizens to lend voice to this call for a reasoned adjustment in the National Census plan, and for all to support the Government to implement the critically-needed adjustment. “Nigeria must be RESTRUCTURED very urgently. It should be restructuring FIRST: before anything else. “Ethnic Nationalities and or clusters thereof voluntarily composed ought to be the basis of the restructuring to Regions, with focus on viability and sustainability. Each Region, so composed and constituted by the consent of the peoples of the designated territory (confirmed vide plebiscite) must have their own Constitutions separately designed to suit their aspirations as distinct peoples respectively. “The regions are to solely handle their respective issues of territorial governance independent of the Federal Government, an aspect of which would include but not limited to census data, amongst others “Fundamentally, we are of the view and believe it to be true that Census belongs to the RESIDUAL LIST OF FUNCTIONS of a truly Federal Nigeria.”

We Won’t Do What Is Comfortable But What Is Right For Nigerians, Says Tinubu

  The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Bola Tinubu has promised that his government will not do what is comfortable but what is right for Nigerians if elected He said this in a tweet on his official handle, adding that his government won’t “do what is comfortable”. “We are not here to do what is comfortable. We are here to do what is right for our people and our country,” the former Lagos State governor said on Monday. Tinubu noted that his presidential ambition is powered by what he described as “the love of Nigeria”, maintaining that such a motive is a “higher calling”.   “We are here to answer to a greater, higher calling. That calling is the love of Nigeria, ” he added. “We dare not miss this chance because we cannot be sure of another.” “We are not here to do what is comfortable. We are here to do what is right for our people and our country. We are here to answer to a greater, higher calling. That calling is the love of Nigeria. We dare not miss this chance because we cannot be sure of another.”#BAT23 pic.twitter.com/Ar2l4vmgGO — Bola Ahmed Tinubu (@officialABAT) August 29, 2022

Court Stops Buhari, NBC From Shutting Down 53 Broadcast Stations

  The Federal High Court in Lagos has stopped President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) from revoking the licenses of 53 broadcast stations in the country, and shutting down the stations for allegedly failing to renew their licenses. Honourable Justice Akintayo Aluko (Court 8) today granted an order of interim injunction following the hearing of an argument on motion exparte by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE). SERAP and NGE had last week filed a lawsuit against Buhari and NBC, asking the court for “a declaration that section 10(a) of the Third Schedule to the NBC Act used by NBC to threaten to revoke the licenses of 53 broadcast stations and to shut down the stations is unconstitutional and unlawful, as it violates freedom of expression.” In the suit, SERAP and NGE had asked the court for “an order of interim injunction restraining Buhari and NBC, their agents from revoking the licenses of 53 broadcast stations in the country and shutting their down operations, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed contemporaneously in this suit.”   The suit is adjourned to 8th September, 2022 for the hearing of the Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction. The suit followed the decision by the NBC to revoke the licenses of the 53 broadcast stations and shut down their operations within 24 hours over alleged N2.6 billion debt. In the suit number FHC/L/CS/1582/2022, SERAP and NGE are asking the court to determine “whether section 10(a) of the Third Schedule to the NBC Act used by NBC to threaten revoke the licenses of 53 broadcast stations and shut them down is not in inconsistent with freedom of expression and access to information.” SERAP and NGE are also seeking “a declaration that section 10(a) of the National Broadcasting Act used by NBC to unilaterally revoke the licenses of the broadcast stations and shutdown the stations is a violation of the constitutionally and internationally guaranteed right to fair hearing.” The suit, read in part: “The provisions of the Nigerian Constitution and human rights treaties on freedom of expression indicate that this right can be exercised through any medium.” “Effectively, these provisions recognize that every individual has the right to an equal opportunity to receive, seek and impart information through any communication medium without discrimination.” “The use of NBC Act and Code in this case would inadmissibly open the door to arbitrariness and would fundamentally restrict the freedom of expression that is an integral part of the public order protected the Nigerian Constitution and human rights treaties to which Nigeria is a state party.” “The media plays an essential role as a vehicle or instrument for the exercise of freedom of expression and information – in its individual and collective aspects – in a democratic society.” “Indeed, the media has the task of distributing all varieties of information and opinion on matters of general interest.” “The public has a right to receive and assess this information and opinion independently. Therefore, the existence of a free, independent, vigorous, pluralistic, and diverse media is essential for the proper functioning of a democratic society.” “According to the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, ‘licensing processes shall seek to promote diversity in broadcasting. Any registration system for the media shall not impose substantive restrictions on the right to freedom of expression.’” “Revoking the licenses of 53 broadcast stations and shutting down their operations because they have not renewed their licenses would both seriously undermine the rights of millions of Nigerians to express their thoughts, and their right to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas of all kinds, in any medium they choose.” “Freedom of expression includes the public’s right to receive, and the right of those who express themselves through a medium of communication, to impart the greatest possible diversity of information and ideas.” “The right to freedom of expression is based on the right to establish or use a media outlet to exercise freedom of expression and on society’s right to have access to a free, independent, and pluralistic media that allows for the most and most diverse information.” “The media, including the affected 53 broadcast stations, serve to distribute Nigerians’ thoughts and information while at the same time allowing them access to the ideas, information, opinions, and cultural expressions of other individuals.” “The exercise of the right to freedom of expression through the media is a guarantee that is fundamental for advancing the collective deliberative process on public and democratic issues.” “Therefore, the strengthening of the guarantee of freedom of expression is a precondition for the exercise of other human rights, as well as a precondition to the right to participation to be informed and reasoned.” “The media including the affected 53 broadcast stations play an essential role, as they allow millions of Nigerians to access both the relevant information and a variety of perspectives that are necessary for reaching reasonable and informed conclusions on matters of public interest.” “The Plaintiffs recognize the mandates of NBC to regulate broadcasting. However, the exercise of such mandates including renewals or revocation of licenses must follow the thresholds and guidelines set by the right to freedom of expression.” “The free circulation of ideas and news is not possible except in the context of a plurality of sources of information and media outlets. The lack of plurality in sources of information is a serious obstacle for the functioning of democracy.” “The NBC Act and Broadcasting Code cannot and should not be used in a manner that is inconsistent and incompatible with plurality of voices, diversity of voices, non-discrimination, and just demands of a democratic society, as well as the public interest.” “Broadcasting is a means of exercising freedom of expression. Any restrictions on freedom of expression must meet the requirements of legality, necessity, and proportionality.” “The regulation of broadcasting must aspire to promote and expand