Trouble in EFCC as fraud suspect dies in custody

Desmond Nunugwo, a suspect under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, passed away Friday few hours after he was taken into custody, the EFCC said in a statement. Mr. Nunugwo’s death was confirmed at the hospital where he was rushed after he suddenly took ill. The EFCC said he fraudulently obtained N91 million from an acquaintance after he tricked her into believing that he had high net worth business associates in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, who were at the verge of buying Nicon Insurance and convinced her of their disposition to help her stock fish business. Consequently, the acquaintance wired N91 million into Mr. Nunugwo’s nominated account (Mainagge General Merchants) in Diamond Bank. After the transfer of the funds, Mr. Nunugwo became evasive forcing the complainant to report the transaction to the EFCC. “Mr. Nunugwo was arrested in Utako, Abuja, at about 5.33pm on Thursday, June 9, 2016,” a statement signed by EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, said. “His statement was taken, where he admitted receiving the money from the complainant, with the additional information that he transferred N30m of the said money to Norway. But he could not explain the whereabouts of the balance of N61m. “The suspect was detained at about 7.30pm, in the absence of anybody to take him on bail. “Six hours later, he suddenly complained of discomfort and was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead,” the statement said. The commission said the incident had already been reported at the Wuse Police Station, where investigation into the cause of the sudden death has commenced.

FG to relocate govt offices to properties seized from looters

The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, has said that the Federal Government plans to relocate some of its Ministries, Agencies and Departments (MDA) into some recovered looted properties. Mrs. Adeosun said this on Friday in Abuja while briefing journalists after the Steering Committee of the Efficiency Unit meeting. The government says in the last one year it has seized billions of naira in cash and properties from corrupt public officials. The Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers had been advocating for adequate utilisation of confiscated properties. Mrs. Adeosun said the move to relocate the agencies was to reduce waste since the properties were empty. “The issuance of price guidelines and initiatives for reducing expenditure on rent on office and residential buildings will be the primary focus areas of the efficiency unit in coming months. “You may want to know that the average annual expenditure on rent for a three year period of 2012 to 2014 was N3.55 billion. “And to achieve that, we are already looking at using properties that were forfeited from recoveries and moving some of our agencies to occupy those properties rather than paying rent,’’ she said. Mrs. Adeosun said the Efficiency unit had already recorded success in cutting government overhead cost in areas such as travels, welfare, honorarium, sitting allowance, training, adverts and publicity as well as refreshments. “Major savings are expected when on-going engagement with the Bureau of Public Procurement on the pooling of MDAs demands for standard products such as vehicles, computers, diesel and others. “We plan to secure large discounts from suppliers and the issuance of Price Guidelines are developed and implemented. “Price Guidelines will ensure uniformity in the price at which MDAs purchase items, as well as transparency and value for money in the procurement process.’’ Mrs. Adeosun said she was working with states to ensure that they all established Efficiency Unit since 47.32 per cent of revenue that accrued to the federation goes to the states and local governments. President Buhari had set up the Efficiency Unit to review all Federal Government’s overhead expenditure to reduce wastage, promote efficiency and ensure quantifiable savings for the country. The Minister of Finance, Head of Service of the Federation, Accountant-General of the Federation, Auditor-General of the Federation and Director, Budget Office of the Federation are members of the committee. (NAN)

Abuja Hospital in trouble over Metu

A Federal High Court in Abuja has rebuked the National Hospital, Abuja, for transferring the treatment of the former spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh, to a Lagos hospital. Justice Okon Abang criticised the hospital when he ruled in an application for adjournment brought by Mr. Metuh’s Counsel, Emeka Etaiba, in Abuja on Friday. Mr. Abang said the matter was first adjourned on account of a medical report from the National Hospital, Abuja. He said though the National Hospital report did not state the bed rest duration, the hospital should have informed the court that the defendant had been transferred to another hospital. The judge decried the action of National Hospital, and threatened that because the court was treated with levity, it may not be inclined to receive any medical report from the hospital. “If I order investigation into the activities of the National Hospital regarding to Metuh’s medical report many heads will roll. “I have authority over the management of the hospital because they are under my jurisdiction. The management is not above this court and the law. “ They cannot treat this court with levity; National Hospital has a duty to explain to the court what led to the transfer of Metuh from National Hospital, Abuja, to another hospital in Lagos. “In any event, I have another medical report issued by Dr Olufemi Bankole from Lagos University Teaching Hospital that Metuh is on bed rest over back pains which he claimed,” the judge said. Mr. Abang said the medical report did not disclose the location of the hospital in Lagos. He adjourned till July 7 for continuation of trial. Mr. Metuh was arraigned by EFCC on allegations of receiving N400 million meant for fighting insurgency in the North-East from the office of former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki. He pleaded not guilty to the charge. At the resumed hearing Mr. Metuh’s Counsel, Emeka Etaiba, presented a medical report from the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital. The medical report was signed by Dr. Bankole, stating that Metuh was admitted in one of the private wards of the hospital. The report stated that the defendant was admitted on account of a waist pain he claimed to been suffering for the last two months, so he was currently on bed rest. Mr. Etiaba, therefore, appled for a two-week adjournment to enable Mr. Metuh recover and appear in court for his trial. The EFCC counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, did not oppose the application.

Nwabueze calls for confab of ethnic nationalities, truth commission

Renowned constitutional lawyer, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, SAN, yesterday, in his ancestral home Atani in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra state, said the only solution to the numerous problem facing Nigeria was the convocation of a national conference of ethnic nationalities, setting up of a truth and reconciliation commission and the restructuring of the federal system. He also said that the country should adopt a new constitution through a referendum as had been done in other countries of the world, for it to move forward. Prof. Nwabueze spoke during his 85th birthday celebration and his book presentation, entitled, ‘The National Question and Corruption.’ He said “although the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration convoked a national conference, but that is not the national conference I am suggesting. It is the one that will involve ethnic nationalities, where we have to sit down and tell ourselves the truth. Prof Nwabueze “We have to sit down and tell ourselves the truth, it is only when we sit down and look at ourselves and tell ourselves the truth, and it is only when we do that that we can move forward as a country.” He regretted that Igbo have suffered the consequences of not convoking restructuring of the federal system and not convoking a national conference of ethnic nationalities, adding that Igbo had been marginalized in Nigeria that they can no longer express their full potentials. The book reviewer, Prof. Charles Ilegbune in his speech said that Prof Nwabueze is nationally African, and globally acclaimed thorough bred law academician and intellectual. “He is an oracle, a progidy, an iroko, indeed a wizard, a star and a wonder-man in the discipline of law and especially in constitutional law exposition and application. “When Prof. Nwabueze writes or speaks in that area, the issue is definitely settled and any contrary view may well perch as an aberration or heresy. Prof. Nwabueze is indeed Nigerian Socrates, for a person in the frame of Prof. Nwabueze, it is not surprising that his writing and speaking enterprise radiate to all corners of the globe that have even the most tenuous connection with constitutional law. “As of this date, precisely for the past 53 years, since 1963, Prof Nwabueze has written and published a total of 32 books, all sole authored, including two in multiple volumes. His books share a common and abiding characteristics of being authoritative popular and incomparable, and there are no two Nwabuezes as yet in Nigeria in the discipline of law and academics. “I must here publicly acknowledge with pride and thanks that his very first two books, The Machinery of Justice in Nigeria and Constitutional Law of the Nigeria Republic, both respectively published in 1963 and 1964 were the books that ushered me into my law studies at the then University of Ife when I entered the university and provided me with the solid foundation that lubricated and assured my easy and unassailed progression to the end.” He said that Prof. Nwabueze seems to have been motivated to write his new book by the strong and abiding patriotic concern for the unity, stability and prosperity of Nigeria. He indicated this in the opening words of his preface to the book. Some of the Nigerians that graced the occasion were Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra state, former Governor Peter Obi, Chief Ike Nwachukwu, Chief Ebitu Ukiwe, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Prof Elochukwu Amuchazi, Prof Emeka Ike, Chief Simon Okeke, Chief George Obiozo, and several others.

Nigerian govt. insists on ‘masked’ witnesses in ex-NSA Dasuki trial

The federal government has again applied to the federal high court in Abuja for the protection of witnesses billed to testify against the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, in the criminal charges of unlawful possession of firearm arms and money laundering. In a motion on notice brought to the court on Wednesday, the government prayed the court for an order to shield the identities of the witnesses and that the record of proceedings not to be made accessible to the public. In the motion filed by federal government lawyer, Oladipo Opeseyi, the government also applied for an order to permit the witnesses to be addressed with pseudo names in the cause of the trial of the ex-NSA. The trial Judge, Adeniyi Ademola, had in February dismissed a similar motion on protection of witnesses brought to the court by the Federal Government on the ground that the motion was baseless and unwarranted. The judge said that the same government cannot ask for protection of witnesses having filed the charges and proof of evidence along with the names of the witnesses and put the same at the public domain for public consumption. Justice Ademola said in the ruling that the purpose of seeking protection in the earlier motion had already been defeated by government, having published the names of the witnesses and circulated same to different parties. The new motion premised the request on 10 grounds among which are that “Dasuki as a former NSA, a retired senior military officer and a crown prince of Sokoto Caliphate commands large followership throughout the length and breadth of Nigeria who maybe aggrieved by his trial.” The government also claimed that most of the witnesses were security personnel and had expressed fears of being identified by members of the public who are sympathetic to Mr. Dasuki. The government also claimed in the motion that Mr. Dasuki, while in office as NSA, imported into the country a large cache of highly sophisticated arms and ammunition for national security purposes that have not been accounted for. Besides, the government also alleged that a large amount ammunitions is believed to be in the possession of persons sympathetic to the former NSA. The government also said that the security of its witnesses would be violated if they are made to testify publicly without any protection. In a five paragraph affidavit deposed to by Emmanuel Ikpebe in support of the motion, the government said Mr. Dasuki served in the intelligence unit of the army and that a large quantity of ammunitions was found in his house when searched, in addition to various foreign currencies that the defendant could not explain the source. However, counsel to Mr. Dasuki, Joseph Daudu, told Justice Adeniyi Ademola that he had just been served with the motion and that he needed time to respond.

Ex-President Jonathan’s cousin, wife get N1 billion bail

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday admitted former President Goodluck’s cousin, Azibaola Roberts, and his wife, Stella, to bail in the sum of N500 million each. The Roberts were arraigned on Tuesday on a seven-count charge bordering on money laundering of 40 million dollars. The money was alleged to have been paid into their company, One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited, by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). Justice Nnamdi Dimgba had listened to arguments from both parties on Tuesday as to why bail should or should not be granted. The prosecuting counsel, Aliyu Yusuf, had argued that the defendants should not be granted bail and that the court should rather order an accelerated hearing of the case. Defence counsel Chris Uche, however, urged the court to grant them bail since the offences for which they were standing trial were bailable offences. Mr. Dimgba, in his ruling, held that there was no material evidence before the court to show that Roberts or his wife would jump bail or frustrate their trial. He said that the “Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, enjoins that the bail conditions shall not be excessive. “All things considered, I grant the defendants bail on the following terms: the defendants are admitted to bail in the sum of N500 million each and two sureties in like sum. “The sureties shall, in turn, enter a bail bond of the sum of N500 million; the sureties must be owners of property in Asokoro or Maitama District of Abuja,’’ Justice Dimgba said. The judge also said that the defendants would remain in prison custody until their bail conditions were met. The commencement of hearing in the case was adjourned till June 28, July 4 and July 5. A

Killing of woman in Kano: Northern govs, Ohanaeze, Okorocha, APC chairman meet …Condemn herdsmen’s menace & killings in the name of religion

By Chidi Nkwopara Governor Rochas Okorocha, his Kaduna and Bauchi States’ counterparts, Mallam Nasir El Rufai and Alhaji Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, and the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Oyegun, met yesterday, with leaders of Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo led by its President-General, Chief Gary Igariway in Owerri. Vanguard gathered that the discussions centred mainly on the beheaded Igbo woman in Kano State, the issue of herdsmen and the unity of the country. All of them harped on the need for the government and all patriotic Nigerians to see those behind these unlawful acts as criminals and common enemies of the nation and her people. In his contribution, Governor Nasir El Rufai said that “the Northern governors totally condemn the murder of the Igbo woman in Kano, stressing that the matter should be treated as a case of murder, while those responsible must be brought to face the wrath of the law”. Continuing, El Rufai said: “We will not accept a situation where people, either Christians or Muslims, hide under the umbrella of religion to commit crime. If someone had insulted God, the person should be left for God to take care of. I have advised the Kano governor to publicly deal with the people involved to serve as a deterrent to others.” He commended Ohaneze Ndigbo for choosing the path of peace and unity, pointing out that people are now using religion as a tool to divide and even defraud people. “That necessitated the introduction of religion bill in Kaduna so that people can be stopped from using divisive languages in the name of religion”, El Rufai said. Addressing the issue of herdsmen, the Governor said “it is a problem that is affecting the whole nation, adding that it is not a case of Fulani invading other tribes but a criminal activity that must be nipped in the bud”. Speaking also, the Bauchi State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar said “the killing of the woman in Kano was an evil act, pointing out that he had liaised with the Kano governor and he assured that arrests had been made and those responsible will face the full weight of the law.” On the herdsmen problem, he said, the problem has been in the North over the years and its occurrence in the South should not be seen as an act of invasion, but a criminal act that must be treated as such, adding that the traditional Nigeria Fulani herdsmen are not known to be criminally minded, but because of the country’s porous borders, herdsmen from other African nations, especially after the fall of Libya, entered Nigeria. The APC National Chairman, Chief Oyegun in his contribution said there were proofs that most of these crimes are being committed by foreigners and gave an instance of a Catholic priest in Benin, who was kidnapped and out of the number of those involved in his abduction only one was a Nigerian. “The nation has to rise to face these challenges squarely. I commend the leadership of Ohanaeze for their maturity in handling some of these sensitive issues,” Oyegun said. Earlier in his speech, the President-General of Ohaneze, Chief Igariway, expressed satisfaction with the way the governor of Kano State is handling the case of the Igbo woman beheaded in his state, and cautioned against inciting statements from leaders, even as he commended the goodwill demonstrated by the Kaduna and Bauchi State governors. Governor Okorocha said the killing of the woman in Kano State was an outright case of murder and has nothing to do with tribe or religion because what is criminal is criminal and must be treated as specified by law.