Sahara Reporters Latest News Thursday 29th August 2019

Sahara Reporters Latest News Thursday 29th August 2019

Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 29/08/19

target=_blank>Policemen Accused of Brutalising FUTA Student To Face Disciplinary Action Thursday

The police officers accused of maltreating a female student of the Federal University of Technology Akure in Ondo State would now face a disciplinary panel on Thursday, Sahara Reporters has learnt.
It was gathered that two out of the policemen have been found culpable and have questions to answer from their superiors.
The erring policemen, who are from the A Division of the State Police Command, had last week Saturday brutalised Sheba Ogbu.
The undergraduate was returning from a place she had gone to when she was accosted by the policemen.
Speaking to Sahara Reporters, a source at the police headquarters said the policemen would be invited for questioning and grilled over their involvement in the case.
“The officers would go through an orderly room trial tomorrow (Thursday) at the Ondo Police Command headquarters in Akure.
“They shall be facing the panel and will explain what actually transpired during the incident.
“The Police Commissioner has ordered that all the parties involved in the matter should be made to appear too.
“The CP has already vowed not to sweep this case under the carpet.”

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target=_blank>ICPC To Prosecute Disability Advocate Over N1.7bn Fraud

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has asked a Senior Magistrate Court in Abuja to grant an order for the remand of the National Coordinator, Federal Civil Service Staff with Disabilities Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Iliasu Abdul-Rauf, in prison custody over his alleged involvement in N1.7BN fraud.
In a statement signed by the spokesperson of ICPC, Rasheedat Okoduwa, on Wednesday, the anti-graft agency also accused Abdul-Rauf of abducting 14 females between the ages of 11 and 33 years at his residence during a search by operatives of the commission.
Abdul-Rauf is currently on the wanted list published on the website of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission demanding for information concerning HIS whereabouts.
He was accused of allegedly collecting N1.7BN under the guise of awarding contracts for the establishment of rehabilitation centres in the states of the Federation.
According to the statement, the ICPC said Abdul-Rauf is currently under arrest by the commission for alleged involvement in multiple corrupt acts, including bribery, breach of trust, criminal misappropriation and other frauds running into hundreds of millions of naira.
The agency said he allegedly used his position to scam contractors into donating cash and items such as wheelchairs, crutches for persons living with disabilities.
The statement added, “The ICPC hereby uses this opportunity to urge contractors and businessmen to always verify the genuineness and authenticity of contracts offered or proposed to them with relevant government agencies in order not to fall victim of fraudsters like Abdul-Rauf.”

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target=_blank>Flood Destroys 300 Houses In Buhari’s Hometown

At least 300 houses were destroyed by flood in Daura, hometown of President Muhammadu Buhari in Katsina State.
The News Agency of Nigeria said some of the houses were brought down while water submerged several others.
Affected Residents had since fled the town while some were seen trying to rescue some of their items.
The flood was said to have been occasioned by several days of rainfall with the mass of still water bringing down some houses on Wednesday.
A source blamed the incessant flood on the lack of drainage system in Daura and urged the local, state and federal governments to “do something urgently to check the trend”.
Acting Chairman of Daura Local Government Area, Abba Mato, who spoke on the disaster, described this year’s flood as “one of the worst ever witnessed in the area”.
He listed areas worst hit to include Kusugu, Sabongari, Sarkin Yara and Mazoji.
Mato said the floods affected houses, shops and farmlands, adding that most of the affected buildings were erected on flood-prone areas.

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target=_blank>Court Restrains APC From Adopting Direct Primary In Bayelsa

A Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Yenagoa, the capital, has granted an interim order restraining the All Progressives Congress from adopting direct primary for the rescheduled August 31 governorship primary.
Justice E. G. Omukoro granted the order upon hearing a motion ex-parte, according to a report by PUNCH.
The applicants are Japan Christopher, Evinson Oyindeyinfa, Oddu Ovinmiebi and Obiriki Isaiah.
They had sued for themselves and also on behalf of concerned members of APC in Bayelsa.

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target=_blank>El-Zakzaky Wants To Turn Nigeria Into Islamic State, Nigerian Government Alleges

The Nigerian Government has accused leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, of planning to turn Nigeria into an Islamic country.
The government made the claim in a counter-affidavit deposed by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Enyinnaya Adiogu, in Abuja.
The court document also stated that the IMN members do not recognise the authority of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The affidavit reads, “That from history and facts available, the Islamic Movement IN Nigeria founded by El-Zakzaky has its sole aim of creating an Islamic state.
“That Sheik El-Zakzaky was heavily influenced by the Iranian revolution, which saw Ayatollah Khomeini take power in 1979 after the overthrow of the Shah in a popular uprising.
“Khomeini remains the Islamic Movement in Nigeria’s main inspiration.
“That members of IMN first pledge allegiance to Khomeini at their gatherings, and then to their local leader, Sheikh Zakzaky.
“The IMN views itself as a government, and Sheikh Zakzaky as the only legitimate source of authority in Nigeria and it does not recognise the authority of the Nigerian Government, and views its leaders both Muslims and Christians as corrupt and ungodly.
“That till date, Sheikh El-Zakzaky enjoys the support of Iran in all the activities of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, including the agenda to make Nigeria an Islamic state.”
IMN is challenging its proscription by a court in July – a development that led to massive protests and clash between members and security agencies.

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target=_blank>We’ll Address Killings Of Nigerians, South African President Assures Buhari

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa speaks to Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari (R) at the State House in Abuja, Nigeria

VOA

The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, has said his government will address the killings of Nigerians in his country.
He made the promise to President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday at the ongoing Tokyo International Conference for Africa Development in Yokohama, Japan.
He said he was very upset about the killings of Nigerians in South Africa, adding that the country’s criminal justice system was looking to proffer lasting solutions.
He said, “On the issue of Nigerians who are dying in South Africa, we feel very upset about that.
“Obviously, our criminal justice system is working on it. We don’t support killings.
“Nobody should ever be killed but it’s also good to use this opportunity in Japan to renew the bond between us.
“We know we have to play key roles in the overall development of the continent.”

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target=_blank>EFCC Arrests Lawyers Over N20m Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Ilorin, Kwara State, has arrested three lawyers allegedly involved in defrauding a pastor of his property worth N20m.
The pastor, Adetunji Adedoyin, was duped when the suspects – Salman Rafiu, Sulyman Abaya and Saka Hammed – obtained a court order fraudulently and sold his property without his permission.
According to The Nation, Adedoyin claimed that the lawyers never gave him the chance to defend himself in the legal proceedings they instituted against him.
He said, “I was informed that I was served summons all through the court proceedings whereas it was Salman who picked and arranged his colleagues, Abaya Sulyman and Saka Hammed, to stand for me and these lawyers forged my signature on some documents purporting to consent in court to the sale of my hostel.
“The truth of the matter is, I never set my eyes on these people prior to or during the court proceedings, neither did I participate directly or indirectly in the proceedings. I also was not aware of the proceedings from the beginning to the end.
“Earlier in 2016, after seeking advice on what to do, I engaged a lawyer, Victor Okojie, in Ilorin to pursue justice for me because all attempts I made failed.
“Okojie later linked me up with the buyer Na’ Allah and the buyer’s lawyer, Ayodele Olarewaju, felt my pain and explained that he had spent about N12.5m for the acquisition of my property.
“He said he was willing to release it only if I can pay back the money.
“The hostel was taken over again in March 2019 by the alleged buyer through his lawyer on the grounds that I have not paid the outstanding balance.”
However, a source in the EFCC said other people involved in the fraudulent act will be arrested.

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target=_blank>Nigerian Held In India For Overstaying With Fake Passport

A Nigerian, Ndukwe Ibe, has been arrested by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch in India for entering the country allegedly with a fake passport and overstaying.
Ibe, 35, was initially deported from India in 2015 for overstaying, forcing the immigration in that country to place him on a watch list.
However, on August 2, he arrived at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to take a flight to Turkey.
His passport identified him as Kouame Aristide, an Ivory Coast citizen, but upon careful examination, immigration officials found the passport to be fake and that his real name was Ibe.
Police said he had visited India thrice using the fake passport he procured from Ivory Coast.

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E2%80%99s-foi-request target=_blank>River State Government Refuses To Respond To Group’s FOI Request

Leadership Ng

The Rivers State Government has kept mum over requests sent to it under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act to explain why certain projects under Governor Nyesom Wike have remained abandoned.
This is despite a 2018 ruling by the Court of Appeal mandating all states of the federation to reply all FOI’s sent to them.
The Anti-corruption Network, a coalition of civil society organisations investigating abandoned projects in the Niger Delta, had in letters dated June 27 2019, made FOI requests to the offices of the Bureau of Public Procurement, the Auditor-General and the Accountant-General in Rivers.
The coalition says it received no response after waiting for the mandatory seven days as stipulated by section 4 of the act.
Following the long silence from all three departments, the CSO sent a reminder to them on July 25 2019.
But instead of responding, Simeon Nwakudu, one of Governor Wike’s Special Advisers, said that the administration doesn’t flout FOI requests, adding that all those sending such were agents of the All Progressives Party.
Attempts to make him speak further by our correspondent proved abortive as he soon dropped the call.

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Condemnation Trails Appointment Of Bashir Magashi As Defence Minister Despite 2006 Involvement In $550, 000 Theft

Nigerians have condemned the appointment of Bashir Magashi as Minister of Defence despite his involvement in the stealing of $550, 000 public funds in 2006, according to a report by Premium Times.
Magashi, 74, a close friend of former military dictator, Sani Abacha, served as a military governor of Sokoto State from 1990–1992.
He was also appointed Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna in 1998.
Magashi’s improprieties was exposed in 1999 after then President, Olusegun Obasanjo, hired a Swiss lawyer, Enrico Monfrini, to track and repatriate funds stolen from Nigerian coffers.
Monfrini discovered Magashi had stashed away stolen funds at the Jessey, United Kingdom, branch of Bank PNP Paribus. The account had $550,000 (about N200m at N362 to a dollar).
On October 26, 2006, the National Security Adviser via memo NSA/A/225/I/C, updated Obasanjo on the cases of Magashi and four others.
The account (held for Magashi) has a total deposit of $550,000 and it remained intact until it was frozen in 2001.
The NSA confronted Magashi, who admitted wrongdoing, saying the money was a proceed of illegal crude oil allocation Abacha made to members of the Provisional Ruling Council under his government.
The officer was not a registered oil trader at the time and being a public servant, it was illegal for him to directly engage in private businesses.
Reacting to the development on Wednesday, some Nigerians on Twitter condemned the President Muhammadu Buhari administration for selecting Magashi as minister.
According to @Dann_10, “When those in public offices have alleged criminal records or hidden secrets home and abroad, expect the international community to view your country as one being led by unworthy people that can’t be trusted.
“The image of the country is dented not only by fraudsters, also by these fellas.”
Aminu Bello tweeting @AbBaminu32, said, “I’m beginning to lose confidence in this is govt.
“Why is it that any criminal is giving a portion to continue the deadliest act of looting?
“Eighty per cent of the present cabinet members are thieves. Some are quashed off their trials as they join the party. This is bad!”
@EkpedemeUkpong said, “I never expected anything different from this from a so called corruption fighting government.
“Yet, some people will continue support this government of thieves. We deserve what we got because we have refused to learn from our mistakes.”
Abba Umar Madaki tweeting @Abbamadaki said, “It’s not just one man, a handful of them stole from Nigeria and now they are in the corruption fighting cabinet of Buhari.”