Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Thursday 27th February 2020
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 27/02/20
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E2%80%99s-drivers-petition-police-over-threat-life-him-wife Maina’s Drivers Petition Police Over Threat To Life By Him, Wife
Maina in court
Maina in court
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Abdul Ibrahim and Ibrahim Muhammad, former drivers to Abdulrasheed Maina, ex-Chairman of Pension Reform Task Team, have written a letter of complaint to the Nigeria Police Force over threat to life and intimidation by Maina and his wife, Laila.
The drivers, in the letter addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State, by their lawyers, claimed that Maina, currently remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre, has been issuing death threats to them for granting an interview to operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in the ongoing case against him.
Maina is currently standing trial on a 12-count charge of money laundering to the tune of over N2bn preferred against him by the EFCC.
The duo of Ibrahim and Muhammad said that sequel to the arrest of Maina, they were apprehended by the EFCC, detained and interrogated.
They however, raised the alarm that after speaking with the anti-graft agency, they had received death threats from Maina’s family.
They also said that the police was used to intimidate their relatives and that they had been forced to go into hiding to remain alive.
The letter reads, “Sequel to the release of the complainants, they began to receive series of threats to life, contempt and ridicule.
“Sometimes in December 2019, the second suspect (Maina’s wife), called the attention of Ibrahim and threatened to deal with him because he had become a traitor by pinpointing her husband’s property and cars to EFCC operatives.
“On January 24, 2020 around 11:00pm, Ibrahim received a phone call from a restricted number threatening to kill him wherever he was found.
“On January 27, 2020 around 7:00pm, the private security of Maina went to Ibrahim’s house and asked his whereabouts.
“Both complainants feel intimidated and fear for their lives.
“We urge you to thoroughly investigate this matter with a view to apprehending the suspects and bring them to justice.”
Maina’s Drivers Petition Police Over Threat To Life By Maina, Wife by Sahara Reporters on Scribd
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EFCC Arraigns Ighalo Over N1.75m Scam
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned one Patrick Ighalo before Justice J.K. Omotosho of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, over a N1.75m scam.
Ighalo was arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretence.
One of the counts reads, “That you Patrick Ighalo and Raymond Otamere Ibie between 10th and 15th of April, 2015 at Port Harcourt, within the jurisdiction of the court with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of N1.75m from one Evelyn Obene under the false pretence that the sum was an investment in an oil business and which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)( a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”
When the charges were read to Ighalo, he pleaded not guilty.
In view of the plea of the defendant, the prosecution counsel, R.E. Alao, prayed the court for a new date for trial while the defendant was remanded in Port Harcourt Correctional Centre.
However, the defence counsel, T.J. Kurukurugbor, asked the court to grant his client bail.
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Nigerian Senate Fixes Date For Public Hearing On Anti-Social Media Bill
The Nigerian Senate has fixed March 9, 2020 for a public hearing on the bill to regulate social media usage in Nigeria.
The bill titled ‘Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulations Bill, 2019’, which was sponsored by Senator Mohammed Musa, is on course to become a law in the country.
Chairman of Senate Committee on Judiciary and Legal Matters, Opeyemi Bamidele, made the announcement on Wednesday.
As part of the public hearing, stakeholders and interested members are requested to submit 20 hard copies and a soft copy of their memoranda to the committee’s secretariat before March 6.
The bill, since its introduction, has been under scrutiny from Nigerians, who have expressed displeasure at its emergence.
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E2%80%94okei-odumakin Rehabilitation Of Boko Haram Insurgents Signals Recycling Of Terrorism In Nigeria —Okei-Odumakin
Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, Convener of Nigerians Unite Against Terror, has described a bill seeking to create an agency that would see to the rehabilitation, deradicalisation and integration of repentant Boko Haram terrorists in the country as a means of recycling terrorism.
Okei-Odumakin stated that one of the major roles of elected politicians was to keep the country safe.
She said, “We strongly feel that the bill offers further concessions to Boko Haram militants still terrorising the country which would further embolden them.
“There is an insinuation that terrorism in the entire North-East was raised and promoted by some politicians.
“What started as recruitment and indoctrination of young minds against the value system of Western world, has now snowballed into killing innocent civilians and uniformed men irrespective of creed and religion.
“We rise in unison as a people of conscience and condemn such cruelty and assault on our collective value for life.”
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JUST IN: Soldier Kills Four Colleagues, Self In Borno
A Nigerian soldier serving at Army Super Camp 15 located at Malam Fatori, Borno State, has killed four of his colleagues in Borno State.
The unnamed soldier also killed himself after committing the act.
Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sagir Musa, revealed this on Wednesday evening.
Musa said that the incident happened in the early hours of Wednesday.
He said, “A corporal of the Nigerian Army serving at Theatre Command Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Army Super Camp 15, Malam Fatori, went berserk in early hours of February 26, 2020 and opened fire, killing four of his colleagues before shooting himself.
“Two of his colleagues were also injured during the incident and are currently in stable condition in our hospital in Maiduguri.”
He added that investigation into the case had begun to determine circumstances leading to the killings.
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Displaced Persons Protest Over Lack Of Food, Water In Adamawa
Internally Displaced Persons at the Fufore International Transit Camp in Adamawa State on Wednesday staged a protest over lack of food, water and other supplies.
The affected persons used the occasion to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to make their communities safer for them to return home.
The camp housing more than 1500 displaced persons, is located near the Nigeria/Cameroon border.
Leader of the protesters, Umar Bakura, told journalists that the National Emergency Management Agency had not made any supply to the camp for the past four months.
Bakura added that cases of acute malnutrition were already affecting children in the camp.
He said, “For the past four months, we have not received any food from NEMA.
“We are about 1,500 IDPs living in the camp and mostly from Bama, Gwoza and Ganboru all from Borno State.
”We also have children, elderly people and orphans living with us in the camp.
“President Muhammadu Buhari should intervene and evacuate us back to our respective local government areas in Borno State.”
When contacted, NEMA’s Operational Officer, Midala Anuhu, said the agency was aware of their plight and making efforts to address the situation.
He said, “The agency is aware of the situation however; it was last December we provided them with food.
“We have forwarded their case to our headquarters in Abuja and are still waiting for approval.
“Anytime we are given the directive from the top to supply food, we will do so because we have food in our store in Yola.”
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Court Remands Indian, Others For Allegedly Forging SON Receipts
The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the remand of an Indian and two others for allegedly forging Standards Organisation of Nigeria receipts.
Chucks Okeke, Omkar Shinde, Shittu Adedeji and a company, Everchem Paints Nigeria Limited, were arraigned before Justice Saliu Saidu on a three-count charge of forgery.
Senior State Counsel, Olofindare Adeleke, alleged that Okeke and Shinde, an Indian, and Everchem Paints, forged 15 SON receipts on February 12, 2020 at Close 6, House 4 Satellite Town, Lagos, and at 110/114 Oshodi Apapa Expressway, Isolo.
He said the defendants committed the alleged offence “with Intent to use the false documents as genuine”.
SON said Okeke and Shinde forged receipts numbered TCI/S621 dated 17/10/2016; TCI/5523 (16/11/2016), TC1/5524 (16/11/2016), TCI/1008 (12/04/2018), TCI/1366 (21/06/2018), TCI/268 (22/02/2018), TCI/1161 (10/05/2018), TCI/ 1008 (04/04/2018) and TCI/SS40 (13/01/2017).
Others are TCI/348 (12/03/2018), TCI/50127 (22/11/2017), TCI/4381 (30/11/2017), TCI/50128 (22/11/2017), TCI/57542 (28/06/2017) and TCI 50128 (22/ 11/2017).
The prosecution said it was with the “intention of causing the forged documents to be believed to have been issued by SON and use same as genuine.”
SON said Adedeji, on February 12 at 2, Morebise Egan, Igando, “did present false documents to SON officials, which you knew or have reason to know same to be false with intent to use the false documents as genuine”.
The alleged offence is contrary to Section 465 and punishable under sections 467 and 516 of the Criminal Code Act CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
The defendants pleaded not guilty.
Defence counsel, E.O Pobeni (for the first defendant), Tiwalade Aderoju (for the second and fourth defendants), and I. C. Ituma (for third defendant), told the court that they filed bail applications on their clients’ behalf.
Justice Saidu ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre.
He adjourned that case until March for hearing of the bail applications.
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Brazil Records First Case Of Coronavirus
The health ministry in Brazil has confirmed the first Coronaviros patient in the country.
According to AFP, the ministry on Wednesday said a Sao Paulo resident was diagnosed with the disease.
The 61-year-old patient had returned on February 21 from the Lombardy region of Italy, the epicentre of an outbreak in the European country, Brazil’s Health Minister, Luiz Henrique Mandetta, said.
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BREAKING: Supreme Court Upholds Ruling On Bayelsa Governorship Election
The Supreme Court has upheld its earlier decision that sacked David Lyon as governor-elect of Bayelsa State and declared Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party as authentic governor of the state.
The disputed judgment was delivered on February 13, barely 24 hours to the inauguration of Lyon and his running mate, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo.
The five-man panel of the court led by Justice Mary Peter-Odili disqualified Degi-Eremienyo for presenting fake academic credentials to the Independent National Electoral Commission to contest the election.
The court as a result of this, nullified the joint ticket held by the APC candidates.
In a lead judgment delivered by Amina Augie, the court held that the grounds for review of the application lacked merit.
She said, “The decision of this court is final. It is final forever and no force on earth can force this court to change its decision on Bayelsa.”
Earlier, Afe Babalola, counsel to Lyon, faulted the decision of the apex court for voiding the election of the party on the grounds that cause of action was not brought into the picture.
While conceding that the apex court cannot review its decision, he however, maintained that it can set aside its own judgment.
Babalola stressed that the judgment was a nullity as it was in breach of his applicant’s right to fair hearing, adding that it was adequate grounds for the decision to be set aside.
On his part, Wole Olanipekun, counsel to the APC, said the apex court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter in the first instance.
He added that the judgment of February 13, 2020 was a human error.
PDP’s counsel, Tayo Oyetibo, in his own argument, maintained that the Supreme Court remained the highest court in the land.
He submitted that the application of Lyon and the APC was a call to violate the Nigerian constitution.
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Coalition Of Lawyers Asks EFCC To Revisit Case Of Forgery Against Nigerian Minister
The Coalition of Public Interest Lawyers and Advocates has written the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to reopen the case of forgery against Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Mr Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah.
The group, in the letter to the commission, held that revisiting the case would be in the interest of equity and justice.
COPA stated that Ogah was accused by one Mrs Bridget Adeosun, Managing Director of Mut-Hass Petroleum Limited, who submitted a petition to the EFCC, claiming that Ogah forged her signature on a document to validate a non-existent Memorandum of Understanding between his company, Masters Energy Oil and Gas and Mut-Hass Petroleum Limited sometime in 2011.
The advocacy group added that Ogah was arraigned in court but the case was withdrawn following the order of the Inspector-General of Police.
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Absence Of Magistrate Stalls Uche Ogah’s Alleged Forgery Case
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“It is on public record that the allegation of fraud and forgery against Ogah was thereupon taken to the magistrate court on a criminal charge by the Nigeria Police Force ostensibly to prosecute the accusation but was later withdrawn at the instance of the then Inspector-General of Police to allow them gather more evidence. Since then, the matter has been shelved while the perpetuated fraud remains unaddressed.
“It was therefore a relief when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, acting on Mrs Adeosun’s petition against Ogah on the same material facts of fraud and forgery, picked up the accused right after the case was withdrawn from court by the Nigeria Police Force and invited him over for a series of interrogation.”
COPA alleged that since taking over the case, the EFCC had failed to record any tangible progress or make public the results of its findings and investigation.
It also stated that the public hoped that the EFCC would be on top of their game and be adept in reaching a resolution wherein justice would have been done in the matter.
The coalition said, “The alacrity and intensity with which it commenced investigation into the allegation of fraud against Ogah fizzled out however, in a manner reminiscent of the police’s abrupt and ill-intentioned withdrawal of same from adjudication.
“The impression on the public and the direct victims of this fraud is that your agency, like the police, may be protecting the interest of a man of clear influence and wealth at the cost of justice.
“There is gain stating that the anti-corruption fight of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration relies heavily on the capacity, objectivity and efficiency of the EFCC.
“In many ways, the successes in the fight against corruption is traced back to the firm approach of this agency to corruption matters in a manner that is hoped to dispel fear of selective prosecution.
“By refusing to act on a petition that has languished unattended with your agency, the impression is made that there are indeed sacred cows in the corruption fight of this administration and this agency.”
COPA noted that there is an urgent need for expedited action on the petition against the minister as his office does not grant him immunity from investigation and subsequent prosecution.
It said, “The allegations against him are grave and negatively impacts the image projected by the President Buhari government.
“The EFCC must rise above the cronyism and partisanship that has crippled a great many other institutions of state and show itself as a shining light in the anti-corruption fight in the country.”
COPA also demanded that the anti-graft agency “revisit and revise the case file against Ogah.
“EFCC must shun the implicit duress of Ogah’s political connections and office, and should act in the interest of equity, fairness and justice in this matter forthwith.”
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