Contact Form

Name

Email *

Message *

Showing posts with label 2017 at 12:46PM. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2017 at 12:46PM. Show all posts

Saturday, 11 March 2017

Ife crisis: Ooni inaugurates truth and reconciliation committee (Read full details)

http://ift.tt/2ngPEwv

Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi has inaugurated a truth and reconciliation committee to ensure peace between the Hausa community and Yorubas in the ancient city.

Oba Ogunwusi inaugurated the committee in his palace on Saturday in Ile-Ife, Osun

Ooni described members of the Hausa community in Ile-Ife as his subjects and co-owners of the town with whom he has enjoyed tremendous loyalty in the last 14 months of his reign.

“Thank God for the normalcy, I commend Gov. Rauf Aregbesola, for being proactive and the security agents for their efforts towards ending the crisis” he said.

The royal father condemned the actions of those behind the fracas on Wednesday and expressed optimism that they will soon be apprehended and made to face the full wrath of the law.

He assured the residents that the situation had been brought under control by the government and promised that such mayhem will not be allowed to occur again.

The monarch admonished the Hausa community not to retaliate, saying that the Abuja motor park will be relocated from Sabo, while the police station will be located too.

The Monarch urged all the Yoruba people to always embrace the Hausa and other ethnic groups as their brothers to enjoy maximum peaceful co-existence.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Committee is chaired by Obalufe of Ireland, Oba Idowu Adediwura; other members are the Jaran of Ife, High Chief Ademola Adeyeye; Wasin of Ilare, High Chief Zacheus Olasode.

Others are: Seriki Hausa of Ife, Alhaji Mamuda Mandagali; Ezendigbo of Ife, Ezekiel Onyejekde; Okobairo of Urobo, David Akpomedaye; Chairman Modakeke Progressive Union, Alhaji Tajudeen Oke and security agencies, while Sen. Babajide Omoware is the adviser for the committee.

Vía Uzomedia http://ift.tt/2md55UE


Oluwashalom – Lamb Of God ft. Onos Ariyo [Mp3, Lyrics, Wiki, Bio]

http://ift.tt/2mdT3v9

The beautiful ballad delineate the ultimate sacrifice and the eventual victory that enthroned the Lamb. It affirms what it means for the believer and climaxes with eulogies to the Lamb of God. Below is Oluwashalom – Lamb Of God ft. Onos Ariyo.

Oluwashalom – Lamb Of God ft. Onos Ariyo

Vía Uzomedia http://ift.tt/2nb87Os


Thursday, 23 February 2017

Leicester City sacks Claudio Ranieri

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Claudio Ranieri has been sacked as manager of Leicester City just months after leading the club to the Premier League title, the Midlands side announced Thursday.

The Italian’s position has come under intense scrutiny this season during a slump that has left the Foxes, who started the 2015/16 campaign as 5,000/1 title no-hopers, just a point above the relegation zone and battling for top-flight survival ahead of this weekend’s matches.

Not even a gutsy 2-1 loss away to Sevilla in the first leg of a Champions League last 16 tie on Wednesday was enough to spare Ranieri the sack.

The Thai-owned club announced: “Leicester City Football Club has tonight (Thursday) parted company with its first-team manager, Claudio Ranieri.

“Domestic results in the current campaign have placed the club’s Premier League status under threat and the board reluctantly feels that a change of leadership, while admittedly painful, is necessary in the club’s greatest interest.”

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2l4Oyl2


Wednesday, 22 February 2017

Youth council gives South African Govt. 48 hours to address alleged killings

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has called on South African Government to address the issue of killings and maiming of innocent Nigerians in that country in the next 48 hours or face reprisal.

The council made the call in a letter signed by the President and Secretary of the council, Murtala Gamji and Gbenga Adedamola, on Wednesday in Abuja.

The letter was addressed to the South African President, Jacob Zuma, through the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr LL Mnguni.

Gamji, who made the call during a peaceful protest by members of the youth council at the South African Embassy in Abuja, described the act as barbaric and inhuman.

He said “the attention of NYCN has been drawn to the killing and maiming of Nigerians in your country.

“We want to say categorically that this is ugly, barbaric and inhuman and unacceptable to us and we will do everything within our power to resist it in totality.

“We have been good brothers to you for long and Nigerians do not deserve this ugly treatment in return.”

The Spokesman of the council, Gambo Jagindi, also said any failure to address the issue by the South African Government within the stipulated time would attract repercussion.

He said “at the expiration of the 48 hours, we would shut down all businesses belonging to South Africans in Nigeria.

“We, therefore, urge the South African Government to deal with the issue as a matter of urgency to avoid reprisal.”

Meanwhile, the Federal Government on Wednesday demanded compensation for Nigerians whose properties were destroyed in the xenophobic violence that took place at the weekend in South Africa.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, who stated this in Abuja at a news conference on the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, said Nigerian lives should be protected.

Nigerian buildings, businesses and places of worship worth millions of dollars were reportedly destroyed during the attacks in Pretoria West, South Africa on Feb. 18.

Onyeama, who said that the Federal Government had taken some measures to put a stop to the incessant attacks on Nigerians in that country, expressed worry on the alleged involvement of security agencies in the violence.

He said “we are doing a lot; we are engaging the South African Government and have summoned the South African High Commissioner, Mr Lulu Aaron-Mnguni to the ministry
over the issue.

“One of the things that were being said was that South African Police were accomplice in
some of the attacks, not just on Nigerians but other nationals.

 

The post Youth council gives South African Govt. 48 hours to address alleged killings appeared first on Vanguard News.

Vía Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2lGNfgh


2 Germans abducted in Kaduna, Police deploy personnel for rescue

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

The Kaduna State Police Command, on Wednesday confirmed the abduction of two Germans Archeologists working at the NOK Archeological Centre in Kagarko.

The Command Public Relations Officer, ASP Aliyu Usman told newsmen in Kaduna that the two Germans had been working at the centre for over 10 years.

“They have been working in the center for the past ten years. They were kidnapped at one of the excavation centres in Jenjela site in Kagarko Local Government Area.”

He said that the abduction, which occurred Wednesday morning was reported to the police by villagers.

“Presently the Police Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the command have been deployed to the area and is being assisted by patrol teams.

“In addition, the Police Special Forces deployed to southern Kaduna by the Inspector General of Police have also joined the search for the two Germans.”

Earlier reports had given the names of those abducted as Prof. Peter Breunig and Johannes Buringer.

The professor is the leader of a four-man team from the University of Frankfurt, Germany working in collaboration with the National Commission for Museum and Monuments on the relics of Nok culture in Nigeria.

 

The post 2 Germans abducted in Kaduna, Police deploy personnel for rescue appeared first on Vanguard News.

Vía Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2l9vB1z


Xenophobic attacks: FG demands compensation for Nigerian victims

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

The Federal Government on Wednesday demanded compensation for Nigerians whose properties were destroyed in the xenophobic violence that took place at the weekend in South Africa.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, who stated this in Abuja at a news conference on the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, said Nigerian lives should be protected.

Nigerian buildings, businesses and places of worship worth millions of dollars were reportedly destroyed during the attacks in Pretoria West, South Africa on Feb. 18.

Onyeama who said that the Federal Government had taken some measures to put a stop to the incessant attacks on Nigerians in that country, expressed worry on the alleged involvement of security agency in the violence.

“We are doing a lot, we are engaging with the South African Government; we have summoned the South African High Commissioner Mr Lulu Aaron-Mnguni to the ministry over the issue.

“One of the things that were being said was that South Africa Police are accomplice in some of the attacks, not just on Nigerians but other nationals.

“ We have communicated our deep concern to the South African Government if that is the case on this allegation, steps should be taken to ensure that the situation does not happen again.’’

According to him, Nigeria is also concerned about some inflammatory statements by South African politicians which can incite violence.

“This was brought to the attention of the South African Authority, and this has to stop.

“Security should be provided for Nigerians and that there has to be compensation for the victims.

“There are no lives lost, but there were injuries and damages, and we certainly expect that justice would be done; the perpetrators should also be brought to book,” he said.

Onyeama said the South African Government itself did not condone the attacks and had been doing everything to ensure that its citizen understand the role Nigeria played during their apartheid struggles

“The government of South Africa does not condone those actions, they have assured us that they are taking a number of measures to state again the friendship and brotherliness toward Nigeria.

“They have organised events to show what Nigeria did during their apartheid struggles.

“South Africa has been very keen to show determination to remind their people as a way of dousing the sensing of xenophobia,” he said.

 

The post Xenophobic attacks: FG demands compensation for Nigerian victims appeared first on Vanguard News.

Vía Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2lGHZJw


The Crisis we face in the Lake Chad Basin

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

GENEVA—I have lived in and worked in, loved, written and cared about Sub-Saharan Africa virtually my entire adult life.

And so, it is with great sadness that I say there are few phrases that today bring me closer to tears—or nearly have me choking, just trying to say them—than the three words: Lake Chad Basin.

To have worked so long and so hard to address the needs of the millions of men, women and children who live there—first as a diplomat and now with the International Organization for Migration, the United Nations migration agency—and help them forge a better future, and yet witness the tragedy unfolding there today is simply heart-breaking.

Yet continue to work, we must. Today, more than ever.
The Lake Chad Region is one of the fastest growing displacement crises in the region. Violence and conflict, insecurity and necessity to cover basic needs are sadly promoting the impoverishment and growing vulnerability of displaced and host and home communities alike.

And so, we will – starting Thursday (2/23) at the Oslo Humanitarian Conference on Nigeria and the Lake Chad Region—try once more to stem a humanitarian emergency that holds hostage the lives of millions and threatens generations to come.

The world largely overlooked the crisis coursing through north-eastern Nigeria and the Lake Chad region in 2016. Violent conflict and human suffering have marked Nigeria and parts of Niger, Chad and Cameroon for the better part of a decade. Boko Haram raids and suicide bombings targeting civilian populations have destroyed vital infrastructure, threatening entire economies and preventing people from earning their livelihoods. Widespread trauma, suffering and displacement count their victims in the millions.

With no end in sight to this crisis, humanitarian actors must call for concerted engagement of political, developmental and security actors to help stabilize the region and create conditions for people to survive and prosper.

Last summer, IOM conducted an opportunity mapping study of the region to identify suitable durable solutions. Based on the results of this exercise, IOM is implementing a program which allows selected Internally Displaced People, or IDPs, to choose new places to settle and conduct agricultural work in cooperation with the Chadian government. It is examples of programs like this that can help affected populations rebuild their lives, giving them a sense of hope and dignity.

But that is only a beginning. In Nigeria alone, 26 million people live in some affected areas. Humanitarian aid agencies like IOM today identify nearly 11 million people in dire need in the most affected areas of Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria. Over seven million people struggle with food security—with children representing a majority of those in need. IOM estimates there are 2.3 million displaced, a number that has tripled in just two years.

By meeting this week in Oslo, the co-hosts—Germany, Nigeria, Norway and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs— and partners working in and supporting the region will draw further attention to the needs outlined by the Humanitarian Response Plans of aid groups, as well as donor appeals for the respective countries.

The Conference will focus on three thematic areas: food security; protection and access; and education in emergencies.

Food security is paramount. Hunger and malnutrition rates in the region are alarming due to years of conflict, which has prevented people from raising staples like sorghum and maize. Food assistance and support for subsistence farming are crucial for food security.

Then there is the need for protection, especially for vulnerable women and children. Attacks on education infrastructure have been at the heart of the conflict, as reflected in the name Boko Haram, translated as “Western education is forbidden.” Hundreds, possibly thousands of schools have been eliminated, leaving an estimated three million schoolchildren adrift. That has contributed to even more violence—and the widening scourge of displaced women, many still children, being forced into arranged, “early” marriages, a form of gender based sexual violence that too many treat as a solution to starvation, instead of what it is: a true crime against humanity.

Today, at age 82, I can look back past more than a half a century, to 1963, when I first flew over Lake Chad—then the largest lake on the continent—to my first posting in Africa, and the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria. Ten years later, I was assigned to a posting much closer to Chad, at the Embassy in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, and after that to Nigeria.

In that bygone era, our concerns for Lake Chad had more to do with ways to make such a lush oasis an ever greater resource for its neighbors. Diplomats and their governments floated exciting schemes to divert water from the Ubangi River into the lake. The dazzling prospects of richer fishing, greater harvests and more prosperity across several countries are recalled now almost as if they were mirages in the desert, rumours of what might have been.

Instead of bringing wealth and stability to millions, Lake Chad’s surface has shrunk dramatically over six decades—feeding only the poverty that today feeds so much violence.
We meet in Oslo this week to save this once beautiful place. Let’s not miss our chance.

William Lacy Swing is Director General of the International Organization for Migration, the United Nations migration agency

The post The Crisis we face in the Lake Chad Basin appeared first on Vanguard News.

Vía Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2l9iA8e


Jumia Travel launches domestic, international flight services

FEC approves new policy on environment

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the revised National Policy on Environment.

The Minister of Environment, Mrs Amina Mohammed, announced this while briefing State House correspondents on Wednesday in Abuja on the outcome of the FEC meeting.

She said the policy framework would provide better opportunity to engage with states and local governments as well as communities in executing the priorities of the change agenda.

Cue in audio

“We took a memo to council today for the Revised National Policy on Environment.

“It was first formulated in 1991, and last revised in 1999 the second revision will be in 2017.

“It has really become imperative that we have this new policy framework.

“Because what we really wanted to do was to capture some of the emerging issues that have come since then as regards the environment.

“These concerns such as climate change, coastal erosion, desertification, erosion, pollution and insecurity that has been exacerbated by struggles for environment resources.

“And we see this in our country at all levels.

“What the policy does is to look at all the different inter-sectorial issues that we have, whether it relates with water, health, power and agriculture and bring them in to have a multi sector response to the environment.’’

Cue out audio

Mohammed said that the greater part of the policy sought partnership with the private sector and communities for sustainability of the environment.

The minister also said that the stakeholders looked at funding and issues associated with it.

She said the policy brings innovative ways of looking at financial frameworks to attract more resources to different aspects.

She mentioned renewable energy as a very big opportunity for the country to exit fossil fuels in power generation.

“However, it is the sector where the cost is often not reachable for majority of people and we are finding new ways of bringing that to fruition and making sure that the policy takes care of it.

“There are many issues within the policy environment and many Nigerians are asking what we are doing about it.

“The regulatory agencies coming together to look at the situation and making sure that the policy takes care of it.

“The regulatory agencies coming together to look at deforestation which is now at an alarming rate and has brought us below five per cent for its cover.

“There are issues on waste and how we can look at the producers’ responsibility,’’ she added.

The minister said government was also looking at the country’s diversity to see that many of its wetlands are opened up from some past constraints to strengthen livelihoods.

On the recent crisis in Delta over dump of toxic wastes and water pollution, Mohammed said the ministry had sent a team of regulatory agencies to the area to secure the site and find out who dumped the waste.

On her new job at the UN, she said that Nigeria signed many UN resolutions that could give the country partnerships to bring expertise and resources on development and climate change agenda.

According to her, being at UN brings Nigeria closer to decision making on a lot of global issues, including afforestation, deforestation programmes and renewable energy.

“We do have some major challenges that are considered a concern to the global village.

“So bringing from Nigeria real issues and some solutions that we know better than others can give us an edge to bring those solutions closer to fruition.

“I believe that in the next two weeks or so the UN Security Council should be visiting Nigeria.

“When it does we will be showing them exactly what the President has been highlighting, that nexus between poverty, conflict and climate change.

“They will visit the North East and they will see some of the root causes of our young people being dragged into the life of terrorism,’’ she said.

Mohammed noted that the programmes the ministry envisaged for NESREA on the reduction of carbon emissions in the FCT would continue up to 2019.

She added that the ministry achieved a major breakthrough in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Industry to reduce the Sulphur content in fuel.

According to her, Nigeria was getting 3,000 Parts Per Million (PPM) of sulphur to fuel, adding that this has been reduced to 50 PPM being the acceptable standard.

The minister said that the green bond project was on course and would be available by the end of April.

 

The post FEC approves new policy on environment appeared first on Vanguard News.

Vía Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2l9w2ZG


Saturday, 4 February 2017

Tellaman – Lucid Dream EP [ZIP + Lyrics]

http://ift.tt/2jMaMfU

p

Tellaman has released his much anticipated EP, Lucid Dreams.

The 11 track project features Nasty C, Frank Casino, Erick Rush and J.Something of Mi Casa with most tracks produced by Tellaman himself.

Stream and download the project below

DOWNLOAD

Vía Uzomedia http://ift.tt/2jMgsGY


Moozlie – Ride Or Die ft. Yung Swiss [Mp3, Lyrics, Wiki, Bio]

http://ift.tt/2kAsoLy

p

Moozlie comes through with a new party record hip hop record titled Ride Or Die featuring Yung Swiss.

The TV presenter-rapper raps about the love of her life that she loves and will do everything for. Listen to Moozlie pour her heart out in this new tune!

DOWNLOAD

Vía Uzomedia http://ift.tt/2jMeXs5


Wednesday, 1 February 2017

British MPs approve first stage of Brexit bill…Read full details

http://ift.tt/2jxaPMt

British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing street for the weekly Prime Minister's Questions session at the House of Commons in central London on February 1, 2017. British MPs are expected today to approve the first stage of a bill empowering Prime Minister Theresa May to start pulling Britain out of the European Union. Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS / AFP

British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing street for the weekly Prime Minister's Questions session at the House of Commons in central London on February 1, 2017. British MPs are expected today to approve the first stage of a bill empowering Prime Minister Theresa May to start pulling Britain out of the European Union.<br />Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS / AFP

British MPs on Wednesday approved the first stage of a bill empowering Prime Minister Theresa May to start pulling Britain out of the European Union.

MPs approved the bill, which would allow the government to trigger Article 50 of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty and formally begin two years of exit negotiations, by a margin of 498 to 114. It was the first Brexit-related vote in the House of Commons, with a second and final vote in the lower house set for next week.

The opposition Labour party ordered MPs not block the bill, but dozens rebelled. May is under intense pressure to push the bill through quickly, having promised EU leaders she would trigger Article 50 by the end of March.

She told MPs she would publish a long-awaited Brexit strategy paper on Thursday, opening it to parliamentary scrutiny while the Article 50 legislation makes its way through parliament.

“It will reflect the government’s plan for Brexit,” May’s spokeswoman told reporters.

The government had sought to exclude parliament, insisting it had the power to trigger Article 50 on its own, but the Supreme Court last week ruled it must consult lawmakers.

Most MPs campaigned to stay in the EU ahead of last June’s referendum, but as debate on the bill began Tuesday, many said they would accept the result, however reluctantly.

The bill could be delayed in the upper House of Lords, where May’s Conservative Party does not have a majority — and where the unelected peers have no fear of a public backlash.

– ‘Remainers’ divided –
A new survey revealed that MPs who campaigned to leave the EU are relatively united in what they want — whereas those who were on the other side have more diverse views.

Some 72 percent of Leavers favour controlling immigration or not paying into the EU budget over retaining access to Europe’s single market. This reflects May’s own position.

She has said she wants to end the free movement into Britain of people from the EU, a demand she acknowledges is incompatible with maintaining membership of the single market.

“Remainers are much more divided over what to prioritise — which may well make them less able to shape the debate,” said Anand Menon, director of the UK in a Changing Europe research programme.

The vast majority of Leavers (86 percent) also believe Britain will be able to make up for any loss in trade with the EU through other deals, whereas 71 percent of Remainers believe it cannot.

But Britain’s former ambassador to the EU on Wednesday warned that the bloc would likely take a “hard line”, demanding an exit bill of 40-60 billion euros ($43-$64.5 billion) as part of drawn out negotiations.

“This is a humongous negotiation and project,” Ivan Rogers told MPs. “I think it will take years to get to the other side of it.”

In a speech on Tuesday, Ken Clarke, who may be the only Conservative MP to vote against the Brexit bill, accused Leavers of pursuing a fantasy “wonderland”.

At just 143 words, the “European Union Notification of Withdrawal Bill” has been tightly drafted, making it difficult to amend either to delay the government’s plans or to tie its hands in the talks.

But May’s opponents are still trying, and dozens of amendments are scheduled for debate over three days in the House of Commons which begins on Monday. The bill will then move to the Lords for debate from February 20, with the government hoping for their approval by March 7.

Vía Uzomedia http://ift.tt/2jxi8nq


Tuesday, 24 January 2017

Gambia’s National Assembly revokes Jammeh’s state of emergency order

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Gambia’s National Assembly on Tuesday revoked a state of emergency declared by Former Leader Yahya Jammeh in an attempt to stay in power.

The move comes shortly before President Adama Barrow is expected to return to Gambia from neighbouring Senegal, where he sought refuge for security reasons.

West African troops were meanwhile securing the capital, Banjul, in preparation for Barrow’s arrival.

Jammeh, who ruled the small West African nation for 22 years with an iron fist, caused weeks of political impasse when he refused to step down after losing the Dec.  1 presidential election to Barrow.

Jammeh left for Equatorial Guinea on Saturday, after weeks of pressure from West African leaders to step down.

 

The post Gambia’s National Assembly revokes Jammeh’s state of emergency order appeared first on Vanguard News.

Vía Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2j24bOb


Man jailed 2 years or pay fine of N50,000 for defiling six-year-old girl

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

An Upper Area Court sitting in Gwagwalada on Tuesday sentenced one Moses Habilah, 29, to two years’ imprisonment for having canal knowledge of a six-year-old girl.

The presiding Judge, Alhaji Alhassan Kusherki, sentenced the convict after he had pleaded guilty to the offence.

He however, gave the convict an option to pay N50,000 fine.

The Prosecution Counsel, Mr Abubakar Tanko, told the court that Habilah, of Passo Village, was arraigned on a one count charge of procuring a minor.

He said that the act resulted to injury in her virgina, adding that N7,300 was spent at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital on her treatment.

Tanko said the offence contravened the provisions of section 275 of the Penal Code was reported at the Gwagwalada Police Station by one Queen Emmanuel of Passo village.

 

The post Man jailed 2 years or pay fine of N50,000 for defiling six-year-old girl appeared first on Vanguard News.

Vía Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2kpSCMX


Funds linked to Diezani: Court to deliver judgment Feb. 16

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

A Federal High Court in Lagos, on Tuesday, fixed Feb. 16 to deliver judgment in a suit by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seeking forfeiture of funds linked to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke.

Justice Muslim Hassan fixed the date after hearing arguments from counsels representing parties in the suit.

Justice Hassan had on Jan. 6, issued an interim order of forfeiture of the sum of 153.3 million dollars to the Federal Government, following an exparte application by EFCC seeking similar relief.

The EFCC had initiated the exparte application seeking an interim order, for the temporary forfeiture to the Federal Government of the sum, which it claims is linked to Diezani.

The court had also issued 14 days to any interested party to appear and prove the legitimacy of the monies, failing which the funds would be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, Mr Charles Adeogun announced appearance for Lawal, who is joined as respondent in the suit.

On the other hand, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo announced appearance for the EFCC.
Oyedepo informed the court that in line with its interim orders of Jan. 6, the EFCC had served same on Lawal.

He also informed the court that the order was also published in the Independence Newspaper of Jan. 12, in compliance with the orders of the court.

In response, counsel to Lawal, (Adeogun) confirmed the position, and added that he had filed a counter affidavit deposed to by Lawal, challenging the said forfeiture orders.

Arguing his application, he urged the court to issue an order, directing a refund of the sum of N9.08billion to his client on the grounds that same was obtained by coercion.

He argued that before such forfeiture orders could be made, two essential elements must be satisfied namely: “that the property in question is unclaimed, and that such property or funds forms proceeds of an unlawful act.’’

He said: “We became aware of the forfeiture order when the interim order was served on us; My client was never confronted with these sets of facts during his incarceration at the EFCC.

“After service of the orders, I requested for the statement of my client to the commission, but same was never given to me,” he said.

He argued that his client admitted having received the sum of 25 million dollars in clear dispensation of his duties, but was coerced by the commission to further admit receiving a total of 65 million dollars.

According to him, the sum of 40 million dollars was therefore, taken as an overdraft from his bank to offset the alleged extra sum.

He therefore urged the court to order the immediate refund of the sum to his client.

In his reply, Oyedepo submitted that the tenure of Section 17 of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offence Act made a property, which is reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime forfeitable to the Federal Government.

“Going by the facts and circumstances of this particular case, can it be said that the sum of N9.08 billion which is the naira equivalent of 40 million dollars was not reasonably suspected to form proceeds of a crime,” he queried.

He argued that Paragraph 4 of the applicant’s reply affidavit shows a meeting of the minds of some staff of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the respondent to launder funds.

“My lord, Paragraph 4 of our reply affidavit shows a meeting of the minds of one Gbenga Komolafe, former group Managing Director, Crude Oil Marketing Division NNPC, Prince Haruna Momoh, former group Managing Director, Petroleum Product Marketing Company, Umar Farouk Ahmed, Group Managing Director, Nigerian Product Marketing Company and Dauda Lawal, to launder funds on behalf of former petroleum minister, Diezani Allison Madueke.

“It will amount to contesting the obvious for Lawal to argue that he had no knowledge of the said sums,’’ he said.

Oyedepo argued that it was uncommon for a law enforcement agency like the EFCC to detain a person in its custody in perpetuity without an order of the court, adding that the statement of Lawal was lawfully obtained.

“The respondent was duly cautioned before he voluntarily made his statement at the commission, and his lawyer even appended, his signature further attesting to the fact that the statements were obtained voluntarily.

“So having freely volunteered a statement, he cannot urge my lord not to attach full probative value to his statement.

“I submit that the appropriate order in the circumstance is for the court to order a final forfeiture of the sum of N9.08 billion already surrendered by the respondent, to the Federal Government.

He also urged the court to order the forfeiture of other sums to which no claim had been laid.

“I urge the court to so hold,” he said.

After listening to the submission of counsels, Justice Hassan fixed Feb. 16 for judgment.

 

The post Funds linked to Diezani: Court to deliver judgment Feb. 16 appeared first on Vanguard News.

Vía Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2j1XhbL


Photos: Inauguration of Imo Air

Breaking: Staff, students of Turkish International school released

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

The staff and students of Turkish International Colleges, NTIC, located in   the Isheri area of Ogun State who were kidnapped last week have been released.

Read more at: http://ift.tt/2it048J

The post Breaking: Staff, students of Turkish International school released appeared first on Vanguard News.

Vía Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2j249Wz