EFCC's fraud allegations are false, says Saraki | Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News

EFCC's fraud allegations are false, says Saraki | Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News

Former Nigeria Senate President Bukola Saraki said the allegations made against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that led to the interim forfeiture of his Ilorin home were false.
“The EFCC’s claim that the Ilorin property was built by any proceed of fraud is outrightly false,” Saraki’s spokesman Yusuph Olaniyonu said in a statement.
Saraki said the interim forfeiture is an abuse of the court process and a violation of a subsisting order of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Monday ordered for interim forfeiture of Saraki’s Ilorin residence.
EFCC alleged that the property located at 1, Abdulkadir street, G.R.A, Ilorin, Kwara State was acquired through the proceeds of unlawful activity.

But Saraki said the Federal High Court in Abuja presided by Justice Taiwo Taiwo had given an order “restraining the respondents (EFCC) by themselves, their subordinates, agents, servants, or privies howsoever, from seizing, impounding, taking over, confiscating or otherwise forfeiting the Applicant’s (Saraki) right to own and peacefully enjoy any of his assets and properties”.
Saraki explained that the Ilorin property was built partly by the Kwara State Government pursuant to the Third Schedule of the Governor and Deputy Governor (Payment of Pension) Law 2010 which Saraki personally funded the remaining cost of the building.

He said there are existing letters from the Office of the Head of Service of Kwara State that notified him of the State Government’s compliance with the State Pension for Governor’s law and the one indicating his intention to bear the cost of the additional expenditure that will arise from building the property to his desired taste dated 25th January 2012 and 8th February 2012 respectively.
Saraki added that the construction of the building did not commence until the last few weeks of his tenure as Governor and the bulk of his contribution to the funding were made with cheques.

“So, where is the claim that the money for the construction of the house fraudulent obtained from Kwara State Government coming from? It should also be noted that the land on which the house is built is not a government allocated land.”

Saraki accused the EFCC of playing politics and aims to witch-hunt him.
The former Kwara State governor said he will challenge the matter in court.

NAF fabricates auxiliary power unit test stand for C-130H aircraft

NAF fabricates auxiliary power unit test stand for C-130H aircraft

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has recorded another feat in the area of Research and Development (R & D), with the successful fabrication of a GTCP85 Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) Test Stand for the C-130H aircraft fleet.

Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.
Daramola said the local production of the Ground Support Equipment (GSE) was carried out by personnel at 631 Aircraft Maintenance Depot (631 ACMD) Ikeja.

“The local production is another innovative project that would facilitate the operations of the C-130H fleet, thereby enhancing its availability for logistics missions.
“The feat is coming barely a month after the successful local production of the hydraulic diaphragm for the L-39ZA aircraft fleet at the 403 Flying Training School, Kano,” he said.

He said the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar while inaugurating the APU on Monday, said that the NAF had continued to develop human capacity through robust and result oriented training.
Abubakar said that the training has had a tremendous impact on its R&D efforts to develop indigenous technological solutions to engineering and technical problems.

He said, in a bid to ensure the continued development of local capacity, the NAF has entered into partnerships with a host of local and international organisations as well as academic institutions, including some Nigerian Universities.

The air chief said the local production of the APU Test Stand was a product of these initiatives and was in line with the commitment to reinforce the culture of self-reliance through R&D.

“I am equally happy to note that the equipment stands out among its kind. The use of this equipment will save the nation huge foreign exchange and has equally repositioned the Depot for better service delivery.

“It is quite important to state that our modest accomplishments so far have greatly enhanced the serviceability of our aircraft holding, thereby enabling us to project Air Power not only within our country but also beyond the shores of Nigeria.

“The NAF thus stands ready to continue to fulfill its primary responsibility whilst also providing aid to civil authority in whatever roles that may from time to time be required,” he assured.
Abubakar also implored aircraft engineers not to rest on their oars but to continuously conduct research so as to keep pace with technological advancements in the world with a view to providing solutions to various challenges.

Earlier, Onilede disclosed that the APU test stand was fabricated by personnel who were trained on equipment at the reactivated Machine Tools and Structural Repair Workshops of the Unit.

According to him, the APU test stand is a unique Aircraft GSE designed to serve many purposes such as ground power unit to supply electrical power for the aircraft, air cart to produce bleed air to start aircraft engines as well as test the C-130 generator.
Onilede further disclosed that, with the Test stand, the capacity of 631 ACMD to maintain and repair the APU has been greatly enhanced.

The Commander said APU Test Stand has been used to repair one unserviceable APU in the Unit.
He said most of the parts used to fabricate the test stand were sourced locally while those requiring machining were machined in the reactivated Machine Tools Workshop without any foreign assistance.
The statement disclosed that the Team that fabricated the APU was composed mainly of young officers led by Flight Lieutenants (Flt.-Lt.) Olajide Oyekunle and Gabriel Onoh. (NAN)
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Detained in UAE, ex-AGF Adoke writes INTERPOL, asks to be freed

Detained in UAE, ex-AGF Adoke writes INTERPOL, asks to be freed

A former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, has written the general secretariat of INTERPOL in France to demand his release.
INTERPOL arrested Mr Adoke, who is on trial for corruption in Nigeria, on November 11 in Dubai.
He has been detained in the UAE since then.
In a letter, dated November 28 and seen by PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday, Mr Adoke described his arrest and current trial as political persecution by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and an abuse of court orders.
Following Mr Adoke’s alleged involvement in the controversial Malabu oil deal, the anti-grraft agency sought to prosecute him and other suspects.
However, the former attorney-general was on the run and was on self-exile.

Mr Adoke played a key role in a 2011 agreement that saw the transfer of OPL 245, a rich oil block, to Shell and Eni. In return, about $1.1 billion went to Malabu, a shady company then controlled by a former petroleum minister, Dan Etete. Virtually nothing went to the Nigerian government in the shady deal.
A large chunk of the money is believed to have gone to officials of Shell and Eni as well as senior officials of the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

The oil firms and their officials are being prosecuted in Italy for their roles in the scandal.
In Nigeria, the trial was stalled largely by the inability of the EFCC to serve papers on Mr Adoke and other suspects.
The anti-graft agency then approached the Federal Territory High Court presided over by Justice D. Z Zenchi. In April, the judge issued a warrant for Mr Adoke’s arrest following an ex-parte application by the EFCC.

The EFCC also made a request to INTERPOL for an international warrant of arrest to be issued against Mr Adoke.
Justice Zenchi, however, invalidated the arrest warrant on October 25 based on a request from Mr Adoke’s lawyers who argued that the order was wrongfully procured.
The judge also asked the EFCC to serve Mr Adoke the court papers by substituted means.
But on November 11, Mr Adoke was arrested by the UAE authorities.

Mr Adoke said in his letter that the arrest, “was intended for unlawful and malicious purposes.
“On 11th November 2019, our client was arrested in Dubai (UAE) by the Interpol in breach of its Article 3 of its constitution as agent of the political authorities in Nigeria in circumstances described below as unlawful.
“The criminal charges filed in the courts, in Nigeria, against our client by the EFCC, are intended for unlawful and malicious purposes, to wit: political persecution of our client for reasons connected with our client’s former position in public office as a senior figure in the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Mr Adoke said in his letter signed by his lawyer, Femi Oboro.#

Mr Adoke who has denied links to the alleged Malabu fraud and had been on self-exile since vacating office in May 2015, accused the current government of political intimidation and abuse of court orders.
Mr Adoke cited the federal high court decision of Justice Binta Nyako, in April 2017 where the judge ruled that Mr Adoke’s alleged actions were in line with his lawful duties.
The letter also made reference to a September 2017 communication from the AGF, Abubakar Malami, where Mr Malami advised President Muhamadu Buhari that no valid case could be established against Mr Adoke and others accused in the Malabu scandal.

“A material matter considered in the judgment of Honourable Justice B.F.M Nyako of the Federal High Court Abuja dated 07 April 2018, in the case of Mohammed Bello Adoke Supra, is the letter of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation (HAGF) dated 20th September 2017, issued in the exercise of the powers granted under s. 105 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2019, to review the criminal charges preferred against our client before the Federal High Court Abuja, under Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/268, that the “proof of evidence is unlikely to support the counts which border on fraud, conspiracy and money laundering against our client in the charge before the Federal High Court under Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/268.”

Mr Adoke described his arrest as an attempt by Nigerian authorities to facilitate international illegality by propelling INTERPOL to violate section 3 of its constitution which prohibits intervention for political and other reasons.

“In our client’s view, the prosecuting authorities in Nigeria have deliberately and maliciously procured the Interpol to engage in the breach of Article 3 of its constitution when it procured the Interpol to execute the Red Notice for the arrest of our client on 11th November 2019 in Dubai (UAE) for political reasons, and for the continuous persecution of our client as a leading opposition figure in Nigeria for political reasons.”

SERAP sues finance minister over failed $460 million Abuja CCTV project

SERAP sues finance minister over failed $460 million Abuja CCTV project

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning over failure to “disclose information and specific documents on the total amount of money paid to contractors from the $460 million loan obtained in 2010 from China to fund the apparently failed Abuja Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) project, and failure to name the contractors involved and explain why the government has continued to re-pay the loan.”
In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1447/2019 filed last week at the Federal High Court, Abuja, SERAP is seeking “an order for leave to apply for judicial review and an order of mandamus to direct and/or compel the Minister of Finance to disclose the details of local companies and Chinese contractors that have received funds from the $460 million loan for the finance of the failed Abuja CCTV project as well as details of the status of implementation of the project.”

SERAP is also seeking “an order of mandamus to direct and compel the Minister of Finance to disclose whether the sum of N1.5 billion Naira paid in 2010 for the failed project meant to construct the headquarters of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) was part of another loan obtained from China, and to clarify further whether the sum of N1.5 billion Naira mobilsation fee for the construction of the Headquarters of the CCB in Abuja was part of another loan from China.”

The suit followed SERAP’s Freedom of Information (FoI) request dated 25 October 2019 to Mrs Ahmed, expressing: “concern that Nigerians are being made to pay for the Chinese loans for failed and abandoned projects, and for which they have not benefited in any way, shape or form.”

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, Opeyemi Owolabi and Atinuke Adejuyigbe, read in part: “Transparency in the spending of Chinese loans is good for everyone, as this would help to increase the effectiveness, legitimacy, and contribution of the loans to the development of public goods and services, and the general public interests.”
“The information being requested does not come within the purview of the types of information exempted from disclosure under the Act. The Respondent has no legally justifiable reason for refusing to provide SERAP with the information requested.”
“Democracy cannot flourish if governments operate in secrecy. The citizens are entitled to know how the commonwealth is being utilized, managed and administered in a democratic setting.”

“By the combined provisions of Sections 1; 2; 3(4); 4; 7(1)&(5); 9; 14(2)(b); 19(2); 20 of the FoI Act, 2011, among other provisions; SERAP’s right of access to information is guaranteed and there is a statutory obligation on the Respondent, being public officer, to proactively keep, organize and maintain all information or records about her ministry’s operations, personnel, activities and other relevant or related information or records in a manner that facilitates public access to such information or record.”

“By virtue of Section 4 (a) of the FOI Act when a person makes a request for information from a public official, institution or agency, the public official, institution or agency to whom the application is directed is under a binding legal obligation to provide the applicant with the information requested for, except as otherwise provided by the Act, within 7 days after the application is received.”
“The Respondent is an appointee of the President of Nigeria and head of the Ministry of Finance. Her official duties include; collecting and disbursing government revenue, formulating policies on management of the Federal Government’s finance, preparing annual budget and accounts for ministries, departments and agencies and managing federal debt.”

“Obedience to the rule of law by all citizens but more particularly those who publicly took oath of office to protect and preserve the constitution is a desideratum to good governance and respect for the rule of law. In a democratic society, this is meant to be a norm; it is an apostasy for government to ignore the provisions of the law and the necessary rules to regulate matters”

The FoI request read in part: “As trustee of public funds, SERAP contends that your Ministry has a legal duty to disclose details of spending on the $460 million Abuja CCTV project and N1.5 billion for the construction of CCB headquarters, to the beneficiaries (Nigerians) of the trust, if and when called upon to do so. Any failure or refusal to provide the information will also be clearly inconsistent with the letter and spirit of the FoI Act.”

“Servicing Chinese loans for failed projects is double jeopardy for Nigerians—they can neither see nor benefit from the projects; yet, they are made to pay both the loans and the accrued interests.”
“The $460 million loan got for the failed Abuja CCTV project and the N1.5 billion for the construction of CCB headquarters, which may be part of another Chinese loan, may have been mismanaged or stolen, and in any case, remain unaccounted for.”

“As a key agency of government, the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning has a sacred duty to ensure that the country’s loans including those obtained from China are transparently and accountably used solely for the purposes for which the loans are obtained, and for the effective development of public goods and services as well as the general public interests.”

The suit is seeking the following reliefs:
AN ORDER granting leave to the Applicant to apply for judicial review and to seek an order of mandamus directing and compelling the Respondent to provide and make available to the Applicant information on the total amount of money paid to contractors, with specific details of names of companies local contractors involved, from the $460 million loan obtained in 2010 from China by the Federal Government of Nigeria to fund the Abuja Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) contract.

AN ORDER granting leave to the Applicant to apply for judicial review and to seek an order of Mandamus directing and compelling the Respondent to provide the details of the local companies and Chinese contractors that have received funds from the $460 million loan for the finance of the Abuja CCTV contract as well as details of the status of implementation of the project.
AN ORDER granting leave to the Applicant to apply for judicial review and to seek an order of Mandamus directing and compelling the Respondent to provide details clarifying whether the sum of N1.5 billion Naira paid in 2010 for the failed contract meant to construct the headquarters of the CCB was part of another loan obtained from China, and to clarify further whether the sum of N1.5 billion Naira mobilsation fee reportedly paid to the contractors for the construction of the Headquarters of the Code of Conduct Bureau in Abuja was part of another loan from China.
AND FOR SUCH FURTHER ORDER(S) the Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
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Church donates borehole to Kaduna community to ease water shortage

Church donates borehole to Kaduna community to ease water shortage

The Redeemed Christian Church in Jaji, has donated a borehole to Wusono community in  Igabi Local Government Area  of Kaduna State, to ease water shortage in the area.

General Overseer of the Church, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, said in a message to the inauguration of the borehole on Sunday, that it was part of church’s commitment in providing laudable projects aimed at uplifting the living standards of the people.

Adeboye who was represented by Assistant Pastor in charge of Kaduna region, Pastor Asegbare Brown, explained that the project was also in line with the church’s social responsibility.
He maintained that the church has made it a point of duty to impact positively on host communities by sinking boreholes, donation of hospital equipment and assisting the less privileged.

He also stressed that the gesture was part of its contribution towards complimenting the efforts of government in providing basic social amenities to the people.
Adeboye  assured that the church will not relent in its efforts aimed at putting smiles on the faces of people.

Earlier the Pastor in charge of the province, Pastor Oyekanmi Kadiri said water is life, a basic necessity required by the community to safeguard their health.

Also speaking, Pastor in charge of the area, Pastor Dele Sonoiki explained that the the project was conceived owing to the difficulty the people of the community encounter in having access to quality drinking water.

Sonoiki urged the beneficiaries to maintain the facility, assuring that more communities in the area will benefit from the gesture.
In a remark, community leader, Mr Emmanuel Aket, expressed gratitude to the church for the gesture and appealed to other organisations to emulate the initiative.(NAN)

Taraba speaker Peter Diah resigns suddenly

Taraba speaker Peter Diah resigns suddenly

Speaker Peter Abel Diah of the Taraba state House of Assembly tenders his resignation

- Diah confirms the development but explains that his decision is personal

- The speaker also promises to speak about his resignation to journalists

It was a shocking evening on Sunday, December 1, as Peter Diah, the speaker of the Taraba state House of Assembly, tendered his resignation as head of the legislative chamber.

It is not known the actual reason Diah took the decision, but he confirmed the development and said it was for personal reasons.

He, according to Vanguard, refused to give further details of his actions but promised to speak on it on Monday, December 2.

Diah, a representative of Mbamga constituency of the state is serving his fifth term and had been speaker since the eighth Assembly of the state.

He was renominated in June 2019 for another term as speaker. He would have emerged as one of the few longest serving speakers of a House of Assembly if he had completed this term.

Legit.ng reports that the resignation of the speaker is coming just 12 days after an appeal court sitting in Abuja, Nigeria's capital, confirmed Darius Ishaku as the validly elected governor of the state in the 2019 general election.

In delivering the ruling, the appeal court threw out the case filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the governor, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).