Friday, November 10, 2017
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
WHEN A MAN ALWAYS TALKS WITHOUT THINKING : After criticizing Buhari’s China trip, Governor Fayose also jets out to China ... PremiumTimes
After lambasting President Muhammadu Buhari for trip to China, Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has also travelled to China to attend the country’s 119th Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair.
The event, scheduled for April 14 and 19, will be staged in Guangzhou.
Justifying the trip, the governor’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, said on Tuesday that Mr. Fayose had before now travelled out of the country only twice since he assumed office in October 2014, saying his trip to China, which was planned six months ago, would be his third travel outside Nigeria.
Mr. Olayinka argued that his principal’s trip to China was different from that of the President because Mr. Buhari’s trip was aimed at borrowing $2 billion, while the governor would use his to secure partnership with prospective Chinese Investors and technical experts without committing the state to any loan.
He said the governor would hold talks with prospective investors on mechanised farming, experts in skill acquisition, particularly training in the area of perfect finishing in building construction as well as experts in auto-repairs and modern technologies.
According to him, the Canton Fair, held biannually in Guangzhou every spring and autumn, with a history of 59 years since 1957, attracts various types of business activities such as economic and technical cooperation and exchanges.
Mr. Olayinka said apart from the scheduled bilateral talks on agriculture, Governor Fayose would also take advantage of the Canton Fair to hold talks with technical experts on training and technological exchange programmes for artisans in the State as part of his plan to get technical support for the proposed Artisans Village to be built in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
THUMBS UP, GOV AJIMOBI : Ajimobi okays death sentence for kidnappers ... PunchNews
Olufemi Atoyebi, Ibadan
The Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi, has signed into law the kidnapping prohibition bill, which makes kidnapping a capital offence in the state.
The new law states that kidnapping has become a serious offence in the state which attracts maximum punishment of death sentence in the event of the death of a kidnap victim while in the custody of the abductors.
The bill had earlier been passed into law by the state House of Assembly following the submission of a report on it by the Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary and Justice Olukayode Akande.
The Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, Michael Adeyemo, and the Permanent Secretary/Clerk of the House, Mr. Paul Bankole, had earlier signed the bill before the governor’s assent.
The law states that a convicted offender will be liable to life imprisonment if the victim is released or rescued unhurt upon the payment of a ransom, while the kidnapper will be made to pay back the ransom.
The bill, which was signed into law on Friday by the governor, “stipulates similar punishment for any person who procures, engages or gives information culminating in the kidnapping of a victim.”
The new law also prescribes life imprisonment for any person who kidnaps or threatens to kill, maim or cause bodily harm in order to compel another person, corporate body or organisation to do or abstain from doing any act as a condition for the release of the victim.
Under the new law, 20 years imprisonment awaits anyone who makes an attempt to kidnap, while anybody, who aids or abets kidnapping, is liable to 15 years imprisonment upon conviction.
NOW WE ARE TALKING ... VERY MUCH UNLIKE THE VULTURES IN IMF : China offers $6bn infrastructure loan to Nigeria ... Punch News
Akinpelu Dada, Olalekan Adetayo and Oyetunji Abioye
China has offered Nigeria a loan worth $6bn to fund infrastructure projects in Africa’s biggest economy.
“It is a credit that is on the table as soon as we identify the projects,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, told reporters who travelled with President Muhammadu Buhari to China.
“It won’t need an agreement to be signed; it is just to identify the projects and we will access it,” he said.
Also, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said in a statement that the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, offered $15m agricultural assistance to Nigeria for the establishment of 50 demonstration farms across the country.
The offer was in response to Buhari’s vow to make Nigeria self-sufficient in food production.
The offer, according to Shehu, was made during talks between Buhari’s delegation and high-ranking Chinese government officials led by Jinping.
During the talks, China and Nigeria also agreed to strengthen military and civil service exchanges as part of a larger capacity building engagement.
In line with this, China offered to raise its scholarship awards to Nigerian students from about 100 to 700 annually, while 1,000 other Nigerians would be given vocational and technical training by China annually.
Shehu quoted Jinping as applauding the war against corruption being waged by Buhari and assured him that Nigeria would always have a special place in the affairs of China.
Buhari shortly after the talks directed that technical committees be immediately established to finalise discussions on new joint Nigeria/China rail, power, manufacturing, agricultural and solid mineral projects.
The technical committees, he said, would conclude their assignments before the end of next month.
“China also expressed an interest in setting up major projects in Nigeria such as refineries, power plants, mining companies, and textile manufacturing and food processing industries as soon as the enabling environment is provided by the Federal Government,” the statement added.
Nigeria also agreed a currency swap deal with China as it looks for ways to shore up the ailing naira and fund a record budget deficit, possibly by issuing yuan-denominated bonds in China.
The nation is facing its worst economic crisis in decades as sinking oil prices eat into its foreign reserves and the naira weakens against other currencies.
Reuters reports that Nigeria has been for months looking for sources to help plug a projected 2016 deficit of N2.2tn as Buhari plans to triple capital spending.
During Buhari’s visit to Beijing, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited, the world’s biggest lender, and the Central Bank of Nigeria signed a deal on yuan transactions.
“It means that the renminbi (yuan) is free to flow among different banks in Nigeria, and the renminbi has been included in the foreign exchange reserves of Nigeria,” the Director-General, African Affairs Department, China’s Foreign Ministry, Lin Songtian, told reporters.
The move comes after the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, said on Saturday that Nigeria was looking at panda bonds or yuan-denominated bonds sold by overseas entities on the mainland, which she noted would be cheaper than Eurobonds.
The CBN had said it planned to diversify its foreign exchange reserves away from the dollar by switching a stockpile into yuan. It converted up to a tenth of its reserves into yuan five years ago.
Lin said a framework on currency swaps had been agreed with Nigeria, making it easier to settle trade deals in yuan.
Similarly, the ICBC signed a $2bn loan deal with the Dangote Group, owned by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, to fund two cement plants.
“The interest rate is okay, quite favourable with me,” Dangote said, without elaborating. “It’s for my two cement companies that we are establishing in Nigeria.”
China’s official Xinhua news agency cited President Xi as telling Buhari that there was huge potential for economic cooperation, naming oil refining and mining.
In a speech to business leaders, Buhari said both countries wanted to work together in the areas of agriculture, fishing and the manufacturing of cars, construction materials and textiles.
Aly Khan Satchu, a portfolio manager at Rich Management, said the deal would pave the way for panda bonds but this would not be enough to ease pressure on the naira.
Buhari has rejected calls to devalue the currency.
“Nigerian FX policy remains the elephant in the room and China or a panda bond is not going to be enough to stop what will eventually become a tsunami of a devaluation,” he said.
An economic expert and Chief Executive Officer, Cowry Asset Management Limited, Mr. Johnson Chukuwu, said the deal would help boost trading between both countries.
According to him, the currency swap agreement will allow Nigerian banks to issue Letters of Credit in renminbi (yuan) in place of the dollar or euro.
Chukwu said, “It will facilitate trade deals between Nigeria and China. The ongoing foreign exchange scarcity has been affecting the amount of Nigeria’s import from China. The new deal may ease pressure on the dollar since demand for yuan/renminbi will start rising.”
A Professor of Economics at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Sherriffdeen Tella, said the currency swap deal was good to the extent of the amount of commodities Nigeria had to export to China.
Unless Nigeria has substantial export to China, ease of payment of trade deals between both nations may not be enough reason to ink such a deal, he said.
Tella stated, “China must be encouraged to buy our crude oil, gas and other products that we may have for exports. Otherwise, we will soon run out of renminbi if it is being demanded only for the purpose of importing commodities from China.
“We have to encourage China to buy our products so that we can have enough renminbi in our reserves.”
The International Monetary Fund had in November agreed to add the Chinese yuan to its reserve currency basket.
The decision, which marked another step in China’s global economic emergence, came after the IMF evaluated the Asian nation’s standing as an exporter and the yuan’s role as a “freely usable” currency.
I STILL WONDER HOW THIS MAN CAME TO HOLD SUCH A POSITION OF TRUST IN THIS NATION : Badeh Had An Officer In Charge Of Converting N558.2m To Dollars Monthly — Witness ... SaharaReporters
Former Director of Finance and Accounts at the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, Air Commodore Salisu Abdullahi Yushau, retd, on Tuesday, told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the erstwhile Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, had a particular officer whose duty was to monthly convert the sum of N558.2million to dollars.
Former Chief of Defense Staff, Alex Badeh
Yushua, who is the star witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which is prosecuting Badeh over allegation that he siphoned about N3.9billion from NAF account within 2013, told the court that the dollar equivalent of the N558.2m was usually handed over to the defendant at his official residence at Niger Barracks in Abuja.
The witness said the money was deducted from monthly salary allocation for NAF officials. Even though Yushua earlier informed the court that all the past Air Chiefs also indulged in such practice, however, he said that upon his assumption of office, Badeh, detailed one Group Captain Sini to handle the dollar conversion. He said that Badeh subsequently influenced the redeployment of Group Capt. Sini to the Finance and Accounts Unit.
“The Chief later asked me to post Group Capt. Sini to take over the changing of over N558.2m into dollars which he brings to me and I personally take the dollar equivalent to him (Badeh).
“My Command Finance Officers have all the records of all the money I gave to Chief Badeh.
“While I was in custody of the EFCC my finance officers where also invited and they gave the records of all the properties procured for the defendant”, the witness stated.
Meantime, while being cross-examined by Badeh’s lawyer, Chief Akinolu Olujumi, SAN, the witness said he never told the EFCC that the defendant used N90m to furnish a mansion he bought for his son, Alex Badeh Jnr.
“In EFCC, I was never asked how much was used to furnish Alex Badeh Jnr’s house. It was in the court that I first mentioned the issue of the N90m. It is however in the record of the Nigerian Air Force that the money was paid”, he added.
Yushua also denied allegation that he was coerced by operatives of the EFCC to implicate the former Defence Chief.
“All the statements I made were answers to questions from the EFCC. But the statements were mine and were voluntarily made”, he insisted, saying the N558.2m was left over from funds meant for the payment of salaries.
More so, the witness told the court that prior to his appointment as the CDS, Badeh, hitherto held sway as the officer in charge of budget office of the NAF.
He said: “The responsibility of budgeting for the NAF was under the Chief of Policy and Plans and the 1st defendant was in charge of that office from August 2010 to sometime in 2012. That was during the time of Air Marshal M.D. Umar.
“Budget office of NAF was not under the Director of Finance and Account when I was there. So I did not know what was going on in respect to budgeting.
“It was the deputy director budget that was in charge of preparing NAF budget, but I only make input just like other directorates.
“At the end of every month we retire all the allocations to the Accountant General and Auditor General of the federation. It was usually carried out by Pay and Accounting group.
“It consists of the allocation received and allocations to commands and units. Each command and direct reporting units make their own retirement of funds released to them. Funds were released to headquarters of NAF Abuja, not to the Director of Finance and Account.
“However, allocations were made to my directorate every month. When allocations are made to all NAF formations, the money is disbursed to all the units. My deputy director of finance was in charge of our own allocation. If there is any need for fund within the directorate, he writes to me and I approve, then he goes to NAF headquarters account and collect the money from our own vote.
“After that, he makes his retirement to the office of Command Finance Officer at the headquarters of NAF. It is the duty of the Command Finance Office at the headquarters of NAF to render returns of all money released to the units.
“I was the accounting officer for the directorate that is why I have to give approval first. At the end of every month all other formations of NAF also render account of funds paid to them by their respective accounting officers”.
Meanwhile, Justice Okon Abang has adjourned further cross-examination of the witness till April 19.
Former Chief of Defense Staff, Alex Badeh Yushua, who is the star witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which is prosecuting Badeh over allegation that he siphoned about N3.9billion from NAF account within 2013, told the court that the dollar equivalent of the N558.2m was usually handed over to the defendant at his official residence at Niger Barracks in Abuja.
The witness said the money was deducted from monthly salary allocation for NAF officials. Even though Yushua earlier informed the court that all the past Air Chiefs also indulged in such practice, however, he said that upon his assumption of office, Badeh, detailed one Group Captain Sini to handle the dollar conversion. He said that Badeh subsequently influenced the redeployment of Group Capt. Sini to the Finance and Accounts Unit.
“The Chief later asked me to post Group Capt. Sini to take over the changing of over N558.2m into dollars which he brings to me and I personally take the dollar equivalent to him (Badeh).
“My Command Finance Officers have all the records of all the money I gave to Chief Badeh.
“While I was in custody of the EFCC my finance officers where also invited and they gave the records of all the properties procured for the defendant”, the witness stated.
Meantime, while being cross-examined by Badeh’s lawyer, Chief Akinolu Olujumi, SAN, the witness said he never told the EFCC that the defendant used N90m to furnish a mansion he bought for his son, Alex Badeh Jnr.
“In EFCC, I was never asked how much was used to furnish Alex Badeh Jnr’s house. It was in the court that I first mentioned the issue of the N90m. It is however in the record of the Nigerian Air Force that the money was paid”, he added.
Yushua also denied allegation that he was coerced by operatives of the EFCC to implicate the former Defence Chief.
“All the statements I made were answers to questions from the EFCC. But the statements were mine and were voluntarily made”, he insisted, saying the N558.2m was left over from funds meant for the payment of salaries.
More so, the witness told the court that prior to his appointment as the CDS, Badeh, hitherto held sway as the officer in charge of budget office of the NAF.
He said: “The responsibility of budgeting for the NAF was under the Chief of Policy and Plans and the 1st defendant was in charge of that office from August 2010 to sometime in 2012. That was during the time of Air Marshal M.D. Umar.
“Budget office of NAF was not under the Director of Finance and Account when I was there. So I did not know what was going on in respect to budgeting.
“It was the deputy director budget that was in charge of preparing NAF budget, but I only make input just like other directorates.
“At the end of every month we retire all the allocations to the Accountant General and Auditor General of the federation. It was usually carried out by Pay and Accounting group.
“It consists of the allocation received and allocations to commands and units. Each command and direct reporting units make their own retirement of funds released to them. Funds were released to headquarters of NAF Abuja, not to the Director of Finance and Account.
“However, allocations were made to my directorate every month. When allocations are made to all NAF formations, the money is disbursed to all the units. My deputy director of finance was in charge of our own allocation. If there is any need for fund within the directorate, he writes to me and I approve, then he goes to NAF headquarters account and collect the money from our own vote.
“After that, he makes his retirement to the office of Command Finance Officer at the headquarters of NAF. It is the duty of the Command Finance Office at the headquarters of NAF to render returns of all money released to the units.
“I was the accounting officer for the directorate that is why I have to give approval first. At the end of every month all other formations of NAF also render account of funds paid to them by their respective accounting officers”.
Meanwhile, Justice Okon Abang has adjourned further cross-examination of the witness till April 19.
SARAKI FINALLY GOES FOR BROKE : Saraki Mobilizing Nigerian Legislators To Take Down The Federal Laws Under Which He Is Being Tried ... Sahara Reporters
In another desperate attempt to evade justice, Senate President Bukola Saraki convened a meeting last night in his home with "likeminded" Senators during which they agreed to go after two of the major laws that have ensnared him.
As a result, following resumption from the Senate’s long recess today, the Senators went into a private plenary session, and two bills were promptly listed on the Senate Order Paper, seeking amendments to the Nigerian Constitution.
The bills, which have now already undergone First Reading, are:
The Code of Conduct Act CAP C15 LFN 2004 (Amendment) Bill, 2016 (SB 248), nominally sponsored by Peoples Democratic Party Senator Peter Nwaboshi (Delta North); and
The Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 (Amendment) Bill 2016 (SB 249), sponsored by Senator Isah Misau representing Bauchi Central.
The invitation to last night’s meeting in Saraki’s home was sent by former “anti-corruption” crusader Dino Melaye, using the mobile telephone number of Peter Makanjuola (0803 390 3330).
Makanjuola is Saraki's Deputy Chief of Staff. The strategy seemed to have been to send the invitation using that phone to avoid detection.
Text sent by Dino Melaye to "likemind Senators" to meet at Saraki's house in Abuja
One Senator, who attended the meeting, said that when concern was expressed that President Muhammad Buhari would veto the bill, Saraki told them he had enough support in the Senate and the House of Representatives to override such a veto.
During the meeting at Saraki’s home, he took the opportunity to announce to members of his core support group that he has ordered the purchase of Toyota Landcruiser V8 engine Sport Utility vehicles to be given to each Senator. The Senate President is hoping that greed will override commonsense and that with each Senator getting a car, his support base would be solidified.
Our Senate source noted that 36 cars have already been purchased, each one costing N35 million
each.
As a result, following resumption from the Senate’s long recess today, the Senators went into a private plenary session, and two bills were promptly listed on the Senate Order Paper, seeking amendments to the Nigerian Constitution.
The bills, which have now already undergone First Reading, are:
The Code of Conduct Act CAP C15 LFN 2004 (Amendment) Bill, 2016 (SB 248), nominally sponsored by Peoples Democratic Party Senator Peter Nwaboshi (Delta North); and
The Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 (Amendment) Bill 2016 (SB 249), sponsored by Senator Isah Misau representing Bauchi Central.
The invitation to last night’s meeting in Saraki’s home was sent by former “anti-corruption” crusader Dino Melaye, using the mobile telephone number of Peter Makanjuola (0803 390 3330).
Makanjuola is Saraki's Deputy Chief of Staff. The strategy seemed to have been to send the invitation using that phone to avoid detection.
Text sent by Dino Melaye to "likemind Senators" to meet at Saraki's house in Abuja One Senator, who attended the meeting, said that when concern was expressed that President Muhammad Buhari would veto the bill, Saraki told them he had enough support in the Senate and the House of Representatives to override such a veto.
During the meeting at Saraki’s home, he took the opportunity to announce to members of his core support group that he has ordered the purchase of Toyota Landcruiser V8 engine Sport Utility vehicles to be given to each Senator. The Senate President is hoping that greed will override commonsense and that with each Senator getting a car, his support base would be solidified.
Our Senate source noted that 36 cars have already been purchased, each one costing N35 million
each.
WHAT A WAY TO GO ... SIGNS OF THE TIMES : Gospel Singer Yvonne Omoarebokhae Found Dead in a Hotel With Lagos Pastor ... Naijahub
A female gospel singer identified as Yvonne Omoarebokhae has been found dead in a hotel owned by a former lawmaker in the Edo State House of Assembly.
She was said to have lodged into the hotel with a Lagos based Pastor whose name was given as Apostle Psalm Okpe of the Fresh Oil Ministry.
Husband of the deceased, Odion, said his wife met Apostle Sam on Facebook and after several months of chatting, his late wife was invited last week Thursday by the Pastor to perform in Warri, Delta State.
Odion said Apostle Sam claimed to have programme in Warri, Asaba and Benin City where his wife was to perform.
He said his wife called him at about 10am last Friday that she would be home soon.
The physically peeved husband said, “At about 9:30pm, the police used my wife phone to call and invited me to report at the Airport Road police station.”
“I waited for more than two hours at the police station until the police asked me to go home but I insisted on knowing the whereabouts of my wife.”
“The DPO later told me that my wife was picked at a hotel in the GRA and rushed to the Benin Central hospital where she was confirmed dead.”
“I am yet to see the corpse of my wife to know want happen and who is responsible for her death. We have a three-year old baby at home.”
It was however learnt that the pastor has been arrested and helping police with the investigation.
State Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, confirmed the death of the woman and said the matter was under investigation.
Ezike said a post mortem examination will confirm the cause of death.
His words, “It is under investigation. The man is married and the woman is married. Not until a post mortem is conducted, we cannot conclude what happened. I have asked the matter to be transferred to the State CID.”
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| Yvonne with her three year old son |
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
NO PARENT WOULD HAVE CONDONED IT ... YUNUSA YELLOW MUST FACE CRIMINAL TRIAL IN BAYELSA : How my son brought Ese Oruru to Kano – Yunusa Yellow’s father ... PremiumTimes
The father of Yunusa Yellow, the alleged abductor of Bayelsa teenager, Ese Oruru, on Wednesday gave details of how his son met and took the teenager to Kano in 2015.
Dahiru Bala, 55, told PREMIUM TIMES in his Tofa village home in Kura Local Government Area of Kano State that sometime in 2015 his son called to inform him about his plan to come with Miss Oruru from Bayelsa State.
“When he told me about the plan to come with a girl from Bayelsa to Kano, I asked him not to,” the man said.
“But he insisted that Aisha had become a Muslim, fell in love with him and wanted to marry him. I still warned him against coming with her,” he said.
Mr. Yunusa’s father said his son, being the domestic servant of the Orurus, fell in love with their daughter and that both agreed to travel to Kano.
“Yunusa ran errands for Aisha’s family and at the same time riding commercial motorcycle to earn a living. They fell in love in the house and eloped to Kano,” he said.
Mr. Bala said while he had strictly opposed his son’s decision to come to Kano with Miss Oruru, his son informed him that the girl had threatened to commit suicide if she was not allowed to travel with Yunusa to Kano.
“Still, I warned him against coming with her,” the father said.
“Surprisingly, the boy called me the following day to announce his arrival with Aisha, saying they were on their way to my house.
“On hearing this, I then quickly rushed to our village head to inform him about the development.
“The village head then said I should take them to his house immediately after arrival. They arrived late at night, so she passed the night in my house.
“The following day, we went together to the village head of Tofa, who then led us to the house of his superior, the district head of Kura.
“On arrival at Kura, the district head studied the case and ordered that we be taken to the emir’s palace in the city.
“When we arrived at the palace, the emir was away in Saudi Arabia, but the Wambai of Kano [a senior councillor in the palace], directed a palace guard to take us to Shari’ah commission office. Aisha was then taken into custody by the Shari’ah office.
“From that day, the officials kept calling to draw our attention that she cried every day that she wanted to see my son.
“On Thursday same week, the family of Ese arrived from Bayelsa and on Friday the Emir came back from Saudi Arabia. Emir looked at the complication of the case and after interviewing the family of Ese, who told him that she was still 14 years old and she could not decide for herself, and since Ese was crying that her family might kill her because she converted to Islam, the Emir ordered that we were taken to the police office [Zone 1 Police Headquarters, Kano].
“At the police office, and before Ese’s family, the girl cried that her life was in danger and that she rather died than go back with her family. In sympathy, the police said Aisha should be taken back to Kura.
“Back in the village, I took her to the house of the district head. I refused to let them stay together in my house since they were not married.
“The district head then enrolled her in both Western and Islamic schools,” Mr. Bala said.
According to him, Miss Oruru accepted Islam in the house of the district head.
Miss Oruru was reunited with her family on Wednesday, following the intervention of the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, who ordered that she should be taken to Abuja, Nigeria’s capital where her mother joined her from Bayelsa.
Sunday, February 21, 2016
OF PASTORS AND EXOTIC BIRTHDAY PARTIES : Malawian Pastor Celebrates Birthday With Helicopter & Cars & Osita Iheme (A.K.A Pawpaw) Was There (Photos) ... InformationNigeria
Popular Malawian pastor and founder of Enlightened Christian Gathering Church (ECG) and the Shepherd Bushiri Ministries International, Prophet Shepherd Bushiri, was a year older few days ago. The Pastor who is one of the richest in Africa threw a grand birthday that saw him arriving the venue accompanied by a fleet of cars and a yellow helicopter all branded ‘Happy Birthday Major 1.”
Major 1’s Birthday also attracted Nollywood faces including Osita Iheme popularly known as PawPaw. There was also representation of so many countries that came to celebrate with the Prophet.
See photos below.
Source: Trezzy blog
Monday, February 8, 2016
WHATS THE MATTER WITH MEN THESE DAYS? ... SO THE WHOLE BELLA NAIJA LONDON PROPOSAL WAS A SHAM? ... Lover Boy Who Proposed To Girlfriend Called Out By Family Of Pregnant Girlfriend ... WONDERS!!! .. Stella Dimoko Korkus Blog
''Dear Stella,
I would like to expose a guy called Oyinlola Famodun. A couple of days ago, Bella naija shared a video of the best proposal ever - http://www.bellanaija.com/2016/02/wow-oyin-yemisis-london-proposal-deserves-an-award/
Well the guy in question is dating 2 family members of mine at the same time. He has been dating Sola for about 3 years now and they all recently just came back from a trip to Dubai with his mum (picture attached). He has also been dating Yemisi for years now playing with both ladies emotions, he just proposed to her…
As I write this, Sola is on her way to the UK to meet Oyin. He bought her a ticket and is picking her up at the airport to take to his house in Basildon which has always been like that, she goes to london at least once in two months and always stays in oyinlola's house .Oyin is making wedding plans with sola as well for this year 2016.they recently got back from a trip to Turkey.
Both ladies do not know Oyinlola famodun had been dating both of them at the same time.
I want to believe that proposal on Bella naija was part of a movie scene!! Before other family members begin to know
Lets avoid our women snapping like Yewande snapped and killed her husband oh!!
Please find picture evidences below
I am really wondering how this guy pull the stunt. You won't believe that as we speak the Sola lady is pregnant for Oyinlola Famodun
They both went to turkey in November 2015 for her birthday and also Rome after Xmas 2015, just few weeks ago.both putting money together up to buy an apartment in Lekki and saving up for mortgage deposit in UK. I can't believe this.
You won't believe that as we speak the sola lady is pregnant for Oyinlola Famodun
They both went to turkey in November 2015 for her birthday and also Rome after Xmas 2015, just few weeks ago.both putting money together up to buy an apartment in Lekki and saving up for mortgage deposit in UK. I can't believe this.
As we speak she is not in the know of what is going on.Oyin quickly bought her ticket to come to the UK to distract her.and she is in Oyinlola Famodun's house in Basildon, Essex UK as we speak.
She meet at least once in every 6weeks and she stays in Oyins apartment in Basildon. People in the neighbourhood will testify they know them as they go shopping together .
Oyin picked her up from the London City airport this morning . This guy has to be exposed! Both ladies deserve to know what kind of man he is.He is a liar and a thief as far as I know. I hve been hearing of other escapedes of his with several women.Enough of men playing with women's emotions. This can lead to another stabbing or murder like story Yewande few days ago''.
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Saturday, February 6, 2016
WHATEVER WILL MAKE A WOMAN KILL HER HUSBAND IN COLD BLOOD? : Lawyer who stabbed her husband docked for murder ... TheNewsNigeria
Yewande Oyediran
A Nigerian lawyer, Mrs. Yewande Oyediran who stabbed her husband, Mr. Lowo Oyediran Ajanaku to death on Tuesday February 2, 2016 in their matrimonial home was arraigned today before Ibadan Chief Magistrate Court, Iyaganku.
The prosecuting police officer, Inspector Amos Adewale, preferred one-count charge of murder against the suspect.
She pleaded not guilty.
The charge against Yewande was that on February 2, 2016 at about 06:10am at No 30 Abidi Odan Akobo area, Ibadan in the Ibadan Magisterial District she did unlawfully cause the death of one Oyelowo Oyediran Ajanaku, 38, by stabbing him with a knife on the neck, which later resulted in his death.
Yewande Oyediran
Adewale said that the accused person had committed an offence contrary to Section 316 and punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code Cap 38 Vol. II Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000.
The presiding Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Kehinde Durosaro-Tijani, adjourned the case to 16 February 2016 for mention and ordered the accused to be remanded in Agodi Prisons.
The defence counsel, Mr. Seun Abimbola, had asked the court to allow the suspect be remanded in police custody so as to be able to reduce the truamatisation she has been going through as a result of the incident. The request was turned down.
Oyediran Oyelowo Ajanaku: stabbed to death
Abimbola pressed further that he would bring a written application for the request to the court. But the court said it did not have jurisdiction to entertain such application based on the nature of the case.
Oyelowo Oyediran Ajanaku. Photo credit: Oyelowo’s Facebook Wall
However, the journalists who have been well positioned at the Black Maria to be used in conveying the suspect to Agodi Prison to take her picture were disappointed as the suspect was smuggled out of the court in a blue Primera Nissan Car purportedly owned by a lawyer.
A legal practitioner, Mr. Sina Olaniyan, described the accused as someone who has a high regards for due process of the law and of good character, adding, “But this is a test for the judiciary. It is going to be a test for the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) as a whole. The members of the public are watching to see where the pendulum of justice will swing. She is still presumed innocent until she is proved otherwise”.
Another legal practitioner, Mr. Adeleke Bakare, described Yewande as a very amiable and gentle person, and a dedicated person to her job, saying, “She is somebody who fights against crime and she is always here, doing her job as a prosecutor, diligently. The person I have known that always discourages crime has now been involved in an alleged crime and it is a crime we can describe as of highest magnitude, which has highest punishment known to the law. Honestly, I am surprised”.
Thursday, January 28, 2016
THE AUDACITY OF RAPISTS : Undergraduates rape, rob job seeker, take nude photos ... Punch
The police in Lagos have arrested two undergraduates for allegedly raping a job-seeker, identified only as Nike, and robbing her of valuables in the Igando area of the state.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspects, identified as Valentine and Kusimo, allegedly took turns to rape their victim after luring her into a hotel.
Valentine, an indigene of Imo State, was said to be seeing off the 27-year-old with the hope that she would not raise the alarm when Nike suddenly called for help,
The suspects were subsequently arrested and taken to the Igando Police Division.
The incident happened on Thursday, January 14, 2016, on Idowu Ibiyemi Street, in the Igando area of Lagos State.
A police source told our correspondent that Valentine and Nike had met on a dating site.
He said, “Valentine is a 400-level Civil Engineering student of a university in Imo State. He chatted up the lady on the dating site and from there, their conversation shifted to Whatsapp, a mobile messaging application.
“The suspect told his friend, Kusimo, about the girl and they decided to trick her. Kusimo, a student of a polytechnic in Ogun State, would sometimes take Valentine’s phone and be chatting with Nike, without the girl knowing that it was Kusimo.
“Having done that for some days, they decided to invite her to Lagos.”
It was gathered that Nike, an indigene of Osun State, travelled down from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, where she was based, to the Igando area.
Our correspondent learnt that the victim and Valentine scheduled to meet at his house.
PUNCH Metro gathered that instead of taking her to his apartment, the suspect took her to a popular hotel in the area.
The source said, “The girl did not know she was taken to a hotel because he took her through the back into the room.
“The second suspect, had, however, hid inside the toilet. As the lady entered the room, Valentine shut the door and Kusimo jumped out from his hideout with a bottle. He smashed the bottle on the ground and he told the girl to cooperate or they would kill her.
“While Valentine had two rounds, the second suspect had three rounds of sex with her. After they had raped her, they robbed her of her BlackBerry and N15, 000.
“In order to prevent her from exposing them, they took snapshots of her nakedness and threatened that if she told anyone about her ordeal, they would put the pictures on the Internet.”
PUNCH Metro gathered that after committing the act, Valentine decided to see Nike off.
The victim was, however, said to have raised the alarm, drawing the attention of passersby.
She was said to have narrated what happened to people, which led to the arrest of both suspects.
They were detained at the Igando Police Division, before the matter was transferred to the State Department of Criminal Investigation, Yaba.
Another police source, however, said the suspects claimed that Nike agreed to mutual sex with them and only raised the alarm because she was not well paid.
She said, “How can you leave your place in Ibadan for Lagos and claim not to know what you are doing? It is not true that they raped her. She only wanted to make money off the men, and that was why she raised the alarm outside.
“The suspect said she demanded N200,000 for settlement and she is saying she does not want her fiancé and family members to be aware. She is not innocent.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmus, while confirming the incident, said the police had charged both suspects to court.
“Case charged to court,” she said in a text message.
Thursday, January 7, 2016
IS THERE ANY REASON WHY WIKE AND HIS LEAKY GOVT CANNOT TAKE THIS MAN TO COURT? : Amaechi denies spending N82m on dinner for Soyinka, dares Wike to go to court ... PremiumTimes
A former governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi, has debunked allegations by the state government that he misappropriated the sum of N82 million to organise a dinner for Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka.
In a statement by the Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi Media Office, Wednesday, Mr. Amaechi warned Mr. Wike “and the coterie of court-jesters and attention-seekers” in his administration to desist from peddling falsehood.
Mr. Amaechi, who is the current Minister of Transportation, also warned against making false allegations and criminalizing legitimate government transactions in a bid to smear his reputation.
The statement urged Mr. Wike to go to court if he had any case of fraud or misappropriation of state funds against him instead of “this silly distractions”.
He said the latest allegation by the state government was aimed at distracting the people from Mr. Wike’s “massive electoral fraud” during the last elections.
“Wike must stop this silly distraction. Rivers people are not interested in his lies and witch-hunt. Rather, Rivers people want to know what will happen to their children that he stopped and cancelled the funding of their scholarships abroad.
“Rivers people want to know why is the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), an agency set up by law no longer functioning under Wike?
“Why instead of quality education, a standard set by his predecessor, under Wike, grasses and weeds have taken over the beautiful schools built by Amaechi?
“Rivers people want to know why the standard health facilities and services put in place by the Amaechi administration are rotting away, not this petty rambling.
“Rivers people want to know why the Wike government does not care about the security of their lives and property, as violence and criminals have taken over.
“Rivers people want to know why it feels as if there is no government in Rivers State, and this is in spite of the billions of naira that has accrued to the Wike administration and the tens of billions of naira borrowed,” he alleged.
The statement warned Mr. Wike against dragging the names of globally respected persons such as Mr. Soyinka into his “unbridled, unashamed and ill-advised attack of his former boss and benefactor”.
WHERE YAM IS NOT SERVED, JONATHAN'S GOATS MAY STARVE : Arrested PDP spokesperson, Metuh, on hunger strike – Family ... PremiumTimes
Olisa Metuh’s family has denied that the spokesperson of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, received N1.4 billion from the office of the National Security Adviser.
Mr. Metuh was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, on allegations of corruption, and remained in detention by Wednesday evening.
In a statement signed by Gilbert Metuh, Wednesday, the family demanded that Mr. Metuh be released or charged to court.
The statement said the PDP spokesman acknowledged he delivered on an assignment for former President Goodluck Jonathan, and was duly paid.
The family said Mr. Metuh has refused to eat in detention over fears he might be poisoned.
“Our biggest concern for now is the health and safety of our son, who even before his arrest had alerted the nation about various threats to his life, a stance that is not unconnected to his position as the spokesperson of the opposition,” the statement said.
“Our position is more so as he has refused to eat following fears of intentions to poison him in detention.”
Read the family’s statement:
The Metuh family – the Obi-Ezeani-Nnewi– has noted with grave concern the continued incarceration of our Diokpa and spokesperson of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Olisa Metuh (Ugochidebelu Nnewi) since his arrest Tuesday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Whereas the charges for which Chief Metuh is being detained for over 48 hours now have not been formally made known to the family and the general public, we have noted some sensational publications in a section of the media claiming that our son collected the sum of N1.4 billion from the arms deal cash and has been collecting N4 million monthly from the Office of the former National Security Adviser.
We have confronted our son with this allegations and he assured us that they are completely false.
However, he acknowledged that in the course of his duties as the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, the then leader of the party and president of the country directed him to carry out some urgent national assignment relating to his office, which the former president duly funded and which he duly carried out to the satisfaction of the former president.
The family therefore views the publications bandying the figure of N1.4 billion and alleged collection of N4 million stipend from the Office of the NSA as deliberate blackmail aimed at inflaming public sentiments against our son.
Our biggest concern for now is the health and safety of our son, who even before his arrest had alerted the nation about various threats to his life, a stance that is not unconnected to his position as the spokesperson of the opposition.
Our position is more so as he has refused to eat following fears of intentions to poison him in detention.
In view of the above therefore, we DEMAND that the EFCC immediately release our son, Chief Metuh (Ugochidebelu Nnewi) from detention or charge him to court.
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
THINGS AND TIMES ARE CHANGING FOR THE BETTER : US donates $11m mine resistant vehicles to Nigerian army ... Vanguard News
In a bid to fulfill its promise of helping Nigeria fight the Boko
Haram insurgency, the United States will today, donate 24 mine-resistant
and armor-protected vehicles to the Nigerian Army.
The vehicles, which are valued at $11m, would be handed over to the
military authorities at the Nigerian Army 9th Brigade Parade Ground,
Ikeja Army Cantonment in Lagos.
A statement yesterday, by the Public Affairs Section of the United States Consulate General Lagos, said: “The US is pleased to donate 24 Mine-Resistant, Armor-Protected (MRAP) vehicles valued at $11m to Nigeria’s military authorities.
“The equipment donation represents part of the continuing US commitment to Nigeria and its neighbours to counter Boko Haram’s senseless acts of terror and promote regional security.”
Mine Resistant Armoured vehicles
A statement yesterday, by the Public Affairs Section of the United States Consulate General Lagos, said: “The US is pleased to donate 24 Mine-Resistant, Armor-Protected (MRAP) vehicles valued at $11m to Nigeria’s military authorities.
“The equipment donation represents part of the continuing US commitment to Nigeria and its neighbours to counter Boko Haram’s senseless acts of terror and promote regional security.”
THE DE-GOATIFICATION OF METUH : PDP’s Olisa Metuh Planned Trip To Dubai, Then Escape To Caribbean Island ... SaharaReporters
Olisa Metuh, the national publicity secretary of the
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who was yesterday arrested by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had booked a flight to
Dubai as part of an apparent plan to escape from Nigeria. A travel
itinerary obtained by SaharaReporters revealed that Mr. Metuh was
scheduled to leave Abuja today on an Emirates Airline flight to Dubai. 
Booked on the same flight was Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who was supposed to travel with the PDP spokesman.A law enforcement source in Abuja told SaharaReporters that Nigerian officials had received a tipoff that Mr. Metuh intended to wind his way from Dubai to the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis. The source claimed that Mr. Metuh had obtained citizenship of St. Kitts and Nevis through substantial financial investment.
“Our information is that Chief Metuh was planning to move there [St. Kitts and Nevis] to avoid possible arrest and trial [for corrupt enrichment],” the source stated.
On Tuesday, four EFCC operatives arrived at Mr. Metuh’s Abuja home and picked him up. Both Mr. Metuh and officials of the PDP initially played down his arrest, claiming that the party spokesman was “merely” invited for a chat by the EFCC. But they changed their tune later in the day, alleging that the Muhammadu Buhari administration planned to eliminate Mr. Metuh because he was a tough spokesman of the main opposition party.
EFCC investigators looking into the reported misappropriation of more than $2 billion of defense funds by former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, claim that they had traced at least N1.4 billion of the funds to a firm owned by Mr. Metuh.
Federal prosecutors have charged Mr. Dasuki, a retired colonel, of diverting funds meant for the procurement of military weapons and equipment to political campaigns for the reelection of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Several high-profile politicians and media proprietors have so far been named as beneficiaries of significant cash dole-outs made by Mr. Dasuki.
SOLD HIMSELF FOR A PITTANCE : I got N150,000 to install Radio Biafra transmitter – Suspect ... Punch News
Members of the Indigenous People of Biafra protesting at the Alaba International Market in Lagos...
A telecommunication maintenance engineer, David Nwawuisi, has revealed that he got an initial payment of N150,000 to install a Radio Biafra transmitter on an MTN mast in Ngwo, Enugu State.
The 29-year-old, who was on the payroll
of Ericsson, the firm managing mast sites for MTN, revealed this in a
statement which he made to the Department of State Services on July 27,
2015.
Nwawuisi, who disclosed that he was managing 45 MTN sites for Ericsson, said the Radio Biafra
transmitter had operated for three months on MTN mast before it was
discovered and his subsequent arrest by the DSS on July 15, 2015.
Nwawuisi, who obtained a B.Sc degree in
Biochemistry from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology
in 2010, said he was being paid N73,000 plus per month by Ericsson.
He stated that it was the same amount he was being paid as a trainee when he joined the company as a trainee in 2014.
He narrated how he was contacted by one
Chidiebere Onwudiwe, whom the Federal Government said was at large, and
one Obioma, to seal the deal for the installation of the transmitter at
the mast site.
Nwawuisi stated, “I came to know about
Chidiebere and Obioma one day the security woman called me to tell me
that that they will like to install a radio ( transmitter) on one of my
sites at Ngwo in Enugu State and I told them that I don’t know who they
are that if they can make out time so that we can see face to face
because I don’t know them and that was in May.
“So the next day, they called me. I was
working in one of my sites at St. Michael Catholic Church Asata in Enugu
State. I asked them to come down to that site and that was the place I
saw them for the first time and they introduced themselves as Chidiebere
and Obioma. They also asked for my name and I said David. They also
asked for my native name and I said Chukwugozie and from there
Chidiebere started saying that the radio (transmitter) they are asking
for my permission to install in my site is to help them educate our
people (Igbo) and let them know their brothers and where they come
from….
“They called me again to remind me of
that and that was when I told them ok and we agreed that they are going
to be paying N25,000 only per month which they paid six months upfront.
N75,000 cash was given to me that day they came for the installation and
out of that I gave N5,000 to the security woman. The balance was paid
into my account at Ecobank after the First Bank (account) I gave to
Obioma failed to accept the payment.
“The payment of the balance was done two
weeks after the installation of the radio (transmitter). On three
different occasions, Chidiebere and Obioma called me to do some
maintenance on the radio (transmitter). I gave them access into the site
and left and when they finished, the security woman informed me that
they are through and I came and locked the site.
“The items Chidiebere came (with) were
an electronic that looks like a decoder and a DSTV dish which was
installed on the fence. The other items were installed inside the MTN
site shelter. The equipment has been there for three months and on July
15 the MTN staff went to the site and called me from the site and asked
me what the equipment is. The name of the MTN staff is Mr. John Ibekwe.
When he was calling, I couldn’t get what he was asking due to the
environment because I was driving and when I parked, I called the
security woman to ask her and she told me that is the equipment that
Chidiebere and Obioma installed that his asking of.
“I called back the MTN man to tell him
what the equipment is for, that is a Radio Biafra (transmitter) that was
installed by Chidiebere and Obioma. I told him that I will like to see
him which he asked be to come to Shoprite and I came and after I was
taken to the MTN office by the MTN security patrol team. From the
office, after telling them how the equipment came about and how I got to
know about Chidiebere, I was taken to Enugu DSS office.” (sic)
He stated that the MTN thereafter uninstalled the Radio Biafra transmitter.
He added that the last time he spoke with Chidiebere on the telephone was when he was at the DSS office in Enugu.
The Federal Director of Public
Prosecutions, Mr. Mohammed Diri, who signed the fresh charges, the case
summary and other processes accompanying them on behalf of the
government, alleged that Nwawuisi agreed to install the transmitters
“and did install IPOB radio transmitters on MTN masts for a
consideration.”
The prosecution alleged that the
transmitters were smuggled into Nigeria by the leader of the Indigenous
People of Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, and were discovered during a search
in Madubugwu’s residence.
The Federal Government had charged
Nwawuisi and Benjamin Madubugwu along with the founder of Radio Biafra
and Kanu, with treason and other related offences including management
and assisting in the management of an unlawful society (IPOB).
The accused persons were charged with six counts before the Federal High Court in Abuja but have yet to be arraigned.
Saturday, November 7, 2015
FOR HOW LONG DOES BUKOLA SARAKI THINK HE CAN CONTINUE WITH THESE SHENANIGANS? : Senate President Saraki, With Help From Kashamu’s Lawyer, Re-files Lawsuit Thrown Out In Lagos ... SaharaReporters
Senate President Bukola Saraki, represented by Ajibola Oluyede, who secured relief from extradition for suspected drug kingpin Buruji Kashamu, has re-filed a case that was thrown out earlier today by Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court in Lagos.
Justice Buba, who has a reputation for granting spurious injunctions to politically prominent persons, had struck out Mr. Saraki’s earlier case, ruling that the senator’s lawyers had not been able to prove that his rights would be violated in the jurisdiction of Lagos considering that Mr. Saraki neither lives nor works in Lagos.
Mr. Saraki’s attorneys had filed the fundamental rights enforcement lawsuit, claiming that his trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal was a violation of his rights. The lawsuit named the Code of Conduct Tribunal, the Inspector General of Police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Attorney General of the Federation as defendants, adding that the senator was being persecuted by highly connected persons.
Shortly after Justice Buba dismissed the case today, Mr. Saraki re-filed the same case at the Federal High Court in Abuja. Representing him is Mr. Oluyede, a lawyer described by judicial sources as extremely close to the Chief Judge of the Federation, Ibrahim Auta, and Justice Ibrahim Buba, whom he recently praised glowingly as a “fearless judge” who is not afraid to give controversial orders.
As the lawyer for Buruji Kashamu, sought in the US to face a drug-smuggling charge, Ajibola Oluyede got his client off the hook when the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) sought to arrest and extradite him to the US last June. Mr. Oluyede first persuaded Justice Buba in Lagos to restrain the NDLEA from arresting Mr. Kashamu and then got another judge, Okon Abang, to nullify the extradition process.
Mr. Kashamu, whose election as a senator in Ogun State was last month overturned by an election tribunal, remains free.
One judicial source in Abuja told SaharaReporters that Saraki’s chief lawyer, Mr. Oluyede, “is the kind of lawyer who will shop in Abuja for a judge to do Senator Saraki’s bidding.”
The source added that Mr. Oluyede could have procured an order from Justice Buba prohibiting the Code of Conduct Tribunal from continuing its trial of Senator Saraki if SaharaReporters had not exposed that the deal was afoot.
NEVER AGAIN! NEVER AGAIN!! NEVER AGAIN!!! ... MAY THEY NEVER KNOW PEACE : EXCLUSIVE: Jonathan’s campaign chief, others divert N155bn crude oil money to ‘corrupt Zambian officials’ ... PremiumTimes
PREMIUM TIMES has uncovered one of the most fraudulent crude oil deals executed by the Goodluck Jonathan administration, which saw a campaign official and some other suspected cronies of the ex-president smiling to the banks with up to 50 per cent commission from the proceeds of a foreign crude oil lifting contract, turning them into instant billionaires.
In the middle of the shady deal is a Nigerian oil and gas company, Sarb Energy, which acted as a dodgy middleman in a non-transparent government-to-government crude oil sale between the Nigerian and the Zambian governments.
Sarb Energy, incorporated on September 19, 2008, was specifically established for the controversial deal.
This newspaper has established that Sarb Energy has link with at least one political associate of former President Jonathan, whose five-year reign as leader of Africa’s largest oil producer was characterized by allegations of massive corruption, especially in the oil and gas sector.
The company’s directors at inception, according to records at the Corporate Affairs Commission, were Nimi Barigha-Amange, a former Peoples Democratic Party’s senator from Bayelsa (2007-2011), who also served as director of planning, research and strategy for Mr. Jonathan’s re-election campaign in 2014; Sylva Ogbogu, a retired Brigadier General; Akpan Ekpene, the managing director of the company, who executed the deal; and Ogba Properties and Investment Company Limited, a company whose real ownership remained unclear.
For months, PREMIUM TIMES was unable to obtain its records at the CAC.
Sarb Energy corporate ownership structure
Mr. Barigha-Amange was a director in Deltoil Nigeria and Pixy Energy, two other companies with stakes in Sarb Energy.
The crude oil deal
In a testimony he gave at a Zambian court, Mr. Ekpene said he sold the idea of the government-to-government crude oil deal to the Zambian government in 2008, which then gave his company, Sarb, a power of attorney to execute the contract on its behalf.
Under the deal signed with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the Zambian government was to lift eight million barrels of crude oil worth N155.4 billion ($969.6million).
After the deal was sealed on April 20, 2011, Sarb made an initial deposit of $2.5million to the NNPC in the name of the Zambian government.
Rather than Sarb importing the crude for use of the Zambian government at home, it was agreed that the company would sell the commodity to other traders, split profit 50-50 with the government and then remit the Zambian government’s share to official administration accounts.
But that didn’t happen. What indeed happened was that the Nigerians sold the crude and failed to make payments into Zambian government accounts.
Instead, according to Mr. Ekpene, parts of the proceeds were diverted into an account held by Iexoria, a Singapore-based company allegedly controlled by Henry Banda, the Zambian president’s son.
No evidence has emerged till date indicating that Zambia received any revenue from the deal.
The deal sparked controversy in Zambia, with former President Rupiah Banda charged with multiple violations of that country’s anti-corruption laws.
In his testimony during the trial, Mr. Ekpene claimed the proceeds of the deal were passed directly to Mr. Banda and his family.
The Sarb managing director told the court that his company made two wire transfers worth $550,000 from its Access Bank account in Nigeria to a Barclays Bank account in Singapore owned by Iexoria.
Henry Banda, the Zambian president’s son, controlled Iexoria. Both transfers were made before that country’s September 2011 general elections, when Mr. Banda was still president.
A fake consultancy contract was then drawn up between Sarb and Iexoria to support the payments, stating that Iexoria was supposed to carry out a feasibility study for a power plant.
Mr. Ekpene admitted in court the contract was a ruse as no such feasibility study was done. He said that approach was adopted to deceive Access Bank into authorizing the transfers.
He claimed that he also gave Mr. Banda $500,000 through his son Henry, to boost his election campaign. He said that was after Mr. Banda requested $1 million advance payment from the government-to-government oil deal.
Mr. Ekpene also told the court that he helped Banda with campaign materials, which he transported from Nigeria to Zambia, during a trip in which he admitted concealing $260, 000 cash in his luggage.
He said he handed over the cash to Banda at the Government House for his use in the 2008 campaigns.
He said he made the donation to President Banda because the intermediary in the crude lifting deal, Major Richard Kachingwe, allegedly insisted that they needed to support him to win reelection.
Mr. Ekpene may have, however, lied under oath in court during the Banda trial when he said only 5.7 million barrels of crude were shipped out of Nigeria in the deal, with the last cargo loading in December 2012.
PREMIUM TIMES found, from NNPC and Finance Ministry records, that 11 cargoes, carrying more than eight million barrels, were lifted in respect of the deal.
Insiders say Sarb Energy continued to lift from the NNPC even when the Zambian authorities believed the deal had ended.
The Magistrate’s Court in Lusaka, the Zambian capital, however acquitted Mr. Banda in June 2015, saying the prosecution failed to prove its case that the former leader violated Section 99(1) of the Zambian Penal Code.
No progress with investigation in Nigeria
Even though Sarb and its official, Mr. Ekpene, made startling confessions in court in Zambia, including admitting laundering funds out of the country, it does not appear investigation is making progress in Nigeria.
Mr. Ekpene claimed in court that Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission looked into the contract in May 2013.
But no enforcement action has so far been taken.
The spokesperson for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said he was not aware that any such investigation was ongoing. He promised to crosscheck with the agency’s investigators and then revert to PREMIUM TIMES.
The spokesperson for the NNPC, Ohi Alegbe, could not be reached Monday.
When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr. Barigha-Amange, the PDP politician, directed all enquiries on the matter to Mr. Ekpene, the managing director of the company.
“I don’t know much about this matter,” the former senator said. “Only the MD can talk about it.”
Mr. Ekpene however declined to comment. He did not answer or return calls. He also did not respond to an email sent to him more than a month ago.
Below is a record of the crude oil liftings in the deal, as shown by market intelligence data.
PDP's WOES IN TARABA ... A REFLECTION OF JONATHAN'S UNOPPOSED CANDIDACY FOR A SECOND TERM : Why APC’s Alhassan was declared Taraba governor — Tribunal ... PremiumTimes
The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal for Taraba on Saturday nullified the election of Taraba Governor, Darius Ishaku, of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress and a Minister designate, Aisha Alhassan, as the winner of the April 11 governorship election in the state.
The three-member tribunal held that Mr. Ishaku was not validly nominated as candidate of the PDP and therefore did not qualify, from start, to contest the governorship election.
Specifically, the tribunal held that the governorship primaries purportedly conducted by the PDP in the state was done in violation of section 78 (b) (1)(2) of the Electoral Act which guides parties nomination to the position of governorship candidate.
It held that contrary to the provision of the section, PDP conducted the purported primaries at its national secretariat, Wadata Plaza, in Abuja with no clear delegation from the local government areas in the state.
The tribunal sustained the testimonies of the head of election monitoring of Independent National Electoral Commission that the commission was not aware of any primaries conducted by the party in line with the provision of the electoral act which produced Ishaku as the party’s flagbearer.
Section 78 (b) (1)(2) of the Electoral Act states: In the case of nomination to the position of Governorship candidate, a political party shall where they intend to sponsor candidates:
(i) hold special congress in each of the Local Government Areas of the States with delegates voting for each of the aspirants at the congress to be held in designated centres on specified dates.
(ii) the aspirant with the highest number of vote at the end of the voting shall be declared the winner of the primaries of the party and aspirant’s name shall be forwarded to the commission as the candidate of the party, for the particular state.
The tribunal said the defence by the PDP that the primaries were shifted to Abuja because of security challenges in the state was rejected by the tribunal.
It sustained the evidence of the INEC official that there was no primaries election in the state and the emergence of Mr. Ishaku through the purported election in Abuja was after the statutory stipulated time for party primaries had elapsed.
It held that since Mr. Ishaku was not duly sponsored by the PDP, the party had no candidate in the governorship election in the eyes of the law.
The tribunal therefore voided the votes of the PDP and Mr. Ishaku in the election saying “it is a waste’’ and declared the APC and its candidate, who came second, as the valid winner of the April 11 election.
Reacting to the judgment, counsel to APC, Abiodun Owonikoko, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said the judgment was a landmark being the first time the election of a governor would be nullified on the doctrine of wasted votes.
He said with the judgment, the era of impunity in party primaries was gone and it would be a lesson not only for PDP but all political parties.
On whether Mr. Ishaku will vacate the seat immediately, Mr. Owonikoko said the judgment “is not the end of the road, there is opportunity for all the parties to explore whatever the grievance they have’’.
Mr. Owonikoko added that if the governor or the party did not appeal within 21 days, Ms. Alhassan will be sworn-in as governor.
The counsel to the PDP was not available to comment on the verdict of the Tribunal as they all rushed out of the venue after the judgment.
(NAN)
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