70% of Nigeria’s revenue ‘used to maintain less than 20% of the population’

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), a civil society organisation (CSO), says 70 percent of Nigeria’s revenue is used to maintain less than 20 percent of the country’s population.

Auwal Musa, executive director of CISLAC, said this in Abuja on Tuesday during an address on the state of the nation.

Musa said Nigerians “are perplexed by daily occurrence of corruption scandals of seemingly detached political establishment hiding behind impunity and absurd privileges”.

“We decry the persistent shocking levels of corruption in Nigeria. Since 1960, Nigeria lost an estimated $400 billion to unimaginable levels of corruption and embezzlement, mostly stemming from gas and oil revenues. The natural resource ‘curse’ will add to other vast leakages in public spending and revenue collection, which will cost around 37 percent of GDP by 2030 if rampant graft is not addressed,” he said.

“Conservative estimates indicate that 70 percent of the nation’s revenue is used to maintain less than 20% of the Nigerian population that are public servants and politicians.

“It is astonishing to note that Nigeria as one of the richest oil producers in the world cannot lift more than 61 percent of its citizens out of abject poverty.”

The CISLAC executive director said it is disappointing to witness that so many corruption cases are rarely prosecuted till the end.

“A report by the EFCC claims that in 2016/17, 286 cases were brought to conviction, which would signal a remarkable improvement to 53 convicted cases in 2012,” he said.

“Out of 353 court proceedings. However, this nominal improvement disguises the fact that the politically exposed persons (PEPs) have been too often acquitted on dubious grounds.”

He said the anti-corruption legal framework must be strengthened through the adoption of proceeds of crime act and standing laws must be applied to grand corruption as well as petty bribery.

“While we welcome the passage of the PIGB by both chambers of the National Assembly, we are mindful of the fact that other relevant and indeed more strategic components of the renowned PIB remains elusive,” he said.

“The fiscal framework and the host community components are inevitable or the necessary changes and reforms badly needed in the sector. They must therefore be addressed for passage while the momentum in the process to secure presidential assent to the PIGB.” - Cable Nigeria

Skye Bank staff docked over N1.4m fraud

A Customer Service Officer with Skye Bank Plc, John Alikalih, was on Wednesday arraigned at the Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, over alleged withdrawal of N1.4 million from two customers’ accounts.

Alikalih is standing trial before Mrs. Abimbola Komolafe on a three-count charge of fraud.

Prosecuting police officer, Insp. Abbass Abayomi, told the court that the defendant committed the offences at about 1:00 p.m. on January 19, at the bank’s Isheri- Ojodu branch.

He said the defendant used his position in the bank to fraudulently withdraw N1.1 million from an account belonging to one Mrs. Felicia Adesola.

The court heard that the defendant also withdrew N334, 052 from account of another customer, Mrs. Josephine Benson.

Abayomi said: “The defendant willfully procured the registration of two Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards belonging to the complainants and used the cards to perpetrate the acts.

“The total amount which the defendant took from the customers’ accounts was N1.4 million.”

According to him, the offences contravened Sections 326 and 327 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 and punishable under same.

Alikalih pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Magistrate Komolafe granted him bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

She adjourned the matter till February 27. - The Nation

PL : Henry never told me to leave Arsenal - Sanchez

 

Alexis Sanchez, New Man United signing insists he did not leave Arsenal because he was told to by Thierry Henry.

The Chile international completed his move to Jose Mourinho's side on Monday in a swap deal that saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan join the Gunners.

Sanchez wrote a farewell message to the north London club in which he wrote: "I remember today, a conversation I had with Henry, a historic Arsenal player, who changed club for the same reason and today is my turn," which prompted the suggestion he had been encouraged to leave by the former France star.

Henry – who left Arsenal for Barcelona in 2007 – denied the claims on Twitter, writing: "I know I don't need to explain this to the majority of Arsenal fans but contrary to speculation at no time did I tell Alexis Sanchez to leave Arsenal. I had no idea he was going to sign for Man Utd until I saw it on the news like the rest of you."

Sanchez has since issued his own statement, insisting his switch to United was "a personal decision".

"I want to clarify that Henry never told me to leave the club, it was a personal decision," he tweeted on Wednesday. 

"He LOVES the club and someday it would be nice to see him as the Arsenal coach because he loves the club...".

He could make his United debut in Friday's FA Cup clash with Yeovil Town. - Goal

Shocking !!! Newborn baby’s head found along Lagos canal

A severed head of a newborn baby was reportedly found along a canal opposite Babalola bus stop, Itire, Lagos.

The gruesome sight was found on Tuesday by passersby and residents in the area who claimed that the baby was a victim of ritual killing.

It was learnt that the hairy head of the baby was found inside a black pot with bloodstains around it.

A resident, Kabiru Anifowoshe, told Punch that he was going to work around 8am when he saw a large crowd at the spot.

He said, “In my observation, the victim was a day old baby. People were shocked and cursed the perpetrators. The area is usually deserted by 9pm.”

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chike Oti, confirming the incident said the head had been deposited at the Mainland General Hospital morgue, Yaba, for autopsy.

He said, “The scene was photographed while the head was removed and deposited in the morgue for autopsy.

“Effort is being made to track down the perpetrators of the evil act.” - Daily Post

Lagos entertainer allegedly bits off neighbour’s lip for wooing his girlfriend

One Abayomi Odejobi, who was accused of biting a man’s lip for wooing his girlfriend, yesterday, appeared in an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court.

The accused, a 28-year-old man Lagos-based entertainer, who resides at 7, Oremeji Street, Iju-Ishaga, a suburb of Lagos, is being tried for assault.

However, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.

But Police prosecutor, Innocent Odugbo, insisted that the offence was committed on January 15 at Station Bus Stop, Iju-Ishaga.

Odugbo said the accused and the complainant, Segun Fasoyiro, had an issue over a girl sometime in December 2017.

According to Sergeant Odugbo, “the accused claimed that the complainant wooed his girlfriend on Facebook and sent a message to him to steer clear of her.

“The complainant too responded, saying he will date the girl and since then, the accused has been looking for him.

“They met at a bus stop and the accused was the first to engage him in a fight.

“The accused bit the complainant on his lower lip and when he realised what he did and was about running away, a Police patrol team apprehended him.”

Meanwhile, Magistrate A. O. Komolafe granted the accused N50,000 bail with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till February 19.

It was gathered that the offence carries three years imprisonment.

Brother Buhari !!! NNPC in fresh corruption scandal

The Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, yesterday accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) of involvement in a fresh multi-million dollar corruption.

Melaye, at plenary yesterday, claimed that NNPC is involved in a “monumental corruption” which the Senate should look into.

He noted that the NNPC allegedly registered a company by the name Brass NLG.

The firm, he said, was jointly owned by investors from Italy, Belgium, France, among others.

Melaye said contrary to statutory provisions that the account of the company be domiciled in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), NNPC and its partners, instead, opened an account with a commercial bank.

He noted that the account has no Bank Verification Number (BVN).

He claimed that money running into millions of dollars have been withdrawn from the account.

Melaye said: “While some individuals and government appointees would continue to steal, we have decided to continue to expose corruption in public life. This morning (yesterday), I draw the attention of the Nigerian Senate, a suspected colossal, monumental corruption in NNPC.

“Mr. President, a company was registered with the name Brass NLG limited with the Federal Government having controlling shares and we have some Italians, Belgians, French people who are shareholders with the Federal Government in controlling shares of about 50 per cent.

“It is known fact that once you have a joint venture, the account of such joint venture should be domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria. But in this case, that was not what happened.

“This account has no BVN and there have been periodic withdrawals. The last withdrawal from that account was to the tune of $4 million. As I speak to you, the balance of that account as at today is $137 million.”

Senate President Bukola Saraki sought the approval of the Senate to allow Melaye to bring a proper motion.

When the motion was put to a voice vote, the senators voted in the affirmative. - The Nation

EFCC Arrests Varsity Student For Internet Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibadan zonal office has arrested a suspected internet scammer, Ilesanmi Babatunde Yemi, 31, a final year Accounting student of Ekiti State University for alleged internet fraud.

Babatunde, who poses on the internet as an American Army Officer by the name ‘Dennis Martinez’ allegedly serving in Libya engages in internet love and romance scams.  

He engages unsuspecting ladies on the internet in a dating and romance scam through which he fleeces them of their money.

 Last of his victims were the duo of Sandra Simundza and Lily F, both in Australia, from whom he claimed to have obtained about $500 (five hundred US dollars) in tranches.

Babatunde, according to series of intelligence gathered by the Commission, allegedly lives ostentatious life without a definite job. He confessed to have been engaged actively in internet romance scam in the last four years from which he sustained his flamboyant lifestyle and bought himself a 2005 Lexus car with registration number Lagos MUS 404 DX. 

Being a part-time student, he also confessed to have spent most of his time on the dating sites, particularly tinder and okculpid from which he meets his victims.

Items recovered from him include one laptop Apple macbook Pro; three ATM cards; one iphone 6 x plus; one Nokia phone and one international passport. Several love scam mails were also found and downloaded from his laptops.

The suspect will be arraigned in court soon.

 

Samin Amaddin

Acting Head, Media & Publicity

January 23, 2018