FRAUD : EFCC tells court to seize Patience Jonathan’s $8.4m, N9.2bn

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is seeking the final forfeiture of the sums of 8.4 million dollars and 9.2 billion naira linked to Patience Jonathan, the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The anti-graft agency is praying the court to seize the money.

In an application filed before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, the EFCC through its counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, asked the court to grant its prayers for the final forfeiture of the funds.

Justice Olatoregun had, on April 19, 2018, made an order of interim forfeiture of the monies, following an ex-parte application filed by the anti-graft agency against Mrs Jonathan and six other respondents.

But the counsel to Mrs. Jonathan, Ifedayo Adedipe, told the court that the EFCC had not shown any reason to warrant the final forfeiture of the money, and asked the court to refuse the application.

The counsel to the other defendants also argued that the EFCC’s application was an abuse of court process and asked that it be dismissed or struck out.

After listening to all the parties, justice Olatoregun adjourned the case till November 13, 2018, for further hearing. - DAILY POST

Minimum wage: Labour, CSOs protest, begin mobilisation for nationwide strike

Members of the organised labour, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the United Labour Congress (ULC) on Tuesday staged a protest to mobilise support for their demand for a new national minimum wage.

The workers also supported by other civil society allies including Joint Action Forum (JAF) converged at Ojuelegba in Surulere, Lagos, as early as 7:30 am on Tuesday.

They took a long walk from Ojuelegba to the Gani Fawehinmi Park at Ojota where their leaders – Mr Joe Ajaero, president of ULC, Amechi Asugwuni, NLC Deputy President and Abiodun Aremu of JAF addressed them.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the gathering was under close watch of officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force.

While addressing a crowd in Ojota, Asugwuni advised Nigerians to stockpile food in their homes ahead of the nationwide strike to begin Nov. 6.

According to him, the struggle is to defend Nigerians and the walk day would help sensitise Nigerians.

“Because once we commence the strike, there is no going back except government agrees to our terms and conditions. The minimum wage is a legitimate right for Nigerian workers.”

Ajaero also said “We are on the road to tell the government that enough is enough.

“The Nov. 6 will be the mother of all strikes in Nigeria. Posterity will judge us if we fail to rise up to defend Nigerian workers.

“There is no good healthcare and electricity tariff is far more than 18,000 minimum wage and the tariff continue to increase”.

The committee wrapped its negotiation and sitting in Abuja early this month.

There has been a disagreement between the Federal Government side led by Dr Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment and the labour over actual amount for the minimum wage. - PM NEWS

'Liar' Mohammed : No case of hunger among soldiers fighting Boko Haram

Lai Mohammed, minister of information, says the soldiers fighting Boko Haram insurgents in the north-east are not hungry.

The minister said this in response to a report TheCable published on the plight of soldiers.

The report, with video and pictures, detailed how soldiers beg for food and sleep in classrooms because of the lack of accommodation.

Soldiers had narrated their experiences— with some of them wearing bathroom slippers to the battlefield.

“On this first assignment to the bush, some died and, luckily, some of us returned alive. If you see the kind of food they would eventually give us, you will weep for us,” one of the soldiers had told TheCable.

Another explained how he and his colleagues constructed zinc houses inside Maimalari barracks in Maiduguri, Borno state capital.

“This is my own self-contain apartment. I built this place myself, with my money and my hands. A sheet of fairly used zinc sells for N700, while the new goes for N1,000, we can only afford the former. And to put this whole structure together, you will spend at least N31,000 on zinc alone,” another soldier had said.

On one of the trips to Maimalari, TheCable reporter saw rusty zinc houses where hundreds of soldiers rest their heads.

Ten days after the report was published, President Muhammadu Buhari said he was looking into the welfare of soldiers.

“I am looking into all reported cases of inadequacies in relation to their entitlements, their welfare and those of their families,” he had said in his Independence Day broadcast.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Mohammed said the outcome of the probe of the president showed that the soldiers were living in good condition.

He said the troops referred to in the report were being fed three times a day and were kitted immediately after their training before they are deployed in the theatre.

“Two months and 10 days after the launch, specifically on September 21st 2018, an online publication reported alleged deplorable conditions of the troops who are fighting Boko Haram in the north-east,” Mohammed said.

“Quoting a phantom corporal, with the pseudonym Gandoki, said to be serving with one of the Special Forces Units in the theatre of operation, the publication alleged that troops deployed in particular along Gubio road and the Brig.-Gen. Maimalari Secondary School were begging for food to survive, were poorly kitted with some wearing slippers and were facing irregular/short payment of their allowances.

“The publication also reported non-serviceable equipment in the theatre. These allegations have grave implications for the security of the nation, hence the allegations were taken seriously by the president and commander-in-chief, who subsequently ordered an investigation to determine the veracity or otherwise of the claims in the publication.

“Gentlemen, the investigation has since been concluded and, in line with the transparent stance of this administration, I have invited you here today to share with you the outcome.

“The summary of the findings is that there is no case of hunger, starvation or begging among the troops fighting in the north-east, and in particular in the Armed Forces Special Forces Battalion that was referenced in the publication.

“There is also no irregular/short payment of allowances, while claims of poor equipment, inadequate kitting and accommodation are found to be ill conceived and unfounded. On the allegation of poor equipment and inadequate kitting, it was found that the inflow of logistics into the theatre in the past six months showed an enormous quantity of materiel was distributed to troops in the theatre.”

Dismissing the report as “fake news”, Mohammed said it would be a “terrible downplay” of the sacrifices made by the soldiers to the country.

“Such reports amount to collaborating with fifth columnists and enemies of the nation to weaken the fighting spirit of our fighting forces.”

John Agim, spokesman of defence headquarters, had said the conditions experienced by the soldiers is the price to pay for fighting the insurgents. - THECABLE

400 Shi’ite members arrested in Abuja

Police in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) said 400 members of Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shi’ites, had been arrested in connection with Tuesday’s violent protest in the territory.

Commissioner of Police in the area, Mr Bala Ciroma, stated this when he presented the suspects to the media at the command’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said that the suspects had been detained for discreet investigation, adding that dangerous weapons were also recovered from them.

He said that the police recovered 31 bottles of petrol bombs and other dangerous weapons brought in the territory by the suspects.

Ciroma said that among the suspects was their “First Aider”, one Salahuddeen Ahmad, male, 23, who hails from Illela Local Government of Sokoto State.

He said that all the suspects would be arraigned upon conclusion of investigation.

The commissioner said that arrest of the sect members as part of the continuous efforts of the command to provide residents of the territory with adequate security, protect lives and property and prevent breakdown of law and order.

He stated that the command intercepted and arrested some members of “the EL-Zakzakky Islamic Movement of Nigeria with 31 bottles of petrol bomb and other dangerous weapons being ferried into FCT by their members.

“It is for the purpose of causing mayhem and attack on innocent citizens, including law enforcement agents deployed to protect lives and property.’’

According to him, members of the group without provocation of any sort went on rampage during a protest and burnt down a police vehicle.

He said that the incident occurred on Tuesday and that the sect burnt a Police Rapid Response Squad (RRS) patrol vehicle deployed at Ademola Adetokumbo Crescent.

Ciroma explained that at 12.30 p.m., operatives on stop-and-search duty along Tipper Garage area, intercepted and arrested one Mustapha Abdullahi, male, 20, of Ungwan Gwari, Suleja, with 18 bottles of petrol bombs concealed in a traveling bag.

“To smuggle himself and the patrol bombs into the city, he disguised as a passenger and boarded a taxi with other unsuspecting passengers,” he said.

He said that Abdullahi ran out of luck when vigilant policemen on duty at the point “upon reasonable suspicion’’ intercepted the cab and conducted a search on the only bag in the car and found the improvised bombs.

He said that the suspect was immediately arrested, adding that he would be arraigned at the end of investigation.

The commissioner added that one Abdullahi Umar, 22, was also nabbed with a bag containing 13 well packaged bottles of petrol bomb.

“During investigation, the suspect confessed that he arrived Suleja from Sokoto State on Sunday to join other members of their sect for protest.

“He also confessed that he was ferrying the patrol bomb to FCT to confront law enforcement agents,” he said.

Ciroma said that one lighter was also recovered from the suspect, adding that he would also be arraigned soon.

Speaking to newsmen, one of the suspects, Mustapha Abdullahi, said that the bottles contained petrol.

According to him, at the time of my arrest, I didn’t do anything with the bottles of petrol.

“I came to Abuja to use it to break stone but today something happened in Abuja and they blocked me on the road and arrested me,” he said.

Abdullahi admitted that the police recovered 18 bottles of the petrol bombs from him, saying “I am a member of the Shi’ite,” he said.

Another suspect, Abdullahi Umar, said “I don’t have any mission, I just wanted to defend myself with it.

“On Saturday at Zuba, soldiers came and started shooting us, we didn’t do anything to them.”

While explaining their activities, Umar said “if they start shooting us, I will just put it on the grass then I will put fire on the grass so that our brothers will get way to escape. I came into Abuja from Sokoto.’’ - PM NEWS

There’ll be catastrophe in Imo if my son-in-law fails to succeed me – Okorocha

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has called on the National working Committee of the All Progressives Congress, led by Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, to submit the name of his son in-law, Mr, Uche Nwosu, to the Independent National Electoral Commission as the winner of the APC governorship primaries in the state.

Okorocha made the appeal in a statement obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Monday.

Okorocha said upholding Nwosu’s candidacy will “protect the high integrity of President Muhammadu Buhari and the integrity of the Party.”

He added that Nwosu remained the “only hope” for the state, stressing that the candidates of other parties would spell doom for the state.

“For some time now, I have been in Abuja fighting for the soul of Imo State from possible kidnap and subsequent destruction by political thieves.

“The only hope left for Imo State now is for Uche Nwosu to emerge as a candidate. Otherwise, there will be total economic catastrophe when I leave as governor.

“Though they have spoken falsely and badly about our candidate, nobody can say that he was a fraudster in Lagos or that he was an armed robber in Benin or an arrogant man or a criminal.

“They have actually nothing to say about him except that he is my son-in-law,” the release read. -DAILY POST

MTN vs CBN: Court fixes date in $8.1bn repatriation case

A Federal High Court in Lagos has adjourned till Dec. 4, hearing in a dispute between MTN Nigeria and the Central Bank of Nigeria over alleged illegal repatriation of $8.1 billion by the telecoms company.

Justice Saliu Saidu also adjourned till Nov. 8, hearing in a case of $2.0 billion tax non-payment made against MTN Nigeria by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

MTN filed the suits and is seeking an injunction to restrain the CBN and AGF from taking further actions to reclaim the alleged debts.

The CBN alleged that the telecoms firm improperly repatriated dividends. The apex bank requested that MTN should return $8.1billion to its coffers.

On the other hand, the AGF claimed that MTN did not pay taxes on foreign payments and imports of approximately $2.0 billion. It demanded that the company should pay the sum.

MTN, however, denied the allegations.

On Dec. 4, the court will hear an interlocutory application by the MTN seeking to retrain the CBN from taking steps to reclaim the alleged debt.

The court will also hear an application by the CBN challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the case.

Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) appeared for the MTN while Mr Seyi Sowemimo (NAN) appeared for CBN.. - DAILY POST

2019 elections: Organised labour reveals candidates it will vote for, gives reasons

The organised labour on Tuesday revealed candidate who it’s members will vote during the 2019 general elections.

President of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama said the Organised Labour would vote for any candidate who was interested in the welfare of workers.

He spoke during a protest at the President Villa in Abuja, over government’s refusal to increase the minimum wage of workers to N30,000.

Kaigama vowed that members would ensure that their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, used “seriously” in 2019.

He said, “In 2019, we will take our PVCs very seriously.

“Any governor or presidential candidate who is not interested in the welfare of workers and labour will not be voted for.” - DAILY