Lagos prophet duped church members of N54.5m

Founder of Power of the Holy Ghost Evangelical Ministry, Prophet Cletus Ilongwo, was on Monday tried before an Ikeja Special Offences Court, Lagos, for allegedly defrauding a church member of N54.5 million.

Ilongwo was arraigned on an 11-count charge of fraud preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Ilongwo was arrested by EFCC on Saturday at the church premises in Shoba community, Abule-Ado, Lagos, over allegations of fraudulent schemes made against him by some members of his congregation.

According to the EFCC prosecutor, Ilongwo committed the offences between January and April 2016.

According to one of the charges, Ilongwo collected N13.5 million from a man, Obinna Ezenwaka, on the pretext that he would help him purchase a property located at 165c, Diamond Estate, Amuwo Odofin.

The EFCC further alleged that the prophet collected N10 million from Ezenwaka also under the pretext of purchasing the same property, but failed to do so.

During the period, Ilongwo allegedly collected N10 million, N7 million, N3 million, and N150,000 among others at different times from Ezenwaka through his Zenith Bank account 1003455899.

However, Ilongwo, dressed in a long red robe during proceedings in court denied the allegations.

After his not guilty plea, the defence lawyer, P.N. Orji, informed the court about a pending bail application filed on behalf of the defendant.

The EFCC prosecutor, Ahmed Yerima, however, did not oppose but asked for time to respond to the application.

The presiding judge, Justice Sherifat Solebo, in ruling adjourned the matter till November 14 and 19, for hearing of the bail application and commencement of trial. - Daily Post

Emefiele: Nigeria gets over 30% of remittances to Africa

Godwin Emefiele, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), says Nigeria tops other African countries in remittances inflows and is among the top five globally.

He did not give a figure, but said African countries received $72billion in remittances in 2017.

Checks by TheCable showed that the  World Bank report being quoted saw Nigeria receive $22 billion in remittances in 2017 alone — behind China, India, Mexico, and The Philipines.

This shows that Nigeria receives 30.56 percent of the $72 billion remittances to Africa, according to the report and the governor’s revelation.

The governor was represented by Mohammed Tumala, director CBN Statistics Department, at the opening session of a workshop on remittance household surveys.

At the event, jointly organised by the CBN and the African Institute for Remittances (AIR), Emefiele said that remittances inflows contribute substantially to foreign exchange earnings and household finances in most developing countries.

“Money sent home by migrant workers is among the major financial inflows to developing countries and in some cases it exceeds international aids and grants,” Emefiele said.

“According to the World Bank, global remittances have risen gradually over the years to about $613 billion  in 2017, of which $72 billion was received by African countries.”

Emefiele said that in recent years, Nigeria has taken measures aimed at attracting remittances inflow to the country and contribute to its economic development.

The measures include the floating of a 300 million dollar diaspora bond by the government and the introduction of electronic Certificate of Capital Importation to Nigerians in diaspora.

He added that Nigeria becoming a member of the International Association of Money Transfer Networks was also one of the measures taken.

He, however, said that compilers of remittances statistics in the country use both banking records and staff estimates of informal inflows, a methodology that had its own challenges.

“We think that a large chunk of migrants’ remittances pass through informal channels and are thus, unrecorded.

“Nigeria is yet to conduct a household based remittances survey to provide scientific estimates of these informal inflows.

“In addition, data from banking records also come with some discrepancies due to classification challenges on the part of reporting institutions.”

The CBN governor said that this informed the decision to request for technical assistance to help in data collection on the inflows.

He added that the workshop would ultimately support improvements in Nigeria’s remittances transactions and enhance the quality of data on remittances as currently reported in the country’s balance of payments.

Tumala, who was represented by Emmanuel Olowofeso, said that with support from the  AIR, National Bureau of Statistics and the National Population Commission, structures necessary for the conduct of a remittances household survey being planned for early 2019 was being finalised. = TheCable

Bank depositors protest, seek justice

A group of Spring Bank depositors on Monday morning stormed the premises of the Special Offences Court, Ikeja, Lagos to protest in a $200 million diesel scam case that involved an international oil company, Trafigura Baheer BV and its Nigerian associates, Yahaya Kwande, Osahon Asemota, and five companies.

The protesters claimed that Spring Bank collapsed because it financed the oil contract, thereby making them to lose their deposits.

They called on the court to do justice in the case by ordering the accused persons in the case to pay back the funds they surreptitiously stole from Spring Bank so that they can get their deposits back.

The Federal Government had instituted a three-count charge of conspiracy to commit a felony, stealing and receiving stolen property against Trafigura, Kwande, Asemota, and their companies Trafigura PTE Limited, Mettle Energy and Gas, Rebrandt Ltd, and Jil Engineering and Oil Services Limited.

The case is being prosecuted by Mr Rotimi Jacobs SAN on behalf of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Two weeks ago when the case came up in court, a prosecutor, Mr Adebisi Adeniyi told the court how one of the accused persons, Yahaya Kwande had jumped the administrative bail granted him by EFCC.

The other accused person, Asemota, also brought a medical report granted him by the hospital to have a three day bed rest. This prompted the court to adjourn till today for arraignment of the accused persons.

When the matter came up today, lawyer to Asemota, Mr Anthony Osa-Orhue Agarunwonyi told the trial judge, Justice Mojisola Dada that the health of his client has gotten worse. He said his client (Asemota) could hardly walk. He thereafter challenged the lead prosecution counsel to the EFCC to use the instrument at their disposal to verify the health status of Asemota. He urged the court to grant an adjournment again for him to get better. He further provided a copy of the medical report he produced in court at the last adjourned date and said that he would soon file a fresh medical report before the court.

Jacobs however reacted to the medical report, calling it “strange” and that it did not disclose any information.

Justice Dada reminded the lawyer of his promise to bring his client to court today. The lawyer pleaded with the court to give Asemota more time to recover.

Trafigura was represented in court by Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, leading his son, Bode, also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Prof Taiwo Osipitan SAN represented the third defendant, Yahaya Kwande.

Justice Dada adjourned the case till November 28, for arraignment and trial of the defendants. - PM News

President Biya, 85, sworn in for another 7-year tenure in Cameroon

Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, in power for almost 36 years, was sworn into office for seven more years on Tuesday, after winning October’s election in a landslide.

The 85-year old, one of Africa’s longest-ruling leaders, won the October presidential poll for the seventh time, in spite his questionable record that includes corruption and human rights abuse allegations.

During his inaugural speech, Biya acknowledged the “frustrations’’ of people in the English-speaking north-west and south-west regions, who feel marginalised in the otherwise French-speaking country.

The president promised to fast-track the decentralisation process to render local councils more autonomous, but condemned Anglophone secessionists, who have held regular protests over the past two years and sometimes stage violent attacks.

“War mongers, who are jeopardising our national unity and preaching secession should know that they will face not only the full force of the law, but also the determination of our defence and security forces,” said Biya.

However, the president remained mum about Sunday’s abduction of 79 students, their principal, the school’s driver and another staff member from a Christian secondary school in western Cameroon.

The abduction seems to be part of a plan by Anglophone secessionists to shut down all schools in the disputed regions, in a move to make the area ungovernable.

Biya was declared winner of the presidential poll with more than 71 per cent of total votes cast on Oct. 22.

His main opponent, Maurice Kamto has since called for a resistance movement against what he said was a flawed electoral process.

Biya was born on Feb, 13, 1933. He has been serving as the President of Cameroon since Nov. 6, 1982.

A native of Cameroon’s south, Biya rose rapidly as a bureaucrat under President Ahmadou Ahidjo in the 1960s, serving as Secretary-General of the Presidency from 1968 to 1975 and then as Prime Minister of Cameroon from 1975 to 1982.

He succeeded Ahidjo as president upon the latter’s surprise resignation in 1982 and consolidated power in a 1983–1984 fake attempted coup where he eliminated all his rivals.

Biya introduced political reforms within the context of a one-party system in the 1980s. Under serious pressure, he accepted the introduction of multiparty politics in the early 1990s.

Biya is at present the longest-ruling non-royal leader in Africa and the oldest ruler in Sub-Saharan Africa after Robert Mugabe stepped down during the 2017 Zimbabwean coup d’état.

Biya has maintained Cameroon’s close relationship with France, one of Cameroon’s former colonial ruler besides the United Kingdom. - PM News

Court adjourns N2.2bn forfeiture suit against Amosu to Nov. 12

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria on Tuesday adjourned till November 12, 2018 to decide the application filed before the court seeking final forfeiture to the Federal Government of Nigeria the sum of N2.2 billion recovered from a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu.

The presiding Judge, Mojisola Olatoregun had earlier ordered an order of interim forfeiture of the said sum, on June 14, 2018 following an exparte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Joined as respondents in the suit are Amosu, and a limited liability company, Solomon Enterprises Ltd.

The Anti-graft agency had argued that the sums were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

Justice Olatoregun also issued an interim order for the temporary forfeiture of N190 million recovered from a former Air Force Director of Finance and Budget, Air Commodore Olugbenga Gbadebo.

The court further ordered a temporary forfeiture of N101 million recovered from Solomon Enterprises, a company linked to Amosu.

The judge also directed EFCC to publish the interim orders in two national dailies, for the respondents or any other interested party, to show cause why a final order of forfeiture should not be made.

EFCC’s legal officer, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo appeared for the commission while Mr Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN) appeared for the first respondent.

Mr Oluwakemi Balogun (SAN) represented the Intervener/interested party (Bolaji Adigun)

Chief Ayorinde, told the court that he had a motion seeking to regularise, as well as another, seeking extension of time for the first respondent to file an affidavit to show cause, as directed by the court. The two applications were granted.

In response, however, Oyedepo told the court that he had only been served with a counter affidavit of the interested party, but had not received both the application for joinder and that seeking extension of time.

Following this development, and the court, observing that there were no proof of service in its file, adjourned the case till 12 November, 2018 for hearing.

In a counter affidavit deposed to by an EFCC operative, MUSA Danladi, the commission alleged that while in office, the respondents diverted huge sums of money from the Nigerian Air force accounts, to purchase properties both within and outside the country.

He said that Amosu who was appointed Chief of staff on Jan.16, 2014, had in the course of his service, received budgetary provisions in the sum of N4.5 billion, from Patrick Akpobolokemi, a former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

The sum was said to be for Maritime Security Support, pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Nigerian Air force and NIMASA.

The Commission averred that part of the sums were utilised by the respondent for personal gains. - PM News

What Prince Charles discussed with traditional rulers – Emir Sanusi

The Prince of Wales, Prince Charles on Tuesday met with some traditional leaders.

Prince Charles and his wife, Princess Camilla met with the traditional rulers in Abuja on Monday during a visit to Nigeria, the final leg of an eight-day tour to three West African countries to discuss, among other issues, peace and security, and educating the girl-child

Speaking with newsmen, following closed-door meeting, the Emir of Kano, Muhammed Sanusi II said the Prince gave a brief summary of discussions held with President Muhammadu Buhari on a range of issues, from climate change to demographic explosion.

Sanusi said that the proper education of the girl-child would address the issue of demographics in the country.

“We talked about town planning. Now take the north for example We have had a huge demographic explosion in the last 40 to 50 years but we have not yet changed the way we build our houses.

“So every time there is pressure for housing, the government takes over farmlands. Very soon we will not have enough farmland to feed Kano and we are not going to have grazing routes.

“We have got to start thinking how we could build vertically so that more families live on one plot, we free up the land, improve the yield on agriculture and begin to confront some of these challenges of demographics.

“Educating the girl child basically kills so many birds with one stone; we had a conversation around and the whole idea is how to work with the British Government in dealing with these issues and see how we can learn from each other’s experience,” the Emir said.

The Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba Ewuare II also told newsmen that the issues of human trafficking and youth empowerment were discussed adding that “I made my commitments”.

The seven traditional leaders received by Prince Charles are the Obi of Onitsha, Nnaemeka Achebe; Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar and the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II.

Others are the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba Ewuare II; Shehu of Borno, Gabai El-Kanemi; Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (Ojaja II) and the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III.

Prince Charles and Princess Camilla would visit Lagos on Wednesday, where they will engage the business community on a wide range of businesses, trade and investment. - Daily Post

Buhari approves N30,000 as new minimum wage

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved N30,000 as the new national minimum wage.

He gave his approval while receiving the report of the Tripartite Committee on the Review of National Minimum Wage at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

With the approval, a bill is expected to be sent to the National Assembly to effect the change from N18,000 to N30,000.

Recall that the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC, United Labour Congress, ULC, and other labour unions met with the Federal Government yesterday over the minimum wage issue. 

President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba had earlier suspended the planned nationwide strike. = Daily Post

Sick nation ! Sick rulers !! SERAP calls out Saraki over alleged plan to increase Senators allowance

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has raised the alarm over alleged plans by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki to increase salaries of Nigerian senators.

SERAP in a terse statement on Tuesday on its verified Twitter page disclosed that Saraki plans to increase monthly allowance per senator to N15m which is contrary to the Salaries Act.

SERAP, however, urged the Senate president to suspend the alleged plans and put into consideration the needs of Nigerians.

The statement reads: “Dear Bukola Saraki, your alleged decision to increase monthly allowance per senator to N15m is contrary to the Salaries Act.

“Nigerians ask you to suspend the allowances until our suit on the matter is determined.

“There isn’t one law for lawmakers and one for the rest of the people.” - Daily Post