MAMA CORRUPTION !! Patience Jonathan forfeits N1bn to FG

Former First Lady, Patience Jonathan has been ordered by the Federal High Court siting in Kano to forfeit N1 billion to the Federal Government.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC secured an interim forfeiture of N1,000,494,000 belonging to the former first lady.

The order was granted by Justice Lewis Allagoa of the Federal High Court sitting in Kano, according to a statement issued by the EFCC on Friday.

The forfeiture was as a result of a motion ex parte filed by the Commission seeking for the interim forfeiture of the sum of N1,000,494,000 found in the bank account of Magel Resort Limited, a company linked to the former First Lady of Nigeria, Patience Jonathan.

The EFCC received an intelligence alleging that a bank account domiciled in Fidelity Bank was said to have stored huge sum of money that is not being used by anybody.

Upon receipt of the intelligence, the Commission swung into action by conducting preliminary investigations which revealed that the former First Lady and some relatives of ex-President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan are directors of the company.

Others named as directors of the company are Oba Tamunotonye, Goodluck Jonathan Aruera, Goodluck Jonathan Ariwabai and Esther Fynface.

While tracing the origin of the money, it was discovered that N500,000 was deposited on the 20th May, 2015 by Esther Fynface, who is alleged to be in charge of the company; while N1,000,000,000  was transferred in two tranches on the 25th May, 2015 from Pagmat Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited, a company that is not incorporated with the Corporate Affairs Commission.

The court order reads that: “An interim forfeiture order is granted to the Federal Government in the sum of N1,000,494,000 (One Billion, Four Hundred and Ninety Four Thousand Naira) only in the Bank account of the 1st respondent Magel Resort Limited 4011019546 which is maintained with 2nd respondent Fidelity Bank Plc”.

The court further ordered that the forfeited sum be deposited in the Treasury Single Account of the Federal Government, Punch reports.

- PM NEWS

US imposes visa restrictions on Ghana

The United States, on Thursday, said it has imposed visa restrictions on Ghana.

Mike Pompeo, US secretary of state, said the West African country has not been co-operating in accepting Ghanian citizens to be deported from the US.

“As a result, Secretary of State Pompeo has ordered consular officers in Ghana to implement visa restrictions on certain categories of visa applicants. Without an appropriate response from Ghana, the scope of these sanctions may be expanded to a wider population,” the department of homeland security said in a statement.

“The sanctions will remain in place until the Secretary of Homeland Security notifies Secretary Pompeo that cooperation on removals has improved to an acceptable level.”

Commenting on the development, Kirstjen Nielsen, DHS secretary said: “The United States routinely cooperates with foreign governments in documenting and accepting U.S. citizens when asked, as appropriate, as do the majority of countries in the world, but Ghana has failed to do so in this case.

“We hope the Ghanaian government will work with us to reconcile these deficiencies quickly.” 

- THECABLE

Amnesty: Boko Haram killed 60 after soldiers abandoned Rann

Amnesty International says at least 60 persons were killed in the recent Boko attack in Rann, a border town in Borno state.

In a statement on Friday, the organisation said it gathered from satellite images that “hundreds of structures” were burnt down during the attack which occurred in January.

Many internally displaced persons (IDPs) fled to Cameroon during the attack.

Amnesty quoted witnesses as saying soldiers “abandoned their posts the day before the attack, demonstrating the authorities’ utter failure to protect civilians.”

“We have now confirmed that this week’s attack on Rann was the deadliest yet by Boko Haram, killing at least 60 people,” Osai Ojigho, the organisation’s director in Nigeria said in the statement.

“Using satellite imagery we have also been able to confirm the mass burning of structures as Boko Haram unleashed a massive assault on Rann, most of which is now destroyed.

“This attack on civilians who have already been displaced by the bloody conflict may amount to possible war crime, and those responsible must be brought to justice.

“The authorities on both sides of the border must provide the supplies and safety that these people require. The Cameroonian authorities must also desist from forcing people to return until conditions are safe and they choose to do so voluntarily.”

TheCable reached out to Sani Usman, to react to Amnesty’s claims, but he did not pick his calls and is yet respond to a text message.

- THECABLE

Seun Kuti to perform at Grammys

Seun Kuti, the Afrobeat singer, and son of the late legend, Fela has been listed as one of the performers at the 61st Grammy Awards.

Kuti, who was nominated for Best World Music Album will perform with Malian singer/songwriter, Fatoumata Diawara, at the award’s Premiere Ceremony on February 10.

This was contained in a statement on the Grammys’ website, published on Thursday.

The statement reads: “The 61st Grammy Awards will start off with sizzle as the lineup for the Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony has been revealed, led by Mr. Boombastic himself, Grammy winner and current nominee, Shaggy as host.

“The prelude to music’s biggest night will also feature performances by current nominated singer/songwriter Snatam Kaur, trumpeter Craig Morris and dance duo Sofi Tukker.

“Nigerian Afrobeat artist, Seun Kuti and Malian singer/songwriter Fatoumata Diawara will also perform together, and Ángela Aguilar, Aida Cuevas, and Natalia Lafourcade will unite for the first time ever to perform “La Llorona,” a Mexican folkloric classic all three artists have recorded during their career.

“All of the premiere ceremony performers and the host are nominated this year, as are most of the presenters. Kuti & Egypt 80 are nominated for Best World Music Album for ‘Black Times.’”

- DAILY POST

Manchester City vs Arsenal: Emery speaks on Pep Guardiola

Arsenal manager, Unai Emery has lauded Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola, ahead of both teams clash in the Premier League on Sunday at the Etihad Stadium.

Emery says it’s difficult to find one coach in the world who is “better than” Guardiola.

“I have analysed a lot of teams and coaches and I think it’s difficult to find one coach who is better than Guardiola,” Emery was quoted by FourFourTwo as saying at pre-match press conference on Friday.

“His career is a very big career. We started together. He started with the Barcelona second team, I started with Lorca and Almeria [In Spain’s third and second tiers].

“I learned a lot looking at his team — it’s good to look at each other when we are coaches to learn different things between us. I think in his career he’s doing the best in all the coaches in the world.

“He has had the possibility to take the best players at Barcelona, in Bayern and in City, little by little. He is, every year, improving with great players and also paying a lot for some players. But he led them, at Barcelona, Bayern and City, one step more every place,” he said.

- DAILY POST

ASUU strike: Again lecturers, FG’s meeting with union deadlocked

The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, have again failed to reach a compromise to end the ongoing strike by the university lecturers.

According to News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, who addressed newsmen after the closed door meeting with the union on Friday in Abuja said the meeting was protracted.

He said, “The meeting was protracted, but the good news is that we have gotten to the end of the tunnel.

“We met them half way and we have finished the gray areas and on the issue of N50 billion, we have offered what we have.

“We do not have N50 billion and we cannot do N50 billion, but we have offered them something reasonable.

“So they have to take it back, and go and present to their members.”

Ngige, however, expressed hope that students would return to school soon, saying “We will know when they will go back by Thursday”.

Earlier, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, ASUU President said the meeting had been adjourned to Feb. 7.

“So, far on the level of progress made so far, I cannot tell you that now until I tell my members.

“It is the feedback of the last meeting we came to present to government today.

“But right now, we have a new set of information that we have to go and present to our members until we tell our members, we cannot tell you,” he said.

Ogunyemi noted that progress had been made on the ongoing negotiations.

He added that “We are making progress and the progress we are making is for everybody’s interest and stakeholders will benefit at the end of the day.

“We will be meeting on Thursday, after which, we will address the press.

“We have trashed all areas, so the progress we have made must first be related to our members.

“So until we tell them, and they tell us what to do that, that is only when we can relate to the press. The meeting adjourned till Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the strike commenced on Nov. 5, 2018.

The lecturers are demanding for the implementation of some agreements with the Federal Government since November 2009.

NAN also reports that one of their major demands is the implementation of university revitalisation fund.

- DAILY POST