Afe Babalola: 1999 constitution is the reason Nigeria remains poor

Afe Babalola, founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, says the 1999 constitution is the reason Nigeria remains poor.

The drafting of the 1999 constitution was supervised by the military under Abdulsalami Abubakar. Some of its contents are liftings from the draft 1995 constitution prepared during the regime of the late Sani Abacha.

The constitution has been criticised for giving too much power to the centre and limited authority to the federating states.

Speaking at an African Union ceremony on Tuesday, the senior advocate of Nigeria said the constitution has crippled development in the states.

“The 1999 constitution is, in large measure, responsible for the problems we have in Nigeria today. The constitution has discouraged and crippled development in the states. Consequently, Nigeria remains a poor country like most African countries,” he said.

“What Nigeria needs is a bill sponsored by the government, asking the senate to pass a law for the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference that the membership will be elected on zero party system.

“It is only through a true federal constitution that transformational leaders can emerge and a true Nigeria nation can emerge from over the 300 nations in the country. Africa needs leaders who can transform the continent. The renaissance has started in ABUAD. We have succeeded in nine years to transform education in the country.”

Babalola was honoured with the ‘African role model and the African Union agenda 2063 ambassador awards’ by the African Union Economic Socio-Cultural Council.

 - THECABLE

Former Liverpool striker sentenced to prison

A former Liverpool striker, Dean Saunders, has been sentenced to 10 weeks in jail.

According to Mirror UK, the 55-year-old was sentenced on Wednesday at Chester Magistrates’ Court after he pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a roadside breath test and failing to provide a breath sample for analysis.

Saunders, a regular football TV and radio pundit, was stopped on suspicion of drink driving by police in Boughton, Chester, on May 10.

The Welshman was also banned from driving for 30 months.

Saunders played for Aston Villa and Derby County, Galatasaray, Benfica, Bradford City, Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest before he retired in 2001.

He also coached Chesterfield in 2015 for six months.

- DAILY POST

Sowore to remain in detention as court dismisses motion

A federal high court in Abuja has dismissed an application challenging the detention of Omoyele Sowore, convener of ‘Revolution Now’ movement.

At its sitting on Wednesday, Evelyn Maha, a judge, said hearing the application would mean reviewing the court order directing the Department of State Services (DSS) to detain Sowore.

The judge said the motion filed by Sowore through Femi Falana, his lawyer, cannot be granted as the matter is already before another judge who granted the initial exparte order.

Sowore has been in detention since August 3. He was arrested on the eve of a nationwide protest organised by the movement.

The DSS accused him of threatening public peace and safety with the planned protest. After his arrest, the agency charged him with terrorism and subsequently secured a court order to detain him for 45 days.

To secure the order, G.O. Agbadua, counsel to the DSS, had told the court that the secret police needed the period to investigate him.

Taiwo Taiwo, the judge who granted the detention order, said he did so “only to the extent” of allowing the security agency to keep the respondent in custody for the 45 days to conclude its investigation.

Sowore said the secret police it does not have the power to prosecute him on terrorism charges.

 - THECABLE

We are closer to signing Neymar – Barca CEO

Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have reached agreement over the price of Neymar’s transfer, but negotiations continue over the terms of the deal.

Barca CEO Oscar Grau, sporting director Eric Abidal, technical secretary Javier Bordas and Brazilian scout Andre Cury all travelled to Paris for negotiations on Tuesday.

They met with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and sporting director Leonardo.

When Barcelona landed back in Catalunya on Tuesday evening, they claimed that they are confident of Neymar’s return to the club.

“We don’t have an agreement yet,” Barca executive Bordas told the awaiting press. “We are still talking but we are closer.”

However, there remain issues that need to be ironed out with the European transfer window deadline fast approaching.

Barca chiefs, according to Le Parisien, made an initial play to take Neymar on loan for the season, with an obligation to buy for £154million and Ousmane Dembele heading on loan to Paris for the 2019-20 campaign.

That proposal was rejected out of hand and soon replaced by another, with the Neymar move set to be permanent from the outset, and Barca offering a payment plan as they seek to work within the framework of Financial Fair Play.

Already this summer the Catalan side have splashed over £210million on Frenkie de Jong, Junior Firpo, Neto and Antoine Griezmann while Sport claimed Barcelona’s finances were so bad that they wanted to avoid paying anything until July 2020 – otherwise they would be unable to comply with FFP.

Now ESPN reports that the second proposal was to pay £36million upfront, with £59million in 2020 and another £59million in 2021.

Again, that was rejected by the French champions, who are keen to be paid in full this summer in what amounts, as much as anything, to a saving-face exercise.

The £154million fee has been agreed and is what the two sides are working towards; however, they must still come to an agreement over how it is paid and the player who swaps Camp Nou for the Parc des Princes.

The situation is further complicated by which player is used as a makeweight, with both Dembele and Nelson Semedo having been mooted as potential options.

Portugal international Semedo was keen to join Atletico Madrid earlier in the summer, but is now first-choice under Ernesto Valverde and has little desire to move; right-back has been a problem position for PSG, but Barca are likely to be unwilling to move him on.

Dembele previously worked with PSG boss Thomas Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund, prior to his £135million switch to Barca in 2017, and Leonardo is known to be a fan.

However, the player’s agent has declared recently that he wants to stay in Catalunya; Barcelona will need to persuade him that linking up with Kylian Mbappe in his homeland is in his best interests.

If they fail to do so, then PSG will seek to reintegrate Neymar into their first-team plans – particularly with Mbappe and Edinson Cavani both set for a month on the sidelines.

- PM NEWS

Oil marketer arraigned for allegedly defrauding South African of $240,000

The police on Wednesday arraigned Adekoya Opeyemi, a 35-year-old oil marketer, who allegedly defrauded his South African employer of 240,000 U.S. dollars ( about N84 million) in a Magistrates’ Court in Wuse Zone 6, Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Opeyemi, who resides in Federal Housing Authority, Lugbe, Abuja, is been charged with three counts of criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust by servant and cheating.

The Prosecution Counsel, Fidelis Ogbobe, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on July 17.

Ogbobe alleged that the complainant, Rilwan Sanya, a South African national sent the defendant to collect the amount from someone for him.

Ogbobe said that three hours after the defendant collected the money, he showed up at the Central Area Police Station, alleging that he was attacked by armed robbers and the money was stolen from him.

He said during police investigation, the allegation and evidence of armed robbery attack could not be substantiated.

He said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 97, 313 and 322 of the Penal Code.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Magistrate, Linda Chidama, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N400,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Chimada adjourned the case until Sept. 24, for hearing.

- DAILY POST

LAND OF SCAMMERS !! N223m found in bank account of Ekiti internet fraud kingpin

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said it has traced N223million in illicit transactions in the bank account of the arrested Ekiti-based internet fraud kingpin, Ajayi Gbenga Festus.

The Ibadan Zonal Head of the anti-graft agency, Mr Friday Ebelo made the disclosure on Wednesday during a press conference at its Iyaganku, Ibadan zonal office

He said Festus was working in cahoot with other cybercriminals abroad, in what Ebelo described as highly sophisticated web of a conspiracy designed to illegally access accounts of individuals and organisations to defraud them of their money.

He said illicit transactions made through Festus’ Nigerian bank accounts amounted to N223million, noting that the suspect served as a conduit pipe through which proceeds of crime reached members of the syndicate.

Ebelo used the opportunity of the press briefing to advises the 80 Nigerians indicted by the FBI in massive cybercrime cases to come out of their hiding and clear their names before EFCC operatives get to them.

He said its operatives will arrest those within Nigeria, adding that the operatives have begun a background check on the suspects.

Ebelo said since the beginning of the year, the Ibadan Zonal office of EFCC arrested 263 suspects for cybercrime related offences out of which 111 had been convicted and sentenced to various jail terms.

The zone also recovered money, including landed properties, vehicles, laptops, phones and many others from the scammers.

Ebelo put the recovered monies at N7,461,378, US$56,452; 400 Canadian Dollars, 65 Pounds and 2,400 Euros, noting that the EFCC is in constant collaboration with international organisations with a similar mandate, especially the FBI in efforts to curb internet crimes and illicit funds transfer.

On Tuesday, the EFCC acting chairman, Ibrahim Magu also disclosed that the collaboration between the Commission and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, has led to the recovery by the Lagos office of $314,000 and about N373 million from internet scammers.

“Nine of the suspects are currently undergoing trial, while five are still under investigations.

“Over 80 cases are still under investigation from the EFCC-FBI joint operations,” Magu said.

- PM NEWS

 

How tenant raped, killed landlady in Ekiti

The police in Ekiti state have arrested a 39-year-old man, Tunmise Abraham, who allegedly killed her landlady, Mrs Bukola Olanrewaju after raping her to death in Ado Ekiti.

The 39-year-old Tailor and mother of three was killed last week Thursday by Tunmise, who hailed from Ikole Ekiti.

The command also arrested two serial rapists, Babalola Olaniyo and Olupinla Dotun, who raped a girl at Olorunda area of Ado Ekiti metropolis last week.

The Command’s police Commissioner, Mr Asuquo Amba, said Tunmise was arrested at a church in Akure, Ondo State capital after linking up with the family.

“The suspect after committing the offence ran to Akure. He took refuge in a Church and that was where he was arrested.

“He had immediately called his family and told them why he did not come to their place. He said he had killed somebody in Ado Ekiti.

“We had already done our homework and garnered that her sister is selling chemicals and police detectives had to trick her that they wanted to buy something from her. It was her sister who later led us to where he was”, he said.

The CP said all the suspects will be prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others.

Confessing that he actually committed the offence, Tunmise said he did it out of provocation.

Tunmise said the deceased had allegedly provoked her over disagreement on house rent with the husband of the woman, Mr. Raphael Olanrewaju, an indigene of Igogo Ekiti from Moba local government.

He denied the accusation that he raped the landlady to death ,explaining that he only hit her on the head with a big stick before making efforts to tie her hands to make her weak during a fisticuff.

“I called her that day that I wanted to leave the house after paying N23,000 in June and this will last till next year May for one year house rent and I said that the husband needed to refund part of my money to get another apartment, but the woman said that would never happen.

“We started the argument and she started calling me names. She abused me by calling me a stammerer, charlatan and other unpritable names, which angered me. She later held my cloth and I slapped her and pushed her away from me.

“The woman now came with a stick and I overpowered her and collected the stick , which I used to hit her on the head and she fell.

“Upon realising she had died, I became worried and I had to run to a church in Akure for refuge.”

The deceased’s husband, Mr Raphael Olanrewaju, said the disagreement he had with the suspect had been resolved when his family paid a sum of N23,000 house rent, comprising the new and backlog of debt he owed.

“He had misunderstanding with my wife but it was settled. I never knew he had the intention to kill her. He killed my wife around 11am when everybody, including me and my three kids had left home.

“It was my little girl who discovered that she was the one who did it. When police came to search his room, we saw a lot of incriminating goods that suggested that he was an armed robbery. I never knew I was harbouring an armed robber since he came to my house last year .

“All I want is that the law must take its course”, he said.

- DAILY POST

Lagos reacts as estate agent swindles 250 house seekers N65m

An estate agent has swindled 250 house seekers in Lagos of the sum of N65 million, even as the Lagos State Government raised the alarm over increasing fraud in real estate transactions, vowing to explore legal option to protect residents.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Housing, Mr Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, said that government would explore legal options to ensure dubious real estate swindlers were punished.

Akinderu-Fatai, while receiving some victims of accommodation scam from Alapere in Ketu area of the state, said: “The state government has declared a war against fraudulent practitioners in the real estate sector. Government is determined to make Lagos a no go area for unscrupulous individuals who prey on Lagosians under the guise of real estate business.’’

Akinderu-Fatai assured the victims who lost N65 million to a swindler who collected money from over 250 prospective tenants that the fraudulent developer would be prosecuted.

He said that the state government had instituted legal actions against the said developer on behalf of the victims.

 Akinderu-Fatai advised Lagos residents to report suspected dubious estate agents and developers to the office of Lagos State Real Estate Transaction Department (LASRETRAD) at Block 7 at the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.

“I want to assure you that the state government, under the leadership of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is very responsive. It will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the culprits are brought to book,” the commissioner said in a statement by Mrs Adeola Salako, Director, Public Affairs in the ministry.

Akinderu-Fatai also advised victims to remain calm and be law abiding since the matter was already in court.

Also, Mr Wasiu Akewusola, the Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Housing, urged accommodation seekers to always transact business with the estate agents and developers registered with LASRETRAD.

Akewusola said LASRETRAD is a directorate under the state Ministry of Housing, and was responsible for registering, regulating and monitoring real estate operators across the state.

He appealed to the victims to maintain peace and order while the state government takes necessary action on their matter.

Earlier, Mr Aliyu Toyin, who spoke on behalf of the victims, expressed fears that the swindlers might not be brought to book. Toyin urged the state government to assist them in seeking for the immediate refund of the rents the victims had paid.

- DAILY POST

Another 153 stranded Nigerians return from Libya

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Wednesday received another batch of 153 stranded Nigerians from Libya.

The Director-General of NEMA, Mr Mustapha Maihajja, represented by Mr Slaku Lugard, an official of the agency, received the returnees on Wednesday in Lagos.

Maihajja said that the Nigerians arrived in the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 3:45a.m.

According to him, they were brought by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and European Union on the platform of the Assisted Voluntary Returnees (AVR) Programme.

He added that the returnees comprised 59 female adults, four female children and seven female infants as well as 78 adult males, three male children and two male infants.

DAILY POST recalls that NEMA had received another batch of 171 stranded Nigerians from Libya.

Alhaji Idris Muhammed, Coordinator, Lagos Territorial Office of NEMA, who was represented by Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, Public Information Officer, said that they arrived aboard an Al Buraq Airline aircraft with registration number 5A-DMG and flight number UZ 196/25.

- DAILY POST

N.3m Dubai Visa scam lands sexagenarian in court

A 60-year-old man, Frank Ehigie, who allegedly obtained N300, 000 from his customer under the pretext of procuring Dubai Visa for him, was on Wednesday docked before an Ejigbo Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

Ehigie, whose residential address was not given, is standing trial on a two-count charge of fraud and stealing.

The defendant denied the charge.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp. N. G. Simon, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offences sometime in July 2017 at Iyana Ipaja Market in Lagos.

Simon said that the defendant fraudulently obtained the sum of N300, 000 from the complainant, Innocent John, to procure Dubai Visa for him, but failed to do so.

The prosecutor said the defendant knew that his presentation was false, adding that the defendant converted the said money to his personal use.

He said that the offences contravened Sections 287 and 314(3) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Section 287 provides three years imprisonment as punishment for stealing.

Also, Section 314 (3) provides 15 years imprisonment as punishment for obtaining by false pretences.

The Magistrate, Mrs A. G. Okubule, admitted the defendant to bail of N50, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

Okubule said that the sureties must be gainfully employed and show evidence of tax payments to the Lagos State Government.

The case was adjourned until Sept. 25 for mention.

- PM NEWS

Buhari in Japan: Nnamdi Kanu attacks Junaid Mohammed over comment on IPOB members

Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, on Wednesday, lambasted Second Republic lawmaker, Junaid Mohammed over his comment on President Muhammadu Buhari’s trip to Japan.

Recall that Buhari had on Sunday departed Nigeria for Japan to participate in the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7) holding in the City of Yokohama, August 28-30, 2019.

Following the disclosure of Buhari’s travel itinerary, Kanu had directed IPOB members to ensure that the president was arrested and handed over to security operatives in Japan upon his arrival because he is an impostor.

DAILY POST, however, on Monday reported the arrival of Buhari in Japan.

However, IPOB alleged that the President was not in Japan, stressing that photographs of Buhari in the country were photoshopped.

Reacting to the directive by Kanu, Mohammed said IPOB members would pay with their blood if they attack Buhari on foreign soil.

Junaid Mohammed was quoted as saying, ”IPOB will pay with their blood if they attempt an attack on Buhari.”

Reacting to Mohammed’s comment, Kanu dared the former lawmaker to stop, “running his mouth like a captured bandit.”

Sharing the comment of Mohammed on his Twitter handle, Kanu wrote: “Rather than running his mouth like a captured bandit in police custody, Junaid Mohammed should allow Jubril to make a public appearance in Japan, only then will he understand how insanely fanatical we are about Biafra.

“IPOB is not Ohaneze or PANDEF that bow to threats.”

- DAILY POST

3 Nigerian women arrested for robbing Iraqi man in Dubai

Three Nigerian women have been charged to court for beating and stealing Dh57,000 from an Iraqi man in Dubai .

The women, aged 30, 33 and 34, were charged with robbery by the Dubai police and a verdict is expected later in the month.

According to GULF NEWS, the 45-year-old Iraqi man arrived in Dubai in January and met a woman, whom he thought was a Swedish student, through a dating app.

Narrating his ordeal, the man was quoted as saying he and the woman agreed to meet at her apartment in Al Quoz, western Dubai, after they spoke on phone. However, when he arrived at her apartment, he was confronted by a group of women who attacked him.

He said the women slapped him and asked for money. He reportedly gave them Dh1,600 to let him go, but they searched his pockets and found Dh55,975.

“The apartment door opened and five African women dragged me inside and physically abused me,” the man was quoted as saying.

“They were so happy when they found this amount of cash that they stopped searching me.

“I was terrified that they would kill me so I pretended to have breathing problems so they would let me go.”

The women were said to have allowed him leave after which he reportedly alerted the building’s security and kept waiting in front of the apartment.

The suspects were said to have jumped out through the window to escape when the Dubai police arrived.

“The women escaped and we chased them on foot. We arrested three of them and the victim identified them before taking them to Bur Dubai police station,” a police officer was quoted as saying.

The victim was also charged with soliciting prostitution by the Dubai public prosecution.

He was fined Dh5,000 and subsequently deported.

- THECABLE