INSIDE JUNGLE !!! NDDC: Akpabio names Orji Kalu, Uduaghan, James Ibori in contract scandal

Two former governors of Delta State, James Ibori and Emmanuel Uduaghan, and a former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu have been linked to the various contracts awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

Also linked to the contracts in the letter submitted to the House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, is a former lawmaker for the Imo North (Okigwe) constituency of Imo State, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume.

Recall that a list had appeared earlier containing names of Senators and House of Representatives members involved in Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC contracts.

In the letter with Reference Number MNDA/HM/04/IV/158, addressed to the Clerk to House of Reps, Patrick Giwa, and also copied to the office of the Attorney General of the Federation/Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, the Minister named the top government officials as beneficiaries of the NDDC contracts.

The emergency repairs projects linked to them were awarded two years ago precisely in 2018 at a cost ranging from N400m and N560m each.

One of the projects linked to James Ibori, a former Delta State Governor, was the emergency repairs of Onoghove community road from Ajanesan to Western Delta University at a cost of N485.7m.

Uduaghan, also a former Governor of Delta State, was linked to the emergency repairs of Close B, Alhaji Estate & Environs, Rumuodomaya, Port Harcourt at a cost of N429m.

Five projects were linked to Kalu, who was simply identified in the document as OUK-Kalu (the project source).

The emergency repairs on road projects linked to Kalu are in Abia State and the costs ranged from N517m to N560m.

The details are Emergency repairs of Ezere-Acha-Ndiokoukwu Road (N517.9m) and repairs of Amaubiri-Eluama-Uru Ring Road, Lokpaukwu, Umuchieze (N560m).

- DAILY POST

Man kills self over failed relationship

A middle-aged man, popularly known as Tailor, has committed suicide after his lover allegedly jilted him in Rivers State.

According to Punch, the incident happened around 10 pm on Saturday at Omuokiri village, Aluu community, in the Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state.

It was gathered that the victim who hailed from Kogi State but lived in Aluu community hung himself in the night after his lover abruptly ended their relationship.

It was also gathered that the man was found dead after the lady whose identity is still unknown packed her belongings from the man’s apartment.

A source further disclosed that what the man did was a taboo in the community, and others who live in the compound have been asked to pack out till traditional cleansing is done in the compound.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed the incident, adding that the police were investigating the circumstances that lead to the man’s death.

- PM NEWS

Masari: Only 30 police officers providing security for 100 villages in Katsina

Aminu Masari, Katsina governor, says only 30 police officers provide security for 100 villages in the state.

Speaking at a luncheon to mark Eid-El-Kabir with troops on the frontline, Masari said the number of  the police officers is inadequate to cover the villages in the state.

The governor said his administration is working to amend laws of the state to give power to local authorities to curb the activities of  bandits.

He said the hoodlums have blended in so much with the local communities that it is hard to differentiate them from the locals.

“This would complement ongoing efforts to emplace a robust community policing structure, whilst addressing the gross deficit in the number of police personnel available at local levels, which is in the range of an average of about 30 policemen to about 100 villages,” the former house of representatives speaker said.

“Even if the bandits were wiped out by the military, another generation of criminal elements would quickly take their place in the absence of governance and adequate policing.

“The bandits are intertwined within the communities so sometimes it may be difficult for the NAF or the army to distinguish them from the locals in order to conduct offensive operations devoid of collateral damage.

“The locals must stop giving support, information or safe havens to these criminals.”

On his part, Sadique Abubakar, chief of air staff, said unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will be deployed in Katsina and Zamfara states to curb the activities of the bandits.

- THECABLE

It’s a shame that Buhari, African leaders seek medication abroad – Oyakhilome

Founder of Chris Embassy, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome has said it is a shame for African leaders, including President Muhammadu Buhari to be travelling to Europe and America to get medication when they are sick.

Buhari and some African leaders had on several occasions travelled abroad to seek medication when they were sick.

But Oyakhilome, in a broadcast to his members on Sunday described such act as a shame on African leaders to always seek help from abroad.

“Why can’t Africa be allowed to produce their medication? How many years do you need somebody to help you. For how long can you be waiting? It will be a shame at this time of your life and history if vaccines have to be imported to Africa to help Africa.

“It is a shame and a failure on the part of the leaders. Your great grandfather was helped, your grandfather was helped, now you want to be helped. It is a shame, you ought to come up with your own vaccines, whatever medicine you need.

“It is a shame that leaders of Africa still have to travel to Europe and America to get medication when they get sick. You should be ashamed. At this time of your life, you should have grown up, What are all the universities you have built, what are they for? It is about time you started thinking,” he said.

Oyakhilome lamented the huge brain drains in Africa, without the leaders bothering about the consequences.

“Look at the brain drain, they take the best of Africa and take to Europe, Asia and China and you don’t care, what kind of leadership that has no vision for the future? We need leaders in Africa that can think, leaders that have brains and some mind, and have a vision,” he stated.

He wondered when African leaders would put away childishness and still be depending on other countries for loans and others when they have enough.

” When will Africa put away childish things, Africa is old enough. Any nation in Africa that is still calling for help from another country, the leadership is a shame. You have more than enough resources to help your country. Why are you borrowing money from nations that don’t have it? Europe don’t have enough resources to borrow you money, neither does China, They are only borrowing you money they got from you, wake up,” he said.

- PM NEWS

Utomi, Na’Abba, others lead mass action against Buhari govt

The National Consultative Front, a newly formed group, has told Nigerians to be prepared for nationwide mass action against the President Muhammadu Buhari government.

The mass action, according to the group, is against corruption, hunger, abuse of public trust and insecurity.

This was contained in a statement jointly issued on Sunday by a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’Abba, and a former presidential candidate, Prof Pat Utomi.

The National Consultative Front pointed out that the time had come for Nigerians to resist, neutralise and chase out the political cartel bent on milking the country’s commonwealth dry.

The group accused President Buhari of being caged and his office which according to them, was being run by some unelected proxies and power traders.

The statement said, “In view of the various unimaginable melodrama and macabre dance of corruption and chaos within the top echelon of the Nigerian political leadership and government, which has been exposing the cause of high-level insecurity and hunger in the country today.”

The group said it became imperative for the citizens, who are victims of the increasing corruption and insecurity ravaging the country, to halt the festering rot and what it described as ‘political coronavirus’ in the Buhari-led government.

“Consequently, all of us as citizens of conscience should have no choice but to urgently rise in unison to utilize our collective power as a vast majority of united citizens capable of chasing out that clique of ruinous political cartel ravaging our commonwealth enabled by their self-serving capture of our Government and State, now being ruthlessly deployed to milking us to stupor, while riding roughshod on us as a people,” it said.

For this purpose, the NCFront said it will be flagging off its zonal political structures in the six geo-political zones of the country and also set up its strategic operational committees in order to strengthen its budding national consultations and mobilisation towards a historic nationwide political resistance programme.

Recall that about 30 prominent Nigerians had formed the new political movement in the country.

- DAILY POST

Shoprite begins process to exit Nigeria

Shoprite, Africa’s largest food retailer, is planning to exit the Nigerian market after posting continuous losses from its operations in the west African country. 

In a trading update filed at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) on Monday morning, the retail giant said it was planning to discontinue its operations in Nigeria.

“Following approaches from various potential investors, and in line with our re-evaluation of the Group’s operating model in Nigeria, the Board has decided to initiate a formal process to consider the potential sale of all, or a majority stake, in Retail Supermarkets Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Shoprite International Limited,” the update read.

“As such, Retail Supermarkets Nigeria Limited may be classified as a discontinued operation when Shoprite reports its results for the year. Any further updates will be provided to the market at the appropriate time.”

Shoprite launched in Nigeria nearly 15 years ago, opening its first store in Lagos in December 2005.

That chain has grown from one to more than 25 retail stores across Nigeria — including some of the biggest retail stores in west Africa.

- THECABLE

Buhari receives corruption allegations against Malami

Anti-corruption groups in Nigeria have submitted corruption allegations against the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Their letter was titled “Compilation of Corruption Allegations and Abuse of Office”.

It was signed by the Chairman, Civil Society Network Against Corruption, Olanrewaju Suraju; Chairman, Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran; and Co-founder, Say No Campaign, Ezenwa Nwagwu.

The coalition called for the immediate probe of Malami to ensure a full inquiry devoid of interference.

It insisted that there are very strong allegations Malami with clear evidence and urged Buhari to act immediately.

“We have listed these corruption cases after painstaking compilation of high profile corruption cases involving the country’s No 1 law officer. The President must act without delay,” the groups said.

They told Buhari that his action has the prospect of determining the future of the anti-corruption campaign in the country.

The allegations include the alleged auctioning of sea vessels holding crude oil seized by the Federal Government, violating Section 31(2) and (4) of the EFCC Act 2004.

The coalition said Malami also authorized the sale of vessels by companies under EFCC prosecution for similar offence of illegal bunkering.

“This action was admitted by the AGF through his media aide pleading presumption of innocence on the part of the accused, in the case being prosecuted by the Federal Government through EFCC,” the letter read.

The minister was accused of twisting the law to shield his family members, corrupt officials and institutions in the most brazen manners.

The AGF was blamed for the reinstatement of Abdulrasheed Maina, former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, into the Federal Civil Service Commission without due process.

Malami was accused of filing for the discontinuation of a N25billion criminal charge against Senator Danjuma Goje without any justification after over seven years of diligent investigation and prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He was alleged to have withdrawn criminal charges against soldiers accused of killing police officers and a civilian in the bid to aid the escape of billionaire kidnapper, Bala Hamisu, popularly known as Wadume.

The letter recalled that on November 18, 2018, Malami, through a lawyer from his office, Pius Akuta, withdrew a fraud case filed by the EFCC at Lagos High Court against John Abebe, younger brother to late Stella Obasanjo.

It noted that EFCC resisted the illegal move in the case before Justice Mojisola Dada on the ground that the AGF has no constitutional power to take over a case filed in the court.

The coalition cited withdrawal of a criminal case against the Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar; demand for the withdrawal of the cases against Mohammed Bello Adoke, Diezani Alison-Madueke and others involved in the Malabu Oil scandal; suspension of investigation of alleged fraud in Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL).

The AGF was also accused of duplicity of payment of $16.9million fees to two friends as new lawyers for the recovery of the loot traced to a former Head of State, Sani Abacha, after a Swiss lawyer, Enrico Monfrini, who helped in the recovery was fully paid by the previous government.

The minister was indicted for halting the prosecution of former Comptroller General of Customs, Mohammed Inde Dikko, through an alleged suspicious deal between the AGF and the immediate past DSS Director General, as well as shielding the ex-Customs boss from refunding of $8million to the government.

The groups said their investigations suggest that Malami allegedly owns assets worth billions, acquired after his appointment.

Those listed were Rayhaan Hotels worth about N500million, located at opposite Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Zaria Road, Kano State; a property worth about N600million located at Ahmadu Bello Way, Nasarawa GRA, Kano; a newly constructed school at the back of Nitel at Gesse Phase 1, Birni Kebbi, Kebbi State, worth about N700million.

Others: A property allegedly built by Malami for his son located at Gesse Phase II in Birni Kebbi worth over N400million; a mansion known as Azbir Arena allegedly built by Malami for his second son; Azbir Arena, an entertainment centre worth over N3billion, with a big plaza and kids playing centre and hotel, all combined in one expansive property.

Malami was accused of using the official letterhead of the office of AGF to seek support for his son’s wedding and that he encouraged the defacing of Naira and other currencies to the embarrassment of the country and in violation of section 21(1) and (3) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.

He was accused of allowing the breach of COVID-19 protocol and regulations, putting the lives of Nigerians at risk during the wedding of his son.

The minister was said to have displayed “his unpretentious hatred for the fight against corruption by writing a letter dated 16th December, 2016 withdrawing the case of fraud filed against Godsday Orubebe, former Minister for Niger Delta, in a case involving over N1.97billion, on the ground that there was no basis for filing the charge against him.

The coalition said they believe in due process “which is why we have forwarded this petition to your Excellency for investigation and action in order to restore the sanity of the core mandate of your administration to fight corruption which is at the verge of collapse as a result of the alleged abuse of power and office by the incumbent Attorney General and Minster of Justice.”

- DAILY POST