Well said

EFCC onslaught:Cold war between ex-Govs, Yar’Adua

It has emerged at the weekend that a cold war is brewing between former governors and President Umar Yar'Adua over the breach of a reported "gentleman's agreement" they entered into before the former Katsina State governor assumed office as President.

The former governors’s anger, Sunday Sun learnt, has to do with with the arrest of some of their colleagues by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), contrary to a deal they struck with the President.

It was gathered that before May 29 swearing of Yar’Adua, there was a "gentleman's agreement" between him and the now former governors that they (ex-governors) would not question the credibility of the electoral process that brought him to power and would, therefore, not provide the opposition with incremenating evidence against his election at the election petition tribunal.

On his part, Yar’Adua was to ensure that the anti-graft commission would be off their backs.
The President was said to have assured them that he would not prosecute or do anything that would amount to embarrassing them. The deal, Sunday Sun further learnt, was responsible for the quick response EFCC got from most of the ex-governors when they were invited for questioning after May 29.

But from what is happening today, an ex-governor who craved anonymity told Sunday Sun that it appears the President "is out to not only disgrace us but embarrass us".
“We believe that what befalls one befalls all. If Kalu, Turaki and others could be arrested, it means it is just a question of time before our own time will come,” said another ex-governor.
Fearing that he could be the next to be arrested by EFCC, an ex-governor from the Niger-Delta, widely believed to have provided the bulk of the funds used to bankrole Yar’Adua’s campaign, is said to have virtually turned the Presidential Villa to his home, soon after the former Abia governor, Dr, Orji Kalu was arrested.

He was quoted to have told Yar’Adua during one of his conferring sessions with him that “Is this what we agreed? Why are you doing this to us? If we don’t have peace, you will not have peace too.”
In the same vein, the National Association of Polytechnic Students [NAPS] has called for the immediate release of former governor Orji Uzor Kalu and other governors currently being remanded in prison custody or detained by the EFCC.

NAPS told a news conference in Abuja on Friday that the allegations leveled against them are baseless as EFCC has failed to comply with necessary procedure to justify their action.
National President of the association, Comrade Prince Yakubu, noted that EFCC’s action lack sincerity “because this same EFCC had indicted all the governors except the current President and Donald Duke so why are they picking on only these ones if there is no hidden agenda?”

Specifically in the case of Kalu, the NAPS president observed that it was against the law for the EFCC to have arrested him in the first place "because there was already a court ruling restraining EFCC from arresting him."
“But the question is, this same Kalu had accused Obasanjo of very heavy corruption and nobody is talking. What of the NPA deal? Why is EFCC keeping quiet? What of the N300billion ministry of works money? Why is EFCC not talking?,” the NAPS president demanded.
Recalling that Governor Kalu is a former SUG President at the University of Maiduguri, the NAPS President said “We'll not rest on our oars until he is released. Like we say in student unionism any injustice to one is injustice to all.”

Also on Friday, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Colonel Amadu Ali [retd], had reportedly visited the National Hospital to see the embattled former governor of Enugu state Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, currently holed up in the hospital under the watchful eyes of a combined security team of the hospital and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The reported visit by the PDP boss would be the second high-level visit Nnamani received since he came to the hospital last week. It was learnt that former members of the Enugu legislature were at the National Hospital to see the former governor said to be receiving treatment for “high blood pressure".
The lawmakers reportedly met with the former governor under very tight security Thursday.

When the PDP chairman arrived the National Hospital Friday at about 10.58am, he went to the visitors room of the private wing of the hospital until 11.03am when the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Olusegun Ajuwon, took him to the bed-ridden former governor.
The two men met for about more than one hour behind closed doors and details of their discussions are not known.

While the discussions took place, all the security men attached to Ali and those keeping eyes on the Nnamani stayed outside.
A source at the Pharmacy section of the hospital hinted that Nnamani has been taking drugs related to the management of high blood pressure.
Two mobile police-men were permanently stationed at the private wing of the hospital to guard Nnamani.

Efforts to get official confirmation of Ali’s visit was not successful as at press time.
Meanwhile, EFCC has denied chaining former governor of Bayelsa state, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha to an iron rod on a bare floor at its detention centre in Lagos .
The Commission also washed its hands off the recent deportation of the embattled ex-Bayelsa chief executive by authorities of the United Arab Emirates[UAE], dismissing the allegations by the Ijaw Monitoring Group as "tendentious and wicked".

EFCC spokesman, Osita Nwajah, said in a statement weekend in Abuja , that Alamieyeseigha, who is standing trail over alleged financial misappropriation and money laundering, was taken to the UAE for medical treatment and on completion of the course of treatment, was discharged by the hospital.
He did not, however, clarify whether the former governor returned to the country on his own, or if the Nigerian authorities including the EFCC, was involved in the process of his return to the country. The statement reads:

“ The attention of the EFCC has been drawn to newspaper publications of Thursday, 19 July 2007, relating to the alleged orchestrated ‘deportation’ and inhuman treatment of DSP Alamieyeseigha, former executive governor of Bayelsa State, who is remanded by order of court, in the custody of the Commission.

"Several of the papers led with the insinuation that the Nigerian authorities acting through the Commission, may have instigated the eviction of Mr. Alamieyeseigha, for ostensible 'security breach'.
"EFCC wishes to state in clear terms, that there is no strand of truth in these insinuations and allegations.
"The Commission wishes to further clarify that Alamieyeseigha, who is standing trial was taken to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for medical treatment and on completion of his course of treatment, was discharged by the hospital.

"The Nigerian authorities (including the EFCC) did not suggest or teleguide the UAE medical and other authorities to send the accused person back to Nigeria .
"Further, the Commission decries the attempt by one Joseph Eva ostensibly speaking on behalf of the Ijaw Monitoring Group (IMG), to employ the instrumentality of cheap blackmail to railroad the judiciary into a predetermined position and confuse the Nigerian people.

"IMG’s allegation that since his return, Alamieyeseigha has been “chained to an iron rod in his cell, made to sleep on the bare floor and denied access to his family members and doctors,” is to say the least, tendentious and wicked.
"EFCC has NEVER chained anyone in its holding facilities, has no need to chain anyone and will never chain anyone, least of all, DSP Alamieyeseigha, who it must be restated, is in the custody of the Commission on order of court.

In the same vein, Alamieyeseigha, like any other accused person in the custody of the Commission is given all social, medical and legal facilities as stipulated by law.
"Attention-seeking and mischief-engineering individuals and groups are reminded of that cheap blackmail has never worked on EFCC. The Commission will continue to carry out its functions in the best traditions of law enforcement and fully within the ambit the Rule of Law”.

http://www.ngex.com/cgi-bin/frame/frameit2.plx?link=%22http://www.sunnewsonline.com/%22

Kalu, Dariye, Turaki Protest Prison Accommodation

Reason- The prisons, famous for playing host to "very important prisoners" (VIP)- has as guests four former governors, who are standing trial in court over allegations of financial impropriety during their tenure in office.

They include former governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, his counterpart in Plateau State, Chief Joshua Dariye, that of Jigawa, Alhaji Saminu Turaki and former governor of Taraba State, Rev. Jolly Tanko Nyame.

Since they were detained at various times last week on the orders of the courts, relations, friends, political and business associates have turned the prisons into a Mecca of sorts.

The road to the prisons from Kuje town, a distance of about two kilometres, is daily littered with posh cars of different brands.

At the weekend, thousands of sympathisers thronged the prisons' outside premises, some of them said to have camped there for days while others from afar took up temporary residence in hotels in the town and its environs, Abuja and Suleja.

It was learnt that Mohammed and Abba Abacha were among the first set of people to visit Turaki in the prison.

But in the midst of these "attractions" is a growing concern of the detainees over their accommodation even as they take solace in God to see them through their ordeal.

The Guardian gathered that the former governors had protested the accommodation offered them, describing the place as "unfit for any human being."

Investigation revealed that when the detainees arrived in the prisons last Monday and were ushered into their single cell apartments, they vehemently protested to the authorities, that "the places were so dirty" and that they would not be able to stay there.

When the officer in charge of the prisons, Assistant Comptroller of Prisons (ACP), Kabiru Usman Funtua, saw the seriousness in their protest, he quickly, "at about 8.30pm," made alternative arrangement in the prisons' clinic within the premises for them to spend the night.

However, luck reportedly ran against them when the Comptroller of Prisons in charge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Achafa, visited the prisons on Tuesday and could not find them in their respective cells.

Achafa ordered that the former governors be returned to their cells immediately. Kalu is occupying cell room 3; Turaki room 7; Nyame room 8; and Dariye room 10.

The cells have only Dunlop mattresses without fans or air conditioners. It was learnt that they bought fans for themselves later.

The former governors had also requested that their private doctors should be allowed access to them but this was turned down by the authorities with the explanation that they have an in-house qualified medical doctor.

In the interim, the detainees have drawn closer to God in their hour of tribulation, as witnessed by The Guardian early yesterday.

"My dear brothers, whatever you are passing through at the moment, have faith in the Almighty God. It is a passing phase and He will definitely intervene for He does not abandon His own."

This was the exhortation from Rev. Nyame, as he led inmates at the Prisons in Christian prayers.

"God does not sleep. Holy Ghost fire shall descend on our enemies and God will prove to them that He is a just God," said Kalu, as he displayed his skill in table tennis before the inmates.

Nyame, according to sources, has literally taken over the church in the Prisons, as he leads the Christian inmates including the ex-governors in morning and evening prayers.

Kalu, on the other hand, spends most of the day playing and teaching inmates the game of table tennis and as a source noted, "he is always in high spirit, chatting and cracking jokes with other inmates."

The former governors still exhibit spirit of camaraderie, as they eat together under a mango tree near the cells.

"They are what the Prisons authorities call "self feeding" with their former aides assisting to buy the food from five-star hotels in Abuja.

Nyame and Kalu have become so close that they are always together. But Turaki reportedly "still sobs on a daily basis," just as he did in court last week.

Prisons' sources said that, "every morning, he will take his Koran and other Islamic literatures to the mosque in the Prisons where he stays from morning till evening before retiring to his Cell 7."

But the former governor still exhibits "spirit of kindness," which, however, turned out to be a source of protest last Tuesday.

It was learnt that many of the inmates "rejected the rice he (Turaki) ordered from an eatery in the town on the ground that the food came without meat."

"Although the rice was purchased with meat, the pieces of meat disappeared before the food got to the inmates," a source disclosed. "And it took the intervention of the former governors in the prison before the inmates went back to their cells."

On another level, a warder in the Prisons, simply known as Obasi from Abia State, reportedly assisted Kalu to purchase torchlight last Monday night when the former governor arrived in the jailhouse.

And the following morning when the Comptroller of Prisons came on inspection, Kalu asked for the warder and this infuriated the officer who immediately ordered that Obasi be taken to his office.

Obasi was immediately transferred to the Suleja Prisons in Niger State, sources informed. "As if that was not enough, the "Prisons Headquarters later transferred 25 other warders from the Kuje Prisons to different locations outside Abuja," the sources added.

The Assistant Comptroller of Prisons in charge of public relations, Kayode Odeyemi, told The Guardian that though he could not confirm the issue of transfer of officers from the Prisons, it was unethical for any warder to bring anything into the prison without following the laid-down procedure.

"Any inmate, who has a demand to make, there is a channel to follow. If any officer goes outside the channel and brings anything into the prison, he must face the sanction for that," he said.

He also said that the ex-governors should not complain about the condition in the Prisons, adding that it was part of the general decay in all the sectors in the country.

He noted that the detainees had the opportunity during their tenures as governors, to make their contributions towards improving the prison conditions but they did not do that. 'That is what is happening in all infrastructure; it is not the prisons alone," he stressed.

He continued: "If you are in authority, make the place better. If they are complaining, they are indicting themselves. Those in authority should make the place better because we are doing our best.

"Prison is like death. It is a leveler. Those in authority should make the place better because you don't know tomorrow. Those in prisons deserve good treatment."

http://www.ngex.com/cgi-bin/frame/frameit2.plx?link=%22http://www.ngrguardiannews.com%22

2old4that:

so must Nigeria waits till she gets to 153years before it knows how to do thiings right. . .?
must it be as old as US/Uk before things starts becoming better for its citizens?
must it even used other nation's age as a basis for not achieving what they have, ?

Total Rubbish!

Thank you oh!  Good question!  UK. and USA  had no blueprint of success.  In the absence of almost nothing, they found their ways through  civilization!  We will drive the latest cars and use all the designer GSM sets without thinking how to manufacture any of these.   In this day and age of high techno advancement, we are still waiting to be a methusalah nation to make one step in the right direction.   Like it will make a difference when all we do is try to drag those moving ahead backwards with our 419 and rubbish!  after 47 years!!!!!!!!!!!   Excuses!  Excuses! Excuses!

champredd:

I don't want those arrested to be governors only. I want to see ministers (especially those in charge of construction work and infrastructural development - they ve done nothing in 9 years) arrested, but let us not overload EFCC, they will probably like to secure the convictions of those already charged before they go after more.

champredd:

LG Chairmens are also very corrupt, considering the fact that EFCC accused some of the governors of laundering funds through the LGs

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!! Do you mean we have to use all the money in the internal and external reserves to house, clothe and feed all these criminals? Where do you start from and where are the facilities to "imprison" about 90% of Nigerians who have held elected officies in the past 10-15 years?---- Even the ones you are trying to arrest now, where are you going to by the 2,000-10,000 currupt government officials we definitely know are guilty of embezzlement? It is going to be interesting to see that the EFCC will eventually get marooned like "Robinson Crusoe and Man Friday"!

excuses, excuses excuses for real. everything we do we copy us/uk, most popular excuse is our democracy is still young. total rubbish! since we like to copy others so much, our so-called dumb leaders love helping develop other countries, stealing our money and taking it right back to the economy of the same countries that buy our oil; they love to buy properties in other lands as well, love they way their road networks and basic infrastructures are all set-up. but cannot simply make that possible in their own home. they are all a bunch of idiots if you ask me. why can we not have it the other way around, let the europeans come and live in our countries, build their mansions in our countries, steal some of their government loot and deposit it in our banks, why. every little thing that happens, oh america did this or uk will do that and orji kalu or maybe peter odili are american citizens. we all know what they do day in and day out. nigerians are not yet hungry, the day nigerians will get really hungry and finally realize what these people are really doing, i swear, na revolution go be the correct answer. all these educated thieves will be paraded around the streets and properly flogged and killed afterwards just like they did KEN SARO WIWA and a host of others that were agitating for basic rights of all nigerians. like i said our stomach never beging touch our back YET, until then nothing go happen at all. No matter how much they steal and run to other countries, they will still be 4th class citizens in those countries. the old white women would still lock her car door when she spots you close to her vehicle, no matter how much you have or whatever mansion you live in.

The prison cells are dirty and unfit for humans abi? dem never hala!

MILITIA:

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!! Do you mean we have to use all the money in the internal and external reserves to house, clothe and feed all these criminals? Where do you start from and where are the facilities to "imprison" about 90% of Nigerians who have held elected officies in the past 10-15 years?---- Even the ones you are trying to arrest now, where are you going to by the 2,000-10,000 currupt government officials we definitely know are guilty of embezzlement? It is going to be interesting to see that the EFCC will eventually get marooned like "Robinson Crusoe and Man Friday"!

Why do you think OBJ issued an order for mass release of prisoners before he left? So as to decongest the place before they lock-up those motherf##kers.

angel101:

The prison cells are dirty and unfit for humans abi? them never hala!

Why is it not going to be dirty and unfit, when all they do is embezzle money for development, those in the prison also have rights, but they are denied by our leaders who are now having a taste of what it's like to be there. Karma in action.

champredd:

Karma in action.

u can say that again.

em em , lets not get ahead of ourselves as we must strive for Perfection while prosecuting
these governors, as a matter of fact we must strive to make the prisons where these criminals will
be "stored", I mean jailed Perfect. . .

Seriously though, I hope The Tribune is right about the next batch of governors to taste the EFCC
medicine, it seems to me and I pray that Ibori, Igbinedion, Odiri, and possibly Tinubu are on that
list as speculated.

Iyke-D:

em em , lets not get ahead of ourselves as we must strive for Perfection while prosecuting
these governors, as a matter of fact we must strive to make the prisons where these criminals will
be "stored", I mean jailed Perfect. . .

Seriously though, I hope The Tribune is right about the next batch of governors to taste the EFCC
medicine, it seems to me and I pray that Ibori, Igbinedion, Odiri, and possibly Tinubu are on that
list as speculated.

Oh sweet yes oh!!!! I can't wait!!!! Those two especially!!!

What is it that am hearing? Is it true that Dariye was granted bail?
Anybody with authentic info pls post.

Dariye Granted Bail, Re-arrested
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?action=post;topic=56363.352;num_replies=362

these people had this coming and this is good omen for naija

@knotty
this ur link na scam now

wow

knotty:

Dariye Granted Bail, Re-arrested
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?action=post;topic=56363.352;num_replies=362

these people had this coming and this is good omen for naija

Which kind of link be this?

Profile: Joshua Dariye
By Senan Murray
BBC News, Abuja

Few Nigerian politicians are as controversial as former Plateau State governor Joshua Dariye, 50, who is never far from the news - usually for the wrong reasons.

Mr Dariye came to international attention when he skipped bail in the UK in September 2004 following his arrest on money-laundering charges.

Twice he has been sacked as governor and twice he returned to reclaim his position, earning him the nickname "the cat with nine lives".

But it appears Mr Dariye may have finally run out of luck, as a Nigerian court has sent him to jail following charges of corruption and money laundering.

A former accountant and businessman, Mr Dariye has interests in banking and real estate with property in expensive areas in Abuja and London.

He is currently defending charges of stealing about $9m of public funds and of money laundering before two Abuja high courts.

One of the courts has granted him tough bail conditions - unsurprising given his history.

Taking sides?

In May 2004, Nigeria's former President Olusegun Obasanjo sacked him for failing to halt ethnic clashes in Plateau where he was governor.

Mr Dariye was seen as part of the problem and Mr Obasanjo decided that sacking him would put an end to the ethnic and religious violence that had claimed over 1,000 lives in the state.

The clashes were between indigent Christian groups and the Hausa-Fulani people who are predominantly Muslim and originally came from further up north.

What Mr Dariye lacks in height and personal charm, he more than makes up for it in self-confidence and a lack of fear.

His political opponents, notably a predecessor and Mr Dariye's political benefactor, Chief Solomon Lar, know about the former governor's sharp tongue.

'Born-again Christian'

When Chief Lar moved against Mr Dariye's re-election bid in 2003, the ex-governor issued a warning to "spent political forces" to "shut up" if they had nothing new to contribute to the state.


I am a peaceful man. I take after Martin Luther King Jnr
Joshua Dariye

Although the two later made up, the spat established Mr Dariye's profile as a fearless politician.

Not known for his diplomatic finesse, Mr Dariye once described the Hausa-Fulani as "unruly tenants", bent on evicting their own landlords.

The statement provoked a torrent of criticism against Mr Dariye who issued a statement saying he was misquoted by "mischievous reporters".

But his position had already further driven a wedge between Plateau's Christians and Muslims, leading to some sections of the state capital, Jos, being nicknamed Afghanistan and another New Jerusalem.

Suspecting that Mr Dariye, who likes to say he is a born-again Christian had taken sides in the conflict, former President Obasanjo suspended him for six months and declared a state of emergency in the predominantly Christian central state.

Mr Obasanjo's action was quickly interpreted by Plateau's Christians as tacit support for Muslims, a situation that propped up Mr Dariye as some kind of defender of the Christians.

This was partly why he returned to a big welcome after his six-month suspension.

'Courageous politician'

But Mr Obasanjo was unhappy - even though they were both members of the governing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

When the Metropolitan Police arrested him in a London hotel in September 2004, Mr Dariye immediately accused Mr Obasanjo of putting them up to it.

Mr Dariye was accused of embezzlment.

"Many people know that Mr Dariye was not the courageous leader that he seemed," says Aminu Manu, a Jos-based reporter who has covered Mr Dariye's eight year reign as governor.

"But it was former President Obasanjo, who without meaning to do so, gave him that profile when he tried so hard to humiliate him.

"Mr Dariye was seen as a courageous politician who could stand up to the might of the central government," Mr Manu says.

When the case against Mr Dariye became public, Plateau State legislature launched a probe into the allegations and later found him guilty of corruption and money laundering.

Last November, eight out of the assembly's 24 legislators impeached Mr Dariye in controversial circumstances.

'Bin-Laden style'

Having lost his position as governor and with it his constitutional immunity from criminal prosecution, Mr Dariye simply disappeared.

His deputy Michael Botmang took his place as governor.

But Mr Dariye, a father of four, continued to make Osama bin Laden-style broadcasts from hiding, assuring his supporters he was still in charge and would soon return to Jos to reclaim his mandate.

He continued to fight his corner from hiding, using his vast wealth to employ the best lawyers in the country to challenge his impeachment in court.

After a series of cases and appeals he was reinstated as governor in May just 27 days before the end of his tenure following the April elections.

"I bear no grudge. I am a peaceful man. I take after Martin Luther King Jnr," he told reporters in Jos.

But legal analysts say they doubt Mr Dariye will be able to emerge unscathed from his current predicament as he has done before.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/6908960.stm

Published: 2007/07/24 08:28:34 GMT

© BBC MMVII

EFCC Freezes Kalu’s Assets•Slok Air, Sun newspapers affected
By Nosike Ogbuenyi and Davidson Iriekpen, 07.25.2007

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday secured an order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, to freeze assets allegedly owned by the former governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu. He is currently on trial on a 107-count charge of corruption and abuse of office.
Notable among the assets temporarily forfeited to the EFCC is Sun Publishing Limited, publishers of Daily Sun, Saturday Sun and Sunday Sun.
Others are Slok Air Nigeria Ltd, which was grounded four years ago by the former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Firmbase Inter Ltd, Slok Marine Vessels, Reality Organisation Nig. Ltd, International Insurance Com-pany Ltd, Tanji Resort, Gambia, Banque International in Gambia and Sierra Leone and many companies allegedly registered in the name of his wife and children.
In all, a dozen companies and numerous local and foreign accounts were frozen in an order issued by Justice A. I. Chikere of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in Suit/ Abuja/M462/107.
EFCC had, pursuant to Section 34/1 of the EFCC Act of 2004, prayed the court for an order for freezing/forfeiture of accounts/assets of the former governor who was arrested two weeks ago on his arrival from a trip to the United States. He was subsequently charged to Federal High Court, Abuja on July 16 and remanded in Kuje Prisons custody on the orders of the court.
Yesterday’s order also asked the EFCC to take over various landed property scattered in some major cities in the country including Mai-duguri, Bama, both in Borno state, Port Harcourt, and Owerri, in Rivers and Imo State, purportedly owned by Kalu.
Kalu had appeared before Justice Binta Murtala Nyako after being charged by the EFCC for allegedly transferring billions of naira belonging to the Abia State government to Slok Airline over a period of eight years.
According to the charge, Kalu transferred money belonging to the Abia state government account in the defunct Manny Bank (now part of Fidelity Bank) to the Slok Airline account at Inland Bank.
The former Abia governor was also alleged to have at various times between 1999 and 2007 transferred huge sums of government money into Slok Investment, Slok Nigeria Limited, Slok Incorporated and other companies owned by him.
The former governor was charged alongside Emeka Uzor Kalu (now at large) and Eunice Agwu (also at large). In the 107-count charge, he was said to have conspired with the two others to divert a total N2.7 billion Abia state monies to finance his private business, Slok Nigeria Limited.
An EFCC official told THISDAY yesterday that the companies and accounts that were forfeited to the commission would still continue to operate unhindered as long as their managements “co-operate with the commission in the exercise of its oversight and supervisory function over them.”
The EFCC is presently overseeing over 100 assets forfeited to it by persons suspected to have acquired them with ill-gotten money.
Some assets put under EFCC supervision in the past few years are Russel Suites, Abuja, built by Mr. Emmanuel Nwude after swindling a Brazilian businessman of over $200million in the biggest single 419 cases in Nigeria.
Also, Chelsea Hotel, Abuja bought by the former Bayelsa governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, through a front two years ago, was forfeited to EFCC.
“If Kalu cannot prove that the temporarily forfeited companies were not established or funded with Abia State money, they would be returned to him,” the official said. “If he cannot prove that, then the assets would be handed back to the people of Abia State. They would become property of the state government from whose treasury the funds were taken in the first place.”


http://odili.net/news/source/2007/jul/25/212.html

I never new that Kalu is the owner of Sun Newspapers plus all the other assets.

The Yar Adua administration should be allowed to work.

The arrest of the ex-governors should serve as a warning to the recently-sworn in governors, many of whom have started looting their respective state treasuries (yes!!!)

This is no time to honour any gentleman's agreement. A gentleman does not loot public treasury in the name of governance.

The arraignment of OBJ is simply a matter of time (if there is any evidence to prove he is corrupt). If all evidence points at him, then it's just a matter of time before he falls out with Yar Adua and Ribadu. Remember that the travails of Chimaroke Nnamani has been further compounded by the countless mention of his name in the suit filed earlier by EFCC against his former aides. If a couple of the detained ex-governors can squeal and produce evidence linking their misdeeds to OBJ, then he definitely will be arraigned to answer for himself.

It takes only a crminally inclined mind to criticise the arraignment of governors that have been accused of corruption. If any of them is innocent, then he should plead his case in the court of law.

If Peter Obi had his day despite all said and done, the our judiciary must definitely be working; be it not too efficiently.

@ph4life,that is it,you said it all.We are the achitect of our faith,until we begin to practically and drastically see the need for a change,there will never be a change.Ride or die.

How far for the ex south south governors?

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=84422

Dariye released and rearrested.

i am sorry mates for the mis-post. na tombo liquor cause am

Does Dariye still have passports to surrender to the courts? I thot he left his passport in London when he jumped bail. lol

Rhea:


This is no time to honour any gentleman's agreement. A gentleman does not loot public treasury in the name of governance.

WORD!!!!

Out to kill The Sun
Our story on the EFCC siege
By Sun News Publishing
Thursday, July 26, 2007

Since the media reported Wednesday that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) has obtained an interim forfeiture order against the various assets of embattled former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, currently being prosecuted by the commission, including The Sun Publishing Limited, we have been inundated with sometimes highly emotional enquiries from all over the world.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2007/july/26/national-26-07-2007-001.htm

Quote from the story

We are indeed overwhelmed by national and indeed global outpouring of concern and support, at times from even unexpected quarters.

Who the hell are they trying to kid. I'm laughing so hard my ribs hurt.

Mariory

You have not seen anything, Nigerians are very good at spin

check out the one below

Why is Rotimi Jacobs only EFCC lawyer?       
Written by Bonaventure Melah     
Wednesday, 25 July 2007 
There is serious grumbling presently among senior legal practitioners in the country over what some of them have described as the dominance of Rotimi Jacobs over all the cases involving past state governors who are facing corruption and money laundering charges at the instance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). They are even alleging that there must have been a shady deal between the EFCC and the legal luminary that some benefactors of the lawyer or the Commission may be benefiting from. 
According to one of the senior lawyers who spoke to this reporter, the EFCC or Rotimi Jacobs should explain why he alone have been the lead counsel to the Commission on almost all the cases that the EFCC has taken to court so far, involving former governors. The lawyer who pleaded not to be mentioned described as very unusual and smacks of corruption itself, that only one lawyer is leading EFCC counsels in all the cases the Commission has taken to court. 

To make matters worse, the lawyer said that Rotimi Jacobs is not yet a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and questioned what qualified him for that special contract when according to him, there are better lawyers in the country who can equally play the role of lead counsel in some of the cases. He said, “For God’s sake, I ask what is so special in Rotimi Jacobs that he is always in the courts as lead counsel. Is this not another corrupt practice?” Can you imagine? Every time I come to the court over these EFCC cases this man introduces himself as lead counsel, I ask, is he the only lawyer in Nigeria?” 

The man who said that he is putting finishing touches to a petition he is sending to the EFCC and other relevant authorities over the matter said that there is no reason anybody can give to justify the preferential treatment being given to Rotimi Jacobs by the EFCC adding that the issue bothers on some deals that may not be transparent which he said cast aspersion on the integrity of the crime fighting Commission.   

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So tell me why having the same lead counsel on similar cases amount to corruption.

I think he's one of those "friends and families" guys who benefited from an ex-governor and suddenly realizes his financial assets are in jeopardy.

12 years sentence for Alam, does his case worth it or should be higher than that? he has already served 2 years out pf the twelve years,

i just want Lucky of Edo state to be dealt with. That guy didn't do a good job at all

honeric01:

12 years sentence for Alam, does his case worth it or should be higher than that? he has already served 2 years out pf the twelve years,

Has he been sentenced?

They've sentenced Alamieyeseigha (sic?) to jail 12 years, and he has already been remanded.

the papers say 2 years, I don't know where this 12 year gist is emanating from.

http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/news/article02

debosky:

the papers say 2 years, I don't know where this 12 year gist is emanating from.

http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/news/article02

saw it on most of Nigerian local TV stations, specifically in Lagos.

It's 2 years which has almost been totally spent.