The Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, says it has seen a ray of hope in its quest following President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent speech at the United Nations General Assembly where he urged world leaders to assist the Palestinian state in getting freedom from the State of Israel.

In this light, the secessionist group, in a statement issued yesterday by its Deputy National Director of Information, Mazi Chris Anierobi Mocha, asserted that it has begun re-strategizing on how to successfully establish a sovereign state of Biafra.


While recalling that former President, Olusegun Obasanjo had expressed concerns before the independence of Kosovo in February 17, 2008, that the recognition of Kosovo from Serbia would embolden the secessionist movement in Nigeria, Mocha noted that President Buhari’s speech at the just concluded meeting was an inspiration to nations seeking freedom to step up their separatist agitations.


According to him, “Some of the enclaves and proposed nations that have stepped up their separatist activities included Palastine, the new Biafra, Northern Spain, Tibet, Northern Canada, Western Sahara and 20 others.”

Mocha continued that based on Buhari’s statement, “MASSOB has begun to re-organise, re-prioritise and re-strategise on its process of fully establishing a sov­ereign state of Biafra.”

The group had claimed that UN General Assembly on September 13, 2007, adopted a resolution calling for the recognition of the world’s 370 million peoples’ right to self-determination, and vowed to pursue vigorously, the agitation for self-determination and to impact ideas, hold meetings in order to discuss freely without interference from any person or persons

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested a former Special Adviser to ex-Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State, Mr. Muktar Yerima, for alleged fraud.

It was gathered that the former governor’s aide, now the Chairman of Tarauni Local Government Area of the state, was picked up by operatives of the EFCC from the Kano Zonal Office of the commission on Saturday.

SUNDAY PUNCH’s investigation showed that the council boss was picked up for allegedly embezzling N65m.

“Yerima, who is the incumbent chairman of Tarauni Local Government Area of Kano State, was picked up early this morning over allegation bordering on corruption.

“He is alleged to have cornered over N65m approved to participants in the Millennium Development Goals empowerment programme.”

When our correspondent contacted the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, he said he would not comment on it.

EFCC’s Counsel, Kayode Oni, told the court that the defendants conspired and fraudulently obtained N158 million belonging to NIHORT from Enterprise Bank and Keystone Bank (formerly BankPHB) between May 2007 and January 2008


Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Thursday arraigned Dr. Ademola Idowo, former Executive Director of the National Horticultural Research Institutes, Ibadan, Oyo State over alleged theft of N123.5 million.
Also charged alongside Idowo at an Oyo State High Court is Isaiah Ajisafe, former Head of Finance and Account of the institute.
They are facing a 16-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing.
EFCC’s Counsel, Kayode Oni, told the court that the defendants conspired and fraudulently obtained N158 million belonging to NIHORT from Enterprise Bank and Keystone Bank (formerly BankPHB) between May 2007 and January 2008.
Oni said the defendants abused their offices by splitting one contract into three.
The defendants awarded the split contract to Onikirp Nigeria Limited in three tranches of N49,913,083, N19,860,509 and N48,554,271, totalling N123.5 million, which are above their approved limits.
The offences contravened Sections 390 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Counsel to the defendants, Gbonajo Badejo, (SAN), urged the court to grant them bail on liberal terms.
Badejo said the 1st defendant was ill and that he came to court from from the hospital.
He said: “The EFCC is aware of his ill-health.
“He should be granted bail on self-recognition.”
Badejo said the 2nd defendant was also not healthy as he was on herbal medication.
He urged the court to also grant him bail on liberal terms.
In his response, Oni, who did not oppose the bail application, informed the court that he was aware of the health condition of only the 1st defendant.
He urged the court to make the doctor treating the 1st defendant the surety, while his passport should be submitted to the court.
In his ruling, Justice Muktar Abimbola, granted bail to the defendants in the sum of N10 million each, with one surety each in like terms.
Abimbola said his doctor should be the surety and should also swear to an affidavit and submit two passport photographs.
He adjourned the case till November 10 and 16 for hearing.
NAN.

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered a discreet investigation of the leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over sundry allegations of acts incompatible with leadership of the anti crime agency.

Investigations by Vanguard revealed that the investigations is being coordinated by the office of the National Security Adviser and involves officials from the National Intelligence Agency and the Department of State Services.
A source in the office of the National Security Adviser told Vanguard that the investigation commenced before the widely publicised by Dr. George Uboh, Chief Executive Officer, Panic Alert Security Services alleging that Ibrahim Lamorde, Chairman, EFCC through various fraudulent Acts/Omissions could not account seized monies amounting to over one (1) Trillion Naira” .
More details soon

A suspect in the ongoing trial of some oil marketers accused of fuel subsidy‎ fraud, Tuesday, accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of introducing extraneous documents into the matter.
Walter Wagbatsoma,‎ facing a N1.9 billion oil subsidy fraud for the purported importation of 39.2 million litres of petrol, said that the EFCC, the prosecution, tendered a document it obtained during the trial.
“The prosecution is springing surprises,” Mr. Wagbatsoma said through his lawyer, Edoka Onyeke.
“Normally, we should be availed with any document they intend to use in this matter. My client has been ambushed.”
The defendant was objecting to documents and drafts presented by the prosecution which were allegedly used to perpetrate the N1.9 billion fraud.
Mr. Wagbatsoma is facing trial alongside‎ Adaoha Ugo-Ngadi, Fakuade Ebenezer, and Ontario Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited before Justice Lateefa Okunnu of a Lagos State High Court, Ikeja.
The defendants were re-arraigned in February, 2013, on a nine count of forgery, conspiracy, and obtaining by false pretences.
On Tuesday, Rotimi Jacobs, the EFCC counsel, pointed out that the first defendant, Mr. Wagbatsoma, participated in the activities that led to the alleged fraud.
“The first defendant said he never participated in the operation of this company (Ontario Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited) in the alleged matter,” Mr. Jacobs, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said.
“He said he is only a nominal chairman. What we are trying to point out here is his involvement in the proceedings of the company which he had already testified to the court that he was involved in the transactions that led to the alleged fraud.”
The trial judge‎ overruled the first defendant’s objection, noting that he had specifically requested that the documents be shown to him.
“This, however, means that the issue of surprise does not take place,” said Mrs. Okunnu.
“Saying that the defendant has been ambushed does not hold any water.”
Mr. Wagbatsoma told the court that Summerset, a company listed to had transacted business with the defendants in the alleged subsidy fraud, is one among 27 companies he has interest.
Mr. Jacobs: “You told the court that you used your influence to procure an oil permit for Ontario Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited (the fourth defendant). What influence is this?”
Mr. Wagbatsoma: “I would not want to say connection. I pursued the permit by making contacts with relevant offices. My role was to make initial contact to get the permit.”
Mr. Wagbatsoma said that although he studied Accounting at the University of Lagos, he is neither a Chartered nor a practising Accountant.
“But I have worked in the banking industry. I worked with Zenith Bank and Trade Bank. I worked with Trade Bank and left as a consultant in 2001. I helped them set up their Energy Group subsidiary.”
On Mr. Wagbatsoma’s claims that his company had a tank farm “in 2008 or 2009″ in Oghara, Delta State, prior to collecting an importation quota; the prosecution argued that the defendants did not have one as at 2011.
“I put it to you that Ontario Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited never had any tank farm, even the one mentioned in Oghara, Delta State, until 2010,” said Mr. Jacobs.
‎The trial continues on Wednesday

The Senator representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District in the upper legislative chamber, Senator Hamma Isa Misau, said on Saturday, that Senate President, Bukola Saraki, should not be blamed for the failure of Senator Ahmad Lawan to emerge as Senate Leader of the eighth Senate.
Misau, who stated this in Abuja, said senators of the North-East collectively took the decision to hand the Senate Leader position to Senator Alli Ndume after the June 9 emergence of Senator Saraki as Senate President.
He insisted that Saraki should not carry the blame for the inability of Lawan to emerge the Senate Leader as proposed by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him, members of the North-East caucus of the APC in the Senate overwhelmingly voted against the decision to pick Lawan, adding that the senators expressed their preference for Senator Ali Ndume as the leader.
He stated that out of 11 senators, who were members of the caucus, eight voted for Ndume while three voted for Lawan and that since politics was a game of numbers, the candidate with majority of the senators emerged as leader.
He said he found it necessary to make the explanation to correct the widespread impression that Senator Saraki deliberately opposed the choice of Senator Lawan as Senate Leader to spite the leadership of the APC.
He said: “Many people do not know or understand what happened then. Truly, many of us prefer Ndume to Lawan. The fact that Ndume contested for the post of Deputy Senate President at that time and he sought the support of most senators made it easy for him to get our support.
“In any case, Senator Lawan never told anybody that he was interested in the post of Majority leader. We, therefore, voted for a person who actually lobbied and sought our support. So, we take responsibility for our decisions. Nobody should blame the Senate President.”
Misau further stated that many had misconstrued the powers of the Senate President in making decisions about the leadership of the Senate.
He said: “The Senate President is just first among equals. He represents one district like every other senator. He is not like a state governor or president who has executive powers and discretion to select ministers and commissioners.’’

The Senate President must always do what the Senators want and must even carry along his colleagues at all times. Dr. Saraki is very popular among us today because he is always respecting our opinion and usually doing what we want.

“He has a way of relating to all of us as equals that we are and trying to aggregate the overall interest and position of majority in taking decisions. So, when we said we wanted Ndume as Senate majority leader, he could not have done otherwise. Saraki has nothing against Lawan and I think, my brother Ahmed Lawan understands this.”

Reports reaching DAILY POST have it that the election petitions tribunal sitting in Jalingo, Taraba state, has nullified the election of a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, senator, Bashir Marafa, representing Taraba Central Senatorial district.


The Tribunal, in its ruling on Wednesday, ordered that the candidate of the All progressives Congress, APC, Yusuf A Yusuf should be given the Certificate of Return as the lawful winner of the election.

Details shortly…

Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), has told Chief Timipre Silva, one of the contestants in Sept. 22 botched primary in Bayelsa to go to court.
``Mr Sylva can go to court because that is what the court is meant for,'' the chairman said on Monday in Abuja.
The chairman made the statement while responding to newsmen who asked for his comments on Silva’s claim that he won the botched primary.
He said that the party had decided to conduct another primary on Sept. 29.
He added that the party's National Working Committee deemed it fit to provide a level playing ground for all candidates who aspire to public offices in the party.
Odigie-Oyegun declared that the process that led to the Sept. 22 primary in Yenogoa did not meet the standard which the party had set for itself.
He said: ``we had serious security challenges and the process did not meet the standard which this party has set for itself.
``We have no alternative but to stop the process by ensuring that the chairman of the panel was moved out of the venue with the help of security agencies.
``We decided thereafter that there should be fresh primary.
``We have written to INEC on our decision to conduct fresh primary for the Bayelsa governorship election on Tuesday.
``We are getting in touch with the Inspector-General of Police and all other security agencies to assist us in ensuring effective security.'' (NAN)

The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has said that Nigeria will experience lunar eclipse tomorrow
In a statement, Head Media and Corporate Commissions of the agency, Dr. Felix Ale, said that the lunar eclipse will be visible in all the various locations in the country from 1.11am with total eclipse at 3:47 am and end by 6.22am.
According to him, the agency has no special arrangement for the public to view the astronomical event at the Space Centre in line with its tradition due to the time of occurrence this time around.
The agency however called on all Nigerians especially those who love to observe the beauty of nature to feel free to observe the natural occurrence which will begin at 1.11am, and be at its maximum at 3. 47am and end at 6.22am.
The NASRDA spokesman also dismissed the on-going speculation in some quarters that the lunar eclipse will last for two weeks, saying it will only be observed within five hours and eleven minutes in the early hours of tomorrow.
Dr. Ale explained that, the eclipse which is also called the blood moon will be observed in some regions around the world.
These include Europe, South/East Asia, Africa, North America, South America, the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arabic and the Antarctica.
The agency advised the public not to panic but to relish the view of this natural occurrence and go about their normal activities as it is just natural at its best.

Abdulkadir Jega, The brother of the immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Attahiru Jega, has been confirmed as one of the dead in the Hajj stampede.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, Saturday, disclosed that two Court of Appeal Justices were among those that died during the stampede that led to the death of over 700 persons at Mina, Saudi Arabia on Thursday.
‎In a statement, the CJN, gave the names of the deceased Justices as Abdulkadir Jega who is the Presiding Justice of the Abuja Division of the appellate court and Justice Musa Hassan Alkali of the Ilorin Division‎.
Justice Mohammed, in a condolence message to their families, the Court of Appeal, the Judiciary and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, said it was with a deep sense of shock but with gratitude to Almighty Allah that he learnt of the death of the two justices.

The possible resignation of the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, should not come as a surprise to Nigerians.

A source told DAILY POST on Wednesday that the boss of the apex bank was getting tired of the approach of President Muhammadu Buhari to fiscal and monetary issues.

“There are possibilities of Emefiele leaving the post because of the state of the economy. But the one that unsettles him the most is an order by the president to change the colour of Naira notes,” our source said.

Buhari’s directive is a reminder of his anti-corruption measures as military Head of State between 1984 and 1985.

‘Buharinomics’, as called, was stringently implemented to revive the slumbering banking industry and curb local currency hoarding.

Buhari ordered that the colour of the Naira notes be changed, forcing all holders of old notes to exchange them at banks within a limited period.

DAILY POST gathered that Emefiele, reluctant to implement Buhari’s instruction, almost tendered his resignation in the past few days but for the persuasion of some prominent Nigerians, including two Bank Chairmen.

The duo were at some point Managing Directors of their respective banks and are from a South-South state.

It was learnt that Emefiele at a recent meeting with close friends in Abuja, the nation’s capital, hinted at his desire to hand in his resignation notice sooner than later.

At the gathering, the former Zenith Bank Managing Director, complained that the Buhari-led government was yet to have a policy direction, adding that he needed an idea of what was in store to guide him in his stewardship.

DAILY POST recalls that part of Emefiele’s fears was his disclosure at the CBN Monetary Policy Committee meeting that Nigeria’s economy could slip into recession within months.

Emefieled told newsmen that Nigeria’s economy was weak due to country’s Gross Domestic Product Growth Rate, which recorded a slow growth in the second quarter of this year, the second consecutive less-than-expected performance for the current fiscal year.

Findings by the National Bureau of Statistics showed that real GDP grew by 2.35 per cent in the second quarter of 2015, a significant decrease when compared with the 3.96 per cent and 6.54 per cent in the preceding quarter and corresponding period of 2014, respectively.

Real GDP growth is projected by the NBS to stabilise at 2.63 per cent in 2015, compared with the 6.22 per cent recorded in 2014.

Another instance Emefiele cited is the impact of non-payment of salaries which had led to reduction on consumer demand.

“The committee noted that the overall macroeconomic environment remained fragile.

“The committee noted that liquidity withdrawals following the implementation of the TSA (Treasury Single Account), elongation of the tenure of state government loans as well as loans to the oil and gas sectors could aggravate liquidity conditions in banks.

“This will impair their financial intermediation role, thus affecting economic growth, unless some actions were immediately taken to ease liquidity conditions in the markets.

“Having seen two consecutive quarters of slow growth, the committee recognized that the economy could slip into recession in 2016 if proactive steps were not taken to revive growth in key sectors of the economy”, he added.

Meanwhile, Emefiele has other options as he enters a decision-making period on whether to remain at the CBN or use the exit route.

These include offers at an international financial consortium and a bank in Europe.

Nigerian financial experts and other professionals have a history of joining organisations abroad after leaving government jobs in their fatherland.

Former Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), was in July appointed Vice President (Treasury) of the World Bank.

Her appointment is effective on September 28, 2015.

Former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, earlier in the week disclosed that she is joining United States financial advisory and asset management bank, Lazard.

Okonjo-Iweala also got an additional job: chair-elect of the board of Bill and Melinda Gates’ Gavi the Vaccine.

Relatively, Nigeria’s Agriculture Minister, Akinwumi Adesina emerged president of the African Development Bank and replaced Donald Kaberuka on September 1.

But if it so happens that Emefiele quits the CBN, his replacement may be picked from one of the few names being touted as likely successor.

He is Fola Adeola, pioneer Managing Director and current Chairman of Guaranty Trust Bank.

The All Progressives Congress in Kwara State has strongly condemned the call for the resignation of the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki by those they referred to as desperate politicians and their agents, while also dismissing a statement credited to the Lagos APC Spokesman, Mr Joe Igbokwe, saying it was a clear act of impersonation.

The party said ”the attention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has been drawn to a recent press statement issued by the Publicity Secretary of the Lagos State chapter of our party, Mr Joe Igbokwe, wherein he claimed ‘APC does not want Bukola Saraki as the Senate President’, made litany of disjointed and false views and other unacceptable comments that are too awful to be quoted.”

In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari, the party described Mr Joe Igbokwe as an impersonator on a mission to cause confusion within the APC family in the country.



“‎We wish to strongly condemn the statement as unacceptable and a clear act of impersonation. It should also be noted that Mr Igbokwe’s statement doesn’t represent the views of members of our party across the country. What Mr Igbokwe has exhibited is a clear act of impersonation. Is he the Chairman or National Publicity Secretary of our party?

“For anyone who was tempted to doubt our claim that the case against the Senate President is not an anti-corruption driven case but a politically-motivated prosecution aimed at undermining the person and the office of the Senate President, it is now clearer. Mr Igbokwe’s recent vituperation against the person and the office of the Senate President is part of the script designed by desperate politicians to pull down the Senate President at all costs.

‎”Again, we wish to unequivocally and categorically condemn, reject and dismiss the call for the resignation of Senate President Bukola Saraki by sponsored faceless groups and bought souls as out of place and politically-sponsored.

“Kwara APC also reiterates that with the collective resolve of Nigerians for a peaceful and prosperous Nigeria with utmost regard for principles of separation of powers and the independence of the legislature coupled with the uprightness of the judicial system, this satanic plot against the Senate President is doomed to fail.”, the statement read.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has asked Justice Ibrahim Buba of a Federal High Court in Lagos to withdraw himself from a fresh suit filed by Senator Buruji Kashamu.

Kashamu, in the new suit, is seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the NDLEA and the Attorney General of the Federation from seizing his property.

The new suit came after the failed effort by the NDLEA to extradite Kashamu to the United States of America, where he is said to be wanted for alleged drug-trafficking offences.

Justice Buba had, on June 23, 2015, reaffirmed a May 27, 2015 order of Justice Okon Abang of the same court restraining the NDLEA and others from extraditing Kashamu.

In the new suit, Kashamu said he had got winds of the moves by the NDLEA and the AGF to seize or take over his properties, including a 24-flat housing estate at Egbe and several hectares of land on Lekki Peninsular, Lagos, worth over N20bn.

He claimed to have acquired the properties by dint of hard work and legitimate business as opposed to the respondents’ allegation that the properties were acquired with proceeds of drug-trafficking.

His lawyer, Mr. Ajibola Oluyede, claimed that allowing the respondents to seize Kashamu’s property would occasion a breach of his fundamental right to own property as provided under section 43 and 44 of the Constitution.

Already Justice Buba had, by an interim injunction dated June 29, 2015, restrained the respondents and their privies from interfering with Kashamu’s right to own property either in Nigeria or anywhere else, pending the determination of the main suit.

But at the resumed proceedings on Tuesday, the NDLEA appeared in court with an application seeking to discharge the interim injunction.

The NDLEA’s lawyer, Mr. J. N. Sunday, claimed that the interim injunction was granted against public policy, adding that it amounted to tying the hands of Federal Government agencies from discharging their legitimate mandate.

The anti-narcotics agency also asked Buba to disqualify himself from the case, saying it was afraid that since Buba had adjudicated over Kashamu’s previous case and given judgment, it might be impossible for him to reach a different conclusion in the fresh case, which stemmed from the earlier case.

On his own part, counsel for the AGF, Mr. Oyin Koleosho, in a preliminary objection, challenged the court’s jurisdiction to hear Kashamu’s suit.

The counsel, who described Kashamu’s new suit as a “tortuous act,” which is not within Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution, said the judge had no jurisdiction to entertain matters bordering on landed property title.

Describing the suit as an abuse of court processes, Kolesoho urged Justice Buba to strike out the suit for failing to disclose any reasonable cause of action.

Justice Buba adjourned the case till September 30, 2015 to enable the parties to regularise their processes.

THE National Universities Commission (NUC) has justified the abolition of Pass Degree from the grading and classification of degrees in the university system from 2006.

Under the policy, the minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) required by a student for graduation is 1.5.

Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Julius Okojie, who spoke on Monday in Abuja at a one-day workshop on review of grading system in Nigerian universities, insisted that Pass Degree is no longer recognised.

He said: "It will be recalled that the commission abolished Pass Degree from the grading and classification of degrees in the university system in 2006. If you read any academic brief, do you find anything like pass honours? We have BA or BSc honours. Third Class in Civil Service in those days is a step lower and if a fellow gets a pass degree, where does he go to?"

Okojie further noted that even the employers of labour do not recognise pass degree, as minimum requirement placed in advertisement for recruitment is Third Class.

He, however, lamented the discrepancies in the grading system by the universities, stressing that there was the need to have a common platform that would be applicable to all universities both public and private in the country.

Okojie revealed that University of Ibadan has been using '7-Scale' instead of '5-Scale' that is the approved standard, saying "how would you compare them?

"Whereas the First Class honours is 4.5 and above. Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, at some point was using 4.3 and went back to 4.5 and if you send transcript abroad, somebody will look at them as different issues. So we need a common platform," he added.

He said: "Unfortunately, when the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standard (BMAS) documents were reviewed in 2007, the document did not take into consideration the technical implications of the policy, thereby allowing individual institutions and disciplines to implement the directive on the abolition of pass degree discretion.

"While some disciplines used the 6-grade points of 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0 for letter grades of A, B, C, D, E, and F respectively, other disciplines removed the E grade altogether, thereby having a grading system with grade points of 5, 4, 3, 2, 0, for letter grades of A, B, C, D, and F respectively.

"These systems have incontrovertibly introduced two systems of grading within the university system that have some technical implications on the grading of students," he said.

The Executive Secretary, who also frowned on universities running three- semester system in Nigeria, said it was alien to the country's university system.

In an effort to boost the morale of troops involved in the anti-insurgency fight, the Nigerian Army has approved the promotion of 5,000 soldiers deployed to battle against Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East.


The Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, who made this disclosure, also revealed that 3,032 soldiers who were recalled from dismissal had been reinstated into the ongoing operation against the insurgents in the North-East.

The COAS made this known during the opening ceremony of the Chief of Army Staff Third Quarter Conference in Abuja on Monday.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed, a Federal High Court judge who last week tried unsuccessfully to sabotage the false assets declaration trial of Nigeria’s Senate President, Bukola Saraki, had played a similar role in the past at the behest of the embattled senator. Justice Mohammed, who was characterized by several judicial sources as a justice for hire, stepped in earlier this year to thwart Mr. Saraki’s trial for a loan scam. The Special Fraud Unit of the Nigerian police had sought to prosecute Mr. Saraki for duping a bank.


Police investigators alleged that Mr. Saraki took a loan of N11.97 billion from the defunct InterContinental Bank of Nigeria. However, in May 2015, Justice Mohammed cleared Mr. Saraki of any wrongdoing even as evidence surfaced that the senator had used his protégé, Lai Mahmood Alabi, to wipe away 87% of the debt through dubious means.

The special fraud unit had accused Mr. Saraki of obtaining the loans between 2000 and 2009, part of the period coinciding with the senator’s tenure as governor of Kwara State. The investigators also accused Mr. Saraki of using several companies, including Joy Petroleum, Skyview Properties Ltd, Dicetrade, and Limkers Nigeria Ltd in the fraudulent loan transactions. The Code of Conduct Tribunal has included most of the companies in an indictment of Mr. Saraki. The Senate President’s trial is set to commence in Abuja tomorrow.

Investigators allege that Mr. Saraki used the loans to purchase properties in London, Lagos and Europe. The real assets were also not declared in the senator’s Code of Conduct Assets declaration forms as required by law.

Police and judicial sources told SaharaReporters that Mr. Saraki and Justice Mohammed colluded with Nigeria’s former Attorney General, Mohammed Adoke, to force agents of the special fraud unit to abandon the senator’s loan fraud case despite overwhelming evidence.

One legal analyst said it was curious that Mr. Saraki’s lawsuit, aimed at scuttling his new trial, came before the same Justice Mohammed. “The deal was for Justice Mohammed to grant Senator Saraki an interlocutory injunction, but the judge apparently played safe knowing that the SSS [State Security Services0 and the EFCC [Economic and Financial Crimes Commission] had been investigating judges involved in corruption,” one the source added.

The source, a senior lawyer, told SaharaReporters that Justice Mohammed must have known that he had no jurisdiction to entertain the case brought by Senator Saraki to stop his trial. “The issue of the jurisdiction of the Code of Conduct Tribunal to try assets declaration cases is already settled by the Constitution,” said the lawyer. He added: “It’s ridiculous to argue that the Code of Conduct Tribunal needed the signature of the Attorney General of the Federation to institute charges. The issue had been settled by the Supreme Court in 2002 when Wole Olanipekun raised an objection at the apex court in a case involving governors who wanted the court to determine their tenure status within the confines of the law as to whether their tenure in 1992 was a legitimate ground to disqualify them from running for office again.

“The Supreme Court ruled that the office of the Attorney General is a perpetual office that could function with or without the person of the AGF.”

Our legal sources said it remained unclear what verdict Justice Mohammed would give tomorrow. However, Senator Saraki appears not to be taking chances. His legal team has filed an appeal asking that the arrest warrant against him be quashed.

Yesterday, Mr. Saraki traveled to Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State. One source close to him alleged that the senator had consulted with a marabout in Ilorin. The senator later flew back to Abuja in a private jet and then moved into a Senate Guest House occupied by former Senate President, David Mark.

The source close to the embattled senator told SaharaReporters that Mr. Saraki’s team was working assiduously to take on former Governor Bola Tinubu of Lagos State, adding that Mr. Tinubu was directly involved in the Senate President’s travails. “We will soon release Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s own asset declaration forms that he submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau. Nigerians will see that he [Mr. Tinubu] has assets that were equally not declared to the CCB [Code of Conduct Bureau],” the source said.

Mr. Saraki and his wife have been targets of a long running investigator by several anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies, including the EFCC and the special fraud unit of the Nigerian police.

Over the years, SaharaReporters had done investigative reports on Mr. Saraki’s reported theft of funds from Societe Generale, a bank in which his late father owned controlling shares, as well as extensive money laundering schemes during his eight-year tenure as governor of Kwara State.

Saraki maneuvered himself into the Senate Presidency after striking an alliance with the leadership of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

A source in his camp told SaharaReporters that the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, do not intend to compel Saraki to attend his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal tomorrow, instead Mr. Arase who helped scuttled the case relating to forgery of Senate rules brought against Senate Ike Ekweremadu is expected to assist Saraki to appear before Justice mohammed’s court tomorrow where the federal judge is expected to issue a ruling stopping Saraki’s trial at the CCT altogether.

Kidnapped Son of University of Port Harcourt Vice Chancellor, Ejiru Laale has regained freedom.

The University’s spokesman, William Wordi, confirmed his release to newsmen yesterday saying,” the son of the Vice Chancellor has reunited with his family”.

It would be recalled that Laale was kidnapped from his family home in Agbeta Ebubu, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers state on Monday .

The Vice Chancellor’s son was said,to be supervising his fish pond when six armed men whisked him away , after robbing a neighbour within their compound.

The State Police command has also confirmed his release, vowing to rid kidnappers, cultists and criminals out of the state.

The State Police Public Relation Officer, PPRO, Ahmed Mohamed while confirming the incident said, “Yes,the Uniport Vice Chancellor’s son, Ejiru Laale regained his freedom last night”.

He assured that the police would continue to make the state peaceful for living and running of business.

The police spokesman however, solicited for the public’s co-operation on the fight against kidnappers, cultists and criminals.

The Nigeria Police have arrested a Dubai-based Indian national, Mr Mohammed Shazul, for allegedly procuring a Dubai visa using a Nigerian man’s name without his consent.

Sources close to Federal Criminal Intelligence Investigation Department (FCIID) Annex, Alagbon Close, Lagos, made the disclosure to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday.

The source said that operatives from the FCIID arrested Shazul after a petition by the Nigerian, Mr Ayodotun Babalola, to the police authorities.

It said the Indian, Vice-President of Fast Logistics Solution Group, an air cargo company based in Dubai was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Monday on arrival from Dubai.

“When the Inspector-General of Police got the petition dated Aug. 19, 2015, he sent it through the DIG, FCIID to the “X’’ Squad Annex, Lagos for investigation.

“The operatives have been on the trail of the suspect and others involved in the crime.

“After his arrest at the airport, he put up a call to the EFCC operatives, who after speaking with police told him to follow the operatives to Alagbon,’’ the source told NAN.

A copy of the petition, made available to NAN, alleged that the suspect, the President of the company, one Al-Ameen Kerala and others, used his International Passport data page to obtain visa without his consent.

The petition indicated that they allegedly used his name to obtain the visa and held on to it to prevent him from travelling to Dubai to transact his business with other companies.

“I am still being intimidated and my rights are being abused by depriving me from travelling to Dubai for business.

“This has cost me lot of breach of contract and defamation of character internationally.

“I am pleading with the police to help me to retrieve my visa and also stop them from causing harm to my personality and my family in future,’’ the petition said.



Speaking to NAN on the issue, the petitioner, Babalola, said Al-Ameen Kerala was his business partner, adding that the relationship turned sour when he demanded for 49 per cent shares in the company.

Babalola said he was shocked when he attempted to obtain visa to Dubai but was told that he had earlier obtained one.

He said that after his investigation; he was able to trace the visa scam to one Citadel Toss company.

“I applied for a visa to Dubai only to discover that my name has been used to obtain a visa without my knowledge. The company is Citadel Toss Company.

“When I contacted Citadel Toss Company, they told me they have strict instruction from their client, (the suspect) not to hand over the visa to anybody even if the owner comes until further instruction from him.

“Their plan was to ensure that I don’t get visa to Dubai to do my business.

“I see my visa as my personal document and on that note I couldn’t travel again because I was restricted.

“I had to petition the Inspector-General of Police to complain officially to seek redress on the matter,’’ the complainant said.

Babalola said that currently, one of the directors of the company, who is also an accomplice, had been arrested in Lagos.

“He is currently under questioning by the police. There was a meeting scheduled for both parties by the police on Wednesday, Sept. 16, and was at FCIID, Alagbon Close,’’ he said.

When contacted, the Police spokesman at the FCIID Annex, SP Achibong Asukwor, confirmed the arrest, saying that the Indian was released on bail on Monday night after questioning.

Asukwor said that the police had begun investigation into the matter.

When NAN encountered the suspect and his counsel who refused to mention his name at the EFCC office, Ikoyi, on Wednesday, they declined comment on the matter.

Okereke, a former presidential aspirant under the platform of the Nigerian Liberation Party, NLP, is being prosecuted by the EFCC on a six-count charge of impersonation, forgery and obtaining by false pretence.

Emmanuel Osita Okereke, director general of the National Task Force to Combat Illegal Importation of Small Arms, Ammunition, and Light Weapons, NATFORCE, has been declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for jumping bail.


He was arraigned on November 21, 2013 before Justice J. Y. Tukur of the FCT High Court, Apo, Abuja for allegedly forging a document of the Federal Government titled “Restricted, Federal Government of Nigeria, National Task Force”. He alleged falsely held public offices as DG and director, FCT Command of National Task Force, through which along with Ishmeal Chinyere Nwogu, he fraudulently obtained money from sale of employment forms.

One of the charges read: “That you Osita Okereke and Ishmael Chinyere Nwogu sometime in March, 2010 in Abuja within the judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory knowingly had in your possession a forged document titled 'RESTRICTED, FEDERAL REPBLIC OF NIGERIA, NATIONAL TASK FORCE' with intent to defraud, fraudulently used same as genuine to induce the public to believe that your organization is an agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria and consequently remitted the aggregate sum of N1,145,000 to you through First Bank account number 3066173170and thereby committed an offence and punishable under section 368 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja).”

Justice Tukur had granted the request of his counsel, Kanayo Okofar, requesting that he be granted bail.

Okereke, who was arrested with several incriminating items, including bullet proof vests, has however, jumped bail and is currently wanted by the EFCC.

He allegedly operates a syndicate, which maintains offices across the country, defrauding unsuspecting members of the public, by selling recruitment forms for N5,000 in the guise that they would be offered job by the federal government.

The EFCC enjoins members of the public with information on the whereabouts of Okereke to contact any of its offices in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Gombe and Kano, or the nearest police station.