N1 bn Fraud : Court Remands Ex Adamawa State Governor , Adamu Fintiri, In Prison

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that former Governor of Adamawa State, Adamu Umaru Fintiri be remanded in Kuje prison, Abuja. Fintiri was sworn in as acting governor of the state following the impeachment of the former state governor Murtalla Nyako on July 15th 2014. His remand order was made by Justice Ahmed Mohammed shortly after he was arraigned on a five-count charge of N1billion money laundering. When the charges were read to him, he pleaded not guilty. He’s to remain in prison custody until Friday when the court will rule of his bail application Source : Politics

INEC Proposes July 23, 30 For Suspended Re -run Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proposed July 23 and 30 to conduct the suspended re-run elections into the National Assembly for Kano, Kogi, Imo and Rivers States. The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made this known on Thursday at a meeting with security officers, INEC Commissioners and political parties’ representatives from the affected states in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. According to Prof. Yakubu, the elections in those affected constituencies were declared inconclusive because of the violence that erupted during the polls. He appealed to politicians and the electorates in the affected states to cooperate with the commission for the conduct of the re-run elections. A Commissioner of Police, Habila Joshak, who spoke on behalf of the acting Inspector General of Police assured the gathering that the polls would be peaceful. On his part, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, Senator Abubakar Kyari, expressed concern over the vacuum the inconclusive polls was having on the National Assembly, one year after the general elections. Although INEC has proposed the new date for the re-run elections, the commission says the success will depend mainly on the security situations in the affected states. Source: Politics

I am Not Behind Your EFCC Ordeal – Umahi Replies Elechi

Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Dave Umahi, Thursday told his predecessor, Martin Elechi, that he was not behind his persistent interrogation by EFCC over alleged misappropriation of public funds while in office. He was reacting to a secret letter written to him by Elechi rejecting the N29 million Prado SUV car gift he gave to him which leaked recently and also to the allegation by the former governor that he (Umahi) was behind his ordeal in the hands of the anti-graft agency. Umahi was the deputy governor during Elechi’s second tenure. The governor spoke during an Agricultural summit with Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) held at Akanu Ibiam International Conference Centre Abakaliki Thursday. He admitted he was sometimes drafted to a monitoring team if there were engineering difficulties in some projects during Elechi’s tenure, saying he saved the state N1.6 billion when he was drafted to Agba bridge project and equally helped revive Oferekpe water project when it had almost came to a halt Source: Politics

APC Govt Setting A Dangerous Precedent – Adegboruwa

Lagos based lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, on Thursday, described the issuance of a Certificate of Return to Samson Ogah as the new governor of Abia State as “worrisome,” saying the ruling All Progressives Congress-led government is setting a dangerous precedent for the nation’s democracy if it is lying in wait and prodding the Independent National Elector*l Commission, INEC to violate the basic tenets of democracy, which is respect for the rule of law and due process. Adegboruwa in a statement, opined that the Abuja Federal High Court’s decision on Monday cannot be enforced because Okezie Ikpeazu, who was removed as governor, had filed an appeal, as well as a stay of execution. According to him, “There is said to be a grand plan, now in its well advanced stage, to swear in Ogar, who will then subsequently defect to the ruling APC, on the excuse of the fictionalization within the PDP between Modu Sheriff and Ahmed Markafi,” Mr. Adegboruwa said. “On June 29, 2016, the sitting governor of Abia State, Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu, filed an appeal against the said judgment, together with an application for a stay of execution of the judgment of court. “The said application is yet to be heard or determined by the court, the consequence of which is that the judgment of court cannot be enforced.” Adegboruwa stated that the Supreme Court had held that once an appeal has been filed against a judgment and the appellant has also filed an application to stay the execution of the said judgment, the judgment cannot be enforced, until the application for a stay of execution has been heard and determined. His words: “It is a dangerous precedent that the APC led government is setting for our democracy, if it is lying in wait and prodding INEC to violate the basic tenets of democracy, which is respect for the rule of law and due process. “In times past, APC governors and public officers under its platform have benefited robustly, from this hallowed principle of law, the latest example being the president himself, Major- General Muhammadu Buhari, Retd. “Very recently, the federal high court dismissed a preliminary objection filed by the president, in respect of the case challenging his eligibility, for alleged absence of his WAEC certificate. “The president promptly filed an appeal against the said ruling and also filed an application for a stay of further proceedings before the high court. The high court deferred to the president and adjourned further proceedings sine die.” Mr. Adegboruwa called on political parties, public officers, and institutions to respect the rule of law and due process of court. “In one breadth we are told that the judiciary is the headache of this present administration, but when it suits the same administration, it frustrates, intimidates and muzzles the judiciary, judicial officers and even lawyers. “I call on the good people of Nigeria and all our allies worldwide and all lovers of democracy, to demand that the ruling APC government give respect to the laws of the land, to avoid resort to lawlessness.” Source : Politics

Istanbul Airport suspected that the ISIS bombers were the Uzbek, Russian, Kyrgyz

Three suspected Islamic State (ISIS) suicide bombers who killed 43 people in a gun and bomb attack at Istanbul's main airport thisweek were Russian, Uzbek and Kyrgyz nationals, a Turkish government official said on Thursday June 30. The suicide bombers opened fire to create panic outside, before two of them got inside the terminal building and blew themselves up. The third detonated his explosives at the entrance. At least 239 people were wounded in the attack. According to Reuters, the Turkey official who confirmed the terrorists' nationalities, declined to be named because details of the investigation have not yet been released. Forensics teams had been struggling to identify the bombers from their limited remains,officials said earlier. "A medical team is working around the clock to conclude the identification process," one of the officials said. Interior Minister Efkan Ala told parliament that evidence continued to point to ISIS responsibility and that the death toll had risen to 43, of whom 19 were foreigners. Ala said the identity and nationality of one of the bombers had been determined but did not comment further. The pro-government Yeni Safak newspaper said the Russian bomber was from Dagestan, which borders Chechnya. Turkey's Hurriyet newspaper named him as Osman Vadinov and said he had come from Raqqa, the heart of Islamic State-controlled territory in Syria. The Russian interior ministry said it was checking information about Vadinov. A spokesman for Kyrgyzstan's state security service said it was investigating, while the Uzbek security servicehad no actual comment. Source : Reuters

Police corporeal and pastor arrested for armed robbery, confesses to distributing arms to robbery gangs

A police corporal who was recently arrested for armed robbery, confessed to having supplied arms and ammunition to robbery gangs in various states, including Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa states. Christ Oboko Onitsha Ugbo, was arrested after he allegedly led his gang on a series of robbery operations in some states in the Niger Delta region. He is currently being detained by the Inspector General of Police’s Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) According to Daily Trust, the 36-year-old, until his arrest was atttached to a special squad code named C4I of the Rivers State police Command and was also the resident pastor of a church at choba, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Oboko, who has also been linked to several violent crimes in Bayelsa, Delta, Imo, Lagos and Edo state was said to have been deployed to C41 from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Rivers State Command, having distinguished himself as a sniper and crack detective. Prior to his arrest, the office of the immediate past IGP, Solomon Arase received series of complaints about the notorious activities of the gang and subsequently directed the leader of the Special Intelligence Response Team, Abba Kyari, to investigate the matter. Oboko was arrested following the arrest and confessions of one of his gang member identified as one Johnpaul Amandi. "Aside from supplying members of my gang with police rifles and bullets, I also help keep their guns in my house without the knowledge of my wife and children."Oboko confessed. "I joined the Nigeria Police Force in April 2003. I served at Borokiri Police Division, from there I went to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad SARS before joining C4I. I started car snatching in 2015 when I met Amandi, he was our informant. He lured me into robbery. I was only supplying them with arms. It all started when Amandi brought two vehicles. He gave them to one Victor Nwogu to sell. I met them doing the negotiation and from there, I offered to join them. "I robbed the driver of a Toyota Camry at D-line area of Port Harcourt and we took the car to Victor in Owerri, I sold the car to victor for N200,000. We were three and I took N70,000 and I gave Amandi and Kelvin the balance to share. On the second operation,the three of us went for the job at D-line and we stole three Camry cars from the park. We sold the vehicles to the same Victor in Owerri and he paid us N360,000. I got N150,000 as my share. "We also snatched a Toyota Corolla, from Elelanwan area at gunpoint from its owner and I took the car to Victor and he paid N250,000. I took N80,000 as my share and I gave the rest to Amandi and Kelvin to share. "We also snatched a Toyota Spider car at GRA from the owner at gun point and we parked it inside Borokiri sand field. But before we arrived in the morning the car had been removed," Lamenting, Oboko said, "I was always going to release them whenever they were arrested by the police and I don’t know what came over me. I am the resident pastor of a church at Choba, in Port Harcourt. I don’t know what made me join Amandi in his evil business." The out going Force Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police Bisi Kolawole, who paraded the suspect disclosed that he and members of his gang were terrorizing Port Harcourt. The gang members enjoyed full protection from Oboko, who bailed and defended them whenever they were arrested by the police. He provided fake vehicle documents for stolen vehicles and altered the vehicle engine and chassis numbers selling them, Ms Kolawole spoke Source : Daily Trust

Brexit : Companies Turn From United Kingdom To African Countries

With the recent referendum by the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, many businesses with existing or planned investment interests in the UK have started turning to African countries. The Ecobank Group Research who revealed this in a statement entitled ‘’Investment after Brexit: Africa is the Final Frontier’’, said that the businesses were looking for new investment frontiers. The statement said that the revelation was the core of the Middle Africa Fixed Income Currency and Commodities (FICC) Guidebook 2016, recently published by Ecobank. ‘’With the UK having voted in its recent referendum to leave the European Union, many businesses with existing or planned investments in the UK will be looking for new investment frontiers. ‘’Africa’s move to diversify its economies and its rising consuming class are creating an array of new investment opportunities. ‘’ Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Ghana and Ethiopia are the best examples, with broad-based economic growth, young populations and rising urbanisation,’’ it said. According to the statement, the Middle Africa FICC Guidebook contains an economic outlook, overview of the key sectors in the region and a guide on 41 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Ms Chi Onwurah, Chairperson of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Africa, said in the statement that the impact of Brexit on the global economy cannot be overestimated. ‘’But while we are faced with huge challenges, we also should look at opportunities for Africa. ‘’The EU’s trade agreement with Africa has been criticised for its negative effects on African industry and agriculture. ‘’The UK could be in a position to develop a more mutually beneficial policy,’’ she said in the statement. Also, Mr Edward George, Head of Ecobank Group Research, whose team created the guidebook, said in the statement that African countries were offering opportunities for businesses and investment. “Investing in Sub-Saharan Africa does come with risks, just as anywhere else in the world. ‘’Understanding these risks and how to manage them is the critical difference between success and failure,” he said in the statement. According to it, it is essential that investors and businesses understand the opportunities that Africa’s new economic frontiers present. Source : Global News

The CBN Government Tasks Youths On Local Production

Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, has appealed to Nigeria youths to channel their energies towards the production of goods and services locally. Mr Emefiele was speaking on Thursday at a meeting to kick start the pilot phase of the Youths Entrepreneurship Programme in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. As over 1,000 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) are expected to benefit from the scheme, he said the programme would reduce the pressure on the nation’s foreign exchange. The CBN Governor noted that the the National Bureau of Statistics put the recent unemployment rate in the first quarter of 2016 at 42%. He expressed optimism that reverse could be the case if more youths gain financing that would help boost their businesses. The Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Sule Kazaure, commended the development. He explained that the CBN and the NYSC were seeking to address the inability of the young population to access knowledge on finance schemes that could help them develop and grow their businesses. Source: Global News