Alleged 419: EFCC Arraigns Varsity Don Over $48,500

A lecturer at the Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Dr. Stephen Obekpa Abah, was yesterday docked before Justice Olasumbo Olarenwaju Goodluck of a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a two-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence.

The accused is alleged to have between August 2008 and March 2009 obtained $48,500 from one Udeh Orokpo Godwin under the guise of setting up a joint company but diverted the funds to personal use.

Source: http://leadership.ng/news/310513/alleged-419-efcc-arraigns-varsity-don-over-48500

I Bribed Officers With N3, 000 To Cross Border — Illegal Immigrants

Two Ghanaian illegal immigrants yesterday confessed to bribing officials at the Nigerian border with N3, 000 to gain entrance into the country.

Ibrahim Usman, one of the repatriated immigrants from Ghana said “I have been in Nigeria for the past 28 years with two wives, a Nigerian and the other one is a Ghanaian and blessed with ten children. He said he teaches Arabic Studies in Zaria international school.”

When asked how he passed through the border without necessary documents, he said, “We can spend more than N3, 000 as bribe to the officers to allow us pass through the border.”

Ahmed Salisu, also a Ghanaian said that he has lived in Nigeria for seven years and married with two children. They appealed to the government to give them some time to regularise their papers.

The illegal immigrants made the revelation during the repatriation of 101 Nigeriens and 2 Ghanaians by theKaduna State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

Parading the illegal immigrants before their repatriation yesterday, the Kaduna State Comptroller of NIS, Hamman Yerima, said majority of the aliens were picked up in Government Reserved Areas (GRA) of Kadunametropolis were some of them were engaged as security guards, and urged Nigerians to engage only immigrants with legal permit.

He, however, blamed the influx of illegal immigrants into the country on nation’s porous borders, and advised that the borders should be fully equipped to check movement of illegal immigrants.

The comptroller said, “the Kaduna state command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) as usual conducted mop up operations against illegal immigrants in the state. This time around we conducted an operation inKachia local government area on May 26, 2013, and we arrested 25 illegal immigrants.   

“The next day we also conducted another operation in high brow areas of Kaduna North, that is, ungwan Rimi GRA, Malali GRA, ungwan Dosa and Marafa where we arrested 59 suspects.

“Then at the toll gate, we also arrested 17 suspects, and earlier on we arrested two suspects, so all in all we have 103 suspects. And all these suspects are going to be repatriated this evening (yesterday) by the special grace of God. They are all Nigeriens. They are into menial jobs. They can be lured with small amount of money to do anything. We are sending them back by road.

“There is a particular case in Kaduna North where some Nigerians tried to prevent us from arresting the illegal aliens, so we had to arrest one of the Nigerians and brought him to our station, my men started giving him corporal punishment, but I had to stop them, and allowed him to go.

Source: http://leadership.ng/news/280513/i-bribed-officers-n3-000-cross-border-illegal-immigrants

N200m Scam: Civil Servants Urges Amosun to Follow Due Process

Sheriff Balogun

Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Ogun State chapter  Saturday urged Governor Ibikunle Amosun of the state to follow due process in the alleged N200m West African Examination (WAEC) scam in the education sector.

In a statement by its State Secretary, Mr. Adebiyi Olusegun, the situation where a civil servant will be detained before investigation is conducted into the matter left much to be desired, saying the allegation should be looked into with a view of getting to the root of the case.

He said “the association therefore demands that the government should follow due process in all matters that affecr the civil servants in Ogun state.”

It would be recalled that state government said to have uncovered N200 million fraud in the payment of West African Examination Council (WAEC) fees for students in its secondary schools.

The state government also disclosed that four officials, two male and two female involved in the fraud are already in the police net while other suspects are being investigated for their roles in the fraud.

Olusegun, therefore, stated that the detained civil servants were not serve query and no investigation panel was not set up on the matter prior to the illegal arrest and detention.

He recalled that “last year August 30th 2012, this administration arrested handed over two civil servants to State Security Service and they were detained for three days over allegation of receiving a bribe of N25m. At the close of investigation it was discovered that the civil servants were not involved in any bribery allegation.”

Source: http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/n200m-scam-civil-servants-urges-amosun-to-follow-due-process/148536/

Minister: Corruption Now Full-blown Cancer in Nigeria

Minster of Education, Professor Ruquayyatu Rufai, has noted that Nigeria’s growth will never achieve her full potential if the country allows corruption, which she described as a full-blown cancer, to continue to thrive.

Insisting that things have to change so that Nigeria can survive and develop into an orderly, reasonable and predictable way, the minister noted that since corruption had now become the single biggest bane of the country, it should no longer be condoned.

Represented by a Director in her ministry, Alhaji Ahmed Rakaya, the minister said these in Abuja at the public presentation of the teachers guide for the teaching of the National Values Curriculum in Basic Education at the headquarters of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC).

According to her, the most veritable way of tackling corruption head-on and at all level in Nigeria, is to educate the masses on national values, path of the truth and the knowledge of the truth.

Speaking on the presence of corruption in the education sector, Rufai' said they were trying to reduce it to the barest minimum and would not spare anybody found encouraging it.

“We conducted two levels of UTME examination, pen and paper test, and computer operated test. The two tests conducted were free and fair, and result released within 48 hours. Over 16,000 candidates had their results canceled as a result of corrupt practices and other offences.

“We shall be resolute in our decision as there are no sacred cows. Nobody, no matter how highly placed, will be allowed to get away with the breach of the law or perpetration of corruption and evil in our colleges and tertiary institutions,” she said.

The ICPC Chairman, Ekpo Nta, while stating the reason for printing the books, said the current Nigerian curriculum was becoming more science and technical biased, while the teaching of ethical and moral values continued to be neglected, hence the need for more efforts to address the ethical gap in the nation’s education sector.

Source: http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/minister-corruption-now-full-blown-cancer-in-nigeria/148930/

Declare state of emergency on corruption, Clark tells Jonathan

By Henry Umoru

ABUJA—FORMER Federal Commissioner for Information and elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to, as a matter of urgency, declare state of emergency on corruption, saying he must put in place more drastic measures to tackle it.

Speaking, yesterday, during the church service held for him on his 86th birthday at the St. James’ Anglican Church, (Anglican Communion), Asokoro, Abuja, the Ijaw leader noted that corruption did not start with the administration of President Jonathan, adding that everyone must be involved in the fight against corruption.

Chief Clark argued that the government of Jonathan had made bold steps to address the problem of corruption by exposing those who were alleged to have stolen the nation’s money, especially the fuel subsidy funds.

Tasks elders

He also urged other elders of the country to join hands with the government in building a more united country called Nigeria, even as he told them that they do not have another country.

He said the culture of destroying or pulling down a government, when some ethnic groups are not in power, must stop because  all were equal as Nigerians, irrespective of state or geo-political zone.

*L-R, Vice President Namadi Sambo, Publisher of Nigeria Pilot, Prince Dennis Sami and the Celebrant, Chief Dr. Edwin Clark chatting during 86th Birthday of Chief Edwin Clark held in Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.

He said: “I want to appeal to other elders of my age, above my age and below my age to know that we don’t have another country to go to. I pray that Nigeria remains a united nation.

“But the problem is that some people want to destroy when they are not in power. We are all equal and we want a united Nigeria where anyone can rise to any position.”

According to him, at 86 he was satisfied and was not looking for anything in life having worked in different places, travelled to different parts of the world, served as a Minister and a Senator, among others.

He urged the young ones to respect elders, adding that he will die a happy man if Nigeria remains a united country.

Sermon

In his sermon, the Archbishop of Lokoja, Most Revd. Emmanuel Egbunu, who preached on the ephemeral nature of life and vanity, extolled the qualities of Chief Clark, who he said always spoke the truth irrespective of who was involved.

Egbunu, who stood in for the Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of all Nigeria and Bishop of Abuja Diocese, the Most Revd. Nicholas Okoh, said that each time Chief Clarks talks, it was always newsworthy and urged the celebrant to ensure that he makes same news in heaven.

Roll call

Present at the Church Service were representatives of Senator Hope Uzodinma, representative of Senate President David Mark; wife of Deputy governor of Delta State; delegations from Delta and Bayelsa sates; General Lawrence Onoja, and former governor of Edo State, Professor Oserheimen Osunbor.

Others were Senator James Manager, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Alabo Graham Douglas, Ameh Ebute, Air Commodore Dan Suleiman, Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw, Professor Sylvester Monye, Bala Kaoje, National Treasurer of PDP; former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha; Senator Sekibo, Power Godknows Igali, among others.

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/05/declare-state-of-emergency-on-corruption-clark-tells-jonathan/

Judiciary, only hope in fight against corruptionn - Bakare

“If Nigeria must fight corruption and insecurity effectively, the judiciary remains the hope of the country.”
The  Serving Overseer of the Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare, made this declaration at the weekend, in a keynote address delivered at the annual dinner of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch, held in honour of Chief Afe Babalola, as part of its 2013 Law Week activities.
Pastor Bakare, who reiterated that he had confidence in the rule of law and the judiciary to bail out the country, was examining the high level of the twin evils of corruption and insecurity ravaging the country.
According to him, “the path of justice is the surest way to return our nation to a state of security, stability and peace.
“Every legislation and source of law aimed at combating crime, terrorism and other manifestation of insecurity must be applied judiciously and independently of executive manipulation,” he said.
Pastor Bakare further referred to the dismissal of the 171 money laundering charges against the former governor of  Delta State, James Ibori,  describing it as a sham as well as that of Dr Erastus Akingbola where the trial judge, Justice Habeeb Abiru was elevated to the Appeal Court when judgement was about to be delivered in the matter.
He accused the bar and the bench of collaborating to thwart the course of justice and for what is happeningcurrently in the country.
“We seem to have forgotten that justice is the ligament which holds civilised beings and civilised nations together.”
He cautioned Nigerians against thinking that the declaration of state of emergency in three states of the North to curb Boko Haram activities would save the day.

“Though force can protect in emergency, only justice, fairness, consideration and cooperation can finally lead men to the dawn of peace.”

The way out of the trouble, he stated was “to bring justice and power together so that whatever is just may be powerful and whatever is powerful may be just.”

According to him, “justice must be administered without fear or favour and that where the law proves insufficient to judiciously deal with cases, judicial activism should lead the cause of progressive development of the law.”

He described the judiciary as the last hope of the common man and the institution that must rise to restore the predictability of systems that guaranteed security in the society.

“Therefore, in dealing with the twin devils, we must not put the cart before the horse. Corruption must be dealt with first.

“The Judiciary must use the instrumentality of law and judicial activism to enforce and further develop our numerous anti-corruption laws, especially the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004 and the Public Procurement Act 2007.”

The national leader of the SNG said that the judiciary must become the vehicle for holding government accountable to section 14(2) of the constitution which states that the security and welfare of the people shall be primary purpose of government.

“The judiciary must take the lead in making that section of our constitution justiciable”, he said.

Justice of the Supreme court, Chukwuma-Eneh, in his speech said that law is very pivotal to effecting orderly change and in preserving public order in the society.
He said that the National Judicial Council (NJC), under the chairmanship of  Justice Aloma Mukhtar, has taken a frontal position to reclaim the great name of the judiciary and put it on proper track.

He urged lawyers to critically reexamine themselves and play the role the society expected them to play  as legal practitioners.

The Attorney General, Ade Ipaye in his remarks urged lawyers to as legal practitioners, advance the course of justice and reverse what he termed “the unfortunate progress of impunity which stem from disrespect for law.

“We should re-appraise our role in the system; “are we advancing the course of justice?”, he asked.

“I believe that we should be the one to turn Nigeria around by making the judiciary to play the role it is expected to play”, he added.

Source: http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/news/item/12939-judiciary-only-hope-in-fight-against-corruptionn-bakare

Corruption in oil, building sectors depleting Nigeria’s economy - Quantity surveyors

THE Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria (QSRBN), on Thursday, raised the alarm that the oil and gas, as well as the building and construction sectors remain two major areas where huge resources are lost in the economy.

It also expressed worry that while efforts are being made to effectively police the oil and gas sector, little attention was being paid to the building and construction sector.

President of QSRBN, Mallam Husaini Dikko, who spoke in Abuja at an economic roundtable, attributed the high cost and inflation in the building and construction sector to the absence of cost standards.

He lamented that cases abound where different governments or their agencies executed construction projects at different costs, despite the fact that the projects were similar in all material particulars.

Mallam Dikko maintained that instances showed that the absence of transparency, accountability and probity were implicated in the current regime of high building and construction costs.

Noting the need to set standards for projects’ costing and templates for determining cost bands across the geopolitical zones, states and local governments throughout the country, the QSRBN president insisted that achieving the feat would require the development of a robust building and construction cost database and the establishment of a cost data centre under the supervision of the body.

“The building and construction sector can be used to set agenda for Nigeria’s economic development, just as it is also a critical success factor in the achievement of the country’s economic programmes in many ways,” he said.

Source: http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/news/item/12710-corruption-in-oil-building-sectors-depleting-nigeria-s-economy-quantity-surveyors