THE AFRICAN Development Bank, AfD, has imposed a fine of $5.7 million (N912 million) on a Dutch firm, Snamprogetti Netherlands B.V. for its alleged involvement in bribe payments for Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, contracts.
The fine was announced in a statement by the Bank Group, yesterday, entitled, ‘ÁfDB charges Snamprogetti Netherlands B.V. US $5.7 million in monetary sanction for corrupt practices.’
The Bank said, “Snamprogetti Netherlands B.V. admits to corrupt practices from 1995 until 2004 by affiliated companies in relation to the award of AfDB-financed services contracts for liquefied natural gas production plants on Bonny Island, Nigeria.
“The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group on May 28, 2014, announced the conclusion of a Negotiated Resolution Agreement with Snamprogetti Netherlands B.V. following the company’s acceptance of the charge of corrupt practices by affiliated companies in an AfDB-financed project. A
“As part of the Negotiated Resolution Agreement, the Bank’s Integrity and Anti-Corruption Department, IACD, levies a financial penalty of US $5.7 million against the company.
“The funds will flow into AfDB projects preventing and combating corruption in the Bank’s Member Countries on the African continent.
“In total, the AfDB has collected US $22.7 million in fines from four companies, including Snamprogetti Netherlands B.V., involved in bribe payments in connection with the liquefied natural gas production plants project on Bonny Island, Nigeria. “In addition to the payment of a monetary sanction, the Negotiated Resolution Agreement foresees the debarment for a period of three years.
“These companies are eligible for cross-debarment under the April 2010 Agreement for Mutual Enforcement of Debarment Decisions entered into by the African Development Bank Group, the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the World Bank Group and the Inter-American Development Bank Group.
“The Portuguese entities affiliated to Snamprogetti Netherlands B.V. played an active role in funneling bribes to public officials.
Source
Wednesday 28 May 2014
Monday 19 May 2014
Oman court jails ex-minister 3 years over bribery
MUSCAT (AFP) – An Omani court has sentenced a former minister to three years in jail over graft charges, in a first for the Gulf sultanate which has vowed to combat corruption, newspapers reported Monday.
They said ex-commerce minister Mohammed bin Nasser al-Khusaibi was found guilty of bribing another official to award a contract linked to a Muscat airport expansion project to a company in which he was a shareholder.
The Muscat court on Sunday also slapped Khusaibi with a hefty 800,000-riyal ($2-million) fine, the Oman Daily Observer said.
An accomplice, a former undersecretary at the transport and telecommunications ministry, was handed the same jail term and fined.
The general manager of the company, a non-Omani Arab national, was sentenced to six months in jail, to be followed by deportation.
The Observer said a former refinery CEO who is also a member of Oman’s upper chamber had been sentenced to three years in jail for corruption in an earlier trial.
But Khusaibi was the first former government member to be handed a jail term.
A businessman has also been jailed for 18 years over several corruption cases, while an ex-chief for ports at the transport ministry received a three-year sentence, said the daily.
It did not specify when the earlier sentences were handed down, but said they were part of a government drive to “maintain transparency”.
The normally sleepy sultanate was caught up in the 2011 Arab Spring, with demonstrators taking to the streets to demand improved living conditions and reforms.
A key demand of the protests, which degenerated into clashes with security forces in which two demonstrators were killed, was the sacking of ministers accused of corruption.
Sultan Qaboos carried out major cabinet reshuffles, dismissing several ministers over corruption allegations.
Source
They said ex-commerce minister Mohammed bin Nasser al-Khusaibi was found guilty of bribing another official to award a contract linked to a Muscat airport expansion project to a company in which he was a shareholder.
The Muscat court on Sunday also slapped Khusaibi with a hefty 800,000-riyal ($2-million) fine, the Oman Daily Observer said.
An accomplice, a former undersecretary at the transport and telecommunications ministry, was handed the same jail term and fined.
The general manager of the company, a non-Omani Arab national, was sentenced to six months in jail, to be followed by deportation.
The Observer said a former refinery CEO who is also a member of Oman’s upper chamber had been sentenced to three years in jail for corruption in an earlier trial.
But Khusaibi was the first former government member to be handed a jail term.
A businessman has also been jailed for 18 years over several corruption cases, while an ex-chief for ports at the transport ministry received a three-year sentence, said the daily.
It did not specify when the earlier sentences were handed down, but said they were part of a government drive to “maintain transparency”.
The normally sleepy sultanate was caught up in the 2011 Arab Spring, with demonstrators taking to the streets to demand improved living conditions and reforms.
A key demand of the protests, which degenerated into clashes with security forces in which two demonstrators were killed, was the sacking of ministers accused of corruption.
Sultan Qaboos carried out major cabinet reshuffles, dismissing several ministers over corruption allegations.
Source
Friday 16 May 2014
Dutch nationals’ abduction: I didn’t offer N3.4m bribe to Police —Community leader
Yenagoa—Chairman of Dodo River Regional Development Association in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Mr. Berry Negrese, yesterday, denied claims by some politicians that he was forced to pay N3.450 million as bribe to the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hilary Opara and the security aide to Governor Seriaka Dickson, Col. Bernard Kenebai, for the rescue operation of the abducted Dutch nationals and bail bonds for the detained Nigerian journalists.
An online news medium had, in a report on Wednesday, alleged that the duo of the Bayelsa Police Commissioner and the Security Adviser to the state governor were involved in the extortion of N3.450 million from the Chairman of Dodo River Development Foundation for security mobilisation to facilitate the release of the abducted Dutch nationals.
Mr. Negresse, who briefed newsmen, yesterday in Yenagoa, said the claims that a bribe was given to the police was false and a calculated attempt to rubbish the professional effort adopted in the rescue operation of the Dutch nationals.
He said: “The report by the online news medium is untrue and a fabricated report targeted at rubbishing the efforts of the police and the state government. The police, the state government and the Ijaw Youth Congress, IYC, should be commended for their effort in the rescue operation. The report is a ridiculous lie. I speak as the Chairman of Doddo River Regional Development Association and as a man who followed the rescue exercise from the beginning to the end. At no point time did anybody demand money from us.
“The police only asked me for the phone number which the kidnappers used in contacting me. While I was still trying to negotiate and find a way to pay some ransom to the kidnappers out of fear for the safety of the Dutch nationals, the police called me that they had secured their release. I was surprised at the speed and professionalism they adopted.”
Source
An online news medium had, in a report on Wednesday, alleged that the duo of the Bayelsa Police Commissioner and the Security Adviser to the state governor were involved in the extortion of N3.450 million from the Chairman of Dodo River Development Foundation for security mobilisation to facilitate the release of the abducted Dutch nationals.
Mr. Negresse, who briefed newsmen, yesterday in Yenagoa, said the claims that a bribe was given to the police was false and a calculated attempt to rubbish the professional effort adopted in the rescue operation of the Dutch nationals.
He said: “The report by the online news medium is untrue and a fabricated report targeted at rubbishing the efforts of the police and the state government. The police, the state government and the Ijaw Youth Congress, IYC, should be commended for their effort in the rescue operation. The report is a ridiculous lie. I speak as the Chairman of Doddo River Regional Development Association and as a man who followed the rescue exercise from the beginning to the end. At no point time did anybody demand money from us.
“The police only asked me for the phone number which the kidnappers used in contacting me. While I was still trying to negotiate and find a way to pay some ransom to the kidnappers out of fear for the safety of the Dutch nationals, the police called me that they had secured their release. I was surprised at the speed and professionalism they adopted.”
Source
Tuesday 13 May 2014
Nigerian Immigration Service denies asking Davido for bribe
Music star, Davido recently accused officials of the Nigerian
Immigration Service of harassing him for money and making him miss a
very important flight at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos.
The accusations infuriated his fans – and many of them took to their various social media pages to insult the Nigerian Immigration service.
Responding to the accusation, the Immigration service, some hours
ago, refuted claims by Davido on Instagram that NIS officers did not
allow him to depart from the country because of his refusal to bribe
them.
In a statement by the NIS Public Relations Officer, Emeka Obua, the service revealed that Davido had approached Immigration Officers at MMIA on the fateful day with the intention of travelling out of the country and presented a US passport number 460918874 issued at Georgia on December 14, 2009 and valid till December 14, 2019.
It explained that the officer that attended to him drew his attention to the fact that his US passport had no Nigerian visa on it with which he would have been admitted into the country, and Davido reportedly responded that he had a Nigerian passport but forgot it at home.
Read statement below:
“The officer now informed him that he should go and bring the Nigerian passport to convince him that he did not enter Nigeria illegally with a foreign passport without visa. Adeleke started arguing with the officer, who had to refer the case to his superiors and the verdict was that he could not make the trip unless he produced the said Nigerian passport.
“Livid with anger, Adeleke, in company with his bodyguards, started
protesting in a disorderly manner, prompting the Comptroller of
Immigration in-charge at MMIA to intervene. He advised Adeleke to call
his bodyguards to order (caution) and comply with the lawful instruction
which would not only erase any doubt as to his immigration status but
also establish his claim to dual citizenship.”
He left and on the following day, produced his Nigerian e-passport with number A02227477 issued at Abuja on August13, 2010 and valid till August 12, 2015.
Source
The accusations infuriated his fans – and many of them took to their various social media pages to insult the Nigerian Immigration service.
In a statement by the NIS Public Relations Officer, Emeka Obua, the service revealed that Davido had approached Immigration Officers at MMIA on the fateful day with the intention of travelling out of the country and presented a US passport number 460918874 issued at Georgia on December 14, 2009 and valid till December 14, 2019.
It explained that the officer that attended to him drew his attention to the fact that his US passport had no Nigerian visa on it with which he would have been admitted into the country, and Davido reportedly responded that he had a Nigerian passport but forgot it at home.
Read statement below:
“The officer now informed him that he should go and bring the Nigerian passport to convince him that he did not enter Nigeria illegally with a foreign passport without visa. Adeleke started arguing with the officer, who had to refer the case to his superiors and the verdict was that he could not make the trip unless he produced the said Nigerian passport.
He left and on the following day, produced his Nigerian e-passport with number A02227477 issued at Abuja on August13, 2010 and valid till August 12, 2015.
Source
Wednesday 30 April 2014
Bribery allegations: Show evidence, Fayemi tells Fayose
The Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation has challenged the People’s Democratic Party candidate, Mr Ayodele Fayose to come forward with “incontrovertible evidence” over allegations that governor Dr Fayemi has bribed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Spokesperson of the organisation, Mr Dimeji Daniels faulted the claims made by Mr. Fayose saying “we are tired of all this scare-mongering by the PDP candidate. Let him be a man of honour for once.”
It, however, challenged him to come forward with the “so-called incontrovertible evidence that he has.” Arguing that Fayose is fond of screaming blue murder when in fact he is the one guilty of same offence.”
On the allegation that the Fayemi and the APC orchestrated violence in the state, he said “Governor Kayode Fayemi’s convoy must have passed the route where Fayose’s campaign office is located over a hundred times over the past three and a half years and his convoy was never attacked for once until Ayo Fayose became the candidate of the PDP. The governor’s convoy had not been attacked anywhere in the entire state since 2010 until the emergence of Ayodele Fayose as candidate of the PDP and indeed both times directly in front of Fayose’s campaign office. “
Furthermore, he maintained that “From the antecedents of our candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and that of the PDP candidate, Ayo Fayose, Ekiti people, and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians, know Fayose is the one who thrives on violence as his ideology. The spate of attacks on APC members started when Fayose came into the race with his usual style of violent politicking. What he is doing now is to draw cheap sympathy, but he used up whatever goodwill he ever had during his reign of terror in Ekiti between 2003 and 2006 when the whole of Ekiti sent him packing.”
Absolving Fayemi of influencing traditional rulers in the state, the spokesman said “I am not aware that any of our revered traditional rulers is not allowing the PDP candidate to campaign in their domain. But then, any kabiyesi who heard about how the PDP unleashed terror on Egbe and some other towns, they might not want a rehash of such in their domain because they have a duty to protect their people. Don’t also forget that Fayose desecrated the traditional institution when he was governor.”
Source
Spokesperson of the organisation, Mr Dimeji Daniels faulted the claims made by Mr. Fayose saying “we are tired of all this scare-mongering by the PDP candidate. Let him be a man of honour for once.”
It, however, challenged him to come forward with the “so-called incontrovertible evidence that he has.” Arguing that Fayose is fond of screaming blue murder when in fact he is the one guilty of same offence.”
On the allegation that the Fayemi and the APC orchestrated violence in the state, he said “Governor Kayode Fayemi’s convoy must have passed the route where Fayose’s campaign office is located over a hundred times over the past three and a half years and his convoy was never attacked for once until Ayo Fayose became the candidate of the PDP. The governor’s convoy had not been attacked anywhere in the entire state since 2010 until the emergence of Ayodele Fayose as candidate of the PDP and indeed both times directly in front of Fayose’s campaign office. “
Furthermore, he maintained that “From the antecedents of our candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and that of the PDP candidate, Ayo Fayose, Ekiti people, and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians, know Fayose is the one who thrives on violence as his ideology. The spate of attacks on APC members started when Fayose came into the race with his usual style of violent politicking. What he is doing now is to draw cheap sympathy, but he used up whatever goodwill he ever had during his reign of terror in Ekiti between 2003 and 2006 when the whole of Ekiti sent him packing.”
Absolving Fayemi of influencing traditional rulers in the state, the spokesman said “I am not aware that any of our revered traditional rulers is not allowing the PDP candidate to campaign in their domain. But then, any kabiyesi who heard about how the PDP unleashed terror on Egbe and some other towns, they might not want a rehash of such in their domain because they have a duty to protect their people. Don’t also forget that Fayose desecrated the traditional institution when he was governor.”
Source
The
Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation has challenged the People’s
Democratic Party candidate, Mr Ayodele Fayose to come forward with
“incontrovertible evidence” over allegations that governor Dr Fayemi
has bribed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Spokesperson
of the organisation, Mr Dimeji Daniels faulted the claims made by Mr.
Fayose saying “we are tired of all this scare-mongering by the PDP
candidate. Let him be a man of honour for once.”
It, however, challenged him to come forward with the “so-called incontrovertible evidence that he has.” Arguing that Fayose is fond of screaming blue murder when in fact he is the one guilty of same offence.”
On the allegation that the Fayemi and the APC orchestrated violence in the state, he said “Governor Kayode Fayemi’s convoy must have passed the route where Fayose’s campaign office is located over a hundred times over the past three and a half years and his convoy was never attacked for once until Ayo Fayose became the candidate of the PDP. The governor’s convoy had not been attacked anywhere in the entire state since 2010 until the emergence of Ayodele Fayose as candidate of the PDP and indeed both times directly in front of Fayose’s campaign office. “
Furthermore, he maintained that “From the antecedents of our candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and that of the PDP candidate, Ayo Fayose, Ekiti people, and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians, know Fayose is the one who thrives on violence as his ideology. The spate of attacks on APC members started when Fayose came into the race with his usual style of violent politicking. What he is doing now is to draw cheap sympathy, but he used up whatever goodwill he ever had during his reign of terror in Ekiti between 2003 and 2006 when the whole of Ekiti sent him packing.”
Absolving Fayemi of influencing traditional rulers in the state, the spokesman said “I am not aware that any of our revered traditional rulers is not allowing the PDP candidate to campaign in their domain. But then, any kabiyesi who heard about how the PDP unleashed terror on Egbe and some other towns, they might not want a rehash of such in their domain because they have a duty to protect their people. Don’t also forget that Fayose desecrated the traditional institution when he was governor.”
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/04/bribery-allegations-show-evidence-fayemi-tells-fayose/#sthash.6TGmRve1.dpuf
*Fayemi , Fayose
It, however, challenged him to come forward with the “so-called incontrovertible evidence that he has.” Arguing that Fayose is fond of screaming blue murder when in fact he is the one guilty of same offence.”
On the allegation that the Fayemi and the APC orchestrated violence in the state, he said “Governor Kayode Fayemi’s convoy must have passed the route where Fayose’s campaign office is located over a hundred times over the past three and a half years and his convoy was never attacked for once until Ayo Fayose became the candidate of the PDP. The governor’s convoy had not been attacked anywhere in the entire state since 2010 until the emergence of Ayodele Fayose as candidate of the PDP and indeed both times directly in front of Fayose’s campaign office. “
Furthermore, he maintained that “From the antecedents of our candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and that of the PDP candidate, Ayo Fayose, Ekiti people, and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians, know Fayose is the one who thrives on violence as his ideology. The spate of attacks on APC members started when Fayose came into the race with his usual style of violent politicking. What he is doing now is to draw cheap sympathy, but he used up whatever goodwill he ever had during his reign of terror in Ekiti between 2003 and 2006 when the whole of Ekiti sent him packing.”
Absolving Fayemi of influencing traditional rulers in the state, the spokesman said “I am not aware that any of our revered traditional rulers is not allowing the PDP candidate to campaign in their domain. But then, any kabiyesi who heard about how the PDP unleashed terror on Egbe and some other towns, they might not want a rehash of such in their domain because they have a duty to protect their people. Don’t also forget that Fayose desecrated the traditional institution when he was governor.”
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/04/bribery-allegations-show-evidence-fayemi-tells-fayose/#sthash.6TGmRve1.dpuf
Sunday 20 April 2014
Nigeria police arrest officer caught on camera brutalizing women in Lagos
The Lagos state Command of the Nigeria Police Force says Saturday it
has arrested one of its officers caught on camera brutalizing women in
Lagos.
“The officer has been arrested already and we have commenced investigation,” the spokesperson for the command, Ngozi Braid, told PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview. “He is in custody already.”
A video of the incident showing the officer, who was armed with an AK-47 rifle and brutalizing two women, began circulating on YouTube two days ago.
The video clip, published on Apr 18, 2014, showed the police officer, identified as Tafa Mohammed, trying to drown one of his victims in a muddy pond while a crowd watched.
The officer, apparently on guard at one of the banks in the area, had his rifle dangling from his shoulder as the drowning victim struggled under his grip.
The officer then pounced on the second victim whom the video showed intervening to rescue the first victim.
The clip, published by Sahara Reporters, showed the officer pointing his riffle at his victims before shooting into the air to create fear and disperse the crowd that was beginning to gather at the scene.
Sahara Reporters identified the police officer involved in the incident as Tafa Mohammed, who was on guard at Lewis Street, Lafiaji, in the Obalende area of Lagos Island during the incident.
Witnesses told the newspaper one of the victims angered Mr. Mohammed after she failed to give him a piece of fish from a pot of soup in her restaurant.
Witnesses claim the police officer was drunk, but PREMIUM TIMES is unable to independently confirm that.
“The officer has been arrested already and we have commenced investigation,” the spokesperson for the command, Ngozi Braid, told PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview. “He is in custody already.”
A video of the incident showing the officer, who was armed with an AK-47 rifle and brutalizing two women, began circulating on YouTube two days ago.
The video clip, published on Apr 18, 2014, showed the police officer, identified as Tafa Mohammed, trying to drown one of his victims in a muddy pond while a crowd watched.
The officer, apparently on guard at one of the banks in the area, had his rifle dangling from his shoulder as the drowning victim struggled under his grip.
The officer then pounced on the second victim whom the video showed intervening to rescue the first victim.
The clip, published by Sahara Reporters, showed the officer pointing his riffle at his victims before shooting into the air to create fear and disperse the crowd that was beginning to gather at the scene.
Sahara Reporters identified the police officer involved in the incident as Tafa Mohammed, who was on guard at Lewis Street, Lafiaji, in the Obalende area of Lagos Island during the incident.
Witnesses told the newspaper one of the victims angered Mr. Mohammed after she failed to give him a piece of fish from a pot of soup in her restaurant.
Witnesses claim the police officer was drunk, but PREMIUM TIMES is unable to independently confirm that.
Randy DPO remains in detention, as successor is named
The
embattled Divisional Police Officer in charge of Onikan Police Station,
Lagos State, SP Adekunle Awe, who allegedly raped a detainee, Idowu
Akinwunmi, while she was in his custody, was on Thursday detained along
with five other policemen and women for rape and extortion.A new DPO, SP Kayode Ayeni, has taken over the seat of Awe at Onikan Police Station.
Ayeni, before his move to Onikan Division, was the Divisional Traffic Officer, Adeniyi Adele Police Station.
While Awe was detained for rape, other policemen and a woman Inspector, all from the DPO’s station, were detained for collecting N30,000 from the victim and her brothers.
The policemen detained with Awe are two corporals, a sergeant and an inspector.
The inspector is the charge room officer of the station.
The woman is also an inspector.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of operations, Lagos State Police Command, Tunde Shobulo, signed the detention order of the officers.
While the DPO has been struggling to extricate himself from the noose slowly tightening around his neck, policemen, including his course mates, had been calling the victim’s friends and relations begging them to make sure justice was done because “Awe has been doing this for long.”
Policemen also serving under Awe at Onikan Division insisted that Awe had been carrying out such practice for long.
One of them said: “There was a time he raped a male suspect’s wife before he granted the suspect bail.”
Other policemen who appeared to take side with Awe said: “We’ve spoken with him. He said he was framed. But from his tone and voice we know he did it, but it was not rape! There was no struggle and he didn’t tear off her panties or anything. It was consensual. Some suspects are so desperate that they can do anything, including offering their bodies!”
Another policeman said: “Awe is not the first. A lot of policemen, DPO are doing it. They would not grant bail except they sleep with the female suspect or a male suspect’s wife, sister or lover.”
A Chief Superintendent of Police said: “That the suspect seduced Awe is not an excuse for his action. The fact that she’s a suspect and he had sex with her is like holding a gun to her head. She had no choice! If he’s denying it, how did she know about the inner room in his office?”
The Network on Police Reforms in Nigeria while applauding the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, for displaying seriousness towards the issue, said: “We call on the investigating team to remain focused, steadfast and professional and resist any pressure to compromise investigation.
“We expect that investigation should be concluded pretty early and that on conclusion of investigation, the report will be made public and appropriate sanctions imposed on the culprits, as deterrence.”
According to the spokesman of NOPRIN, Okechuku Nwanguma, there was need to send out a strong message that rape would no longer be tolerated and that perpetrators would no more escape justice.
Nwanguma said: “It will also give the needed courage to other victims of rape to report and hope that they will get justice.
“We must not miss this auspicious moment to deal a fatal blow to the scourge of rape of female detainees in police custody, a phenomenon that has remained very rampant but covered and sustained by the silence from shame, loss of confidence in the criminal justice system and, therefore, reluctance by victims to speak out.”
He urged all victims of rape- whether in the past of future- to henceforth summon the courage and report to NOPRIN or any of its network of member organizations spread across Nigeria for appropriate action as we’ve witnessed in the instant case.
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