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By Adedapo Adesanya
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a suit again the Senate President, Mr Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, over their perceived failure to probe missing N4.1 billion funds from both arms of the legislature.
In the suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Mr Kolawole Oluwadare and Miss Kehinde Oyewumi, the national assembly leadership is being sued due to “their failure to probe, and to refer to appropriate anti-corruption agencies fresh allegations that N4.1bn of public money budgeted for the National Assembly is missing, misappropriated or stolen.”
The suit followed the publication of the annual audited report for 2016 in which the Auditor-General of the Federation raised concerns about alleged diversion and misappropriation of public funds and sought the recovery of any missing funds.
The group is seeking “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Dr Lawan and Mr Gbajabiamila to perform their constitutional oversight functions to promptly probe the allegations that fresh N4.1 billion budgeted for the National Assembly may be missing.”
“The National Assembly has legal and constitutional duties to prevent and combat corruption, as well as promote transparency and accountability in the management of public resources,” the organisation argued in the suit.
“The National Assembly can only effectively perform its anti-corruption role if it can demonstrate exemplary leadership to probe the allegations of corruption and mismanagement involving the legislative body.
“Transparency and accountability in the management of public resources and wealth are essential for promoting development, people’s welfare and well-being, and their access to basic public services, as well as good governance and the rule of law.
“The failure of the National Assembly to promptly and thoroughly investigate, and to refer to appropriate anti-corruption agencies the allegations documented in the annual audited report for 2016 is a fundamental breach of the oversight and public interest duties imposed on the legislative body.
“The National Assembly has no legally justifiable reason to refuse to investigate the allegations documented by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation,” it further stated.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
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Adedapo Adesanya is a journalist, polymath, and connoisseur of everything art. When he is not writing, he has his nose buried in one of the many books or articles he has bookmarked or simply listening to good music with a bottle of beer or wine. He supports the greatest club in the world, Manchester United F.C.
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By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said in 2021, it recovered a total of N152.1 billion, $386.2 million, £1.2 million, €156,246, 1.7 million Saudi Riyal, 1,900 South African Rand, and 1, 400 Canadian Dollars from various persons.
In a statement issued on Monday, the agency stated that the recovery basket also included a digital currency component with 5,36957319 Bitcoin and 0.09012 Ethereum.
Recall that last week, the EFCC claimed it recorded 2,220 convictions across the Commands in the same year under review, with the Chairman of the commission, Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa, assuring that there would not be a hiding place for the looters of the nation’s treasury.
In the review of the agency’s performance in the outgone year, it was revealed that the Lagos Command recorded the most convictions of 481, closely followed by the Ibadan Command with 324 convictions, while the Port Harcourt Zonal Command had 230 convictions.
The conviction secured by the EFCC in 2021 was the highest since inception.
Before 2021, the highest record of conviction by the commission was secured in 2019 with 1,280 convictions, showing the last year’s figures were 127.5 per cent higher than the 2019 record.
Interestingly too, the 2021 record represented a 98.49 per cent success rate in prosecution as the agency only lost 34 cases during the period.
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By Adedapo Adesanya
The Rivers State Government has declared 19 persons wanted for operating illegal crude oil refining sites allegedly responsible for the carcinogenic hydrocarbon soot prevalent in the state.
The state’s governor, Mr Nyesom Wike, in a statewide broadcast on Sunday reiterated the government’s resolve to tackle the soot pandemic by destroying and closing down operations of all identified illegal refinery operators in the state.
He also directed the Rivers State Head of Service to query one Mr Temple Amakiri, a Director in the Ministry of Energy, for abetting bunkering activities and hand him over to the police for investigation and possible prosecution.
He stated that following his 2022 New Year Message outlining measures to tackle the black soot menace, the state Task Force on Illegal Street Trading raided some illegal crude oil refining sites in Port Harcourt and arrested a number of recalcitrant persons.
“Furthermore, the following persons who have been identified as kingpins of bunkering and illegal crude oil refining activities in their communities have been declared wanted and directed to report themselves to the State Police Command, to whom we have already passed their details to:
“Mr Azubike Amadi, OSPAC Commander, Ogbogoro community and Chairman of Akpor Central OSPAC; Mr India, of Rumuolumeni community and Chairman of oil bunkering association in Akpor kingdom; Mr Okey who is in charge of oil bunkering in Rumupareli; Mr Anderson, who is in charge of oil bunkering activities in Ogbogoro community; Amadi Gift of Ogbogoro community; Azeruowa of Ogbogoro community; and Kingsley Egbula, also of Ogbogoro community.
“Also declared wanted are the following persons who are alleged to be in charge of oil bunkering activities in Isiokpo community: Mr Kemkom Azubike, Mr Mezu Wabali, Mr Chigozi Amadi, Mr Opurum Owhondah, Mr Bakasi Obodo, Mr Opus, Mr Galaxi Mas, Mr Chioma, Mr Ogondah, Mr Soldier, Mr Chefo, and Nkasi.
“We have also identified those behind illegal bunkering activities in Okrika communities, Port Harcourt Township, Rivers South-East and Rivers South-West Senatorial Districts and their names would be soon published and declared wanted if they fail to voluntarily report to the police,” he declared.
He urged residents of the state to report those involved in illegal crude oil refineries and other damnable activities to the Task Forces already set up at the state and local government levels for immediate action.
Governor Wike also reaffirmed the total ban on the use of motorcycles in Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt councils, which was necessitated by the collective threat they posed to the security of lives and property.
“Any person or corporate entity that requires the use of motorcycle for any lawful purposes must therefore first apply to the office of the Governor for permit and proper documentation of the operational details and particulars of both the motorcycle and designated rider(s).
“Against this background, we are hereby issuing the final warning to all those operation motorcycles shuttles and or hawking foreign exchange along Birabi Street, Hotel Presidential, GRA junction by Zenith Bank up to Tombia Street to immediately leave or be arrested and prosecuted,” the Governor said.
The governor then accused the traditional leadership, including members of Community Development Committees and youth leaders of Rumuola, Rumuogba and Okoro-nu-odo communities of collecting money from vendors and allowing street trading activities around and under the flyovers in these communities.
“Consequently, I hereby direct the traditional leadership of Rumuola, Rumuogba and Okoro-nu-odo communities to immediately stop all street trading activities around, in or under the flyovers in their respective domains or be deposed, arrested and prosecuted.
“Similarly, the traditional leadership of Rumuwoji Mgbuduku, Obiekwe, Nkpolu-Oroworokwo, Abali, Rebisi, Rumukalagbor-Oroworokwo and Ezimgbu communities are hereby directed to enforce the ban and ensure that no form of trading takes place around and under the flyovers located in their communities,” Mr Wike stated.
He also placed a total ban on the use of umbrella and table trading stands in the entire old and new GRAs of Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City, Eleme councils.
According to him, the government has credible evidence that most of these purported traders in front of houses are informants who monitor and pass on vital details and information on the daily movement of very important persons to their criminal collaborators.
Governor Wike frowned at the failure of the Rumuokurushe traditional leadership to honour the terms of their undertaking not to allow any form of street trading on the Rumuokurushe market.
“Unfortunately, the Rumuokurushe traditional leadership has apparently failed to comply with or enforce this condition in that market and the government will not hesitate to again shut it down if the ongoing breach continues unabated,” he said.
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By Adedapo Adesanya
President Muhammadu Buhari will embark on a state visit to Ogun State on Thursday, January 13 to inaugurate some infrastructural projects in the state.
It was stated that President Buhari was earlier billed to visit the Gateway State on December 21, 2021, but the official visit was postponed indefinitely.
In a statement issued on Sunday by Mr Kunle Somorin, the Chief Press Secretary to Ogun State Governor, Mr Dapo Abiodun, the Commander-in-Chief, during the visit, will inaugurate some of the infrastructural projects executed by Governor Abiodun-led administration.
The President will be welcomed at the Gateway City Gate Monument Park, Sagamu Interchange, at 10 a.m, where the first project will be commissioned by him.
Apart from the Gateway City Gate, other projects expected to be inaugurated by President Buhari include Ijebu-Ode Mojoda-Epe expressway and two housing estates – the 527-Unit low and Medium Kobape Housing scheme Kobape and the Highbrow, 83 duplexes at Kings Court Estate at Oke Mosan, Abeokuta.
The Governor’s spokesman stated that invited guests are expected to be seated by 9.30 a.m at the City Gate by the Sagamu Interchange and Abeokuta expressway while observing all COVID-19 safety protocols strictly.
Meanwhile, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo travelled to Ghana on Sunday for the Extraordinary Summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
Mr Osinbajo was in the neighbouring country to represent Nigeria at the summit and was joined by other regional leaders to discuss the political situation in the Republic of Mali.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Laolu Akande, disclosed this via a statement issued on Sunday.
He said Sunday’s meeting followed previous meetings and efforts by the leaders to resolve the situations in Mali and Guinea.
“In 2021, Prof. Osinbajo participated in meetings of leaders across the sub-region on the issues exploring solutions,” the statement read.
“On September 8, the VP participated in a virtual summit of the regional body where sanctions were imposed on the military junta in Guinea, and on the 16th of the same month, attended another ECOWAS summit where further sanctions on individuals and groups fueling the crisis in Guinea and Mali were discussed.
“Later in November 2021, Prof. Osinbajo again joined other leaders in Accra for the 3rd Extraordinary Summit of leaders across the sub-region to review decisions and the political situations in Mali and Guinea,” he said.
In compliance with the decisions of the leaders, ECOWAS mediator and former President Goodluck Jonathan travelled on January 5, 2022, to Mali to meet with authorities in the country over the timetable for democratic transition.
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