PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 2012
PAGE 5
EFCC arraigns Perm-Sec, 5 others over N14.5bn pension scam By Sunday Ejike Benjamin
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he Permanent Secretary in the Federal Pension Office, Atiku Abubakar Kigo and five others were yesterday arraigned before an Abuja High Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The accused persons were arraigned by the anti-graft agency for allegedly stealing N14.5 billion from the pension treasury. The Perm Sec was docked alongside Mr. Esai Dangabar, Ahmed Inuwa Wada, John Yakubu Yusufu, Sani Habila Zira and Mrs. Veronica Ulonma Oyegbula. They were arraigned on a 16 counts charge wherein they were alleged to have committed criminal breach of trust as public officers in respect of the sum of N 14, 518, 567, 724.36, and which is punishable under section 97 of the Penal Code Act, CAP. 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, 2007. The amount which allegedly formed part of the Nigeria Police Pension Fund and domiciled with the First Bank of Nigeria Plc, was said to have been diverted by the accused persons while they were supervising the funds.
Esai Dangabar, John Yakubu Yusufu, Mrs. Veronica Ulonma Onyegbula and Sani Habila Zira, allegedly helped themselves to the tune of N8.2 billion from the Police Pension Fund between January and December, 2009. Between January 2010 and February 2011, Atiku Abubakar Kigo replaced Esai Dangabar in the scam and they allegedly accessed fraudulently, another N4.740 billion from the Funds. It was also alleged that soon after this amount was hauled out of the Pension Fund, Ahmed Inuwa Wada replaced Atiku Abubakar Kigo and teamed up with Yusufu, Onyegbula and Zira, to cart away over N858 million between February 2011 and June 2011. On the 31st of January, 2011, the six accused persons gathered and allegedly helped themselves with another N656.56 million. The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the 16 counts charge and applied to the court to remand them in the custody of the EFCC, but the court declined their request and ordered that they be taken to Kuje Prison pending the hearing of their bail application slated for 3rd of April. The trial Judge, Justice Talba Mohammed fixed May 28, 2012 for the trial of the accused persons.
Esai Dangabar
Atiku Abubakar Kigo
Veronica Ulonma Oyegbula
John Yakubu Yusufu
Sani Habila Zira
Ahmed Inuwa Wada
These are police pension scam suspects arraigned by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Federal High Court, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa
Akingbola contests sale of property in court 2 orphanage From Francis Iwuchukwu, Lagos
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roubled former Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank), Dr. Erastus Akingbola, yesterday approached Justice Binta Nyako of a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, to contest attempts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and its agent, Chief E. L Etudo to collect rents from his real properties attached by the anti-graft agency in December 2009. This is because he wants the court to restrain the chairman of the EFCC and Chief E.L. Etudo
from demanding for rent and charges regarding his real properties attached by the EFCC pending the determination of his trial. In an originating summons brought pursuant to order 3 Rules 6&7 of the Federal High Court, Civil Procedure Rules 2009, Akingbola also wants the court to declare that by virtue of its order made on December 12, 2009 in suit N0. FHC/L/CS/1492/09 between the chairman of the EFCC, the real properties referred to in the order are not forfeited to the Federal Government. In the suit, which has Chief
Etudo as a co respondent, the former bank chief further wants the court to declare that the EFCC lacks the power and right to appoint the second defendant to manage the real properties referred to in the said order as properties forfeited to the Federal Government. The suit, supported by a 19 paragraph affidavit deposed to by one Adebisi Oyelade and filed by Chief Felix Fabgohungbe (SAN) on behalf of Akingbola, wants the court to determine among other things, whether upon a consideration of the EFCC establishment Act 2004 and the
order of the court, the real properties referred to in the said order has been forfeited to the Federal Government. But the EFCC, in its counter affidavit in opposition to the motion dated January 6, 2012 and deposed to by Ibekaku Nkechi Rita, wants the court to reject the application on the grounds of lacks of merit, frivolity, vexation and meant to distract the court. While hearing of the applications had been fixed for April 13, the judge also directed that proper service of all the processes be affected on all parties in the suit.
Police hunts killers of madman ECOWAS Court gives 95 verdicts, disposes 117 cases who murdered kids From Iliya Garba, Minna
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iger state Police Command has launched a search for youths behind the killing of a madman who purportedly murdered two children in Guni Village of Shiroro local government council of Niger state. It was gathered that the mad man simply identified as Gbakoyi, was alleged to have gone wild when he attacked and killed two children aged between nine and twelve years and that threw the community into confusion as the youths of the community assembled in search of the
murderous insane man but some elders of the village took him away so that he would not be killed. The youths were later informed by one of the bereaved families that the mentally deranged man was hiding in the palace of the local village Chief, Malam Ibrahim Isah, where they stormed and lynched him, an eyewitness said. Niger State Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Diseye Nsirim confirmed the incident in a telephone interview, describing it as unfortunate, adding that the command received a complaint from a source about the multiple killing at Guni and has since swung into action.
From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin
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conomic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court has admitted that since 2003 when the court was set up, a total of 95 verdicts and 117 petitions had been treated. Of the number, 45 of them are full-fledged judgements and 49 interim injunctions, while 39 others are pending before the court. President, Community Court of ECOWAS, Justice Awa Nana Doboya gave the indication at a press conference to mark the end of one week sensitisation at
Government House in Benin City, Edo state capital. Justice Daboya, who led a seven-country member delegation from Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Cape Verde, Republic of Benin, noted that the court is spreading its tentacles on ‘violence against women’. Tony Anene-Maidoh, Chief Registrar of the court, while answering questions, said, ECOWAS ruling cannot be appealed against even by the highest competent court in member states and even when cases are referred from competent courts to ECOWAS court, they are treated as fresh cases.
homes shutdown for sharp practices
From Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin
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do state government has temporarily closed two orphanage homes for alleged non-compliance with the standing rules and regulation governing child care institutions in line with the law. The affected orphanage homes are Compassionate Orphanage Home at No. 8, Nosakhare Street, off Upper Mission Road and Omosefe Orphanage Home at No. 4, Edo-Osagie Street, off Akpapkava Road both in Benin City, the state capital. The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Inumidun Idehen, who confirmed the temporal closure, said what informed the decision were their alleged high handedness on the Children. She said an orphan who was given a scholarship by the government was taken on illegal abduction into slave labour for financial gains without the consent of the government.