67
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 2017˾ T H I S D AY
NEWSXTRA
FG Charges Seven Boko Haram Leaders with Murder, Kidnapping Judge orders them remanded in Kuje Prison Tobi Soniyi ÓØ ÌßÔË A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday ordered seven suspected Boko Haram leaders, who were allegedly involved in the kidnap and murder of 11 foreign nationals between
2011 and 2013 in the North to be remanded at Kuje Prison pending their trial. The federal government had filed an 11-count charge against the seven suspected leaders of the outlawed Boko Haram sect, They however, all pleaded
Okowa, Obaseki, Others Receive Ogbemudia’s Remains in Benin Adibe Emenyonu ÓØ ÏØÓØ ÓÞã The remains of a two-time Governor of the defunct Midwestern and Bendel State, Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, arrived in Benin-City airport, Edo State capital, and was received by the Governors of Delta and Edo States, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa and Godwin Obaseki respectively. Others who were on ground to receive the corpse of the former military general, politician and sports administrator are the 4 Brigade Commander, BeninCity, his counterpart from the Air Tactical Command, Benin-city, the Edo State Commissioner of Police among other government functionaries from the two states. The remains of Ogbemudia was flown in from Lagos to Benin-City and arrived at the airport at about 1.22p.m. by a Nigerian Air Force plane marked NAF-029 in company of his widow, Mrs. Yetunde Ogbemudia, officials of Nigerian Army and Air Force. Members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Department of State Security (DSS) were on
hand to ensure adequate security. Thereafter, the two governors handed the corpse over to the family of the deceased led by his eldest son, Sam Ogbemudia Jr., before it was driven to his country home at Iheya Street off New Lagos Road, Benin-City. Speaking at the airport, Obaseki recalled that his last moment with the late Ogbemudia was when he paid him a private visit shortly after he won the 2016 governorship election. According to him, “I went for a visit and he talked to me from time to time; he admonished me in private and public and assured me of his support. I cannot forget the encouragement he gave me, and without his open and clear endorsement my campaign would have been difficult.” Also speaking, Okowa said the last time he saw Ogbemudia was at a public lecture during his birthday in 2014, adding that it was quite an interesting moment. He described the late Ogbemudia as an elder statesman and a model to politicians because of the modest life style he lived.
Indicted INEC Staff Oppose Trial in Abuja, Prefer Rivers State Tobi Soniyi ÓØ ÌßÔË Twenty-three staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday opposed the bid by the federal government to put them on trial before a Federal High Court in Abuja. The workers were alleged to have accepted bribery of N360 million from politicians during the last National Assembly re-run elections in Rivers State. The INEC staff were brought to court under a tight security provided by various security agencies and they were billed to be arraigned on a seven-count criminal charge bordering on conspiracy contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 and Punishable under Section 15 of the Act. However, shortly after the case was called, their various counsel led by Ahmed Raji (SAN), informed Justice John Tsoho, that the defendants have filed a motion, challenging the territorial jurisdiction of the case in Abuja.
The defendants, through their lawyers, claimed that any attempt to subject them to trial in Abuja would be unfair and would prejudice them, since the alleged offence was said to have been committed in Rivers State. The court therefore adjourned till April 7, for hearing on applications filed by the defendants. The federal government had filed a seven-count charge against the 23 INEC staff for allegedly accepting bribe from politicians. Those charged include Shittu Mohammed Lamino, Henry Nwokorie, Peter Ewetade, Mary Jummai Tunkoyo Pennap, Gwatana Jibril, Ivase Stephen, Abdullahi Ogabo, Gayus Hassan, Hussain T. Yahaya. Others are James Ogwuche, Karimu F. Aminu, Adedokun Najeem Ayotunde, Balogun Funmilayo, Adams O. Kadiri, Akinwande R. Adesoji, Lukeman Olabimpe, Tiamiyu R. Arowolo, Akinwoye Amodu, Nwoha Yusuf, Patrick Anuke, Iro Abau, Nwosu. G. Oluchi and Arukwe Chinelo.
not guilty when the charges were read to them. The suspects, who were arraigned yesterday before Justice John Tsoho are: Mohammed Usman (aka Khalid Albarnawi), described as the leader of a Boko Haram splinter group, Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (a.k.a ANSARU); Mohammed Bashir Saleh, Umar Bello (aka Abu Azzan); Mohammed Salisu (Datti); Yakubu Nuhu (aka Bello Maishayi), Usman Abubakar (Mugiratu) and a lady, Halima Aliyu. The defendants, said to be leaders of Boko Haram before establishing their own faction, are charged with conspiracy, hostage taking, supporting a terrorist group, membership of a terrorist group, illegal possession of firearms and concealing information on terrorism. They are also charged with
conspiracy to commit terrorism, contrary to Section 17 of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011, as amended in 2013, and punishable under same. The defendants are accused of murdering, “Internationally Protected Persons (IPPs),” contrary to Section (3) (a) of Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 as amended in 2013 and punishable under same. According to the charge filed by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), the defendants, on February 2013 at Ikirima Boko Haram Camp in Sambisa Forest, allegedly “murdered seven internationally protected persons – Carlos Bou Azziz, Brendan Vaughan, Silvano Trevisan, Konstantinos Karras, Ghaida Yaser Sa’ad (F), Julio Ibrahim El-Khouli and Imad El-Andari – and buried the bodies in a shallow grave. They were charged in count
four with hostage-taking, contrary to Section 15(c) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011, as amended in 2013, and punishable under same. The defendants were alleged to have on February 18, 2013, at Life Camp Yard of SETRACO Construction Company in Jama’are, Bauchi State, “did knowingly seize and continue to detain” the seven expatriates, “at Ikirima Boko Haram camp in Sambisa Forest for about 10 days before their eventual murder.” The seven defendants were equally accused of being in possession of firearms without licence, punishable under Section 27 (1) (a) (1) of the firearms Act Cap F28 LFN 2004. The prosecution said firearms were recovered from Usman’s house at Rafin Guza, NDC layout, Kaduna State, sometime last year.
After the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them, the prosecution counsel, Shuaibu Labaran prayed the court for a date to commence the trial of the defendants and that the court should allow them remain in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) pending the completion of their trial. The trial judge, in a short ruling said the federal government has all the machinery to ensure the security of the citizens, adding that the court would not compromise the personal liberty. According to him, once an arraignment is made, the official custody of a defendant is the prison and consequently ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Kuje prison in Abuja. The court then adjourned the matter till April 11, 2017 to commence trial.
UBA TOUR OF GHANA
Chairman, UBA Group and Founder, The Tony Elumelu Foundation, Mr. Tony Elumelu; President of Ghana, Mr. Nana Akufo-Addo; and Managing Director/CEO, UBA Ghana, Mrs. Abiola Bawuah, when Elumelu visted the president in Accra during UBA Tour in Accra, Ghana....Monday
Finally, Senate Sets Date to Screen Magu Buhari’s resumption letter read at plenary Damilola Oyedele ÓØ ÌßÔË˿ The Senate is finally set to screen the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, for confirmation as the substantive head of the anti-graft agency. Senate President, Bukola Saraki, yesterday announced that the screening would hold today by 11.30a.m. during plenary. Previous attempt to screen and confirm Magu had suffered several setbacks in the upper legislative chamber, even though he has been functioning in an acting capacity since 2015. The letter seeking his confirmation was first transmitted to the Senate by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo in his capacity as acting president on June 17, 2016. It was however, not read on the floor of the Senate until July 14, 2016 by the Senate President. After dilly-dallying for several months, the Senate, in December
2016, declined to confirm him on the basis of a damning security report from the Department of State Services (DSS), which indicted Magu of corruption and accused him of sabotage and leading double lives. The development caused the Senate to request that Buhari should forward the name of a fresh nominee as chairman of the EFCC. The report had noted that Magu lives a flamboyant life, above his means, living in an apartment paid for by a ‘questionable businessman’, Commodore Umar Mohammed, who also furnished the apartment at the cost of N43 million. He was also accused of proceeding on official and private trips in a private carrier, Easy Jet, owned by Mohammed, and on one of such trips, had flown to Maiduguri with Mohammed and the Managing Director of a bank who was being investigated by the EFCC over complicity in funds
allegedly lodged with the bank by the former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke. The DSS also accused Magu of cultivating the habit of flying first class against the directive of the president, adding that he had once flown first class to Saudi Arabia to perform the lesser hajj at the cost of N2.9 million. The report also alleged that the DSS discovered a number of official documents which Magu had made available to Mohammed when it searched the latter’s house. One of such letters was said to have been forged from the Office of the Vice-President containing the report of a fictitious investigation by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to the president requesting for approval to commence a probe into a matter claimed to have involved the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu and his brother, Dumebi. Following the Senate’s rejection of his nomination and
indictment, the president directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), to investigate the allegations against Magu. President Muhammadu Buhari in a letter dated January 22, 2017, to the Senate, had however re-nominated Magu, seeking his confirmation, as he had been cleared of wrongdoing. Earlier at the plenary, the Senate President read the letter written by President Buhari, to formally notify of his resumption. “In compliance with Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), I write to intimate the Senate that I have resumed my functions as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with effect from Monday 13th March, 2017, after my vacation. Please accept the assurances of my highest consideration,” it read.