News
$322m Abacha Loot: FG Begins Cash Transfer To Poor Homes
The federal government says it will commence disbursement of the recovered $322 million Abacha loot through Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT) to 302,000 poor households in 19 states in July.
Tukur Rumar of the National Cash Transfer Office (NTCO), said this at a roundtable on assets recovery organised by the Swiss Embassy on Thursday, in Abuja.
The event was organised to intimate citizens and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on the efforts both nations were making on asset recovery after the Post-Global Forum on Assets Recovery (GFAR) held in Washington D.C. in December 2017.
At the forum, Nigeria made commendable commitments on beneficial ownership, tax transparency, asset recovery, transparency management of recovered funds and payments to victims of corruption.
The states are: Niger, Kogi, Ekiti, Osun, Oyo, Kwara, Cross River, Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Benue, Taraba, Adamawa, Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, Anambra and Internally Displaced Camps (IDPs) in Borno.
According to Mr Rumar, the benefiting households will receive N5,000 monthly and are derived from the National Social Register (NSR) that the 19 states are already on.
He said the programme was designed to also train beneficiaries on livelihood skills, social skills and other programmes that would change their lives completely.
Mr Rumar, however, said NCTO had been making payments to the 46,000 poor and vulnerable households across the 19 states since December 2016, adding that the number had increased to 290,000.
Iorwa Apera, the National Coordinator, National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO), said 503,055 households were already on the NSR register from the 19 states, adding that by July, there would be a social register for all the states of the federation.
He said of the Abacha loot, about 302,000 poor homes across the 19 states would be mined by the NCTO to begin to receive the Abacha loot.
Mr Apera told the participants that the federal government would begin with those states, because they had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NASSCO to put in place certain infrastructure to empower the national register.
“Some of the states delayed, but the other ones were quick enough to set up infrastructure that allowed us to start work there, but all the states are now on board as they have set up their state operating offices and donated office equipment to us.
“As states come on board, we enroll and so they extend to the beneficiary register, and presently we are generating data in all the states now,’’ he said.
Linda Ekeator of the office of the Special Adviser to the
President on Social Investment said the Abacha loot was invested in the social investment programme, because it was a programme that was already supported by the World Bank.
She said before the money was returned to Nigeria, there was an agreement with the Swiss government that it should be used for alleviating poverty and this was to be done with the supervision of the World Bank.
The Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, Eric Mayoraz, said the $722 million of the Abacha family money that was hidden in Switzerland was fully repatriated in 2005.
He also said that the $322 million that was repatriated in December 2017, was money that was frozen by the Swiss Attorney-General, but was not domiciled in Switzerland, but in other countries, mainly Luxembourg.
He, however, said measures had been put in place to ensure that Swiss banks were not used to hide stolen funds from other countries.
“For possible new cases, the Swiss legislation has fundamentally changed.
“The law in Switzerland does not allow bank secrecy anymore, and all banks and financial institutions have a due diligence duty to ask everyone coming with money where it is coming from.
“That does not mean that there are no illegal or stolen assets now in Switzerland, but then there is another instrument I signed myself with the Nigerian Ministry of Justice and Switzerland two years ago on mutual legal assistance and this is for new cases.
“Now, this agreement with our own Ministry of Justice and Nigeria is that there will be direct communication and exchange on mutual legal request and we are really collaborating with EFCC and other agencies in Nigeria,’’ Mr Mayoraz.
The Executive Director, ANEEJ, David Ugolor, said for Nigerian citizens to not keep spreading rumours about the whereabouts of recovered loots, the government must be transparent in all the processes.
He also said CSOs should be given access to the social register to enable it monitor properly whether or not the beneficiaries received what was due to them.
News
Accountability: IGP Declares Public Relations Officers Conference Open In Asaba
Harps on Robust Human Relations
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, will, on Monday 18th November 2024, officially declare open a 4-day Police Public Relations Officers (PPROs) Conference in Asaba, Delta State.
The Conference is organized in partnership with the Delta State Government and in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and International Alert.
The event is part of the ongoing efforts to advance police reforms in Nigeria. The conference, which will run from November 18 to 22, 2024, is themed *”Strengthening Nigeria Police Force Oversight and Accountability,”.
The gathering will bring together over 150 participants. These include Command Public Relations Officers from the 36 states and the FCT, Zonal Public Relations Officers, Liaison Officers from various Police departments and formations, Staff Officers from the Force Public Relations Department at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, and strategic communication experts.
The Conference focuses on enhancing communication strategies within the law enforcement sector to bridge gaps between the Nigeria Police Force and the public. It also seeks to equip PPROs with advanced skills necessary for fostering positive relationships with the public.
Reaffirming the NPF’s commitment to capacity building, the IGP emphasized the importance of continuous training and retraining of officers to ensure they are equipped with the essential skills for effective service delivery. He also encourages the public to support the police in fulfilling their mandate of maintaining law and order.
ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra, fCAI,
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
FORCE HEADQUARTERS,
ABUJA.
17TH NOVEMBER 2024.
News
Nnamdi Emeh: Suspect Facing Charges In Court, Process Independent Of Police Influence
The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to recent reports circulating in the media concerning one Mr. Nnamdi Emeh, who is currently facing trial for alleged criminal offenses.
The NPF wishes to clarify that Mr. Emeh was lawfully apprehended following credible allegations against him, which were thoroughly investigated and presented before a competent court of law.
The charges preferred against him were duly filed, and he was arraigned before the Federal High Court, Awka, in line with due process.
It is important to emphasize that the judiciary operates independently, and the court retains the exclusive prerogative to evaluate the evidence presented, determine bail conditions, and take any further necessary actions as guided by the law.
Mr. Emeh was granted bail on terms established by the court. It therefore behoves on the suspect to take steps to meet such conditions and not resort to unecessary media rampage.
The NPF reaffirms its commitment to upholding the rule of law, ensuring justice, and maintaining the highest standards of professionalism.
The Force is also mindful of its duty to investigate allegations against all persons, including its officers, and to subject any suspect to the established legal process.
While the case against Mr. Emeh continues in court, we appeal to the public to allow the judicial process to take its full course without undue speculation or interference.
We urge all stakeholders, including members of the media, to present information responsibly and to allow the legal process to determine the outcome of the matter in the interest of justice.
The Nigeria Police Force remains steadfast in its resolve to enforce the law impartially and to safeguard the rights of every individual as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.
ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra, fCAI,
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
FORCE HEADQUARTERS,
ABUJA.
16TH NOVEMBER, 2024
News
Alice Loksha, abducted UNICEF nurse, escapes captivity after 6 years
Alice Loksha, a nurse abducted by ISWAP terrorists, has regained freedom after six years in captivity.
She was abducted alongside two other female health workers on March 1, 2018, while working at a United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) facility in Rann, Kala Balge LGA of Borno state.
Speaking with journalists at Maimalari cantonment, Maiduguri, on Friday, Kenneth Chigbu, deputy theatre commander of the joint task force (JTF) Operation Hadin Kai, said Loksha was found in Geidam, Yobe state, on October 24.
He said the 42-year-old nurse had been subjected to forced marriages with two ISWAP commanders and endured dire conditions before her eventual escape.
“She was initially taken to Tumbuma, where she was held for two days,” Chigbu said.
“From there, she was relocated to Kwalleram where she spent seven months and was forced into marriage with a terrorist leader named Abu Umar.
“The marriage led to the birth of a son, Muhammad. All this happened before Abu Umar was eliminated during a gunfight with troops in 2022.
“During that fight, he was found dead, and it was alleged that his colleagues had actually eliminated him.
“Ms Alice Loksha was again forced into another marriage to another ISWAP commander named Abu Simak in 2022 before the latter was banished by his fellow terrorists to Dogon Chukwu camp.
“It was from Dogon Chukwu that she managed to escape through the Diffa axis to Geidam on October 24, 2024, where she reported to troops of the Joint Task Force on October 29, 2024.
“She has since been subjected to medical evaluation and other humanitarian support.”
FAYINA, SISTER OF LATE SOLDIER, ALSO RESCUED
Chigbu also confirmed the escape of Fayina Ali, younger sister of late Samuel Andrew, an army officer who served under the 212 Battalion.
He said Fayina was abducted by ISWAP terrorists on October 19, 2022, while travelling to Maiduguri to process the death benefits of her late brother.
“Since then, she was held captive at Kangarwa enclave for nine months before she was taken to Tumbuma, where she remained for four years under one of the terrorist leaders, Muhammad Sheikh,” he said.
“She was later taken back to Kangaruwa, where she stayed for another year before her eventual escape.”
Both women were received on behalf of the Borno state government by Zuwaira Gambo, the state’s commissioner of women affairs and social development.
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