News
Corruption: ‘Buhari’s Presidency stinks’ – PDP says Obono-Obla, Oyo-Ita’s fraud cases a tip of the iceberg
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the Buhari Presidency is rotten and reeks of incurable corruption, festering up to every level.
In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party says the shocking revelations of multi-dimensional sleazes, bribery, stealing and extortions in President Buhari’s Special Investigation Panel for Recovery of Public Property as well as in the office of the Head of Service of the Federation (HOSF) are just a tip of the iceberg of the earthshaking corruption deeply entrenched in the Buhari Presidency.
The statement in part reads.
Nigerians are aware of how the indicted Chairman of the Special Investigation Panel, Okoi Obono-Obla and the Head of Service, Winifred Oyo-Ita, enjoyed the protection of the cabal in the Buhari Presidency in its brazen burglary of our common patrimony.
Nigerians can also recall how the PDP had severally raised the issue of humongous fraud going on in the Special Investigation Panel under Obono-Obla as well as the Chairman’s certificate forgery allegation, and how President Buhari condoned him and refused to take immediate action.
The Buhari Presidency should therefore know that Nigerians are not carried away by this new attempt to hoodwink them through the usual holier than thou script.
If President Buhari is indeed serious about exposing corruption, he should immediately allow a system-wide probe into the activities of his administration in the last four years, particularly the trillions of naira sleazes in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, where he was minister.The PDP demands that President Buhari allows an inquest into the stolen N9 trillion as detailed in the leaked NNPC memo, the reported stealing of N1.1 trillion worth of crude by interests connected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as well as alleged diversion of billions of naira meant for security and social welfare in our country.
Our party now expects President Buhari to allow an investigation into the revelation by the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, that the N500bn Social Investment Programme and the N16bn Mosquito Net Project of his administration were diverted to private purses.
This is in addition to persons close to him, who as former ministers and former governors are facing corruption charges in various panels and courts, including a former minister indicted in the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) N2.5 billion fraud case”.
The party called on the Presidency to speak out on the allegations in public space that Obono-Obla’s investigation activities at the Petroleum Equalization Fund (PEF), which the Presidency cabal is allegedly desperate to conceal, is what he is being punished for.
The PDP opines that now that President Buhari appears resolved to take the right step to investigate Obono-Obla’s certificate forgery scandal, it has also become incumbent on him to purge his conscience by owning up on his own certificate saga.
News
‘He was never our member’ — IPOB disowns Simon Ekpa
The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) says Simon Ekpa, the controversial Biafra agitator, was never a member of the group.
IPOB said Ekpa was not a registered member of the group’s chapter in Finland and cannot be the leader of the group.
On Thursday, Ekpa, a Finland-based secessionist, was arrested by law enforcement agents in the northern European nation.
He was subsequently sent to prison by the district court of Päijät-Häme for “spreading terrorist propaganda on social media”.
Ekpa was said to have committed the crime in 2021 in Lahti municipality.
The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) also arrested four other men over alleged terrorist offences.
In a statement on Friday, Emma Powerful, IPOB’s spokesperson, said Ekpa was a “destructive agent” paid to “infiltrate and destroy” the “peaceful movement” of IPOB.
Powerful accused the Nigerian and Finnish governments of shielding Ekpa from arrest.
“Simon Ekpa was never and is not an IPOB member, let alone being a leader in IPOB. IPOB has some family units in Finland, and Simon Ekpa is not a registered member of any IPOB unit in Finland or any other IPOB unit globally,” the statement reads.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu established IPOB as a peaceful movement to seek Biafra Independence via a supervised UN referendum.
“IPOB is a peaceful global movement that has never taken to violence or arms struggle in two decades of our self-determination struggle.
“It was unfortunate that some innocent Biafrans, being passionate for the restoration of the stolen sovereignty of the Biafran Nation, thought that Simon Ekpa was genuinely sympathetic to the Biafra cause.
“Sadly, they had to learn the hard way that he was a destructive agent paid to infiltrate and destroy the IPOB peaceful movement for Biafra self-determination. He recruited violent criminals to destabilize the South East Region in 2021.
“The Simon Ekpa-led group has no alliance, affiliation or relationship with IPOB family worldwide. He recruited his criminal gangs who have been terrorising the Biafran territory since 2021.
“The Nigerian government and politicians that contracted Simon Ekpa have been making strenuous efforts to tag the violent crimes of their agent on IPOB just to blackmail and demonise the genuine and peaceful Biafra self-determination struggle of the Biafran people led by the IPOB.
“On the purported arrest of Simon Ekpa, all IPOB members, Biafrans and lovers of Biafra freedom should remain calm and focused on our core objective which is the restoration of the sovereign state of Biafra.”
News
Lagos state government seals Ile Iyan restaurant over waste disposal violations
The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has sealed off Ile Iyan, a restaurant in the Sabo Yaba area of the state, for “non-compliance with waste disposal regulations”.
Lagos Waste Reporters, a publication focused on waste management, reported that officials discovered invoices and food waste from Ile Iyan at an illegal dumpsite.
The dumpsite is located near Aje Comprehensive High School, Yaba.
“Despite the establishment’s claims of registration with LAWMA, no corroborative evidence was provided,” the report reads.
LAWMA has now mandated Ile Iyan to formally register and comply with established waste management regulations.
“It is essential to maintain cleanliness in Lagos. Businesses must register with LAWMA and adhere to proper waste management procedures to prevent closure,” the report added.
Tokunbo Wahab, commissioner for the environment and water resources in Lagos, has ramped up enforcement of environmental regulations in the city, with markets, clubs and eateries often sealed over purported violations.
News
‘I’ll show you the way out’ — says EFCC chairman as he sacks two corrupt officials
Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has announced the dismissal of two officials over alleged corruption.
Speaking on Tuesday at the annual criminal law review conference organised by the Rule of Law Development Foundation in Abuja, Olukoyede said the staff were sacked two weeks ago.
He said the commission is undergoing significant reforms, including addressing staff misconduct.
Olukoyede challenged Nigerians to come forward if they had evidence of him receiving bribes.
“Just two weeks ago, I have cause to dismiss two staff. You can’t be fighting corruption and your hands are dirty,” Olukoyede said.
“He who comes to equity, your hands must also be cleaned. And I say I will not only be dismissing them, I will also be prosecuting them because that is what we prosecute others for.
“So, you will see that we are preparing the case files of some of the people we have dismissed.
“If an EFCC staff will not be able to stand publicly with his two hands up and challenge the entire public… whose goat have I collected? Whose bottle of water have I taken illegitimately?”
“And I have said this to Nigerians; who has ever given me one kobo in the course of my work, come out and say it. I stand to be challenged.
“I can’t be easily influenced by things like that. That’s why we must make up our minds to work together to do the right thing.
“Any staff that is corrupt, I will show you the way out. Again, there are some people who may want to be overzealous. Out of 12, you must have Judas.
“I can’t stand here and say all is perfect. As many as you see, report them to us and we will do justice.”
Olukoyede shared his personal experience of being investigated for two years while serving as the commission’s secretary.
“I am not just sitting there as chairman of EFCC. I have been on the other side,” he said.
“I have been subjected to investigation myself for two years. So I know what it means to subject people to investigations.
“My major objective is to use the instrumentality of this mandate to stimulate the economy and to also follow the rule of law.
“Integrity is not about law, it is not about your advocacy ability to write beautiful briefs. No.
“It is about law and morality. Your conscience must tell you to do the right thing. That is what integrity is all about.
“Finally, ethics, value and standard of legal practice must also be reviewed. These are essential to me because the job of EFCC is to ensure that corruption does not find space in our national life.”
Olukoyede said he welcomes constructive criticism of the agency, emphasising that he is not opposed to scrutiny.
“But let us do it in a responsible way. What do we benefit from running down our institutions? If you notice EFCC is doing anything wrong, come to us,” he said.
“We will sit down and I will explain some reformed agenda we are carrying out. Upon my resumption of office, we have put some reformed agenda in place.
“We have reviewed our arrest and detention policy. I have had cause to investigate a whole ministry; minister, directors and all of that without detaining anybody over night.
“And I got all the information I needed and the matter is going on fine without detaining a single soul.
“But that does not preclude that if there is the need to detain, we do not detain. We have also had cause to equip all our interrogation rooms in compliance with judgment of court.”
’CHARGES LIMITED TO 15 COUNTS’
Olukoyede said the EFCC no longer files “100-count or 150-count charges” which were common in the past.
The chairman said no prosecution should exceed a 15-count charge under his directive.
“If your case is water tight, that is why I will never rush to court until I am sure of my proof of evidence,” he added.
“I vet case files myself, particularly high-profile cases, and the lawyer must give me a draft of the charge.
“We will look at it together, compared with my proof of evidence, sleep over it before I give my go-ahead.
“If we are losing a case, it shouldn’t be on grounds of lack of diligent prosecution.
“If there are other technical issues, fine. But I will be sure that I have done my job and it’s done in such a way that I can defend long after I leave office.”
Joseph Daudu, coordinator of the foundation, said the conference aims to provide a platform for reviewing developments in crime apprehension, prosecution, adjudication, and other post-adjudicatory processes.
On November 15, the supreme court dismissed a suit filed by 16 states challenging the constitutionality of the EFCC Act.
Delivering judgment on Friday, Uwani Abba-Aji, who led a seven-member panel of justices, ruled that “the EFCC Act, which is not a treaty but a convention, does not need the ratification of the houses of assembly”.
-
Politics1 week ago
Okpebholo fires permanent secretaries, dissolves boards
-
Politics6 days ago
DSS operatives arrest man with bags of cash during Ondo guber
-
Business4 days ago
Lagos state government to commence upgrade of major junctions in Ikeja axis, seeks residents’ cooperation
-
News5 days ago
Nnamdi Emeh: Suspect Facing Charges In Court, Process Independent Of Police Influence
-
News6 days ago
Alice Loksha, abducted UNICEF nurse, escapes captivity after 6 years
-
Celebrities6 days ago
Daddy Freeze, Akah Nnani clash over Emmanuel Iren
-
World1 week ago
French newspapers sue X for using content without paying
-
World1 week ago
Trump appoints Elon Musk to lead department of government efficiency