News
UK court to rule on confiscation charge of £100m ‘linked’ to Ibori
A London court is set to rule on the confiscation charge of about £100 million loot allegedly linked to James Ibori, former governor of Delta state.
At the hearing on Thursday, the prosecutor asked the court to confiscate £101.5 million traced to Ibori.
According to Reuters, Jonathan Kinner, the lead prosecution counsel, said the court should seize the money, adding that if the former governor refuses to cooperate, he should be jailed.
The international news agency reported that the prosecution and defence counsels raised arguments on how the confiscation figure should be calculated.
David Tomlinson, a judge at Southwark Crown Court, had made “factual findings” regarding the funds and is expected to formally issue his order on Friday or shortly afterwards.
The judge’s verdict will put an end to over 10 years of legal disputes regarding the attempt to confiscate the funds.
BACKGROUND
Ibori was governor of Delta between 1999 to 2007.
In 2012, a UK court sentenced him to prison for 13 years after convicting him of fraud and money laundering.
The former governor ended his jail term in 2016 and returned to Nigeria the following year.
Over the years, British prosecutors have made several attempts to confiscate Ibori’s assets alleged to be proceeds of crime.
In 2020, the United Kingdom launched a bid to confiscate “proceeds of loot” in the £117 million worth of properties linked to Ibori.
In March 2021, the UK government signed a memorandum of understanding with the Nigerian government for the repatriation of £4.2 million loot recovered from Ibori.
In May 2021, the federal government received the £4.2 million loot.
News
Sanwo-Olu to receive democracy award in Tanzania
The Association of Political Consultants Africa (APCA) has nominated Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, for the 2023 Democracy Award.
In a statement on Thursday, the organisation said the award recognises political leaders who have made significant strides in democratic leadership, development, and governance.
Temitope Lakisokun, APCA chairperson in Nigeria, said Sanwo-Olu has “demonstrated exceptional leadership by building the capacity of state secretaries and improving governance structures within Lagos state”.
She added that his efforts have set a benchmark for effective governance and democratic practices in Nigeria.
The award will be presented at the 7th Africa political summit & diamond awards billed for December 11-14 at Lux Marijani, Zanzibar in Tanzania.
Past recipients of the award include President Bola Tinubu, President William Ruto of Kenya and Abiy Ahmed, prime minister of Ethiopia.
Political leaders, consultants, and stakeholders from across the continent and beyond are expected at the event.
News
Pride Cometh Before A Fall, “Do You Know Who I Am?”, By Emeka Monye
Last week, a video surfaced on various social media platforms, showing how a supposed member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Alex Ikwechegh, emotionally, psychologically and physically assaulted a bolt driver, Stephen Abuwatseya, who had come to deliver a parcel of snail to him, from a client.
In the said video, “Honourable” Alex Ikwechegh, representing Abia North and South at the House of Representative, was seen harassing, threatening and intimidating the less privileged driver, who despite all the shootings and threats to his life, remained calm.
Irked by what he described as the driver’s rude behaviour towards him, the federal lawmaker boasted that he could make the bolt driver dispear without trace and nothing would happen; he even went ahead to ask the driver to call the Inspector General of Police.
What was the driver’s offence? Simply because the lawmaker perceived him to be rude, hence his outburst to a fellow citizen whose social and economic status is at disparity with his. That is the system that we operate and run with, a dysfunctional one for that matter, where every political office holder and “very important personalities”, and the elites see themselves above the law and the law will not hold them accountable for their misdemeanours.
This is not the Nigeria we all yearn for, where intimidation, impunity reign above all other considerations, including constitutionAl provision which guarantees the right to human dignity. The country we all aspire to live as one nation-state and entity is where equity, justice, supersede all other considerations.
The driver’s encounter with the honourable is not a new phenomenon in the Nigerian socio-economic and political space. It cut across all spares of our national life, including private and public sectors. The phrase, “Do you know who I am” is a national lingo crept into the DNAs of most, if not all, Nigerians.
From the usual traffic jams in major cities and towns across the nation, to the shopping mall, down to the streets and filling stations, the spate of attacks on the less privileged Nigerians by these so-called influential elites clearly postulates the arrogance of personality among us, even when it is not needed, a typical Nigerian would want to show off and make the ordinary man feel intimidated.
Honourable Ikwechegh’s case only got to national prominence because of two major factors – his person and office he is occupying and the very fact that the bolt driver recorded the whole unpleasant event and posted it on social media, leading it to go viral.
Alex Ikwechegh has gone down into history as one of those Nigerians who has etched their names as one of the Intimidators, harassers and abusers of human rights and dignity. Sadly, what makes his actions and behaviour quite despicable is that he is of the youthful generation, a generation that has been clamouring for youths empowerment and inclusion in public governance.
The “Do you know who I am” croner has been ducked before a magistrate court in Abuja, for assault, leaving him to lick his wound of pride in disgrace and shame. At least, the bolt driver has shown that calmness and reasoning far outweighs the emotional outburst displayed by Alex Ikwechegh.
There are lessons – he has parted with a large sum of 500,000 Naira as bail funds, two sureties in like sum and I am certain, he will be asked to compensate the victim, Stephen Abuwatseya in financial terms. That is a learning curve for all those who think they can assault the less privileged and get away from it.
All these embarrassments were avoidable if the honourable had been honourable enough to control his emotional outburst, by just simply paying the gentle man bolt driver his professional fee
Emeka Monye Is A Journalist, Works With ARISE NEWS.
News
10 feared dead as building collapses in Ibadan
No fewer than 10 individuals have reportedly lost their lives, while seven others were rescued in a building collapse in Jegede Olorunsogo, within the Ona Ara local government area of Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
Confirming the incident to Vanguard, General Manager of Oyo State Fire Services, Rev. Akinyemi Akinyinka, said they received distress calls from the people in the neighborhood at 2 a.m.
According to him, “May I inform you that Oyo State Fire Services Agency received a distressed call at around 2 am this morning at Jegede Olunloyo area, Ibadan, of which 10 persons have been recovered from the debris of the collapsed building, while 7 persons were rescued alive.”
“Rescue operation is still going on. I thank you.”
-
Celebrities7 days ago
God will continue to expose them, Angela Okorie tells Apostle Suleman after Halima’s apology
-
Business5 days ago
“OceanGate Oil & Gas Engineering Company, a Nigerian Indigenous company Partners with Global Petroleum Group to Unveil the Largest Oil and Gas Project in Caribbean History – Grenada Set to Become a Major Energy Hub”
-
Special Features2 days ago
Bodex Social Media Hangout Hits a Milestone to celebrate 5th edition in grand-style
-
News6 days ago
Lagos state government announces traffic diversion for installation of truck barriers at Ojuelegba Bridge
-
Celebrities1 week ago
Alibaba, AY, Basketmouth have no reason to compete with me, says Seyi Law
-
News6 days ago
Tinubu is destined to fix Nigeria, says Kennedy-Ohanenye
-
Entertainment3 days ago
I’ll never offer free service to my state… they abandoned me during illness, says Ngozi Nwosu
-
Business7 days ago
Air Peace to increase fares on local routes by November 1