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EFCC drags Babangida Aliyu to appeal court over N4bn fraud

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has asked the court of appeal to set aside a no-case ruling granted to Babangida Aliyu, former governor of Niger state, and Tanko Beji, ex-PDP chairman in the state, by Abdullahi Mukailu, a high court judge.

A no-case ruling is a court’s decision stating that the prosecution has not provided sufficient evidence for the defendant to open a defence.

The commission had filed a seven-count charge bordering on alleged conspiracy, abetment and criminal breach of trust against Aliyu, Beji and Umar Mohammed Nasko, a former commissioner for environment and chief of staff to the former governor, before Aliyu Mayaki, a judge at the time.

The matter was reassigned to Abdullahi Mukailu following the retirement of Mayaki.

According to a statement issued by the anti-graft agency on Thursday, 11 witnesses were subsequently called, while over 400 exhibits were tendered.

The EFCC said the three defendants made a no-case submission before the court and on December 7, 2023, the judge granted the prayers in favour of Aliyu and Beji, and directed Nasko to open his defence.

“Dissatisfied with the ruling on Aliyu and Beji regarding their no-case submission, the EFCC and fully persuaded that a prima facie case had been established against them, filed a Notice of Appeal dated January 10, 2024,” the statement reads.

“The Commission was optimistic that the Court of Appeal would do justice to the appeal.

“Surprisingly, on January 15, 2024, when the EFCC’s counsel appeared in court to continue the trial of Nasko and without any prior notice, the Attorney General of Niger State made an appearance in court with an application to take over the case from the EFCC.

“Not done yet, the AG made another appearance four hours later and entered a nolle prosequi which His Lordship acted on and discharged Nasko.”

The EFCC said it is “proceeding in its appeal against Aliyu and Beji at the court of appeal with all its evidence against them”.

The commission said it will “continue to discharge its duties in line with its mandate of tackling all forms of economic and financial crimes, without fear or favour”.

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NESREA seals two facilities in FCT, Kogi for violating environmental regulations

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The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has sealed two facilities in Abuja and Kogi for breaching environmental laws.

The facilities are Geld Construction Limited, located in Abaji, FCT, and Arno Energy, a charcoal production company in Okaba, Kogi.

In a statement on Wednesday, Amaka Ejiofor, NESREA’s spokesperson, said the companies were sealed for failure to conduct their environmental impact assessment (EIA).

Ejiofor noted that the facilities also failed to provide important environmental documents, including an air quality permit, an environmental audit report, and a waste management permit, necessary for maintaining standards in companies.

“The EIA provides guidance on mitigating the negative impact of a facility’s operations on the environment,” the statement reads.

“Their failure to do so led to the closure of the facilities to save human health and the environment.”

The NESREA’s spokesperson added that the facilities were also operating in an environmentally harmful manner, resulting in negative impacts on the host communities and the environment.

She said procedural measures, including the issuance of compliance notices, had been taken to force the facilities to address and rectify their violations.

Innocent Barikor, the director-general of NESREA, urged industry operators to ensure their activities and operations follow the stipulations of the law.

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Federal high court to commence Christmas vacation December 16

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The federal high court says it would go on break from December 16 to mark the Christmas holiday.

In a circular, John Tsoho, the court’s chief judge, said the Abuja, Lagos, and Port-Harcourt judicial divisions would remain open to the litigating public during the break.

Tsoho added that the court would resume proceedings on January 6, 2025.

“The vacation is pursuant to the provisions of order 46, rule 4 (c) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2019 (as amended),” the circular reads.

“Only matters relating to the enforcement of fundamental rights, arrest or release of vessels and matters that concern the vacation judges shall entertain dire national interest.”

The notice added that Emeka Nwite and M. S. Liman would be judges at the Abuja division during the vacation, while Akintayo Aluko and Isaac Dipeolu would sit at the Lagos division of the court.

P. M. Ayua and A. T. Mohammed would be the adjudicators at the Port-Harcourt division pending the resumption of complete court activities.

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NAFDAC shuts down counterfeit alcohol factory in Abuja

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) recently intensified its campaign against counterfeit alcohol, dismantling an illicit production operation in Lugbe, Abuja.

This raid uncovered large quantities of fake alcoholic beverages and expired ingredients with altered dates, underscoring NAFDAC’s commitment to clamping down on dangerous, substandard goods.

In an operation led by Mr. Shaba Mohammed, Director of NAFDAC’s Federal Task Force, enforcement teams seized counterfeit alcohol and discovered equipment used to repackage these products in reused bottles.

“This operation is part of a broader effort to target hotspots for counterfeit goods,” said Mohammed. “Lugbe has become a focal point for producing and distributing these fake alcoholic products, with bottles labeled to mimic popular brands and expiration dates altered to deceive consumers.”

The confiscated products had been packaged in residential settings, where counterfeiters relied on imitation packaging materials to produce fraudulent versions of popular alcoholic drinks.

In light of this, NAFDAC has now sealed the facility and launched investigations into those involved.

Mohammed emphasized that this crackdown marks one of many enforcement actions the agency has planned in Abuja to curb the circulation of substandard alcoholic beverages, especially as the festive season approaches, when demand traditionally increases.

The crackdown in Abuja mirrors other enforcement actions nationwide, as NAFDAC continues to monitor markets and address the surge in unregistered and counterfeit products. Mr. Tamanuwa Andrew, Deputy Director of NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement in Kaduna, reported similar discoveries in Wuse Market and Mararaba, a bustling community on the border of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Nasarawa State.

“We’ve seen an increase in unregistered herbal remedies and pharmaceutical products alongside counterfeit alcohol,” said Andrew. “Our surveillance is ongoing, with the aim of clearing these products from the markets and protecting public health.”

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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