Orijin
Thursday, 4 September 2014
Nigeria: NGO Urges Govt to Seize Sheriff's Assets
A call has gone to the federal government to immediately confiscate all assets belonging to former Borno State Governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, in order to stop him from influencing his proposed prosecution by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over his alleged involvement in financing the outlawed Boko Haram insurgents.
Reacting to recent allegation by an Australia hostage negotiator, Dr. Stephen Davis, that the former governor and former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, are the major backers of the terrorist group, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Borno State, Borno Coalition for Good Governance, in a press statement yesterday, which said the recent revelation was no surprise to the people of the state, noted that "confiscating all the assets belonging to Sheriff in Nigeria, Dubai, China, India and Chad to avoid interfering with the investigations of the ICC through financial inducement," should be the first step.
The NGO, in the statement, signed by Modu Wulgo and John Ndirbula, the Project Manager and Secretary respectively, said the federal government should be wary of being accused of being involved in Sheriff's crime against the people of the country by handing him over to the ICC for an independent investigation and possible prosecution over his alleged role in the funding of the Boko Haram movement.
The organisation said: "The revelations of the Australian hostage negotiator on Sheriff and Ihejirika did not come to us as a surprise. This is because there has been several committees set up by the federal government on Boko Haram that have indicted the duo."
They claimed that "Sheriff's eight year rule in Borno State was 'hell on earth' for the people as his father and wife ganged up to oppress the masses and also looted the treasury. It is high time he paid for his crime as he has destroyed so many people and over 15,000 people have lost their lives in the insurgency launched by Boko Haram."
As a proof of Sheriff's involvement, the organisation said: "Why did Buji Foi, the late Commissioner for Religious Affairs seek to have audience with Governor Sheriff before he was executed in 2009. The soldiers honoured the wish of Buji Foi, but on hearing the late commissioner wanted to see him, Sheriff quickly drove out of Government House, Maiduguri on that fateful day. When the soldiers brought Buji Foi in a Toyota Hilux van in handcuff 20 minutes later, Sheriff was nowhere to be found."
They said: "Why did the late Mohammed Yusuf throughout his preaching in 2009 and after his arrest continue to accuse Sheriff of betraying him. This is against the backdrop of the fact that everyone feared Sheriff like an "angel of death" for eight years, but Yusuf openly insulted him and called him "mai cin amana" meaning betrayer. We believe if there is nothing between them, Yusuf would not have the courage to do this."
They added: "Why did Sheriff quickly asked the police to execute Yusuf? This is because trying him in a court of law will have unmasked the faces behind the Boko Haram and prevents the tragic situation in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states today."
Abia civil servants contribute N1.46b to NHF
Abia State civil servants, who contribute to the National Housing Fund (NHF), have so far contributed N1.46 billion to the Fund, Chairman of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Bisi Ogunjobi, has said.
He revealed this on Wednesday during the inauguration of the bank’s office complex in Umuahia, describing the contribution from the state as ‘’heart-warming.’’
Ogunjobi, who was represented by a member of the Board of Directors of the bank, Godwin Duru, further said over N47.2 billion had been refunded to retired contributors to the fund.
‘’I am happy that FMBN is fulfilling its own part of the bargain,’’ he said.
He further said the bank had financed the development of two housing estates to the tune of N1 billion.
He explained that the estate development loans were advanced to Abia State Housing Corporation and a private developer for the construction of a combined 380 housing units.
Ogunjobi said the bank was also considering a proposal by another private developer for the construction of 500 housing units for civil servants in the state.
‘’From the foregoing, it can be seen that the partnership between the state and FMBN is mutually beneficial,’’ he said.
He solicited continued collaboration between the state government, labour unions and the bank ‘’to sustain the efforts being made through the NHF to promote home-ownership in the country.’’
The state Head of Service (HoS), Godson Adiele, thanked the bank for erecting an office complex in the state and ‘’for providing decent and affordable housing for the citizenry.’’
Adiele, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the HoS office, Uche Ikonne, urged the bank to make a commitment towards the commencement of the construction of the 500 housing units for workers in the state.
He said the state is ready to fulfil its own part of the collaboration and ‘’expects a commitment from the bank’’ on the possible date for the take off of the project, while thanking the bank for donating some equipment to his office and gave assurance that it would be deployed to efficient service delivery in the state.
2015: Jega Lists Obstacles To Hitch Free Elections
Prof. Attahiru Jega, Chairman, Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC), on Thursday listed four major challenges that could hinder
the success of the 2015 general elections.
He said this in a presentation at the
ongoing All Nigerian Editors Conference in Katsina.
Jega, who was represented by Mr Oluwole
Osaze-Uzzi, the commission’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, said
that such challenges included insecurity, lack of adequate funding, attitude of
the political class and inactive citizenry.
Jega said that the delay in the
amendment to the legal framework such as the constitution and the electoral law
were other challenges facing the commission.
The chairman said that the prosecution
of electoral offenders also remained a major sticking point in the work of the
commission.
Jega said the commission was committed
to carrying out the completion of the review of electoral constituencies and
polling units.
He, however, said that the constraints
of time had made it unlikely for the exercise to be concluded before the 2015
elections.
The INEC chairman called on government
and stakeholders to cooperate with the commission for a successful poll.
He assured that the commission would
consolidate on the gains of the 2011 elections and prevent the recurrence of
its weaknesses.
“To achieve this, we have given
ourselves three focal points comprising structure, policy and plan,” he said.
Jega said that the commission was fully
prepared for the conduct of the 2015 elections, adding that its programmes were
strictly being implemented.
Sorry Nigerian ladies, Mikel Obi is officially off the market
Olga's father is said to be a Russian millionaire who has a lot of business interests in London where Olga lives. Though she has her own place, Olga is said to have moved in with Mikel.
Mikel Obi is now taken so all you ladies should stay back. He is now Olga's man.
Alimodu Sheriff breaks down as he tries to dissociate self from Boko Haram
Chris Oyakhilome denies adultery accusations, threatens to sue journalists
"The attention of our client, Rev. Chris Oyakhilome, and the church has been drawn to the wave of false, malicious and fabricated stories being published in the print and electronic media about his person, the church and a matrimonial cause between him and his wife," his attorney stated. Continue...From Sahara Reporters
Sharply criticizing the recent coverage of the divorce proceedings, which the statement did not refute, the release claimed that publishers went so far as to fabricate claims that he had committed adultery against his wife, Anita. These contradict her claims that the leader of Christ Embassy Church had indeed been unfaithful during their "terribly degenerated" marriage, something she disclosed through counsel to Premium Times earlier Wednesday.
characterized the media's coverage of his wife's efforts to divorce him as “complete distortion of the facts in the pending proceedings in the United Kingdom”, the statement cited the coverage as "selfishly motivated" for political and financial advantage.
Oyakhilome's counsel further said the media's coverage was engineered to bring him and the church shame and ridicule, though his wife was the person who aired the allegations against him. Earlier today, Wednesday, Mrs. Oyakhilome even told Premium Times, through counsel, that the marriage had "terribly degenerated".
The statement also acknowledged freedom of the press, but quite contradictorily cautioned that further action will be taken to safeguard the image of the church and the pastor if coverage continued. "Be warned therefore that unless the concerned media houses desist from further publishing words and stories which are false and damaging of our client’s reputation and the church, we shall, without further recourse to the concerned publishers, promptly embark on appropriate legal machinery with a view to protecting our client’s reputation and that of the church."
Joan Rivers out of intensive care, 'kept comfortable' in private room
"My mother has been moved out of intensive care and into a private room where she is being kept comfortable. Thank you for your continued support,” Melissa said.
Gospel acts, Eben and Jahdiel welcome son
Wednesday, 3 September 2014
AFCON 2015 Qualifiers: El-Kanemi Goalkeeper To Replace Vincent Enyeama
Curvaceous Yoruba Actress, Ronke Odusanya Set To Walk Down The Aisle
Popular yoruba actress, Ronke Odusanya aka Flaky Ididowo is engaged to
be married soon. Cont. reading The actress dated Pasuma Wonder briefly and was
rumoured to have been engaged to him at some point. More details on the lucky
man will be revealed later…….. Meanwhile, congrats to the lovely actress!
Top 10 Stars Of 2014 World Cup Who Moved To Bigger Clubs This Summer
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