Headlines

Justice S. N. Odili of the Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha, Anambra State, has convicted and sentenced a former manager with First City Monument Bank, FCMB, Onitsha branch,  Nwachukwu Placidus, to a cumulative 121 years imprisonment for diverting fixed deposit funds of a customer to the tune of N112,100,000 (One Hundred and Twelve Million, One Hundred Thousand Naira only) for his personal use.

He was arraigned on Tuesday, March 27, 2018 on 16-count charges bordering on forgery, stealing, obtaining by false pretence and uttering, by the Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

One of the counts reads: “Nwachukwu Placidus between February 2009 and November 2014 in Onitsha, Anambra State within the jurisdiction of the Anambra State High Court of Nigeria with intent to defraud obtained the sum of (N112,100,000) One Hundred and Twelve Million, One Hundred Thousand Naira only, from Idemili Microfinance Bank under the false pretence that you have placed the said money in a fixed deposit account with First City Monument Bank PLC for it, which pretence you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence”.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him, thus setting the stage for his trial.

In the course of trial, the EFCC, through its counsel, Mainforce Adaka Ekwu presented four witnesses and tendered several relevant documents which were admitted in evidence.

In his judgment, Justice Odili held that “the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt” and sentenced the convict to nine years imprisonment on count 3, 4 years on count 4 and 9 years on counts 5 to 16 respectively. He was discharged on counts 1 and 2.  The sentences shall run concurrently.

The court further ordered the convict to restitute the said sum to his victim, Idemili Microfinance Bank.

Placidus ’journey to the Correctional Centre began when a petitioner, Idemili Microfinance Bank LTD, alleged that the sum of N112,100,000 was handed over to him as the branch manager of FCMB in Onitsha, for fixed deposit. However, when the petitioner approached the bank to terminate and withdraw the deposit, the bank denied receiving the said funds.

Upon receipt of the petition, the EFCC swung into action and investigations revealed that the convict diverted the money for his own use and issued a fake fixed Deposit Certificate to the petitioner.

Saturday was exactly six days after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu attended the World Economic Forum’s (WEF’s) Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and he is yet to return to Nigeria.

The two-day forum, which aimed to help public and private sector leaders address shared global challenges, opened on Sunday, 28th and ended on Monday, 29th April, 2024.

The Presidency has not released any statement on what was holding the president from returning to Nigeria.

This has led to speculations in some quarters that the president may have proceeded to Paris, France, where he had travelled to several times for medicals.

However, two credible sources have independently told Daily Trust that the president proceeded to London from the Saudi capital of Riyadh.

One of our two sources, a highly placed official at the Presidency, told one of our reporters yesterday that the president “is at the moment in London on a private visit.”

The official, who asked not to be mentioned, declined further comments on the reason for the president’s visit in London.

“I really don’t know, he (the president) has left Saudi Arabia and he should be in London now, but I don’t have details.

“I don’t have an idea about it (the purpose of the president’s trip to London), but I think it is a private visit,” the official said.

Another top official at the Presidential Villa said there was no cause for alarm about the president’s whereabouts.

The official, who refused to disclose his boss’ whereabouts, assured that the president would return to the country “this weekend.”

The president had, on April 23, left Abuja for the Kingdom of the Netherlands on an official visit.

His Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, had, in a statement, said the visit was on the invitation of Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

Ngelale had said that while in the Netherlands, Tinubu would engage in high-level discussions with the Prime Minister and hold separate meetings with His Royal Majesty, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Kingdom.

“While in the Netherlands, the president will participate in the Nigerian-Dutch Business and Investment Forum, that will bring together heads of conglomerates and organisations in both countries to explore opportunities for collaboration and partnerships, especially in agriculture and water management towards innovative solutions for sustainable farming practices,” he had stated.

Ngelale had added that Tinubu would, as part of the official visits, also proceed to attend a special WEF meeting scheduled for April 28-29 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The special meeting in Riyadh was to among other objectives, bridge the growing North-South divide, which has further widened on issues such as emerging economic policies, the energy transition and geopolitical shocks.

Hauwa Gidado, Abuja

Nigerians have been encouraged to support the newly established Mining Marshals, a security force tasked with safeguarding Mining sites across the country.

The Assistant Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps NSCDC who doubles as the Commandant of the Mining Marshals, Mr. Attah Onoja, made the call during an exclusive interview with Solid Minerals Correspondent, Hauwa Gidado, in Abuja, the Nation’s capital.

Mr. Onoja emphasizes the Mining Marshals’ commitment of enforcing existing laws and working collaboratively with other law enforcement Agencies and stakeholders to secure Mining sites.

The Commandant explains that, Mining Marshals are drawn from the Thirty-Six States and the Federal Capital Territory commands of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), with primary responsibility in combating the illegal mining operation.

He urges Nigerians to support the Mining Marshals, in their quest to protect the mining sector, that can thrive and contribute to the Nation’s economy.

ACC. Onojah made the call in an interview with Voice of Nigeria in Abuja, Nigeria.

“Nigerians should see the Mining Marshals as a Nigerian project, not an individual project, not a project of the Minister of Solid Minerals but a Nigerian project to save the mining sector, because the mining sector needs to breathe, The Mining Marshals are a critical unit established by the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Dr. Abubakar Audi.

The Commandant of the Mining Marshals who is also the Assistant Commandant of the NSCDC also expressed readiness to deal with anybody undermines the Mining Regulations in the country.

“The Mining marshals will stop at nothing in ensuring full compliance to extant laws governing mining regulations in Nigeria and whoever is found wanting regardless of position, their affinity the law will take its course and its important Nigerian’s begin to know that.

It’s a rare privilege to be on national such and we will have to account for this opportunity, so any body meeting us should know that we coming with t his mind set that we are coming in to safe the mining sector”.

Speaking on the idea behind setting up of the Mining Marshals, ACC Onoja said “the Mining Marshals came up as a result of a pressing need of Nigeria as a nation to take adequate care of the mining sector and part of the core mandate of the Nigerian Civil and Defence Corps is protection of critical national assets and infrastructure. To this end there will be no agency that will be better positioned or poised to delivering such assignment or mandate other than NSCDC”.

He further said that the pro activness of the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Dr. Abubakar Audi,Mni in a bid to strengthen to further strengthen its role brought about the Mining Marshals in collaboration with the Ministry Of Solid Minerals Development

“Before now NSCD have been responsible for protecting of national critical asset and infrastructure, To have a specialised unit that will meet a pressing demand, talking about deriving revenue from the mining sector, activities of illegal miners Nigeria, the Issues of insecurity and the relationship between illegal mining and threats within Nigerian environment came up with the idea of setting up the commandant genera’s transport and Mining Marshals and on the 1st of march it was officially inaugurated by the honourable minister of interior, Olubumi tunji-Ojo that marked the occasion of civil defence day in Nigeria. Looking at the resolve of the minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Oladele Alake decided that what NSCDC is doing is in tandem with seven point agenda of the Ministry of Solid Minerals, the relationship or partnership between NSCDC and Solid Minerals is to achieve the task of illegal mining with the aid of Mining police that led to the official unveiling of this particular operation on the 21st of March,2024. The whole idea is to ensure that illegal mining is purged to its barest minimum.”

The Commandant of the Mining Marshals also spoke on the current strength and deployment of the Miming Marshals across Nigeria.

“From the commencement of operation the strength of Mining Marshal started 2,220 operatives cutting across the whole country in all the States, more operatives are coming in ,we are still on the phase of mobilising more men. All the State of the federation will be adequately taken care of in the terms of Mining marshals”

Speaking on how the Mining Marshals ensure that operators and stakeholders in the sector comply with mining regulations and laws, ACC Onoja said “One of the ways we started this on inception was to ensure that before our operations we contacted relevant stakeholders in writing telling them of the commencement of the operation nationwide, by extension that connotes sensitisation, most of these stakeholders acknowledged the receipt of our notice. We started within FCT, speaking to other States, we inaugurate operation there, commence operation, and operatives within that State will now be fused in to work with them and lead those who are supposed to mann that State and we proceed to other States.

On strategies been implemented to prevent illegal mining and mineral theft.

“The scope of our operation is principally anchored on ensuring full compliance to extant laws .Talking about Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act of 2007 and Mining regulation of 2007 and contained in this document are the relevant provisions that must be complied with by all intending investors in the sector or miners or companies or individuals who want to carry out one or two activities within the sector. The Ministry of Solid Minerals is the home of mining activities, whatever you do is regulated by the Ministry of Solid Minerals. Our duty is to ensure enforcement of these regulations that is already known to all miners.”

“Where we have intelligence about illegal mining depending on the nature of the case, sometimes there are peculiar situations, we will write letter of invitations served on the companies and give them specific time and when we invite them we invite them in agreement of investigative activities and by so doing we will be able to unearth their level of compliance and we liaise with Ministry of Solid Minerals where relevant as well as mining cadastre office and this has helped in cases we have handled including in cases we have charged to court.

We notify that we don’t require anything asides maximum cooperation that will ensure full compliance to mining regulations and the whole essence of this is that we are able to contribute our own quota to ensuring that the dwindling revenue within the mining sector is improved.”

Speaking on how the Mining Marshals collaborate with other law enforcement agencies and stakeholders to achieve their goals.

“Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps is one security organisation that believes in synergy and every unit, department in NSCDC observes this to the later because it is the cardinal focus of the commandant general that in fighting insecurity there must be synergy sand cooperation amongst sister security agencies, so that is also transmitted to the Mining Marshals”.

We have community leader’s cooperating with us; it all boils down to approach. Community leaders are stake holder’s insecurity, it’s their domain, and we educate them to achieve results.

He also said the Mining Marshals are poised to using technology “in the team we have drone pilots, there are some terrain that are not motarable, we have a case in view now and for security reasons and intelligence ,I won’t disclose the location, the advanced intelligence sent to that location we realised that over 18 to 20km before the location is not motarable, you can only go there on bike, it will take the aid of a drone pilot and his team to ensure that you get adequate mapping of the terrain to have a well informed operational decision to be carried out, the Mining Marshal is fully aware of the role and importance of technology in effective execution of this task and assignment.”

The Delta State Representative at the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Rt Hon Chief Monday Igbuya has mourned the victims of the tanker fire accident at Ometan Community in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State.

The tanker fire accident occurred in the early hours of Friday, May 3rd 2024, and it is reported to have claimed 7 lives with properties worth millions of naira destroyed.

Hon Igbuya, a former Speaker at the Delta State House of Assembly in a statement made available to RERO TV, commiserated with the victims and their families, describing the event as a shock and a very unfortunate situation that has left him heartbroken.

“Today, I received with rude shock, the tanker fire disaster that claimed 7 lives at Ometan Community in Okpe Local Government. It is a very unfortunate situation as people who were going about their daily lives looking for succour were hit by this very tragic accident.

“It is very heartbreaking for me to learn of the incident and while I commend the relevant agencies for their swift response in curtailing the situation, I want to extend my deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victims. It is a pathetic experience and no one deserves to go like that.

“I want to also call on the authorities to help extend a hand to the families of those affected and to render succour to those who have lost millions of naira worth of properties.

” The NDDC as a body in Delta State shall sit down and fashion out ways by which we can render our support to the families of the victims.

” I once again commiserate with the victims, and it is my prayers that God gives them the fortitude to bear this very painful and irreplaceable loss.” His statement read.

Signed
Rt Hon chief Monday Igbuya

NDDC Board Rep. Delta State

The Benue State Urban Development Board (BSUDB) is set to demolish over 800 houses and shanties built on waterways and drainges in the state capital, Makurdi.

The General Manager of the Board, Mede Ternongo made this known after leading his team to pull down illegal structures and shanties in Makurdi.

He said the move was part of efforts by the present administration to check flooding and also restore the masterplan of the state capital.

Ternongo explained that the first phase of the exercise which commenced Thursday saw the removal of over 40 shanties and illegal structures in the town.

He assured that every structure on access road in any part of the town would be pulled down cautioned developers to desist from erecting illegal structures in the town without approval from the board.

“We intend to open the roads, major access routes in the city. We just started with the South Bank area of Makurdi and very soon we will move to North Bank area of the town,” he said.

“If you go to North Bank area around the Catholic Church, you will seen containers lying on the fence and it has reduced the road side and defaced the environment.

“Enough notices were served on the affected people because we do not remove or demolish any property without giving notification. This time around, we involved the media. We did radio announcements for two weeks informing the general public about this and told the owners of those shanties to remove them.

“Therefore the notice has beeen there for more than two months before we embarked on today’s exercise.

“The Governor has graciously provided us with necessary logistics to be able to carry out this exercise, we also get support from the construction firm that is undertaking construction works in the state.

“The Governor has also promised to give us bulldozers and payloaders and operational vehicles to ease our job.”

Continuing, he said: “We have about 800 houses built on water ways that have been earmarked for demolition. Just recently we visited a community around the naval road in Kashio layout and all the buildings that were located around the waterways and drainages were touched and we were able to open up the water channel in that part of the town.

“I have discussed with the Governor on the need to build a GSM village for the mobile phone dealers and I believe after this exercise I will go back to him and see how we can commence the building of the village. We have identified the spot and I have told him and he accepted.”

The University of Abuja branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities has begun an indefinite strike to draw attention to developments bordering the union.

The union announced its decision to embark on the strike on Thursday at the end of its congress, held at the Permanent Site of the institution.

Members of the UniAbuja ASUU have been at loggerheads with the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdulrasheed Na’allah and the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman over the processes for the appointment of a new VC.

An advertorial that surfaced in a national daily on March 15, 2024, sought a replacement for Na’Allah.

However, ASUU members, in a conference, rejected the ad, declared it “illegal,” and stated that it was not from the governing council.

The Chairman, UniAbuja ASUU, Sylvanus Ugoh, said the Universities Miscellaneous Provision Act 1993 as amended; 2003 and 2012 (Section 3, subsections 1 and 2) empowers only the governing council to advertise the VC’s seat when declared vacant.

He argued that no other organ or individual is legally vested with the power to initiate the procedure of appointing a successive VC.

“You will recall that the university administration placed an advert on the vacancy of the post of a Vice-Chancellor on Friday 15th March 2024,” Ugoh had said.

Details later…

Hoodlums on Thursday clashed in Ile-Epo area of Lagos State, leaving many people injured.

It was gathered that a fight broke out in the market situated in the area on Wednesday night and continued till Thursday morning.

Some shops were set on fire while some goods were destroyed in the process.

It was also learned that an early intervention by the police was restricted by the hoodlums.

A fire service truck that drove into the market this morning was also forced to reverse after being pelted with stones.