Corruption
Money laundering: Judge gives EFCC March 3 to bring Diezani to court
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s request for more time to produce a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, to face her money laundering charges.
The judge had on July 24, 2020, issued criminal summons against the ex-minster to appear in court to face trial.
But Diezani, who is believed to have left the country for the United Kingdom shortly after leaving office in May 2015, had refused to heed to the summons.
Due to the ex-minister’s failure to honour the summons, the EFCC on October 28, 2020 urged the court to issue a warrant for her arrest.
But the judge declined the request, citing the commission’s failure to enforce the criminal summons she had earlier issued against the defendant.
She said the criminal summons ought to be sufficient for the commission to process her extradition to Nigeria to face her trial.
On Thursday, EFCC’s prosecuting counsel, Farouk Abdullah, pleaded for more time to enable the anti-graft agency to enforce the summons issued against the former minister.
Abdullah said, “The prosecutions has taken steps to ensure that the orders are complied with. That has not come to fruition yet, but steps have been taken.
“In view of this, may I humbly apply that this matter be adjourned to enable the prosecution comply fully with the order of the court.”
The judge then adjourned the matter till March 3 for report of prosecution’s effort to produce the defendant in court and for possible arraignment.
The EFCC had alleged that Diezani escaped the country shortly after her tenure as the Minister of Petroleum Resources got wind of the plan to charge her with various offences.
The commission on November 11, 2018, filed the 13 counts of money laundering to justify the bid to have her extradited to Nigeria.
Diezani was accused of among others in the charges that she unlawfully toook into her possession, the sums of sums of $39.7m and N3.32bn when she reasonably ought to have known that the money formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activities.
She was said to have purchased choice landed assets with the money using different fronts as the owners.
Corruption
SDP Presidential Candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo Speaks On Fighting Corruption In Nigeria

The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Prince Adewole Adebayo has said the fight against corruption in Nigeria needs to start from inside the government, for it to be successful.
He said his party will change the mode of fighting corruption, as Nigeria has been getting it wrong all these while.
Prince Adewole was speaking at the Centre for Awareness on Justice and Accountability (CAJA) Integrity Award Public Lecture, which held on Wednesday, 14th December 2022 in Kano State.
The theme of the event was ‘Promoting Integrity as a way of Fighting Corruption’.
He said, “We are getting something wrong in Nigeria; government cannot fight corruption in Nigeria, government can only fight corruption inside government. Why we have failed is that government is not fighting corruption inside government but is fighting corruption inside other people’s bed room, so we’ll change that”.
He further noted that there is a need to watch out for the institutions used to fight corruption because corruption is capable of capturing institutions.
“Corruption is dangerous to institutions; any institution that you can use to fight corruption, corruption will capture it. So we must watch out for institutions, including religious institutions”.
“The thieves sit in the front and the hard working people sit at the back when you go to the mosque or you go to the Church. So you have to make sure these institutions are not captured”, Prince Adewole said.
He further said that the government must be willing to keep policemen with integrity at the top in order to help tackle the problem of corruption.
“There’s a fight between the police and the government – a good police knows that people in government will go to jail, that is why they look around to look for bad policemen to put on top of the good policemen”.
Dignitaries present at the event were – Prof. Usman Yusuf, Professor of Haematology-Oncology, Former Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Barr. Solomon Dalung, Former Minister, Federal Ministry of Youth & Sport Development, Malam Auwal Musa Rafsanjan, Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Centre (CISLAC) and Kabiru Dakata, Executive Director, CAJA, Pst Ade Alabi, Pst Light, Engineer Yusuf Salisu Buhari, SDP vice presidential candidate, Sen. Ugochukwu Uba, Mr Patrick Anethua, Chief Godwin Osigbeme, members of the SDP Presidential campaign organization and others.
The event was organized by CAJA in collaboration with The Penlight Center.
Corruption
Wike accuses Iyorchia Ayu of corruption
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has accused the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Iyorchia Ayu of corruption. He accused Ayu of collecting the sum of one billion naira to compromise the May 28 and 29 Presidential primary in favour of one of the aspirants. Governor Wike who challenged Ayu to deny the […]

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has accused the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Iyorchia Ayu of corruption.
He accused Ayu of collecting the sum of one billion naira to compromise the May 28 and 29 Presidential primary in favour of one of the aspirants.
Governor Wike who challenged Ayu to deny the allegation says he proof to show how Ayu was paid the money through some businessmen in Lagos.
He had a few weeks ago promised to speak on developments in his party the PDP and also make disclosures about the character of some key players in the party.
And true to his words, Governor Nyesom Wike has decided to speak with no details spared.
The first person on his radar is the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu whom he accuses of corruption and compromising the may Presidential Primary of the party
The Rivers State Governor is also not sparing the party’s Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar whom he accuses of consistently failing to keep to his promises
He adds that majority of the people surrounding Atiku Abubakar do not mean well for the PDP; warning that any suggestion that the party can do without votes from Rivers State would be a big mistake.
And as an opposition party desirous of winning the next election, Governor Wike says the PDP must demonstrate its integrity and spirit of justice, fairness and inclusiveness by ensuring that the National Chairman of the party who coincidentally is from the same zone with the Presidential candidate steps aside for a chairman from the South to emerge.
While still keeping his doors open, Nyesom Wike notes that the party is already exhibiting arrogance even when it has not won any election.
The Rivers State Governor says he has no intention of leaving the PDP, the party he owes his political success to, rather the Governor says he would remain in the party and continue to speak and fight for truth and justice.
Corruption
Court Orders Forfeiture Of 10 Properties In Abuja, Kaduna, Maryland USA, Funds linked To Former Zamfara Gov, Yari

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the interim forfeiture of about 10 properties and funds in banks allegedly owned by a former Zamfara State governor, Abdulaziz Yari.
A report by this medium quoted Justice Obiora Egwuatu as giving the order on Wednesday while ruling on an ex-parte application by an ICPC lawyer, Osuobeni Ekoi-Akponimisingha.
Mr Egwuatu said the interim order granted would last for 60 days to enable the ICPC to conclude its investigation, following which the commission could apply for final forfeiture.
The judge ordered the ICPC to publicise the order for any person or persons with interest in the affected properties to show cause within 14 days why they should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
Some of the properties, according to the ICPC, are in Maryland (USA), Abuja, Kaduna, among others.
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