The Federal High Court in Abuja has again threatened to order the arrest of former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, in a case involving a $53 million judgement debt arising from the Paris Club refund.

The judge, Inyang Ekwo, on Tuesday, gave Mr Emefiele until 25 January to appear to explain the circumstances surrounding the judgement debt.

Mr Ekwo had earlier in July threatened to order the former CBN governor’s arrest due to his repeated absence from proceedings.

Mr Emefiele’s absence from court, resulting from his arrest and detention since June, has stalled progress in the case.

The former CBN was first arrested by the State Security Service (SSS) a day after President Bola Tinubu suspended him from office in June. 

The agency kept him in custody till late October, when it transferred him to the Economic and FInancial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to continue the investigations of undisclosed corruption allegations against him.

While Mr Emefiele remained in custody, Mr Ekwo continued to demand his appearance in court and issued an arrest warrant against him in July.

Unrelenting in his quest to ensure Mr Emefiele appeared in court for the case, the judge, on Tuesday, gave Mr Emefiele another opportunity to appear in court in person.

He reiterated that Mr Emefiele risked an arrest warrant being issued against him should he continue to stay away from the proceedings.

The judge stopped short of issuing the arrest warrant against the detained former CBN chief on Tuesday, following a plea by the lawyer representing him and the bank, Audu Anuga, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), that all efforts to ensure that his appearance in person on the order of the court were unsuccessful as he was still in custody.

Lawyer’s plea

Mr Anuga informed the court that an affidavit to show cause on why an arrest warrant should not be issued against Mr Emefiele was filed on 30 October.

The judgement creditor’s lawyer, I.A. Nnana, confirmed his team was served with the affidavit at about the close of work on Monday, adding that his team needed to file a formal response to it.

The judge cautioned Mr Anuga against late filing of processes.

The senior lawyer, however, explained that all efforts were made until Friday (27 October) to ensure that Mr Emefiele was released on the order of the court to enable him to attend proceedings, but that the order was not complied with, which necessitated the filing of the affidavit.

Mr Anuga, however, told the court that since parties had been exploring settlement before and the CBN governor had been appointed, they should be allowed to continue exploring the settlement option.

‘Detention not excuse for contempt’

But Mr Ekwo insisted that Mr Emefiele must appear at the next hearing, saying his detention was not an excuse for contemptuous conduct.

“As for the 4th respondent (Emefiele), I have always said, contempt proceedings follow a person whether the person Is still there or not.
“In this case, I have given this particular person so much liberty, so much leniency and the situation does not seem to change.
“I will adjourn the matter because the other side says they want to react to the process so there is not much talk.
“Order of court must be complied with, and even if no one complies with the order of the court, the court must comply with its order.
“I will give you sufficient time,” he said.

The judge then adjourned the matter until 25 January for Mr Emefiele to show cause why an arrest warrant should not be issued against him.

The case

The suit is one in a flurry of legal actions associated with the federal government’s refund to states and local governments the amounts of funds said to have been over-deducted from their accounts to offset Paris Club and London between 1995 and 2002.

Linas International Ltd and its promoter, Ned Nwoko, had initiated the first major suit, which culminated in a court judgement awarding them huge amounts of money for their roles in helping states and local government areas to discover the excessive deductions from their accounts.

Since then, countless entities, lawyers, and other professionals have surfaced, claiming to have provided one form of consultancy services or the other to recover the money for the states and local governments.

Mr Agi, through his suit, seeks enforcement of a judgement that he obtained against Linas International Ltd for his role in helping the firm secure the recovery of the funds.

NAN reports that Mr Agi’s suit stemmed from an alleged $70 million judgement against Linas International Ltd for his role in the Paris Club refund.

Mr Emefiele was said to have only released $17 million, leaving an unpaid balance of $53 million.

The court had, on 23 January 2020, ruled that Mr Emefiele must appear “to be examined on oath, since the date of the said garnishee order absolute, to pay the balance of 53 million dollars now due and payable under the said garnishee order absolute and also show cause why you should not be committed to prison for default in payment of the said sum”.

In October 2022, Mr Agi, through his counsel, Isaac Ekpa and Chinonso Obasi, filed another application against Linas International, the Minister of Finance and the CBN.

He sought an order directing the Inspector-General of Police to arrest Mr Emefiele and bring him to court alongside his lawyers, Damian Dodo, Audu Anuga, all Senior Advocates of Nigeria, and Ginika Ezeoke, Jessica Iyoke, Abdullahi Afolayan, and Olayemi Afolayan.

NAN reports that Mr Ekwo had, on 20 October 2022, ordered the then CBN governor to appear in court on 18 January over his alleged refusal to obey the order of the court for the payment of the judgment debt in favour of a legal practitioner, Joe Agi, a SAN.

[Premium Times]

The apex Igbo sociocultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has urged President Bola Tinubu to disregard the minority of Igbos crying foul over appointments.

Ohanaeze asserted that an overwhelming 99 per cent of the Igbo population fully supports the Southeast Charter of Demands and demands immediate attention from President Tinubu.

The Southeast Charter of Demands, which Ohanaeze Ndigbo has championed since June 2023, encompasses crucial issues that requires urgent resolution for the betterment of the Igbo people.

In a statement he signed, factional Secretary-General of Ohanaeze, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, called on Tinubu to heed the voice of the overwhelming majority of Igbos and immediately address the Southeast Charter of Demands.

Isiguzoro said failure to do so will only deepen the discontent and exacerbate the grievances of the Igbo population.

He listed the demands to include:

“Creation of Aba State:

Ohanaeze Ndigbo has long advocated for the creation of an additional state in the Southeast. The choice of Aba State has been carefully considered and is supported by the majority of the Igbo population.

Immediate Release of Nnamdi Kanu:

Ohanaeze Ndigbo insists on President Tinubu’s intervention for the prompt release of the detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, before December. This act of clemency is essential to restore peace and harmony in the volatile Southeast, allowing our people to celebrate the Christmas and New Year holidays without fear.

Massive Developmental Projects:

Ohanaeze Ndigbo demands the implementation of transformative projects, such as the construction of a Deep Sea Port in Azumiri Blue River in Ukwa East LGA, Abia State, and the establishment of standard gauge railway lines connecting strategic locations within the Southeast. These initiatives will foster economic growth and alleviate the hardships caused by the removal of fuel subsidies.

Reconstruction of Federal Roads with Cement Technology:

The dilapidated state of federal roads in the Southeast is an urgent concern. Ohanaeze Ndigbo calls for the reconstruction of these roads using modern cement technology, ensuring durability and improved connectivity for our people.

Inclusion of Anambra, Enugu, Kogi States in Oil Derivation Allocations:

Ohanaeze Ndigbo emphasizes the immediate inclusion of Anambra, Enugu, and Kogi states, recognized by the Buhari administration as oil-producing states from the Old Anambra River basin, to benefit from the 13% oil derivation monthly allocations. This inclusion is a matter of justice and fair distribution of resources.

President Tinubu must recognize that the individuals advocating for more appointments in the Federal Executive Council are employing an old elitist strategy to defraud the Igbo people, which has been ongoing since 1999. Ohanaeze Ndigbo vehemently opposes this exploitative approach and stands against those who seek to undermine the interests of the Igbo nation.

Imo State Police Command operatives have arrested the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero.

Naija News understands that Ajaero was whisked away by the Police at the ongoing protest in Imo state.

According to Vanguard, the development took place as hoodlums descended on protesters, smashing vehicles and inflicting wounds on labour members.

At the time of filing this report, the whereabout of the NLC President is unknown as heavily armed security personnel took him away

Ajaero had earlier directed all members of the Union and affiliate Unions to shut down all sectors in Imo State, including air, land and sea, as the union commences protest today.

Naija News learnt that Ajaero announced the commencement of the protest at the end of the Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting held in the late hours of Tuesday, October 31, 2023, in Owerri, the state capital.

NLC president had accused the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, of violating and neglecting workers’ welfare.

He alleged that due to the hostile actions of the governor towards workers in the state, many of them have died because of the lack of payment of their salaries.

Speaking further, Ajaero lamented the non-compliance with the national minimum wage by the state government while accusing Uzodimma of refusing to implement previous agreements, especially the accord reached on January 9, 2021.

[NaijaNews]

Former Tottenham Hotspur attacker Darren Bent has insisted that Manchester United would have ‘no chance’ of bringing in Aston Villa manager Unai Emery to replace Erik ten Hag as the club’s new manager.

Ten Hag is under significant pressure at Man United following a slow start to the 2023-2024 campaign.

His team currently sit in the eighth position on the Premier League table after their recent derby defeat to Manchester City.

Aston Villa, meanwhile, are flying under Emery and are fifth in the Premier League, just four points behind leaders Tottenham Hotspur.

When asked if Emery could be tempted to swap Aston Villa for United, Bent told talkSPORT: “He wouldn’t leave Aston Villa now. He wouldn’t.

“Not with that mess that’s going on [at Man United]. He is not leaving. No chance. At the minute, he’s at a stable football club who are going in the right direction.

“I don’t know what’s going on at Man Utd. Listen, Man United are a bigger club, I have no doubts about that, but right now Aston Villa are in a more stable position and look better than Man United.”

He added, “Do you think Eddie Howe would leave Newcastle to go to Man Utd? Absolutely not.”

[DailyPost]

Super Eagles and Napoli forward, Victor Osimhen, has been nominated for the 2023 CAF Men Player of the Year award.

The 24-year-old was instrumental to Napoli’s success last season, as the club won Serie A for the first time in 33 years. Osimhen also won the Golden Boot, scoring 26 goals and becoming the highest-scoring African in the league. He was also named the best striker in the league.

At the 2023 Ballon d’Or award held on Monday, Osimhen ranked 8th on the men’s list, thus becoming the highest-ranked Nigerian player ever.

Also on the list is current holder, Sadio Mane, and Liverpool Forward, Mohamed Salah.

The Awards Gala is scheduled for December 11, 2023, in Marrakech, Morocco.

See Full List

Victor Osimhen (Nigeria and SSC Napoli)

Ramy Bensebaini (Algeria and Borussia Dortmund)

Riyad Mahrez (Algeria and Al Ahli)

Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso and Bayer Leverkusen)

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Cameroon and SSC Napoli)

Vincent Aboubacar (Cameroon and Besiktas)

Ibrahima Sangare (Cote d’Ivoire and Nottingham Forest)

Seko Fofana (Cote d’Ivoire and Al Nassr)

Chancel Mbemba (DR Congo and Olympique Marseille)

Fiston Mayele (DR Congo and Pyramids)

Mahmoud Abdel Moneim “Kahraba” (Egypt and Ahly)

Mohamed Abdelmonem (Egypt and Al Ahly)

Mohamed ElShenawy (Egypt and Al Ahly)

Mohamed Salah (Egypt and Liverpool)

Mohammed Kudus (Ghana and West Ham United)

Thomas Partey (Ghana and Arsenal)

Serhou Guirassy (Guinea and VfB Stuttgart)

Yves Bissouma (Mali and Tottenham Hotspur)

Achraf Hakimi (Morocco and Paris Saint-Germain)

Azzedine Ounahi (Morocco and Olympique Marseille)

Hakim Ziyech (Morocco and Galatasaray)

Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco and Manchester United)

Yahya Jabrane (Morocco and Wydad Athletic Club)

Yassine Bounou (Morocco and Al Hilal)

Youssef En-Nesyri (Morocco and Sevilla)

Peter Shalulile (Namibia and Mamelodi Sundowns)

Sadio Mane (Senegal and Al Nassr)

Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal and Tottenham Hotspur)

Percy Tau (South Africa and Al Ahly)

Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane (Tunisia and Ferencvaros)

[Vanguard]

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele until January 25 to appear in court and provide an explanation regarding the $53 million judgment debt related to the Paris Club refund.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a short ruling on Tuesday, gave Emefiele another opportunity to appear in court in person or an arrest warrant issued against him.

The development followed a plea by Emefiele and CBN’s counsel, Audu Anuga, SAN, that all efforts to ensure that his client appeared in person on the order of the court were unsuccessful as he was still in custody.

Anuga informed the court that an affidavit to show cause on why arrest warrant should not be issued against Emefiele was filed on October 30.

Justice Ekwo then asked I.A. Nnana, the lawyer who represented Mr Joe Agi, SAN, the judgment creditor/applicant in the suit, if he had been served with the affidavit.

Nnana responded that they were served on Monday, almost at the close of work and that they would like to react.

The judge, who cautioned Anuga against late filing of processes, reminded that the matter came up on July 19.

The senior lawyer, however, explained that all efforts were made until Friday (Oct. 27) to ensure that Emefiele was released on order of the court but the order was not complied with, which necessitated the filing of the affidavit.

Anuga, however, told the court that since parties had been exploring settlement before and the CBN had a new governor, they should be allowed to explore settlement option.

But Justice Ekwo insisted that Emefiele must appear on the next adjourned day.

“As for the 4th respondent (Emefiele), I have always said, contempt proceedings follow a person whether the person Is still there or not.

“In this case, I have given this particular person so much liberty, so much leniency and the situation does not seem to change.

“I will adjourn the matter because the other side says they want to react to the process so there is no much talk.

“Order of court must be complied with and even if no one complies with the order of the court, the court must comply with its order.

“I will give you sufficient time,” he said.

The judge, consequently, adjourned the matter until Jan. 25 for Emefiele to show cause why an arrest warrant should not be issued against him.

Two states, Kano and Borno, are experiencing scarcity of the Naira notes ahead of the deadline for the use of the old N200, N500, and N1000 banknotes, as earlier announced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Recall that the CBN had previously announced that the old Naira notes would remain legal tender until December 31, 2023, in compliance with the Supreme Court’s order. 

Former CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, had unveiled plans to redesign the N200, N500, and N1,000 notes, urging citizens to deposit their old notes before January 31, 2023, as they would no longer be accepted as legal tender. A development that brought untold hardship on Nigerians across board spiking protests and attacks on banks in various cities across the country.

However, a few weeks before the CBN deadline, business communities in Kano and Borno states have expressed concerns about the Naira scarcity resurfacing.

A CBN official, who reportedly spoke to Daily Trust on the development, however, stated that there was no plan to “phase out the old notes”.

The media platform also quoted a Point of Sales (PoS) operator in Kano, Abdullahi Usman, to have said banks only allowed withdrawals of between N40,000 and N50,000 daily for individuals and N150,000 to N200,000 for corporate entities.

According to him, he gets his cash supply from the markets where cash transactions usually take place.

“As a PoS operator, I can’t give more than N20,000 to individuals because most banks only allow us to have N40,000 to N50,000 daily. I learnt that only owners of corporate accounts can get N150,000 to N200,000. If you go around town, you will find out that most of the PoS centres now have less cash compared to some weeks ago,” he said.

He said the approaching CBN’s December deadline had made many people deposit their money in banks to avoid being trapped after December 31.

Another PoS operator, Bello Shehu, said he had since resorted to accessing cash from fuel stations instead of the banks because they (banks) don’t usually have enough cash to give to customers.

“I get my cash from fuel stations because the cash we get from the banks nowadays is limited and can’t cater for our customers’ demands,” he said.

It was noticed that despite the absence of long queues at bank ATMs, a majority of them were not dispensing cash. A shop owner in Hotoro, Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano, Muhammed Gambo, reported his inability to access cash from ATMs in recent times. Likewise, a civil servant from the Kano State Government shared that he was unable to withdraw his October salary from six ATMs and had to resort to PoS, where he could only obtain half of the required amount.

A Constitutional Review Committee has been set up by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to carry out comprehensive reforms of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State made this known while speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the Nigeria Police Council meeting on Tuesday.

Mohammed listed members of the committee to include the Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Geidam; National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu; the Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Solomon Arase; and Governor of Kwara and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

He said: “The confirmation of the IGP prompted further discussion on the Nigeria Police Force, and the President has formed a special committee to look at all the gaps in Nigeria’s 1999 constitution with a view to bringing harmony and synergy, closing technology and manpower to the Nigerian Police Force.

“The committee comprises the minister of police affairs, NSA, chairman of PSC, and the chairman of the NGF. They will work together with a view to make sure that the Nigeria Police is reformed.”

Also speaking, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State said the council observed that no meaningful reforms have taken place in the police since its creation in 1861.

The governor added that the committee would develop ideas that would lead to reforms that would characterize the new Nigeria police force.

He said: “The newly confirmed IGP is adequately prepared, his CV is extremely rich, very experienced, intellectually and practically.

“He also addressed us as a council on the state of policing in Nigeria, among other things that he highlighted, he spoke about the need for technology-driven policing.

“The need for community-based policing, the need to ensure that required budgetary provision is provided for community-based policing, which has been proven to be very effective.

“The issue of funding also came up, and this committee of four to five people will look at these issues that borders on reforms.

“We observed that there have been no meaningful reforms since the establishment of the Nigeria Police Force.”

The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike has maintained that he needs his base in order to be politically relevant.

According to him, once he loses his base as a politician, he has lost his relevance politically.

The former governor of Rivers State said no amount of calumny levelled against him would make him lose sleep.

Receiving South-South leaders in his office on Tuesday in Abuja, Wike said the right thing must be done.

According to Wike: “All of us want to be politically relevant; all of us want to maintain our political structure.

“Is it not your political structure? Will you allow anybody to just cut you out immediately? Everybody has a base. If you take my base, am I not politically irrelevant?”

The relationship between Wike and the Rivers State Governor, Sim Fubara is believed to have gone sour.

This led to some lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly moving to impeach Fubara.

The lawmakers who moved to impeach Fubara are said to be Wike’s loyalists.

President Bola Tinubu has sent the names of 10 new Resident Electoral Commissioners to the Senate for confirmation.

This was contained in a letter read by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, at plenary on Tuesday.

The new RECs were appointed last week to serve in the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The newly appointed RECs are Etekamba Umoren (Akwa Ibom) Isah Shaka Ehimeakne (Edo) Oluwatoyin Babalola (Ekiti) Abubakar Ahmed Ma’aji (Gombe) Shehu Wahab (Kwara) Prof. Mohammed Yelwa (Niger).

Others are Anugbum Onuoha (Rivers), Isma’ila Kaura Moyi (Zamfara), Bunmi Omoseyindemi (Lagos) and Aminu Kasimu Idris (Nasarawa).

Their appointment was greeted with controversies that some of them could be card-carrying members of the ruling All Progressives Congress and two others were also found to be long-term allies of prominent politicians serving in the Tinubu administration.

In the letter seeking the confirmation of the electoral commissioners, Tinubu asked the Senate to give his request expeditious consideration.