The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has detained the Receiver Manager appointed by the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria for Arik Nigeria Limited, Mr Kamilu Omokide, over alleged misappropriation and diversion of about N120bn, According to PUNCH report.
EFCC detained Omokide alongside one Captain Samuel Caulcrick in connection with alleged illegal sale and tearing down of a $41m CRJ 1000 aircraft, which was operated by Arik Air.
Documents obtained by our correspondent on Friday revealed that the detention of the two top executives was sequel to a petition written by human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), who is a solicitor to Arik Nigeria Limited.
The petition detailed how there had been alleged financial fraud and sales of assets worth over N120bn.
The petition, addressed to the EFCC Chairman, and dated April 27, read, “We are solicitors to Arik Nigeria Limited (hereinafter referred to as “our client”), on whose behalf and specific instructions we write you. Our client operates an airline in the aviation industry by offering air transportation services for passengers and cargo in Nigeria and has been in business since 2006.
“In compliance with an ex parte order of the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria appointed a receiver manager to manage our client’s assets due to its financial obligation to some banks.
“Pursuant to the said ex parte order, the said receiver manager has been overseeing the affairs of our client’s assets pursuant from 2017 to date. In the course of running the airline business the receiver has engaged in financial mismanagement, diversion of monies, sales of assets and misappropriation of funds belonging to Arik Airline.
The petition listed the details of the alleged diversion of money, sale of assets and misappropriation of funds.
AIT Broadcaster Ijeoma Osamor Testifies For Peter Obi
The Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, sitting in Abuja, has admitted in evidence, additional video evidence that was tendered by candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi.
The video recording, which was played in the open court on Friday, after it was admitted as an exhibit, was brought on the strength of a subpoena that the Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five-member panel issued on Africa Independent Television, AIT.
It was tendered in a flash drive, through the anchor of the Democracy Today program on AIT, Ijeoma Osamor.
In the video, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, during a press conference, assured that results of the 2023 general elections would be electronically transmitted, using Bimodal Voter Accreditation, BVAS, devices.
Meanwhile, after the video recording was admitted in evidence, the court, gave the lawyers that represented INEC, President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress, APC, who are Respondents in the matter, the nod to cross examine the witness.
Under cross examination, Osamor, told the court that contrary to positions of both President Tinubu and the APC, the INEC Chairman did not at any time before the elections, declared that the results would no longer be uploaded.
However, counsel for the APC, Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko, SAN, insisted that there was a newspaper publication to back the claim of the party that the INEC Chairman had before the elections, adduced reasons why the Commission could not transmit the results.
However, the witness, told the court that as a reporter covering the INEC beat, she attended all press briefings by the Commission and never heard such announcement by Prof. Yakubu.
She told the court that the said publication that President Tinubu and the APC relied on, which was dated February 23, was probably a personal interview between the INEC Chairman and Tribune Newspaper.
Meanwhile, all the Respondents challenged the admissibility of the video recording from AIT in evidence, saying they would adduce reasons behind their objections in their final written address.
Earlier in the proceedings, a Professor of Mathematics at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Eric Ofoedu, told the court that he analysed some of the results of the presidential election that INEC uploaded on its IReV portal.
Under cross examination, Prof. Ofoedu told the court that he embarked on the analysis, as an academic exercise that would benefit his students.
He told the court that he was not paid for the job, adding that he had to be subpoenaed to tender the outcome of his analysis in evidence, since his original aim was not to use the report for any election litigation.
Nevertheless, the witness, maintained his ground that over 18,088 result sheets that INEC uploaded in relation to the presidential contest, were blurred.
The court adjourned further hearing on the matter till Monday.
Obi, who is claiming that he won the presidential election, is among other things, praying the court to nullify Tinubu’s victory and withdraw the Certificate of Return that was issued to him by INEC.
The Peoples Democratic Party on Friday fielded Senator Dino Melaye as one of its star witnesses before the Presidential Election Petitions Court sitting in Abuja.
Melaye testified against the Independent National Electoral Commission, President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The PDP and Atiku Abubakar’s lead counsel, Chris Uche SAN announced his portfolio as National Collation Agent for the party, businessman and politician.
Adopting his statement on oath, Melaye said the final results declared by INEC Chairman, Yakubu Mahmood, was wrongly computed and announced at the National Collation Centre, Abuja, adding that he refused to endorse the results.
Under cross-examination by INEC’s lawyer, A.B, Mahmoud SAN, he said most of the PDP agents did not sign the polling unit Form EC8As across the country.
Mahmoud asked him to tell the court all he knows about electoral procedure of the 2023 presidential election.
Melaye said he knows the electoral procedure based on the fact that he was one of the lawmakers who put together the Electoral Act at the National Assembly.
He noted that the sequence of 2023 election involves sorting, collating and announcement of results after which it is uploaded to the INEC Results Viewing Portal, IREV, before the presiding officer can proceed to the Ward collation centre.
“You stormed out of the National Collation Centre Abuja before the end of the collation process,” Mahmoud asked him.
“In protest of the fraudulent activities at the National Collation Centre, I left,” Melaye responded.
Tinubu and Shettima’s lawyer, Akin Olujimi SAN, asked the senator if the failure to transmit results to IREV can change the results already recorded on Form EC8A, to which, he said, “It will not, in an ideal situation.”
Melaye admitted that he did not state what he found to be the actual scores of Atiku in his statement on oath, saying he briefed the party’s statisticians.
“Which law designates IREV as a collation centre?,” Olujimi asked him.
The senator replied saying IREV is not a collation centre but it is part of the process for the conduct of the 2023 election.
He was asked by the legal team of APC if he mentioned the areas in Kano, Borno and Lagos states where he claimed in his statement that there was alleged malpractice and violence.
The senator, however, said he did not mention the places categorically.
The senator was eventually discharged from the witness box by the five-man panel of the court led by Justice Haruna Tsammani.
After that, the PDP lawyer, Uche, disclosed that he received some electoral documents from the INEC Chairman following a subpoena against him.
Some of them were Form EC8As in respect of Nasarawa state(13 LGAs).
The Federal High Court in Awka has set aside its sack order on the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Usman Alkali Baba.
The court upheld the right of Alkali to fair hearing as enshrined in Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution which was not guaranteed by the plaintiff in his application.
It said it was convinced by the depositions of the court bailiff that the IGP was not served the originating summons.
Justice Fatun Riman reversed the court’s earlier judgment following an application by IGP’s counsel, Abdullahi Abdulhakeem Ago against a previous ruling in favour of a plaintiff, Okechukwu Nwafor
The Federal High Court in Awka on May 19, 2023 declared that the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, is an illegal occupant of the office of IGP.
Justice Riman, who gave the order, insisted that Baba’s continued stay in office was against the clear provisions of the Police Act, 2020, saying it is “unlawful and unconstitutional”.
The court made the order in its judgment in a suit marked FHC/AKW/CS/58/2023, filed by Okechukwu Nwafor, who claimed to be a taxpayer.
But IGP asked the court to set aside the judgment because the subject matter had been determined by another Federal High Court presided over by Justice J.K. Omotosho in suit FHC/ABJ/CS/31/2023.
The police chief also alleged that the court should quash its judgment due to non-service of the originating processes on him.
The court upheld the arguments of the Inspector-General of Police in a 17-page ruling on June 15, 2023.
Justice Riman said a court can reverse its judgment where there was a fundamental error.
The judge said: “The law is settled that any Court of record including the Supreme Court has the inherent jurisdiction to set aside its own Judgment given in any proceeding in which there must have been a fundamental defect such as one which goes to the issue of jurisdiction and competence of the Court
“Such a judgment is a nullity. A person affected by it, is therefore, entitled ex-debito justicae to have it set aside. The court can set it aside suo motu and the person affected may apply by motion and not necessarily by way of Appeal.
A judgment or order which is a nullity owing to failure to comply with an essential provision such as service of process can be set aside by the court which gave it or made the order.
“The law is trite that the necessity for the requirement of service of originating processes, whether personal or by substituted means to bring to the notice of the defendant in action knowledge of the pending of a suit against him to enable such defendant prepare himself and defend the action appropriately
“I find merit in this application. Accordingly, the judgment of this court delivered on 19th day of May 2023 is hereby set aside for non- service of the originating processes on the 2nd Defendant (the Inspector-General of Police). This is the ruling of this court.”
The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has made a promise to the Nigerian public that they will take "decisive steps" to address the issue of passport booklet scarcity in the country.
The National Immigration Service (NIS) has recently made a statement regarding passport issuance in Nigeria. According to Tony Akuneme, the NIS spokesperson, Caroline Adepoju, the acting comptroller general of the agency, has assured Nigerians that they will soon be able to obtain passports in a timely manner.
The Senate has recently taken action to address complaints regarding the renewal and issuance of international passports throughout the country. Specifically, the Senate has directed its Committee on the Interior to conduct an investigation into these delays.
After receiving numerous complaints from Nigerians, it has been reported that the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) is allegedly facing issues with passport renewals and new applications.
Former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has made a startling accusation regarding the shortage of passports in Nigeria. According to Aregbesola, corrupt officials are actively working to undermine the efforts of the agency to sanitise the passport application process. This accusation raises serious questions about the integrity of the passport application process and the individuals responsible for ensuring its success.
In a stunning revelation, NIS has announced that a whopping 80 officials are currently on trial for their alleged involvement in a scheme to obstruct the passport issuance process. The gravity of the situation cannot be overstated, as this scandal has the potential to undermine the integrity of the entire passport system. Further details on the matter are yet to be disclosed, but one thing is certain - this is a story that demands our attention.
Adepoju has made a promise to eradicate any artificial obstructions that may be contributing to the current passport scarcity, according to the most recent announcement.
The agency head has reportedly issued a directive to all units within the organisation, urging them to work tirelessly towards bridging the gap and alleviating the concerns of Nigerian citizens.
According to a statement, the visit of the Ag. CGI to Lagos included noteworthy events that highlighted the seriousness of the passport crisis.
The individual in question has recently unveiled a cutting-edge visa-on-arrival lounge at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport. This move appears to be a clear indication of their dedication to enhancing the quality of travel for individuals entering Nigeria.
After the incident, she took it upon herself to conduct an impromptu investigation by visiting the Alausa passport office to gather first-hand information.
The Acting Comptroller General of Immigration, Adepoju, highlighted the urgent need to investigate and eliminate any artificial obstacles that hinder the passport application procedure in her speech.
" According to our source, the NIS top management has made a commitment to address institutional and technology-based drawbacks in order to improve service delivery.
The recent declaration of a state of emergency regarding passport issues raises questions about the ongoing challenges faced by Nigerians attempting to obtain passports. It appears that the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) is renewing its commitment to addressing these issues, but the extent of their efforts and the root causes of the challenges remain unclear. Further investigation is needed to determine the effectiveness of this declaration and the potential impact on Nigerian citizens.
This statement seems to suggest that there may be issues with efficiency, transparency, and excellence in service delivery. Who are the stakeholders being referred to and what specific actions are being called for? Further investigation is needed to understand the context and implications of this call to action.
The directive from Ag. CGI Adepoju to all passport control officers, relevant units, and personnel within the NIS, including missions abroad, to eliminate obstacles hindering Nigerians from accessing passports promptly raises questions about the current state of passport processing in Nigeria. As an investigative journalist, it is important to delve deeper into the matter and uncover the root causes of these hindrances.
The NIS seems to be taking steps to improve the passport application and issuance process by utilising technology and implementing strong administrative measures.
The Acting Comptroller General of Immigration (CGI) has issued a statement urging Nigerians to remain patient and cooperate with the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) as it takes steps to address the ongoing passport crisis. The public has been assured by an undisclosed source that efforts are currently underway to ensure that every eligible Nigerian who requires a passport can obtain one in a timely manner. Further details regarding these efforts have yet to be disclosed.
Orders CBN to stop payment to MDAs till further notice
As part of the ongoing efforts at taking firm control of his Administration, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reportedly directed the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN to stop further payments to the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, MDAs, of the Federal Government till further notice.
A presidency told the Saturday Tribune in Abuja on Friday that the Presidential order was issued before the embattled CBN boss Godwin Emeifiele was suspended and handed over to the Department of State Services DSS for further action
According to the source, the directive which came immediately after President Tinubu assumed office was to ensure accountability in the MDAs and to prevent looting of government treasury
The source said that the directive was total and clear, with no exception
Investigation revealed that following the development, the MDAs to have placed a total embargo on payments to their creditors till further notice and as well finding it difficult to operate as no more money coming from the government, CBN
A Director General of a federal Government Agency who confirmed the development to Saturday Tribune in confidence said that the directive had grounded operations for the second weeks running now as the Agency had no money to run its operations
According to him, “Federal Government has placed an embargo on CBN to stop further payments to the MDAs, we are not expecting money from anywhere, debts are piling up, even money we are owing Media Houses for advertisements, we have no money to settle the debts
” The saving grace we have is that the staff salaries are being paid directly from the office of the Accountant General of the federation, I think the situation will be normalized very soon”.
This came just as President Tinubu approved the suspension of the Assistant Director In Charge of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). and others In the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, OAGF, for alleged Salary Padding
It was gathered that the Assistant Director at the OAGF in charge in charge of staff salary was alleged to have connived with some staff to pad up the salaries of an unspecified number of lower-level staff.
According to findings, many civil servants across several Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), including the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), have been suspended for alleged salary padding on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
The development was confirmed by a top official in the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, who hinted that those identified had been placed on suspension pending investigation.
According to him, “The scam was discovered when a level 7 officer whose salary should be in the range of N60,000 was paid over N400,000, which was in the range of a salary package of a Director.
” The salary padding racket had been on for a while among a small clique of civil servants in different MDAs with the IPPIS office in the OAGF as the epicenter
The source further hinted that ” a staff suspected to be connected with the breach has been suspended to allow for a thorough investigation.”
“All necessary steps are being taken to strengthen the controls around the IPPIS payment platform, and an independent forensic audit of the entire payroll system is underway to ascertain if the reported breach is isolated or widespread,” the source further added.
Justice H. Muazu of the FCT High Court has ordered the Department of State Services, DSS, to allow the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, to be accessed by his lawyers.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu had on June 9, suspended Emefiele to enable investigation into allegations against him.
The CBN Deputy governor, operations, Folashodun Adebisi Shonubi, was directed by the president to step in in acting capacity.
Hours after his suspension, Emefiele was apprehended by the DSS and has since been in its detention in Abuja.
But his legal team led by J.B. Daudu SAN filed a fundamental right application against the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, DG, SSS and SSS, seeking to assess their client so that they can prepare their defence.
He noted that the secret service had refused to grant them access.
“The lawyers of the applicant shall have access to the applicant immediately and regularly, at reasonable time pending the determination of the application.
“Hearing is adjourned to 20 June, 2023 by 10am,” the judge held on Friday.
GOVERNOR Fubara on Friday alleged that some police personnel under Rivers State Command were still operating as Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) despite federal government disbandment of that tactical unit nationwide.
The governor at a meeting with Rivers Commissioner of Police, CP Nwoyi Emeka, in Government House, Port Harcourt, brought up the allegation against growing outcry among residents that a secret SARS in still operation, harassing, abusing and extorting members of the public.
Charging the new man at the helms of Rivers Police Command to ensure immediate end to such impunity, Fubara urged CP Emeka, “To get to the bottom of the complaints from citizens in consideration of security matters, as the people were always directly affected during security breaches.
“Let your familiarity with Rivers security terrain be an advantage to effectively combat crime and criminalities in the State. I urge you to deploy your wealth of experience in fighting crime and insecurities in the State. “
CP Emeka had briefed Fubara that under his watch in the last two weeks, the fight against criminal elements has been formidable with appreciable results, assuring that with more support from government and Rivers communities, more milestone will be achieved for a safer Rivers.
“My primary duty here is to tackle crime and criminality effectively. And to achieve this, all hands must be on deck as we seek the help of the Government of Rivers State and good spirited people of the State to achieve this”, he emphasised.
Dangote Set To Lose Position Among First 100 Richest Billionaires, As Naira Floating Cuts Wealth
Admin… Billionaire Loses $4.12bn In Less Than Three Days
Africa’s richest man and the Chairman of Dangote group, Aliko Dangote, has seen his wealth decline by $4.12bn since the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) liberalised the naira and harmonised the rates at the Investors’ and Exporters’ (I&E) foreign exchange window.
Naira was on 13th June, 2023 floated leading to the official price declining to daily high of N791 at the I&E window on Thursday
The decline went above the parallel market rate trading around N757 per dollar.
As Nigeria struggles to regain the trust of investors with more transparent FX regime, banks can now sell and buy forex at market rate not dictated by the apex bank.
Data gathered from Bloomberg Billionaire Index on Friday showed that Dangote’s fortune which he makes from Dangote Cement, Dangote Sugar and Nascon Allied Industries among others crashed to $16.8bn from $20.92bn held a day before the CBN announced the new FX regime.
Dangote’s ranking has also fallen from 74th to 99th richest person in the world since the naira began to crash.
The majority of Dangote’s wealth is from his 86 per cent share in Dangote Cement, traded on the Nigerian Exchange Limited.
If the naira continues to decline, the billionaires wealth is most likely to plunge as his companies are quoted in naira on the country’s stock market, financial experts believe.
The naira lost its value from N464 per dollar before the policy to N702 as of the end of trade on Thursday.
Although the policy has been described as beneficial to the country in the long-run, it is expected that the regime will fuel inflationary pressures, according to the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria.
“In the short term, we expect a depreciation of the currency in the official window because of the huge demand backlog.
“But as the market conditions normalizes and moves towards equilibrium, the rate would moderate,” the Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprises, Muda Yusuf said in a emailed comment to THE WHISTLER.
- Speaks On Feud With Tinubu As Lagos Gov
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has said that the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the February 25 presidential election, Peter Obi remains the candidate for a better Nigeria.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in March declared the then-candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress and now-president, Bola Tinubu, as the winner of the election.
The announcement was trailed by legal suits from opposition parties and their candidates, including LP and Obi, challenging the process that produced Tinubu as the winner.
However, in a recent chat with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, former president Obasanjo insisted that despite President Tinubu being declared as the winner of the last election, Obi remains the candidate that the country needs.
He said, “For the Nigeria that I believe we need to have at this point in time, Peter Obi is still the best candidate.”
On what he considered his greatest legacy, the former president said, “That I came here [earth] and God was immeasurably kind to me and showed His grace on me.”
Obasanjo also spoke on the infamous third-term fiasco during his administration, revealing some governors were behind it all.
He said: “The governors, some of them, were doing it for themselves”.
“Because if the president did a third term, they too would have had a chance for a third term.
Also, the former President Olusegun Obasanjo spoken on his feud with President Bola Tinubu when the latter was the governor of Lagos state.
When asked about the allegation that he (Obasanjo) attempted to cripple the economy of Lagos, Obasanjo said, “That was absolute nonsense. If he doesn’t know then he doesn’t know anything.
“Is it that one that made him to have ALPHABETA?” Obasanjo added.
Recall that the former governor of Lagos State claimed that he received zero allocation from the federal government when he was governor.
Tinubu governed Lagos state from 1999 to 2007, before contesting Nigeria’s president in 2023, under the All Progressive Congress (APC).
Meanwhile, Obasanjo also revealed that some state governors were involved in the infamous third-term fiasco.
In 2006, a bill seeking to amend the 1999 constitution and extend term limits by another four years, hit the brick walls at the national assembly.
Obasanjo has consistently dismissed seeking to extend his stay in office beyond 2007, saying some governors were behind it all.
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The Nigerian Navy has challenged Niger Delta leader and former agitator, Mujahid Asari Dokubo, to produce the names of officers involved in crude oil theft.
Dokubo, had on Friday, alleged that the bulk cases of oil theft recorded in the oil-rich region were traceable to the Nigerian Army and Navy.
He said this while briefing State House reporters after meeting President Bola Tinubu behind closed-doors at the Aso Rock Villa.
“The military is at the centre of oil theft and we have to make this very clear to the Nigerian public that 99 per cent of oil theft can be traced to the Nigerian military, the Army and the Navy especially,” Dokubo had said.
But in a swift reaction, the spokesman of the Nigerian Navy, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, described the allegation as “spurious and unguarded”.
He said oil thieves were angry because troops of Nigerian Navy and entire military have continued to deny them avenues to sabotage economy through ongoing “Operation DAKATAR DA BARAWO”.
He maintained that the maritime armed force in collaboration with relevant stakeholders would continue to deny crude oil thieves avenues to sabotage Nigeria’s economy.
Ayo-Vaughan, in an interview with Daily Trust, said “Let him bring the names. The Nigerian Navy is interested in the names of those involved because the Navy has no tolerance for any form of criminalities whatsoever, not even that height of theft as alleged by Asari Dokubo.
“The Navy has an operation in the Niger-Delta that has been running for over one year plus to curb oil theft. Operation DAKATAR DA BARAWO has denied oil thieves more than N76billion worth of crude oil. The money that would have helped them to further increase their illegal artisanal refineries.
“So, the Navy is actively fighting oil theft. For anybody to make such spurious allegations, bring the names. He (Dokubo) is in the Niger Delta, he has boys in the Niger Delta.
“The company that was given a contract by the NNPC on pipeline surveillance, they are working with the Nigerian Navy and Operation Delta Safe in the Niger-Delta to curb oil theft.
“For somebody to just make such unguarded statement, bring the names. You know that there is an operation (Operation DAKATA BARAWO) going on in the Niger Delta being run by the Nigerian Navy since April last year. The Navy has been running it in synergy with the NNPC.
“NNPC holds regular meetings with the Chief of Naval Staff to review the operations. Just last week, the Chief Executive of NUPREC was here to have a meeting with CNS. Just two days ago, the management team for the other one on downstream regulatory authority were also here to have a meeting. For us, if you want to make such spurious allegations, bring the names. Simple!”
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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is excited with the new Central Bank of Nigeria policy to unify the different foreign exchange windows and allow banks sell forex at market rate.
The lender is now willing to support Nigeria in its fight to forge a new path for economic prosperity.
The IMF said, “The Fund greatly welcomes the authorities’ decision to introduce a unified market-reflective exchange rate regime in line with our long-standing recommendations.
“We stand ready to support the new administration in its implementation of FX reforms.”
For more than four years under President Muhammadu Buhari, the IMF had advised Nigeria to scrap the different FX windows and allow the country’s currency to float.
The IMF used it as a prerequisite for Africa’s biggest economy to access its loan.
The suspended CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele had kicked against the advise citing its impact on the naira and as well as on the consumer price index which measures inflation.
But Just 15 days after the new administration came on board, CBN told banks they can buy forex from any source at any rate and sell at any rate subject to a maximum of N1 bid-ask spread between the buy and sell rate.
The CBN however restricted the sales of the forex to eligible transactions.
“The benefit of having a unified exchange rate is that it will save the money that the government is losing by giving access to forex to some people below market rate. It is a subsidy and the subsidy regime should end.
“If there is a single rate market, government will get more revenue, because they can sell all the forex at their disposal at the market rate,” Ayo Teriba, the Chief Executive Officer of Economic Associates in an interview with THE WHISTLER.
Nigeria owed the IMF, $3.27bn as of December 2022, according to the Debt Management Office.
Corrupt Judicial And Immigration Officials Facilitating Human Trafficking In Nigeria — US Report
AdminCorrupt judicial and immigration officials in Nigeria are helping human traffickers in the country to act with impunity. This is the conclusion of the United States government in its latest report titled ‘2023 Trafficking in Persons Report: Nigeria’.
“The government of Nigeria does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so…Corruption remained a significant concern in the judiciary and immigration services, and it contributed to impunity for traffickers…,” the latest U.S. trafficking report stated.
The U.S. government noted that corruption and complicity continued to contribute to impunity for trafficking offences in Nigeria despite the government’s efforts to improve law enforcement.
The report, which the U.S. Department of State released on Thursday, stated that while the Nigerian government demonstrated overall increased efforts to combat trafficking compared to the previous reporting period, it failed to fully meet the minimum standards for trafficking elimination in the country.
The report also stated that corruption remained a major issue in the judicial and immigration agencies, contributing to traffickers’ impunity and accused the Nigerian government of failing to investigate or prosecute any members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) for prior forced recruitment or use of child soldiers; potential sex trafficking in government-run IDP camps continued.
“Corruption and official complicity in trafficking crimes remained significant concerns, inhibiting law enforcement action and perpetuating impunity for trafficking crimes,” stated the report. “The government reported investigating two officials for involvement in trafficking crimes – a member of the National Immigration Service and a member of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.”
It added, “The government reported one investigation of sexual exploitation by a government official initiated during the previous reporting period was settled out of court, and two other investigations initiated in the previous reporting period against members of the CJTF for alleged sex trafficking of IDPs are awaiting trial.”
The U.S. government also mentioned that the lack of proper training of some local judges, compared to the federal and state judges, contributed to the corruption and misapplication of relevant trafficking laws.
It said the local judges did not have the prerequisite knowledge of anti-trafficking law, which hindered the government’s ability to hold traffickers accountable.
“Local judges did not have the same standardised training requirements as federal and state judges, which contributed to corruption and misapplication of the law. Some judges were unfamiliar with the anti-trafficking law, which hindered the government’s ability to hold traffickers accountable,” the report explained, stressing that “despite numerous previous allegations, the government did not report investigating any CJTF members for child soldiering recruitment or use.”
In highlighting the country’s achievements, the report stated that the Nigerian government initiated investigations into 1,242 cases, including 511 sex trafficking cases, 282 labour trafficking cases, and 449 cases of unspecified forms of trafficking; initiated prosecutions of 78 suspects, including 67 suspects for sex trafficking and 11 suspects for labour trafficking, and continued prosecuting 35 suspects for unspecified forms of trafficking “from previous reporting periods.”
The U.S. Department of State further revealed that Nigeria convicted 97 individuals, 50 for sex trafficking, six for labour trafficking, and 41 for unspecified forms of trafficking.
“This compared with convicting 13 individuals in the previous reporting period. Of those convicted, 94 were convicted under the 2015 TIPLEAA and three were convicted under violence against persons laws,” it noted.
The report made recommendations to the Nigerian government to strengthen its resolve and system to tackle trafficking and corruption, urging it to hold complicit officials as well as individuals affiliated with the government – including security officials and CJTF members – criminally accountable for trafficking offences, including for the sex trafficking of IDPs and past forced recruitment or use of child soldiers.
The report also recommended strengthening “efforts to identify trafficking victims among vulnerable groups, such as children in religious schools, IDPs, returning migrants, and children in domestic service,” including facilitating “training for local, state, and federal judges on human trafficking and the 2015 anti-trafficking law, specifically the provision prohibiting the issuance of fines in lieu of imprisonment in collaboration with international partners.”
Former Niger Delta Militant leader, Asari Dokubo, has spoken a little about why he visited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday, June 16, 2023.
Dokubo, who is widely recognized as one of the vocal supporters of Tinubu during the 2023 presidential campaigns, arrived at the Villa this morning for a closed-door meeting with the Nigerian leader.
In a brief chat with journalists after the meeting, Dokubo disclosed that he visited the president to say hello.
Referencing Tinubu as his father, Dokubo promised to do all in his power to stop oil theft in the Niger Delta region under the president’s administration.
“Just to come and say hello to my father. I have congratulated him before this time. And to give a word of support to what he has achieved and what he has done so far.
“And I know that Nigeria has changed. Nigeria has turned 360 in the positive direction.
“When I am speaking about the president, I am speaking from a personal point of view. I will do everything, I can stake anything to make my father, through God, succeed.
“Oil theft will be stopped. There will be zero oil theft in the Niger Delta Insha Allah,” the former militant said.