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6 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2022 Firearms: Court stops police, AGF from prosecuting ex-NISA boss, Jolapamo By Innocent Anaba A Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, has restrained the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, and the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Mr. Abubakar Malami, from arraigning a 76-yearold, ex-president of Nigerian Shipowners Association, NISA, Isaac Jolapamo, over alleged illegal possession of firearms. Trial judge, Justice A. Lewis -Allagoa's order was sequel to the proposed arraignment of Jolapamo by the police before another court over the alleged offence. It will be recalled that Justice Yelim Bogoro of another Federal High Court, Lagos had fixed December 2, for the arraignment of Jolapamo on a threecount charge of alleged unlawful possession of guns. However, Justice A. Lewis -Allagoa ruling on a motion ex-parte against the Inspector General of Police, Olufunke Otti Jolapamo and Attorney General of the Federation, ordered the parties to maintain status quo pending the determination of the suit against them. Jolapamo’s lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, had sought an order of interim injunction restraining IGP, AGF either by themselves, servants or privies from arranging his client, via charge No. FHC/L/404C/22, alleging illegal possession of firearms at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, pending the final determination of the origination motion, herein. At the resumed hearing of the suit, yesterday, only the applicant's lawyer, Falana was present and he informed the court that hearing notice was served on all the three respondents. Following the absence of the respondents' counsel in court, Falana prayed for short adjournment. After hearing the applicant's counsel, Justice Allagoa ordered that hearing notice be issued again and served on all the respondents, adjourned the matter till November 24, for hearing. Vigilante outfit rescues abducted Catholic priest By Vincent Ujumadu A Catholic priest, Rev. Cyril Okafor, who was allegedly kidnapped, on Tuesday, around the Holy Ghost Adoration Centre, Igboukwu, in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, has been rescued by members of the Umueri Vigilante Group. President-General of Umueri Community, Johnny Metchie, said the cleric was abducted at about 3 pm, on Tuesday, but rescued around 4:30am, on Wednesday, by the vigilante team who intercepted the kidnappers. He said: “The agile men of the Umueri vigilante group, led by the CSO, intercepted some kidnappers in Umueri and rescued a reverend Father, identified as Cyril Okafor. The Rev. Father was kidnapped on November 15, 2022, around Holy Ghost Adoration Centre, Igboukwu. According to the Rev. Father, who is now with the police at Otuocha Police Station, he was taken to Enugu and then to Nteje where they hoped to keep him in a hotel room, but the hotel was fully booked. “They then took him to Otuocha and kept him in an abandoned building, waiting for his family to pay a ransom, before the Umueri Vigilante CSO and his team intercepted one of the kidnappers who claimed he was a visitor on his way to pray in the river that early morning." :Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 RALLY—Pat Utomi (middle) with other members of Labour Party, during a rally calling on Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to reprint burnt PVCs ahead of the 2023 general elections. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan. Two killed in Bauchi commissioner's convoy By Charly Agwam Two people in the convoy of the Commissioner for Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bauchi State, Abdulrazak Zaki, lost their lives in an auto crash, Wednesday, while one other was injured. This was disclosed, yesterday, by the Sector Commander of the Corps in Bauchi State, Yusuf Abdullahi. The FRSC boss said that the fatal crash was caused by a speed violation, which led to a loss of control at Miya town, along Miya–Warji in Warji Local Government Area of Bauchi State, Doctor uses N50m mom's burial fund for scholarships By Peter Okutu ABAKALIKI—AN Ebonyi State medical doctor, Dr. Gideon Osi, yesterday, did the unthinkable, as he converted a contribution by his friends, for his mother's burial, into scholarship grants worth over N50 million to girls, women and other beneficiaries in the state. Announcing the donation during the burial ceremony of his late mother, Madam Rebacca Osi, in Ishiagu, Ivo Local Government Area of the state, Dr. Osi expressed concern over the inability of many girl child in the state to access basic and tertiary education and assured that the scholarship would assist the beneficiaries in their pursuit for education. He emphasised that the donations were made by his friends, members of different committees and associates in support of the burial of his mother, as Ataga: How Police forced me to sign statement —Chidinma By Henry Ojelu THE suspected killer of Super TV Chief Executive Officer, Usifo Ataga, Chidinma Ojukwu, yesterday, told a Lagos High Court, sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square, that Police forced her to sign a confessional statement. Ojukwu said this while giving evidence at the trial-within-trial to ascertain whether the statement she made was voluntarily made or coerced. The former 300-level Mass Communication undergraduate of the University of Lagos is standing trial for the alleged murder of Ataga. Ojukwu alongside one Adedapo Quadri and her sister, Chioma Egbuchu, is also charged with stealing and forgery. At the resumed trial, Ojukwu, who was involving five male adults. He said the government vehicle, a White Toyota Hilux with number plate: BA18 A08 collided with a commercial motorcyclist identified as Muhammad Muawuya. “There was a fatal crash, yesterday (Wednesday) at about 2:45 pm, involving a government vehicle and a commercial motorcycle. “The government vehicle, a White Toyota Hilux collided with a commercial Bajaj Boxer motorcycle ridden by one Muhammad Muawuya. “The crash was caused by a speed violation which resulted in a loss of over N50 million was realised accordingly. "N50 million have been put together for this event by my friends, associates, clubs and good-spirited Nigerians but I know that God has provided what will take Mama’s event to the level that she expected it. "So, I discussed with my wife and we decided that all that contribution, we will use it to train the children of the poor. We are going to go beyond Ishiagu and Ebonyi State. We will commit the entire fund, over N50million on scholarship in appreciation of Mama’s life. "More women will benefit from that scholarship programme, more girls because when you train a woman, the effect is too magnanimous." According to Osi, 46 graduates have so far been trained in different disciplines in the State adding that he decided to train the graduates to promote literacy and human capital development. led in evidence by Mr Onwunka Egwu, said that the two initial statements she wrote were torn and she was forced to sign the one written by ASP Olusegun Bamidele. She said that she was also forced to sign the one dictated to her by officer Olufunke Madeyinlo. The defendant, who testified as the defence witness one (DW1), told the court that Bamidele asked her to rehearse the statement and narrate it to the Commissioner of Police (CP). Ojukwu said that before she was taken to the CP’s office at Ikeja, her hands were handcuffed to the chair she sat in from June 23 till the next morning on June 24, 2021. "At DCP’s office, he asked me questions. I told him that I don’t know anything about the death of Mr Ataga, control and subsequently, a collision between the vehicle and the motorcycle at Miya town along Miya-Warji route, involving five male adults. “The victims, who were in the entourage of the Commissioner, Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Nuhu Zaki, were rushed to the Kafin Madaki General Hospital (by the Commissioner) for treatment and confirmation. “It was there in the hospital that a medical doctor confirmed two people dead. One other person sustained bruises and a fracture," he said. He opined that he wouldn't have been a graduate without a scholarship programme from the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, who gave scholarships to 200 persons when he was the Senate President of the country. Osi noted that having been trained through the scholarship scheme of Anyim, he needed to train others, to help the poor and needy in society. "Every community has poor people but among the poor people, there are the poorest of the poor. We are among those that are called the poorest of the poor such that even poor people called us poor. "We were so poor that we couldn’t afford food but God, through various people, we were able to solve that mystery and today, the story is long. "Today, I feel much more fulfilled watching my mother go home the way she wanted it. She always told me that there will be joy when she dies and now, it is exactly the way it is." that was when they made the video that was played in court. "The DCP said I should make my statement. IPO Bamidele, therefore, took me to the interrogation room with Mr Chris, gave me a blank statement form and asked me to write what happened. “As I started writing, Bamidele took my left hand and handcuffed it to the chair. I wrote what I narrated at the DCP’s office. While I was writing, Bamidele took the statement from me, read it and said it was not what happened. “I told him, sir, what I am writing is what happened. I also told him that I asked my father to call my lawyer, and he said my dad cannot make a call because he was in custody with them. I then started writing the statement. When he took the statement from me and said this is not what happened. I told him, sir, this is what Firm tells judge to recuse self over alleged meeting with Bawa AN oil firm, Nadabo Energy Limited, has asked a judge of an Ikeja High Court, Justice Christopher Balogun, to rescue himself from further presiding over a suit with case number ID/118C/2012, for allegedly meeting with Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Peters and his firm, NADABO Energy Limited, is being tried by the EFCC on a 27-count charge bordering on using forged documents to obtain N1.4billiom from the Federal Government as oil subsidy. The trial began on Dec. 10, 2012, and the EFCC has so far called five prosecution witnesses. The allegations of bias were made in an affidavit in support of a Motion on Notice sworn by Abubakar Peters, the Managing Director, Nadabo Energy Ltd and a defendant in the suit. According to the affidavit, Bawa on March 31 2022, minutes after giving evidence before the court had allegedly held a meeting with Balogun the presiding judge in the office of Justice Kazeem Alogba, the Chief Judge of Lagos State. Peters, in the affidavit, noted that several online publications widely reported the meeting and the EFCC, through their official Facebook page did not deny the meeting but rather described it as a "routine and courtesy visit". He said that the outrage generated over the meeting has cast doubt on the expected neutrality of Balogun to be an unbiased umpire in adjudicating the case. According to Peters, Bawa was a Principal Superintendent of the EFCC, when he investigated the N1.4 billion subsidy fraud allegations against him and as a result of his investigations, Bawa now elevated to the post of Chairman of the anti-graft agency is the star witness in the case. Bawa commenced his evidence-inchief as PW5 on June 3, 2015, and did not conclude till Dec. 20, 2021. According to the affidavit: "After his evidence-in-chief, the crossexamination by the defence counsel commenced immediately on Dec. 20, 2021. He subsequently testified under cross-examination on Jan. 25, March 31, 2022, and May 18, 2022. "After the court proceedings of March 31, 2022, I did not immediately leave the High Court premises at Ikeja, Lagos State. "On my way to the car park within the premises of the court, a few minutes after case number ID/ 118C/2012, wherein I'm standing trial was adjourned to 17 and 18 May 2022, I saw the trial judge, Justice C. A. Balogun exiting the office of the Chief Judge of the High Court of Lagos State." happened. I received two slaps from the back from Mr Jemiyo. “Jemiyo and Chris were sitting behind me. The only person facing me was Bamidele. He said, “you are going to write the truth”. He tore all the statements I had written and presented another blank statement form. I told him, sir, ‘I was writing the truth, you tore it. “He said if I do not comply, my Dad, 10-year-old sister and my relatives will be charged with this murder case.” She said that when another statement was read to her, she told the officer that it was not what happened but the officer said, “This is what you are going to say or else your family will be charged."
Vanguard, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2022 — 7 CONFERENCE— Mohammed Abdullahi, Minister of the Environment (left), and Dr. Ainojie Irune, President/CEO, Oando Clean Energy, during the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP27, in Egypt. :Vanguard News Insecurity: Nigerians suffering, weeping, wailing, moaning —NSA, Monguno •Pleads with Reps for more support to defeat terrorism •Says Buhari's desire is to hand over safer Nigeria to successor •Notes current wave of insecurity global •You must secure Nigeria during, after 2023 elections —Reps By Levinus Nwabughiogu ABUJA—THE National Security Adviser, NSA, Maj Gen Babagana Monguno, retd, yesterday pleaded with lawmakers in the House of Representatives to allocate more funds to fight insecurity in the country, saying Nigerians were suffering and needed help. He also told the lawmakers that the desire of President Muhammadu Buhari is to hand over a safer country to whosoever Nigerians would elect in the 2023 general elections to succeed him. The NSA, who made the appeal when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence for 2023 budget defence in Abuja, noted that achieving the immediate goal of defeating insecurity would, therefore, require the collective support of the parliament. ''We are appealing to you in good conscience, all of you represent different parts of this country and I know you have the interest of Nigeria at heart. Our people are suffering, they are weeping, they are wailing, they are moaning., they are gnashing their teeth. ''We must help them. We have our limitations as intelligence agencies. The rest can only be done through legislative drive.” While noting that insecurity was not peculiar to Nigeria but a global menace, the NSA said: "I must also say that the type of insecurity that confronts us is not peculiar just to Nigeria but it is a global thing. ''In today's context, we can only overcome this problem when we recognize the importance of intelligence as being the driver, the propellant of all activities in the whole of society's approach. It is important that all the problems I present are taken into consideration by these very important committee. ''We hinge all our hopes and aspirations on whatever action you would take in solving the myriad of problems that confront us. And I want to assure that the problems are quite enormous. “The successes we have been recording so far in overcoming the security challenges, especially in the last four to five months, are basically rooted in the efforts of the Department of State Services, DSS, National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Defence Intelligence Agency, DIA, having been able to provide timely intelligence to the operational element. ''I want to commend their efforts and I also want to, by extension, commend the efforts of their counterparts in the operational sphere. "Please, I want to put aside whatever other competing considerations there are. President Muhammadu Buhari has the desire to hand over to whoever is going to inherit what he is working on right now, a safer Nigeria. ''It is true and I have to be very honest with you that dealing with asymmetric warfare, overcoming asymmetric problems are completely different from what we experienced in the last century. “Everything revolves around intelligence. And the intelligence we are dealing with is a broad spectrum which goes all the way down to the local level. We deal with human beings. And if we are not supported in the right way, no matter how emotionally, how psychologically we are prepared, we cannot overcome this problem without legislative support. ''I am also happy to inform you that in the recently conducted ministerial retreat, which was organized by the office of the SGF on behalf of the president, the Senate President and speaker of the House who were there, I highlighted briefly some of the problems confronting us, :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 and they have all agreed to help us.'' Earlier in his remarks, Chairman of the House Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Sha'aban Ibrahim Sharada, charged the NSA and all security agencies to ensure the country is secure during and after the 2023 elections. He also said that the total budget of the intelligence community was slightly reduced from N212.76 billion in 2022 to N195.02 billion in 2023. “Despite the fact that this committee had appealed to the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to consider the removal of the agencies under the intelligence community from the envelope budgeting system to strengthen their operational capacity which could only be guaranteed through adequate funding, this committee would require the agencies to make a presentation of the 2023 estimates for further legislative action. “This methodology will also require analytical presentation of the status of implementation of the previous budget to justify the sustenance of the coming allocation which, in reality, does not call for any significant modification. By Johnbosco Agbakwuru ABUJA—CHAIRMAN of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, said yesterday that the number of governors being monitored by the commission for alleged money laundering suspicion has increased beyond the three earlier mentioned. Bawa disclosed this to State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari. He said for security reasons, he would not disclose the number and particulars of the governors, adding also that he would not want to be misrepresented. Recall that the EFCC boss had, about two weeks ago, hinted of the ''In this regard, it is deserving of appreciating the Federal Government, through its numerous security and intelligence agencies, in response to serious national security challenges such as kidnappings, banditry, terrorism, secession and border crimes. ''We are calling on you to put more efforts at ensuring a secured Nigeria, especially before, during and after the forthcoming elections. “The role of the government in ensuring the corporate unity of Nigeria and sustainable internal security, especially in recent times, cannot be over emphasized. And in the same vein, I have considered it most expedient to appreciate, in a large magnitude, the cooperation enjoyed by the committee from the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno, retd., who is also the coordinator of the Intelligence community; the DG NIA, Ahmed Rufai; DG DSS, Magaji Bichi; AVM Abdullahi, Commandant, Presidential Air Fleet; Mr Adeleke, Commandant, Institute for Security Studies, and other heads of security agencies in the last three and half years. “It is hoped that the relationship would be deepened to achieve the objectives of national security reforms as the 9th House of Representatives is approaching the end of its tenure," he said. Naira redesign: More govs now under EFCC watch —Bawa •Advises politicians to focus on issues; avoid illicit funds for campaigns commission's surveillance operations around three governors, whom he alleged were being watched over moves on money laundering, in the wake of the federal government’s plan to redesign and replace the naira. The anti-corruption Tzar also praised the new naira redesigning project, describing it as a significant process in the country’s fight against financial crimes and other forms of corruption. He said the huge amount of the country’s currency that had left the hold of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, made trailing financial crimes difficult, noting that the naira redesigning policy was an opportunity for the government to regain control over flow of cash in the country. He also reiterated that the new policy by the CBN, which had the blessing of President Buhari, would 2023: Drug abuse may limit impact of youths —Marwa By Dickson Omobola LAGOS—CHAIRMAN of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa, retd, has said Nigerian youths might not make the impact people envisaged in the 2023 general elections on account of drug abuse. Marwa, who spoke in Lagos, at the 10th Anniversary Lecture and Investiture into the Realnews Hall of Fame, themed: "Drug Abuse among Youths in Africa: Implication for Nigerian Economy and 2023 election," said with the upsurge of drug usage among youths, they might not be actively involved in the voting process. He said: "Nigerians are not ignorant about drug trafficking and drug abuse issues. The activities of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, in the past 22 months have given our society a clear picture, certainty and the severity of the drug problem in the country. "The arrest of 19, 341 drug offenders and subsequent conviction of 3, 111 in addition to the seizure of 5.5 million kilograms of assorted drugs in 22 months are incontrovertible facts of a deeply entrenched illicit drug subculture. Previously, many Nigerians found Credible polls: Obi-Datti charges Buhari, INEC to ‘walk the talk’ By John Alechenu ABUJA—THE Obi-Datti Media Office has urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, to back with action their promises of free, fair and credible elections in 2023. The Media Office, which made the appeal in a statement in Abuja yesterday, described the assurances given by both men in separate engagements about their commitment to free, fair and credible polls as refreshing and encouraging for the growth of democracy in Nigeria. The statement read: “President Buhari on a courtesy call at the palace of the Gbong Gwom of Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba last Tuesday said, ‘No election winner will be denied his mandate, irrespective of the party to which they belonged. “In an open letter to Nigerians to mark 100 days to the Presidential election on February 25 2023, INEC boss, Prof Yakubu said on Thursday, “Once again, another General Election is upon us, the 7th since the restoration of help to strengthen the naira, which would in turn impact positively on the economy, especially on foreign exchange. Bawa appealed to politicians to go about their campaigns without using illegitimate funds in their campaign finances. Asked if it was true that he was using the ''EagleEye'' to monitor governors wanting to use stashed funds to pay salaries, he said: “You are mixing two things. EagleEye is an app. It's a novel idea of the EFCC that we launched for the ease of reporting crime to us. "Nigerians can easily download it on their phones, either Android or Apple or whatever. And then of course, they can send in complaints to us through The EagleEye, you can even take pictures and send. “Let me use this opportunity to remind Nigerians that EagleEye is very important for those that are it hard to believe that illicit drugs such as cocaine and heroin are trafficked in and out of the country. But NDLEA has made huge seizures and there is no basis for scepticism anymore. "If anything, NDLEA activities since January 2021 have further reinforced the facts of Nigeria being an important hub in the global illicit drug network, and secondly, that our country is not only a transit pipeline but also a market. "Similarly, Nigerians cannot pretend now not to know that our young people are abusing illicit drugs because youths have an overt drug lifestyle. Youths of today promote the drug subculture. It is common nowadays to hear them say they want to be high. It is there on the street, in songs, in the chat rooms, in clubs and parties.” He said ‘it is disturbing that abusing marijuana and alcohol is the new normal for youths, especially the Gen Z and even the Millenials,” noting that "drugs and violence go hand in hand. We can recall the social upheaval caused in South-East states in the last quarter of 2021, when there was an outbreak of abuse of methamphetamine. That episode gave us a foresight of the kind of instability that could result from abuse of illicit drugs by young people. democracy in Nigeria in 1999. Over the last 23 years, we have made a steady progress in the twin areas of electoral reform and election administration. “Although a lot of work still lies ahead, it is generally acknowledged that our elections are getting better and citizens’ confidence in the process is increasing. “As I have said repeatedly, the Commission’s allegiance is to Nigeria. Our loyalty is to Nigerians who want free, fair, credible and verifiable elections supported by technology, which guarantees transparent accreditation and upload of polling unit results for citizens to view in real-time on election day. “It is for these reasons that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, and the INEC Result Viewing Portal, IreV, were introduced. There is no going back on the deployment of BVAS and IReV for the 2023 General Election.“ The Obi-Datti Media Office said it noted these assurances coming from the two most critical characters whose sincere guarantees and commitment will ensure for free, fair and credible elections in 2023. reporting the hoarders of these currencies that we know are out there. So that is one. "On the issue of the governors we are monitoring, in fact, the numbers have even increased. We are monitoring everything.” Bawa also lauded the proposal to redesign the naira, calling it a crucial step in the nation's fight against financial crime and other types of corruption. He said: “For politicians, the message is very clear. Of course, you know they should sell themselves, they should talk about issues. We want to hear about how they are going to solve problems, not what the problems are, I think it is very important and I think they are doing that. "Of course, we encourage that they shouldn't use illegitimate funds in their campaign finances and all of that.”
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