BREAKING: Reps pass vote of no confidence on Buhari's Minister

The House of Representatives has unanimously passed a vote of no confidence in the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and the Minister of State, Mr. Abubakar Bawa-Bwari. Both ministers shunned a sectoral debate on the steel sector scheduled today to find solutions to the troubled Ajaokuta Steel Plant. The motion on no confidence vote was moved by the Leader of the House, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila.

French Tourist Slept With 1400 Women, Impregnated 600 In Africa

A French tourist has admitted impregnating more than 600 women in six African countries within two years. Forty-year old Jean Michel made the revelation on an online news site “Africa24”. The six countries included Nigeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Togo, Ghana and Guinea. Why it matters: Many Africans see all westerners as very wealthy people who can change their lives. They easily give in to all their requests and desires and are taken advantage of. His confession has been translated from French to English by Simon Ateba in Washington, District of Columbia: “Good morning Africa 24, I have a confession to make about the havoc I have wreaked in six African countries, including Cameroon, Togo, Cote D’Ivoire, Nigeria, Ghana and Guinea. I am not proud of what I have done. These were unfortunate experiences. “In France where I hail from, I did not have money. I was very poor until one day I played and won lottery. I won 550 thousand euros. It was the largest sum of money I had received in life. “I did not know what to do, and a friend suggested we travel to Africa. We obtained all the documents, entry visa, and the rest, and our first stop was Ivory Coast. “In Abidjan (the capital of Ivory Coast), we rented a furnished apartment. We had money to spend and met Ivorian people and we became friends. They introduced young Ivorian girls to us, and that’s when it all started. “I began having sex with girls every day. Sometimes, I would sleep with three girls at the same time. It was a marvelous experience. “I worried less about my health. All I wanted was to have fun. My friends and I were in a night club in the town every day looking for girls. “One time, I met a girl and gave her money, and she told me to be engaged to her. She was ready to get pregnant for me. I don’t know whether it was the money they liked or the fact that I was from France that attracted them. “I spent three months in Ivory Coast, spent 60,000 euros and slept with more than 80 girls. “After leaving Ivory Coast, I went to Togo where I slept with over 100 girls and spent 40,000 euros. “I spent three months in Togo and went to Nigeria. “Nigeria was where I got more girls. I did not speak English, and it seems Nigerian girls love foreigners. “I rented a furnished apartment in Nigeria and I was in Lagos for six months. I spent 100,000 euros and slept with 230 girls. Nigeria was the place I appreciated the most. Girls were always available and easy to deceive. “From Nigeria, I went to Ghana, and then Cameroon and ended what I describe as my sex tour in Guinea. “I was in those three countries for more than a year and spent over 200,000 euros. If I told you I slept with more than 700 girls in those three countries, you won’t believe me, but it was unbelievable! “In all, I slept with more than 1,400 girls in six different African countries. I have all their pictures in my photo album, including the dates we met, their names and phone numbers. I opened a Facebook account only for them. “Since I returned to France, I have had more than 600 of them who told me they got pregnant for me. Some committed abortion, and I do not know exactly how many finally gave birth. “Africa is a marvelous continent. Girls are beautiful and very sexy. All they want is a man who has money, and the worst is when he’s white. “I realised that they love having mixed race babies. I do not know why, but many would do anything to get pregnant for you. 100 euros is plenty of money in Africa. “To summarise, I went on a sex tour in Africa, I slept with 1,400 girls in two years and more than 600 got pregnant. “I know many of you would judge me, but I do not care about your insults. I know that what I did is not good, but I enjoyed my stay in Africa, and I am planning another trip to Senegal, Mali, Gabon, Benin, Niger and Democratic Republic of Congo. “The day after I returned to France, I went to the hospital for medical exams, and luckily, I was HIV negative, and I did not have any other infectious disease. “My friend was also negative and we are planning another trip.

There is High Corruption in Nigeria - Amnesty International

LAGOS — Corruption is getting worse in Nigeria, according to the latest corruption perception index (CPI) released by Transparency International (TI) on Wednesday.
While the country scored 27/100 and was ranked 136th in 2016, the latest CPI scores Nigeria 28/100 but with a rank of No. 148 out of 180 countries surveyed — a significant 12 places below where it was the previous year.
This will come as a blow to the President Muhammadu Buhari administration who came into office on the strength of his anti-corruption credential.
Although the administration has put many suspects on trial and seized assets of politicians and government officials, it has also been accused of condoning corrupt practices by top government officials.
The index, which ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption in the opinion of experts and business people, uses a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean, according to TI.I
An analysis by TheCable shows that Kenya, which was rated more corrupt than Nigeria in 2016, has now overtaken the west African country, climbing to 143 from 145.
Other sub Saharan African countries ranked higher than Nigeria are Botswana — whose joint 34 rank is the best in Africa — as well as Rwanda (joint 48) and Nambia (joint 53).
Nigeria is ranked 148 along with Guinea and Comoros.
In 2015, Nigeria scored 26/100 and was ranked 136 — although only 168 countries and territories were surveyed then.
New Zealand maintains the No. 1 rank with a score of 89/100, Denmark No. 2 with 88, while Finland, Norway and Switzerland are joint No. 3 with 85.

Senate Suspends Senator Abdullahi Adamu

The Senator representing Nasarawa West Constituency , Senator Abdullahi Adamu has been suspended from his responsibilities as the Northern Senators Forum.
Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu who presided announced after close of plenary Tuesday. He is replaced by Senator Aliyu Wamakko.

Details soon.

Senate May Suspend Senator Omo Agege

The senate, yesterday, resolved to probe Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (APC, Delta) over his statement that the reordering of elections sequence was targeted at President Muhammadu Buhari. 

Oma-Agege had shortly after the passage of the amendment to the 2010 Electoral Act, told newsmen that the change in the sequence was targeted at Buhari.

Daily Trust recalls that Omo-Agege, with nine others: Senators Abdullahi Adamu, Malam Ali Wakili, Abu Ibrahim, Abdullahi Gumel, Binta Masi, Yahaya Abdullahi, Andrew Uchendu, Umaru Kurfi and Benjamin Uwajumogu had addressed the press where they expressed reservation over the change of elections sequence. 

During the briefing, Omo-Agege said, “You don’t make a law to target one person. The perception is that the law is targeted at the president. I will continue to protest it. I can tell you it will not become a law,” he said.

During yesterday’s plenary, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the FCT, Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi), raised a point of order demanding that Oma-Agege be probed.

Recall that it was Melaye that raised the point of order that led to the suspension of Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno) for six months in March last year. Ndume’s “offence” was his statement on Melaye and the Senate President, Bukola Saraki. 

Melaye said, “President Muhammadu Buhari is not only my party man; he is a president we all laboured to vote for. My colleague, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, addressed the media last week. He said the decision taken by this senate was targeted at President Buhari. 

“I cannot be part of any group of persons to move against the president; the allegations are weighty. I followed President Buhari to 35 states of the federation during the campaigns. 

“When I was following the president round the country, Omo-Agege was in the Labour Party (LP). To now allege and put the integrity of the senate under check that the amendment was tailored towards the president is unheard of; it is in bad taste,” he said.

“I want to ask that the statement made by Omo-Agege, among other statements, be investigated by the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions. They need to find out if our actions were targeted at the president, he added.”

The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary, referred the matter to the ethics committee, saying they should bring their report within two weeks. 

Senators Angry Over Demolition of Colleague's House by Gov El'Rufai

SENATORS were angry yesterday over the demolition of a house belonging to the Senator representing Kaduna North, Suleiman Hunkuyi, by the state government.

Senator Shehu Sani told his colleagues that Governor Nasir El-Rufai allegedly led a team of soldiers and policemen to 11, Sambo Road, Kaduna to demolish a house belonging to Hunkuyi.

Sani noted that it had become obvious that members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State “cannot accommodate somebody who has the tendencies of Adolf Hitler, Mobutu Sese Seko and Nebuchadnezzar.”

Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who presided, said that Sani’s report was not open to debate.

Ekweremadu said, “This is not open to debate. We need to condemn this action. I send my sympathies to Hukunyi. This democracy has no place for tyranny and impunity. If we decide to go on the road of democracy, we must accept some of the things that come with it. One is the rule of law. If we have any grievances, we should use the courts.

“This is why some Nigerians are opposed to the issue of immunity for public office holders. I think that this is something we need to watch. As we approach 2019 general elections, we must appeal to politicians not to overheat the polity and imperil our democracy. I hope this should be the last. Our courts can be trusted to deliver justice. We hope this will not happen again.”

Sani told the Senate: “I stand to formally report something. As early as 4am on Tuesday, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State led a team of soldiers and policemen to Number 11, Sambo Road in the state. He supervised the demolition of our new APC office. The said property belongs to Senator Suleiman Hukunyi (Kaduna North).

“This is coming one year after the same governor demolished a house belonging to the vice chairman of APC in North West, Abdulkadir. This is a series of brigandage and tyranny carried out by the governor against opposition voices.

“Governor El-Rufai is an affliction on the Kaduna State. He is a curse to us. We want to call on Buhari to caution his son. If this crisis is not nipped in the bud, it will grow into something bigger. We in Kaduna State cannot accommodate somebody who has the tendencies of Adolf Hitler, Mobutu Sese Seko and Nebuchadnezzar.”

Speaking to reporters in Abuja, Sen. Hunkuyi described the demolition as “bizarre, rare and unimaginable decisions”.

“My property, which doubles as the state APC office in Kaduna is part of my contribution to the party; the structure of leadership of the party has been brought down.

“This action was carried out with his supervision. I have no case, I have forgiven him as a person. I am not joining issues with him, and he is my brother.

“There are concurrent issues that go with his act. What will he be doing at the site at that time of the day?

“To me, if the intention is to shut Hunkuyi down, it has given me more reason to believe and stand strongly with majority of the electorate. This should not have happened but it has happened. Let that be an incident for growth of democracy in my constituency.

“Should I bear the consequences of bringing him to leadership? Is it too much price to pay? People like that have no business in executive position.”

BREAKING: Okonjo Iweala Lands Common Wealth Appointment

Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has been appointed into a High Level Group on Governance of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Prof. Ben Maloney, Communications Officer, Commonwealth Secretariat, said in a statement that the High Level Group would make recommendations on governance of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

The Commonwealth, however, denied that the group was constituted to secretly begin considering who might succeed the Queen as its head.

“At their last Summit in Malta, Commonwealth heads of government directed the Secretary-General to form the Group.

“Today members are discussing the scope of the group’s work and the areas of governance it will examine over the coming months.

“The process is open and the High Level Group reports to the heads.

“The issue of succession of the Head of the Commonwealth is not part of the Group’s mandate,” the statement said.

The group is chaired by Anote Tong, former President of Kiribati from 2003 to 2016.

Okonjo-Iweala, the Coordinating Minister of the Economy during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, is among the seven-member group.

Others are Lord Howell, former British Energy Secretary; Louise Frechette, former UN Deputy Secretary-General; and Robert Hill, former Australian Defence Minister.

Dame Miller, former Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados and Dr George Vella, former Foreign Minister of Malta are also members of the group.

The group operates independently of the London-based Commonwealth Secretariat and would report only to the heads of Commonwealth governments.

However, further members may be appointed, the Secretariat said.

The group is expected to report to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London in April, which is likely to be the last that the Queen would attend. (NAN)

BOKO HARAM: 94 Girls Still Missing In Yobe School Attack

Ninety four 94 students are missing after suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked a girls’ secondary school in Yobe state Monday night, Dailytrust is reporting.

The attack on Government Girls Secondary School Dapchi came after sunset when some of the students were breaking their fast which they usually observe on Mondays.

A source in the school told Daily Trust yesterday that the number of missing students was established in the afternoon after a head count.  

“After the roll call, 610 out the total number of 704 students have returned. We are still searching for the remaining 94 students”, he said.

On whether the students were abducted, he said: “We cannot say, because the insurgents went into the students’ hostel, and many of these students scaled the fence and escaped into the bushes. No one can tell if they are abducted or not.”

He said some parents had reported to the school authorities that their children, who fled into the bushes, had returned home safely.

 “We are calling on parents to help the school update its list by reporting immediately their children arrived home safely”, he said.

The Yobe State Police Commissioner Abdumaliki Sunmonu said no case of abduction had been established yet.

The State Commissioner of Education, Lawan Ali, who is outside the state for official assignment, said senior officials from the ministry had been dispatched to the school.

“The team is profiling the students to know those who are missing? And, how many of them were able to return or ran home to their families,” he said.

The attack evoked memories of the kidnapping of 276 girls from Chibok Girls Secondary School by the insurgents on April 14, 2014. 

A teacher in the school, who escaped the attack, said the insurgents stormed the school around 7:00pm through the eastern part of the town.

Parent besiege school as early as 6am

Parents besieged the school as early as 6:00am to know the whereabouts of their children. 

One of the parents, Lamuwa Yadi, said he has two daughters in the school but could only find one of them. "We have no idea where she's now, her sister said they were at the hall when the insurgents struck, and it was the last time she saw her. 

"We are calling on the state and the federal government to act fast before it gets worst."

A mother of one of the students, Amina Usama, who could not trace her daughter, said she cannot forgive herself at the turn of event.

"I forced her to go back to school against her wish, unknown to me that this calamity is awaiting her here. My daughter always complained that there was no security in the school", she said 

Government shuts down school 

The Yobe State government has closed the school for one week and send the students home so as ease tension  

Announcing the closure, the state commissioner of Education, Alhaji Mohammed Lamin, who was represented by his permanent secretary, called on the parents to take solace as the government is doing its best to search for the missing students.

He said that over ninety percent of the students have returned to the school while others have reached their parent safely.

Students vows not to return

Some of the students told Daily Trust that they would not return to the school until government stations security operatives in the school.

Maimuna Lawan, an SSS3 student said the insurgents stormed the gate around 6:30pm, “They were shouting that we should not run. We got terrified by the gunshots and scale the fence, we are not sure if they abducted some student but we suspected they did because, they were calling some students when I ran away"

Meanwhile the Local Government chairman, Alhaji Zannah said he had sent security personnel to trace those still missing "We believed they are in the bush and we will intensify our search until we find them, God willing" he said.

FG Rejects Cattle Colonies

No regrets whatsoever - Wike

The House of Representatives which is an equal organ of the Government has thrown its weight  behind the establishment of cattle ranches across the country, as panacea to clashes between herdsmen and farmers.

The House adopted a motion on the need to educate herdsmen on the benefits of ranching, specifically opted for the establishment of cattle ranches across the country.

Consequently, the Green Chamber urged the Executive to liaise with interested states and work out modalities of establishment of  ranches.

The House also directed the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources to liaise with state Ministries of Agriculture to urgently educate  and encourage herdsmen on the benefits of ranching.

The chamber urged government to consider a soft loan scheme for herders, to enable them buy land as incentive to embrace ranching.

The House mandated its Committee on Agriculture Production and Services to ensure implementation of the resolution and report back within eight weeks, for further legislative action.

In his lead debate, sponsor of the motion, Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo said most of the clashes between herdsmen and farmers across the country were fallout of the herders roaming about in search of pastures for their cattle and in the process trespassing into farmlands and damaging crops.

Onawo said the incessant clashes  between herdsmen/ farmers across the country has presented  serious security challenges for the nation. Besides, the lawmaker argued that open grazing also exposes the herdsmen to dangers, as they sometimes fall prey to cattle rustlers and kidnappers.

He contended that the decision of the government to set up cattle colonies across the country as a measure to stop herdsmen/ farmers clash is a “violation of  Section 42 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and the Land Use Act.”

Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, declared that he would not apologise to anyone for rejecting cattle colony in the state. 

Wike stated this yesterday, during a solidarity rally organised by Rivers East senatorial district, at Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia, Port Harcourt.

GRAZING LAW: Taraba Backs Down

Taraba Governor, Darius Ishaku, has agreed to suspend and, in the process, receive the state’s grazing law. The Sun reports.

Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, disclosed this in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor, yesterday.

Umahi said Ishaku,  as well the leadership of Miyetti Allah,  farmers and stakeholders agreed to review the grazing law in the state.

He also said end to intermittent clashes between farmers and herdsmen across the country, especially in Benue,  Nasarawa and Taraba states, are in sight, following a ceasefire agreement reached by the parties in the affected states, to drop their weapons and return to table for dialogue. 

As part of the National Economic Council (NEC) sub-committee set up by the Federal Government,  led by Umahi, on fact-finding mission to Taraba state, yesterday, both farmers and herdsmen agreed ceasefire and return to the negatiation table, to enable the committee broker final peace. 

Addressing the media at the Executive Council chambers in Jalingo, Umahi said after several hours of meetings and deliberations involving farmers,  leaders of Miyetti Allah,  Taraba state government and the House of Assembly,  the committee was able to plead with Ishaku and Speaker  Peter Abel Diah to revisit the anti-open grazing law, to accomodate Fulani herdsmen. 

Governor Umahi further disclosed that in the cause of a closed-door meeting with security chiefs in the state,  it was discovered that the latest crisis at the Mambilla Plateau hadnothing to do with farmers and herdsmen clash but was purely a land issue which he said the state government has shown enough commitment to solving. 

The governor blamed the leadership and members of Miyetti Allah for boycotting the public hearing on the grazing law, which he identified as one the problems that culminated into the crisis,  and cited  ignorance of the said law as another reason why the crisis persisted. 

“We are here as part of fact-finding, to ascertain the remote cause of the crisis between farmers and herdsmen across the state. In the cause of our assignment,  we met with the Taraba state government led by governor  Darius Ishaku,  the leadership of Miyetti Allah,  farmers, stakeholders and security agents and we arrived a far-reaching solution to the crisis and the parties agreed that there should be ceasefire and that all the parties should dialogue.

“There were so many issues raised and the committee, after much deliberation with those concerned, was able to make some recommendations, including our request for some amendment to some sections of the law which the herders considered against them. 

“We agreed that all cases pending in court be withdrawn, to enable the committee conclude their assignment,” Umahi said.

The governor also said the herdsmen agreed to observe ranching but requested that state and federal governments should come to their aid, to adapt to the new exercise,  and added that the herdsmen should start making use of already-existing ranching facilities in Mambilla while the state government start  the pilot ranching programme in the three senatorial districts of the state. 

BREAKING - Police Arrests Gang Leader of Benue Killings

The suspects were also arrested over the killings of Sgt Solomon Dung and other police officers. The command said the arrest was in line with the directives of IGP Ibrahim Idris who had ordered that all Persons involved in the killings in Benue state and those in possession of AK47 Rifles and other prohibited arms should be arrested, TVC news reports.

The Eagle Online reports that those arrested were Alhaji Laggi, 40, the mastermind and gang leader of the herdsmen group, Mallam Mumini Abdullahi, 34; Muhammed Adamu, 30; and Ibrahim Sule, 32. The suspects who were said to have confessed to the killings and mentioned gang members in possession of police rifles they took from the slain officers and others in possession of arms were arrested in Tunga town in Nasarawa state between February 16 and 19, 2018 by the IRT. 

The attackers invaded five villages in Guma and logo local governments where they killed 73 persons and displaced 50,000 others. 

Idris, who paid a courtesy call on the Tor Tiv, James Ayatse in Makurdi, said that security agents were already combing all corners toward apprehending the gunmen. He called on traditional rulers to cooperate with security agencies in the efforts to restore law and order in Benue. The police boss said that operational numbers had been released to the general public and urged the monarch to mobilise his subjects to use them to assist the police. Idris condoled the people over the human and material losses, and promised to ensure an end to such carnage. 

Buhari's Govt. Abandoned My Husband After 2015 Election Victory - Senator Remi Tinubu

As the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, begins to reconcile warring sides in the ruling party, his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has decried that her husband was “trashed” after the party won the 2015 elections.

President Muhammadu Buhari had mandated Tinubu to reconcile aggrieved party members ahead of the 2019 general elections, an assignment the former governor of Lagos State has since begun.

El'Rufai Demolishes APC Faction Office that Suspended Him

Incoming reports say that the Kaduna State government has demolished a building housing the offices of a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

The building is said to be owned by the APC factional leader, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi representing Kaduna North.

The faction had only two days ago, announced that it had suspended the governor, Mallam Nasir El’Rufai for failing to respond to a query that was issued to him.

details soon

Nigerians Are Now Denying Ownership of Their Properties.

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said that all looted assets recovered would be sold and the proceeds deposited in the treasury.

The President told members of Daura Emirate coalition who paid him a condolence visit at his country home, Daura, Katsina State, that many suspected looters of government resources had been denying ownership of their ill-gotten assets.

He said he was not surprised by the increasing number of those denying ownership or disclaiming the properties traced to them by the anti-corruption agencies.

“Some years back one of my schoolmates in the primary school who worked at a cottage company before his demise predicted that we will come to a situation when looters will deny their loot in Nigeria.

“So, as a civil servant, you have 10 houses in Abuja and even in Kaduna and abroad, the more you show them the properties the more they will swear that it does not belong to them.

“And we are still following the process; you know democracy, you have to follow due process and respect the rule of law.

“If you are following, you will hear that some of these looters were arrested, and for those who deny their loot, then instead of what happened before, this time around we will sell those stolen properties and the proceeds will be deposited in government treasury,’’

“If the money is in the government treasury I will see who will come back after we’ve left and reclaim them,’’ he said.

The President pledged that government would ensure availability of fertiliser and other farm inputs to sustain the success recorded in the previous farming seasons.

Buhari said: “Please tell Nigerians that we are trying our best, and I thank God, the rainy season is blossom. We will try to add more money to farmers, and ensure the availability of fertiliser and other farm inputs.

Boko Haram Wrecks Havoc On Girls School In Yobe State.

Boko Haram jihadists launched an attack on a girls boarding school in northeast Nigeria but the students and teachers fled to safety, witnesses said Monday.

A convoy of fighters in pickup trucks descended on Dapchi village in the Bursari area of Yobe state around 6 pm (1700 GMT) targeting the school, resident Sheriff Aisami told AFP.

“When they stormed the village they began shooting and setting off explosives,” Aisami said.

“This drew the attention of the girls in the Girls Science Secondary School, so the girls and the teachers were able to escape before the attackers got into the school.”

Unable to kidnap the girls, the Boko Haram fighters looted the school before fleeing.

“There was an attack on the girls secondary school in Dapchi by BokoHaram,” said a member of a local civilian militia battling the extremists.

“Obviously the attack was meant to abduct school girls but luckily they found none of the girls as they were taken away by teachers before they arrived,” said the militia member, who declined to provide his name for safety reasons.

“Military jets were deployed and are in pursuit”, he added.

It’s unclear whether anyone was killed in the violence.

The attack recalls Boko Haram’s audacious kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok in April, 2014.

The kidnapping drew the world’s attention to the jihadist insurgency in northeast Nigeria.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, a former general, came to power in 2015 on a platform promising to stamp out the Islamist movement.

But despite retaking swathes of territory from Boko Haram, the group continues to stage attacks targeting both civilians and military targets, and frequently uses young girls as suicide bombers.

Since 2009, the Boko Haram insurgency has left at least 20,000 dead and made over 2.6 million more homeless.

AFP.

Governor's SA Kills Own Daughter

Mr. Abdullahi Darma, Governor Aminu Masari’s Special Assistant on Religious Affairs, is reported to have accidentally crushed his daughter, Aisha, with his car.
Punch reported that the incident occurred at Darma’s Katsina house while he was reversing the vehicle. The governor’s aide did not know that the toddler was behind the car.
“The car ran over the girl and she died on the spot,” punch reported.

Darla also posted news of the tragic incident on Facebook, which elicited an outpouring of condolences from sympathisers and associates, many of who also besieged his residence to commiserate with him.
“A few minutes ago, I got tested by God. I was reversing my car when I crushed my daughter mistakenly and she died,” he said in Hausa in the Facebook post.
NAN.

MALABU: I Will Stop Diezani, Adoke's Trials - Malami.

The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has written to President Muhammadu Buhari, urging him to back off on his administration’s legal battles against the principal actors in the controversial Malabu Oil deal, Premium times reports.

The raging scandal over the OPL 245 oil block began in 2011 when the Goodluck Jonathan administration approved its purchase by Shell and Agip-Eni from Malabu Oil and Gas Ltd., a suspected briefcase firm with ties to Dan Etete, a convicted criminal who was Nigeria’s petroleum minister from 1995 to 1998.

The Jonathan administration officials who participated in the negotiation preceding the controversial sale of the massive oil block included Mohammed Bello Adoke, Attorney-General at the time; and Diezani Alison-Madueke, who was petroleum minister.

Mr. Jonathan himself was named by investigators as being involved in the alleged fraud, but the former president strongly denies the charges.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been pursuing fraud and criminal conspiracy charges against Mr. Adoke, Mr. Etete and their alleged accomplices since 2016. Messrs. Adoke and Etete are believed to be at large, and the anti-graft agency had repeatedly sought to fish them out.

Messrs Adoke, Etete, Alison-Madueke and all other officials named in the scandal have denied wrongdoings.

Mr. Adoke said the sale was approved to save Nigeria from huge financial losses that could arise from international arbitration lawsuits.

In his letter to Mr. Buhari, Mr. Malami said, following due examination of the case files. he was able to determine that the EFCC has no significant evidence to prove its allegations of sharp practices against prominent players like Bello Adoke, Diezani Alison-Madueke and others.

Besides, Mr. Malami said, the Nigerian government risks being portrayed before the international community and foreign investors as an unserious country that could not be trusted to live up to its obligations to international partners.

“Clearly, potential investors will not have the confidence to invest in Nigeria if the government of the country is perceived as one which does not honour its commitments,” Mr. Malami said of the OPL 245 oil deal which was approved by at least three former Nigerian Attorney-Generals.

The September 27, 2017 letter advised the president to pursue Nigeria’s possible investment in the disputed oil blocks rather than trying to repossess it or prosecute former Nigerian government officials or Shell or Agip-Eni chiefs involved in the deal.

PREMIUM TIMES recently obtained a copy of the letter, but excerpts of it were published by The Cable earlier this month.

It came as the EFCC ramps up legal efforts towards bringing Mr. Adoke back into Nigeria to face prosecution.

But Mr. Malami insisted that the anti-graft office is on a wild goose chase and that the president should immediately intervene to save Nigeria from international embarrassment and reputation damage.

“There is nothing to show that the parties as constituted were at all times working together and having ‘meeting of the mind’ to wit to forge CAC documents and use some for the purpose of divesting the shares of the complainants and thereafter enter into a settlement agreement with FGN and other parties to take delivery of the proceeds of sale OPL 245.

“There is also nothing in the proof of evidence to support the charge money laundering and it is therefore impossible for the prosecution to prove the elements which include illicit funds, transfer for such through various channels to re-introduce same again into the regular financial system as legitimate funds in financial institutions etc.

“Without the express proof of these elements, the count may not be sustained on the premise of the attached proof of evidence.

“The EFCC investigation and attached proof of evidence do not appear to have clearly revealed the case of fraud against the parties who claimed to have acted in their official capacities with the approval of three consecutive presidents of the federal government of Nigeria at the time with further claim that the matter was intended to be resolved in national interest thereby saving the nation acrimonious litigations resulting in high legal fees and the dormancy of the oil field while litigation lasted,” Mr. Malami said.

Mr. Malami said Nigeria should take advantage of some favourable clauses in the agreement that allowed for government’s ownership of a part of the oil field.

“Your Excellency, the beneficial approach I counsel in the circumstances is for the federal government to take advantage of the terms of the agreement under clauses five and 11 to acquire a stake in the OPL 245 converting it to a production sharing contract (PSC) between FGN/NNPC, Shell and Agip after negotiating with the ENI/Shell to absorb the cost of the FGN/NNPC entry under the said clauses five and 11 through the PSC mechanism,” Mr. Malami said.

Read the full text of the letter below:

RE: FORWARDING OF CASE FILE IN RESPECT OF CHARGE NO. FHC/ABJ/CR/268/17 AND FCT/HC/CR/124/2017 MALABU OIL & GAS LTD

May I refer Your Excellency to the above subject matter, please.

2. This case file was received from the EFCC in a letter dated 21st December, 2016 for vetting and further directive. Having fully examined the entire case file I am inclined to request you to note the following and direct accordingly.

3. A curious observation of the entire Malabu story clearly indicates that there are the civil and criminal aspects to the case.

4. The civil aspect bothers on the skirmishes between the directors of the company which led to the claims that shares of the same directors were divested without their consent thereby taking over their interest. Having examined the cases it is important to note that the cases are pending before the courts and therefore sub-judice; the FGN should await the outcome of the cases- Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/201/2017 MALABU OIL & GAS LTD vs. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA AND & 6 ORS; and Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/206/2017 MALABU OIL & GAS LTD vs. MR KWEKU AMAFAGHA & 9 ORS.

5. In the criminal case, the aggrieved parties through their lawyers petitioned the EFCC against some directors of Malabu Oil and Gas alleging fraudulent divestment of their shares and subsequently depriving them of their benefits in the sale of OPL 245. EFCC investigated the case and filed nine-count charge dated 16th September, 2016.

6. Attached to the charge are a proof of evidence, case summary and list of witnesses in support of the counts which bother on fraud, conspiracy and money laundering.

Regarding the criminal charge. Your Excellency is invited to note that the charge as presently constituted may most likely not succeed against the parties for the following reasons:

a. There is nothing to show that the parties as constituted were at all times working together and having a ‘meeting of minds’ to wit; to forge CAC documents and use same for the purpose of divesting the shares of the complainants and thereafter, enter into a settlement agreement with FGN and other parties to take delivery of the proceeds of sale of OPL 245.

b. There is also nothing in the proof of evidence to support the charge money laundering and it is therefore impossible for the prosecution to prove the elements which include illicit funds, transfer for such through various channels to re-introduce same again into the regular financial system as legitimate funds in financial institutions etc. Without the express proof of these elements, the count may not be sustained on the premise of the attached proof of evidence.

c. The EFCC investigation and attached proof of evidence do not appear to have clearly revealed the case of fraud against the parties who claimed to have acted in their official capacities with the approval of three consecutive presidents of the federal government of Nigeria at the time with further claim that the matter was intended to be resolved in national interest thereby saving the nation acrimonious litigations resulting in high legal fees and the dormancy of the oil field while litigation lasted.

d. In this regard, the Public Officers Protection Act CAP P41 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 limits liability of Public Officers to a period of three months much naturally come to mind considering their claim that the acts which are complained of were authorised by the three presidents before this current administration.

7.”Your Excellency, the beneficial approach I counsel in the circumstances is for the federal government to take advantage of the terms of the agreement under clauses five and 11 to acquire a stake in the OPL 245 converting it to a production sharing contract (PSC) between FGN/NNPC, Shell and Agip after negotiating with the ENI/Shell to absorb the cost of the FGN/NNPC entry under the said clauses five and 11 through the PSC mechanism,” Mr. Malami said.

8. The idea of revisiting the settlement agreement which resulted in the sale of the oil field to SNUD, SNEPCO and NAE is not workable. It is important in this regard for His Excellency to note the following:

a. The agreement was executed by the highest authority in Nigeria and remains sacrosanct unless it is eventually set aside by the decision of a competent court of law and denying the parties immediate benefit of reaping the fruit of their investments. The agreement has its mechanism for compensation in the event of any of the rights conferred to ENI or SHELL are challenged or violated. For the FGN to revisit the agreement, the consent of Shell and ENI will be required.

It is very unlikely that the consent will easily be obtained but rather they would rely on the protection afforded in the contract, and any unilateral effort by FGN to vary the terms of the agreement would probably open up a new bout of litigation, deter further investment, give rise to a claim for damages and payment of huge legal fees. Your Excellency may wish to note some of the FGN’s representations and assurances in the clauses 12, 13 and 17 of the agreement.

“12. FGN confirms that the terms of this FGN resolution agreement have been agreed by all the appropriate agencies of the FGN including the Ministry of Finance and the Federal Inland Revenue Service.’

“13. FGN acknowledges that, in entering into this FGN resolution agreement, the other parties have relied on its expressed or implied representation before the signature of this FGN resolution agreement regarding the efficacy of the terms thereof.”

“17. FGN shall indemnify, save and hold harmless, and defend SNUD, SNEPCO and NAE from and against all suits, proceedings, claims, demands losses and liability of any nature or kind, including, but not limited to, oil litigation costs, attorneys’ fees, settlement payments, damages, and all other related costs and expenses, based on, arising out of, related to or in connection with: (i) this FGN resolution agreement. (ii) the resolution agreement/ (iii) the issuance of the oil prospecting license in respect of Block 245 jointly in the name of SNEPCO and NAE and arising out of any asserted prior interest in Block 245.”

9. The above commitments are binding on the FGN. ENI/Shell legitimately expects that the FGN would respect the commitments. Failure by the FGN to respect them would cast Nigeria in a very bad light internationally and negatively impact the FGN’s quest for foreign investments. Clearly, potential investors will not have the confidence to invest in Nigeria if the government of the country is perceived as one which does not honour its commitments (captured in an agreement signed by three of its ministers).

10. ENI/Shell claims to have invested in excess of US $2.5 billion in OPL 245 from 2011 to date and as such would seek the protection of international law, including applicable investment treaties which prohibit the unreasonable, unfair and inequitable treatment of their investments and could expose FGN to international arbitration involving multi-billion dollars claims.

11. As the FGN/NNPC relies on the provisions of the resolution agreement, charges preferred against ENI/Shell companies and employees would necessarily have to be withdrawn as continuing with the charges will be inconsistent with the spirit of the relevant clauses of the resolution agreement which will enable FGN to obtain immediate interest in OPL 245. Regardless, as submitted in paragraph five and six above, the charges as constituted and filed by the EFCC are unsustainable.

12. Accept the assurances of my warm regards and loyalty, always.

Abubakar Malami, SAN

Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation & Minister of Justice.

DPPA/FMPR/198/17

September 27, 2017.