2014 Immigration Jobs scandal: Court sends Abba Moro to prison

Abba Moro (2nd right)

Judge to hear bail plea tomorrow

Former Minister of Interior Abba Moro and a Deputy Director in the ministry, F. O Alayebami were yesterday remanded in Kuje prison, Abuja.

A Federal High Court in Abuja said they are to remain in prison custody pending the determination of their bail applications tomorrow.

Justice Anwuli Chikere gave the order shortly after Moro, Alayebami, former Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Anastasia Daniel-Nwobia and a firm, Drexel Global Tech Nigeria Limited, were arraigned on an11-count charge.

The judge allowed Mrs Daniel-Nwobia to remain on the administrative bail granted herý by the prosecuting agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on February 22.

Mrs. Daniel-Nwobia, according to her lawyer, ý Chris Uche (SAN), who asked that she should be allowed to remain on the earlier bail, is a “nursing mother” and a “victim of circumstance”.

The defendants, who are being prosecuted in respect of the botched March 15, 2014 National Immigration Services (NIS) recruitment, were charged with obtaining money by false pretence, procurement fraud and money laundering.

They were accused of defrauding 675, 675 graduate applicants of about N675,675,000 having been made to pay N1000 each as processing fees for 5,000 job openings.

They were accused of breaching the Public Procurement Act No. 65 of 2007 in the award of the contract for the organisation of the recruitment test to Drexel Tech Nigeria Ltd.

They pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read.

Prosecution lawyer Aliyu Yusuf applied for a trial date.

Defence lawyers said they had filed bail applications for the clients .But Yusuf said he was just served with the applications and needed time to respond, following which Justice Chikere adjourned till tomorrow to hear the bail applications.

Some of the charges against them are:

“That you Abba Moro, Anastasia Daniel-Nwobia, F.O Alayebami, Mahmood Ahmadu (at large) and Drexel Tech Nigeria Ltd on or about the 17th of March 2013 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud conspired to induce a total number of 676,675 Nigerian job applicants seeking employment with Nigerian Immigration Service to deliver property to wit: cumulative sum of N676, 675,000 which sum represents the sum of N1, 000 per applicant under the false pretence that the money represents payment for their online recruitment exercise into Nigerian Immigration Service and which pretence you knew was false, contrary to Section 8 and 1(1) (b) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, No. 14 of 2006

“That you Abba Moro, Anastasia Daniel Nwobia, F.O Alayebami, Mahmood Ahmadu (at large) and Drexel Tech Nigeria Ltd on or about the 17th of March 2013 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud conspired to induce a total number of 676,675 Nigerian job applicants seeking employment with Nigerian Immigration Service to deliver property to wit: cumulative sum of N676, 675,000 which sum represents the sum of N1, 000 per applicant under the false pretence that that you have followed the necessary procedure and that the money represents epayment for their online recruitment exercise into Nigerian Immigration Service and which pretence and you knew was false, contrary to Section 8 and 1(1) (b) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, No. 14 of 2006.

“That you Abba Moro, Anastasia Daniel Nwobia, and F.O Alayebami on or about the 30th of April 2013 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did award contract for the provision of online enlistment and recruitment services to Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited without advertising the contract contrary to Section 45 and punishable under Section 58(5) of the Public Procurement Act, No. 65 of 2007.

“That you Abba Moro, Anastasia Daniel Nwobia, and F.O Alayebami on or about the 30th of April 2013 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did award contract for the provision of online enlistment and recruitment services to Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited without Needs Assessment and Procurement Plan, contract contrary to Section 16(1) (b) and Section 18 of the Public Procurement Act, No. 65 of 2007 and punishable under Section 58 of the same Act.

“That you Abba Moro, Anastasia Daniel Nwobia, and F.O Alayebami on or about the 30th of April 2013 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did award contract for the provision of online enlistment and recruitment services to Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited to develop recruitment portal through selective tendering process by inviting four (4) firms without seeking approval of the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) contrary to sections 40, 42 and 43 of the Public Procurement Act, No. 65 of 2007 and punishable under Section 58 of the same Act.

“That you Abba Moro, Anastasia Daniel Nwobia, and F.O Alayebami on or about the 30th of April 2013 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did award contract for the provision of online enlistment and recruitment services to Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited and signed by unregistered Drexel Tech Global Nigeria Limited when you knew that Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited was not responsive to mandatory prequalification contrary to sections 50(5) and 51 of the Public Procurement Act, No. 65 of 2007 and punishable under Section 58 of the same Act.

“That you Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited and Mahmood Ahmadu (At large) on or about the 17th of March 2015 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court converted the sum of N202, 500,000 part of the N676, 675,000 obtained from 676,675 Nigerian job applicants seeking employment with Nigerian Immigration Service to buy property No. 1, Lahn Crescent Maitama, Abuja with the aim of disguising the illicit origin of the said sum, knowing same to be proceeds of illegal activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

“That you Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited and Mahmood Ahmadu (At large) on or about the 17th of March 2015 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court converted the sum of N120, 100,000 being part of the N676, 675,000 obtained from 676,675 Nigerian job applicants seeking employment with Nigerian Immigration Service to upgrade property No.2 Sigure Close, Off Monrovia Street, Wuse II Abuja with the aim of disguising the illicit origin of the said sum knowing same to be proceeds of illegal activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

“That you Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited and Mahmood Ahmadu (at large) on or about the 17th of March 2015 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court converted the sum of N101, 200,000 being part of the N676, 675,000 obtained from 676,675 Nigerian job applicants seeking employment with Nigerian Immigration Service to United States dollars for your personal use knowing same to be proceeds of illegal activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”

Source: The Nation

Detained Badeh begs court for bail

Alex Badeh

• Hinges application on ill-health
• Court to rule March 4

Immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (rtd) has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to grant him bail on health grounds.

Badeh has been in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Lagos since February 8, 2016 when he honoured the agency’s invitation for questioning.

Badeh is accused of complicity in an alleged fraudulent transactions involving the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

Badeh’s request is contained in a bail application he filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja.

After the hearing arguments on the application on Monday, Justice James Tsoho fixed March 4 for ruling.

Arguing the application on Monday, applicant’s lawyer, Samuel Zibiri (SAN), who filed the bail application dated February 15, said though the EFCC had granted his client bail, the ex-CDS could not meet it because of the “onerous conditions” attached to it.

He said his client was recovering from a recent surgery and also had a history of kidney stone.

Zibiri hinged the application on Section 35(4) and Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution and sections 158, 162 and 165(1) (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

He urged the court to grant bail to his client on self recognizance, or on such favourable and liberal terms as the court might deem fit ‎to make.

Zibiri equally prayed the court to grant him bail pending the completion of  investigation by the EFCC and/or arraignment before this court.

Badeh’s lawyer argued  that the  alleged case of fraud for which his client was invited was a bail able offence.

“There is no reason for, or any likelihood that the applicant will jump bail, escape from Justice, interfere with witnesses or investigation if same is still ongoing, or the course of justice upon his being granted bail.

“The applicant has no criminal antecedent or records. The applicant owing to his status in the society can be granted bail on self recognizance, or on the most liberal of terms, as he will be available to attend any invitation by the respondents at all times.

“That the applicant’s health condition is bad and he recently had surgery on his spine which requires constant post-operative follow-up by his physician as well as renal condition which he is currently undergoing treatment for.”

Zibiri said Badeh’s detention by virtue of a remand order issued by a Magistrate’s Court in Lagos “is a gross abuse of the ACJA 2015” insisting he should be granted bail because a Federal High Court is superior to the magistrate court.”

Responding,  EFCC’s lawyer, Cosmas Ugwu, in opposing the application, told the court that Badeh had not made any effort to fulfil the administrative bail granted him by the EFCC in Lagos.

“He is in custody in Lagos. Abuja is not holding him, so, the convenient court to grant the applicant bail is a court within the same territorial jurisdiction,” Ugwu argued.

The EFCC lawyer also informed the court that Badeh was being held under a remand order issued by a Lagos magistrate court because he was fingered in the NIMASA fraud allegation.

Source: The Nation

N5,000 stipend for poor Nigerians still stands, says Presidency

Laolu Akande

The Presidency on Monday night insisted that the N5,000 stipend promised for the vulnerable and poor Nigerians still stands.

President Muhammadu Buhari was claimed to have gone back on the promise while speaking to the Nigerian community in Saudi Arabia last week.

But the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, while speaking to State House correspondents said that the 2016 Budget which has been submitted to the National Assembly has made an allocation of half a trillion naira for such social investment.

He also pointed out that President Muhammadu Buhari never promised to pay unemployed graduates N5,000.

He said: “The budget for 2016 which has been submitted to the National Assembly has made an allocation of half a trillion naira, the first time in the history of this country’s budget where you have that huge chunk of money allocated for social investment.

"In that 500 billion naira which is half a trillion naira, close to about 20 per cent of the entire budget, there are six social safety net programmes. And one of them is the conditional cash transfer where government is going to pay N5,000 monthly to the vulnerable and extremely poor Nigerians. That promise stands.

“The President never promised to pay unemployed graduates N5,000; the President never made that promise and the government never made that claim that it will pay N5,000 to unemployed graduates.

“The programme for unemployed graduates is the direct creation of half a million teaching jobs so that they will be trained; 500,000 unemployed graduates will be trained to teach and they will be deployed to teach, while they are looking for their career paths or jobs. That still stands.

“In addition to that, there is also a scheme to train 370,000 non-graduate youth for skill acquisition and vocational training. During the time of that training, they will also be paid. So the President did not say that he would be giving unemployed graduates N5,000.” He said.

Continuing, Laolu said: “The N5,000 monthly which is already in the budget is for the vulnerable Nigerians and the extremely poor, and this year by the grace of God, once the budget is okay , one million extremely poor Nigerians will receive N5,000 monthly.”

Source: The Nation

NIGERIA, QATAR SIGN AGREEMENTS ON BILATERAL AIR SERVICE, AVOIDANCE OF DOUBLE TAXATION

Nigeria and the State of Qatar on Sunday in Doha signed Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) to pave way for direct flights between major cities of both countries.

Both countries also signed an agreement to avoid double taxation and tax evasion on the sideline of President Muhammadu Buhari's state visit to Qatar. 

The Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, representing President Muhammadu Buhari, signed the air services agreement on behalf of the country while Qatar’s Minister of Transportation and Communications, Jassim Bin Saif Alsulaiti, signed on behalf the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hammad Al-Thani.

The agreement which was signed in the presence of both leaders is expected to pave way for more direct flights between major cities of both countries on the principle of reciprocity by the designated airlines on behalf of the country.

Sirika said after the signing of the agreement that the accord would promote trade, commerce, tourism and travel between both countries.

"Qatar is the richest country in the world at the moment in terms of per capita income, their economy is strong and their national carrier, Qatar airlines, is one of the most viable and most focused in the industry.

"They (Qatar airlines) presently fly to Nigeria but they want to fly to more cities and with the focus of the present administration in Nigeria on establishing a national carrier, we have commenced discussions on how we can partner with countries like Qatar in our quest to establish a national carrier".

The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, who signed the agreement for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes income with her Qatari counterpart, Ali Shareef Al Emadi, expressed delight that the agreement which was negotiated since February 2015 has been finalised. 

"What is symbolic in this agreement is that the Qataris who are already investing heavily in Nigeria will bring in more investments because the earlier lack of an agreement to avoid double taxation was a stumbling block to some of the investors.

"I am very confident that the signing of this agreement will bring much more investment and business between Qatar and Nigeria," she told reporters after signing the agreement.

In his remarks to journalists, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geofrey Onyeama, said President Buhari and Sheikh Al-Thani had fruitful discussions on security, oil price stability, and the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

"The Qatari leader acknowledged that President Buhari has really created an enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the country.

"The Emir made the point on the war against corruption in Nigeria and the progress President Buhari is making in that front and they are of the opinion that if that problem is addressed with focused polices, the country will progress.

"The Emir also made it clear that the Qatari’s are ready to invest in Nigeria in a big way", he said.

Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity)
February 28, 2016

How Deji Adeyanju (PDP "New Media" Director) and Friends Allegedly Invaded Abuja Club To Beat Up Citizen

Deji Adeyanju - PDP New Media Director

Popular social media activist Segun Dada was allegedly attacked on Friday night at Sofa Lounge in Abuja by a team of armed thugs led by and loyal to Deji Adeyanju.

The duo apparently exchanged words on Twitter on Thursday and Deji Adeyanju challenged Segun Dada to a physical meeting at the location of the attack.

The meeting which was supposed to be an avenue to resolve the differences between the two men ended up to be an ambush for Segun Dada who suffered minor injuries from the attack.

Witnesses at the scene of the incident reported that Segun Dada was inside Sofa Lounge when Deji Adeyanju allegedly came in with about 8 armed thugs, believed to be cultists, all brandishing weapons and descended on Segun, leaving his clothes torn and wallet stolen. About 20 more men were said to have been waiting outside the Lounge ready to mob Adeyanju’s victim.

A journalist who was inside Sofa Lounge when the attack happened confirmed that the thugs, who were allegedly led by Deji Adeyanju himself, were allowed to bring weapons inside the club. Reports from the timelines of persons reported to by Adeyanju’s loyalists also confirmed the attack on Segun Dada while praising Adeyanju for the show of force.

Deji Adeyanju was allegedly tried for murder a few years ago and even though he denied ever being convicted for the said crime, he admitted to going to prison on his personal Twitter page in 2014.

Adeyanju is also alleged to have been a cultist from his days as a student at Bayero University, Kano. It was during his days at BUK that he was alleged to have committed the murder crime he was allegedly tried for at the Kano State High Court.

Segun Dada through his lawyer confirmed that an official report has been made at Zone 3 Police Station in Abuja and the authorities are expected to investigate the matter and take necessary actions.

Source: http://abusidiqu.com/how-deji-adeyanju-and-friends-allegedly-invaded-abuja-club-to-beat-up-citizen/

WE’LL URGENTLY DEVELOP AGRICULTURE AND OTHER SECTORS TO OVERCOME HARSH EFFECTS OF LOWER OIL PRICES – PRESIDENT BUHARI

President Muhammadu Buhari said late Tuesday in Riyadh that his administration was fully committed to increasing the productivity of Nigeria’s agriculture and solid minerals sectors to save the nation from the harsh effects of lower crude oil prices.

Speaking at a meeting with leading members of the Council of Saudi Arabia’s Chambers of Commerce and Industry, President Buhari said that with declining revenues from crude oil exports, Nigeria’s hopes of economic resurgence now lie in the rapid development of its immense agricultural and solid mineral resources.

Inviting Saudi Arabian businessmen to invest in both sectors, the President said that his administration will welcome greater foreign investment in support of its efforts to rapidly diversify the Nigerian economy.

President Buhari said that Nigeria had regrettably depended too much on crude oil exports to the neglect of other resources and was now paying a harsh price for failing to diversify its economy early enough.

“With the downturn in the global prices of oil, we now have to prospect our solid minerals. We have to return to agriculture. Mining and agriculture are our hopes now. We will welcome investments in these areas. We will appreciate an in-flow of more resources and expertise to help us achieve our objective of economic diversification," the President said.

The governors of Osun, Ogun, Katsina, Borno, and Zamfara states, who were part of the President's delegation, took turns to address the Saudi Arabian businessmen on investment possibilities in their states, assuring them of good returns.

The Chairman of the Council of the Saudi Arabian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Dr Abdulrahman Al Zamil said that agriculture was a very important area of investment for its members, adding that they were already in Brazil, the United States of America and Sudan, "where we have huge farms."

Declaring that they were willing to invest in Nigeria, Dr Abdulrahman Al Zamil said that the Saudis were the leading investors in Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Kenya and Ethiopia.

Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
February 24, 2016

THOSE WHO DISTORTED 2016 BUDGET WILL BE SEVERELY PUNISHED - PRESIDENT BUHARI VOWS

President Muhammadu Buhari vowed late Tuesday in Riyadh that all those involved in the “padding” of the 2016 National Budget will face the most severe punishment.

Addressing the Nigerian Community in Saudi Arabia, President Buhari condemned the distortion of the budget proposals by entrenched interests.

The President said that the unauthorized alterations had completely changed the document from the one he presented to the National Assembly.

“The culprits will not go unpunished. I have been a military governor, petroleum minister, military Head of State and headed the Petroleum Trust Fund.

“Never had I heard the words “budget padding”. Our Minister of Budget and National Planning did a great job with his team. The Minister became almost half his size during the time, working night and day to get the budget ready, only for some people to pad it.

“What he gave us was not what was finally being debated. It is very embarrassing and disappointing. We will not allow those who did it to go unpunished," President Buhari vowed.

The President also assured members of the Nigerian community that his administration was working diligently to fulfill its campaign promises, particularly on security, unemployment, and corruption.

Reaffirming his government’s zero tolerance for corruption, President Buhari said that the war against corruption was a monumental task that he is determined to tackle successfully.

"We have zero tolerance for corruption and other unethical practices. We will deal decisively with anybody found wanting," he promised members of the Nigerian community.

President Buhari also used the opportunity of the gathering to brief Nigerians in Saudi Arabia on his administration’s efforts to end the Boko Haram insurgency and terrorism in Nigeria.

"Our armed forces have done a great job of dealing decisively with Boko Haram. We are collaborating with our neighbors in the operations of the Multinational Joint Task Force to handle security threats in the sub-region and we have significantly destroyed the capacity of the insurgents," the President said.

He also spoke on efforts being made to diversify the Nigerian economy, stressing that more opportunities are now open for local and foreign investors in the country.

Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
February 24, 2016