Buhari meets Sanwo-Olu over Lekki, Badagry seaports, others

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met behind closed doors with the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on his plans to develop the Lekki and Badagry seaports to decongest the Apapa port.

The governor spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to him, the agenda of the meeting was to brief the President on some initiatives of the state which were for development.

He said that the reconstruction of the collapsed Lagos-Badagry Expressway will resume in the next two weeks.

He said “From time to time one must also see one’s boss and it is also an honor to have an audience with Mr. President.

Today’s visit is essentially just to brief him on the few initiatives that we are planning to do in Lagos and to get his buy-in and his concurrent.

“I cannot speak specifically on the things we discussed but I can assure you that it bothers on areas around development for Lagos, areas around collaboration with the federal government that requires His Excellency’s approval and support, that is what I have come to brief him and it’s essentially to improve the quality of life and business devein Lagos.”

On the state of the Lagos/Badagry road, Sanwo-Olu said he visited the road two days after he assumed office and that machinery had been put in place to ensure that the contractor returns to site at the end of June.

He said that he had inspected the road twice since he assumed office, explaining that between this weekend and early next week, discussions with the contractor on the road would end and work would commence in earnest.

He said “I was on that road two days after I was sworn-in precisely and we’ve gone round. I’ve been there twice now in about two weeks.

So, the commitment we got was that the contractors would move into site before the end of this month and I am still relying that in the month of June, we should be closing out the discussions with the contractor over the weekend early next week.

“We are hoping that barely any unforeseen circumstance, they should be moving-in in another two to three weeks’ time, meaning that the clean-up and the construction of the Badagary expressway returns back in earnest.”

On the decongestion of Oshodi-Apapa expressway, Sanwo-Olu said certain false claims had been circulating in the media that he promised during the electioneering that he would decongest the road within his first 60 days in office.

He said that what he did was to promise that his government would carry out a review of previous activities on the road within 60 days.

The governor said he thanked the president for federal government’s intervention in the decongestion of the road.

Noting that port operators were causing gridlock on the road, he said that it was actually the people of the state who bear the pains.

He also said that the reconstruction of Oshodi-Apapa road has commenced even though it was yet to attain the level where it can be noticed.

He said that the evacuation of tankers causing congestion on the road has also begun.

The Governor said that the reform currently being carried out by the Nigeria Ports Authority and stakeholders on the road involves an innovation termed “call-up,” which he described as a device prohibiting tanker drivers from leaving their parks, until they are called up.

He said, “Interestingly some media houses are actually counting down on me. They said that I mentioned during the campaign that I was going to clear it in 60 days.

I have mentioned it before, what I said was that in 60 days we would review what was done but that does not take the fact that even if people give you dateline, it’s because they want you to do well and they want you to be able to be accountable for those datelines.

“It’s one of the things I thanked Mr. President for. What was done was that the federal government has set up a task force.

It’s a multifaceted challenge – there is different stakeholders that are involved in one way or the other as operators, observers, practitioners and stakeholders in the entire Apapa gridlock and most of them are federal agencies in one form or the other.

But it is we the citizens of Lagos state that are bearing the entire burden.

“The real construction of the road has started, but it’s not at the stage in which we can feel the full impact of it. That’s on one side.

The movement of the tanker drivers has also started. There is a lily pond terminal that has been created with NPA and other terminal operators which I imagined have started doing what we call the call-up system.

“What I understand by the call up is that it’s a system that needs to be a bit more electronically driven.

I think it’s currently run manually now but if we can get software that can enhance it and enforce it, the call-up system can become something that can hold the tanker drivers accountable.

If you’re not call on to come unto the port you are not meant to come.

Rivers Govt to prosecute owner of collapsed 7-storey building, others

Rivers State Government has directed the State Attorney General to prosecute Sir Francis Allagoa, the owner of the 7-Storey building that collapsed at Woji Road in New GRA in Port Harcourt.

The Rivers State Government also directed the State Attorney General to prosecute any person whose actions constituted criminality as established by the Judicial Commission of Inquiry that investigated the collapsed 7 Storey building.

Briefing journalists after the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike on Friday, Commissioner of Information and Communications, Emma Okah announced that the council accepted that it will be inappropriate to recall the Commissioner of Urban Development and Physical Planning, Dr Reason Onya because of the inappropriate actions he took and ommissions he committed.

He said: “The Rivers State Government accepts that the owner of the building, Sir Francis J. Allagoa should bear all liability regarding compensation to families of the deceased persons and individual expenses of those injured.

“Sir Francis J. Allagoa is also to bear the cost and make good the damage done to the adjoining property owned by Mr Edna Ezekiel Hart”.

The Rivers State Government declared that in line with the recommendations of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry it will comprehensively reform the procedures and processes relating to building approvals and actual construction of buildings to eliminate failure of buildings in the future.

The government added that the collapsed 7-Storey building was not covered by any approval and that the one obtained in July 2014 was for a four-five floor building.

“Government accepted to push for a reviewed law to punish any developer whose building collapses due to negligence or other acts resulting in deaths.

The Rivers State Executive Council noted that 18 persons died while 22 others suffered various degrees of injuries.

The Rivers State Government directed the State Civil Service Commission to take disciplinary action against Town Planner Edmund Obinna, Director of Buildings and Plan Approvals because his actions fell short of expectations.

The Council also directed the State Civil Service Commission to take disciplinary action against Rev Dr. Mina Aprioku, Director of Development Control for professional deficiency.

The Attorney General of the State was directed to prosecute Engr Adeniyi Ibiyeye and Architect Timiebi Reuben for professional misconduct.

The Council resolved to report Engr Ibiyeye to the Nigerian Society of Engineers and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria for necessary disciplinary action.

Reps give last warning to Madonna University VC, others

The House of Representatives has warned the Vice Chancellor (VC) of Madonna University, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Edeh till 9th of this month to appear before it or be forced to comply.

Others expected to appear with the VC include other officials of the school, Rev. Fr. Francis Nwachukwu, Rev. Fr. Francis Nginga and Mr Ogbonna Okey.

They were expected to give account on the alleged abduction and torture of two students before the Uzoma Nkem-Abonta-led House Committee on Public Petition.

The Committee regretted that rather than appear before it and shed light on the issue, the VC and the others ignored the invitation and sought to bar the House from investigating the issue by filling a case against the jurisdiction of the House to wade into the matter.

An Abuja Federal High Court however last week, on 26th March disclosed the suit on the ground that the parliament was constitutionally empowered by Section 88 (2) (a) and (b) to carry out investigation on such matters.

Committee Deputy Chairman, Simon Arabo, who chaired the proceeding said there is a need to unravel the truth of the incidence.

The Committee also expressed its eagerness to understand why a criminal case before a course of competent jurisdiction had to adjourn sine die (indefinitely).

“That is why the VC and the others must come and give their own accounts to assist the Committee.

“When you are pursuing a legal course, make some assumptions, so that when the court action arise, your action does not become statute barred, based on the law of the State where the incidence happened.

“If they are students, they have not been rusticated, have they been barred from going to school, why are they not in school?

“If they have been barred, steps must have been taken that they are readmitted to complete their courses.

“Two years out of school is not funny for a student.

“So looking at it critically, again, we have to look at the fact that the case supposed to have been prosecuted and all of a sudden they adjourned the matter sine die. In a criminal matter? No, why? There is no court anywhere in the country that does that”.

He adjourned the hearing till 9th of March for all parties to appear.

For being abducted and tortured by the school’s Chief Security Officer (CSO) and the Dean of Student Affairs, the two students, Stanley Okoye, a final year Engineering student and Ga-Lim Aondofa were allegedly abducted requested the House to compel the school to compensate them for their medical treatment.

The two also prayed that the costlitigation and loss of earnings be paid to them because most of their course mates that graduated are working

”We are asking that House compel the school to pay themnN150m because some of them sustained life threatening injuries during the ordeal.

“One of them has an injuring at the back below his neck and supoosed to travel abroad for treatment but he couldn’t because his father has exhausted all he has on him already treating him locally,” counsel to the students told the Committee.

Lagos convenes security summit to tackle arms proliferation, crimes, others

The Lagos State Government on Wednesday said plans have been firmed up to convene a security summit where a comprehensive strategy and homegrown solutions will be developed by critical stakeholders to myriads of security challenges confronting the State such as cultism, drug abuse, gender-based crimes, arms proliferation, among others.

Executive Secretary of the State’s Security Trust Fund, Dr Abdurrazaq Balogun, who said this at a press briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, Ikeja on the forthcoming summit scheduled to hold on April 9, 2018 at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, said other critical topics including terrorism, transnational crimes, intelligence and community policing would also be examined at the summit.

He said the idea of the summit followed a pledge by the State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode at the annual Town Hall Meeting on security held last year, to convene a larger platform for a more robust deliberation on current security issues, and to proffer actionable solutions which can be implemented by the State Government.

“The summit would have four panel sessions on various aspects of security from cultism, drug abuse and gender-based crimes to arms proliferation, terrorism and transnational crimes including intelligence and community policing, among others,” Balogun said.

He added that the summit, with the theme – “Securing Lagos State: Towards a Sustainable Framework for a Modern Mega City,” would specifically provide a platform for leaders, leading minds and subject matter experts to share best practices, knowledge and experiences focused on recommendations for a sustainable security framework for the State from 2018 to 2030.

While enumerating the objectives of the summit, Balogun said the event would be used to design and agree on an overall security strategy and system, as well as engage and secure input and buy-in of all critical stakeholders to the said security strategy, while it would also be deployed to develop homegrown solutions that can be implemented by the State Government.

He added that a sustainable funding model for security in Lagos State would also be brought to the fore at the summit.

Balogun, who addressed the briefing alongside other members of the Organizing Committee, also revealed plans of the State Government to incorporate private security outfits operating in the State into the security architecture of the State.

He said: “This is going to be a very engaging summit even though it is just for a day but we are going to be having about 15 sub themes and these themes speak to the germane issues that we have in Lagos.

“For example, we have a topic on integrating private security practice in security architecture of Lagos State which is a very important aspect of our security architecture because as we speak, there are so many private security companies operating in this State and there is a need to bring them into the security of this State; they must collaborate with the Nigerian Police so that we can have a very robust security network in the State.”

Also speaking, Special Adviser to the Governor on Oversees Affairs and Investment, Professor Ademola Abass, recalled the Traffic Summit held by the present administration at inception which to a large extend helped in developing solutions to traffic challenges in the State, saying that the Security Summit was also designed to come up with acceptable and sustainable solutions to the challenges in the sector.

Already, Abass said a British-Nigerian scholar and founder of African Leadership Centre, Professor Funmi Olonisakin has been prepared to deliver a lead paper on “Leveraging Global Best Practices for a Security Network for Lagos State,” while the Commissioner of Police, CP Imohimi Edgal would present paper on important security data for the State, among other speakers.

Herdsmen/Farmers’ Crisis: Buhari orders assessment of damage in Benue, others

President Buhari has directed the National Emergency Management Agency to commence an assessment of the extent of damage in communities affected by violence caused by herdsmen-farmers’ clashes in some parts of the country.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo disclosed this during the inaugural meeting of the recently composed Governing Council of NEMA at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, the Vice-President presided over the meeting as the chairman of the governing council.

Osinbajo said, “Mr. President has directed that we do a survey and assessment on the damage done to towns, cities, communities that have been affected by violence in some parts of the country, including the farmers-herders’ clashes.

“NEMA will play a leading role in this and the Presidency will also provide direct support.

“We will involve the people in the affected communities, and not just bring people from outside these communities, in the rebuilding efforts.

“We will involve people in these villages, artisans and other people in the communities, with required skills so that they can also benefit economically as we rebuild these communities.”

Some of the states seriously affected by the herdsmen, farmers’ clashes include Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Zamfara, Oyo, Kogi, Ekiti and Ondo.

Osinbajo had on February 15 informed members of the National Economic Council that Buhari had approved the formation of a national committee to look into the rebuilding of communities affected by the violence in the affected states.

This, he said, was in line with the present administration’s commitment towards finding permanent solutions to the herdsmen-farmers’ clashes in some parts of the country.

At the Tuesday meeting, Osinbajo congratulated the new members and expressed the hope that the board would continue to be committed to the task ahead, adding that NEMA had been very visible in its role.

“NEMA has been taking on assignments even beyond its mandate. This is a responsibility that we must take seriously,” he said.

The Vice-President further urged the agency to devote more resources to public sensitisation regarding matters of emergency in the country and what the public needed to do in such circumstances.

Osinbajo added that NEMA should engage stakeholders more to participate in addressing its responsibilities, including the private sector and the Civil Society Organisations.

Members of the board include the Director General, NEMA; the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation; representatives of the Ministry of Transport and Aviation; Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Water Resources.

Other members include representatives of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Nigeria Police Force.

At the meeting, the Director General, NEMA, Mustapha Maihaja, made a presentation on the work, role and challenges of the agency.

Meanwhile, the Vice-President also on Tuesday received a delegation from the Oxford Business Network for Africa from the Oxford Business School, London, United Kingdom, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Led by Mr. Bayo Owolabi, the delegation thanked the Vice-President for his role in Nigeria’s improved ranking in the World Bank Doing Business Report, while also commending the Federal Government for its efforts in improving the country’s economy generally, supporting the establishment of technology hubs in the country, among other socio-economic development initiatives.

Constitution amendment meaningless without true federalism – NLC, SANs, others

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is not impressed by the ongoing effort by the National Assembly to amend the 1999 Constitution.

The NLC said yesterday that the federal lawmakers are getting the whole concept of amending the constitution wrong by failing to carry the generality of Nigerians along.

“The process of making laws must draw its legitimacy from the people especially if it affects fundamental issues of restructuring because if you can see what went into this process, there has been a lot of argument about restructuring,” NLC President Ayuba Wabba told reporters in Abuja.

He found supporters in Senior Advocates Ladi Williams and Festus Keyamo as well as former governor of Anambra State, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, all of whom declared the Constitution amendment an exercise in futility without first restructuring the country.

The NLC President said that though the National Assembly is constitutionally empowered to make laws, the current process should be thrown open to the larger Nigerian public to enable them make an input into the process.

“A platform should be created where this discourse can start,” he said.

“The entire process of constitutional amendment started with the National Assembly and what they are considering is the document from the 7th assembly which is not all inclusive.

“Therefore I think it will make sense if this process is all inclusive and open so that Nigerians can buy in and also make suggestions. It should not be limited only to the issues that were canvassed during the 7th assembly.

“The current process is limited to those issues that were canvassed during the 7th assembly. I thought that this is a very sensitive issue. Even though they have the powers to make laws, I think Nigerians should be carried along.

“If you listen to the discourse, there are a lot of ideas as to what need to be done, which need to be synchronized. Importantly, they need to hear from the people and people should be made to buy into the process so that the entire process will be transparent so that we have a process that is all inclusive and can drive itself so that at the end of the day, if it is from the people, it will be easier to have the process pass through.”

He however hailed both chambers of the National Assembly for granting financial autonomy to the local governments, saying : “the 8th National Assembly has made history and shall be remembered for bowing not to the insular interests but the popular wishes of the people.

“Their initiative, we believe, is an improvement on the efforts of the previous Assemblies, which goes to show that government is not only a continuum.With tenacity and requisite experience at the National Assembly, we shall get our democracy right.

“We have no doubt that if passed into law, these amendments will free-up the local governments from the strangle-hold of state governments and widen the democratic space as well as restore the lost glory of local governments.

“The Local Government system of government known by various names, is the oldest form of administration, and sadly, the most abused and exploited in our post-colonial history.

“Until progressive decline and bastardization set in, the Local Government represented the centre of administrative excellence, clinical efficiency, training, education, development, tax administration and effective commodity boards.

“Local governments also represented maintenance culture of infrastructure including roads, environmental sanitation, functional health facilities, low incidences of corruption and violent crimes. The singular reason for this magical performance was that local governments were close to the people and ministered to their needs.”

The NLC president also faulted the Senate for rejecting the 35percent affirmative action, for women.

He described the move as unfortunate.

“I think the issue of gender is very important because it will address issues of inequality and bring another perspective to governance and will add tremendous value. Part of our policy and strategy is to mainstream gender in all our structures,” he said.

And speaking to The Nation by phone yesterday, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Ladi Williams said the ongoing constitutional mendment in the National Assembly is borne out of selfish motive.

”The Senate doesn’t understand what is meant by restructuring. They are only trying to protect their own interest. We need restructuring because it is one of the fundamental points of the constitutional review committee set up under former President Jonathan,” he said.

“Of course we need to restructure because it is the only way out to take care of agitations for Biafra, for example, and the insurgency in the North East.

“If we don’t restructure, the problems will not only multiply, they will go bigger. The idea is to make the centre less attractive for politicians but they are not seeing the point.

“The way things are now, the centre is very delicious; there is a lot of money at the centre.”

He also described as undemocratic, the amendment of the constitution by the Senate to give the National Assembly the power to override the President’s power to assent to bills.

His words: “This is not good for our democracy. The National Assembly and the Presidency constitute two arms of government. What the National Assembly members are trying to do is to shut out the executive.

“The executive is to execute the laws made by the legislature. Bills must be assented by the President. I don’t think they have constitutional power to exclude a major functionary of government from performing it roles.”

In a separate telephone chat, another SAN, Festus Keyamo, averred that the amendment cannot a replacement for restructuring.

He said: “Restructuring is more fundamental than constitution amendment.

“ Of course restructuring will lead to a new constitution. There is no doubt about that. But it is not this kind of haphazard amendment they are doing. I am not condemning the amendment.

“As a stop gap measure it is commendable that the legislature has risen to the occasion to amend the constitution. Restructuring will take more time, and more negotiation, more deliberation and more inclusive than the National Assembly.”

For his part, former governor of Anambra State and frontline Igbo leader, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, said it would be out of place for the National Assembly to take the amendment as a substitute for restructuring.

He said: ”We cannot give the National Assembly, as it is constituted, the role of restructuring Nigeria .

“The National Assembly itself is part of the problem. The way they are constituted cannot allow them to do anything in the national interest. The way they are constituted is not balanced.

“I don’t see any nobody with brain wanting the disintegration of Nigeria, instead of restructuring Nigeria and allowing peace to prevail.

“If the National Assembly is restructured, they can go ahead and restructure Nigeria.The action of the National Assembly as I said earlier on, is one of the reasons for the call for restructuring and they cannot on their own restructure the country.”

Also speaking,an Igala leader,Mr. Cyprian Adejo, said restructuring will end agitations by the various groups and ensure development across the country.

Address members of the Movement for Sustainable Development of Igala/Bassa (MOSDIBN) in Lokoja,Kogi State,Adejo said restructuring should be through constitutional means, to guarantee unity, peace and progress.

“Restructuring is a practical way that will ensure that states develop their resources, as against relying on federal subversion,” he said.

Diezani Madueke: US Moves to Seize 200ft Yacht, Other Luxury Properties from Kola Aluko, Others

Kola Aluko

Alison-Madueke to Kola Aluko: “If you want to hire a yacht, you lease it for two weeks or whatever… You don’t go and sink funds into it at this time when Nigerian oil and gas sector is under all kinds of watch.” –Intercepted recording of an apparent phone conversation between former oil minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, and oil trader, Kola Aluko

Demola Ojo with agency reports

US prosecutors on Friday moved to seize $144m in assets including a 200-foot yacht and a Manhattan condominium one block from Central Park, calling them the fruits of an international bribery scheme that involved the former Nigerian Oil Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

The justice department action targeted Nigeria’s oil man, Mr Kola Aluko’s vessel, Galactica Star, which its builder bills as the “world’s largest fast displacement yacht”, along with condominium units in Manhattan and real estate in Southern California located just three miles from the Pacific Ocean.

From 2011 to 2015, two Nigerian oil men, Kolawole Aluko and Olajide Omokore, alledgedly conspired with others to bribe the country’s minister for petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, in order to win oil production contracts worth $1.5bn, according to a civil forfeiture complaint. At the time, along with controlling the country’s state-owned oil company, Mrs. Alison-Madueke, also headed the Vienna-based oil cartel, OPEC. Nigeria’s federal high court earlier this year charged her with money laundering and she has previously denied any wrongdoing. After awarding government contracts to shell companies owned by the two men, Mrs. Alison-Madueke — known as “the madam” or “Madam D” — was rewarded with a “lavish lifestyle”, according to the US Department of Justice.

Alison-Madueke has since denied any wrong-doing in her relationship with Kola Aluko and Jide Omokore.
A civil forfeiture complaint is merely an allegation that money or property was involved in or represents the proceeds of a crime. These allegations are not proven until a court awards judgment in favour of the US.

“The United States is not a safe haven for the proceeds of corruption,” said acting assistant attorney-general Kenneth Blanco. “If illicit funds are within the reach of the United States, we will seek to forfeit them and to return them to the victims from whom they were stolen.”

Though known as “a small time trader” who had previously earned around $500,000 annually, in less than three years, Mr. Aluko purchased more than $87m of US property and the $82m yacht, according to the complaint, filed in US district court in Houston. According to the complaint, in a conversation with Mr Aluko that prosecutors say Mrs. Alison-Madueke recorded, she criticised him for his lavish spending. “If you want to hire a yacht, you lease it for two weeks or whatever,” she said. “You don’t go and sink funds into it at this time when Nigerian oil and gas sector is under all kinds of watch.”

The two businessmen allegedly purchased millions of dollars worth of property in and near London for the oil minister and her family and then furnished the homes with furniture, artwork and other luxury items from Houston-area stores that she fancied. In January 2011, the Nigerian businessmen and unidentified co-conspirators bought a Buckinghamshire home known as “The Falls” for £3.25m. Two months later, as Mr Aluko was meeting with Nigerian oil officials to discuss a contract, he arranged to buy two properties near London’s Regent’s Parks: a £1.7m home at 39 Chester Close and 58 Harley House on the Marylebone Road for £2.8m. The first property, upgraded with an elevator and new stone flooring and countertops, was intended for the use of Ms Alison-Madueke’s mother and her son, according to the complaint. The men that month also purchased a £3.7m flat at 83-86 Prince Albert Road for the oil minister. Ms Alison-Madueke appears to have favoured furniture stores in the Houston area, which she patronised on periodic visits to the US oil industry capital. On a single day in May 2012, Mr Aluko wired $461,500 from a Swiss bank account to one furniture store and spent an additional $262,091 at a second on the oil minister’s behalf, the complaint says.

The case was brought as part of DoJ’s kleptocracy asset recovery initiative. Mr Aluko and Mr Omokore created two shell companies in the British Virgin Islands — Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria and Atlantic Energy Brass Development — to handle their oil contracts. Though the companies, which prosecutors say were “unqualified”, failed to fulfil the terms of their deals, they were allowed to produce and sell more than $1.5bn worth of Nigerian crude oil. The pair then created additional shell companies to launder the proceeds through the US, prosecutors said. Mr Aluko’s last known address was in Porza-Lugano, Switzerland, while Mr Omokore is described as a resident of Lagos.
According to the Justice Department, the complaint announced Friday demonstrates the Department’s commitment to working with our law enforcement partners around the globe to trace and recover the proceeds of corruption, no matter the source.”

“Business executives who engage in bribery and illegal pay-offs in order to obtain contracts create an uneven marketplace where honest competitor companies are put at a disadvantage,” said Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Andrew W. Vale. “Along with the Department of Justice, international law enforcement partners and other US federal agencies, the FBI is committed to pursuing all those who attempt to advance their businesses through corrupt practices.”

The US government also stated that Aluko, Omokore and others funded a lavish lifestyle for Alison-Madueke. According to the allegations, they purchase millions of dollars in real estate in and around London for Alison-Madueke and her family members, then renovated and furnished these homes with millions of dollars in furniture, artwork and other luxury items purchased at two Houston-area furniture stores.

In return, the US government said Alison-Madueke used her influence to direct a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to award Strategic Alliance Agreements (SAAs) to two shell companies created by Aluko and Omokore: Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Ltd. and Atlantic Energy Brass Development Ltd. (the Atlantic Companies).

Under the SAAs, the Atlantic Companies were required to finance the exploration and production operations of eight on-shore oil and gas blocks. In return for financing these operations, the companies expected to receive a portion of the oil and gas produced.

However, according to the complaint, the Atlantic Companies provided only a fraction of the agreed upon financing or, in some instances, failed entirely to provide it. The companies also failed to meet other obligations under the SAAs, including the payment of $120 million entry fee. Nevertheless, according to the allegations, the companies were permitted to lift and sell more than $1.5 billion worth of Nigerian crude oil.

The government contends the Atlantic Companies then used a series of shell companies and intermediaries to launder a portion of the total proceeds of these arrangements into and through the US.

“Today’s announcement would not have been possible without the remarkable work conducted by a group of dedicated investigators, attorneys and international partners who were committed to leaving no stone unturned in this case targeting international corruption,” said Assistant Director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Stephen E. Richardson.

“This case demonstrates that the FBI will not tolerate American institutions and property being used to launder proceeds of foreign corruption and today’s filing is an important step towards recovering identified funds. This should serve as a warning to other corrupt foreign officials that the United States is not open for their business.”

Credit Thisday

Maitama Sule died when Nigeria needed him most – Wabara, others

Some prominent Nigerians on Monday expressed sadness over the demise of former Nigeria’s Permanent Representatives to the United Nations and elder statesman, Alhaji Maitama Sule.

Sule died at the early hours of Monday in a hospital in Cairo, Egypt, at 87.

Former President of the Senate, Chief Adolphus Wabara, said Sule was an encyclopaedia of knowledge.

He said that he was a custodian of Nigeria’s customs and tradition and had left a gap that would be rarely filled.

“Alhaji Maitama Sule left Nigeria when we needed him most and he will be greatly missed. I don’t think Nigeria will find someone, who will step into his shoes.

“He was detribalised and we needed him most at this time of all the problems we have in Nigeria, with issues of restructuring…

“But, we thank God for his life; he lived well,’’ he said.

Also, a former Deputy Governor of Plateau, Mrs Pauline Tallen, stated that the late politician’s crave for the continued unity of the country was unmatched.

“My heart is broken because he contributed immensely to the development of the country in his life time. He was a father that we will miss dearly.

“He was an elder statesman that kept preaching the unity of the country and that is what we need in this country now,’’ she said.

Tallen called on Nigerians to pursue peace and unity irrespective of ethnic or religious differences, as the late Sule.

She said, “my plea to all Nigerians is for us to love one another because if we love one another, we will not talk of tribe, religion or ethnic differences.’’

Human rights lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, said that the demise of the elder statesman was an irreparable loss not only to Nigeria but to Africa, adding that he was one of the pioneers of modern Nigeria.

Ozekhome said Nigeria would miss his contribution to current discussions on the restructuring of the country.

“He was a highly detribalised Nigerian. You wouldn’t know whether he was Hausa-Fulani or Yoruba. He spoke at all times for Nigeria.

“He was erudite, honest, and was radically patriotic about the oneness and unity of Nigeria.

“We would have needed the reassuring and the very strong voice of Maitama Sule to call to order the call by some people who want Nigeria dismembered without batting an eye.

“This will make the loss of him more painful,’’ he said.

NAN