EFCC Accuses Gov Udom Of Hiring SANs With State Funds |The Source

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November 13, 2020

By Fola James

Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom state spent a whopping N1.4 billion state fund to hire lawyers in 2015 during the legal challenge against his victory.

This was disclosed by an investigating officer with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Abdulraman Arabo.

He told the court that the governor hired the immediate-past President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Paul Usoro alongside other Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, to defend him at the election tribunal.

EFCC said this at the resumed money laundering trial of Usoro before Justice Rilwan Aikawa on Thursday, where Usoro is facing amended six counts of money laundering.

Other defendants in the case are the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Finance, Nsikan Nkan; the state’s Accountant General, Mfon Udomah; the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Uwemedimo Nwoko; and the cashier at the Akwa Ibom State Government House, Margaret Ukpe.

The investigator also told the court how Usoro gave back N55milion to the state’s Attorney General as possible kick back from the legal fees paid him by the state government.

But under cross-examination, Usoro’s lawyer, Offiong Offiong, a senior advocate asked the EFCC investigator, if “During your investigation you see that the money in issue was for legal fees of the service rendered to Governor Udom?”

“It is a payment made from government treasury for personal election tribunal pursuit of the governor,” the investigator said.

2022 AFCON: Super Eagles Gun For Victory Against Leone Stars |The Source

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Akinwale Kasali

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November 13, 2020

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By Akinwale Kasali

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will, on Friday, file out against the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone in the 2022 African Cup of Nations Qualifiers at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, Edo State.

A Victory for the Coach Gernot Rohr-Super Eagles will see the team maintain an unbeaten record, needing just a victory at Freetown, Sierra Leone Capital to cement its place at the Continental showpiece.

Captain of the National team, Ahmed Musa, has said that the side is battle-ready for their African opponent, promising victory.

Rohr on his side said his players know the importance of the match, and will not leave any stone unturned to a victory.

Visiting the team during their training session yesterday, Philip Shaibu, the Deputy Governor of Edo State told the players to go all out and get the needed victory to put the country in top position in the qualification series.

He stressed that victory for the Super Eagles will be a gift to the Governor Godwin Obaseki administration that was just sworn in for its second term in office on Thursday.

Maduka Okoye, Super Eagles Goalkeeper, and one of the early birds to arrive the country for the cracker said that the Players know the importance of the match, and are going out for victory against the Sierra Leone team.

The match is to kick off by 5pm Nigerian time Friday evening in Benin.

Coach Rohr is likely to start Maduka Okoye in goal, Leon Balogun, William Troost Ekong, Tyronne Ebuehi and Zubairu in the defense.

Etebo Oghenekaro, Joe Aribo, Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze in the midfield, while Victor Osimhen and Ahmed Musa would lead the attack.

Ondo: Bandits Terrorize Residents; Govt. Begs Police |The Source

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Ayodele Oni

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November 13, 2020

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Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State — Rotimi Akeredolu

By Ayodele Oni

Ondo state government has admitted that there is an astronomical upsurge in crime rate in the state of recent.

In the last one week, not less than 50 persons, including market women and local government workers have fallen victims of kidnapping by gunmen operating along Iwo/Benin/Akoko axis of the state.

The state government has, therefore, put in place measures to curtail the trend.

A statement on Friday by the Commissioner for Information, Mr Donald Ojogo, listed some of the measures to include reduction of working hours for commercial motorcycle riders popularly called okada.

The statement reads “Ondo State Government has noted with concern, the worrisome spike in crime rate across the State. In particular, security reports at the disposal of Government are considered signs deserving of serious attention.

“Specifically, the last one week witnessed an unimaginable upsurge in robbery, kidnapping and in some cases, murder. This is no doubt, condemenable.

“Government, therefore, urges all security agencies to come out and confront this abhorent development. Every necessary support in terms of both human and logistics aids shall be provided to ensure the safety of residents within the State.

“As a Government, one major responsibility is the provision of security as well as protection of lives and property. In this regard, measures aimed at achieving such goals are the least Government can enunciate.

“Consequently, the Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN has directed with immediate effect as follows:

“That all commercial motorcycle operators, otherwise known as Okada, are to, henceforth, operate within the hours of 6 am and 6 pm. In other words, none in this category shall operate beyond 6 pm in the evening. Anyone found flouting this directive shall have his motorcycle impounded.

“That all vehicles with unauthorized tinted glasses are hereby banned from plying the roads. Every of such vehicle without a duly certified permit issued by a relevant security agency shall be impounded.

“Finally, it is pertinent to reiterate that security enhancement and war against insecurity are everybody’s responsibility. While Government and the security agencies play their parts, it is expected that the citizens also support by way of collaborating with the relevant agencies of Government.

“In this regard, residents of the State are urged to provide useful information about crime, criminal elements and activities in their immediate environment.”

Pope Francis Calls Biden |The Source

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Adesina Soyooye

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November 13, 2020

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By Adesina Soyooye

From the Vatican City, Rome, came inspirational words to the President-elect of America, Joe Biden, and Vice President-elect, Kamala Harris.

His Holiness, Pope Francis, put a call across to Biden on Thursday, prayed for him, and congratulated them on their hard-earned victory in the Presidential election.

Biden is the second Roman Catholic to be elected the President of America. The first was the late President John F. Kennedy.

Even though Biden trounced Incumbent President Donald Trump in the November 3 election, having secured the mandatory 270 Electoral Votes, and even more popular votes to the tune of over five million votes, Trump has refused to concede defeat, alleging electoral fraud, and throwing America’s democratic claims into the dust bin.

The Pope’s phone call to Biden is significant. Trump has always played the religiin card, riding on the back of influential Evangelicals in America, painting a picture of Biden as un-Christian, and himself, as the protector of the Christian faith.

Even though not a few of Trump’s actions and lifestyle mock the Christian beliefs of kindness, compassion, family values, care for the underprivileged and loving one’s neighbour as oneself, Trump’s religion card got as far as Nigeria, and earned him fanatic supporters, his outrageous treatment of Nigerians and Nigeria, notwithstanding.

The Pope joins the creme of World Leaders who have congratulated Biden.

The Chinese President, who had been dilly-dallying, on Thursday, also, congratulated Biden, leaving only the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, who for obvious reasons, prefers to wait for Trump’s concession.

America is still waiting.

Zamfara Gold: South-South Decides On Control Of Oil, Gas |The Source

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The Source

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November 13, 2020

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By Charles Igbo

All eyes will be on the South-south of Nigeria as the Zone meets on Friday, (today), to take a firm stand on how, and why, it should control its God-given natural resource – Oil and Gas.

To attend the meeting are all its six State Governors, National and State Assembly members, Ministers Elder statesmen, and other Stakeholders from the Zone.

The meeting is the aftermath of the decision of the Federal Government to allow Zamfara state to be in-charge of its Gold.

The State had, recently, mined, and sold a Bar of Gold to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, for a whopping sum of N5billion. It kept the huge amount in its coffers, instead of remitting it to the Federal coffers. The action attracted no raised eyebrows from the Federal Government.

But it has attracted shock and condemnation from a cross section of Nigerians, especially the South-south and, at least, one strongly worded Editorial from a high profile National newspaper.

Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, were among the first to condemn the Zamfara issue.

The question on the lips of all those who condemned it is: Why would Zamfara State control its Gold, and South-south not control its Oil and Gas?

The Federal Government has not offered any concrete reason or explanation, instead, it, along with the CBN, celebrated Zamfara’s feat.

On Thursday, while addressing the Media in Asaba, Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, disclosed that the South-south would meet in Porthacourt on Friday, to decide the fate of the Federal Government’s continous control of the Oil and Gas deposited in the Zone. The thorny issue to be deliberated upon, strongly, according to Okowo is: Why the South-south should not take a firm control of its Oil and Gas, when Zamfara is controlling its Gold? Okowa described Zamfara’s control of its Gold as unlawful.

Okowa: “South- south Governors, before now, have been talking about the need for restructuring and need for resource control. Obviously we are on that because we feel there is the need to restructure not only the country, but the management of resources.

“But as at today, there are acts in the National Assembly that guide the issue of oil production and with the solid minerals, those are not covered in these acts, and obviously, this is already a sore point in our nation’s governance system and we hope to express this very strongly during the meeting taking place in Port Hacourt on Friday.

“We cannot apply laws in our nation to the point that it becomes discriminatory because if people are allowed to process for their solid minerals, they should also be allowed to do the same for their oil. So, we are going to be very hard, and try to make our voices as strong as possible during the meeting.

“I believe that at some point in time, these discriminatory tendencies will have to be revisited in our nation at some point in time.”

The opinion in the South-south, supported by a couple of other zones, is that the FG cannot allow Zamfara State to control National assets, while the same FG controls that of the South-south.

All eyes and ears will be focussed on Porthacourt for the outcome of the meeting, which Okowa has said will be strong.

Rawlings: President Akufo-Addo Says Great Tree Falls; Cancels Campaign |The Source

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Adesina Soyooye

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November 13, 2020

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By Adesina Soyooye

Ghanaian President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says a great tree has fallen in Ghana, adding that the fall has made the country poorer.

The President declared this on Thursday, while officially, announcing the passing of former Ghanaian President, Jerry John Rawlings to Ghanaians. “A great tree has fallen, and Ghana is poorer for it”, he declared.

Describing Rawlings’ death as tragic, Akufo-Addo said: ” The tragic event occurred at 10.10am, on Thursday, 12th November 2020, at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, where the former President was receiving treatment after a short illness.”

He declared a seven-day national mourning, ordering all flags in Ghana to fly at half mast.

“I have directed that all national flags should fly at half mast for the next seven (7) days in all parts of the country, and have declared seven days of national morning from Friday, 13th November, to Friday, 20th November”, the President said.

He also suspended his re-election campaign. “In honour of the memory of former President Rawlings, the Vice President and I have suspended our political campaign for same period”, he declared.

The death of the former Ghanaian President, Rawlings, who was the first President of Ghana’s 4th Republic, took many by surprise in Nigeria where he had many fans because of his exploits as a young military officer. A well- grounded coupist, many say he cleaned the political augean stable in his country.

Popularly known as a Ladies man, especially in Nigeria, obviously, because of his good looks, he was passionately devoted to his wife, Nana, with whom he raised a closely-knit family.

He was aged 74 years.

Ekiti Govt To Rebuild Burnt Police Stations |The Source

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Ayodele Oni

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November 12, 2020

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By Ayodele Oni

The hope of an early return of policemen to Ikere Ekiti has been raised by Ekiti state Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi.

The Governor has promised that his administration would rebuild the three Ikere police stations and others in the state destroyed in the wake of the #EndSARS protests.

The state police command, had early this week recalled policemen serving in Ikere Community since their stations had been razed by mobs during the protests.

Police Public Relations Officer, in the state, Sunday Abutu, confirmed the withdrawal of their men in the Division saying the three Stations in the town had been set ablaze while operational vehicles and other vehicles parked in the premises were vandalised.

Abutu told residents of Ikere to make distress call to the Command Headquarters anytime there is robbery attack.

However, during a visit to the command headquarters on Wednesday, Dr Fayemi assured that the buildings and vehicles destroyed would be replaced soonest.

He also urged officers that lost personal property to lodge complaints with the appropriate committee handling the issue.

The Governor commended the maturity displayed by the Security Agents assuring them that as Chairman, Governors’ Forum in Nigeria, he would rally his colleagues to ensure welfare of men of the Force .

According to him, the Judicial Panel on Police Brutality was not meant to witchunt any Officer.

He disclosed that a delegation from the office of Inspector General of Police would soon visit the state to assess the level of destruction.

In his remark, the Police Commissioner , Mr Tunde Mobayo, commended Governor Fayemi for his support to the command, assuring that despite the setback caused by the protests, his men would continue to carry out their statutory duties of protecting life of the citizenry.

Breaking: Jerry Rawlings Dies Of Covid-19 |The Source

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Akinwale Kasali

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November 12, 2020

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By Akinwale Kasali

Former Ghanaian President, Jerry Rawlings has died of complications from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Thesourceng.com gathered that the ex-president died at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, capital of Ghana, on Thursday morning.

A military ruler, who later joined politics, Rawlings ruled Ghana from 1981 to 2001.

He led a military junta until 1992, and then served two terms as the democratically elected president of Ghana.

A flight lieutenant of the Ghanaian Air Force, Rawlings first staged a military coup as a young revolutionary on May 15, 1979, five weeks before scheduled elections to return the country to civilian rule.

When it failed, he was imprisoned, publicly court-martialed and sentenced to death.

After initially handing power over to a civilian government, he took back control of the country on 31 December 1981 as the chairman of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC).

He then resigned from the military, founded the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and became the first president of the Fourth Republic.

He was re-elected in 1996 for four more years. After two terms in office, the limit according to the Ghanaian constitution, Rawlings endorsed his vice-president John Atta Mills as presidential candidate in 2000.

He was born on June 22, 1947. Married to Nana, he was aged 74.

Terrorism: Shekau Declared Wanted Again, After Army Claimed Twice He’s Dead |The Source

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Bayo Bernard

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November 12, 2020

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By Fola James

Ababukar Shekau, the notorious leader of Boko Haram has been declared wanted by the Nigerian Army, among 86 other terrorists, seven years he was declared dead by the military.

Twice in 2009 and 2013 the Boko Haram leader was declared killed by troops fighting terrorists in Borno, the epicenter of the war against terror in the country.

He later resurfaced, and has remained elusive, leading his men to kill many civilians, including women and children in Nigeria’s north east.

But on Wednesday, the military authorities named him alongside 85 other notorious terrorists, including Abu Musa Al Banawi as the most wanted persons in the fight against terrorism.

Other terrorists still at large, according to the Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Burutai are Modu Sulum, Malkam Umar, Mallam Bello Husba, Abu Musab Barnawi,Abu Imma, Ibrahim Abu Maryam and Baka Kwasari.

The terrorists that also made the list are Mallam Yan Kolo, Bana Gonna, Mohammed Abu Maryam, and Abu Dardda.

The Army chief disclosed this alongside Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum at the Nigerian Army Super Camp, Chabbal in Konduga Local Government Area of the state, at a ceremony to absorb some Civilian JTF, Hunters, and Vigilantes into the operations of the Nigerian Army Super Camp.

The army boss stated that the nation’s military was on the final push of the terrorists out of all the occupied areas in the north, noting that “the induction of Civilian JTF into the operation will greatly help in containing the activities of Boko Haram because of their knowledge of the terrain and identifying Boko Haram members,” even though civilian JTF will not be allowed to participate in major operations against the terrorists.

The Borno Governor on his part renewed the call on the terrorists to take the last opportunity to lay down their arms in their own interest and for peace to reign in the area.

He warned that their activities will no longer be tolerated as the soldiers are prepared to flush them out.

Zulum said “You are killing your brothers and sisters, destroying your own infrastructures that were built using money generated through tax from your forefathers. Today, we have all seen the level of devastation, nobody is been left, we are all affected in one way or another.”

The Untold Story Of Ohakim’s Arraignment, According To His Counsel |The Source

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The Source

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November 12, 2020

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Late on 11th November, there was a widely published breaking story that Ikedi Ohakim, a former governor of Imo State was arraigned before a High Court of Federal Capital Territory.

Following up on this story, thesourceng.com contacted Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, Ohakim’s Lawyer in Owerri, to shade more light on what actually transpired. While confirming that he became aware of the arraignment from news reports, Ejimakor hastened to add that “I was in Owerri at the time and thus not privy to the decisions that led to what transpired in Abuja”.

Continuing, Ejimakor added “My guess is that propelled by recent news reports of charges pending against him, Dr Ohakim voluntarily went to the Abuja Court out of abundance of caution or to make inquiries, thus becoming unwittingly vulnerable to a legal process that is currently being questioned in a competent court in Imo State”.

Ejimakor told The Source (Magazine) that as far as he is concerned “the arraignment should not have proceeded because there was a subsisting Court order against the processes that led to it. Plus, Dr Ohakim was never personally served with the charge or the hearing notice pertinent to the arraignment. Yet, it appears to me that the Abuja Court was not made aware of the subsisting order and processes pending in Owerri”.

Referring to a legal process he filed on 9th November, 2020, titled “Motion to remove and quash proceedings in Charge Number CR/993/2020”, Ejimakor queried: “how can such arraignment proceed when I am still prosecuting a Motion to quash the very Charge upon which the arraignment was predicated? I tell you this – now and in the fullness of time, this arraignment will be subjected to the rigors of the judicial process that preceded it at the High Court of Imo State”.

It will be recalled that on 25th September, the Court 11 of Imo State High Court , presided over by Justice Chukwunyere had revalidated an interim injunction Ohakim had secured against the Nigeria Police Force and Ms Chinyere Amuchienwa-Igwegbe, amongst others, on the subject matter of the arraignment.

The order reads “Upon hearing the oral application of Counsel to the Applicant, Aloy O. Ejimakor, Esq made on the 25th day of September, 2020 praying the Honourable Court for an order granting the application for an extension of the interim injunction granted on the 10th day of September, 2020, pending the hearing of the originating motion in this matter and having carefully read through the pre-existing affidavit deposed to by Dr. Ikedi Ohakim, the written address of Counsel and annexures;

“It is hereby ordered as follows: That the order made by Hon. Justice P.C. Ikpeama on the 7th day of September, 2020 to wit: “That both parties in this suit are hereby ordered to maintain the status quo and should not do anything relating to the subject matter of this suit pending the hearing and determination of this applicant”;

“And that made by Hon. Justice V.I. Onyeka on the 10th day of September, 2020 to wit: “That all parties in this suit are hereby ordered to maintain the status quo and should not do anything in connection with the subject and should stay all action whatsoever pending the determination of the substantive motion in this suit”; are hereby re-emphasized as still subsisting. Parties are to continue to maintain status quo and take no further steps in relation to the subject matter pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion.”.

The application to quash the very charge upon which Ohakim was arraigned was grounded on the pendency of this order. The respondents listed on the application are as follows: Inspector General of Police, Ms Chinyere Amuchienwa-Igwegbe, DCP Margret Ochalla, ACP Ibrahim Yidi, Kolo Yusuf, among others. Even the very Abuja FCT High Court (Court 32) was listed as a “party by reference” in the process seeking to quash the charge.