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America set to go after Diezani Alison-Madueke

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July 23, 2017

America set to go after Diezani Alison-Madueke

A former US State Department Nigeria specialist, Mathew Page, has suggested that a US civil forfeiture case to seize $144 million of assets from two cronies of Diezani Alison-Madueke, may just be the start of her legal troubles with America.

US Justice Department last week filed an asset recovery case in Houston against Jide Omokore and Kola Aluko, seeking the seizure of luxury property, including a New York apartment and super-yacht, bought by one of the businessmen. The two businessmen, at the detriment of Nigerian treasury, were heavily favoured by Diezani, during her tenure as Nigeria’s oil minister.

“Although this is the first attempt by US law enforcement to go after assets allegedly stolen by Diezani and her henchmen, it almost certainly will not be the last,” the AFP reported Mathew Page as saying.

At present, Diezani faces charges only at home but her name crops up in a growing number of international cases that lift the lid on the scale of alleged corruption in the country’s oil sector.

Since leaving office in 2015, she has been implicated in bribery, fraud, misuse of public funds, and money laundering cases in Nigeria, Britain, Italy and the United States.

The first female president of the global oil cartel OPEC — who was one of Africa’s most prominent politicians — has always denied the allegations, which involve billions of dollars syphoned from oil deals and state coffers.

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, elected in 2015 on a promise to eliminate graft, has said that “mind-boggling” sums of public money were stolen by previous administrations.

Officials in Abuja say they are talking with US prosecutors about repatriating the money if the civil forfeiture claim is successful.

Alison-Madueke served under president Goodluck Jonathan from 2010 to 2015 and was Nigeria’s first female minister of petroleum resources. But her tenure was dogged by scandal.

On her watch, the former central bank governor Lamido Sanusi was sacked for claiming the state-run Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had failed to remit $20 billion.

In one case heard in Nigeria in February, Alison-Madueke was accused of diverting some $153 million from the NNPC coffers.

In another ongoing trial, some 23 billion naira ($73 million) of NNPC money is alleged to have been used to influence the 2015 presidential election to keep Jonathan in power.

Lat week, prosecutors in Lagos began proceedings to recover $1.76 billion of assets owned by Kola Aluko and Jide Omokore, whose companies were awarded oil contracts by Alison-Madueke.

On Wednesday, another judge ordered the forfeiture of Alison-Madueke’s $37.5 million luxury Lagos property, saying it was purchased with ill-gotten funds.

Meanwhile, Italian prosecutors allege that she and Jonathan received kickbacks from oil majors ENI and Shell as part of a $1.3-billion deal for an offshore oil block in Nigeria.

Charges relating to the same oil block deal have also been filed against the oil majors and some senior Nigerian politicians.

Jonathan and Alison-Madueke are not named in the suit but the former president is under pressure from parliament to answer questions about the so-called Malabu deal.

Finally, Diezani-Madueke was arrested in London in October 2015 in connection with a British probe into international corruption and money laundering, but she was freed on bail.

As the international cases pile up, anti-graft campaigners hope the growing body of evidence will boost current President Muhammadu Buhari’s faltering war on corruption.

Several high-profile figures in Jonathan’s government have been charged with corruption since Buhari came to power, however so far there have been no major convictions.

Still, some activists believe the overseas cases will serve as a powerful example of justice.

Debo Adeniran, of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders lobby group, said the latest cases involving Alison-Madueke, Aluko and Omokore could be a “morale booster”.

“Once a conviction is got abroad, the right signal will be sent to all looters that the judgment day has come,” he said.

“The fight against corruption will receive a boost. At last, the chickens are coming home to roost.”

Dolapo Oni, an oil analyst with Ecobank, said that in contrast to Nigeria’s sluggish courts, the overseas corruption cases may be concluded faster.

But whatever positive impact that may have, fears remain that with Buhari on indefinite medical leave, his anti-corruption war is losing momentum.

Leading Nigerian lawyer Festus Keyamo said the cases demonstrated the need fundamentally to overhaul the NNPC — and to investigate just how far up corruption went in the ruling elite.

“The big unanswered questions: is it possible one Minister allegedly stole so much without the knowledge, connivance & approval of the C-in-C (commander-in-chief)?”, he tweeted.

Source: AFP

Transfer News: VERRATTI OPEN TO MAN UTD MOVE

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July 23, 2017

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Transfer News: VERRATTI OPEN TO MAN UTD MOVE

Wantaway Paris Saint-Germain Marco Verratti has named Barcelona as his first-choice destination, but is open to a summer transfer to Manchester United, according to theExpress.

The Italy international midfiedler is said to be looking to force his way out of Paris, having spent five seasons in the French capital.

Jose Mourinho is determined to add a central midfielder to his squad before the start of the 2017-18 Premier League season but will have to spend a substatial amount for the €100 million-Barca target.

Samad Rabiu’s BUA Group, Virgin Mobile, Vodacom, Others Queue to Take over Etisalat

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July 23, 2017

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Samad Rabiu’s BUA Group, Virgin Mobile, Vodacom, Others Queue to Take over Etisalat

**Samad Rabiu, set to acquire Etisalat Nigeria**

In what can be describe as a pathetic end to the brand-Etisalat in Nigeria which was hinged on a failed business management that resulted into a monumental debt that consumed the telecoms giant; information gathered suggests a Nigeria top business man and respected man of affluence, Samad Rabiu is among those jostling to take over the telecoms company said to be enmeshed in financial difficulties.

The telecoms company, which recently unveiled its new logo and brand identity as 9Mobile, is said to be open to new investor that is willing to invest heavily in the telecoms company in such a way that it will have the required amount of money to offset its $1.2 billion bank loan.

Read BREAKING: N541 Billion Debt: Access Bank, Others Take Over Etisalat Nigeria

Samad Rabiu’s BUA Group, Virgin Mobile from the United Kingdom and Vodacom of South Africa and other notable investors have expressed interest in acquiring Etisalat now 9Mobile, Nigeria’s fourth largest telecoms company.

However newsheadline247 understands BUA Group, Vodacom and Virgin Mobile are the three leading companies in the race to invest and fully acquire the financially troubled telecoms company.

newsheadline247 also gathered “BUA Group and the two operators along with the others were already making plans to submit their memoranda of interest and technical presentations to a consortium of banks.

“The BUA Group is trying to put together a bid with its technical partners. The consortium of banks has appointed advisers, which include Standard Bank of South Africa and Citibank of New York to receive and evaluate bids.

”Every bid will be reviewed before bringing them to the board of new directors.”

A statement made by the CEO of 9Mobile, Mr. Boye Olusanya, during the media unveiling of the 9Mobile brand in Lagos last week indicates that the company is open to new investors, confirmed the situation that some investors had already indicated interest to invest in 9Mobile.

BUA Group owned is a fully-fledged, diversified business with a stake in a wide range of business chains.

Additional reports from The Capital NG

Related Posts:Banks want Etisalat $1.2b loan probed

Etisalat Nigeria changes name to 9mobile

EU calls for British ‘clarity’ over Brexit

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July 20, 2017

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EU calls for British ‘clarity’ over Brexit

AFP>>> The EU’s Brexit negotiator urged Britain on Thursday to provide more clarity on key issues after the second round of talks wrapped up in Brussels with “fundamental” differences remaining.

Michel Barnier said after talks with his counterpart David Davis that the two sides were still at odds over Britain’s divorce bill and over the rights of European citizens living in Britain.

“We require this clarification on the financial settlement, citizens rights and on Ireland,” Barnier, a former French foreign minister and European Commissioner, told a joint press conference with Davis.

“This week’s experience shows that we make better progress when our respective positions are clear,” adding that the next round of talks on August 28 “must be about clarification”.

Davis, a long-time eurosceptic picked by British Prime Minister Theresa May to lead the negotiations, said the talks were “robust but constructive” but that there was “a lot left to talk about.”

“A solution will require flexibility from both sides,” he added.

The Brexit talks are the second round since negotiations formally began in June, a year after Britain’s historic referendum vote to leave the 28-member European Union, but the first to really go into detail.

‘Fundamental divergence’
The negotiations are dealing with issues around Britain’s divorce — Britain’s exit bill, the rights of EU citizens living in Britain, and the Northern Ireland border — with talks on a future trade deal only set to start if leaders decide in October there has been “sufficient progress”.

The EU wants an outline deal agreed by October 2018, so that the European and British parliaments can approve it in time for Brexit day, which is scheduled for the end of March 2019.

Barnier warned there was a “fundamental divergence” with Britain on whether the EU’s top court would keep jurisdiction over the rights of three million European citizens living in Britain after the UK leaves the bloc.

He suggested however that there could be a solution in the way that a separate court overseeing non-EU Norway’s membership of a free trade arrangement with the EU “dovetails” with the European Court of Justice.

Barnier meanwhile urged Britain to set out its position on the amount it must pay before leaving to settle its obligations under the EU budget, which Brussels puts at around 100 billion euros.

“Clarification of the United Kingdom’s position is essential” on the bill, Barnier said.

Davis said he did not accept that Britain would necessarily have to pay anything, but added: “We both recognise the importance of sorting out the obligations we have to one another.”

Scallops and lamb
Davis later hosted Barnier at the British ambassador’s residence in Brussels to discuss the progress of the negotiations over a meal of Scottish scallops followed by lamb, a British official said.

The lunch was the two negotiators’ first discussion on what is officially British soil after all their previous talks took place at the headquarters of the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm.

Davis himself has only been in Brussels on Monday and Thursday, with a team of 98 British negotiators looking after most of the talks in the interim on his behalf.

Despite the EU’s call for more clarity, sources close to the negotiations said Britain would not agree on any figure for the divorce bill until the very end of the talks.

The disagreement over the European Court of Justice promises to come up throughout the negotiations, the sources added.

On the border between Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland, there has been “goodwill” over maintaining the Good Friday peace agreement and on keeping the common travel area on the island, sources said.

But agreement on how to prevent a “hard border” for the movement of goods and people in Ireland will have to wait until later, they said.

British officials meanwhile rejected “ludicrous” reports that it had come into the talks underprepared, following a photograph of an empty-handed Davis on Monday across the table from Barnier, who had a stack of papers.

Spectacular! Ned Nwoko’s Empire As Garden Of Eden

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July 20, 2017

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Spectacular! Ned Nwoko’s Empire As Garden Of Eden

It is a fortress of nature deliberately built to encourage rest and recreation. This strategic nature enclave may not be listed as Africa’s top most tourism destination hotspot yet its enchanting ambience compares favourably with the imaginative biblical Garden of Eden.

Tucked away but not totally hidden in the route village of Idumuje Ugboko, Ned Nwoko hill top nature empire sits on forty-three thousand hectares of prime and lush land, a princely property that signposts the making of a prince and the lure to a luxury vacation.

Here vacation is defined and not left to imagination. Every piece of tourist infrastructure is designed to blend with the greenery vegetation, an opulent invitation to trail discoveries that abound in the incomparable tourist resort. A ten hole golf course bids you welcome to this natural wonder and that is a story to be told in a different way and a message to challenge golfers in Nigeria who may wish to “horn” to their “tees” and improve on ranking.

It is a green facility that could create “green” eyes in other sports enthusiasts which do not anyway, tell all the whole story of our new discovery. A trip this location ranked as one of Delta state’s top ten tourist destinations deserves an open mind and for a hard-nosed nature tourism reporter like me, to bask in this dream haven of nature and human creativity significantly strengthens the desire for a Nigerian tourism tomorrow.

Ned’s Muslim background probably influenced his “Moroccan home” a ten room edifice and architectural master piece which stands majestically in the forest of other visitor facilities, such as a conference centre, Olympic size swimming pool and a long tennis court.There is a sports university awaiting National University Commission (NUC) approval and which will be located in this octopus tourism complex, possibly the first of its kind in Africa. And from what

Related Post>>> PRINCE NED NWOKO: A UNIVERSITY AND A SENATORIAL CALLING By Onyeka Ibe

There is a sports university awaiting National University Commission (NUC) approval and which will be located in this octopus tourism complex, possibly the first of its kind in Africa. And from what was structured on ground here, it wouldn’t be long for Delta state to provide “oil” from sports tourism.

To avoid being lost in this luxurious complex of natural resources bank, I was guided on a nature trail to a mini zoo where an ostrich welcomed our arrival, showcasing its buried head on its huge body. The monkey was not left out of this red carpet reception. One of them craftily left its den, danced around the care giver (keeper) and held on to my left leg, possibly protesting against not having a banana as a gift.

You can’t tell with these animals in human shape, yet it was an encounter that adds to the deep appreciation and need to expose our nation to the benefits of protecting our flora and fauna resources for the sake of generations yet unborn.

If that encounter factors the need for great lessons on natural resource conservation and education, Ned Nwoko’s futuristic investment in agriculture and fisheries brings to testament an entrepreneur with strategic insight on how the various components of tourism could create jobs across board and burst the crazy unemployment indices that has brought in its wake worrisome social dislocations.

Ned Nwoko on the sidelines of a very busy traffic of visitors and political associates told me he would rather choose to serve as “Minister of Tourism and Culture” than become a governor in Nigeria. Nwoko’s empire in Idumuje Ugboko speaks volume of a practical desire and ambition to which over two hundred young persons’ earn their daily living and also have a privileged training ground to master the craft of tourism trade.The bourgeoning oil palm plantation is an excitement and attraction that adds to the rich unbelievable discoveries in this nature resort. To climb the over 100 feet tower leaves the heart racing with the panoramic view showcasing the thick vegetation and unspoilt natural resources eco system as soothing balm. This tower also serves a natural laboratory to bump natural air into damaged lungs, cleanse and lubricate it from years of city air pollution.

The bourgeoning oil palm plantation is an excitement and attraction that adds to the rich unbelievable discoveries in this nature resort. To climb the over 100 feet tower leaves the heart racing with the panoramic view showcasing the thick vegetation and unspoilt natural resources eco system as a soothing balm. This tower also serves a natural laboratory to bump natural air into damaged lungs, cleanse and lubricate it from years of city air pollution.
To cinematographers, photographers, nature scientists and students, this tower which stands on the mountain peak at one thousand, one hundred feet above sea level possibly the highest in the entire southern frontier of Nigeria, provides an ideal and breathless contact with heaven and earth. If this tower helps generate creativity and lubricates the lungs with fresh air, the tunnel craftily built to recreate history of how kings and princes of old drive adventure escape routes and retreat, speaks and adds volume to the very unending desire of Ned Nwoko to blend nature, culture, sports and history into a seamless tourism of enterprise that may blossom as the true face of emerging Nigerian private sector tourism initiative.

If this tower helps generate creativity and lubricates the lungs with fresh air, the tunnel craftily built to recreate history of how kings and princes of old drive adventure escape routes and retreat, it speaks and adds volume to the very unending desire of Ned Nwoko to blend nature, culture, sports and history into a seamless tourism of enterprise that may blossom as the true face of emerging Nigerian private sector tourism initiative.

I would leave my encounter with Chinedu (Ned) Nwoko to another day. Unknown to many people, Nwoko as a member of Nigeria green chamber between 1999 and 2003 initiated and sponsored the now famous “Whistle Blowing” bill known as an act “to establish Public Funds Recovery and Reward Commission”. A lawyer, businessman and politician, Ned Nwoko sponsored over 22 successful bills as a member of House of Representatives and is presently at the edge of launching a Nigerian tourism project in collaboration with Delta state and federal government that will excite a refreshing private sector drive to stimulate domestic tourism and culture initiatives at the grass roots. Indeed, his dream to liberate local government activities in Nigeria from the demonizing hold of states governors makes him an interesting figure to watch in the emerging political landscape in Delta state in 2019.

Diezani Losses Banana Island Property

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July 20, 2017

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Former Petroleum minister, Diezani Alison – Madueke has lost her Banana Island, Lagos property.
The property described as Building 3, Block B, Bella Vista Plot 1 Zone N, Federal Government Layout, Banana Island Foreshore Estate, is said to have 24 apartments, 18 flats and six penthouses.

The former minister reportedly paid $37.5m cash for the property while in office.

She acquired the high brow real estate in 2013 according to revelations by anti corruption agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

She lost the property to the government through a temporary forfeiture order secured by the EFCC today – Wednesday July 19 2017.

The move is part of the grand investigation into mega corruption allegation against Diezani and her allies while she served as Petroleum minister.

The temporary forfeiture order granted against her today by a Federal High Court in Lagos also covers the sum of $2,740,197.96 and N84,537,840.70 she has in bank – said to be rent collected on the seized property.

‘Iheanacho leaving City within 10 days’ – Pep

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July 20, 2017

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‘Iheanacho leaving City within 10 days’ – Pep

As pre-season training ramps up for Manchester City on their International Champions Cup tour of the United States, manager Pep Guardiola has acknowledged that Nigerian youngster Kelechi Iheanacho could be on his way out.

Iheanacho has been the subject of transfer rumours all summer and reports have added Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City into the mix to sign the 20-year-old away from the Etihad Stadium.

Despite scoring 21 goals in 64 appearances across all competitions over two seasons in Manchester, he has been unable to earn consistent minutes with the Manchester City first eleven.

Last season, with Sergio Aguero absent for four games leading up to the Boxing Day fixtures and Gabriel Jesus not available for selection until January, Guardiola gave Iheanacho a place in the starting lineup for a couple of matches.

The coach then left him on the substitutes bench for the remainder of the season, instead going with Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling up front.

As it is for any player going into a World Cup year, playing time is vital for Iheanacho, both in terms of development and solidifying a place with his national team.

Guardiola stated at a press conference in Houston: “Kelechi is a young player. It was easy, an honour to work with him, because it’s not easy for him, I didn’t give him a lot of choices.

“But he’s close to making a transfer. Maybe in the next week, in the next 10 days, it’s going to finish.”

Guardiola also added that City will be inserting a buy-back clause in any transfer involving Iheanacho: “We’ll have an option to have the opportunity in a few years to bring him back.

“But he’s a young player and we believe he deserves to play, he needs to play at that age and that’s why the club will decide what’s best for him.”

Leicester have reportedly tabled a £25 million bid for the striker and if the move goes through, Iheanacho will be reunited with Nigeria teammates Wilfred Ndidi and Ahmed Musa. Source: ESPN

Buruji, OGD Social Media Feud: Hon Oladipupo Adebutu Lambasts Buruji Kashamu, Says “He milked me and my family of an amount running into billions of naira.”

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July 20, 2017

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Buruji, OGD Social Media Feud: Hon Oladipupo Adebutu Lambasts Buruji Kashamu, Says “He milked me and my family of an amount running into billions of naira.”

Ogun 2019: Hon Oladipupo Adebutu Lambasts Buruji Kashamu, says “He milked me and my Family of an Amount Running into Billions of Naira.”

Billionaire’s son and politician, hon. Oladipupo Adebutu chides Ogun East senator, buruji Kashamu over what has been described as the latter’s recent ungentlemanly social media attack against a former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.

Hon, Oladipupo Adebutu in his response said “if there is anyone who has milked me and my family and sought for financial gratifications running into billions of naira in a wicked disguise of support, it is Senator Buruji Kashamu together with his Omo Ilu Foundation.”

Read full details as sourced;

Re: Buruji’s Attack on OGD

My attention has been drawn to some needless, baseless and wild allegations against the person of the revered former Governor of Ogun State and my own Leader, Otunba Gbenga Daniel (OGD) by Senator Buruji Kashamu which he posted on various WhatsApp loops in the last two days.

Ordinarily, my kind of reactions to anything said, posted or credited to such personality like Senator Kasamu especially with the turn of political events in Ogun State, and particularly with respect to the control of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, was to ignore and dismiss as the ranting of a failed politician whose inglorious empire appear to be sinking right before his own eyes. I, naturally hold an opinion that vituperation of someone of Buruji’s social standing deserves no second look, let alone a response. However, it may be important to set certain record straight for the sake of the unsuspecting public and to prevent them from falling prey to Kasamu’s usual antics of deliberate misinformation, blackmail and peddling of lies and falsehood.

It should be noted that Senator Kasamu’s brand of politics, rooted in falsehood and blackmail is legendary. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo; former Minister of State, Senator Jubril Martins-Kuye; Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; and a host of other political leaders in Ogun State and the South West have, at various times had their own dose of such.

Let me state clearly for the record, that at no time, neither recently nor in the past did OGD demand a dime from me or my entire family in exchange for support towards my political career. In fact, H.E, Otunba Gbenga Daniel on several occasions made personal contributions in so many ways including financial, to support my aspiration most especially during the 2015 election which he single handedly supervised.

It is callous and a complete descent into blackmail to drag the name of OGD into a lost political warfare.

If there is anyone who has milked me and my family and sought for financial gratifications running into billions of naira in a wicked disguise of support, it is Senator Buruji Kashamu together with his Omo Ilu Foundation. This will never happen again!

“For the avoidance of doubt, I Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu shall not be blackmailed as done previously to enter into any political arrangement with Buruji Kashamu as such arrangement will be fraught with dishonesty, deceit and a covert determination not to abide by the same agreement. Kashamu has proven over time that he doesn’t have the culture to abide by decent agreements.

I am not oblivious of the fact that Buruji’s recent attacks is reactionary to the defeat he and his misguided followers suffered as a result of the Supreme Court ruling and subsequent recognition of the Alhaji Sikirulai Ogundele led exco as the authentic leadership of the PDP in Ogun State by the National Caretaker Committee of the party in Abuja.

The determination to salvage the people of Ogun State from the claws of the APC maladministration has been renewed and no Buruji or his cohorts can stop it.

Honourable Oladipupo Adebutu,

Chairman, House Committee on Rural Development,

House of Representatives, Abuja

Read Also Save my soul! Gboyega Isiaka crawled back to Otunba Gbenga Daniel

MOB SET STERLING BANK ABLAZE!

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July 20, 2017

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An armed mobile policeman fleeing from an irate mob after shooting a tanker driver disrupted banking operations at the Sterling Bank branch on Creek Road this morning. He ran into the premises of the bank to escape being lynched.

Security operatives attached to the bank disarmed and arrested the fleeing mobile policeman but did not hand him over to the irate mob.

The mob got upset and attacked the bank with the intention of unleashing mayhem on staff and customers. The branch’s reception area was vandalized and set ablaze.

The security operatives attached to the branch prevented the mob from entering the branch while evacuating staff and customers before the arrival of police reinforcement. The branch has been temporarily shut down.

We wish to inform all our customers that normal services will continue at nearby branches and through all our electronic channels.

newsheadline247 understands Sterling Bank is working with security agencies to resolve the issue.

N7 Trillion Smuggled goods: Senate Fault Nigeria Customs, Immigration

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July 18, 2017

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N7 Trillion Smuggled goods: Senate Fault Nigeria Customs, Immigration

Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan (left); Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Chairman, Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariffs, Hope Uzodinma during a public hearing on curbing the menace of smuggling in the country in Abuja…yesterday.

The Senate has berated the Nigeria Customs Service and Immigration Service for lapses that resulted in N7 trillion goods allegedly smuggled into the country yearly.
Besides, the World Bank recent report on smuggling in the country specified that $5 billion and $15 billion worth of goods are smuggled yearly through the Benin Republic and seaports respectively. But the loss of revenue from the international airports was not stated.

The colossal loss of revenue was on the front burner for investigation yesterday, during a public hearing conducted by the Senate committee on customs, excise and tariff in Abuja.

Senator Hope Uzodinma, chairman of the committee said the committee was to carry out a holistic probe on the operations of the Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS), ministries, departments and agencies of government and further identify the factors escalating the rate of smuggling of imported goods into the country and, to recommend appropriate penalties.

Uzodinma further revealed that 282 vessels were missing at the various terminals of the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) between 2010 and 2016.Also, senator Dino Melaye took a swipe on the operatives of the Nigeria Customs and Immigration, alleging that they were collaborators in the smuggling menace as they could not convincingly distance themselves from the illegal operations of the importers whose warehouses are known to them and scattered everywhere in different cities of the nation.

Meanwhile, a civil society group, Alliance for Credible Election (ACE), yesterday kicked against the bill in the House of Representatives seeking to grant amnesty to looters.

The group which launched its campaign against corruption and unveiled plans to publish list of abandoned and unexecuted federal projects in six states across the country, stated that amnesty for looters bill if passed would be a boost to corruption.

Fielding questions from newsmen at the launching of media campaign on promoting citizens’ participation in the fight against corruption in Nigeria project, the Acting General Secretary of ACE, Lady Mma Odi, said looters should be punished to serve as deterrent to others.

The controversial Amnesty for looters bill sponsored by the member representing Ohaukwu/Ebonyi federal constituency of Ebonyi State, Linus Okorie, is expected to operate for three years from the date of commencement, with the ‘establishment of the Voluntary Taxable Income Recovery and Amnesty Scheme’

If eventually passed into law, past and present public officers, who have looted the treasury and other Nigerians, with fraudulently acquired wealth would be granted amnesty if they voluntarily declare their loots and invest same in the economy.

Elaborating on the modalities for tracking those abandoned projects, she said it was carried out in conjunction with the United Nations Development Project (UNDP) and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC), and conducted in six states across the six geopolitical areas of the country.

Also, a coalition of 81 pro-democracy group, the Not Too Young To Run, yesterday kicked against the exclusion of the nation’s teeming population of youths from the affairs of governance in the ongoing review of the 1999 constitution.

The group’s National coordinator, Mr. Ibrahim Faruk wondered why the lawmakers excluded the “Not too young to run bill” which is the only bill that proposes for youth inclusion government in the report of the Joint Committee of Senate and House of Representatives Constitution review committee.

The group called on the leadership of the National Assembly to fulfill its promise to the Nigerian youth and the international community by ensuring the inclusion of Not too young to run in the report of the constitution review committee and its passage at plenary and also in the amendment of the constitution. The Guardian NG