EFCC to go after banks aiding looting

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Magu has expressed the determination of the anti-graft agency to go after banks found to be aiding and abetting treasury looting.

Alert, the in-house magazine of EFCC reports that Magu warned that banks could no longer afford to be used by corrupt public servants and fraudsters to launder their loot.

“We are not only going after the personnel of banks, we are also going after the banks. What happens is that when a staff of the bank is involved in such activities, what the bank does is to take the person out of the system through dismissal.

“But now, we are going to go after the banks and the personnel used to perpetrate the fraud. It takes two to tango. In fact, very soon, you will see us going after the managing directors of the banks.

“We don’t care what happens because the right thing has to be done because they have given a lot of room for money laundering activities to thrive. They were used to hide all the stolen money," he said.

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PMB hosting Atiku, other APC leaders to a dinner in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari hosted former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other APC leaders to a dinner at the State House, Abuja on Friday.

They used the occasion to break the Ramadan fast together.

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NAF to acquire 10 training aircraft from Pakistan

The Nigerian Air Force, NAF, has announced that it will soon acquire 10 super mesh training aircraft from the Pakistani Air Force.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar  disclosed this on Saturday at the graduation ceremony of Student Pilot Course, SPC 41B in Kaduna.

He said that the aircraft when acquired would be inducted into the 301 Flying Training School, Kaduna.

Abubakar said that Pakistani pilots are expected in the country to train Nigerian pilots at the 310 Flying Training School, adding that the induction of the super mesh aircraft would help the student pilots to the full spectrum of military flying training.

He said that 20 out of 42 pilots recently left Nigeria for further training abroad.

He explained that of the 20 pilots, 10 were sent to South Africa while the remaining 10 went to the United Kingdom.

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Kuje Prison jailbreak: two inmates on the run

The Nigeria Prisons Service, NPS has confirmed that two inmates escaped from Kuje Prison during a jailbreak at the facility on Friday.

The Public Relations Officer of the NPS, Mr Francis Enobore told newsmen that the incident had nothing to do with the detained leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND.

He said that the Comptroller-General of service has already ordered an investigation into the incident, adding that any official found culpable would be  dealt with according to the law.

“The Controller General himself came when the news was trending. I drove down here myself just to confirm what I was told.

“Actually, yesterday we had an incident where two awaiting trial inmates escaped from custody. The CGP has already directed a preliminary investigation to be carried out. The officers doing the investigation are in the prison yard now combing everywhere to find out how they escaped.

“Throughout the night our armed men and other security personnel that were deployed to search the nearby bush around the prison unfortunately came back this morning but has not been able to find the two prisoners that escaped.

“I can tell you that we maintain good relationship with other security operatives in order to recapture the prisoners. CG has directed that detailed account of what happened should be forwarded to his office soonest.

“And he has promised that any staff found wanting will not be spared and that such staff will be made to face the law. The two prisoners that escaped have no business with Charles Okah,” he said.

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World Youth Handball: FG charges team to defend title with integrity

The Federal Government has urged the Aso Rock Kings who will be representing Nigeria at the World Handball Youth Championship to play with maturity and integrity.

A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adeshina said that the competition will hold from June 28th to July 4th.

25 June 2016 | STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
DEFEND WORLD HANDBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE WITH INTEGRITY, FG URGES STATE HOUSE TEAM

The Federal Government Saturday in Abuja urged athletes participating in the forthcoming 2016 World Handball Youth Championship in Granollers, Spain to defend their current title with diligence, maturity and integrity.
The State House handball team, Aso Rock Kings, will be representing Nigeria at the 2016 World Handball Youth Championship, which will be held in Spain, June 28th -July 4th, 2016.
Speaking to the team, which had a training session at the National Stadium, the State House Permanent Secretary, Jalal Arabi, told the athletes to remain focus, committed and unwavering in defending the gold trophy they won in Spain last year.
"You are going to come under intense pressure from other teams as the defending champions of the 2015 World Handball Youth Championship, but you must remember the spirit of sportsmanship.
"I have watched your training today, and from what I can see you have justified the two weeks you have spent in camp. More importantly, you have to work very hard to retain the trophy you won last year," he said.
Arabi assured the team that the Federal Government was fully committed to the development of sports in Nigeria, urging them to work very hard to justify the confidence that had been reposed in them by always upholding the image of their country.
The Permanent Secretary commended the handball team for setting a good precedence of winning an international trophy last year, pointing out that the administration would encourage all the other sports to move into the spotlight through competitions.
"As various sports progress in the State House Sports Club, we will need to strategize to bring them into the spotlight," he added.
In his remarks, the Coach of the State House handball team, Aminu Ibrahim, said the team had gained lots of experience by participating three times in the same international tournament, and won the gold trophy last year.
He promised that the team would put in their best to retain the trophy.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
June 25th, 2016.

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Operation Delta Safe replaces Operation Pulo Shield

The Operation Pulo Shield in the Niger Delta has been scrapped and immediately replaced with Operation Delta Safe.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Defence Headquarters in Abuja on Saturday.

"The OPERATION PULO SHIELD in Niger Delta has been scrapped with immediate effect and replaced with OPERATION DELTA SAFE.  This is in line with the Defence Headquarters initiative to restructure the Joint Task Force for better service delivery, efficiency and effectiveness in line with the vision and mission of the Chief of Defence Staff to contain the current security challenges in the Niger Delta especially protection of critical national assets and provision of security in the area.

"Under this arrangement, the Joint Operational Areas of the new outfit have been delineated into 3 sectors and 5 Operational Bases covering the entire Niger Delta, Ondo and Akwa Ibom States.  The Headquarters of OPERATION DELTA SAFE would be in Yenagoa.

"This development, according to Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin becomes expedient in order to inject new tactics and robust operational initiative to tackle the emerging security challenges in the Niger Delta region such as piracy, bunkering, vandalism and other criminalities prevalent in the area."

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Army, Police issue joint statement on shooting over IDP rice

JOINT STATEMENT BY THE NIGERIAN ARMY AND THE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE IN BORNO STATE OVER A CONTAINED FRACAS BETWEEN A POLICEMAN AND A SOLDIER AT THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ON THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016

In the morning hours of today, Thursday, June 23, 2016, there was an unfortunate fracas between a soldier and a policeman around the office of the Deputy Governor over a disagreement which led to the unfortunate shooting of a policeman on his foot. The policeman is responding to treatment and has been visited by the theatre commander, operation Lafiya Dole, Major General LEO Irabor and the Commissioner of Police, Borno State Command, Aminchi Baraya, both of whom went together to sympathize with the policeman.

By way of background from the Permanent Secretary, Government House and Security, Mr Ahmed Sanda, the Borno State Government had on Sunday, June 19, 2016 began the distribution of rice to internally displaced persons living in the host communities of Maiduguri and Jere metropolis.

The distribution was meant to take place at 28 wards of the two local government areas unfortunately, when the exercise was launched in old Maiduguri ward for Jere local government area and at Shehuri north ward for Maiduguri on Sunday, hoodlums overpowered the committee in both instances and made away with many bags of the rice meant for the displaced persons. As a result, officials tasked with the distribution shifted the exercise to two premises around the office of the Deputy Governor outside the Government House in order to ensure security of the food items while beneficiaries were identified and issued with allocation notes to give them access to the distribution centers. The exercise had gone smoothly since Sunday with some wards covered, until the unfortunate development today, Thursday.

The Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force in Maiduguri jointly condemn this unfortunate incident which was quickly brought under full control within minutes.

The Army and the Police are jointly investigating the cause of the fracas with a view to ensuring that anyone found culpable amongst the security men are made to face disciplinary measures in line with laid down rules of the Nigerian Armed Forces. Findings and measures taken will be brought to public knowledge as soon as possible.

The Army and the police operating in Borno assure the general public that they will continue to collaborate and work together towards their ongoing counter insurgency and civil security efforts that have led to the emerging peace in Borno State.

The Army and the Police commands in Borno State call on all personnel to exercise restraint in the cause of their duties and should strive to respect one another and work together to secure innocent citizens and maintain peace.

Signed
Col SB Kumapayi
Commander, 7 Division Garrison
Operation Lafiya Dole
&
Aminchi Samaila Baraya
Commissioner of Police
Borno State Command.

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