PSC sacks 21 AIGs in shakeup (see the full list)

The Police Service Commission, PSC has announced the compulsory retirement of 21 Assistant Inspectors-General of Police.

The move is said to be aimed at avoiding conflict in the police force since the now retired AIGs are senior in rank to the newly appointed Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris.

The retirement of the AIGs was announced in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday by PSC's Head of Press and Public Relations, Mr Ikechukwu Ani.

“The Police Service Commission has approved the retirement of 21 Assistant Inspectors General of Police who were senior to the new acting Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, before his appointment.

"The other affected AIGs are Bala A Hassan; Yahaya Garba Ardo; Irmiya F. Yarima; Danladi Y. Mshebwala; Tambari Y. Mohammed; Bala Magaji Nasarawa; Musa Abdulsalam; Adisa Bolanta; Mohammed J. Gana; and Umaru Abubakar Manko.

"Others are Lawal Tanko; Olufemi A. Adenike; Johson A Ogunsakin; Adenrele T. Shinaba; James O. Caulcrick; Olufefemi David Ogunbayode; Edgar T. Nanakumo; Kalafite H. Adeyemi; Patrick D. Dokumor and Sabo Ibrahim Ringim.

"The Chairman of the commission, Sir, Dr. Mike Mbama Okiro, congratulated the affected officers for their meritorious service to the nation and wished them well in their new endeavours.”

A source at the PSC explained the rationale for the sweep out of the senior police officers.

“The retirement became necessary in order to avert crisis in the police hierarchy because there is no way these AIGs can be taking orders or directives from their junior.

“This is not a new practice, the same yardstick had been applied before in the Nigeria Police.”

The sudden retirement is said to have come as a disappointing shock to the affected officers who were looking forward to their promotion to the next rank of Deputy Inspector-General of Police.

“The sudden retirement of these good hands might discourage diligence in the service. I think the PSC ought to be more tactical in its retirement benchmarks and decisions," said a source.

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How ex-Minister used housemaid's account to launder N2.5b - EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has disclosed that a former Minister has been using her housemaid's account to launder looted funds. The anti graft agency said that at the time it made the discovery, about N2.5b was found in the account.

The EFCC said that investigations revealed that the ex-Minister opened the account to which she is the sole signatory in her domestic servant's name in order to conceal her tracks.

An anonymous source spoke on the investigations.
“Our findings indicated that the ex-female minister opened an account in the name of her housemaid and with her photograph. But the signature in the account is that of the ex-minister.

“At the time we made the discovery, over N2.5billion was in the account. But the volume of transactions in the account has been huge.

“We are suspecting that the ex-minister did not put the housemaid in the picture of what she wanted to do with her passport photograph.

“We have established that the ex-minister has been drawing funds from the said account. We have retrieved records of all transactions by the ex-Minister. We will soon bring her to justice no matter how long it takes to follow due process.”

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Plaintiff withdraws suit challenging Buhari's certificate

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday struck out a suit challenging President Muhammadu Buhari's academic credentials.

The presiding judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola struck out the suit consequent upon a notice of discontinuance filed by the plaintiff, Mr Nnamdi Nwokocha-Ahaiwe.

At the resumption of hearing on the matter on Thursday, Mr Chikordi Okeorji, counsel to the plaintiff informed the court that his client had filed a notice of discontinuance on June 27, pursuant to order 50 rule 2 (1) of the Federal High Court Rules.

Justice Ademola struck out the case after Paul Ajiboye, counsel to the defendant had said that he was not opposed to the application.

Nwokocha-Ahaiwe, an Abuja-based legal practitioner, had filed an application asking the court to nullify Muhammadu Buhari's  election  as president on the grounds that he did not possess the minimum academic requirements to contest for the position, having failed to sit for the Cambridge West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1961 as he had claimed.

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Some officers, politicians behind coup rumours - Buratai

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai has disclosed that some military officers and members of the political class are behind recent rumours of an impending coup d'etat in the country.

The Army Chief warned against military misadventure in democracy, adding that investigations were on to unmask the faces behind the rumours.

“We are much better under democracy. Military misadventure in democracy should not repeat itself.

“We see it as an attempt to show some misgivings by some officers and the political class, but they will fail,” he said.

He assured that the Army would remain professional and stay out of politics.

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$2.29m money laundering: Court orders Ohakim to opun his defense

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has dismissed a no case submission filed by the immediate past governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim in a money laundering suit instituted against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

In his no case submission, Ohakim had argued that the evidence aduced by the prosecution to prove its case disclosed no prima facie case against him.

However, Justice Adeniyi Ademola on Thursday ruled that Ohakim had a case to answer as the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him warranting that he should defend himself.

The EFCC had on July 8, 2015, arraigned Ohakim, governor of Imo State from 2007 to 2011, on a three-count charge bordering on money laundering.

Ohakim is charged with purchasing a property at 60, Kwame Nkrumah Street, Plot No 1098, Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, Abuja with a cash payment of $2.29m which was said to be the dollar equivalent of N270m in November 2008, contrary to section 1 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004 and punishable under Section 15(1)(d) of the same law.

Ohakim is also accused of attempting to conceal the ownership of the property by falsely entering into an agreement as a tenant in the property, contrary to and punishable under section 14(1b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.

The ex-governor is also alleged to have failed to declare the property as part of his assets when asked to do so by the EFCC in January 2014, contrary to section 27(b) and (c) of the EFCC Act and punishable under the same section.

The prosecution closed its case after calling six witnesses and tendering documentary evidence as exhibits.

On May 5, 2016, Ohakim through his counsel, Awa Kalu (SAN), indicated his intention to file a no-case submission, contending that the prosecution’s evidence had not linked him to the commission of the alleged crime.

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Eid-el-fitri: Tuesday, Wednesday are public holidays - FG

The Federal Government has declared Tuesday and Wednesday next week as public holidays to enable Muslims mark the Eid-el-fitri celebration.

A statement released in Abuja on Thursday by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Bassey Akpanyung said that the Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd) admonished the Muslim faithful to allow the spiritual benefits of
Ramadan, which include love, peace and justice to permeate their daily living and thus contribute to national development.

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PDP's BoT Chairman, Walid Jubrin mourns Ojo Maduekwe

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees, BoT of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Senator Walid Jubrin has confirmed the death of the Secretary of the party's BoT, Chief Ojo Maduekwe.

Jubrin while confirming the development in Abuja on Thursday, said that the sudden death of Maduekwe was shocking.

He explained that he had been expecting the former Nigerian Ambassador to the United States of America to return from his trip to that country so that they could continue to sort out PDP's leadership crisis, only to receive the shocking news of his sudden demise.

"I learnt with sadness and great shock about the death of this very devoted member of the party, a very dependable member and a very useful member with whom we have worked very closely together.

"We have been trying our best to find a solution to this problem and it is so sad that Maduekwe died at a very critical moment.

"It is sad that at this critical moment, Maduekwe had to go and we are definitely going to miss him and his ideas.
"He meant very well for this party, he meant very well for BoT.

"He had very fantastic ideas on the way out for our party crisis.
"Maduekwe has been national secretary of the PDP, he has been a Nigerian ambassador and so, we were utilizing his knowhow in BoT.

"He did very well for the few months he was in BoT. I will never forget him.

"I have lost a great partner,'' he said.

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