CBN takes over management of Skye Bank

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, on Monday, announced its take over of the Board and Management of Skye Bank Plc following the bank's failure to meet the  minimum key liquidity and capital adequacy ratios.

The CBN Governor,Mr Godwin Emefiele, announced the takeover during a press conference at the apex bank's head office in Lagos.

Emefiele said the CBN had appointed a new board and management for the bank following the resignation of its Chairman, Chief Tunde Ayeni, and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Timothy Oguntayo.

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Gombe flags off vaccination against pneumococcal diseases

The Gombe State government has flagged off the administration of the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine in the state.

Speaking at the flag off of the program in Gombe on Saturday, the Executive Secretary, Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Ahmed Gana said that about 800,000 children under the age of five die from pneumococcal disease in developing countries annually, according to the World Health Organization, WHO.

He disclosed that in Nigeria alone, about 177,000 children under age five die from pneumonia yearly, accounting for 16 per cent of deaths within the age group.

“The introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Nigeria will avert estimated 173,225 deaths. Immunization with PCV is a safe and effective means of protecting children against many strains of the pneumococcal disease, which will occur less frequently in immunized children,” he said.

Gana identified other ways of effectively preventing  pneumococcal infection as hand washing, exclusive breast-feeding, reduction in indoor air pollution and zinc supplementation.

Speaking at the event, the Deputy Director of Immunization in the state , Mr. Musa Ibrahim Kuna, said that the new vaccine would be used in the routine immunization of babies from 6 weeks of birth -10weeks and up to 14 weeks.

Kuna explained that up to 1039 health workers from public and private clinics have been trained on the new vaccine which will be administered in the 11 Local Government Areas of the state.

He disclosed that Gombe was among the eight states  selected by the National Primary Health Care Devolvement Agency in collaboration with some other partners for participation in the program.

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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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