Omokore, others docked for illegal oil deals, get N200m bail

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, arraigned an acclaimed ally of former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, Mr. Jide Omokore, before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

Also arraigned with Omokore were the former Managing Director of Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, Victor Briggs, former Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production of NNPC, Abiye Membere; and former Manager, Planning and Commercial of the NNPC, David Mbanefo.

Two companies, Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Limited were also charged along with the accused persons who pleaded not guilty to the nine-count charge preferred against them by the anti-graft agency.

Following their plea, the trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako granted the accused persons bail in the sum of N50m each with a surety, who must either be a senior civil servant or have a landed property.

Justice Nyako ordered that the sureties must depose to an affidavit of means, while the defendants must deposit their international passports and other travelling documents with the court.

The EFCC claims in one charges against the defendants ; One of the charge against the defendants read: “That you, Olajide Jones Omokore, Atlantic Energy Brass Development Ltd, Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Ltd and Kolawole Akanni Aluko (now at large) between May and October, 2013, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, by false pretence and with intent to defraud, induced the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Federal Government of Nigeria to deliver to you 5, 652, 227 barrels of crude oil (Brass blend) valued at the sum of US $ 616, 013, 615.27, through the medium of contact (Strategic Alliance Agreement) which delivery was induced by false pretence to wit: the representation that you have technical competence, professional skills and funds (both local and foreign) necessary to support NPDC in petroleum operation for the OML 60, 62, 62 and 63 and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other fraud related offences Act CAP A6 2010 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.’’

Earlier, Mr. Rafiu Lawal Rabana SAN, counsel to Jide Omokore had sought to delay the trial by arguing that one of the accused persons, Kolawole Akanni Aluko was not in court.

He contended that under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, all the defendants in a case must be served with the charges and be physically present in court before arraignment could take place.

However, lead prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs SAN countered that “Aluko is in Europe. We could not even take his statement, yet they want us to serve him along with others so that they could create a lacuna. The plea of those present in court should be taken.”

He subsequently applied and got the judge's permission to strike out Aluko's name from the charges.

“Anytime we get him, the charges could be amended,” he said.

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Police Service Commission appoints Force Secretary, 7 DIGs

The Police Service Commission, PSC, yesterday , announced the appointment of seven Deputy Inspectors-General of Police, DIGs, who will make up the new management team to run the affairs of the Nigeria Police Force, NPF.

The announcement was made through a statement issued by the Head, Force Public Relations, Mr Ikechukwu Ani.

“The Commission on Monday, approved the appointment of seven Deputy Inspectors-General of Police to man the seven Management Departments of the Force.”

According to the statement, the  new DIGs and their portfolios are as follows:
DIG Shuaibu Gambo - Department of Finance and Administration.
DIG Joshak Habila - Department of Operations.
DIG Maigari Dikko - Department of Logistics and Supply.
DIG H. M. Dagala - Department of Force Criminal Investigations Department, FCID;
DIG Emmanuel Inyang - Department of Training and Development.
DIG Ntom Chukwu - Department of Research and Planning.
DIG Folusho Adebanjo - Department of ICT.

AIG Abdul Bube was appointed as the new Force Secretary.

“The commission has conveyed this approval to the Inspector-General of Police for implementation. Chairman, Dr. Mike Okiro, said the officers’ promotion letters will follow in due course,” said the statement.

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Senator Odua denies laundering N2.5b through housemaid's account

Former Aviation Minister, Senator Stella Oduah who represents Anambra North Senatorial Zone, has denied reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has discovered the sum of N2.5 billion in a bank account she operates in disguise using the identity of her housemaid.

In a statement issued on Monday by her media aide, Francisca Onyeisi, the Senator challenged the publishers of the allegation to validate their claim with proofs.

A US-based news website had over the weekend disclosed that Oduah was operating an account through which she did massive transactions using the identity of her domestic servant apparently without her knowledge.

Dismissing the publication as untrue and without basis, the Senator said that "if the reports were true, I would have been arrested long before now, especially at a time when the EFCC is freezing accounts and going after opposition governors who enjoy same level of immunity as the president.”

Oduah added that she made her money in the oil/gas and agricultural sectors before joining politics, urging the public to ignore the said publication.

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Kachikwu now Chairman of NNPC Board

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed a new Board for the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, in line with Section 1(2) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Act of 1997, as amended.

The Chairman of the new Board is the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu while the Group Managing Director, NNPC, Dr Maikanti Kacalla Baru and the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance are members.

Other members are Mallam Abba Kyari; Dr Thomas M.A John; Dr Pius O. Akinyelure; Dr Tajuddeen Umar; Mallam Mohammed Lawal, and Mallam Yusuf Lawal.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina in Abuja on Monday, President Buhari charged the new board to ensure the successful delivery of the mandate of the NNPC, and "serve the nation by upholding the public trust placed on them in managing this critical national asset."

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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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