Connect with us

News

States Should Get Assets Recovered From Ex-Governors- EFCC Chairman Says

Published

on

Abdulrasheed Bawa, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says it is the position of the law that recovered assets should be returned to the victims it was looted from.

A controversy on whether the state or federal government should be the recipient of repatriated loot sprung up after the United Kingdom made a commitment to return £4.2 million loot recovered from James Ibori, former governor of Delta state, to the federal government.

Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation, said the recovered loot will be channelled into federal projects.

However, stakeholders including Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, argued that the Ibori loot in question should be returned to Delta since it was taken from the coffers of the state.

According to Falana, the federal government has no locus standi to decide how the recovered money is spent.

On his part, Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta, said if the money cannot be sent to the state’s coffers, it should be spent on projects in the state.

However, speaking on the issue of asset recovery when he featured on One-on-One, a programme on Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Bawa said the law states that assets recovered from former governors should be returned to the affected states.

“When it comes to this issue of recovered assets, the provision of the law is very clear. There are victims of these crimes. Somebody has gotten somebody’s money fraudulently and assets are recovered from that individual. Of course, it will be returned to him (the victim),” Bawa was quoted as saying in EFCC ALERT.

“State government lost money through its former governor; assets are recovered from that former governor. Of course, it will be returned to the state. Other assets that are recovered for the federal government, it will be returned to the federal government.

“But there are stages. Issues of identification, tracing, and recovery of assets are there; all these are stages. Of course, before trial is concluded in court where matters are charged, those assets recovered through interim forfeiture are managed by us.

“And the EFCC has a full-fledged directorate of assets forfeiture and management that manages these assets. Normally, we engage estate managers to manage these assets, and proceeds from the rents are kept in an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria. And then at the end of the trial, after the pronouncement of the court, whosoever is the victim, needs to be restituted. And if what the law says is that it should be sold, then after the sale of the assets, the proceeds, if it is for the federal government, will be put in the consolidated revenue fund.”

Commenting on the delay in the prosecution of cases, Bawa said the creation of special courts will not serve as an absolute solution.

He explained that some of the issues that cause delay in the prosecution of cases, like “defence counsel trying to delay trials unnecessarily”, are unavoidable.

The anti-graft czar, however, suggested that the employment of new judges will help ease the task.

 

News

MC Oluomo Retakes NURTW Secretariat In Abuja Following Clashes

Published

on

By

Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, has regained control of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) national secretariat in Abuja.

This follows a highly volatile 24-hour period marked by a leadership struggle between MC Oluomo and a rival faction led by Tajudeen Baruwa.

MC Oluomo returned to the secretariat to inspect damaged property following the takeover, according to a video shared by TVC on X.

The development followed an earlier move on Monday by a faction led by Tajudeen Baruwa, which occupied the secretariat, claiming that court rulings supported its action.

Baruwa, who addressed journalists after the occupation, maintained that his faction acted within the law and in line with court decisions.

“Their body language has not been encouraging despite repeated assurance that we are not going back to foment any trouble, as we are a law-abiding union whose only mission is to get back what belongs to us,” he said.

“But today, as you can see, we are taking over in a peaceful manner, and it is not a forceful takeover but just carrying out the court’s orders,” he added.

He said the police had been formally notified and provided with copies of the judgments but alleged that the response was not encouraging.

“Again, please be aware that our coming here after two years is to occupy our office, having obtained judgments at both the lower court and the Appeal Court, but they refused to obey court orders after waiting for about two years. We decided to resume at the office today without causing any violence, and here we are,” he said.

Baruwa also alleged that one of his members was attacked during the process.

“Although the other faction attacked one of our members, who is now in the hospital, the situation is under control. We are still open to reconciliation as we are a lawful organisation and not a troublemaker. No one is above the law,” Baruwa stated.

Reacting on Monday via his Instagram page, MC Oluomo described the development as a “forceful takeover” and insisted that legal proceedings were still ongoing.

He said he was not a defendant in the judgment cited by Baruwa and disclosed that the ruling had been appealed, with a stay of execution already secured.

“The National President wishes to inform members of the union and the general public that he was not a defendant in the purported judgment.

“The judgment has been appealed, and a stay of execution has been duly entered. He has not engaged with Mr Baruwa or any individual, aware that cases are pending in court.

“The situation is under the control of security agencies. Alhaji Musiliu Ayinde Akinsanya remains the National President of NURTW,” the statement read.

Akinsanya urged union members to remain calm and law-abiding as the leadership dispute continues.

Tribune Online reports that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command on Monday arrested Baruwa and six others following the incident.

 

 

Continue Reading

News

El-Rufai Denied Immediate Release; Bail Hearing Set For March 31

Published

on

By

Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai will remain in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) after a Federal High Court in Kaduna adjourned his bail application to March 31, 2026.

El-Rufai was brought before the court on Tuesday over charges bordering on conversion of public property and money laundering.

The charges were preferred against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

He was brought to court by security operatives at about 9:00 am in a Hilux vehicle and was held in the car for about 25 minutes before being escorted into the courtroom about 10 minutes later.

Security operatives were stationed in and around the court premises ahead of the hearing.

During the court proceedings, Ukpon Akpan, counsel to el-Rufai, asked the court to grant bail to his client to allow him prepare for his defense.

The argument was rejected by the prosecution counsel who argued that the bail could interfere with the commission’s investigation.

The former governor has been in the custody of the ICPC since February 19 after he was released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Since el-Rufai’s arrest, there have been several calls for his release or arraignment.

In ICPC custody, the former governor refused to respond to questions posed by investigators, citing his right to remain silent.

On March 5, the magistrate court extended the initial remand order for el-Rufai by another 14 days.

El-Rufai had filed a fundamental rights suit before the federal high court in Abuja over the search conducted on his residence by the ICPC and the remand order issued on February 19.

Continue Reading

News

Nigeria Neglected As Tinubu Focuses On Lagos – Modibo Claims

Published

on

By

A political analyst Dr. Ibrahim Modibo claimed that President Bola Tinubu has conquered Nigeria and is focusing development primarily on Lagos at the expense of other states.

Speaking in an interview on Trust TV on Monday, Modibo said almost all members of the Economic Team are from Lagos or the southwestern part of the country.

“So if they decide, they can just go and have a meeting, and they will be speaking Yoruba, taking minutes in Yoruba, implementing policy in Yoruba, and nobody can say anything, because as far as I’m concerned, Tinubu has conquered Nigeria.

“That’s why, right from the onset, I’ve stated unequivocally that we should not under any circumstances allow this thing to be happening like this.

“You see a lot of issues. You see Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN? Most of this has been dismantled from here and taken to Lagos. Customs has been dismantled and taken to Lagos. So many things have been under the cover of darkness been removed from Abuja back to Lagos.

“So I don’t know whether there is any agenda because if you look at what has been spent on Lagos alone under this administration, it is on trillions upon trillions of Naira, while other states of the Federation lack social amenities,” Modibo lamented.

 

Continue Reading

Trending