Starvation: Eat Grasshoppers and Mice. Malawi President To Malawians.

Malawian President Peter Mutharika told millions of Malawians that are starving to stop depending on maize and eat grasshoppers and mice in-order to cope with the current food shortage in the country reports local media.

Acute maize shortage has ravaged the south-eastern African country due to poor harvests because of the long dry spells and floods.

President Mutharika said his government was under a lot of pressure to find solutions that would save Malawians from hunger.

“But why should Malawian die with hunger when we have different of things to eat? Muzidya mbewa, zitete, komanso chinangwa!” said the President during his speech as a political rally in the Southern Region of Malawi, Mulanje

Half of Malawi’s population will be affected by hunger because of the drought and flood that has ravished the country. The President said that no one will die of hunger, reassuring Malawians that the government has purchased excess maize stock of 1.2 million metric tonnes.

Mutharika also asked the civil servants to desist in demanding for salary increment and look for means to source for the money.

“And you the civil servant you should stop demanding my government to raise your salary because it is doing its best to give you a conducive environment , what you should do is to work hard on your own,” said Mutharika. Source: cctv-africa.com

Opinion: What is wrong with Africa, why can't we even feed ourselves? Can't Malawi do irrigation etc. Why tell your people to eat mice? It can't get worst than this.

C.V.Akuta Media UK.

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Army Chief, General Buratai Has Questions To Answer.

General Yusuf Buratai bought a second choice property in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, days after his appointment as Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS), an investigation by SaharaReporters has revealed.

As this news website exclusively revealed last week, General Buratai and his two wives in 2013 paid the sum of 1,498,534.00 AED (N120 million/$419,000) for the first property, Project TFG Marina Hotel Unit 2711. Sale documents indicated that the first property was handed over to the Buratais on January 13, 2013.

On July 13, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed General Buratai as Chief of Army Staff. Our investigations show that, within 11 days of his appointment, the general was making arrangements for the purchase of a second property from the same company in Dubai. Our investigators obtained evidence that, between July 24 and August 17, 2015, General Buratai paid a total sum of N42.2 million into TFG Sigma 111’s account in Nigeria (Skye Bank 1770380452).

Evidence exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters reveal that General Buratai made N10 million payments on July 24 and August 7 respectively. Three days later, another N10 million was paid into the real estate firm’s account, The phone number on the Skye Bank teller is 08033349740 Saharareporters investigations shows that it belonged to a Nigerian Army Major Emmanuel G. Adegbola of the Nigerian Army Finance Corps (N/10808).  On August 17, 2015, the Chief of Army Staff paid the sum of N3,270,000 into the account.Gen. TY Buratai's properties in Nigeria. Gen. TY Buratai's Farm near Abuja

Our sources within the Army disclosed that the lodgments came from Army funds stolen and diverted by General Buratai. They explained that the diverted monies were taken from funds budgeted for the feeding, medical care and payment of allowances of soldiers fighting the war against Islamist insurgents in Nigeria’s northeast zone.

Gen. TY Buratai's multibillion naiara business near Abuja

Our sources also stated that the funds for General Buratai’s first Dubai property came from a contract awarded for the supply of vehicles and motorcycles to the Army. They asserted that General Buratai had cornered the contract in his days as Director of Procurement at the Army Headquarters, using a front identified as Usman Gamawa. “The contract was awarded for the purchase of new vehicles, but Alhaji Gamawa's Baggash Investment Limited bought second-hand vehicles and motorcycles from Niger Republic for the use of soldiers,” said one source. He said the purchase of substandard vehicles exposed troops engaged counter-insurgency operations to heightened danger, made them vulnerable to attacks by Boko Haram insurgents, and reduced their effectiveness. General Tukur Buratai's exotic snake farm near Abuja

Army sources disclosed that, on arrival in Nigeria, the vehicles and motorcycles supplied by General Buratai’s front, Mr. Gamawa, were taken for refurbishment at Mogadishu Cantonment under the supervision of one Sergeant Dandan Garba.The deposits made at Skye Bank for Dubai property number 2

Angered by the deplorable state of the vehicles and motorcycles, a group known as Concerned Soldiers and Officers From The Northeast petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari to demand an investigation into the financial malfeasance perpetrated by General Buratai. A member of the group told SaharaReporters that they want President Buhari to ask General Buratai to explain where he got money for his various assets, including the real estate in Dubai. He said the COAS also owns a huge industrial-scale farm, Tukur and Tukur Farm Limited, on the Abuja-Keffi Expressway. “The farm is currently a huge construction site, featuring a tarred road, a zoo, a guesthouse, chalets, a restaurant, a cinema hall, a mini-stadium and other leisure facilities,” said the source, adding that some of the equipment on the site belongs to the Army.

In a statement issued last Friday, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, acting Director of Army Public Relations, claimed that General Buratai and his family own two properties in Dubai that were paid for in installments through personal savings. But Colonel Usman’s claim that the two homes were bought three years ago is at odds with purchase documents seen by SaharaReporters. Colonel Usman also stated that General Buratai was a victim of a campaign of calumny.

Purchase documents for General Buratai’s first property in Dubai showed that the COAS and his wives paid for Project Marina Hotel Unit 2711 in one lump, instead of by installments. Their single payment earned them what the sellers, Sigma 111, called  “incentives, promotions and early payment bonus.” Owing to the lump payment, the sellers shaved off AED 43,466 from the AED 1,542,000 that was the asking price for the property. General Buratai paid AED 1,498,534 for the first property.

The cash lodgments into Sigma 111 Skye Bank account also suggested that General Buratai did not buy the second property three years ago, as Colonel Usman claimed. The dates of the payment showed that money started gushing into the account eleven days after Buratai’s appointment as Chief of Army Staff.

Colonel Usman also claimed that General Buratai had always declared the two properties as parts of his assets. But such claims are hardly cast-iron proof of fidelity to the laws on declaration of assets. Public officials regularly claim to own assets they have not bought. Similarly, Colonel Usman claimed that General Buratai was never a Director of Procurement at the Defense Headquarters. Yet, evidence from the website of Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) proves the military spokesman wrong. According to the site bpp.gov.ng, General Buratai attended the 2014 Defense Headquarters Procurement Seminar as the Director of Procurement.

The website quoted General Buratai as stating at the seminar, “It is our hope that at the end of the seminar, we would all be better informed about public procurement procedures and work towards the emergence of an enhanced Defense Procurement Procedure for the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”

Several retired and serving Army officers told SaharaReporters that General Buratai seemed to be getting away with his financial misdeeds because of a growing culture of corruption in the armed forces. They point to the case of Major-General A.B. Abubakar, the current Chief of Administration at the Army Headquarters. According to two sources, General Abubakar was never sanctioned after he reportedly misappropriated huge sums meant for the equipping and training of re-absorbed soldiers based in Kontagora, Niger State. Another military source cited Brigadier-General Momoh of the Department of Logistics, Army Headquarters who reportedly diverted millions of the Army’s funds to his private account. “His only punishment was redeployment to the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) of the Nigerian Army,” said the source.

Yet another military source drew attention to the case of one Colonel Jega, who reportedly placed 101st at the Defense College exams. Yet, the colonel got preferential treatment and was sent to the Defense College in Bangladesh, ahead of those who performed much better than he. “Some of those who did better in the exams were even retired,” our source said. Source: Sahara Reporters.

Opinion: General Buratai has questions to answer and should be placed under EFCC radar immediately. At least, let him clear his name.

C.V.Akuta Media UK.

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Court Sacks Abia State Governor.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, to vacate office immediately for submitting false information to his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, for the party’s governorship primary in December 2014.

Justice Okon Abang in a judgment on Monday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to immediately issue a certificate of return to the plaintiff, Uche Ogah, who polled the second highest number of votes in the primary. Source: Punch.

Opinion: Our politicians never learn, just as the Senate President and his Deputy was in court today about forgery.

C.V.Akuta Media UK.

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Brexit: Commonwealth Exit is Next.

The writer wishes to once more, congratulate the “wise” people of Britain for voting to leave their immediate neighbours (European Union). This decision has immediately triggered the agitation for the second Scottish independence referendum. The Scottish people want to remain with the European Union. Wondering what other arguments, the English people will tell the Scottish to vote against their independence.

Northern Island might likely follow suit. Wales might wish remain with England. Since we are in the session of exiting unions, it would be a wonderful idea for the “wise” people of Britain to have a referendum to quit the Commonwealth Nations, yes you heard me right, time to quit Commonwealth, because they are no longer fit for purpose. To your tents, all nations.

The “money remitted to Commonwealth Nations” can be used to fix their ailing National Health Service (NHS), and also be used to stop migration from other third world countries. But if Britain is not ready to have a referendum to quit the Commonwealth, the Commonwealth Nations should have their referendum to quit the union or what do you think? The migrant British people elsewhere around the third world countries should be prepared to return home. All British overseas company in Commonwealth Nations/third world countries should be getting ready to relocate to home.

Lastly, don’t you think a petition as per above, to the British House of Commons would suffice? Time to start this debate, who knows, it might lead to having a peaceful world, we all are searching for.

C.V.Akuta

UK

www.cvakutamedia.com

Twitter: @cva_media

26/6/16

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More Troubles For Governor Fayose As EFCC is Set To Invite His Wife.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is set to invite Mrs. Feyisetan Fayose, the wife of Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, for receiving N100m through an account which is operated by her and her husband.

According to the EFCC, the money, which emanated from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser, was paid into the Zenith Bank account of Spotless Investment Limited on June 17, 2014, less than a week to the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State.

The money was paid into the company’s account with bank teller number 0540997 by Abiodun Agbele, an associate of the governor. The two signatories to Spotless Investment Limited’s account are Fayose and his wife.An EFCC detective told one of our correspondents, “N100m was paid into the Spotless Investment Limited account with number 1010170969 at Zenith Bank. The two signatories are Fayose, with Bank Verification Number 22338867502, and his wife, Helen Olayemi, with BVN 22298990256.”

The account has since been frozen by the anti-graft agency.As a sitting governor, Fayose cannot be prosecuted or arrested because he enjoys immunity.“His wife, however, has no immunity,” the source added.The PUNCH had reported on Wednesday that N1,219,490,000 was flown to Akure Airport on June 12, 2014, by a former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, ahead of the June 21, 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State. 

The money was said to have been part of the N4.7bn, which was paid into the Diamond Bank account of Sylvan McNamara by the Office of the National Security Adviser. Sylvan McNamara is a company in which Obanikoro’s sons are signatories.A large chunk of the N1,219,490,000 was said to have been paid into Fayose’s private and company accounts, including the N100m, which was paid into the account of Spotless Investment Limited. Source: Punch.

Opinion: Pay back time. Not yet over for Fayose's family. There is nothing wrong calling his wife to account for movement of illegal funds in her bank accounts. Hoping that EFCC should do same to both sitting and ex Governors. Glad that EFCC can bite now.

C.V.Akuta Media UK.

Watch How Young Nigerians Spend Money in UK.

Yoruba, Hausa military officers planning to overthrow Buhari – Niger Delta militants.

Niger Delta militants group under the aegis, Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force, JNDLF, has alleged that some senior military officers from the Yoruba and Hausa extractions are planning to overthrow the President Muhammadu Buhari’s government through a coup d’état.

The group alleged that the coup plotters intend to achieve their plan through civil unrest and the continuous attack on oil installations in the Niger Delta region.

JNDLF, which recently threatened to launch a missile attack, in a statement said it was contacted to execute the sinister plan, but it refused.

The statement was signed by persons who identified themselves as ‘General’ Torunanaowei Latei (Creek Network Coordinator); ‘General’ Agbakakuro Owei-Tauro (Pipeline Bleeding Expert); ‘General’ Akotebe Darikoro (Commander, General Duties) and ‘General’ Pulokiri Ebikade (Intelligence Bureau).

The statement reads, “We are constraint to let the cat out of the bag today that President Mohammadu Buhari should be wary about the security of this country as some military men are making move to remove him from power by instigating civil unrest in the country.

“Some top military men through their civil agents approached us to cause and continue the vandalization of the oil and gas pipelines in the Niger delta region so as to use as an excuse to take over the government from democracy to military rule in the country.

“We said no as such plan will not work and not in conformity with our genuine desire of agitation.The military want to disgrace him now and let him quickly look into the issues and make pronouncement for his administration to be in peace.

“We received several calls unknown to persuade us to continue the bombing and that when succeeded in overthrowing the government we will be placed on a better position, we said capital NO!
“When asked of their names they are above Major General’s level. They refused to disclose their names but their intonations seem like yoruba and Hausa. Our agitation is not for selfish interest but for the overall benefit of the Niger delta region.

“We’ll not kidnap any person, kill or hostage taking of any expatriate in the country but will continue our agitation with clear determination to actualize our course in Nigeria.
“We believe their sinister plan because there is ceasefire in the region for dialogue, but since then, the attitude and actions of the service chiefs show that such plan could work for them.” Source: http://dailypost.ng

Opinion: This is at best a conspiracy theory. The militants should have mentioned the names of these officers. They are basing their claim on intonations. What if these intonations were faked? The militants might be trying to appear relevant or they want to enjoy headline fame.

C.V.Akuta Media UK.

An Analysis of The Constitutional Validity of Freezing Governor Fayose's Bank Account.

An Analysis Of The Constitutional Validity Of Freezing Governor Fayose's Bank Account By Inibehe Effiong

 Monday 20th June 2016 the Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Peter Fayose, alerted the nation that his personal bank account domiciled with Zenith Bank of Nigeria Plc has been frozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Mr. Fayose excoriated the anti-graft agency and the Federal Government of Nigeria for taking such "illegal" and "criminal" action without reference or regard to the immunity clause in the Constitution which protects him during the currency and subsistence of his tenure as the Executive Governor of Ekiti State.

In his response, the Spokesman for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren told Vanguard Newspaper that the anti-graft agency has the right to investigate any governor whose account is being used to move funds. “Immunity does not prevent EFCC from investigating suspicious accounts of those enjoying immunity, and Fayose cannot be an exception, “Mr. Uwujaren said.

Before delving into the substance of this legal controversy, it should be noted from the beginning that this essay is strictly aimed at dissecting the constitutionality or otherwise of the freezing of the bank account of a sitting governor by the EFCC. The temptation to meddle into any alleged, conceivable or ostensible political undertone in the matter will be resisted. I also need to caution that this piece requires patience and clarity of thoughts, devoid of emotions and sentiments for proper digestion and comprehension. The issue at stake deserves a detailed examination.

In resolving this controversy, I have formulated two relevant questions or issues for determination, namely:

1. Whether the EFCC have the powers under the law to freeze the bank account(s) of persons who are under criminal investigation by the commission?

2. Whether a sitting governor of a State in Nigeria can be investigated for alleged crimes, and his bank account(s) frozen by the EFCC in the course or under the pretext of criminal investigation?

The answer to issue 1 supra (above) is found in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004 (subsequently referred to as the EFCC Act). In recognition of the serious nature of economic and financial crimes, the National Assembly vested the EFCC with far reaching powers to enable the Commission to discharge its mandate of ridding the country of corruption. Among the powers conferred on the Commission as part of its general investigative powers, is the power to freeze the bank account of persons who are subject of an investigation by the commission.

Specifically, Section 34 (1) of the EFCC Act with the heading: "Freezing order on banks or other, other financial institutions", provides as follows:

"Notwithstanding anything contained in any other enactment or law, the Chairman of the Commission or any officer authorised by him may, if satisfied that the money in the account of a person is made through the commission of an offence under this Act and or any of the enactments specified under section 7 (2) (a)-(f) of this Act, apply to the Court ex-parte for power to issue an order as specified in Form B of the Schedule to this Act, addressed to the manager of the bank or any person in control of the financial institution or designated non-financial institution where the account is or believed by him to be or the head office of the bank, other financial institution or designated non-financial institution to freeze the account."

The above provision is self-explanatory. For emphasis, I will elucidate on two principles arising from the provision.

Firstly, the EFCC Chairman or any other officer of the commission authorised by him can order any financial institution (including Zenith Bank of Nigeria Plc where Governor Fayose's account is domiciled) to freeze any account with money which he is satisfied is made through the commission of an offence under the EFCC Act, the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, etc. Satisfaction within the contemplation of this section is entirely a matter of opinion which may be formed based on the existence of certain facts and circumstances that are within the knowledge of the chairman of the commission. The Act has not set out any condition that should guide the chairman in determining which account to freeze. In other words, it is a matter of discretion whether any account should be frozen or not. All that is required of the chairman is for him to be satisfied that the money in the account is a product of crime and corruption.

The second principle that deserves reiteration is that before the chairman of the commission can order a financial institution to freeze any account, he must first apply to the Court ex-parte (without the attendance of the owner of the account or the financial institution in court) for power to issue the order. Simply put, an application to the court for power to freeze an account and the granting of same, are conditions precedent to the issuance of an order to freeze under Section 34 (1) of the EFCC Act. At the risk of repetition, I submit that the EFCC has no power to order any financial institution or designated non-financial institution to freeze any account without obtaining the consent of the Court.

On issue 2, so much has been said about the immunity clause enshrined in Section 308 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) (subsequently referred to as the Constitution). For ease of comprehension, the said provisions are reproduced verbatim below:

308. (1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Constitution, but subject to subsection (2) of this section -

(a) no civil or criminal proceedings shall be instituted or continued against a person to whom this section applies during his period of office;

(b) a person to whom this section applies shall not be arrested or imprisoned during that period either in pursuance of the process of any court or otherwise; and

(c) no process of any court requiring or compelling the appearance of a person to whom this section applies, shall be applied for or issued:

Provided that in ascertaining whether any period of limitation has expired for the purposes of any proceedings against a person to whom this section applies, no account shall be taken of his period of office.

(2) The provisions of subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to civil proceedings against a person to whom this section applies in his official capacity or to civil or criminal proceedings in which such a person is only a nominal party.

(3) This section applies to a person holding the office of President or Vice President, Governor or Deputy Governor; and the reference in this section to "period of office" is a reference to the period during which the person holding such office is required to perform the functions of the office.

In view of the above constitutional provisions, can Mr. Fayose be investigated by the EFCC for the commission of an offence under the EFCC Act, the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act or any other law that is within the investigative or prosecutorial authority of the commission while he is still the governor of Ekiti State?

This question was answered emphatically in the affirmative by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in the celebrated case of Fawehinmi v. Inspector General of Police (2002) 7 NWLR (Pt.767) 606. The brief facts were that the late renowned human rights lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi SAM SAN, by a letter dated 21st September, 1999 brought a criminal complaint against the former governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, alleging grave criminal infractions and asked the police to investigate the allegations. Following the refusal by the police to accede to his request, Chief Gani filed an originating summons on the 7th of October, 1999 at the Federal High Court, Lagos wherein he sought among others, an order of mandamus compelling the Inspector General of Police, the Commissioner of Police Lagos State and the Nigeria Police Force (respondents) to investigate his allegations. The suit was dismissed by the Federal High Court following a preliminary objection by the respondents on the ground that by virtue of the immunity provisions of Section 308 of the Constitution, Tinubu who had assumed office as the governor of Lagos State could not be investigated on the said allegations.

Dissatisfied, the appellant challenged the judgment at the Court of Appeal. In its judgment, the Appeal Court held that Section 308 of the Constitution does not protect a governor and the other persons covered by it from criminal investigation. However, an order of mandamus was refused. Still dissatisfied, Gani approached the Supreme Court on the issue of mandamus. The respondents (the police) on their part filed a cross-appeal on the part of the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which declared that immunity does not cover investigation.

Delivering the leading judgment of the seven-man panel of the Supreme Court on Friday 10th day of May, 2002 on whether a governor can be investigated, Justice S.O. Uwaifo, J.S.C (as he then was), held inter alia:

"That a person protected under section 308 of the 1999 constitution, going by its provisions, can be investigated by the police for an alleged crime or offence is, in my view, beyond dispute. To hold otherwise is to create a monstrous situation whose manifestation may not be fully appreciated until illustrated. I shall give three possible instances. Suppose it is alleged that a Governor, in the course of driving his personal car, recklessly ran over a man, killing him; he sends the car to a workshop for the repairs of the dented or damaged part or parts. Or that he used a pistol to shoot a man dead and threw the gun into a nearby bush. OR THAT HE STOLE PUBLIC MONEY AND KEPT IT IN A PARTICULAR BANK or used it to acquire property. Now, if the police became aware, could it be suggested in an open and democratic societ like ours that they would be precluded by section 308 from investigating to know the identity of the man killed, the cause of death from autopsy report, the owner of the car taken to the workshop and if there is any evidence from the inspection of the car that it hit an object recently, more particularly a human being; or to take steps to recover the gun and test for ballistic evidence; and generally to take statements from eye witnesses of either incident of killing. OR TO FIND OUT (IF POSSIBLE) ABOUT THE MONEY LODGED IN THE BANK or for acquiring property, AND TO GET PARTICULARS OF THE ACCOUNT AND THE SOURCE OF THE MONEY; or of the property acquired? The police clearly have a duty under section 4 of the Police Act to do all they can to investigate and preserve whatever evidence is available. The evidence or some aspect of it may be the type which might be lost forever if not preserved while it is available..." (Emphasis mine).

In the instant case, does the freezing of the account of Governor Fayose fall within the investigative powers of the EFCC or is it illegal as declared by Fayose?

The Supreme Court had correctly stated the position in Fawehinmi's case supra that "criminal proceedings" as envisaged by Section 308 (1) (a) of the Constitution will only arise when a charge is brought. In rejecting the respondents' argument that investigation was part of criminal proceedings, the Apex Court cited with approval the decision in the American case of Post v. United States (1896) 161. U.S. 583; 16 Court Reporter, page 611 at 613, in which it was held -

"Criminal proceedings cannot be said to be brought or instituted until a formal charge is openly made against the accused, either by indictment presented or information filed in court or at the least, by complaint before a magistrate..."

Since investigating a governor is permissible, does an application to the court for power to freeze the account of a governor under Section 34 (1) of the EFCC Act violate Section 308 (1) (c) of the Constitution which states that "no process of any court requiring or compelling the appearance of a person to whom this section applies, shall be applied for or issued"?

The answer is indisputably in the negative (it is "Capital No"). This is because the law expressly states that the application should be made in the absence of the owner of the account, that is, ex-parte. If the EFCC seeks to freeze the account of a governor, there will be no process requiring or compelling the attendance of the governor since same is ex-parte and not on notice. Therefore, Section 308 (1) (c) is neither applicable nor violated in any way.

Freezing of accounts serves principally two purposes. First, by freezing a suspect's account, the commission prevents the suspect from accessing, operating and drawing money from the account which may ultimately be forfeited to the government if the suspect is eventually prosecuted and convicted. Immunity clause cannot prevent the EFCC from securing and preserving monies found in the account of a governor provided the Chairman of the EFCC is satisfied that the money is proceeds of crime. Second, the money is frozen for preservation and use as evidence during a trial.

From the foregoing, it is clear that there is no provision in Section 308 of the Constitution that is offended by the freezing of the account of a governor. There is no argument about the fact that freezing of bank accounts of persons who are under criminal investigation is merely an interim, precautionary and necessary step preparatory to arraignment and prosecution. Interestingly, an illustration was given by Justice Uwaifo J.S.C. (as he then was) in Fawehinmi's case of an instance where it is alleged that a governor "STOLE PUBLIC MONEY AND KEPT IT IN A PARTICULAR BANK". His Lordship in his prophetic wisdom rightly stated that a "monstrous situation" will be created if the police (in this case the EFCC) is unable "TO FIND OUT (IF POSSIBLE) ABOUT THE MONEY LODGED IN THE BANK" or "AND TO GET PARTICULARS OF THE ACCOUNT AND THE SOURCE OF THE MONEY".

According to an online newspaper, Sahara Reporters, "Sources at Nigeria's premier anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have revealed that a personal account at the Zenith Bank of Nigeria of Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, was frozen in connection with over N1.2billion he took in 2014 from the disgraced National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, to prosecute his re-election as governor." If this was the basis upon which the EFCC Chairman became satisfied that the money in Fayose's bank account is/was made through the commission of an offence under the EFCC Act or other applicable laws, nobody could question him, except the court.

Governor Fayose has not been invited for interrogation by the EFCC; he has not been arrested or imprisoned; no criminal proceedings has been commenced against him, and clearly no process of a court requiring or compelling his attendance in court has been issued or applied for. These are the only things and actions that Section 308 of the Constitution forbids. The Supreme Court in Fawehinmi's case supra declared that a governor can be investigated in any manner, provided it does not lead to any these limited situations. The Apex Court emphasised that these limited situations must not be extended under the guise of liberal interpretation of the Constitution.

The question then is? Has any of the protections given to Governor Fayose by Section 308 of the Constitution been taken away by the EFCC?

The answer is NO.

However, the EFCC must exhibit an order of the Court that empowered it to freeze Fayose's account. In the absence of such authorisation, the action is illegal, ultra vires, oppressive, undemocratic, null and void and of no effect whatsoever. If the condition precedent was not complied with, the account should be de-freezed immediately without delay with an apology to the governor. Fayose has the right to seek legal redress in the absence of an order of the court. In the case of Mobil v. LASEPA (2003) 104 LRCN 240, the Supreme Court held that failure to comply with a condition precedent is fatal and renders an action a nullity.

One does not need to be a lawyer to know that law enforcement agencies, including the EFCC, in the course of an investigation of crime usually and are legally empowered to take possession of material evidence. Freezing of a suspect's bank account is undoubtedly an integral part of the investigation process and procedure. If it were not so, Section 34 (1) of the EFCC Act would only be invokable when a charge or information has been filed. I submit however that the Court has the supervisory jurisdiction to examine, review and or revoke any freezing order issued by the EFCC chairman depending on the circumstances and the justice of each case. The order itself it interim in nature and not absolute or perpetual.

As a postscript, I further submit that any reference to the immunity clause in Section 308 of the Constitution that is outside the limited protection in the express provisions of that section is legally indefensible and baseless. The President, Vice President, Governors and Deputy Governors only enjoy limited immunity. There is nothing dictatorial, "illegal" or "criminal" in investigating a governor for alleged offences.

Let it be known that immunity is not a license to commit crimes or engage in wanton corruption. Section 308 of the Constitution only offers limited protection. It was never the intention of the framers of the 1999 Constitution for the clause to be exploited as a weapon for impunity, executive lawlessness, and self-enrichment.

Inibehe Effiong is a Legal Practitioner and b Rights Defenders (COHRD) and can be reachedat:inibehe.effiong@gmail.com

Opinion: Results ipso loquito  (truth speaks for itself) on the above matter.

C.V.Akuta media UK.

E-Payment Potentials: Nigeria Grosses Over $100 Billion Annually.

Nigeria grosses over $100 billion through e-payment annually-

Valentine Obi is the Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria’s premiere e-payment solutions provider, eTranzact International Plc. In this interview with Jonah Nwokpoku, he speaks on the evolution of the electronic payment industry in Nigeria, vis-a-vis the growth of his company which was founded in 2003 and got rebranded only last week. He argues that the electronic payment industry has come of age, having grown tremendously over the past decade but says there is still huge potential yet untapped in the industry.

Excerpts eTranzact has just rebranded its identity, what does this mean for the company?

Valentine Obi It shows that we have affirmed our leadership position in the electronic payment industry, not only in Nigeria but all over Africa. If you look at the new ‘e’, it talks about empowerment, its electronic, it talks about ease and also efficiency and that is what we want to reaffirm clearly to the public.

Following the rebranding, what more can customers expect from eTranzact?

From now on, customers are going to be seeing a lot more of eTranzact. Before, we used to be a Business-to-Business, B2B Company whereby our only targets are the banks, so our target was limited. But now we are going into the Business-to-Consumer, B2C segment with other products. So you are going to be seeing a lot more visible eTranzact in the market and not just more visible but with creative and innovative solutions to empower people, make their payments easier, and make it more efficient.

Last year, eTranzact recorded over 110 million transactions valued at about $30 billion, what do you expect this year?

This year, our plan is to double it and to make sure that our users have better experience using the platform than before. If you look at the $30 billion we made, it is about 30 per cent of e-payments made in Nigeria or a little bit more, so it just tells me that the market has come of age because, I remember that in first two years, our total transaction was less than $100,000. In the first year, it was actually N35 million only, for the whole year. So if you look at how the transaction has grown, it has shown indeed that there are a lot of people coming onboard, there is traction, and people are beginning to see that this really is working. The fear that people used to have before seems to have diminished, compared to before.

If you benchmark your business and the volume, and in comparison with other e-payment providers, what do you think is the volume of transactions in a year across several platforms within the industry?

If we say that what we are doing is about 25 to 30 per cent of the e-payment industry. That gives you an understanding that we are doing over $100 billion in terms of transaction value in the market. But you know, all of us put together have not even scratched the surface, because there is still a lot of potential, there are still a lot of people that are not even in the system and this is what the CBN is trying to do, to see how we can get as many people as possible.

Why did they register so many mobile money operators?

It is because they know that one or two operators cannot do it. They want to give a lot of opportunities so that we can see how we can garner more people into that space and reduce money in the unbanked sector and get them into the banking system.

Do you have any plans on adjusting your cost of transactions in order to bring in more people and increase volume of transaction?

Always, our cost of transaction has been the lowest in the industry. This is because of our belief that we need to incentivize people to come onto the platform. But not only us, even the CBN has also helped to see how we can bring costs down all in efforts to encourage more people to use electronic system. We are doing that already, we are even enabling some free services. Before now, we used to charge for some Application Programme Interface, APIs before you can do e-commerce but these days, we even give it to some of them for free of charge, just to encourage more people. We are also trying to get more schools, especially the universities that run computer programmes to get their students, what we call the young developers programme, all in effort to see how we can make this more affordable and available to the people. This is because, the bigger the cake is, the better for everybody. So we are looking at how we can make it bigger to let more people come in.

What are you doing to get the unbanked banked?

That is what the whole of our mobile money product, the PocketMoni is doing. For example, what we have decided is that, first, there must be used cases. You cannot just give people a product without telling them what they will do with it. So, there must be used cases and we have done that. Secondly, there is a need to be in the face of the people, go down to the market women and show them how to use the product and we have started that as well. We ran a pilot in Ketu and we have now deployed fully in Ketu market right inside the market. We have an office inside so we can show the people how to use it and it has been growing. We have another one in Kano and another one in Abeokuta, Ogun State. So the idea is to go down to the masses themselves and try as much as possible to remove the fear that there is some voodoo in e-payment, and you know Nigerians, the moment you can show that the money could be moved with ease and is secure, they will latch onto it.

VenueHero named official partner of 2016 Event Safety Summit By Jonah Nwokpoku Nigeria’s online venue booking platform, VenueHero.co has been appointed the official partner of this year’s Event Safety Summit scheduled to hold on July 5th and 6th  at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry building in Lagos.

VenueHero.co provides simple venue booking solution online for the general public, event planners and venue owners. It is a web-based application for venue discovery, bookings and reservations. The Event Safety Summit which is packaged by Event Basics Nigeria and Event Safety Alliance Nigeria in Partnership with Event Safety Alliance, USA, is aimed at domesticating the knowledge gained from the annual Event Safety Summit in the US.

Mike Lord of Alliance Safety Management, South Africa representing ESA, USA will be the keynote speaker while the Director General, Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr. Fouad Alade-Oki is expected to use the opportunity to present The Lagos Event Safety Policy. Speaking on the partnership, Founder, VenueHero, Uche Aniche said: “VenueHero.co take the stress off organising events by eliminating one of the biggest pain points for organisers. People can book and pay for venues instantly and facility managers and owner gets useful metrics to grow and improve their service in real time.

We are happy to partner for this event as it will provide us the opportunity to do what we know how to do best and provide the needed strategic logistics support to boost the event’s profile.” Also speaking, Founder, Event Basics, Tenidade Eboda, said: “The whole point of hosting/attending an event is to create fun and positive lasting memories. If we do not make efforts to identify and plan for the risks associated with the activities, we end up achieving quite the opposite.   The event will allow stakeholders to interact and compare notes. We are so excited to have VenueHero on board as a strategic partner.”Source: vanguardngr.com

Opinion: Nigeria is an emerging market, so the potentials are awesome. More investments are needed on this sector.

C.V.Akuta Media UK.

Financial Crime: EFCCC Arrest Jide Omokore.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has rearrested oil magnate, Jide Omokore, and will most likely slam money laundering charges on him today (Monday).

An official briefed on the matter said the businessman would be arraigned alongside Andrew Yakubu, a former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, who has also been picked up.

Our sources said the duo would be charged before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja on a four-count charge of money laundering.

According to EFCC insiders, other defendants in the case are Victor Briggs, Abiye Memnere, David Mbanefo, Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Limited. Source: Premium Times.

Opinion: Time to face the music and clear your names.

C.V.Akuta Media UK.

Brexit: Britain is Not Leaving EU,Even If People Votes For it.

There is an incredible theory that a Brexit won't actually happen even if the public votes for it

A really crucial detail about the upcoming EU referendum has gone virtually unmentioned and it is probably themost crucial detail:Parliament doesn't actually have to bring Britain out of the EU if the public votes for it.

That is because the result of June 23 referendum on Britain's EU membership is not legally binding. Instead, it is merely advisory, and, in theory, could be totally ignored by UK government.

This incredible detail is explained in a new blog post by Financial Times columnist and legal expert David Allen Green.

Green says that no legal provision was included in the EU referendum legislation that requires UK Parliament to act in accordance with the outcome of the referendum.

This is unlike the last referendum held across Britain, the Alternative Vote referendum held in 2011, where the outcome had a legal trigger and had to be acted on by the government of the time.

Instead, what will happen next if the public votes for a Brexit will be purely a matter of parliamentary politics.

The government could decide to put the matter to parliament and then hope to win the vote, Green says. In the scenario of Britain's EU membership being put to a Westminster vote, barring no dramatic change in allegiances, it is likely that MPs would vote to keep the country in the 28-nation bloc.

This is because the vast majority of the 650 MPs identify as Europhiles and would likely support a motion position to protect Britain's place in the EU.

Pro-EU MPs could even argue, ironically, that ignoring the public's will would be parliamentary sovereignty in practice - something that Leave campaigners argue has been conceded to Brussels.

Alternatively, ministers could attempt to negotiate an updated EU membership deal and put it to another referendum. Finally, the government could just choose to totally ignore the will of the public.

Business Insider's live chart below shows how public opinion is shifting towards voting for a Brexit. Source: http://uk.businessinsider.com

Opinion: There are a lot of uncertainties about leaving. No one knows what will happen to the UK economy etc. The fear factor is enormous. Going by the above information, it seems Britain is not leaving the EU.

C.V.Akuta Media UK.

President Buhari: See You On Sunday.

President Muhammadu Buhari will not return to Nigeria from London, where he is spending his 10-day medical vacation, until Sunday.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo disclosed this to State House correspondents on Thursday shortly before the commencement of a meeting of the National Economic Council at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Buhari’s 10-day vacation expired on Wednesday.

By the time he would be arriving in Nigeria on Sunday, he would have spent 14 days.

He was earlier scheduled to arrive the country on Thursday.

Osinbajo, however, said it was just appropriate for Buhari to take the weekend off and rest very well in London before returning to the country.

He said he had spoken to the President on the telephone and he was in good health condition.

The Vice-President said Buhari would resume in his office on Monday morning.

Osinbajo said, “The President will be back on Sunday. I spoke with him yesterday evening and I think it is just the best that he takes the weekend off. He will certainly be back on Sunday.

“I think the most straightforward thing is when he will be back. He will be back on Sunday. There is no point rushing back on Friday or something like that.

“He will just take the weekend off and be back on Sunday. He is in perfect health and ready to resume work on Monday morning.

“Mr. President is in good condition, he is fine, he is very well. He should take a day or two off in London and rest a bit and come back hale and hearty on Sunday and be ready for work on Monday. So we expect him back on Sunday.”

The President had so far embarked on vacation two times this year.

He had earlier embarked on a  a six-day vacation between February 5 and 10.

Like the case of the second vacation, he remained in London throughout the first vacation.

He had earlier granted an interview where he said the doctors he had been consulting since the 1970s were based in London.

Buhari had before leaving the country written to the National Assembly to intimate the federal lawmakers of his vacation.

He had indicated in the letter that Osinbajo would be performing the duties of the President while he would be away. Punch

Opinion: Mr President, the best would have been to holiday in Nigeria. The press would hype it and by so doing, improve the tourism industry. Same applies to your ear infection. In any case, I wish you quick recovery and good rest/vacation.

C.V.Akuta Media UK.

Nigerian Federal Lawmaker Attempted Rape in USA.

SHOCKING: How Three Lawmakers Embarrassed Nigeria In U.S.PARLIAMENT
James Entwistle

The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, has petitioned the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, accusing some members of the lower chamber of improper conduct, attempted rape and soliciting for prostitutes while on official trip to the U.S.

The Ambassador, in a letter dated June 9, 2016 specifically accused Hon. Mohammed Garba Gololo (APC, Bauchi), Hon. Samuel Ikon (PDP, Akwa Ibom) and Mark Gbillah (APC, Benue) of attempting to rape an Hotel housekeeper at the International Visitor Leadership Programme.

Entwistle’s petition reads: “It is with regret that I must bring to your attention the following situation. Ten members of the Nigerian National Assembly recently travelled to Cleveland, Ohio as participants in the International Visitor Leadership Programme on good governance.

“We received troubling allegations regarding the behaviour of three members of the delegation to the U.S. Government’s flagship professional exchange programme.

“The U.S Department of State and the Cleveland Council on World Affairs received reports from employees of the Cleveland hotel where the representatives stayed, alleging the representatives engaged in the following behaviour:

“Mohammed Garba Gololo allegedly grabbed a housekeeper in his hotel room and solicited her for sex. While the housekeeper reported this to her management, this incident could have involved local law enforcement and resulted in legal consequences for Representative Gololo.

“Mark Terseer Gbillah and Samuel Ikon allegedly requested hotel parking attendants assist them to solicit prostitutes.

The U.S. Mission took pains to confirm these allegations and the identities of the individuals with the employees of the hotel in Cleveland, Entwistle said.

“The conduct described above left a very negative impression of Nigeria, casting a shadow on Nigeria’s National Assembly, the International Visitor Leadership Program, and to the American hosts’ impression of Nigeria as a whole. Such conduct could affect some participants’ ability to travel to the United States in the future.

“While the majority of Nigerian visitors to the United States do behave appropriately, even a few Nigerians demonstrating poor judgement leads to a poor impression of the Nigerian people generally, though it is far from accurate.

“Such incidents jeopardise the ability of future programming and make host institutions and organisations less likely to welcome similar visits in the future.

“In addition, most of the members of this group reacted very negatively to my deputy when she brought this matter to their attention, further calling into question their judgement and commitment to the goals of the International Visitor Leadership Programme. This leads us to question whether to include National Assembly members for other similar programmes in the future.

“I request, in the strongest possible terms, you share this message with members of the National Assembly so they understand the seriousness of these issues, and the potential consequences of their actions, not only for themselves as individuals, but also for the future of such programmes designed to benefit Nigeria”.

Opinion: The best would have been to charge the law maker that attempted raping the hotel attendant. Lawmaker, breaking the law.No need wasting time, they should do be stopped from visiting USA. It's sad that they can't be touched in Nigeria. Who knows how many vulnerable women they have raped in Nigeria.

C.V.Akuta Media UK.

New Foreign Exchange Regime.

Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), on Wednesday unfolded the new foreign exchange regime. Here are the highlights of his address.

1. Foreign reserves fell by 60% in 30 months: The fall in oil revenue has led to a drastic fall in foreign reserves, from about US$42.8 billion in January 2014 to about US$26.7 billion as of June 10, 2016.

2. Monthly FX earnings now less than $1 billion: CBN’s foreign exchange earnings have fallen from about US$3.2 billion monthly to current levels of below a billion dollars per month during the same period. This is attributable to low oil prices and attacks on oil installations, which reduced crude export.

3. Some needs still met: Despite the shortage of forex, CBN managed to meet some of its obligations regarding the following — matured LCs from commercial banks; importation of raw materials, plants, and equipment; importation of petroleum products; and payments for school fees, BTA, PTA, and related expenses.

4. Our reserves can still meet import needs: Despite having fallen, the FX reserve is still robust and able to cover about five months of Nigeria’s imports as against the international benchmark of three months. Domestic production of items restricted from the FX market is picking up nationwide, Emefiele said.

5. There will be only one FX market: The “new” market shall operate as a single market structure through the inter-bank/autonomous window. The CBN would participate in the market through periodic interventions to either buy or sell FX as the need arises. In other words, the CBN rate of $197 is gone for good.

6. The exchange rate would be purely market-driven: This will be done through the Thomson-Reuters Order Matching System as well as the Conversational Dealing Book.

7. There will be registered primary dealers: To improve the dynamics of the market, we will introduce FX Primary Dealers (FXPD) who would be registered by the CBN to deal directly with the Bank for large trade sizes on a two-way quotes basis. These Primary Dealers shall operate with other dealers in the Inter-bank market, amongst other obligations that will be stipulated in the Foreign Exchange Primary Dealers (FXPD) Guidelines, which would also be released immediately after this Press Briefing.

8. The “41 items” remain excluded: The 41 items classified as “Not Valid for Foreign Exchange” as detailed in a previous CBN circular shall remain inadmissible in the Nigerian FX market. Therefore, they would source from parallel market.

9. The CBN shall introduce non-deliverable OTCs: The over-the-counter (OTC) naira-settled futures, with daily rates on the CBN-approved FMDQ Trading and Reporting System, will be introduced. This is an entirely new product in the Nigerian FX market, which Emefiele says would help moderate volatility in the exchange rate by moving non-urgent FX demand from the spot to the futures market;

10. Authorised dealers to purchase “repatriations”: Proceeds of foreign investment inflows and international money transfers shall be purchased by authorised dealers at the Daily Inter-Bank Rate; and non-oil exporters are now allowed unfettered access to their FX proceeds, which shall be sold in the inter-bank market.

11. FX dealers to know themselves by Friday. The selected FX primary dealers will be notified by Friday June 17, 2016, according to Emefiele. All other non-primary dealers would remain valid and eligible to participate in the market. Inter-bank trading under the new guidelines will begin on Monday June 20, 2016. Source: thecableng

Opinion: Single exchange rate driven by market forces, would eliminate the rates given preferentially by CBN. May be we are seeing the elimination of black market.

C.V.Akuta Media UK

Over 200 Muslims Gathered To Pray For Orlando Victims.

Over 200 Muslims gathered to pray for the victims of the deadly Orlando shooting and break their fasts for the month of Ramadan. World Post.

Opinion: Time for genuine Muslims to rise and fight against the few elements, tarnishing the name of their religion.

C.V.Akuta Media UK.

Team Nigeria Can't Pay For Visa Fees.

The ‘poor’ preparation by Team Nigeria for this year’s Rio Olympic Games has taken a new dimension if the revelation by an official of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) yesterday is anything to go by.

Nigerian athletes are expected to jet out to Durban South Africa later this week for the African Senior Athletics Championship. Two years ago in Marrakech, Morocco, the country finished second behind South Africa, but this year, the AFN claims it has the team to reclaim its number one position in African track and field.

However, the trip to Durban may not materialise because, according to one AFN official yesterday, the sports ministry in Abuja has failed to release money for the trip.

“It is so bad now that we can’t even raise money to pay visa fees for the athletes,” the official told The Guardian. “Our preparation for the Olympic Games had never taken this bad shape. Athletics is one of the sports Team Nigeria is hoping to get medals in Rio. We intend to use this trip to Durban to give the athletes the final brush up since there is no money to organise the usual overseas training camp for them. If the athletes failed in Rio, Nigerians should know who to blame because the AFN and the athletes have done their parts. The Presidency has to do something very fast,” the official said.

On Monday, the AFN said Team Nigeria would send a strong team to South Africa with the aim of beating the host and defending champion, South Africa, on home soil. Source: Guardian 

Opinion: Not surprised at the above. The country is broke. However it would be a national disgrace if Nigeria couldn't attend this international tournament due to unavailability of cash. 

C.V.Akuta Media UK.

Fake Doctor Was Incharge of Hospital For 10 Years.

Investigations by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) led to police arresting a man who ran a private hospital for 10 years in Gwarimpa area of Abuja, where he offered surgeries and antenatal care, using forged certificates.

Victor Moffat Akpan was the owner of Luna Maternity & Surgery, an outfit he opened in 2006 as a “surgeon” using a forged practice licence—four years after MDCN refused to grant him licence to practice as a homeopath.

He's understood to have delivered by caesarean section a set of conjoined twins who later died at National Hospital in 2013. Source: www.dailytrust.com.ng

Opinion: Who knows how many people he had killed. Medical Council should device a means of checking health centre's practice licences. Hope he will face justice.

C.V.Akuta Media UK

Niger Delta Avengers Agrees to Talk With Federal Government.

WARRI- THE Niger Delta Avengers NDA, Monday, agreed to dialogue with the Federal Government, suspending its “Operation Red Economy”, which saw the militant group almost crippling the oil industry since February when it commenced bombing of oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta region. Source: www.vanguardngr.com

Opinion: This is best approach to channel your grievances. Violence has never solved any problem in the world. Every conflict ends on a round table.

C.V.Akuta Media UK.

Afenifere Renewal Group Demands Official Release of June 12 Result.

The Afenifere Renewal Group Saturday demanded that the federal government should officially release the result of the June 12, 1993 Presidential Election acclaimed to have been won by late Chief M.K.O Abiola.

The ARG, a pan-Yoruba socio-political and economic organisation, justified the need to officially release the election result because the Official Secrets Act “can no longer be binding on the document.”

It made the demand in a statement signed by its National Chairman, Hon. Olawale Oshun, to mark the 23rd anniversary of the June 12 election adjudged to be the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history, though it was annulled by former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.

In a one-page statement, Oshun said President Muhammadu Buhari, as the beneficiary of a ballot revolution that mostly mirrored that of 1993, owed the citizens of Nigeria across the geo-political divides the duty of declassifying the election result, particularly now that 23 years had elapsed.

The group’s national chairman explained that the Official Secrets Act “can no longer be binding on the document. We believe this will reverse the stigma occasioned by the foolish act of canceling that election, adjudged to be the most peaceful in the history of Nigeria.”

He added that the official release of the June 12 election result “will open up the hypocrisy of military rule and help project democracy as a better form of governance. June 12 is no longer a struggle but now an obligation. The people have played their own part.

“It is now the obligation of the beneficiaries of that struggle to set the country on a truly democratic path by deliberately replacing every stamp of military rule on Nigeria’s nationhood, including the imposed governance structure and constitution, through democratic rights and tenets.”

Oshun argued that there “is no alternative way to deepen democracy in Nigeria. Let nobody be deceived. Until the federal government takes conscious steps to restructure Nigeria, the country will continue to wobble from one crisis of nationhood to another.

“To continue to ignore this necessity is a tacit support by elected officials for everything that transpired during the military era and this is why military rule has transited to ‘do or die’ politics and citizens now believed they have a right to take up arms against their country.”

He thus called President Buhari to see himself as best poised “to help Nigeria make this transition. This can be his best legacy and the starting point, we dare say, is to release the June 12 presidential election result and its winner appropriately recognised and honoured.”

In a phone conversation on Friday, Oshun lamented that it was tragic that no government “has given Chief MKO Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12 election due recognition. It is a common knowledge that he won the election. The records are still there as proofs of Abiola’s electoral victory.

“It is injustice, and the injustice will continue as long as Abiola’s posthumous victory is not recognised. Buhari has opportunity to recognise Abiola’s electoral victory because sufficient time has already passed. The healing process of Nigeria will not have taken this long time if this injustice has been addressed. “This therefore calls for the need to look at the political structure of Nigeria. We need to restructure Nigeria in a way that devolves more powers and responsibilities to the sub-national governments,” he said.​ Source: Thisday.

Opinion: They should consider to approach the court using the freedom of information act. Only if they had tried it under Obasanjo and Jonathan, may be they would have secured it's release. None the less, they can try under this government.

C.V.Akuta Media UK.

Home Grown Terrorist and Self Radicalized: Over 50 Killed in America.

ORLANDO, Fla. — A gunman who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State killed 50 people and wounded 53 in a crowded gay nightclub early Sunday. The gunman, identified as Omar Mateen, had been investigated twice by the F.B.I. for possible connections to terrorism, the bureau said, but no ties could be confirmed.

Mr. Mateen, 29, an American citizen whose parents were from Afghanistan, called 911 and talked about the Islamic State shortly before the massacre at the Pulse nightclub, the worst mass shooting in American history, Ronald Hopper, an assistant agent in charge of the F.B.I.’s Tampa Division, said at a news conference. Other federal officials said more explicitly that he declared allegiance to the group.

“The F.B.I. first became aware of him in 2013 when he made inflammatory comments to co-workers alleging possible terrorist ties,” but could not find any incriminating evidence, Agent Hopper said. In 2014, the bureau investigated him again, for possible ties to Moner Mohammad Abusalha, an American who grew up in Florida but went to Syria to fight for an extremist group and detonated a suicide bomb; Agent Hopper said the bureau concluded that the contact between the two men was minimal, and that Mr. Mateen “did not constitute a substantive threat at that time.”

The suspicions did not prevent Mr. Mateen from working as a security guard, or from buying guns. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said Mr. Mateen legally bought a long gun and a pistol in the last week or two, though it was not clear whether those were the weapons used in the assault.

Hours after the attack, the Islamic State claimed responsibility in a statement released over an encrypted phone app used by the group, stating that the attack “was carried out by an Islamic State fighter,” according to a transcript provided by the SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks jihadist propaganda.

But officials cautioned that even if Mr. Mateen, who court records show was born in New York and had been married and divorced, had been inspired by the group, there was no indication that it had trained or instructed him, or had any direct connection with him. The pair who killed 14 people in San Bernardino, Calif., in December also proclaimed allegiance to the Islamic State, but investigators do not believe they had any contact with the group.

“The F.B.I. is appropriately investigating this as an act of terror,” President Obama said from the White House. He said that the gunman clearly had been ”filled with hatred” and that investigators were seeking to determine any ties to overseas terrorist groups.

“In the face of hate and violence, we will love one another,” he said. “We will not give in to fear or turn against each other. Instead, we will stand united as Americans to protect our people and defend our nation, and to take action against those who threaten us.”

As he had after previous mass shootings, the president said the shooting demonstrated again the need for what he called “common sense” gun measures.

“This massacre is therefore a further reminder of how easy it is for someone to get their hands on a weapon that lets them shoot people in a school or a house of worship or a movie theater or a nightclub,” Mr. Obama said. “We have to decide if that’s the kind of country we want to be. To actively do nothing is a decision as well.”

The killer stormed the Pulse nightclub armed with an AR-15-style assault rifle and a handgun at about 2 a.m., while more than 300 people were inside dancing and drinking, John Mina, the Orlando police chief, said. Mr. Mateen shot about one-third of the people in the packed club, mowing down patrons while many others, some of them bleeding, fled down the darkened streets of the surrounding neighborhood.

The result was the worst terrorist attack on American soil since Sept. 11, 2001, and the deadliest attack in the nation’s history on a specifically gay gathering. The F.B.I. set up a hotline for tips.

The gunman holed up inside with dozens of people effectively held hostage, some of them hiding in a restroom frantically calling for help, until about 5 a.m., when a police SWAT team, using an armored vehicle and stun grenades, raided the building and killed him. Officials said that 11 law enforcement officers exchanged fire with the gunman.

In that assault, an officer was wounded, his life saved by a Kevlar helmet that deflected a bullet, and at least 30 people were rescued, Chief Mina said. Some survivors escaped under cover of what the police called two “discretionary explosions."

Law enforcement officials in Santa Monica, Calif., on Sunday confirmed the arrest of a heavily armed man who said he was in the area for West Hollywood’s gay pride parade. The authorities, however, said they did not know of any connection between the arrest and the Orlando shooting.

Some terrorist attacks, like the San Bernardino killings in December, were carried out in the name of Islam by people, some of them born and raised in the West, who were “self-radicalized.”

The Islamic State in particular has encouraged “lone wolf” attacks in the West, a point reinforced recently by a spokesman for the group, Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, in his annual speech just before the holy month of Ramadan. In past years, the Islamic State and Al Qaeda ramped up attacks during Ramadan.

“Make it, Allah permitting, a month of hurt on the infidels everywhere,” Mr. Adnani said, according to a translation provided by the SITE Intelligence Group. Noting that some supporters have lamented that they cannot strike at military targets, he took pains to explain why killing civilians in the land of the infidel is not just permitted but encouraged.

Rasha Mubarak, the Orlando regional coordinator of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, released a statement saying: “We condemn this monstrous attack and offer our heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of all those killed or injured. The Muslim community joins our fellow Americans in repudiating anyone or any group that would claim to justify or excuse such an appalling act of violence.”

A member of the Orange County sheriff’s department at the scene of a shooting in Orlando, Fla., on Sunday.

The toll of the dead and injured far exceeded those of the 2007 shooting at Virginia Tech, where 32 people were killed, and the 2012 shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., where 26 people were killed.

Pulse, which calls itself “Orlando’s Latin Hotspot,” was holding its weekly “Upscale Latin Saturdays” party with three D.J.s and a midnight show. Witnesses described a scene of chaos and confusion, and some said it was hard at first to realize that the gunshots were not part of the loud, pulsing dance music.

“We were dancing by the hip-hop area when I heard shots, bam, bam, bam, and the only thing I could think of was to duck, but I ran out instead,” said Joel Figueroa, 19, of Orlando, who had been inside. “Everybody was screaming and running toward the front door. I didn’t get to see the shooter.”

He said a friend of his had been shot three times and taken to a hospital.

Ray Rivera, a D.J. at the club, was playing reggae music in the patio area when the shooting started, while Latin music played inside the building.

“I heard shots, so I lower the volume of the music to hear better because I wasn’t sure of what I just heard,” Mr. Rivera said. “I thought it was firecrackers, then I realized that someone is shooting at people in the club.

“I heard like 40 shots coming from the main area of the club,” he continued. “I ran away through a side gate. I saw bodies on the floor, people on the floor everywhere. It was a chaos, everybody trying to get out.”

Mr. Rivera, 42, who has worked at Pulse for years, said: “This is a nice club, decent, people come from all over to dance and have a good time. Young people. A lot of young people were there last night. This is crazy.”

The club posted a message on its Facebook page about 3 a.m.: “Everyone get out of pulse and keep running.”

People streamed out of the club into a chaotic situation with little idea of where to go. “Cops were saying, ‘Go, go, clear the area,’” Christopher Hansen told an Orlando TV station. “You don’t know who’s what and who’s where.”

Witnesses and police officers carried bleeding people down the streets, sometimes loading them into police vehicles for the drive to hospitals rather than waiting for ambulances. The club is three blocks down South Orange Avenue from Orlando Regional Medical Center, the region’s primary trauma center, and two other hospitals also took in victims.

Police officers in Orlando, Fla., directing people away from a nightclub where a gunman opened fire early Sunday.

“Please keep everyone in your prayers as we work through this tragic event,”the nightclub’s post said. “Thank you for your thoughts and love.”

The Gay Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center of Central Florida said it was offering grief counseling to victims and survivors.

Officials at Orlando Regional Medical Center asked members of the families of victims and missing people to gather at the north entrance, where they would be escorted inside.

The slaughter at Pulse occurred a day after the singer Christina Grimmie, a star of YouTube and the reality TV show “The Voice,” was shot down after a concert in Orlando. The police said she had been killed by a St. Petersburg, Fla., man who drove to Orlando with the specific intention to kill Ms. Grimmie. The man, Kevin James Loibl, killed himself moments later.

Chief Mina said Mr. Loibl had traveled to Orlando with two handguns, several loaded magazines and a hunting knife. Police officials were examining his telephone and computer to try to determine a motive. Source: New York Times.

Opinion: Very sad. Worst was that it happened during the holy month of Ramadan for the Moslems, and less than two days after Muhammed Ali was buried. These people have given Islam a very bad image all over the world.

C.V.Akuta Media UK.