Publications

IAP, the Good Governance Group

IAP'S MONTHLY ELECTRONIC JOURNAL Jan 2008

EFCC, ICPC MUST SEEK AG’S APPROVAL ON PROSECUTIONS
The continued effectiveness of official anti corruption agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) Anti corruption is again being questioned, following a recent presidential directive that all agencies involved in the prosecution of criminal offences should report and initiate criminal proceedings with the consent and approval of the Attorney General of the Federation.

Reacting to reports that he had been holding talks with some immediate past governors with a view to negotiating a safe landing for them from prosecution for corruption, President Umar Musa Yar’Adua said he would not shield anyone from the full weight of the law for looting public funds. He assured Nigerians that his administration will not provide a safe haven or escape route for anyone, ‘no matter how highly placed they may be and irrespective of whatever role they played or claim to have played in his election, if they are found guilty of looting public funds for their personal aggrandizement’

Ex-governors Orji Kalu of Abia state, James Ibori of Delta state and Peter Odili of Rivers state met with the President in Abuja provoking suggestions that the meeting was to find an escape route for some ex-governors being prosecuted or investigated by the EFCC. The review of the forfeiture case against Ibori commenced in October at the Southwark Crown Court in London. The case will possibly strengthen the money laundering case filed against the former governor. The court granted an application of restraint recently in respect of assets of Ibori worth approximately £17 million. Court papers stated that the application was made by the London Metropolitan Police under the Proceeds of Crime Act and these extensive applications relate to business and private finances of the former Delta State governor.

There were media reports that the recent decision of the London Metropolitan Police to freeze Chief Ibori’s assets worth £17 million in London was triggered by the EFCC which allegedly passed its file on Ibori to the London Police. The EFCC reportedly took the decision because it appeared that the Presidency was protecting Ibori on account of the alleged role he played in the emergence of Alhaji Yar’Adua as the presidential candidate of the PDP and his eventual victory in the April polls.

An official statement released from the Presidency stated that, ‘The attention of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has been drawn to media reports suggesting that he is hampering the activities of the EFCC in the fight against corruption.... President Yar’Adua is very serious about his commitment to instilling discipline, transparency, respect for the rule of law and due process in the conduct of government business and remains resolute in his resolve to fight corruption and abuse of office….The President will support all the agencies of government responsible for bringing to justice people found to have abused their offices either in the past, now or in future.

‘President Yar’Adua firmly believes that in fighting corruption, nobody and no institution, and this includes the Presidency and himself as President, should be seen to be above the law and the Constitution. It is for this reason that he granted the requests of the Attorney-General and Justice Minister that the Attorney-General exercises powers conferred on him pursuant to Section 43 of the EFCC Act 2004 to make rules or regulations with respect to the exercise of any of the duties, functions or powers of the EFCC.

‘The decision to enforce the powers of the Attorney-General was solely motivated by President Yar’Adua’s respect for due process and the rule of law and not by any desire to shield anybody from criminal prosecution. President Yar’Adua has also granted the Attorney-General’s requests to ensure better coordination among the country’s law enforcement agencies and avoid untidy multiple criminal prosecutions as are being currently undertaken by the EFCC, ICPC and the Code of Conduct Tribunal in respect of the same alleged offences.

Meanwhile, a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Alfa Belgore has called for the transfer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to the National Judicial Council. Belgore made the call at the 11th annual bar lecture of the Ijebu-Ode Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association. In the lecture titled, Independence of judiciary and corruption, the former judge said that for the two anti-graft bodies to be effective, they must not be under the control of the executive, particularly the Presidency. He specifically called for the transfer of appointments and conditions of service of workers of the two commissions to the NJC.

DISCHARGED, ACQUITTED AND REINSTATED
A Federal High Court of Justice sitting in Abuja has reinstated an ousted judge of the court, Justice Chrysantus Senlong, who was dismissed from service in 2004 by the National Judicial Council for alleged bribery. Senlong was dismissed on 16 March 2004 for allegedly putting pressure on the Akwa-Ibom State Governorship and Legislative Election Tribunal, headed by Justice M. M. Adamu, in order to influence its judgment in favour of his friend and disgruntled politician, Dr. Imeh Umanah.

Justice Stephen Adah, formerly of the Federal High Court, Abuja (now sitting in Kaduna division) came back to his former court in Abuja to deliver the judgment. He set aside the dismissal of Senlong on the grounds that it was done in contravention of Section 20 (1) of the 1999 Constitution. The court held that the composition of members of the investigation committee which recommended Senlong’s dismissal was unconstitutional, null and void. Specifically, the court held that the provision did not allow practising lawyers to sit as members of disciplinary committee of the NJC.

Citing Section 20 of the 1999 Constitution, Justice Adah held that the provision only allows the five members of the Nigerian Bar Association, ’to sit in the Council only for the purposes of considering the names of persons for appointment to superior courts of record.’ Senlong had asked the court to reinstate him as a judge and restrain the NJC from taking any further step to sanction him. The complaint was made against him by the Chairman of the Akwa-Ibom Election Petitions Tribunal, Justice Matilda Adamu.

The NJC however insisted that Senlong’s dismissal was lawful. The commission stressed that Senlong was no longer fit to occupy the exalted seat of a judge. Justice Adamu had accused Senlong of creating the impression before the tribunal ‘that Justice Pats-Acholonu of the Supreme Court (now late) and Hon Justice George Oguntade are very interested in the result of the Akwa Ibom Governorship petition to be resolved in favour of the petitioner (Umanah).’

The petition further said: ‘He (Senlong) said if we give judgment in favour of the petitioner (Dr Imeh Umanah) and the other party goes on appeal, our judgment will be upheld as arrangement has been made for that purpose,’ adding that the dismissed high court judge facilitated the procurement of the service of Ayanlaja as Umanah’s lawyer in the case. Senlong, according to NJC, did not deny the allegation made against him but rather said that even if he was to be tried at all, he should face the ICPC or a court of law and not NJC which lacked the power to try criminal offence.

POLICE REVEAL FRAUDSTERS’ NEW TRICKS
As national crusade against fraudsters and other related criminal rages on, a police intelligence report has revealed a new trick used by Advance Fee Fraudsters (also known as 419ners) to swindle unsuspecting members of the public, both Nigerians and foreigners. The police report which was made available to the media pointed out that fraudsters now send threat letters of assassination to their target, demanding a ransom in place of imaginary money paid them to kill the target.

A police source explained that when the victim falls, he is asked to pay more money for them to reveal the name of the person that wanted the target eliminated and other related evidence of the deal. Usually their target never received the said documents because no sooner do the crooks receive the first batch of the money than they would vanish. The police provided sample of one of the letter that read thus: ‘This is the only way I could contact you for now, I want you be very careful about this and keep the secret with you until I make out space for us to see. You have no need of knowing who I am, or where I am from, I know this may sound surprising to you but it is the situation. I have been paid a ransom in advance to eliminate you with some reasons listed to me by my employer.

‘It is someone I believe you call a friend; I have followed you closely for a while now and have seen that you are innocent of the accusation he levelled against you. Do not contact the police or try to send a copy of this to them, because if you do I will know, and might be pushed to do what I have been paid to do. ‘Besides, this is the first time I turned out to be betrayal in my job. I took pity on you, which is why I have made up my mind to help you if you are willing to help yourself. Now listen, I will arrange for us to see face to face, but before that I need $30,000. I will come to your home, or you determine where you wish we meet; I repeat, do not arrange for the cops, if you play hard to get, it will be extended to your family, do not set any camera to cover us or set up any tape to record our conversation, my employer is in my control now.

‘An account will be provided for you to make a part payment of $20,000 first, which will serve as guarantee that you are ready to cooperate. Then one of my boys will deliver a video tape to you that contains his request for me to terminate you (I tape-recorded our conversation), which will be enough evidence for you to take any legal action against him before he employs another person for the job. You will pay the balance of $10,000 once you received the video tape.

‘Warning; do not contact the police, make sure you stay indoors once it is 7:30 p. m. until this whole thing is sorted out. If you neglect any of these warnings, you will have yourself to blame. You do not have much time, so get back to me immediately. Good luck.’

GROUP SAYS UN STILL CONDONES RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has again claimed that the United Nations, despite overwhelming criticisms, is still condoning human rights violations. This came against the backdrop of the UN’s failure to clamp down on countries notorious for rights violations. The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) ended its disappointing first year by agreeing on a package of procedural measures that lay a foundation for its future work, but fell short of providing it a firm footing, according a HRW statement. The group accused the UNHR of not looking into the crimes allegedly committed by major UN stakeholders which amounts to overlooking their guilt.

‘The council has left key questions unanswered, which gives leeway countries that seek to weaken human rights protections…The decision presents a floor for the council’s work, but a great deal more needs to be built. The council is also expected to adopt resolutions proposed in this session on the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Darfur (Sudan); while continuing to overlook dozens of other human rights situations that require its attention, including Afghanistan, Colombia, Iraq and Sri Lanka.

HRW urged countries wanting a stop to rights violations to speak out on the alleged inconsistencies going on in the UNHR, accusing the latter of being selective in its operations. ’While the deteriorating human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories certainly warrants the council’s attention, the council’s decision to single that situation out for separate treatment on the agenda is a textbook example of selectivity and politicization, which the resolution that established the council urges it to avoid.

‘The Universal Periodic Review is the greatest innovation within the council, and provides a welcome opportunity to address human rights abuses wherever they occur. However, the process approved by the council seems more intent on not offending the country under review than it does on addressing human rights abuses. It remains to be seen whether states will be willing to use this system to take real steps to end such abuses or not.

AIDE SUES EX-GOVERNOR OVER CORRUPTION ALLEGATION
The immediate past governor of Bauchi state, Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu, three of his former commissioners, a private firm and others may soon appear before the Bauchi State High Court on alleged corrupt practices while in office.

The alleged scam involving the ex-governor and his unnamed commissioners who were believed to have served in the Ministries of Health, Finance and Justice is said to be estimated at about N3 billion while the private firm was named as Messrs Chachez Turkey Nigeria Limited. The accused were said to have conspired to siphon a total sum N2,9134,689,005 from government coffers through various illegal means during Mu’azu’s eight year tenure as governor. The allegation borders around airfares, loan from Intercity Bank and non-execution of contracts at the General Hospitals in Ningi and Misau awarded to Messrs Chachez Turkey Nigeria Limited among others.

Dogo Bibi, a one time Special Assistant to Mu’azu; and two others through their counsel, A.H. Suleiman, filed the suit. The plaintiffs are asking that in view of Section 7(3) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria whether Mu’azu could constitutionally direct all the 20 local government council areas to take a loan of N25 million each, and whether in view of Section 7(1) of the same constitution, Mu’azu and the former commissioners can withhold the monthly grants of all the 20 local councils of the state for the month of January, February and March 2007.

COURT CLAMPDOWN ON ALAMIEYESEIGHA’S ASSETS
Six companies belonging to former Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, have been confiscated and ordered to be wound-up by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, while their assets running into billions of naira were ordered sold and the proceeds paid into the state government's account.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of £2,093,594 (or N546, 428,161) cash and properties owned by the companies in Nigeria and outside the country. The companies owned by Alamieyeseigha's which are affected include Solomon & Peters Ltd, Santolina Investment Corporation, Pesal Nigeria Ltd, Kpedefa Nigeria Ltd, Jetty Properties Ltd and Herbage Global Services Ltd.

Properties ordered forfeited by the court include Chelsea Hotel, Abuja, property at Plot 26, Dalhatu Close, Abacha Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, property at No 20, Obagi Street, Diobu, Port Harcourt, property at No 1, Community Road, Off Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos; property at 247, Water Gardens, London, W2 2DG, London, property at 14, Mapesbury Road, London, NW2 4JB, property at Flat 202, Jubilee Heights, Shootup hill, London, NW2 3UQ, property at 68-70 Regent Park, London, property at 4A Ilu Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos, property at 10, Oguda Close, Maitama, Abuja and property at 18, Mississippi Street, Maitama, Abuja.

Alamieyeseigha was convicted recently by the High Court for corruption. He got two years each on a three-count charge which was to run concurrently and with effect from the day of his arrest. He has since been released having spent over two years in EFCC detention. During the hearing, the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacob, told the court that a further amended charge had been filed against the accused person and that it should be read for the plea of the companies to be taken.

After the 25-count charge was read, Jacob said: ‘Pursuant to section 468 of the Criminal Procedure Act, the accused persons have in writing pleaded guilty to the charge and the court can act on the written plea pursuant to section 218 of CPA and by section 218 of the CPA, we are to demonstrate that an offence had been committed. I will urge the court to look at the statements in our proof of evidence, Volume I. The court will see from this how contractors funded the accounts of those companies through contract kickbacks and outright withdrawal from the Bayelsa State government accounts, mostly in Bond Bank. Page 44 to 50 of the proof of evidence is the statement by the officials of the bank, stating how the various sums were remitted to accounts abroad and how monies were remitted to acquire properties in the United Kingdom.

‘Also at pages 145 to 185 of the same proof of evidence is the statement of the agents, which are Olatunde Ayeni and Aliyu Abubakar, who happened to be contractors to Bayalsa State government and how they remitted money abroad and how properties were acquired in the country. The proof of evidence is a proof of how the crimes were committed. Counsel to the companies, Mr. Mike Ozekhome, did not object. Justice Mohammed Shuiabu, in his judgement said, ‘An amended 25-count charge of concealing the nature of various proceeds of crime was filed against the accused persons and they have entered a guilty plea. Upon careful and meticulous consideration of the charge and the proof of evidence, this court is satisfied that the accused person intended to admit to all the charges against them. The prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. I consequently find the accused persons guilty as charged.’

Ozekhome then asked the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing the convicts, contending that they were first time offenders and that the companies had since the case started not been functional, while all their employees had been forced out of job. He prayed the court to give the company a second chance. But the prosecution asked the court to order the forfeiture of the affected properties and cash which were acquired with the proceeds of crime. He contended that under the EFCC Act, the companies were to be wound-up and their assets sold and proceeds paid into the Bayelsa State government account. The court consequently ordered the forfeiture of the assets and cash listed in the schedule attached to the charge.

ICPC TO PROSECUTE 26 FORMER GOVERNORS, CIVIL SERVANTS
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has announced that it would henceforth prosecute civil servants who aid their state governors to loot public funds. It also stated that it would soon charge 26 former state governors for corrupt-related offences.

The new strategy, the commission said was to ‘solve the problem of immunity clause’ which prevents serving governors from being prosecuted. ICPC chairman, Justice Emmanuel Ayoola said ‘The strategy would be that a governor with his immunity will not be the person who will execute the act of corruption. It goes through the process, the financial process, and in the process there is intervention by the small and medium officers. ‘Now, we are going to insist as part of the strategy that your governor may have immunity, but if you know your governor is planning or has planned to steal money and you facilitate it, you become an accomplice. He may not go to jail because of immunity, but you knew of such conduct and kept quiet and facilitated it, you will equally be as guilty as he is

‘We did not regard governors as the main focus of our activities. Nigerians believe that corruption is limited to people with high status. But what we have discovered in the ICPC is that at every level of the public sector, there is a lot of corruption going on. This is the disturbing trend. The multitudes, who shout that we should pull the governors, send him to jail because of corruption. Most of them from what we have seen have not turned their backs on corruption.

‘They are neck deep in corruption, and this is very disturbing. Right now, we embark on the investigation of just one agency and the reports that are coming back are very disturbing. The small man, the medium man, the big man, all of them explore every opportunity to cheat. ICPC sees it a greater challenge, whilst you are chasing the big man and the small man is encouraging you to pursue the big man, he uses the big man as a decoy and he goes back to cheat.

‘What we have done is to ask the Chief Justice of Nigeria to return those files of the state governors to us as many of them, except one, have lost their immunity and so we can proceed against them. We are at the investigation level. Twenty six former governors and one incumbent who were re-elected will be prosecuted. We have reached the stage of retrieval of the file, then after reviewing the files, we study the allegation,” he added.

COURT SETS N400BILLION BAIL HURDLE FOR DARIYE
A high court sitting at Gudu has admitted former Governor of Plateau State, Mr. Joshua Dariye, to bail in the sum of N100 million with three sureties in like sum. Dariye has been standing trial on a 23-count charge of stealing public funds in excess of a billion naira. The trial high court judge, Justice Adebukola Banjoko, who granted him bail reeled out other conditions which she insisted, must be met by Dariye, stating that, if the conditions are not met, he should forget about the proposed temporary freedom.

Dariye and his three sureties were asked to procure bank guarantee of N400 million at N100 million each from reputable banks in the country and surrender same to the court before the bail could be deemed to have been partially perfected. Other conditions that must be met by Dariye are that he should not embark on any foreign trip without the leave of the court and must report once a week to the EFCC while the bail lasts.

Beside, Justice Banjoko said the three sureties ready to stand for Dariye must have landed property in Maitama, Asokoro or Central District Area in Abuja while re-certified documents of such property must be surrendered to the Chief Registrar of the Abuja High Court. This condition is in addition to the existing one that each of the sureties, one of whom must be a serving Senator must be a proven high standing citizen of the country and must swear to an affidavit of means, indicating their financial status and surrender their tax certificates duly verified by FIRS.

According to the court, Dariye himself must submit his international and diplomatic passports together with all his travel documents to the registrar of the court and must enter into an undertaking that he would not tamper or interfere with the prosecution witnesses all through the duration of the trial.

Finally, the court ordered that the bail would be deemed not fully perfected except and until Dariye produces three of his recent passport photographs to the court. lead counsel to Dariye, Mr. Conrad Joseph, commended the judge for granting his client bail and appealed to the judge to vary the conditions for the bail, saying they were too stringent. ‘Let me start by saying that the passport of the accused person is already deposited with the registry of the Federal High Court, Abuja. I invite the court to hold that this condition is already satisfied… getting a surety that will be able to produce a bank guarantee of N100 million now is not easy. Posting bank guarantee is like paying that money. I therefore urge the court to hold that a bank guarantee of N100 million only will satisfy the requirements for the three sureties.

‘Like my ladyship has said, the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty. We urge the court to hold that getting one bank guarantee of N100 million will satisfy the sureties’ conditions. This is because it will be difficult to get surety that will post a guarantee of N100 million of his now as requirement for meeting bail condition especially with the hard economic situation and the stress of paying school fees. It is worse to get three sureties that will be willing to post such guarantee. After all, the court has already said that bail is free.’

The trial judge did not allow him conclude his statement before she interjected saying, ‘You are asking for variation and you know the procedure. If you want to vary the bail conditions, you have to come formally. That is the procedure and the court may now look into it. But as it is now, I am sorry, I can’t help you. I can’t change anything.’

FORMER GOV CHARGED WITH STEALING
The former governor of Taraba state, Jolly Nyame recently followed the footsteps of some of his colleagues in prison on the directive of an Abuja High Court trying them for alleged corruption. He is to remain there pending when his application for bail is granted. Nyame, who is known as a clergyman, is alleged to have stolen N1.6 billion public fund when he served as the governor of Taraba State. He is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Reports released by the EFCC said Nyame stole the money between January 2005 and May 2007. The said sum is besides other state funds still being investigated by the commission. EFCC also explained that he siphoned the N1.637 billion through contact inflation, kick-backs, funding of un-existing projects and outright diversion of public funds.

Efforts by the governor to procure his bail pending trial were opposed by the EFCC. The commission said if he was allowed to go on bail, the life of its witnesses and some agents of the commission would be in jeopardy.

A 41-count charge filed against the former governor includes:
    That you Jolly Tevoru Nyame between January and February, 2005 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, while being the Governor of Taraba State of Nigeria and in such capacity entrusted with dominion over certain property to wit: the sum of N250,000,000 meant for the purchase of stationery by the Taraba State Government committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said sum and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 laws of Federation of Nigeria 1990.

    That you Jolly Tevoru Nyame between January and February, 2005 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, while being the Governor of Taraba State of Nigeria and in such capacity entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: funds meant for the purchase of stationery by the T araba State Government committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said funds by collecting the sum of N180,000,000.00 from the entire sum for your personal use and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 laws of Federation of Nigeria 1990.

    That you Jolly Tevoru Nyame on or about 3 April, 2005 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, while being the Governor of Taraba State of Nigeria dishonestly misappropriated certain funds to wit: the sum of N180,000,000 which sum formed part of N250,000,000 belonging to the Taraba State Government approved by you for the supply of stationery for the Taraba State Government and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 309 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 laws of Federation of Nigeria 1990.

    That you Jolly Tevoru Nyame on or about 3 April, 2005 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, while being the Governor of Taraba State of Nigeria accepted from one Abubakar Suleiman of Alusab International (Nig.) Ltd. through Salman Global Ventures (Nig.) Ltd. a gratification in the sum of N80,000,000 (which was not a lawful remuneration) as a reward for the award of contract by the Taraba State Government to USAB International (Nig.) Ltd. and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 115 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of Federation of Nigeria 1990.

    That you Jolly Tevoru Nyame on or about 3 April, 2005 at Abuja in the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory while being the Governor of Taraba State of Nigeria accepted from one Abubakar Suleiman of Alusab International (Nig.) Ltd. through Salman Global Ventures Ltd. a valuable thing to wit: the sum of N80,000,000 without consideration and whom you knew to have connection with your official function to wit: the execution of the water project at Ibiiwukari in Taraba State and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 119 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of Federation of Nigeria 1990.

EX GOVERNOR WRITES PETITION AGAINST TRIAL JUDGE
The former Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Chimaroke Nnamani, has written the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Roseline Ukeje, raising objection to the trial of his alleged graft case by Justice M. L. Shuaibu of the Federal High Court 10, Lagos. Nnamani states in the petition: ‘I have objection to my case being tried by the same Judge (Justice Shuaibu) who is trying Charge No. FHC/L/9/2007 Federal Republic of Nigeria vs. Peter Mbah & Ors, a matter involving my former Commissioners, with my name featuring prominently on the charge, because of the clear position already taken by the judge which will adversely affect the fairness of my trial in the new case if handled by him.’

Sources revealed that the former governor also told Justice Ukeje that he had it on good authority that the trial judge, Justice Shuaibu ‘has been unabashedly biased in the prosecution of the aforementioned case, from the very first day be began hearing the case, and takes glaring instructions from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). ‘The Judge’s pronouncements in and out of court on the Enugu officials suggest that he is in collusion with the commission, with an intention to thwart and railroad the course of justice. Indeed, there are several utterances in court, said to have been made by the Honourable Judge, that indicate his patent bias and readiness to jail the accused persons.’

Nnamani, who is facing a 34-count charge over alleged N5.4 billion graft, said from the evidences pieced together by the accused, ‘Justice Shuaibu (allegedly) works hand in hand with the prosecution lawyers, meets and rubs minds with them regularly, even in his office. Nowhere in the world is a judge who is supposed to be impartial allowed to meet with a party to a matter alone without the other (party) being present, more particularly in criminal proceedings.’ Recalling that a more detailed petition had earlier been submitted to the National Judicial Commission by the earlier mentioned former Commissioners over the ‘scary character of Justice Shuaibu’s own perception of justice,’ Nnamani said he was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that ‘I can never get justice under Justice Shuaibu and I plead that My Lord grants this transfer.’

POLICE CHIEF ASKS OFFICERS TO SHUN CORRUPTION
Mike Okiro, the Acting Inspector General of Police has charged officers and men of the force to shun or quit the Nigeria Police force ‘in their own interest.’ The Police boss handed down this order while addressing officers and men of Zone 2, comprising Lagos and Ogun states, at the Command Headquarters, Onikan in Lagos recently. He warned that he would not tolerate corruption and other related vices as the new helmsman urging his colleagues to be contented with their current package until it is reviewed upward.

‘We are all aware that corruption is a cankerworm that has eaten deep into every sector of the economy and ours is not an exception. We are aware of the fact that there are inadequacies but that is not enough reason for anybody to take laws into his or her hand. ‘With the current leadership of the force, we are prepared to fight the menace head-long and any officer that is not contented with what is currently obtainable should have a rethink or leave the force in peace. Although we are making progress to have a review of our welfare package, that should not be an excuse for anybody to resort to corruption.

GROUPS HARPS ON TRANSPARENT LEADERSHIP
The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) has said that Nigerians could arrest the debilitating effects of economic woes by ensuring transparency, due process and ethics in governance at all levels of leadership in the country.

This was contained in the address of Hakeem Ogunmiran, President and chairman of the council during his investiture as the 21st President of the Institute in Lagos recently. ‘The starting point for all the tiers of Government to arrest the debilitating effects of poverty in the country is to initiate people oriented programmes like construction of good roads, provision of drinking potable water, adequate electricity supply to every nook and cranny of the country. In the light of the recent developments, it is obvious that our country is in dire need of leadership and direction on corporate governance and related issues. As a foremost protagonist of transparency, due process, ethics in governance, we will leverage on our extensive global reach and affiliations to promote these virtues in our country.’

He promised that his Institute would work with appropriate authorities to overhaul the existing corporate governance regulatory framework: ‘For the avoidance of doubt, our focus will be on the key corporate governance issues which are well covered by the ICSAN code on Corporate Governance on financial reporting and accounting, risk management and accountability, ethical conduct and social responsibility.’

INEC BLAMES POLITICIANS FOR POOR ELECTIONS
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Maurice Iwu has held Nigerians especially politicians and their supporters responsible for the lapses observed in the last April general elections in Nigeria. Iwu gave the Commission a clean bill of health for its conduct of the elections, in spite of the critical reports of local and foreign observers. Speaking at a workshop on The Role of Public Affairs Officers in an Electoral Body, organized for Public Affairs Officers of INEC in Owerri, Iwu explained that INEC’s job was to prepare the platform for elections to take place pointing out that the Commission was neither the electorate nor politicians who rigged the elections.

POLICE SACK TWO CONSTABLES FOR MURDER, STEALING
The Ekiti state Command of the Nigeria Police has dismissed two constables over alleged murder and stealing. One of the affected policemen, Isaiah Adedoja, allegedly shot and killed a fellow police constable and a middle-aged woman in Omuo-Ekiti. He was found guilty after an official police investigation and consequently dismissed from force.

The state Police Commissioner, Mr. Aghanya Ibe who disclosed this to newsmen said another policeman serving in Ikere-Ekiti was dismissed for allegedly stealing a generator. The police boss added that the men have already been charged to court over the incidents, arguing that the steps were necessary to rid the force of bad eggs and to serve as a deterrent to others denting the image of the police, adding: ‘I will fight bribery and corruption to a stand-still in the state and the collection of N20 by the Police would soon be a forgotten issue. The Police are not on the highways to collect bribe but to combat crime. ‘

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