$ 2.29 M PROPERTY : OHAKIM HAS CASE TO ANSWER, EFCC INSISTS

                                  Ex governor of Imo State,  Ikedi Ohakim

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday urged a Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss the no-case submission filed by former Imo State governor, Ikedi Ohakim, after the prosecution closed its case with six witnesses in his ongoing trial on money laundering charges.

The EFCC is prosecuting Ohakim who was Imo State Governor between 2007 and 2011 on three counts of money laundering.

The prosecution accused Ohakim of purchasing the property at 60, Kwame Nkrumah Street, Plot No 1098, Cadastral ZoneA04,  Asokoro District, Abuja with cash payment of $2.29m which was said to be dollar equivalent of N270m in November 2008.

Ohakim was also accused of failing to declare the property as part of his assets when asked by the EFCC to do so.

Ohakim filed his no-case submission after the prosecution closed its case on May 5, claiming that the evidence led failed to link him with the alleged offences.

But the prosecuting lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, on Monday urged the court to reject the no-case submission made on behalf of the defendant by his lawyer, Awa Kalu (SAN).

Keyamo said the prosecution had led sufficient evidence to establish its case against the defendant.

The prosecutor urged the court to order the defendant to enter his defence.

Keyamo, while adopting his written submission in opposition to the no-case submission, noted that the defendant had, in his statement to the EFCC admitted making payment for the property in dollars, but later said the payment was made in naira cash.

He maintained that the prosecution had proved that that Ohakim attempted to conceal the source of the property and the source of the fund which he said was an element of money laundry.

He faulted claim by the defendant that he (Ohakim) that he had withdrawn his confessional statement, when he freely made the statement admitting making payment for the property.

Keyamo added that it was too late for Ohakim to claim to have withdrawn his confessional statement when he did not object at the point of tendering it as exhibit.

“If he was not in a state of mind to make those statements, in which he implicated himself, he should have said so. It is trite law that it is not at the state of submission that one can object to a statement, it is at the point of tendering it,” Keyamo said.

Faulting the claim by Ohakim that he could not remember how payment was made for the house, Keyamo said it was strange that an adult could claim to have forgotten how such a transaction was carried out.

He urged the court to take judicial notice of the fact that no man would forget how he acquired his house.

“It is either the court finds that he did not own the house or he owned and acquired it, but failed to declare it. It will help to shed light on the hidden issues if the defendant is called upon to enter his defence,” Keyamo said.

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KANO KILLING : OKOROCHA, MADUMERE, OHANEZE MEET WITH NORTHERN GOVERNORS

Governor Rochas Okorocha, his Kaduna and Bauchi states’ counterparts, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai and Alhaji Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, and the  national chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John  Odigie-Oyegun, yesterdy met with leaders of Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo led by its  President-General, Chief Gary Igariway in Owerri, Imo State and  discussed the killing of an Igbo woman accused of alleged blasphemy in Kano State.

The meeting took place after the visiting governors and APC National Chairman had attended the achievements  presentation ceremony of the Imo State governor, Owelle Okorocha. The governors, Chief Oyegun  and Ohaneze leaders condemned the disturbing issues of  the alleged killing of the Igbo woman in Kano, the herdsmen menace and the need to see  those behind these unlawful acts as criminals and common  enemies of the nation.

In his speech at the meeting, Governor el-Rufai said that the  governors from the northern part of the country condemned totally the  murder of the Igbo woman in Kano, and that the matter should be  treated as a case of murder while those responsible must be brought to face the wrath of the law.

He said, “We will not accept a situation where people either  Christians or Muslims hide under the umbrella of religion to commit  crime. If someone had insulted God, the person should be left for God  to take care of. I have advised the Kano governor to publicly deal  with the people involved to serve as a deterrent to others.”

Assembly crisis: Reps summon Kogi gov, chief of army staff

Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello

The House of Representatives on Tuesday summoned the Governor of Kogi State, Mr. Yahaya Bello, over the festering leadership crisis in the state House of Assembly.

It accused the governor of encouraging five out of the 25-member legislature to continue sitting, defying a resolution of the National Assembly in which it assumed control of the state assembly.

The group of five recently passed the 2016 Appropriation Bill of the state and also approved the nominees for commissioners and special advisers for Bello “illegally.”

The governor is to appear along with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, before a panel constituted by the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara.
The panel is chaired by the Leader of the House, and member of the All Progressives Congress from Lagos State, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila.

Buratai was dragged into the matter following reports that Bello allegedly secured the services of soldiers to give protection to five members to continue to sit and make laws for the state.

Lawmakers also pointed out that an Abuja Federal High Court on May 19, “nullified the purported” impeachment of the Speaker of the House, Mr. Momoh Jimoh-Lawal.

Jimoh-Lawal’s impeachment had triggered the crisis, which had seen the National Assembly jointly passing a resolution in March to assume control of the state assembly in compliance with Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution ( as amended).

Tuesday’s decision of the House to summon Bello and Buratai came after a motion of urgent national importance moved by a member from Enugu State, Mr. Chukwuemeka Ujam.

It was a session where angry Reps also threatened to initiate impeachment proceedings against Bello.

One angry member from Gombe State, Mr. Ali Isa, argued, “We can begin a process to impeach the governor. Before law as it stands today, the National Assembly is the legislative House of Kogi State.”

Ujam mentioned instances of what he termed, “illegality and impunity” in the state beginning from May 31.

He stated that on May 31, masked armed men reportedly invaded the legislative quarters in Lokoja, “shooting into the air and causing pandemonium in an attempt to either assassinate the G-15 members of the Kogi State House of Assembly or intimidate them from carrying out their legislative functions.”

Ujam added, “The House is aware that the armed military men were alleged to be officers of the Nigerian Army led by one Captain Usman from Nigerian Army Records, Lokoja in company with the Chief Security Detail and escorts of the governor.

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US expresses concern over Niger Delta uprisings

The United States Mission to Nigeria has said it supports dialogue for the resolution of the violence in the Niger Delta.

It expressed concern over the rising violence and attacks in the Niger Delta, saying it was monitoring reports of attacks and other incidents in the region.

The embassy in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said it shared the concerns of all Nigerians about the attacks, adding that it was in support of efforts, including dialogue, to address the grievances in the Niger Delta.

The mission called on all parties to resolve their disputes through peaceful means, emphasising that human rights of all Nigerians must be protected.

It said, “We encourage all parties to resolve their disputes through peaceful means and emphasise that human rights of all Nigerians must be protected.


“We continue to call on all Nigerians to persevere in efforts to achieve common goals: to end violence and curb the activities of criminal elements; to establish conditions and mechanisms for profound, positive, and lasting changes in the region; and to provide economic opportunity and needed services for residents of the Niger Delta.”

TRAGEDY IN ABA, ABIA STATE AS TANKER LADEN WITH FUEL HITS OTHER VEHICLES

THREE vehicles were gutted by fire in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, when the driver a tanker laden with fuel lost control and crashed into them before finally ramming into another trailer along the ever busy Aba-Ikot Epkene road.

It was gathered that over 20 persons escaped death when the tanker with Registration Number NEN 571XA and the other vehicles as well as a Mack trailer with Registration Number XA 499 SKN were descending the Aba river bridge.

The accident, which happened on Saturday evening, was said to be as a result of brake failure
It was learnt that the tanker driver struggled to regain control, before the truck hit the cars, a white 190 Mercedes Benz V-Boot and a Honda Prelude saloon car, which somersaulted twice.

An eyewitness told Southern City News that the driver of the trailer used his truck to prevent the fuel tanker from running across the Aba river bridge where passengers were boarding vehicles to different parts of the city centre.

He said, “If the fuel tanker had crossed the bridge, there would have been casualties as many passengers were boarding vehicles to the city centre around the bridge.”

Some residents who spoke with our correspondent called on the state and the Federal Government to come to the aid of residents of the area by building a flyover at the bridge head to prevent accidents around the area.

RITUALS KILLING: EDO STATE RECORDS VICTIM

Headless corpse rattles Edo residents

THERE was panic among residents of Auchi community in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, following the shocking discovering of the headless corpse of a middle-aged man on the Benin-Okenne-Lokoja expressway.
It was gathered that the body of the victim identified as Clement was found in front of Campus Two of the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi.

It was learnt that the late Clement was likely a commercial motorcyclist as his severed head was sighted by the roadside, a little distance from a motorcycle.
The circumstances surrounding the victim’s death was not clear as at press time, even as some sources gave conflicting accounts on the cause of his death.

While some residents claimed that the deceased was allegedly murdered by suspected ritualists, others said that he might have been crushed to death by a heavy-duty truck on Sunday.

The Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Moses Bature, who confirmed the incident, said that it was a suspected case of a fatal accident involving a hit-and-run driver.

Bature also said that the corpse had been deposited at a mortuary.
He said, “It is hit-and-run. We did not see the driver. We only carried the body to a mortuary.”

Stephen Keshi is dead : Read how he died.... Family account

                  Late Stephen Keshi

Family sources have explained how Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, former Nigerian football captain and coach died.

Keshi, 54, died early today in Benin, capital of Edo State, just about six months after his wife, Kate died in the United States.

According to close family sources, Keshi complained of being unwell just before midnight on Tuesday and he was found to be gasping for breath.

He was rushed to Faith Hospital in the Benin Government Reservation Area. He died around 00.30 this morning.
His body has been deposited at the Central Hospital in the city.

Keshi was born in Azare Bauchi state on 23 January, 1962.

He spent most of his growing up years in Lagos. He started playing football for the defunct African Continental Bank in 1979.
He joined the New Nigerian Bank in 1980 and played for four years. He joined Stade d’Abidjan in 1985.

Two years after, Keshi moved over to Lokeren in Belgium, a country where he also played for Anderlecht.

Keshi played for Nigeria between 1981 and 1995, making 64 appearances.

He was appointed manager of the Nigeria national team in 2011, during which he qualified Nigeria for the World Cup in Brazil and also won the African Nations Cup in 2013.

Only Egypt’s Mahmoud El-Gohary, had won the Africa Cup of Nations as both a player and a coach, before Keshi.

Keshi also coached Togo and Mali before being appointed to lead Nigeria.

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