Sani Abacha's son convicted in Geneva, Swiss authorities’ confiscate $350m

Abba Abacha, was found guilty by Swiss authorities of being a member of a criminal organisation. The son of the late military dictator General Sani Abacha, will have $350 million seized from him by Swiss authorities from orders by the investigating judge, Yves Aeschlimann.

"The first order of the sentence issued yesterday by the examining magistrate found that Abba Abacha, born November 9, 1968, son of the late General Sani Abacha, was guilty of participation in a criminal organisation," Geneva Canton's justice office said in a statement.

The Swiss authorities also convicted a financial intermediary who lives in Monaco for having been part of the "criminal organisation".

"The person has also been ordered to pay the Canton of Geneva 10 million Swiss Francs, which corresponds to illegal gains obtained from these culpable activities," added the statement.

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32 year old man kills 2 year old son over witchcraft

32 year old Mr. John Effiong poisoned his two year old son after a prophet known as Prophet Ini Monday, from the Caretaker Light of God Church of Benin City in Edo State told him that his son was a wizard planning to harm his pregnant wife.

According to Vanguard, the 2 year old boy identified as Comfort Effiong, was allegedly fed a plate of poisoned rice by his parents. Police arrested Mr. Effiong and two others at a check point along Benin-Abraka road and discovered the body of the two year old in a Ghana-must-go bag. Others arrested for complicity in murder are Pastor Aniekan Achio-bong and a Mr. John Okoh.

The Edo state Police declared Prophet Ini Monday wanted. Spokesman of Edo State Police, ASP Peter Ogboi said the police has spread its dragnet to arrest the prophet.

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100 year old man to sue police for unlawful detention

100 year old Ishola Shodiya and four others were granted permission by the FCT High court in Abuja to sue the police for unlawfully detaining them since August 2009 without any charges. Justice M.M. Dodo ordered the Inspector General of Police and Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Yuguda to bring the five detainees to court on December 8, 2009.

The detainees want the court to declare that their arrest and detention since August 2009 till date without any charges against them is a gross violation of their rights to personal liberty according to Section 35 in the 1999 Constitution and Article 6 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights. The five detainees are also seeking a payment of N50 million ($332,700) in damages.

According to City News, the detainees are farmers from Ogun State, who petitioned against a Mr. Enitan, alleging that he was causing havoc and murder. The lawyer of the detainees, Barrister P.A.N Ejiofor said Mr. Enitan also wrote a petition to the police and mobilized them to arrest and detain the father, family and community members that petitioned against him.

"Instead of the police team known as X squad to investigate the allegation, they rather undertook to arrest the father and relations of the murdered victims while the suspected murderers walk the streets free," Barrister Ejiofor said.

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DAG Group plans to invest $30 billion in the Niger-Delta of Nigeria

Foreign firm, Dag Group Germany/United Kingdom announced it's made plans to invest $30 billion in human and infrastructural development of the Niger Delta, due to the apparent success of the amnesty deal between militant groups and the Nigerian government.

Mr. Jason Nworah who represents the firm revealed this at a press briefing for the forthcoming two-day Niger Delta Youths Post-Amnesty Interactive forum organised by the International Centre for Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development (CENPAD). He also mentioned that the firm plans to get the $30 billion from the $600 billion the World Bank has allocated for the development of Africa.

The Forum Co-ordinator for the International Centre for Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development (CENPAD), Mr. Onuoha Oliver made the following statements:

"This peaceful atmosphere needs to be sustained and consolidated through constant dialogue and interaction between all stakeholders and youth elements in the region.

"Government's alienation and neglect of the youths in policy making and implementation is the genesis of militancy in the Niger Delta.

"Thus, this forum will gather all the renounced militants in the Niger Delta and other youth elements to hear them out, know exactly what they want and how all stakeholders with cooperation of these youths will work together for a new Niger Delta.

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Nigeria ranked 130th in 2009 Corruption Perceptions Index survey

Transparency International released its 2009 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) in which 180 countries were surveyed. Nigeria is ranked 130th in the survey. Last year Nigeria scored 2.7 points and was ranked 121st, this year the country's CPI score dropped to 2.5 bringing Nigeria to the same position as Libya, Lebanon and Mauritania. The first three countries on this year's CPI index are New Zealand, Denmark and Singapore.

The Secretary General of Transparency in Nigeria, Mr Osita Nnamani Ogbu made this statements in response to the CPI Index.

"Firstly, there is absence of electoral accountability in Nigeria. Nobody has been punished for his or her role in the fundamentally flawed 2007 elections. The leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission which conducted the flawed elections still remains in power. INEC has since then continued to conduct other flawed bye-elections,"

"The trials of the former Governors who were alleged to have siphoned billions of public funds have been reduced to a playboy affair. A special 'rule of law' has been contrived in their favour which may result in their escaping justice," he said.

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