NAIJAFEED

Friday, June 11, 2010

Ibori's bail revoked, re-arrested in Dubai

Former Delta State governor James Ibori has been arrested in Dubai, United Arab Emirates after the revocation of the bail he was earlier granted by a court.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has submitted "overwhelming evidence" to the Dubai authorities to show that Ibori is a fugitive from justice in Nigeria.

The Nigerian government had earlier protested the bail granted the former governor in Dubai and threatened to withdraw the operational licence of the Emirates airline.

Ibori was rearrested by the authorities in Dubai after his sister, Christine Ibie-Ibori, and his mistress, Udoamakaa Okoronkwo-Onuigbo, were jailed in the United Kingdom for mortgage fraud and money laundering, among other offences.

Ibori's re-arrest is said to be preparatory to his extradition to Britain to answer charges of money laundering levelled against him.

After his first arrest in Dubai, the London Metropolitian Police said in a statement that Ibori was arrested at the United Kingdom's request on suspicion of money-laundering and conspiracy to defraud.

The Met added that they are seeking extradition though the EFCC are reported to have also requested his extradition to Nigeria where he is to answer corruption charges.

Daily Trust

Related stories: Dubai set to extradite Ibori

Ibori's sister convicted in london for money laundering

Video interview with James Ibori about corruption charges

Video report on the EFCC crackdown on corruption in Nigeria

Abacha's sons sue government over trial abroad

Two sons of the late head of the military government, General Sani Abacha, Mohammed and Abba, have sued the Federal Government before a Federal High Court, Abuja, challenging the circumstances that led to the criminal case initiated against the family in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Abacha sons said statements used as evidence against them in the court were not obtained lawfully by the Special Investigation Panel (SIP) raised by the government.

The Federal Government had challenged the competence of the suit, describing it as "frivolous, utterly baseless and completely misconceived".

In the originating summons, the plaintiffs want the court to restrain the defendant from providing mutual assistance or requests for mutual assistance to any country based on the evidence (oral or documentary) obtained by or under the investigations of the SIP.

Apart from the sons of the late general, 24 corporate bodies are listed as plaintiffs.

The attorney general of the federation and minister of justice is the sole defendant.

In the heat of the investigation, statements were taken from the plaintiffs by the investigative panel led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Peter Gana.

But the plaintiffs are claiming that they "were not informed that the true purpose for which their statements were sought was to provide evidence for an investigation and their possible prosecution by the states of Jersey, the Authorities of Leichtenstein, United Kingdom, Luxembourg, France, the Bahamas and Switzerland.

"The plaintiffs were not advised on their right to consult a legal practitioner of their choice before making statements" before the SIP.

"No caution whatsoever was administered to the plaintiffs prior to the making of statements before the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Peter Gana.

They also want the court to restrain defendant from bringing or continuing any civil or criminal proceedings in Nigeria of foreign jurisdictions against the Plaintiffs based on the statements.

Besides, the plaintiffs are aggrieved that government reneged on its promised not to prosecute the family even after they had forfeited some $625,263,187.19 and 70,087,184.93 pounds as well as some assets in line with Decree 53, 1999.

According to them, the then Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Kanu Agabi (SAN) in line with Decree 53, 1999 had written the Swiss Authorities on November 1, 1999, saying "no civil or criminal proceedings shall be instituted in any court against them in Nigeria".

To them, "following the promulgation of Decree 53, the work of the Special Investigation panel came to an end".

But the government through a notice of preliminary objection brought pursuant to Order 29 Rule 1 and 2 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2009 and Section 2 of the Public Officers Protection Act CAP P41, 2004, has asked the court to dismiss the suit.

It said the suit is statute barred because it was not filed within three months that the cause of action arose, adding that the court lacks the jurisdiction to hear the suit.

Leadership

Sani Abacha's son getting into politics

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Nwankwo Kanu eyes Argentina upset

Argentina are the clear favourites to win Group B with a star-studded squad containing the likes of Lionel Messi, Carlos Tévez and Gonzalo Higuain.

However, Portsmouth striker Kanu does not think Nigeria's will be intimidated, in what will be their first competitive game under Swedish coach Lars Lagerback.

''Argentina have the big-name players and everyone respects them. We also acknowledge that they are good and great players," Kanu said.

''But Argentina also have the same respect for us because they know the quality of our team and know that there is plenty that we can come up with at anytime.

''Yes, it will be tough but I believe we can overcome on the day. It is the World Cup and things do happen.''

Nigeria's other opponents in the group stage are Greece and South Korea.

Telegraph

Nwankwo Kanu to release biopic and book after World Cup

Nwankwo Kanu to retire from international football after World Cup

Video overview of Group B in the 2010 World Cup

Video - Obafemi Martins talks about Eagles chances

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Nigeria, U.S. officials meet over energy crisis

With a major meeting set for tomorrow and Friday in Washington DC, the United States (U.S.) capital, between top Nigerian and American officials, the President Barack Obama administration may have decided to get more involved in helping Nigeria solve its electricity generation problems.
According to sources, the meeting would consider quick and practical solutions to the power sector crisis in Nigeria under the aegis of the recently-signed U.S.-Nigerian Bi-National Commission.
Nigeria’s Ambassador to the U.S., Prof. Adebowale Adefuye, confirmed that the second working group of the bi-national commission, which will focus on energy and investment, would hold tomorrow and Friday at the U.S. State Department.

The Nigerian delegation to the meeting will be led by the Permanent Secretary,  Ministry of Petroleum. It will include directors from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), the ministries of Power, Finance, Foreign Affairs, and Water Resources.

Adefuye confirmed that “one of the issues to be discussed is the possibility of accelerated increase in the quantity of power generated using all possible means,  including nuclear energy.
“Interested U.S.-based companies under the auspices of the Corporate Council on Africa, which President Goodluck Jonathan addressed during his visit, will present proposals for accelerated power generation and distribution in Nigeria in line with the President’s promise to Nigerians.”
Sources said the foundation of the U.S. determination to assist President Jonathan on the power sector problem was laid during the Nigerian President’s recent visit to the U.S.

It was also learnt that the World Bank has again offered concrete assistance towards revamping Nigeria’s power sector.
According to sources, a senior U.S. government official on Energy, Mr. David Goldwyn, was last week in Washington detailed by the Obama administration to facilitate the U.S. government assistance to Nigeria on the power problem.

Goldwyn is the State Department’s Co-ordinator for International Energy Affairs. Sources told The Guardian that Goldwyn last week Wednesday held a closed-door meeting “with private sector energy and electricity companies active in Nigeria at the Department of State.”

Although no details of the Goldwyn’s meeting had been released, a Senior Media Advisor at the U.S. State Department, Kerry S. Humphrey, confirmed that the meeting held, adding that its details would be discussed later this week, apparently after the second working group would have met in Washington.
It is believed that the working group would develop a specific proposal to tackle the Nigerian power issue with the assistance of the U.S. State Department’s Energy Co-ordinator.

A source said: “The goal is to have a firm action plan in place which implementation will start immediately after the meeting with a delegation of U.S. experts taking off to Nigeria right after the meeting.”
The Obama administration is said to be keen on supporting President Jonathan on the power sector problem following Washington’s favourable appraisal of the Federal Government actions so far under the new Nigerian President.

The U.S. government may have also determined that Nigeria is again a reliable partner or ally, hence the helping hands it has decided to lend the country to solve its power problems.
This explains, according to sources, the deployment of several top U.S. government officials to deal with the Nigerian government. Indeed, there are no fewer than four senior U.S. officials directly supervising different aspects of U.S.-Nigeria relations.

Guardian

Goodluck Jonathan pledges to resolve power crises

CNN reports on Nigeria's electricity crisis

Nation in Darkness

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Bill Gates meets Goodluck Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan met with the second richest man in the world, Mr. Bill Gates and promised that his administration would eradicate polio in Nigeria.

Mr. Gates is the Co-Chairperson of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that is committed to the global eradication of the polio virus. President Jonathan said he welcomed the drop in polio cases in Nigeria from 256 in 2009 to just three in 2010.

Noting that the very significant drop was due to the joint efforts of the three tiers of government, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other stakeholders, President Jonathan said that his administration would do everything to ensure that the goal of eradicating polio from Nigeria and the West African Sub-Region was achieved.

The President said that to prevent the polio virus from re-entering Nigeria from neighbouring countries, his administration would assist such countries with polio immunization programmes.

"We should be able to go beyond our borders if it becomes necessary to ensure that polio is eradicated altogether," he said. President Jonathan, then directed the Minister of Health, Prof. Christian Chukwu, to consult his counterparts in neighbouring countries on the subject.

He thanked Mr. Gates and his wife, Melinda, for their enormous contributions to the improvements in healthcare delivery and agriculture in developing nations.

Saying that Nigeria will also appreciate help from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to combat malaria, President Jonathan welcomed the news from Mr. Gates that his Foundation was working to develop an effective malaria vaccine by 2015.

Mr. Gates told the President that since his last visit to the country in February last year, Nigeria has had a greater reduction in polio cases than any other country.