Former Delta Governor James Ibori to stay in Prison Till 2012

Former Delta State Governor, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, standing trial in London on a 14 count charge of fraud and money laundering, will remain in prison custody till February 13, 2012, when his case opens.

The alleged crimes were reportedly committed between 1999 and 2007 when Ibori served as Delta State governor.

The decision to remand him in prison followed the successful pleas of his defence lawyers that they need more time to go through 65,000 pages of evidence and also to travel to Nigeria to speak to witnesses.

The former Delta State governor appeared in court, clean shaven and wearing a grey linen jacket and shirt without a tie. He had freshly shaved, getting rid of the small moustache he at one time spotted.

He waved to supporters, and managed to smile at the police officers who led him to court, and also at one point flashed a smile at the police officers who have worked to amass tens of thousand pages of evidence against him.

In legal hearings before the trial, Ibori's defence team told the court that they intend to argue that he cannot be tried in the United Kingdom, since a court in Nigeria has already decided there is no evidence he has committed any crime in Nigeria.

One of Ibori's defence lawyers, Mr. Benjamin Aina (QC), told Southwark Crown Court that they could not begin the trial as planned in November because they need more time to go through the approximately 65,000 pages of evidence and travel to Nigeria to speak to witnesses.

'Mr. Ibori has the right to be competently defended,' Judge Anthony Pitts said, setting the new date. Ibori's defence team did not object to the prosecution's request to extend the time Mr. Ibori could be held in custody.

Without such agreement prisoners in custody on remand for non violent offences can be released on bail after six months.

Ibori was extradited to the UK from Dubai in April 2011, and prosecutors decided he would be tried alongside a co-defendant, Emmanuel Preko, who was already slated to be tried in November.

His lawyer, Nicholas Purnell, referred to in court by other members of the defence team and the Judge as 'one of the finest legal minds of this generation,' told the court he had been forced to withdraw his services from Ibori because of the schedule.

'This has caused some considerable distress to the defendant,' he said. 'The delay to the start date allowed Mr. Purnell to represent Ibori as originally planned,' he said.

The prosecution said the defence team had already had adequate time to prepare, as many of the legal representatives had also worked on the trials involving associates of Ibori.

His wife, mistress and lawyer, were all convicted in London last year. Much of the complex evidence has been agreed over the course of the previous trials, the prosecution said.

Before the trial the court will convene to hear legal arguments, where Ibori will apply to have the case thrown out.

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Newly appointed commander of the Special Task Force promises to bring peace to Jos

Maj.-Gen. Oluwaseun Oshinowo, the new Commander of the military Special Task Force, STF, maintaining security in Plateau, on Monday in Jos vowed to ensure the return of peace to the troubled state.

Oshinowo made the promise when he paid a courtesy call on Gov. Jonah Jang, saying that he understood the terrain of Plateau having lived in the state since 1981.

“I’m here to work for Plateau State because I’ve settled here with my family and my two kids were born here. I’m not living in the barracks but in my own house in Bassa.

“I’m here at the bidding of the Commander-in-Chief and I am ready to work with you. I seek your cooperation so that we can bring peace back to Plateau.”

Oshinowo described Plateau as his home and said he would like his children and family to grow in a peaceful atmosphere that used to pervade the entire state in the past.

“We need to bring peace back to Plateau; we can do it and we will do it. I do tell my friends that crisis met me in Jos and crisis will leave me in Jos by God’s grace.

“Plateau used to be the envy of everybody in this country. Many of us come from other states but Jos is the best place you can stay in this country whether you believe it or not and the peace must return.”

The STF commander, however, said that he would not be able to do anything without the cooperation of Jang, his senior colleague in the military.

Responding, Jang expressed dismay at accusations that he, as an experienced military officer, had not been able to end the crisis because of the many intricacies involved.

“When a similar crisis erupted in Numan in the then old Gongola State, it didn’t take me one week to put it under. I didn’t need anybody’s permission to order the brigade commander and the head of state congratulated me for a job well done.

“But as an elected governor, the constitution has changed the position of the chief security officer of a state to that of a general without troops because all the security forces are under the president.”

Jang said that the president’s directive to the Chief of Defence Staff did not presuppose that he (Jang) had failed but that the defence chief was only being reminded by the president to come and do his work properly.

The governor, however, said that the president had not relieved him as the chief security officer of the state since it was a constitutional issue.

He said that all the security heads met regularly at the Security Council but noted that security issues agreed on at the council were not carried out by the appropriate authorities.

Nigeria loses Trade Union hosting rights

Meanwhile, following the spate of bombing in the country by Boko Haram sect, Nigeria has lost the hosting rights of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) Congress which was scheduled for Abuja from October 24 – 26, 2011.

Nigeria was granted the hosting rights in October 2010. President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade AbdulWaheed Omar, who disclosed this in a press conference yesterday said , “this congress would have brought trade unionists from across Africa to Nigeria as well as their comrades from all continents.

Unfortunately, due to the spate of bombings especially that of the United Nations House in Abuja, the hosting right has been withdrawn and is to be taken to either Cotonou, Johannesburg, Nairobi or Dakar. What this tells us is that rather than government creating more problems in the country, it should engage in problem- solving schemes”.

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Video - Four Boko Haram members to face death penalty for UN attack

And now on to Nigeria, where four members of a radical Islamist sect face trial for bombing the U.N. headquarters in the Nigerian capital. If found guilty, the men face the death penalty for their role in the attack, which killed 23 people.

Four suspected members of a radical Islamist sect have been charged with orchestrating a suicide bombing on United Nations headquarters in the Nigerian capital last month.

The attack killed at least 23 people and wounded more than 100.

They face the death penalty if found guilty.

The men are accused of being members of Boko Haram, whose name in the Haussa language means "Western education is forbidden."

They were among 19 men brought to a magistrates court in Abuja on Friday accused of carrying out separate attacks as members of the sect.

The sect is also blamed for almost daily killings around its home base in the remote northeast.

The U.N. attack was the first known suicide bombing in Nigeria.

It marked an escalation in the group's tactics and revealed a step-up in the sophistication of explosives it uses.

Intelligence officials have said evidence suggests some Boko Haram members have trained in Niger and have connections with al Qaeda's North African wing.

The United States has become increasingly concerned about the threat posed by Boko Haram and its cooperation with al Qaeda.

Nigeria's population of more than 140 million is split roughly equally between a largely Muslim north and a mostly Christian south.

Boko Haram, which wants Islamic sharia law more widely applied, does not have the support of the majority of Nigerian Muslims.

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Britain's most wanted fire arms and drug dealer arrested by the NDLEA

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Friday said that it had arrested Britain's most wanted fire arms and drug suspect.

A statement issued by the Chairman of the agency, Alhaji Ahmed Giade, said the suspect was arrested on Sept. 13, in Lagos.

The statement said the suspected fugitive, was apprehended by officers of the Joint Task Force (JTF) of the NDLEA during an intensive manhunt for him around the country.

"The NDLEA has a statutory mandate to partner with other countries and International organisations in the global fight against illicit drugs.

"We shall continue to partner with all stakeholders in the drive to halt the trade in narcotics as the country is not a safe haven for drug barons," it said.

The statement also quoted the commander of the JTF, Mr Sunday Zirangey, who coordinated the operations, as saying that preliminary investigation had commenced into the incident and that additional information was being gathered and processed on the suspect.

"The suspect, an indigene of the Lancaster area, in the UK, is wanted by the Operation Greengage Team for his alleged involvement in the importation of cocaine, cannabis, firearms and ammunition into the U.K. from Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

"A European arrest warrant was issued in May 2008 because it was believed that he had links with the Netherlands," it said.

The statement quoted the Lancashire Constabulary Police, as saying after the arrest, that the suspect would be extradited to face criminal charges in the U.K.

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President Goodluck Jonathan Declares War On Terrorism

President Goodluck Jonathan has once again reaffirmed the Federal Government's commitment to ensure that those behind terrorist acts in the country will be brought to justice.

The President, who was represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, while performing the traditional laying of wreaths at a memorial for victims of the United Nations (UN) House bomb blast, stated that 'now is the time to strengthen our cooperation and faith in the United Nations' despite the attack by 'evil minded persons.

Laying the wreaths at exactly 11:30 a.m., he said,'We shall continue to march on until global peace and security is achieved.'

He vowed that government would ensure that all those responsible for the terrorist attack were brought to justice.

Jonathan also reaffirmed government's commitment to continue to work with the UN as partners for peace, development and progress, he also assured the immediate rehabilitation of the UN building.

He told the bereaved families to take solace in the fact that there was no wound that Heaven could not heal, and promised to support them in their future endeavours.

He said: 'It is our solemn prayer that this sad incidence will never happen again. Evil will never triumph over good nor darkness over light.'

However, Secretary General of the UN, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, confirmed the re-assessment of security in the country by the UN in his tribute and stated that such attacks on UN premises around the world have increased in recent years.

He said the exercise personified the deep commitment that characterises the work of the UN in Nigeria and globally.

'At this time of sorrow and loss, let us pledge to honour their sacrifice by continuing to make the United Nations' presence in Nigeria a beacon of peace and hope,' Ki-Moon said.

The UN scribe noted that the terrorist attack showed utter disregard for human life and it was an assault not just on the UN premises but also on her values and work.

'There can be no justification for such wanton killing and destruction. The victims were concerned only with helping Nigeria's poor and vulnerable, and supporting the country in addressing its varied challenges.

Colleagues working on crime prevention, health services and many other urgent issues had their lives cut short.

'I am told of one young man who died on his last day at work before departing to further his education, a path he chose because he had been so inspired by his association with the UN. There are many more of such stories,' he said.

The country coordinator of the UN, Mr. Daouda Toure, reassured the bereaved that their loved ones did not die for nothing but rather they died because they believed in a world of peace, tolerance and social justice.

He said their deaths should 'spur all of us as one family to continue to live the ideals for which they died for.'

Toure described the bombing as an attack against the principles and values of the body, and it was a demonstration of ignorance about the work and mission of the UN as a global moral voice.

It is a non political and non sectarian organization, committed to working with different partners to alleviate human suffering, promote peace, human rights and solidarity, as well as improve the structures and capacity of governance to deliver human and economic development for countries of the world.

'In all we do, we stand with the people, no matter their colour, race, standing, religious or political persuasion.

The very victims of this heinous act of August 26, 2011 themselves represent the diversity of the UN in terms of reach, content and partnership,' Toure said.

'On the August 26, 2011, lives were not only cut short, dreams were shattered.

Though we mourn, we also celebrate the virtues, values and valour which our departed colleagues, friends and partners brought to their work,' he added.

Tributes also came from 12 year old Edward Dede, who spoke on behalf of the bereaved families.

The president, UN Staff Association, Uzoma Abudu, who described the victims as martyrs of development, said the names will be engraved on the wall of the UN House when it rises again.

Eulogies also came from the UNDP administrator, Helen Clark; UNICEF Executive Director, Anthony Lake; DG, UNESCO, Irina Bokova; Executive Director, UN Women, Michelle Bachelet; and Executive Director, UNFPA, and Prof. Tunde Osotimehin, among others.

The 11 dead UN staff and their designations included Ms Rahmat Abdullahi (Registry Clerk, UNDP); Mr. Musa Ali (Zonal Logistics Assistant for the North West, WHO); Mr. Johnson Awotunde (Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, UNICEF); Dr. Edward Dede (National Professional Officer, WHO) and Mr. Elisha Enaburekhan (Driver, UNAIDS).

Others were Mr. Ahmed Abiodun Adewale-Kareem (Shipping Assistant, UNICEF); Mr. Iliya David Musa (Receptionist, UN Common Services, UNDP); Mr. Ingrid Midtgaard (Associate Expert, UNODC); Mrs. Felicia Nkwuokwu (Receptionist, UN Com- mon Services, UNDP); Mr. Stephen Obamoh (ERT Radio Operator, UNDP); and Mr. Abraham Osunsanya (Administrative Assistant, WHO).

Some of the 10 non UN staff included Mr. Sunday James Ebere (Shipping Agent, Balast Agency); Mr. Ndubisi Bright (Hospitality Industry Consults); Mr. Paul Waziri (Nigerian Cleaning Services); and Ms Kate Demehin (Federal Ministry of Health).

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