Wednesday, June 29, 2016
Video - Authorities try to verify if insurgents are among those rescued
Where the authorities in Nigeria are set to question thousands of people the military claims to have freed from Boko Haram. The military is trying to find out how many of them are insurgents. Nigeria's military claims it rescued five thousand captives from Boko Haram this past weekend.
Former ministers in Nigeria charged with laundering 4.9 billion naira
Two former Nigerian ministers have been charged with theft of over 4.9 billion naira (£13 million) of government funds and money laundering, the financial crimes agency said on Tuesday.
Nenadi Usman and Femi Fani-Kayode served as finance and aviation ministers in the People's Democratic Party (PDP) administration led by former president Olusegun Obasanjo, whose tenure ended in 2007.
The defendants, who appeared before a federal high court in the commercial capital, Lagos, pleaded not guilty.
The PDP was in power for 16 years prior to President Muhammadu Buhari taking office last year. Buhari won an election mainly on his vow to crackdown on corruption.
Usman was in charge of the PDP's finances during the election campaign and Kayode was the party's head of publicity.
The EFCC said the pair, along with a company, faced a "17-count charge" in which they were accused of conspiracy, stealing and corruption.
"The accused were alleged to have stolen and illegally disbursed about 4.9 billion naira belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria for political and personal uses," said EFCC spokesman Wilson Uwujaren.
An EFCC source said the defendants were accused of using defence money, that would have been used in the fight against militant group Boko Haram, to help fund the election campaign of the then president Goodluck Jonathan.
The source, who did not want to be named, also said they were accused of diverting a large part of the money into personal bank accounts.
The offences were allegedly carried out in January last year, two months before the election.
A number of former government officials have faced criminal charges, which they have all denied. The PDP has previously accused Buhari, a 73-year-old former military ruler, of mounting a witch-hunt against its members.
Usman and Fani-Kayode were remanded in custody and the case was adjourned until Friday.
Nenadi Usman and Femi Fani-Kayode served as finance and aviation ministers in the People's Democratic Party (PDP) administration led by former president Olusegun Obasanjo, whose tenure ended in 2007.
The defendants, who appeared before a federal high court in the commercial capital, Lagos, pleaded not guilty.
The PDP was in power for 16 years prior to President Muhammadu Buhari taking office last year. Buhari won an election mainly on his vow to crackdown on corruption.
Usman was in charge of the PDP's finances during the election campaign and Kayode was the party's head of publicity.
The EFCC said the pair, along with a company, faced a "17-count charge" in which they were accused of conspiracy, stealing and corruption.
"The accused were alleged to have stolen and illegally disbursed about 4.9 billion naira belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria for political and personal uses," said EFCC spokesman Wilson Uwujaren.
An EFCC source said the defendants were accused of using defence money, that would have been used in the fight against militant group Boko Haram, to help fund the election campaign of the then president Goodluck Jonathan.
The source, who did not want to be named, also said they were accused of diverting a large part of the money into personal bank accounts.
The offences were allegedly carried out in January last year, two months before the election.
A number of former government officials have faced criminal charges, which they have all denied. The PDP has previously accused Buhari, a 73-year-old former military ruler, of mounting a witch-hunt against its members.
Usman and Fani-Kayode were remanded in custody and the case was adjourned until Friday.
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Video - Nigerian air force makes progress against insurgents
Nigeria's air force has been playing a major role in the fight against Boko Haram. A key part of its contribution is tracking targets on the ground. CCTV's Deji Badmus has secured rare access to that mission and filed this report.
Nigerian pastor jailed for 9 years in UK over fraud
A Nigerian, who works as a school accountant in the United Kingdom, was on Friday given a 9-year jail term by a Woolwich Court after he was convicted of stealing about Ј4.1 million of school funds.
Dailymail reports that the vast sum of money was missing from the Haberdashers’ Aske’s Federation Trust in South London.
Identified as Sam Kayode, the 59-year old was also said to be a part-time pastor.
Kayode was said to have spent the money on his late wife, Grace, a “second wife”, Olubunmi Halima, 33, and two other female “partners”, names given as Toyin Lawal, 50 years old and Yetunde Turtak.
The court sentenced Kayode, who gets Ј57,000 a year wage, after he was found guilty of obtaining Ј150,000 by theft and Ј3.95 million by fraud.
He constantly looted the school account for 7 years until he was apprehended in 2012, after a school cleaner came across his paper work and made an anonymous call to the Chief Financial Officer.
He claimed to have moved the money to Nigeria where he has a Ј1 million empire with Halima but the Trust could not recover any asset from Nigeria.
They were, however, able to recover only Ј800,000 from the total money he stole.
Apart from spending money on his real wife Grace’s private health care until her death in 2013, he also signed documents showing he was making investments with Halima, and renting flats in Kent for ‘partners’, Toyin and Yetunde.
During trial, Kayode tried to blame the theft on his late wife Grace and an office junior, saying that they conspired to smear him by transferring the money to his joint account in revenge for his adultery.
He denied having affairs with the other women, and said that he lied about marrying Halima.
However, Toyin also denied they were lovers, saying that as her pastor, he paid for her rent for one month when she was short of cash.
Dailymail reports that the vast sum of money was missing from the Haberdashers’ Aske’s Federation Trust in South London.
Identified as Sam Kayode, the 59-year old was also said to be a part-time pastor.
Kayode was said to have spent the money on his late wife, Grace, a “second wife”, Olubunmi Halima, 33, and two other female “partners”, names given as Toyin Lawal, 50 years old and Yetunde Turtak.
The court sentenced Kayode, who gets Ј57,000 a year wage, after he was found guilty of obtaining Ј150,000 by theft and Ј3.95 million by fraud.
He constantly looted the school account for 7 years until he was apprehended in 2012, after a school cleaner came across his paper work and made an anonymous call to the Chief Financial Officer.
He claimed to have moved the money to Nigeria where he has a Ј1 million empire with Halima but the Trust could not recover any asset from Nigeria.
They were, however, able to recover only Ј800,000 from the total money he stole.
Apart from spending money on his real wife Grace’s private health care until her death in 2013, he also signed documents showing he was making investments with Halima, and renting flats in Kent for ‘partners’, Toyin and Yetunde.
During trial, Kayode tried to blame the theft on his late wife Grace and an office junior, saying that they conspired to smear him by transferring the money to his joint account in revenge for his adultery.
He denied having affairs with the other women, and said that he lied about marrying Halima.
However, Toyin also denied they were lovers, saying that as her pastor, he paid for her rent for one month when she was short of cash.
Senate leader Bukola Saraki denies forgery charges
The leader of Nigeria's senate, Bukola Saraki, and his deputy have pleaded not guilty to forgery and criminal conspiracy charges.
Mr Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu are accused of trying to forge the senate rules in order to help them secure their positions.
If found guilty they face up to 14 years in prison.
President Muhammadu Buhari has been at loggerheads with Mr Saraki as his party did not want him as senate leader.
Mr Buhari's preferred candidate was not present when the senate elected its president last year.
Mr Saraki's opponents say that that election was not valid and was conducted under rules which they allege were forged.
The case could have widespread political ramifications, correspondents say.
The accused arrived at court in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, in bus accompanied by senate colleagues, the BBC's Chris Ewokor reports.
Mr Saraki is also involved in another court case in which he is accused of false asset declaration, a charge he denies.
Mr Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu are accused of trying to forge the senate rules in order to help them secure their positions.
If found guilty they face up to 14 years in prison.
President Muhammadu Buhari has been at loggerheads with Mr Saraki as his party did not want him as senate leader.
Mr Buhari's preferred candidate was not present when the senate elected its president last year.
Mr Saraki's opponents say that that election was not valid and was conducted under rules which they allege were forged.
The case could have widespread political ramifications, correspondents say.
The accused arrived at court in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, in bus accompanied by senate colleagues, the BBC's Chris Ewokor reports.
Mr Saraki is also involved in another court case in which he is accused of false asset declaration, a charge he denies.
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