Politicians shun Bvn registration

The fear of being found out has reportedly led the individuals in question to evade the Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) registration process.

According to reports, some politicians and public officers are refusing to register for Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) to avoid being identified as owners of huge sums in bank accounts.

The fear of being found out has therefore led the individuals in question to evade the registration process, The Guardian reports.

A source in the banking sector reportedly told The Guardian that the amounts in the said accounts are so large that none of the banks associated with the deposits would want to lose them.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has mandated all Nigerian account holders to register for the BVN or have their accounts restricted.

The CBN gave an initial deadline of June 30, 2015 which it later extended to October 31 to ensure maximum compliance.

Court restrains Emir of Kano from tampering with palace structures

A Kano High Court Friday restrained the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II from either demolition or tempering with any structure in the Kano Emir’s palace pending the hearing of motion on notice. A court order made available to Reporters in Kano, the Presiding Judge, Justice A.T. Badamasi also restrained the Emir and the Emirate Council from giving quit niotice or evicting any person residing inside palace known as Gidan Rumfa until the determination of the substantive application. The order restrained ‘the first and Second Dependents/Respondents from giving quit notice or evicting any person resident in the Emir’s palace by virtue of being or Bayin Sarki pending the determination of the substantive application’’. Justice Badamasi further directed the parties involved to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive suit. However, briefing newsmen on the development, Counsel to the plaintiff, Barrister Sanusi Sadiq alleged the emir and the Emirate council were seeking to destroy the grave yard which housed the tomb of 13 former Kano Emirs. Sadiq said the plan to demolish the structures in the palace was capable of killing the ancient tradition Kano Emirate council was known for In the meantime, the matter was adjourned to November 12, for hearing of the motion on notice.

MTN gets November deadline to pay N1.4trn fine

   As the controversy over the N1.4 trillion fine on MTN lingers, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has given MTN Nigeria a deadline of 16 November to pay the fine imposed on it for failing to register the personal details of 5.1 million subscribers. This deadline is coming after the South Africa’s stock exchange, JSE Ltd, launched an investigation into the timing of the operator’s announcement of its penalty. According to a report, the spokesman for the Nigerian Communications Commission, the country’s telecoms watchdog, was quoted as saying that the outcome of the discussion may affect the date. A statement by MTN said its CEO is still in talks with the Nigerian authorities and its senior management and advisers also talking to JSE, after the announcement of the fine knocked around 20 percent off the company’s stock price. ‘‘That’s why they are having the discussion so that they can reach a solution,” the spokesperson said. The report also said Nigeria’s presidency and internal security agency are involved in the talks. As for the JSE probe, the head of the regulatory division, Andre Visser, said “the investigation will follow due process to establish whether there have been any breaches of the listings requirements and can be a lengthy process.” Under South African capital markets rules, companies are required to immediately warn shareholders of price-sensitive information. Meanwhile, Fitch Ratings has revised MTN Group’s outlook to negative, owing “to the risk of a significant cash outflow due to a substantial fine imposed on MTN’s Nigerian operations, which could increase leverage and pressure MTN’s credit metrics.s

Orubebe set for trial on Nov 9

The Federal Government has instituted a four-count criminal charge against the erstwhile Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Peter Orubebe, before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, sitting in Abuja. Already, the Justice Danladi Umar-led tribunal has fixed November 9 to take the plea of the former Minister who is facing charges bordering on false declaration of assets and his alleged acceptance of bribe to the tune of about N70million. Orubebe was okayed for trial by the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
  The charge against him which is dated October 8, was signed by a senior legal officer at the CCB, Mr. Peter Danladi. Specifically, Orubebe was in the charge pending against him before the CCT, accused of failing to declare his ownership of two choice properties in Abuja. FG alleged that he pocketed bribe of N70m that was given to him by one Pastor (Dr.) Jonathan Alota, the owner of a company, Chemtronics Nigeria Limited, that benefited from contracts that were awarded by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, whilst Orubebe held sway as the Minister. Whereas he was accused of falsely declaring his assets in 2011, offence under section 15 of Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act Cap C15, FG, received bribe of N50m in 2012 and another N20m in 2013, an offence contrary to section 10 of the CCB & Tribunal Act, 2004, and punishable under Section 23 (2) of the same law. Orubebe Orubebe A copy of the charge, as well as a summon from the tribunal for him to appear for trial on November 9, was said to have been served on the former Minister since October 29.
   The charge which was obtained by Saturday Vanguard yesterday, reads:
           “That you, Godsday Peter Orubebe, while being a Minister of Federal Republic of Nigeria in charge of Niger Delta Affairs, on or about June 29th 2011 did make a false declaration in your asset declaration form by failing to declare plot 2722 Kyamu District Abuja on assumption of office on 26th September 2007 and on leaving office (at the end of your tenure), on June 29, 2011 and you thereby committed an offence under section 15 of Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act Cap C15 and as incorporated under paragraph 11(1) & (2) of Part 1, Fifth Schedule to the Constitution and punishable under section 23(2) of the CCB & T Act. “That you Godsday Peter Orubebe, while being a Minister of Federal Republic of Nigeria in charge of Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, on or about June 29, 2011 did make a false declaration in your asset declaration form by failing to declare plot 2059 Asokoro district, Abuja on assumption of office on September 26, 2007 and on June 29, 2011 and you thereby committed an offence under section 15 of the CCB & T Act, and punishable under section 23 (2) of the CCB & T Act. “That you Godsday Peter Orubebe while being a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in charge of Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs on or about September 19, 2012 asked for and accepted the sum of fifty million naira from one Pastor (Dr) Jonathan Alota, as bribe for the contract awarded in favour of his company, Chemtronics Nigeria Limited and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 10 of the CCB & T Act, and punishable under Section 23 (2) of CCB & T Act. “That you Godsday Orubebe, while being a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in charge of Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, on or about 2013 asked for and accepted the sum of twenty million naira from one Pastor (Dr.) Jonathan Alota as additional bribe for the contract awarded in favour of his company Chemtronics Nigeria Limited for the construction of skill acquisition Centre at Edo State for the sum of one billion seven hundred and ninety nine million, nine hundred and fourteen thousand two hundred and fifty naira eighty eight kobo only (₦ 1,799,914,251.88K) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 10 of CCB & T Act”.

We can't afford to pay 42 ministers.

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that his government cannot afford to pay forty-two ministers and that not all ministerial nominees screened by the Senate will have portfolios. The President also said that Nigeria has been ‘material and morally vandalized’ and that he will reduce the numbers of ministries. President Muhammadu Buhari President Muhammadu Buhari Buhari in an interview with Channels TV and Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, in New Delhi in India said that he is working with people introduced to him by others that he trust and must work with them. Buhari while reacting to a question on the divide in the National Assembly over Rotimi Amaechi’s confirmation as minister said he did not work into the presidency alone hence he can not work alone and that some of those having problems at the National Assembly he had never met them. ‘This is team work, I said I know some people but there are others, I accepted from other people that I trust without even knowing them.’ ‘May be those that are having problems in the National Assembly I doubt if I have met them in my life but then, I am working with others.’ ‘I did not work into the presidency alone. I have to defend all the three tiers of government from all parts of the country.’ Backing his 36 Minister nominees Buhari said that he cannot work out outside the constitution and that ministers must be appointed in conformity with the constitution of the Federal Government that stipulates that ministerial appointment must reflect the 36 states of the country. And that these minister nominees though representing their states some will not have portfolios but will be part of his cabinet. ‘We can not work outside the constitution there must be a cabinet representative from each state.’ ‘There use to be forty two ministers but I think we can barely keep half of that now because we cannot afford it. ‘Others may not be substantive ministers but they will sit in the cabinet because that is what the constitution said and we can’t operate outside the constitution’ ‘We are reducing the number of ministries we can’t afford to pay.’ ‘Where is the money? Do you know the Federal Government has to help twenty seven states out of thirty six to pay salaries?.’ ‘Nigeria can not pay salaries Nigeria had to summon the Governor of the Central Bank to see how it could pay salaries not to talk of projects, agreement signed with foreign countries, counter funding and so on.

The country was material vandalized and morally so.’ On his ambition to see that the dreaded Boko Haram group is crushed by December the president said that his is optimistic on the capability of the military and other government agencies in crushing the terrorists and as he feels sorry for those who think otherwise or have given up on winning the war against terrorist. ‘I am an optimistic person. I am sorry for those who have already given up. I remain confident that our military and other law enforcement agencies are more than equal to the task.’ ‘Don’t forget that I made an earlier statement to the effect that the Nigerian military and police earned accolades all over the world: Liberia, Sierra Leone, Sudan.’ “They earned international respect and then here you are, the Nigerian military and other law enforcement agencies could not secure 14 local governments out of 774 until the government was changed.’ Further more on how he feels when critics say he is being selective in the fight against corruption Buhari said that anyone who is not corrupt should not be afraid rather they should encourage him to go headlong with the fight. ‘…if they are not involve in corruption they won’t mind they would encourage us to get whoever compromised his position in the trust being given on to him. I see it in the papers, watch it on screen but I have never lost a sleep on it because those that are not corrupt should even encourage us to do more. But those that are interested in the safety of those that have abused trust in the country office will go to any length including bribing people to give false information and so on.’

He went on to say that he is not being selective in his fight against corruption and that any bdy caught will be prosecuted for Nigerians to see. ‘Whoever is caught the document use in incriminating him or her will be use to prosecute him for Nigerians to know who has abused thrust’ On how he want to remembered the president said that ‘if we survived it I want Nigerian to have found out that I was genuine,a real patriot not that I only fought the Civil war but fought corruption to a stand still’.

Permanent Secretary suspended indefinitely over alleged suspension of morning devotions in schools

The Cross River State government has indefinitely suspended the Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Education Anne Odey, who last week released a statement suspending all forms of morning devotion in schools across the country. The State Security Adviser (SSA) to Governor Ben Ayade, Jude Ngaji who made this known to newsmen yesterday in Calabar, explained that indeed the state police commissioner, Henry Fadairo, had contacted the state ministry of Education about a possible attack by Boko haram members during early morning and afternoon devotions in various schools.
 

Ngaji said the permanent secretary unilaterally took the decision of suspending the age long practice of morning devotions in the state, without consulting the state governor. "The governor has directed that the permanent secretary be suspended indefinitely while the ban on suspension of devotion has been lifted immediately. It is true that police got intelligence information that Boko Haram is planning to bomb schools during morning devotions and therefore directed authorities in the Ministry of Education to act fast. But the permanent secretary did not bother to refer to the governor or call for stakeholders’ meeting to that effect. So, the governor feels pained that the permanent secretary got such sensitive information without seeking for his advice and went ahead to issue directive suspending morning devotions in schools," he said. He added that the governor is a strong believer in God and will not do anything that will prevent people from worshiping God.

Oil thieves get 84 years jail term

Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday convicted seven men to 84 years imprisonment for illegal and unlawful dealing in 1,459 metric tonnes of petrol. The court sentenced each of the convicts to a jail term of 12 years each starting Friday after they were all found guilty of the five count charge preferred against them. The convicts are; Adedamola Ogungbayi; Olaniran Olabode; Suraju Gasali; Moses Emmanuel; Wilson Bonsi; Okaraodi Uche and Onyeogo Happy. Apart from the jail term, Justice Abang also ordered the forfeiture of the vessel, ‘MT Good Success’, used by the convicts in stealing the said petroleum product, as well as the recovered petroleum product to the Federal Government.
  The judge also ordered the forfeiture of the sums of N66.6m and $975,000 which belonged to the convicts’ company, Hepa Global Energy Limited, domiciled with the First City Monument Bank to the Federal Government. The convicts, were arraigned alongside their vessel and company on August 28, 2014 on five counts alongside one Padoun Jacob, who was discharged and acquitted by the court. The judge, in setting Jacob free on all the five counts, described him as a desperate job seeker, who became a victim of circumstances.