INAUGURATION DAY : SECURITY AGENT RECIEVE THREAT MESSAGES

Less than 48 hours to Sunday’s Presidential Inauguration, a security sub-committee headed by the National Security Adviser was set up to deal with the volume of threats to the ceremony that have poured in since the April elections ended.

SATURDAY PUNCH authoritatively learnt that different groups and individuals continued to send messages to security agents threatening to disrupt the inauguration.

Oddly, it was learnt that the groups had made no demands.

The heads of all the security agencies arrived in Abuja early in the week for an emergency meeting with the NSA, Gen. Owoye Azazi, to strategise on how to nip the threats in the bud and they have been having meetings on almost a daily basis.

Some of the security chiefs who pleaded anonymity refused to mention the groups behind the threats, but said that most of the people sending the threat messages used fake names and addresses.

They said, “We’re ready for them; as they are planning for us, we’re strategising for them. We cannot be intimidated. We’re able to confront them with all we have and we can do it. And that is why we’re not accepting any help from foreign security agencies. It is a home-made affair. Some of the people sending threat messages have even gone to the Internet to post the threats. They are so bold and brazen.

“We’re talking about a democratic government and some disgruntled elements are threatening to scuttle the whole process. Nigerians should not be worried because a lot of things that we can’t even say publicly have been put in place. Apart from restricting movement in the capital city, increasing security at the airports, borders and stepping up our surveillance generally, we’re also doing so much quietly. We’re waiting for them.”

It was gathered that the NSA had given a lot of responsibility on the police anti-bomb squad, who he feels are an integral part of protecting the President and other participants at the inauguration. Already, the anti-bomb squads in states where governorship elections did not take place have been asked to move to the capital.

The bomb specialists, who will be coming from Bayelsa, Anambra, Edo, Sokoto, Osun, Ekiti, Adamawa, Ondo and Cross River states have been asked to resume duty in Abuja to prevent the recurrence of the explosions that occurred on October 1, 2010.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta claimed responsibility for the Improvised Explosive Devices that were detonated in the capital city during Nigeria’s 50th independence anniversary at the Eagle Square.

The Commissioner of Police of the anti-bomb squad, Ambrose Aisabor, told our correspondent that the duty of his department was to ensure that IEDs were not planted anywhere activities were going to take place on Sunday.

He said, “All hands are on deck. We’re fully prepared. We’re sweeping everywhere and we’re not restricting ourselves to the Eagle Square. Maximum attention will be given to the National Stadium, International Conference Centre, mosques and churches.”

Democracy Day: Governor Gbenga Daniel frees 10 prisoners

Gbenga Daniel

Governor Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State has pardoned 10 prisoners as part of the activities to mark the 2011 Democracy Day.

The 10 convicted prisoners, who benefited from the order of remission of sentences signed by the governor and were ordered to be released from prison are, Adetayo Adesina, Johnson Sunday, Christopher Njoku, Adebola Ogunkoya, Awobajo Sunday and Awoyemi Abayomi.

The freed prisoners are all serving sentences of three years and above with less than one year left for them to complete their various terms.

Three others are Sefiu Balogun, Taofeek Adeleke and Oluwole Akanni, who fall into the category of detainees, who have been in custody for more than 10 years with good records.

The last prisoner who enjoyed the amnesty is Joseph Adelu, a convict, who applied for clemency.

They were freed by the governor after consultation with the Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy and in exercise of his power under subsection 1 of section 22 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

DEATH AT IBADAN AS PETROL TANKER EXPLODED

No fewer than 20 persons were reportedly burnt to death in a petroleum tanker fire in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, on Friday.

The fire occurred at Aduloju community on Iwo-Ojoo Road in the state capital.

Eyewitnesses said the fire erupted when a tanker loaded with substance suspected to be petroleum product, while trying to prevent a head-on collision with an oncoming commercial bus, ran into a pole at the roadside.

The tanker was said to have spilled its content on the road, causing the inferno.

Eyewitnesses claimed that about 18 passengers in the bus were burnt beyond recognition.

They claimed that some roadside auto mechanics were killed in the fire incident.

Our correspondent learnt that many other people, who sustained varying degrees of injury in the inferno, were rushed to nearby hospitals by Good Samaritans.

About 15 vehicles, most of which were parked at the roadside mechanic village, were razed.

About eight buildings, including a church located close to the scene, were gutted by the fire.

Men of the state fire service later joined sympathisers to put out the fire.

A combined team of policemen and men of the Federal Road Safety Corps was drafted to the scene.

When contacted, Oyo State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Mr. Godwin Ogagaoghene, confirmed the incident. He, however, put the death toll at 10.

EFCC TO DEAL WITH NINE OUTGOING GOVERNORS

EFCC set to quiz nine outgoing governors

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission will next week interrogate at least four outgoing governors over the alleged misappropriation of funds in their respective states during their tenure.

SATURDAY PUNCH’s countrywide investigations on Friday showed that the governors included Otunba Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State; Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo State; Chief Ikedi Ohakim (Imo State); and Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano State).

Daniel, and Shekarau, the presidential candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party in the April polls, were in charge of Ogun and Kano for eight years, while Alao-Akala and Ohakim were in charge of Oyo and Imo respectively for four years each.

It was gathered that although the EFCC had commenced investigations into the allegations against the governors, it could not move against them earlier than Monday because of the immunity clause in the Nigerian Constitution.

The constitution confers immunity on certain categories of elected officers. This shields them from prosecution while they are in office.

Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution provides immunity from court proceedings, that is, proceedings that will compel the attendance of elected executive officers, namely the President and his deputy and the governors of the states and their deputies.

This immunity extends to acts done in their official capacities so that they are not responsible for acts done on behalf of the state.

However, this immunity does not extend to acts done in abuse of the powers of their office of which they are liable upon the expiration of their tenure.

With the expiration of their tenure on Sunday, it was gathered that the EFCC had concluded arrangements to invite the nine governors next week.

SATURDAY PUNCH learnt that besides Daniel and Alao-Akala, other outgoing governors would be EFCC’s guests next week.

Sources close to the governors however stated that they would not run away because of the impending EFCC interrogation, as they knew that the judiciary would come to their aid.

A top official of the EFCC confirmed to SATURDAY PUNCH during the week that some governors would be invited to answer questions relating to graft next week.

“Some of the governors will certainly be our guests next week after they might have finished their terms of office on Sunday,” the official told SATURDAY PUNCH on the condition of anonymity because he said he didn’t want to jeopardise the ongoing investigations into the governors’ cases. “However, I’ll not be able to tell you the number and their names; I won’t say more than that but I know that some of them are coming over here.”

But SATURDAY PUNCH investigations showed that the anti-graft agency was probing Alao-Akala over alleged financial improprieties, particularly when he was governor after the impeachment of his former boss, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, as the Oyo State governor.

An EFCC source said the governor would be interrogated on various allegations raised by petitioners from the state, especially on the management of the Excess Crude Funds and state’s resources that amounted to about N8.2bn.

Apart from the governor, several of his aides, particularly the commissioners who served with him, would also be quizzed.



Alao-Akala is expected to provide explanations on the award of a contract on the publication of some books, as well as allegations of sundry internal corruption in his administration.

In the case of Daniel, he is being investigated for the alleged mismanagement and illegal deduction of local government funds.

In a petition submitted to the EFCC by a former chairman of the Ijebu-East Local Government Area, Mr. Tunde Oladunjoye, Daniel is alleged to have made illegal deductions from council funds that had crippled the activities of LG administration in the state.

Oladunjoye was the running mate to the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in the April election, Brig.-Gen. Tunji Olurin (retd.).



The petition reads in part, “In June 2009, many local government chairmen wrote to the governor, asking him to pay the exact amount of their respective teachers’ salaries instead of the overbearing deductions on the pretext of teachers’ salaries.

“Worse still, the governor started giving equal allocations to the local government councils since November 2009, even when our allocations from FAAC are not equal.”

The governor had on Wednesday put the debt profile of the state at N49.2bn, which he said included cash liabilities of N26.4bn and contingent liabilities of N22.7bn.

Details of the petitions against Ohakim were not available at press time, but our correspondent gathered that the outgoing governor of Imo State would answer questions on contracts awarded by his administration.

Sources familiar with the massive investigations said, “Some of the former governors would be walking into Kirikiri (Prisons) soon to serve as a deterrent to their successors, who would be inaugurated on Sunday.”

A former Enugu State governor, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, appeared in court last Thursday over fresh allegations of fraud against him.

EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Babafemi confirmed that Nnamani was in custody at the commission’s headquarters, where he was being interrogated.

As for Daniel, Alao-Akala and five others, Babafemi said the new week would tell.

“Let’s wait till then please,” he replied in response to inquiries from SATURDAY PUNCH.

The EFCC said the latest set of governors were different from former governors, who already had pending cases against them.

The outgoing governors will join a growing list of past chief executives of the states who are being prosecuted for the financial crimes they committed while they were in office.

A former Ekiti State governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, is facing corruption charges by the EFCC. Fayose, who was governor of Ekiti State from 2003 to 2006 before he was impeached, is facing a 51-count charge of corruption and embezzlement of N1.2bn of state funds at a Lagos High Court.

Fayose lost his bid to get into the Senate in the April elections.



The EFCC had listed him as well as seven other former governors in an advisory to the public on former governors facing corruption charges that were running for new political positions.

A former governor of Taraba State, Rev. Jolly Nyame, is facing allegations of embezzling N1.3bn of state funds.

The ex-governor is facing a 41-count charge of corruption and embezzlement. Nyame was defeated in his bid to return to power under the umbrella of the Action Congress of Nigeria.

A former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa, and a presidential aspirant of the ACN, is facing prosecution by the EFCC on a 47-count charge of embezzling N15bn.

Joshua Dariye, who was a former governor of Plateau State, is listed in the EFCC advisory of former political office holders who have cases to answer.

Dariye is facing charges of stealing N700m of state funds. He lost his bid to represent the state in the Senate under the umbrella of the Labour Party.

His counterpart in Jigawa State, Alhaji Saminu Turaki, is also facing allegations of embezzling state funds to the tune of N36bn. Turaki, who represents Jigawa North-West in the Senate lost his re-election bid last April.

A former governor of Adamawa State, Alhaji Boni Haruna, like his colleagues, is being prosecuted by the EFCC for an alleged embezzlement of N250m.

The long list of former governors whose cases are in the court include James Ibori of Delta State and Lucky Igbinedion of Edo State.

Igbinedion is facing a 66-count charge of money laundering and illegal diversion of public funds amounting to about N3.2bn for personal use.

Although the commission has instituted cases against the former governors, no conviction has been obtained in any of them.

The outgoing governors, while reacting to the impending interrogation by the commission, said they were not nursing any fear.



The outgoing governor of Oyo State – Alao-Akala – said that he was not afraid of the EFCC or any other anti-graft agency.

He said that throughout his tenure, he ruled the state with the fear of God and he would not entertain any fear.

He made his position known recently while receiving a delegation of the state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists led by its chairman, Mr. Gbenga Opadotun, who paid him a farewell visit in his office in Ibadan, the state capital.

He said, “Because I know that I don’t have any skeleton in my cupboard, I’m not afraid of investigations by the EFCC. I did not get myself involved in any shady deal because I have a name to protect. My name is an asset. It is good that I leave a good name for my children who will like to use the name in future. I won’t do anything that will tarnish the name.

“When I read a media report that I was being investigated over an N8bn deal, I laughed because such money will just make me mad.”



His Kano State counterpart, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, said that he was ready to honour an invitation from the EFCC to answer allegations of corruption charges against his administration.

Shekarau, who responded through his Special Assistant, Media and Public Relations, Mallam Sule Yau Sule, in a telephone interview with SATURDAY PUNCH, dismissed the planned invitation as speculations.

Sule said that his principal was not afraid to answer charges of corruption allegation against him or his government, recalling that this would not be the first time baseless allegations of corruption had been levelled against him.

He stated, “You know that this is not the first time His Excellency will be slandered with allegation charges and he has always weathered the storm. Before the 2007 general elections, he was invited for questioning by the EFCC on allegations of corruption. The opposition did this just to stop him from gunning for a second term. He went to Abuja to answer the charges and was cleared, and he won his second term bid. So, we’re used to all this.”

Sule said Shekarau offered a transparent and accountable leadership to Kano people and had completed his tenure.



Ogun State Governor, Daniel, expressed his readiness to face the anti-corruption agencies – the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission – if and when invited.

Daniel, who responded to SATURDAY PUNCH enquiries in a telephone interview through the Ogun State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Sina Kawonise, stated his preparedness to face the agencies if the need arose.

“(Otunba Gbenga) Daniel has ruled the state with honesty and forthrightness in the last eight years. So, he has no skeleton in his cupboard. As a public office holder, he is not ignorant of the fact that at any point in time, one may be called upon for one questioning or the other.

“So, as the servant of the people, he is ever ready when such invitations become necessary, as he has served the state with honesty, diligence, prudence and to the best of his ability.”

He stated that as part of the effort of the administration at ensuring financial probity, the state governor had ensured the preparation of the state financial accounts in the last eight years.

“The governor has even directed that as many copies of the statement of accounts as possible should be printed so that everybody can have a copy and even urged that the copies should be distributed to EFCC, ICPC and other relevant agencies,” Kawonise said.



When contacted, the Imo State governor said he was not aware of any EFCC invitation.

Ohakim, who responded through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Henry Eke, told SATURDAY PUNCH on the telephone on Thursday that the report was a mere speculation.

“I’m not aware of that (the invitation). I have not been invited. However, when we get to the bridge, we will cross it,” the governor said.

Nigeria's N7bn presidential Jet banned worldwide

The new Falcon 7x presidential aircraft at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. Almost 70 days after the new N7.65bn presidential jet, Falcon 7X, touched down at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, from the manufacturer’s factory in France, Dassault Aviation, France European authorities have banned the jet from flying in Europe and other parts of the world over safety issues. The ban, an Emergency Airworthiness Directive, which was issued on Thursday by the European Aviation Safety Agency, the agency that regulates Dassault as well as the European aviation industry, took immediate effect, starting from May 27. The EASA’s grounding of the worldwide fleet of Dassault’s Falcon 7X executive jets came hours after one of the aircraft encountered an in-flight anomaly that could have caused the pilots to lose control. The EASA directive, which was published on Thursday, said that the jet “experienced an uncontrolled pitch trim runaway during descent. The crew succeeded in recovering a stable situation and performed an uneventful landing.” An analysis of the plane’s Digital Flight Data Recorder and Fault History Database confirmed the event, EASA said, but the cause of the pitch trim runaway couldn’t be explained. “This condition, if it occurs again, could lead to the loss of control of the aeroplane,” the EASA notice said. However, the Cologne, Germany-based safety agency said in its Emergency Airworthiness Directive that the decision to halt all flight operations of Dassault’s flagship jet came at the request of the Paris-based company, according to a Dow Jones report on Friday. The plane was en route between Europe and Malaysia, Asia, with no passengers on board, Dassault spokesman Stephane Fort told Dow Jones Newswires by telephone. The pilots managed to regain control of the aircraft and landed it safely in Malaysia, he said. Fort couldn’t say who owns the aircraft or who was operating it. Fort said the decision to ground the aircraft was a precautionary measure. Dassault has sent a team of technicians to Malaysia to try to identify the cause of the problem, he said, adding, “Our priority is the safety of our passengers and our aircraft. The Falcon 7X was introduced in 2007 and is designed to fly 5,950 nautical miles with at least eight passengers. There are 112 of the aircraft in service. “This airworthiness directive is considered to be an interim measure pending the outcome of the investigation currently carried out by the manufacturer,” EASA said. The Falcon 7X has a sticker price of about $50m, depending on cabin features. President Goodluck Jonathan had in the third week of March 2011, taken delivery of a Falcon 7X plane, shortly after it landed on the shores of the country from France. The aircraft, which was manufactured by Dassault Aviation of France, cost the government $51m (about N7.65bn.) The Federal Executive Council had on August 12, 2010 approved $102m for the purchase of two Falcon 7X and $53.3m for one Gulfstream G550 aircraft to beef up the presidential fleet. The second Falcon 7X, it was learnt then, was expected to arrive in the country during the second quarter of this year. In what is probably its first mission, the jet was said to have conveyed the wife of the President, Patience, to Sokoto during the third of week of March. The two Falcon 7X aircraft are to be supplied by Messrs Dassault Aviation of France, while the Gulfstream G550 will come from Messrs Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation of the United States.