The federal government yesterday banned commercial activities under the Marine Beach Bridge, as rehabilitation works are completed for the bridge to reopen to traffic.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, while inspecting the bridge directed ministry officials to adopt measures against street trading that sparked up the fire that destroyed the bridge several years ago leading to its degeneration.

Fashola said construction works on the Apapa-bound lane under construction have been completed and the section would be opened to traffic “in a few days’’.

While inspecting ongoing construction on the Apapa-bound lane on the top of the bridge, the contractors on the project explained that work was ongoing beneath the bridge while vehicles plied the top.

The minister, who commended the level of technology being applied, warned against allowing illegal activities under the bridge.

“You have to ensure no trading or illegal activities take place here again, in the first place that was what caused the fire that damaged this bridge,’’ he directed his officials.

He appealed to residents and other stakeholders in Ijora and Apapa to desist from abuse of the bridge

The over 40-year-old Marine Beach Bridge was damaged by a fire incident and repair work was first awarded for it in 2012.

It went through another round of six months repairs in 2017, before the current ongoing rehabilitation that began in phases in 2020 with the entire repairs expected to be completed in March 2021.

Ade Adesomoju, Abuja

The Federal High Court in Abuja has declared that magistrate’s courts lacked the power to issue an order freezing bank accounts.

The court also ordered banks to desist from acting on “bankers order” served on them, particularly by the police, to freeze or place a post-no-debit order accounts on personal accounts.

Justice Inyang Ekwo made the declaration in a judgment in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1635/2019 on Tuesday.

The suit was instituted by five children of the late Chief E. A. Esiso against one of their siblings, Yoma Esiso, four banks which had frozen their bank accounts, the Inspector-General of Police and the Commissioner of Police in charge of the IGP Monitoring Unit.

The five siblings who were the plaintiffs who instituted the suit are Mrs Eunice Oddiri, Beauty Ogbodu, Chief Sunny Esiso, Edirin Esiso, and Mrs Emuobosa Consin.

They stated in their suit that in September 2019 one of the landed assets of their late father in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, was sold and the proceeds were shared among the deceased’s children, including Yoma.

Yoma was said to have petitioned the police after which his five siblings were arrested and detained.

The plaintiffs were later released on bail but realised that their accounts had been frozen by their various banks which claimed to have received letters authorising them to so do from the office of the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of the Police in charge of the IGP Monitoring Unit.

The banks said the letters from the IGP office were accompanied with a document called a Bankers Order from a magistrates’ court, ordering the freezing/post no debit on the accounts.

The plaintiffs on December 24, 2019 sued their banks – Zenith Bank Plc, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Guarantee Trust Bank and First Bank Place – along with the IGP, the IGP Monitoring Unit, and Yoma.

They contend among others in their suit that that the order to freeze/post-no-debit obtained from the magistrate’s court and placed on their accounts on the strength of a non-existent law was illegal null and void.

Only GTB filed processes in response to the suit, while the rest of the defendants did not.

But in his judgment, Justice Ekwo ruled that GTB failed to effectively controvert the case of the plaintiffs as he held that there was no existing Nigerian law or relevant foreign law empowering magistrates to make such an order for freezing of persons’ accounts.

He therefore declared that “the Bankers Order/Order freezing and/or enabling the post-no-debit” on the listed accounts of the plaintiffs “cannot be validly issued pursuant to a non-existent/repealed Bankers Order Act 1847 and any other irrelevant foreign law”.

The judge also ruled that “a Magistrate lacks the powers to make Bankers orders and/or order freezing or enabling a post no debit on bank accounts pursuant to non-existent/repealed section 7 of the Banker‘s Order Act 1847.”

The judge therefore ordered the four banks “to unfreeze the accounts of the plaintiffs and desist from further giving effect to the non-existent Bankers order served on the prompting of the 5th and 6th defendants (IGP and the IGP Monitoring Unit).” (punchng)

While his peers cut their first teeth in banking, Jim Ovia perfected the money attitude. He was the enthralling magnate, who teased open fortune’s peonies, and unwrapped the seal to the tight bales of bloom in banking’s competitive halls.

Money chants its ornate poetry in Ovia’s treasure chest perhaps because he took the money shot – Cha ching! – time and over again, with the stamina of a warrior, and the agility of the quintessential marksman. 

Now past the glory days of his hustle as a seasoned and foremost banker, Ovia continually looms large as a conqueror of banking and high commerce. Having established his dominance in the cutthroat world of business, where he enjoys repute as banking’s top royalty, the Zenith Bank chairman, is eager to extend the luxury of his conquests and acquisitions to his loved ones.

Just recently, he acquired three units of luxury apartments at 4, Bourdillon, an iconic residential complex in the heart of Ikoyi, Lagos.

The diminutive billionaire who does not shy from aiming high paid a total sum of $10.5m for the apartments, valued at $3.5m per unit. Ovia, it was gathered, gifted two of his sons one unit each while he may have converted the last one to a private guest house.

Located at 4, Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, the apartment which provides an infinite luxurious experience to its residents, is a Twin Tower of 25 Floors with 41 Units of 3 and 4 Bedroom Flats and 5-Bedroom Duplex Flats and Duplex Penthouses with lush greenery, water-bodies, swimming pools, tennis court, gym and clubhouse with ample underground parking and breath-taking views.

Targeting Nigeria’s elites, the property offers penthouses that include roof gardens and each has a curved balcony, which creates an attractive curvilinear appearance and is large enough to be used as an external relaxing area. Its glazed balustrade allows uninterrupted 360-degree views of Lagos Island. A joint development between Kaizen Properties (a member of TGI Group, which amongst others owns CHI Ltd – the leading FMCG Company in Nigeria with brands like CHIVITA and HOLLANDIA) and El-Alan Group, a foremost construction company with over 38 years experience working in Nigeria, 4 Bourdillon sets new heights and standards of luxury in Lagos where living becomes a daily bliss of peace of mind.

Ovia is an unabashed lover of properties and he is reputed to own most of the properties in which Zenith Bank operates from. The 68-year-old Forbes-rated billionaire is also known as the Godfather of Banking in Nigeria. (thecapital)

The Bayelsa State Government has described the proposed National Water Resources Bill 2020 as another draconian land use decree in disguise, saying it would join other progressive forces to resist it at all cost.

This was one of the decisions reached by the State Executive Council at its weekly meeting presided over by the State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo in Government House, Yenagoa, following the unavoidable absence of the governor.

A press release by the Deputy Governor’s Media aide, Mr Doubara Atasi, recalls that, the National Water Resources Bill 2020, which has passed its second reading on the floor of the Senate, has attracted wide condemnation across the country due to its controversial provisions aimed at seizing control of the country’s waterways.

In a joint Press Briefing led by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Ayibaina Duba, the Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General of the State, Mr. Biriyai Dambo (SAN), said Council decided to oppose the bill because it negates the rights of Bayelsans, Niger Deltans and several other people in the country to enjoy their God-given resources.

To this end, he expressed the state government’s readiness to apply all necessary legal frameworks to reject any legislation by the National Assembly that would emanate from the bill.

Mr. Dambo, while pointing out some relevant sections of the Bill, noted that Section 62 seeks to deny indigenes especially the Niger Delta people of their ancestral lands and the freedom of fishing for business.

His words “Section 62 of the Bill which states that any person who choose to undertake any of the activities in relation to water resources of this Bill, shall be licensed by the Commission”

“The essence of this is that, this Bill seeks to take away the freedom of not just the Niger Delta people but Nigerians at large, so if they start licensing the waterways activities, then you are encroaching on the freedom of the people and that is unacceptable”

“That is why Exco came to the conclusion that we reject this Bill and secondly, we shall also impress on members of the National Assembly from and outside this region to oppose this Bill with everything they have”

On his part, the State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Akpoebide Alamieyeseigha, said the recent Citizens Budget Participatory Session organized by the state government enabled Council to approve the Medium Term Expenditure Framework covering Year 2020 to 2023.

This, according to Mr. Alamieyeseigha, will set the tone for the presentation of the 2021 budget by Governor Douye Diri to the State House of Assembly in few weeks from now.

The Nigeria Custom Service (NCS) within the last one month has foiled two attempts to smuggle out 8,228 ATM cards in the last one month raising questions as to why the crime is gaining traction. And how many have slipped them through to Dubai and elsewhere.

The Kano/Jigawa Command arrested a Dubai-bound passenger in possession of 5,342 ATM cards at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.

A month earlier, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced it was investigating a suspected fraudster caught concealing 2,886 Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards and four SIM cards in noodles while on his way to the United Arab Emirate, Dubai.

The Customs Area Comptroller, Mr Nasir Ahmed, stated the arrest of the new culprit while handing over the suspect to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday in Kano.

The Lagos zonal head of the EFCC, AbdulRasheed Bawa, gave an insight into why the new crime is on.while receiving the Lagos airport suspect on behalf of the commission, said, “we have taken over Ishaq and I can assure you that we are going to investigate the matter thoroughly and unveil everybody involved in the syndicate.

“There are a number of possibilities. There is an element of conspiracy, foreign exchange (FOREX) malpractices and money laundering. 

“Indeed, banks and bankers are definitely involved.”

“In recent months, we have observed a trend in which unsuspecting Nigerians are lured into opening accounts to be bought at a fee.

“Most bankers are not carrying out their duties with due diligence, particularly the Know Your Customers, (KYC), procedural check,” he said.

In Kano, the Customs boss, Ahmed said the suspect was arrested while about to board a Dubai-bound Ethiopian Airlines with the ATM cards concealed in two sacks of beans by the personnel of the command at the airport.

”It can be assumed that the suspect can withdraw up to one million dollars in a day, at the detriment of the national economy.

”We handed over the suspect, his passport and other travelling documents to the EFCC for further investigations,” Ahmed said.

Also speaking, Mr Sanusi Aliyu, the Head of the EFCC Zonal Office comprising Kano, Katsina and Jigawa, commended the service for effective surveillance to check crimes and financial crime in the airports and other point of entry in the country.

Aliyu said the commission would conduct thorough investigation.

”Investigation is necessary to establish the reasons behind the acts and other persons involved in the acts.

“The Nigeria Customs Service has been a very good partner of the EFCC in the fight against economic and financial crimes in the country,” he said.

Aliyu pledged continued partnership with the service to check graft practices in the country.

Last September, EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said the suspect in the Lagos smuggling attempt, Ishaq Abubakar, was arrested by the Nigeria Customs Service at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and handed over to the EFCC Lagos zonal office for investigation and prosecution.

The commission quoted the Customs Deputy Comptroller, Enforcement, Abudulmumuni Bako, as saying the suspect came from Kano State and wanted to travel via an Emirate flight.

“The Customs Deputy Comptroller, Enforcement, Abudulmumuni Bako, who represented the Customs Area Comptroller, A. Ma’aji, said that the suspect, who claimed to have come from Kano to travel to Dubai aboard the Emirate Evacuation flight, was seen with someone who was assigned to facilitate his movement through the airport checks.

“Officers of the Customs service intercepted the suspect with 2,886 ATM cards and four SIM cards, which he carefully concealed in parks of Noodles.

“This raised the suspicion of the officers who insisted he should be physically and thoroughly checked after the scan machine had revealed he was carrying parks (sic) of noodles,” he said.

Eight-year-old Chiamaka Oha is battling for her life at the General Hospital, Uga,  Anambra State, after she was allegedly bathed with hot water by her employer, Ogochukwu Anichukwu, for licking her baby’s milk.

The victim who hails from Ugwueme community in the Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, lived with her employer and the husband at at Nanka community, in the Orumba North LGA of Anambra State.

It was alleged that Anichukwu on September 25, 2020, poured hot water on the victim for licking her baby’s milk and shut the door against her to prevent people from seeing the injuries she sustained from the attack.

A neighbour who visited the family saw the maid’s condition and reported the matter to a non-governmental organisation, Human Rights Legal Aid Initiative. The NGO was said to have rescued and taken the victim to a medical facility in the area.

Aanother group, Awgu Egbeleli Socio-Cultural Development and Unity Forum, transferred the victim to a general hospital.

A member of the forum, Chidi Okoh said the group learnt about the incident through the social media.

He said, “When we saw a video of the girl on social media, we were moved with compassion, and sent one of our members, Chief Sunday Nwankwo, who resides in Onitsha, to investigate the incident. When he got there, he was shocked at the inhuman act meted to the victim by the woman and her husband.

“Chief Nwankwo handled the medical bill at the private hospital where the victim was taken to for resuscitation and moved her to the general hospital.

“We learnt that the girl’s offence was that she licked the milk meant for Anichukwu’s baby. She poured hot water on her and locked her inside so that neighbours won’t see her in that state.

“Neighbours confirmed to have seen the girl eating sand on several occasions because of starvation. When we asked the woman why she poured hot water on the victim, she said she was bathing her baby and didn’t know when the hot water poured on her; her husband admitted to beating and inflicting injuries on Chiamaka in the past.”

The Ekwulobia Zonal Coordinator of Human Rights Legal Aid Initiative, Akaneme Chijioke, who condemned the attack, confirmed the victim was in pains when the group rescued her.

He said, “There were sores all over her body. The woman used a hard object to beat her and damaged her fingernails. Her face and mouth are filled with injuries.

“The girl looked frail, hungry, malnourished and traumatised and when we asked the woman what happened, she said she mistakenly poured hot water on her. When we took the child aside to interrogate her, she said the woman was always beating her and that she never licked any milk. She also said she ate sand sometimes to stay alive.  We then went back to the woman to find out why they had not taken the girl to hospital; she said they did not have money.”

The matter was reported at the Uga police area command and the couple had been arrested.

The Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Haruna Mohammed, said he was not aware of the matter.

SOURCE: Punch