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AGF, Malami Considers Adoke’s Demand For Apology Entirely Misconceived

“The Attorney General of the Federation is aware of current reports in the Nigerian press relating to a letter he has received from Mr Mohammed Adoke, with regards to the ongoing dispute between the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN) and the vulture-fund-backed P&ID.

In the letter, Mr Adoke has demanded an apology and “appropriate monetary compensation” – which the Attorney General’s office considers is entirely misconceived.

Mr Adoke is, of course, the subject of criminal proceedings in relation to the OPL 245 debacle. Investigations continue into Mr Adoke’s involvement in the OPL 245 deal, and also in relation to the disastrous and fraudulent gas supply agreement made with the BVI shell company P&ID.

Mr Adoke seeks to wash his hands of any involvement in settlement negotiations with P&ID, falsely stating that all settlement negotiations with P&ID took place after he had left office as the-then Attorney General of the Federation. This is simply untrue, as settlement negotiations took place in 2012, 2014, and during Spring 2015 when Mr Adoke was the-then Attorney General of the Federation.

It is noteworthy that Mr Adoke is being represented by Paul Erokoro SAN. Mr Erokoro SAN has in fact recently provided a sworn witness statement concerning certain factual matters on behalf of P&ID in the proceedings in London (in which he made no mention of the matters which he has raised in his letter). Mr Erokoro is also the lawyer representing Mr James Nolan of P&ID in the criminal proceedings on foot against Mr Nolan in the FRN. It remains to be seen how Mr Erokore SAN could be seen as impartial and not conflicted, given his various roles closely connecting him with P&ID.

The FRN took all reasonable steps and followed due process to uncover and investigate the fraud at the heart of the contract, to ensure that these serious allegations of bribery and corruption were only made when incontrovertible evidence was uncovered.

The FRN is relying on ongoing investigations across multiple jurisdictions to build its case against P&ID. Investigations into the GSPA are ongoing, and we are firmly committed to overturning the injustice of the multibillion dollar award.

US$10 billion represents a massive share of Nigeria’s national budgets. It is our duty as a government to ensure that justice is secured for the Nigerian people – no matter how long it takes.”

Magu Dares Accusers Over Evidence Of ‘Re-Looted’ Funds

The embattled suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Finan­cial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has dared his accusers to produce evidence of facts that he fraudulently converted the nation’s recovered looted funds to his personal account.

In his response to a presidential probe panel investigating allegations of gross misconduct against him by Abubakar Malami, Attorney Gen­eral of the Federation and Minister the allegations against him as false and calculated to tarnish his image despite the “commendable” achieveof Justice, Magu described ments of the EFCC under his leadership. ­

In the response titled ‘Al­leged Case of Conspiracy, Enrichment, Abuse of Public Office and Other Infractions’, he said “not a dime of the recovered funds was fraudu­lently converted to my person­al account”, adding, “I chal­lenge my accusers to produce evidence of such fraudulent conversion.”

He unequivocally denied the allegation, saying that “same is untrue and mere­ly calculated to tarnish my name, the commission, and the giant strides this admin­istration has achieved in the fight against corruption and recovery of proceeds of un­lawful activities”.

According to him, “It is the international best practice in audit to have an entry and exit meeting.

“During the exiting meet­ing, parties are expected to thoroughly review and recon­cile documents/data to enable the auditee to present neces­sary explanations to clear any grey area.”

Magu argued that contrary to the established interna­tional best practice and the principle of fair hearing as enshrined in section 36 of the 1999 constitution, the report of the Presidential Commit­tee on Audit of Recovered Assets (PCARA) and the doc­uments analysed before mak­ing the purported findings contained in Paragraph 5 of the petition were never made available to the commission to respond and clarify.

“I was not invited by the committee to defend myself and the commission before the purported findings were made. Fair hearing demands that I should not be indicted without being heard.

“The existing structure in the EFCC on the recovery of assets and the management of same will not allow any form of mismanagement of recovered assets to be perpe­trated.

“In the commission un­der my watch, funds are re­covered vide bank drafts in favour of the commission and lodged in the recovery accounts domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“Sir, even when cash is re­covered during execution of search warrant, such funds are meticulously counted, kept in safe custody of the Exhibit Keeper, and lodged in the recovery account,” he explained.

Magu commended Pres­ident Muhammadu Buhari for giving him the unique op­portunity to defend himself of all the allegations levelled against him and the commis­sion, saying it was a demon­stration of the president’s commitment to the funda­mental principle of justice, which is “fair hearing”.

He said: “I am, howev­er, aware that when a lie is told over and over again, it acquires the semblance of truth.

“Therefore, it is neces­sary that I engage in a de­tailed rebuttal of the false allegations against my per­son and the commission, otherwise it acquires the flavour of truth.

“On the contrary, in sev­eral cases under investiga­tion, recovery and manage­ment of assets, the Office of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation (HAGF) has either inter­fered with the process or has been less cooperative and supportive.”

In respect of the achieve­ments the EFCC has recorded in the fight against corrup­tion under President Buhari, Magu noted that it was con­trary to the assertion that he was not acting in the overall best interest of the country and the policies of the admin­istration.

“I wish to state that my ser­vice and records of achieve­ments have been commend­able.

“A comprehensive list of the key achievements of the commission under my lead­ership is attached and marked Annexure 1,” he said.

Also, responding to the al­legation that he fraudulently converted the recovered loot­ed funds to his personal ac­count, Magu said: “I am not a signatory to these accounts and the funds therein.

“I have never approved withdrawal from any of the commission’s recovery ac­counts for my personal ben­efit.

“There is nowhere I have reported the naira equivalent of the foreign currency recov­eries.

“As a matter of standard practice and procedure, the commission under my leader­ship reports foreign currency recoveries and not the naira equivalent of same.

“The commission under my leadership has never con­verted foreign currency recov­eries to naira.

“The allegation in para­graph 561 of the petition is untrue because I did not ma­nipulate the data of the com­mission’s recoveries.

“While I cannot confirm the source of the figures quot­ed in paragraph 5(ii) where the commission was alleged to have under-reported the sum of N39, 357,608,119.43, I am aware that by a letter dated March 24, 2017, the president instructed me to forward the status of various recoveries the commission made from May 2015 till the date of the letter.

“On receipt of the afore­said letter, I promptly com­piled a comprehensive list of the recoveries and forwarded same through a letter dated April 7, 2017.

“The purported un­der-reported sum of N39, 357,608,119.43 was admitted by the petitioner to have been lodged in the recovery account domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria, which is not under my total dominion and control.

“This demonstrates the falsity of the accusation of diversion of forfeited assets wrongly levelled against me.

“The commission, in the exercise of its statutory du­ties, is empowered to make recoveries for the Federal Government, state govern­ments, private individuals and corporate bodies and, as such, not all funds in the recovery account belong to the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN).”

He said he had never dis­obeyed any directives and regulations of the president, whether in relation to the management of the recov­ered and forfeited assets or any sundry issues.

According to Magu, “All steps taken by me in respect of recovered and forfeited as­sets were in accordance with powers conferred on me by the Act of the National As­sembly which established the commission.

“In the discharge of my of­ficial functions, I am bound to of various enabling laws enacted by the NASS, which confer certain special powers on the commission in respect of recovered and forfeited assets which are in conflict with the Regulations of the HAGF. comply with the provisions

“Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, conferred on the commission the responsibility of tracing and forfeiting abandoned properties and properties reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.

“Through the special provisions of Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offence Act, 2006, the commission un­der my watch has forfeited numerous properties to the FGN.

“Rather than strengthen­ing the institutional capacity of the commission and the provisions of Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offenc­es Act, 2006, the commission and its enabling statutes have been subjected to numerous attacks and blackmail major­ly aimed at whittling down the powers of the commis­sion.

“One of such attacks is the provisions of Section 162 (3) of the Proceeds of Crime Bill, 2019, which seeks to delete Sections 6(d),13(2)(c), 20, 21, 22, 24, 25(a), (c) & (d), 26(1)(b), 29, 33, and 34 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Com­mission (Establishment) Act, 2004, which empowered the commission to investigate, prosecute, and confiscate assets.”

Magu claimed that he was always transparent in the exercise of his official duties and that there was no official decision that he had taken as acting chairman of the commission which was not a product of transparent pro­cess and in compliance with statutory provisions.

He said: “The commission did not oppose the enactment of Proceeds of Crime Bill, 2019 but was opposed to some negative and far-reaching provisions of the Bill which will impede and reverse the anti-corruption agenda of the FGN.

“Sir, I deny each and ev­ery allegation contained in paragraph B (10) of the peti­tion as they are totally false, untrue, and merely targeted at destroying my hard-earned reputation as an incorrupt­ible officer.

“That contrary to the al­legations contained in para­graph B(10) of the petition, I know as a fact and verily be­lieve that since my assump­tion of office as the acting chairman of the commission, not a single recovered or for­feited property has been sold and the proceeds fraudulently converted.”

EFCC Probe: Magu’s Lawyer Faces Ethics Pressure

• I haven’t breached any ethics, says Shittu

AHEAD of the resumption of probe next week of the suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, his counsel, Mr. Wahab Shittu, is under ethics pressure, it was learnt on Thursday.

A group, under the aegis of the League of Abuja Young Lawyers (LAYL), has urged the Presidential Investigation Committee, led by Justice Ayo Isa Salami, to impose sanctions on Shittu for alleged conflict of interests.

It said Shittu cannot be a counsel to Magu and EFCC at the same time. But Shittu said he has not breached any code of ethics, explaining that his defence of Magu does not amount to conflict of interest because he is not an employee of the anti-graft agency.

The group’s President Nwoko Clems alleged that Shittu, as a prosecutor to EFCC, can no longer represent Magu before Salami panel.

He said: “The panel should immediately ex- communicate Shittu as result of conflict of interest in the ongoing probe.”

But in a statement on Thursday, Shittu said: “This issue arose in the proceedings of Hon. Justice Salami’s panel and was argued and resolved. I have always appeared as counsel to EFCC in several proceedings.

“I have five landmark judgements obtained in favour of Magu and EFCC in which I appeared as counsel to both in the referred proceedings.

“Secondly, I have represented Magu in several libel matters as his counsel of choice.

“Thirdly, as a private counsel, I’m not retained by EFCC but the external counsel to EFCC, based on cases assigned to me by the commission.”

Saying there was no agreement between him and the EFCC not to handle any brief for the embattled acting chairman, Shittu said: “There is no agreement between EFCC and I that I’m not entitled to handle cases against EFCC as a private counsel. I have, however, as a matter of honour, refrained from taking up cases against the EFCC. It is my personal decision.

“Significantly, Magu has not been removed as EFCC chair; he is only suspended. There is no breach of ethics in representing Magu, who is only suspended but not removed, especially in the context that he remained the acting chair of EFCC at the time I took the brief.

“Lastly, Magu is not on trial by the EFCC but by the Salami panel, which is embarking on a fact- finding. I am not a salaried employee of the EFCC but a private counsel.

“For these and several other reasons, I submit that there is no conflict of interests whatsoever. I rest my case.”

FIRS Extends Filing Deadline By Seven Days

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has further extended deadline for companies to file their tax returns by one week.

A statement from the service, on Thursday, explained that the extension was both in the spirit of the festive season and appreciation of the difficulties businesses were facing due to coronavirus pandemic.

“In furtherance of this, and, in addition to a number of COVID-19 palliatives already in place, as well as in the spirit of this Eid celebration, we hereby grant a further one-week extension from the 31st July 2020 deadline for Companies with December accounting year-end to file their Year 2020 annual Income Tax Returns.”

The notice added: “For the purpose of clarity, companies that fall within this category will not be penalised for late submission, if they file their Year 2020 Income Tax Returns within the grace period, that is, 1st August 2020 to 7th August 2020 as herein granted.

“In a similar vein, the one-week grace period is extended to regular monthly obligations that become due at the end of July 2020, for example, Petroleum Profits Tax Instalmental Payment, Withholding Tax and Value Added Tax Returns.

“FIRS will continue to respond proactively to the realities of these times, towards easing the burden of our esteemed taxpayers.”

World Day against Trafficking In Persons: Women Lawyers Seek Greater Support for NAPTIP, NHRC, Others

The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Nigeria on Thursday called on government at all levels, private sector and general public to increase support for all first responders to human trafficking in the country.

The lawyers, who identified the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) as being in the forefront of the struggle, said such support would go a long way in eradicating trafficking in person in the country.

The group, in a statement by its Country Vice-President/National President, FIDA Nigeria, Mrs Rhoda Tyoden, and National Publicity Secretary, Mrs Eliana Martins, described trafficking in person as evil and criminal “mostly targeted at vulnerable people” which must be stopped.

The women lawyers noted that the UN theme for this year’s commemoration, “Working on the frontline to end human trafficking”, is apt because it is focused on the first responders to human trafficking.

“This covers the various people who work in the different sectors – those identifying, supporting, counselling and seeking justice for victims of trafficking; while also challenging the impunity of the traffickers,” they said.

They claimed that with the COVID-19 pandemic, the essential role of first responders has become even more important, particularly as the restrictions imposed by the pandemic have made their work even more difficult.

While lamenting that the contributions of the first responders are often overlooked and unrecognized, “FIDA commends the effort and service of all first responders and all NGOs playing a key supporting role here”.

“According to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) 2019 report, two hundred and three cases were fully investigated by the Agency. Cases of child abuse and procurement of persons for sexual exploitation constituted 17.7% and 9.4% respectively. NAPTIP also reports that the average age of trafficked children in Nigeria is 15, while Nigeria has now upgraded to a Tier 2 country on the U.S. State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report (2019). 75% of those who are trafficked within Nigeria are trafficked across states, while 23% are trafficked within states NAPTIP (2016) report. We must keep a careful watch on these numbers, and improve on data collection.

“FIDA appeals that the challenges often encountered by first responders to human trafficking should be promptly addressed to better facilitate their work,” it said.

To checkmate the menace of trafficking in person, FIDA called on governments to put greater protective and security measures in place to curtail the crime of human trafficking.

“State and national borders need to be better regulated to ensure that people are not subjected to illegal transportation and exploitation.

“Ensure regular and consistent human trafficking awareness trainings and sensitization for individuals, businesses, first responders, law enforcement, educators, and employees, among others.

“Advocacy/outreaches targeted at the youth/parents/guardians to help mitigate the menace of trafficking.

“FIDA Nigeria appreciates the hard work agencies and ministries of government including NGOs are doing in this respect. FIDA pledges continued support in the fight against human trafficking and looks forward to more collaborations in this fight to ensure that women and children can live in a society free from exploitation and abuse,” the statement added.

World Bank Sees Côte d’Ivoire As Biggest Beneficiary Of AfCFTA

Côte d’Ivoire could be the biggest beneficiary from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the World Bank has said in its report on “The African Continental Free Trade Area: Economic and Distributional Effects.”

The report found that Côte d’Ivoire has one of the largest trade costs on the continent, and the implementation of the free trade zone would increase the nation’s income by 14 per cent cent, the biggest gain forecast for all countries on the continent.

Zimbabwe is expected to follow with an income increase of nearly 12 per cent.

Nigeria and South Africa, the two largest economies in Africa, will see their income grow by only 4 per cent.

The AfCFTA came into force last year and has been touted for several years as the real future lever of African trade integration. Under the scenario developed by the World Bank, this zone could have financial, economic and social impacts for the entire continent.

According to the report, if the implementation of the free trade zone is accompanied by significant policy reforms and trade facilitation measures, it could increase African countries’ revenues by $450 billion and lift 30 million people out of extreme poverty by 2035.

While intra-continental trade currently accounts for only 15 per cent of Africa’s total trade (one of the lowest ratios in the world), it is expected to jump by 81 per cent while those of non-African countries increase by 19 per cent.

Moreover, while the planned reduction in customs duties has raised concerns among tariff-dependent countries, the study estimates that short-term tariff revenues would fall by only about 1.5 per cent or less for 49 of the 54 countries, and total tax revenues are projected to fall by less than 0.3 per cent in 50 countries.

The World Bank explained this scenario by the fact that “only a small share of tariff revenues come from imports from African countries (less than 10 per cent on average),” and also “exclusion lists can shield most tariff revenues from liberalisation because these revenues are highly concentrated in a few tariff lines (1 per cent of tariff lines account for more than three-quarters of tariff revenues in almost all African countries)”.

As a reminder, the AfCFTA, which agreement has been signed by all the member countries of the African Union, aims to create the largest free trade area in the world by its size, with a potential market of 1.2 billion people and a combined gross domestic product of $2.5 trillion.

Previously scheduled to become operational on July 1 this year, the operationalisation had to be postponed to 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Swiss Special Prosecutor Launches Criminal Proceedings Against FIFA President Infantino

A Swiss special prosecutor has commenced criminal proceedings against Fifa President Gianni Infantino due to alleged criminal conduct.

Special prosecutor Stefan Keller, who was appointed as “extraordinary prosecutor” to review complaints against Infantino and the Swiss Attorney General Michael Laubner, found indications of criminal conduct related to undisclosed meetings, the authority overseeing Switzerland’s federal prosecutors said on Thursday.

Keller has also commenced proceedings against Rinaldo Arnold, the chief public prosecutor of Upper Valais, and has requested permission to open a legal case against Lauber.

The Swiss Federal Council said on Thursday that Keller “reached the conclusion that, in connection with the meetings between Attorney General Michael Lauber and the Fifa president Gianni Infantino and the Chief Public Prosecutor of the Upper Valais, there are indications of criminal conduct”.

The allegations made against Infantino and Arnold “concerns abuse of public office, breach of official secrecy, assisting offenders and incitement to these acts,” the statement added.

Keller was appointed last week to look into dealings between Infantino and the Swiss Attorney General Lauber – who last week offered his resignation – over an undisclosed meeting in June 2017. It’s alleged that they held three closed-door meetings regarding the status of the corruption inquiry, in which no notes were taken.

A court concluded last week that Lauber had covered up the meeting and lied to his supervisors while his office investigated corruption allegations surrounding the football governing body.

Lauber has denied any wrongdoing, but in March he was sanctioned for disloyalty, lying and breaching his office’s code of conduct. Lauber has also had his salary cut for a year after a watchdog group found he repeatedly told falsehoods and broke a prosecutors’ code of conduct.

Last month, Lauber became the subject of an impeachment process relating to his handling of the Fifa inquiry.

Both Infantino and Lauber have previously denied wrongdoing. The Independent has contacted Fifa for comment from Infantino.

Lauber’s office was aware of the appointment of Keller as special prosecutor, but has declined to comment.

Arnold, who is from the same area of Switzerland as Infantino and is a personal friend of the Fifa president, has been accused by Swiss social democrat politician Gilbert Truffer of facilitating at least one of the meetings between Infantino and Lauber, with Arnold reported to have first spoken with the Attorney General in July 2015 while Infantino was still General Secretary of Uefa – eight months before he replaced the disgraced Sepp Blatter as Fifa president.

Blatter was forced to resign as head of world football the year before over corruption allegations, and in December 2015 he was banned from all football-related activities for eight years, later reduced to six on appeal.

Speaking in 2016 after he was appointed as Blatter’s successor at a Fifa Congress meeting, Infantino said: “I cannot express my feelings in this moment. We will restore the image and the respect of Fifa and everyone in the world will applaud us.

“We are finally going to ensure that we can once again focus on the beautiful game of football.”

Under the Fifa Ethics Committee’s own statutes, any official facing criminal proceedings must be temporarily suspended pending outcome of the investigation.

(SOURCE: Independent UK)

AfDB probe: How Adesina floored the US conspiracy with clean bill of performance

A much awaited report by an Independent Review Panel has completely exonerated the President of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina of any ethical wrongdoings.

The Independent Review Panel was set up by the Bureau of Governors of the Bank, following a complaint by the United States, to review the process by which two previous organs of the Bank – the Ethics Committee of the Board, and the Bureau of the Board of Governors – had previously exonerated Adesina.

The distinguished three-member Independent Review Panel include Mary Robinson, who is a former President of the Republic of Ireland, a former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the Chairperson of the Elders, a global body of wise persons concerned with the world’s wellbeing; the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Gambia, Mr. Hassan B. Jallow; and Mr. Leonard F. McCarthy, a former Director of Public Prosecutions, a former Director for the Office of Serious Economic Offences, and a former Head of the Directorate of Special Operations of South Africa. He also served as the Vice President of Integrity for the World Bank for nine years.

In January 2020, sixteen allegations of ethical misconduct were levelled against Adesina by a group of whistleblowers. The allegations which were reviewed by the Bank’s Ethics Committee of the Board of Directors in March, were described as “frivolous and without merit.” The findings and rulings of the Ethics Committee were subsequently upheld by the apex Bureau of the Board of Governors in May, which cleared Adesina of any wrongdoing.

The report of the Independent Review Panel states that it “concurs with the (Ethics) Committee in its findings in respect of all the allegations against the President and finds that they were properly considered and dismissed by the Committee.”

The Panel once again vindicates Adesina and states, “It has considered the President’s submissions on their face and finds them consistent with his innocence and to be persuasive.”

The conclusions of the Independent Review Panel  are decisive and now clear the way for Governors of the Bank to re-elect Adesina to a second five-year term as President during annual meetings of the Bank scheduled for August 25-27.

Adesina is a highly decorated and distinguished technocrat and globally-respected development economist. He was awarded the prestigious World Food Prize in 2017 and the Sunhak Peace Prize in 2019 for global leadership in agriculture and for good governance.

Since taking over the reigns of the Bank in 2015, he has introduced several innovative reforms including a High5 development strategy; a restructuring of the bank including setting up offices in several African nations to get closer to its clients; an Africa Investment Forum that has attracted $79 billion in investment interests into projects in Africa between 2018 and 2019. He successfully led a historic General Capital Increase campaign that culminated in the Bank’s shareholders raising the institution’s capital from $93 billion to $208 billion, in October 2019.

In June and July respectively, global credit ratings agencies Standard and Poors and Fitch Ratings both affirmed the ‘AAA’ rating of the Bank, with stable outlook.

Akinwumi Adesina, AfDB President, ECOWAS tips him for another term



Under Adesina’s leadership the African Development Bank launched a $10 billion crisis response facility to boost African nations’ ability to tackle the health and economic effects of COVID-19.

Several Governors of the Bank speaking off the record, say it is now time to put recent events in the past; provide the Bank’s President with full support; and bolster the Bank’s efforts on Africa’s critical development issues.

Distributed by APO Group \lsdpriority49

Bauchi Gov Signs Six Bills into Law

Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, has signed six bills presented to him by the state House of Assembly into law.

The bills signed by the governor yesterday are the 2020 Revised Budget; Violence Against Person; renaming the College of Health Technology Ningi to Belinda and Gate College of Health Technology Ningi; renaming of College of Nursing and Midwifery to Aliko Dangote College of Nursing and Midwifery.

Others are the Bauchi State Public Procurement 2020; and renaming AD Rufai College of Legal Studies to AD Rufai College of Education and Legal Studies.

The Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt Hon Abubakar Suleiman, who presented the bills to the governor on behalf of the lawmakers, commended the executive arm of government for the well prepared 2020 revised budget document.

Speaking after signing the bills, the governor said despite the negative effect of COVID-19 to the economy, the state government has made provisions for continuity in the execution of abandoned projects.

He said the renaming of the two Colleges of Health in the state was a gesture to appreciate the philanthropists for their outstanding contributions towards the advancement of healthcare system.

Covid-19 and Hydroxychloroquine: A Global Manipulation and Cover Ups.

Nothing exposes the globalists and their friends than this current efforts to discredit any information that says hydroxychloroquine, combined with other medications have saved the lives of Covid-19 patients, especially, the aged and those with underlining medical conditions.

Studies abound from different parts of the world that validate the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of Covid-19. It is however crystal clear that certain powerful institutions, groups and individuals never want this information to get to the people. Where it filters out, they are very swift in discrediting it. The latest being the vociferous way the claims of Dr Stella Emmanuel was attacked, discredited and her integrity questioned. The leading social media even pulled down the video. This clearly shows that there is an international coalition playing games with Covid-19 treatment. Who are they, if one may ask.

United States Angle: The forthcoming Presidential election in the US has turned Covid-19 into a political weapon that the opposition is using against the incumbent President Donald Trump. The narratives are that Trump was incompetent in the handling of the pandemic, not fit to remain in office because of this and that US will be in a wrong hand if he is reelected.
The fact that Trump first suggested the idea of Hydroxychloroquine for Covid-19 treatment meant it must be discredited. Anyone or scientific studies that validate his claim must also be attacked and discredited.

Big Pharmaceutical Angle: Covid-19 treatment provide an opportunity for big global business. Their narrative from the onset is that Covid-19 has no cure for now. So, they have to develop new medications for its treatment. Acceptance of Hydroxychloroquine for treatment is therefore a bad business. Hydroxychloroquine is cheap. Their new medications are very expensive. One of them costs as high as six thousand Dollars per dose. So, for profit reasons, they naturally join the anti Hydroxychloroquine group.

The Globalists and New World Order Group: The individuals in this group are some of the richest, powerful and influential in the world. Their focus is to develop a vaccine for Covid-19 treatment. They have invested heavily in this. Their motive? To have everybody in the world vaccinated for a purpose. Those who refused to be vaccinated are to be excluded or prevented from certain privileges or barred from travelling to certain destinations. Conspiracy theorists have opined that the vaccine is a screen to plant a ‘chip’ into everyone that accept the vaccination and for purposes of global control and power. So, accepting Hydroxychloroquine as a treatment is to this group, an impossibility.

It is therefore not surprising that opposition to Hydroxychloroquine is vocal and powerful. That has even brought a bigger problem to our consciousness. Power to control the media and in the process, control information flow and thought processes. This is the biggest challenge to mankind and the future of the world.

Global media networks have been caught to have disseminated distorted information, half truths and outright falsehood over Covid-19 issues. While some schools of thought attribute this dangerous and unethical behaviour to politics associated with the US presidential election, others see it as a sign of what to expect if the world succumbs to the plans of the globalists. They want to control everything including the way human beings think and behave. What brings this closer home is the way Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and other social media platforms pull down any information that contradicts the narratives being pushed by the powerful globalists.

In May this year, CBS, a Christian broadcast Station in the US sent its reporters to various hospitals and isolation centers in the epi- centres of corona virus in some states in the US. Their findings are that the number of infected persons as reported in the US mainstream Media Networks are not met on ground in these hospitals. In other words, the picture of the pandemic, painted by the US media is different from the reality on ground in all the Covid-19 centres they went to. The news report was posted on YouTube and shared on Facebook and Twitter. I also shared the report on my page. Within minutes of my sharing,it was pulled down by YouTube for allegedly contravening its community policy. The same was done to Dr Stella Emmanuel’s video.

Now, the big question is how can these platforms arrogate the power to retain and pull down information based on their prerogative to discern what is the truth or not? What I discover is that some powerful institutions, groups and individuals are putting immense pressures and threats on the owners of these platforms to allow what they want and suppress what they don’t want. That is the danger ahead. The internet is supposed to be the ‘information highway’ for humanity. If anyone posts an information that is alleged to be misleading, then, those alleging are expected to post their correct version of the information and after the platforms must have confirmed the true version, go ahead to put a caveat emptor on the false one for all users of the information to see. That is what is termed an aspect of the democratisation of the information highway. You post true information, you are applauded. You post false or misleading information, you are called out and shamed and your information labelled as false.

Some individuals are dead serious about controlling what others read watch or hear on the conventional and Social media and eventually manipulate the whole of mankind. We owe it as a duty to use our numbers and collective pressure to say no to them. Nobody has either rights or power to manipulate the world with information unless we, the majority of homo sapiens allow them through our complacency and indifference.

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