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The specie of corruption in Nigeria the most dangerous

By Louis A koko Esq (PhD, ACA)

About two decades ago I read that the financial corruption in New York alone is more than the monetary value of corruption in the continent of Africa, yet New York has never been bankrupt or is United States of America struggling economically as most countries in Africa. So what is the reason for the dire consequences of corruption in Nigeria and by extension Africa?

The corruption in Nigeria is the extreme and dangerous specie far different from what is obtainable even in other African countries and certainly not in advanced countries in Europe and America.

Corruption in Nigeria has it roots in our colonial past and the cultural distortions in our society. The British dealt with the various tribes in Nigeria diferentially and gave unmerited advantages to the tribe that was more favourable disposed to British rule in Nigeria but unfortunately, this tribe was educationally disadvantaged, so the early elites from the other tribes responded to the preferential treatment of the colonial government by compensating themselves with unearned monetary advantages by way of extortions and public fund embezzelments.

The distortions in our cultures also helped to fuel the specie of corruption in Nigeria. The reason been that the early western educated Nigerians were mostly from the households and communities regarded as outcasts and slaves. These Nigerians who embraced western education were the earliest to gain entry into civil services as court clerks, office clerks and messengers to the British rulers in Nigeria, hence they had to assert themselves through the acquisition of wealth to compensate for their diminished egos and absence of social recognition in their cultures.

Modern day curruption has similar traits with that of pre independent Nigeria. The Nigerian state have not been fair to the working class in terms of wage and conditions of service. No worker in Nigeria can afford to meet the financial obligations of the family if there is no other source of income and this source is financial corruption in form of extortion and out right embezzelment.

The insensitivity and insincerety of the government is encouraging the high level of corruption in Nigeria and the expanding dimension is due mainly to weak institutions and protracted litigation time in our courts. In the presence of delayed punishment or consequence, corruption thrives in Nigeria!

However, the most dangerous aspect of the corruption in Nigeria is the deliberate capital flights that takes place whenever successful stealing of public funds occurs. It increases the demand of other countries’ currencies and push foreign exchange rate above the optimal economic value and with it come increasing inflation and interest rates.

It is no more news that most of our leaders, military and civilian who had stolen public funds used same to invest in other countries. We have been told that the current President is allegedly the owner of a refinery in Malta. I read on this platform that former military President of Nigeria owned a refinery at Cote d’voire, ditto the predecessor to President Tinubu in Niger Republic. Are we then surprised that there is high level of theft of crude oil in Nigeria? An economic sabotage of epic proportion.

Not only are these high ranking government officials involve in financial corruption, but majority of Nigerians who have the opportunities, steal from the system and invest same outside the economy of Nigeria.

The capital flights arising from corruption is the most dangerous aspect that makes it a unique specie different from the types that occur in other countries in the world.

Let us imagine that all the refineries built from the proceed of corruption outside the country were built here, will the level of unemployment get to this feverish level? Will fuel scarcity and high cost of PMS become a problem in Nigeria? Will the economic growth of Nigeria remain as stunted as it is today?

In all sectors of human needs and development, Nigerians have invested stolen funds in other countries except Nigeria. Former governors and heads of agencies own universities in almost all the continents of the world. They invested looted funds in hotels and housing projects, in hospitals and manufacturing but little or nothing in Nigeria, hence the miseries and pains Nigerians are currently experiencing. No thanks to the capital flights which the financial corruption creates in undermining our socioeconomic development.

Enforcing Human Rights in Nigeria: A comparative analysis of court judgements

By Sonny Onyegbula

Human rights enforcement in Nigeria inhabits many complexities such as the enforcement mechanisms for court judgements, which tend to hinder progress. Other issues relate to prolonged cases, judicial timidity, and interference from the executive and politically exposed individuals.

Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended) has provisions for a set of fundamental human rights, indicating the country’s commitment to the principles of justice and equality, with nuanced understanding of the interplay between individual rights and state obligations.

Human rights protected by the Nigerian Constitution include the right to Life (Section 33), right to Dignity (Section 34), right to Freedom of Expression (Section 39), right to Fair Trial (Section 36), Personal liberty (Section 35), Privacy (Section 37), Freedom of movement (Section 41), Freedom of association (Section 40), rights of persons with disabilities (Section 42), and right to Education (Section 18).

However, the rights to economic benefits, education and healthcare are non-justiciable, underpinned by inadequate resources and the lack of political will for implementation, and this underscores the need for more aggressive advocacy.

Also, despite the robust legal framework, the enforcement landscape reveals a disconnect between the normative instruments and the reality. Human rights violations, impunity, and institutional inertia underscore the need for a more effective accountability mechanism, judicial reform, and a cultural shift towards rights-based approach to governance.

Strengthening institutional capacity, ensuring judicial independence, and fostering a culture of transparency, accountability, and respect for human rights are essential to protect human rights in Nigeria. This requires a concerted effort by all stakeholders, including the government, civil society, and individuals, to ensure that the rights enshrined in the Constitution are enforced and protected.

The importance of enforcing court judgements to an effective justice system cannot be overstated. It is a fundamental aspect of the rule of law and a critical component of human rights protection. Legal scholars, human rights activists, and judges have consistently emphasized the crucial role of the judiciary in enforcing court judgements.

The consequences of non-enforcement of court judgements are many and far-reaching, including the erosion of trust in the judiciary and the rule of law. Persistent human rights violations and impunity can undermine the integrity of the legal system. In addition, the lack of enforcement of court judgements, entrenches human rights violations.

Additionally, the government and other stakeholders must work collectively to create the enabling environment for the enforcement of court judgements to promote human rights, accountability and the entrenchment of a justice system that meets international standards.

The approval or permission of the Attorney General of the Federation is required to enforce monetary judgements against state agencies, but executive interference and political pressure hinder the enforcement of court decisions.

South Africa has a track record of enforcing court decisions, particularly those related to human rights. Two notable cases demonstrate this commitment:

In Makwanyane v. South Africa (1995): The Constitutional Court abolished the death penalty, upholding the right to life, while in the Khosa v. South Africa (2004): The same Court ordered the government to provide housing, which comes under socio-economic rights.

Another judicial system that upholds the rights of individuals and ensures enforcement of court decisions to a very large extent is that of India.

In Maneka Gandhi v. India (1978): The Supreme Court established the right to life and liberty, including the right to a fair trial. Similarly, in Olga Tellis v. India (1985), the apex Court also ordered the government to provide housing, under the socio-economic rights.

The Indian Supreme Court is committed to prioritizing judicial independence, curbing executive interference and corruption, and ensuring effective enforcement mechanisms.

The U.S. Supreme Court has also demonstrated, through decided cases, a commitment to the protection of citizens’ right and promotion of social justice. For instance, in Marbury v. Madison (1803), the Supreme Court established a judicial review, a process where the apex court can review the constitutionality of laws or legal actions, to ensure the enforcement of constitutional rights.

In Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the same Court also ordered desegregation and enforced equal protection rights.

Britain is not left out as seen in  Entick v. Carrington (1765), where the UK highest Court established the right to privacy and judicial review, setting a major precedent for protecting individual rights.

Also, in R v. Secretary of State for the Home Department (2013), the UK Supreme Court ordered the government to respect human rights in deportation cases, demonstrating the court’s commitment to upholding human rights and the rule of law.

To address bottlenecks on the enforcement of court decisions, Nigeria must prioritize judicial reforms, ensure independence of the judiciary, and deal with the systemic barriers that prevent marginalized groups from accessing justice. The legal profession must also uphold ethical standards and promote access to justice for all.

It is obvious that the U.S., UK, South Africa, and India have demonstrated different approaches to human rights enforcement, with unique strengths and weaknesses.

In the US, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights provide a robust framework, with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) playing a crucial role in enforcement through litigation and advocacy.  However, the system also faces some challenges such as the politicization and erosion of civil liberties.

In contrast, the UK’s Human Rights Act 1998 offers a more comprehensive approach, incorporating the European Convention on Human Rights and providing individuals with a clear avenue for redress. The UK Human Rights Council promotes and protects human rights, although the system now faces some challenges related to Brexit.

South Africa’s Constitution has progressive provisions on human rights and social justice, with the South African Human Rights Commission playing a vital role. However, poverty, inequality, and access to justice also hinder enforcement.

India’s Constitution enshrines fundamental rights such as the right to life, liberty, and equality. However, issues related to poverty, discrimination, and state repression remain a blight on the country’s human rights record. There are also issues related to corruption and inadequate access to justice.

No judicial system is perfect, but Nigeria can draw useful lessons from other countries’ experiences and insights for transformational changes in its system. This will make sure that adoption of a comprehensive approach to strengthen the independence and impartiality of the judiciary, are more transparent with merit-based appointments, and increased access to justice and legal representation for  marginalized groups.

There is also the need for regular training for judges and other judicial officers, the police and security agencies, to equip all stakeholders with adequate knowledge on issues related to human rights and the rule of law.

The reform to Nigeria’s judicial system should also combat corruption and ensure accountability. It should involve relevant stakeholders for inclusiveness, to ensure buy-in and collective ownership.

Dr Sonny Onyegbula is a U.S.-based Legal Consultant

Wrongful removal from office: Former CJN Onnoghen, FG to settle out of court

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday granted the request of the Federal Government and ex-Chief Justice of Nigeria, (CJN), Hon. Justice Walter S.N. Onnoghen, to settle an appeal challenging his removal from office out of court.

The intermediate court’s decision was on account of information that the two parties in the suit had intensified efforts to reach an amicable settlement of all issues in the dispute.

In 2019, former President Muhammadu Buhari removed Onnoghen as CJN during the pendency of a charge against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

However, at Thursday’s proceedings in the appeal, counsel to CJN, Dr Ogwu  Onoja, SAN, informed a three-member panel of the Appeal Court that the two parties were involved in discussions on a peaceful resolution of the dispute.

Onoja informed the court that the parties had an engagement up until Wednesday and expressed optimism that the discussion would bear fruitful results.

He subsequently appealed to the appellate court for a one-month adjournment for final settlement of the matter.

Counsel to the federal government, Tijani Gazali confirmed the submission of Onoja and requested that the matter be shifted for a possible amicable settlement.

“My Lords, I wish to humbly confirm the information. It is our position to settle the matter out of court,” he said.

Justice J. O. Oyewole, who presided over the proceedings, directed them to file terms of settlement for adoption when eventually agreed upon.

Justice Oyewole held that the terms of settlement must be documented and filed before the adjourned date for the court to adopt as its judgement in the matter.

He subsequently adjourned until Nov. 4 as the return date for the two parties.

Onnoghen was prosecuted in 2019 by the federal government on false declaration of assets at the Code of Conduct Tribunal(CCT) he was pronounced guilty and removed from office.

He was also made to forfeit the undeclared assets to the federal government.

Onnoghen not satisfied with the judgment of CCT appealed, praying the Court to set aside the judgment that removed him from office and ordered the forfeiture of his five bank accounts.

CSOs call for immediate end to mass forced  eviction of waterfront communities in Lagos

JOINT  PRESS STATEMENT: JOINT CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE END TO MASS FORCED  EVICTION OF WATERFRONT COMMUNITIES IN LAGOS TO SAVE THE PEOPLE  OF MAKOKO/IWAYA WATERFRONT

We, the  undersigned  members  of  civil  society,  including  organized  residents  of  informal settlements and their long-term NGO  partners, condemn the forced eviction of Oko  Baba and parts of Ayetoro community starting on 14 September 2024 by the Lagos State Government – and we call for an immediate stop to the imminently threatened eviction of Sogunro community.

On Saturday, 14 September 2024, the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) announced on  social media that  it was  commencing the “clearing of shanties” in the sawmilling waterfront community of Oko  Baba. The same day, residents saw  their homes and workplaces lit on  fire, evicting thousands, while the media carried the story  of a “fire outbreak” in the area. A day later – on   the  public  holiday  celebrating  the  Prophet  Mohammed’s  birthday  –   the  neighboring community of Ayetoro – reportedly the first Ilaje settlement in Lagos dating back to 1912 – was caught unawares as the demolition squad began destroying homes without notice.

While thousands of evictees from  Oko  Baba and Ayetoro communities are sleeping outside, in the late afternoon of 17 September 2024, LASBCA officials together with officers from the Mobile Police  (MOPOL)   of the Nigerian  Police  Forced, descended on the neighboring waterfront community of Sogunro –  one of the villages comprising the Makoko/Iwaya waterfront. Armed officers came by boat and went round the community, informing everyone that  they should pack out before the following morning when they threatened the squad would come back and would begin to demolish the community and set all remaining properties ablaze.

Over the years, we have seen too  many of our sister/partner communities forcibly evicted without any  consideration for  the rule of  law,  the protection of  fundamental rights enshrined in  the Nigerian Constitution, or the dire social and economic consequences for tens of thousands. We shudder to  imagine the scale of  the impact if Sogunro should meet this  same awful  fate, in particular during this  time of  extreme economic hardship and knowing the disproportionate impact that  such evictions have on children, women, elderly and other vulnerable populations.

The Lagos State Government is well aware that  there are better ways to develop the city – that this can  be done through win-win  partnership  with  communities  to  embark on  in situ  upgrading. Indeed, just  over a month ago, the Lagos State Government approved a pilot project for in situ upgrading of a small area of Makoko through the Dutch-Nigerian firm Nlé. Meanwhile, a Nigerian film about the horrors of  forced eviction, The Legend of  the Vagabond Queen of  Lagos, just premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival to much acclaim. Certainly, then, this is the moment for Lagos to break from the past and embrace a new approach, rather than jeopardizing its future development prospects and destroying tens of thousands more lives.

#SaveSogunro       #EndForcedEvictions     #SoroSoke

SIGNED:

Megan S. Chapman                                           Mohammed Zanna & Bisola Akinmuyiwa Justice & Empowerment Initiatives (JEI)             Nigerian Slum/Informal Settlement Federation www.justempower.org                                            www.facebook.com/NigerianFederation.net

Betty Abah                                                          Olamide Udoma-Ejorh

Centre for Children’s Health, Education,            Lagos Urban Development Initiative (LUDI) Orientation and Protection (CEE-HOPE)             https://ludi.org.ng/

www.cee-hope.org

Abiodun Baiyewu                                                 Yemi Adamolekun Global Rights                                                       Enough Is Enough https://www.globalrights.org/                               https://eie.ng/about/

Ebonyi spends over N53bn on airport project, runway repairs amidst poverty

By  Edward Nnachi

The construction of the Muhammadu Buhari (presently Chuba Okadigbo) International Airport, located in Onueke in the Ezza South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, South-East of Nigeria has continued to generate discourse among economic and non-economic experts.

The controversies hinge on the economic viability of the airport; how the N10 billion approved for the project by the then Federal Government under Buhari’s watch was expended by the then David Umahi’s administration; the over-publicised N36 billion spent for the construction of the project and who the contractors were; and the proposed N13 billion expenditure by the current state government under Governor Francis Nwifuru, for runway repairs.

Before the construction of the airport, no fewer than 200 houses were demolished in the area by the then-Umahi-led state government.

The development saw to the displacement of over 800 natives including elderly men/women and nursing mothers. Investigations by South-East PUNCH revealed that most of the owners of the affected houses were never paid compensation. The few that were lucky got paltry sums ranging from N200,000 to N400,000.

Today, amid the suffering and hardship residents of the state contend with, the airport which is supposed to be a revenue-generating enterprise is currently lying economically lifeless and inactive, yet drains the scarce resources of the ‘starter’ state.

On Thursday, April 26, 2023, the Ebonyi Airport was inaugurated with two inaugural flights (Air Peace Hopper 5N-BXF and 5-BUY) torching down in the airport. It was this very day that Umahi named the airport after former President Muhammadu Buhari. Between April and September 2023 when news made the rounds its runaway was already worn-out, the airport has reportedly never raked in a dime into the coffers of the state government which is in dire need of its monumental development.

Consequently, stakeholders, economic and aviation experts have continued to question the establishment of the project and its benefits to the citizenry. Umahi, had in April announced it cost the state a whopping N36 billion to construct the airport and as if that was not enough, Governor Nwifuru last month disclosed that be spending over N13 billion to rehabilitate the already decrepit runway.

Stakeholders have expressed dismay and reluctance over the project, saying it was anti-people and remained a conduit for economic sabotage.

But defending the approval of N13.7 billion for the rehabilitation of the airport runway, despite being newly inaugurated, Governor Nwifuru, during a media chat as part of activities that marked Nigeria’s 63rd Independence celebration and 27 years of the state’s creation, said the airport should operate optimally considering the huge amount of money spent in constructing it.

He said, “The question concerning the huge cost of rehabilitating the airport should be asked by every concerned Ebonyi citizen.

“A fellow governor recently asked me the same question and I maintained that the initiators of the airport had germane intentions.

“They, however, didn’t get the runway right as it is not smooth for aircraft to land.”

Noting that the situation has caused problems for several planes and made many to avoid landing at the facility, Nwifuru said, “We thought the fault was the runway’s expansion joints and decided to close the joints. The problem persisted even when the expansion joints were closed.

“We contacted the Federal Ministry of Aviation which outlined processes for the facility’s rehabilitation.”

Meanwhile, the state government has said the Federal Government was eager to take over the Chuba Okadigbo International Airport, which was commissioned in May 2023.

The Commissioner for Aviation Technology, Dr Ngozi Obichukwu, had a few months ago expressed satisfaction with the level of work at the airport, announcing it would be ready for use before the end of August 2024.

She had said, “The runway of the Chuba Okadigbo’s Airport is about 90 per cent completed. We have about 500 metres remaining to get it done.

“The expatriate contractors are doing a very good job. Work has been ongoing to ensure that we meet the completion period, which is in May and hopeful, we will commence flight operation by August.

On Tuesday, she equally said the state government had completed the resurfacing of the runway from concrete to asphalt to make it operational and more comfortable for airline operators.

However, a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi State, Barr. Silas Onu has described the airport as ill-conceived, saying it was a White Elephant project.

Onu insisted that a right-thinking governor could have opted for massive industrialisation of the state, seeing that agriculture was its main economic base.

He added that the project was a huge waste to the state, which had not added any economic value to its citizens.

Onu, who was the PDP candidate in the February 2024 bye-election for Ebonyi South senatorial district, said, “As an opening remark, may I indicate that the said airport was built and commissioned as a completed project by the immediate past governor, Engr. David Nweze Umahi. The commissioning was widely broadcast with the landing of one aircraft from Air Peace. I doubt if any other plane landed at the airport after the official commission/opening of that airport. So, I was personally shocked and taken aback when the newly-sworn in Governor Nwifuru began spending billions on the newly, unused airport, for what he termed as “rehabilitation” or was it “renovation”? Whichever it was, there was absolutely no need for further needless spending on what has now become a white elephant project.

“The concept of an airport in Abakaliki in itself is ill-conceived as the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu has not been used to its full capacity and can serve Ebonyi State and beyond. What is largely needed in Ebonyi State is massive industrialization as we are a 100 per cent non-oil-based economy. Agriculture is our main economic base and investing in industries that will enhance the value of our products would have been impactful on the lives of our people.

“This airport has only occupied space that would have been used for a better purpose and the billions ploughed into it cannot be said to have been wisely invested – this is an egoistic project that adds no value whatsoever to the people of Ebonyi State.

“A good question to ask at this juncture is, how well have our economy fared with the EBOTRANS business? Has it elevated the State to a top road transportation service provider in Nigeria? So this will lead us into looking into your next question.”

In a related development, the immediate past Publicity Secretary of the PDP in the state and a social media influencer, Comrade Chika Nwoba, has expressed displeasure over the airport project, saying it was a mere conduit for the perpetuation of financial malfeasance.

He alleged that a former governor of the state and current Minister of Works, Engr. Umahi ‘packaged’ the project as a window dressing to deceive the masses, thus carte away their collective patrimony.

He said, “Well, I was one of the supporters of the establishment of that airport, bearing in mind that what the governor at that time said it was going to be was actually what it was going to be. Events subsequently began to unfold which portrayed the project as a mere conduit channel through which financial malfeasance could be carried out. I began to lose interest when the governor commissioned it whereas it was still hugely a work in progress.

“He just packaged it for public eulogy. I visited the airport and what I saw was to a large extent a beautiful nonsense. At that point, it was said to have gulped over N40 billion plus. It was at this point that I began to see it as a means of making money for the now-outgone governor and his cronies. I lost interest.

“When the current governor assumed office and immediately allocated what is almost more than what they claimed to have spent on the project, I became more aggravated. I think many also expressed their disenchantment over the issue. People thought everything concerning the airport had been taken care of, reason it was commissioned.”

For the All Progressives Grand Alliance senatorial candidate in the February 2024 re-run for Ebonyi South District, Sir Ifeanyi Eleje, Ebonyi State didn’t need an airport currently, insisting, “No. I don’t think an airport was a priority need for the state.”

An aviation expert, Anthony Awunor, said the state government should have considered some salient factors before embarking on the airport project, observing that of the 22 airports in the country; only three were operational and functional.

Awunor said, “From records I have, airport establishment is very capital intensive. Despite this fact, I am aware that most state government still develop voracious desire to set up one.

“Despite their efforts, the airports always turn out to be white elephant projects because they cannot sustain it in the long run. Beyond, setting it up, maintenance has always been another big challenge. To build a 3-kilometre runway is not a joke and again, functional airport needs permanent technical and administrative personnel who must work to sustain the cost of their existence, even if they are not generating money.

“It is on record that only three out of 22 airports under its management are profitable. These three airports also harbour the highest traffic figures. How then is the airport business so attractive to state governments?”

Meanwhile, a socio-politico group, the Igbo National Council has threatened to drag the Ebonyi State government to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the airport project.

The group averred that the contract award process, approvals and implementation of the project was allegedly fraught with corruption, calling on the Ebonyi State House of Assembly to review the project immediately.

In a statement signed by its President, Comrade Chilos Godsent, a copy of which was obtained by South-East PUNCH on Monday, the group said, “Recently, the Ebonyi State government announced that the airport being billed by the state government at Onueke has gulped over N53 billion of Ebonyi State tax payers’ money and yet the airport has not started functioning. Also sometime in July 2024, the Ebonyi State government announced that it has concluded plans to purchase four aircraft for commercial purposes to make the airport functional.

“Given the above, the INC, therefore, condemns in strong terms this deliberate and reckless waste of Ebonyi State taxpayers’ money on elephant projects.  The INC thinks that the ongoing white elephant project called airport is a misplacement of priority and a waste of funds.

“On the foregoing, the INC, therefore, call on the Ebonyi State House of Assembly to immediately set up an independent audit committee with rigid timeframe to carry out a forensic audit on the Ebonyi State airport project at Onueke.

“We wish to state that if the Ebonyi State House of Assembly treats the above request with levity, the INC may have no other option than to commence the mobilisation of concerned Ebonyi State critical stakeholders to initiate a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to commence investigation on the project.”

Efforts to get the state government to give an update on the current state of the airport project in addition to the earlier insights provided by Governor Nwifuru and the Commissioner for Aviation Technology, Dr Obichukwu, failed, on Monday.

Messages sent to the state government’s functionaries, including the Commissioners for Information and Aviation Technology, Engr Jude Okpor and Dr Obichukwu, respectfully, were not responded to, as of the time of filing this report on Monday.

Always, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Nwifuru, Dr Monday Uzor, was yet to respond to inquiries made by our correspondent.

Police officer who saw sex rooms and hidden cameras during mansion raid says ‘Diddy as bad as Jeffrey Epstein’

Recent details have emerged of the sex rooms Hip-hop mogul, Sean “Diddy” Combs allegedly kept in his Miami mansion filled with sex toys, bondage gear, hidden cameras and lingerie.

A federal source who spoke with the Newyork Post said that  Diddy is “as bad as Epstein.”

One of the Department of Homeland Security agents who helped raid Diddy’s Florida home, claimed that the music mogul had rooms that were clearly “dedicated s3x” with cameras all around.

“So if you were in those sex parties, you were being recorded from every possible angle, including angles you wouldn’t have known about,” the source said, referring to the sometimes days-long orgies he called “freak offs” where drugged up victims were allegedly forced to sleep with male prostitutes.

“In my opinion, he’s as bad as Jeffrey Epstein,” the source added about the late paedophile who committed suicide behind bars.

“These women are young. Either barely legal, or barely illegal.”

Also police officers reportedly said they see a lot of similarities between Combs and Epstein, the well-connected financier who served time for trafficking dozens of young girls in New York and Florida. Epstein, who was awaiting trial on additional charges, died in his jail cell in August 2019.

On Tuesday, Combs was slapped with federal s3x trafficking and racketeering charges. According to the bombshell indictment, he allegedly coerced his female victims into days-long sex sessions as part of his alleged pattern of abuse dating back more than a decade.

The indictment alleges that the women some of whom were still teenagers were coerced into “Freak Off” sex sessions with male prostitutes that were often recorded while the music producer masturbated.

But the source reportedly told The NY Post that sometimes, Diddy would allegedly just watch the romps from another room.

“He also was able to watch the action remotely on his phone, cast it onto a TV in another part of the house,” the source said. “He didn’t have to be in the room when the sex was happening, although he frequently was.”

Diddy’s employees allegedly helped facilitate the sick sessions by arranging travel, booking hotel rooms where they would take place and stocking the rooms with supplies — including drugs, baby oil, lubricants and extra linen.

“We have evidence that these women didn’t feel like they were free to go,” the DHS officer said, “and there’s video evidence that some of the girls are clearly out of it while these men are having sex with them.”

Combs would also keep videos of the “sensitive, embarrassing and incriminating” sessions sometimes without his victims’ knowledge so he could use them “as collateral to ensure the continued obedience and silence of the victims,” the indictment alleges.

Diddy faces three federal charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution.

He has pleaded not guilty. The the case continues 

Kidnap victim held inside ‘Ghana-Must-Go’ bag rescued by Police

The Rivers State Police Command says its operatives have rescued a teenager, who was kidnapped in Enugu and transported to Port Harcourt in a ‘Ghana-Must-Go’ bag.  

The State police commissioner, Mr Olatunji Disu, made this disclosure during a news conference in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, September 18. 

He said the teenager was repeatedly raped by her kidnappers after being taken to Port Harcourt, adding that the crime was uncovered when officers in Abuloma Police Station received credible intelligence regarding the suspicious movement of one of the suspects. 

“Upon receiving the information, operatives were swiftly dispatched to the area, and they arrested one male suspect. 

“Officers rescued the teenage girl (name withheld) who had been held against her will by the suspect. 

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect lured the teenager from her residence in Garki, Enugu, placed her in a ‘Ghana-Must-Go’ bag and transported her from Enugu to Port Harcourt,” Disu said. 

The police commissioner further said that, upon arriving in Port Harcourt, the victim was taken to the residence of an alleged internet fraudster, and the alleged fraudster and another suspect repeatedly had carnal knowledge of the teenager. 

“The victim has undergone medical examination and treatment, while the suspects are in our custody,” he said.

As the raids continue unabated, bandits attack Kaduna church, kill 3, kidnap Pastor, over 30 others

While worshippers were in Church on Sunday at Bakinpah-Maro, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, terrorists struck, killing three persons and kidnapping over 30 people including a pastor away.

Confirming the incident, a former chairman of Kajuru LGA, Cafra Caino, said that the assailants arrived in large numbers around 10 a.m.

They were said to have specifically targeted an ECWA church and a Catholic church.

“The bandits came in large numbers and attacked the two churches,” Caino stated, as reported by The Nation.

Among the abducted was Bernard Gajera, a pastor from one of the churches.

The police have not yet released a statement regarding the attack.

This incident occurs against the backdrop of the Maro community’s recent efforts to fund a security post aimed at attracting more law enforcement personnel to combat persistent security challenges that have disrupted farming activities.

In his Monday 17 September article, Lasisi Olagunju raised the profound poser below.

“Mid last week, respected journalist, Jaafar Jaafar, wrote and had this posted online: ‘A friend from a prominent northern family yesterday narrated a painful story of how his family paid through the nose to secure the release of a relative from bandits. Apart from payment of N35m cash as ransom, they also delivered – as demanded – the following: six brand new motorcyles; four cartons of whiskey; 10 packets of Tramadol; 1(one) bag of Indian Hemp; 1(one) carton of Aspen cigarette; 12 bags of rice (50kg); 10 bags of maize (100kg); 5 bags of beans (100kg); 1(one) 25-litre jerry can of groundnut oil; 1(one) 25-litre jerry can of palm oil; 1 (one) carton of seasoning; 10 packets of paracetamol; 10 packets of chloroquine.

‘While preparing to deliver the foregoing items, the bandits called and ordered them to service the motorcycles and fill up the tanks. Allah Ya kawo ƙarshen wannan masifa.’ Do governments sometimes lose control at night and regain it during the day?”

He also added: “Every day, the security forces announce the ‘neutralization’ of bandits and terrorists. Yet, the forest remains infested from one end to the other. Could it be that the neutralized have also mastered the art of neutralizing death?

“For, the more killed of the bandits by our troops, the more the bandits troop back to abduct and kill… The innocent are tired of life…”

Now that the President is back

By Suyi Ayodele

You could not have noticed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu came into the country on Sunday because he breezed in at night. Nigerians should be happy that our husband is back. We don’t deserve any explanation about how our husband, who told us he was going to China, ended up in the United Kingdom (UK). That is what a woman who married an Òrò, the nocturnal spirit of darkness gets. Òrò walks only at night; it tells no other spirits its movement. Not even members of his household.

Kollington Ayinla, Fuji lord, once sang about an adulterous woman. The woman, the musician sang, bade the husband goodbye on a trip to Kwara, but was spotted in Abeokuta; when she said she was going to Kano, she ended up at Ita Faji in Lagos. Yet she says she does not tell lies!  Elders of our land say a woman who gets married to a socialite must add patience and perseverance to her virtues. We welcome back Mr President from the land of the unknown, where he conducted unknown businesses on our behalf.

Before our husband departed to China and surfaced in the UK, he approved a minimum wage of N70,000 a month for workers. That was when petrol was sold for between N700 and N750 a litre. But while away, the ones he left to tend to us increased fuel price to N868/litre. That was for the government-controlled NNPCL retail outlets. Other players in the market, especially the ubiquitous independent marketers, sold the products at N1,200. That is an average difference of N500 per litre, depending on the location. A few hours before the nocturnal arrival of our Òrò husband back to Nigeria, the NNPCL announced that it bought a litre of petrol from the expected ‘saviour’, Dangote Refinery, at N898/litre. That means the NNPCL will sell between N950 and N1,120/litre. The independent marketers will, no doubt, up the stakes and sell at N1,600 or more. Mr President’s new minimum wage is no longer relevant. The take-home pay can no longer take anyone home. Now that the President is back, he must do something.

Before President Tinubu left for China, he set the tone for another layer of suffering for Nigerians. A litre of fuel he met at N198 when he took over on May 29, 2023, suddenly jumped to N896 at the NNPCL mega-filling stations across the country. Other marketers started selling at between N1,000 and N1,200 per litre in some states. In many other states, the price was higher than that. We had no option. We groaned under the big phallus of our husband, and we moved on.

Expectedly, Aso Rock Villa gave the usual explanation. The Presidency did not ask NNPCL to sell fuel at the new price. NNPCL replied that market forces determined the new price. Helpless and hapless Nigerians were left in the middle of two lying institutions. Nigerians know that it was not a spirit that gave the order. But nobody owned up. Nobody has ever owned up to anything in Nigeria. We are a country on autopilot. Anything goes here, just as our resilience increases anytime the bitter pill is shoved down our throats. We swallowed them without complaints, and we waited for the next mistreatment. Lucky rulers and ruiners they are. I mean those who superintend our affairs. They get away with many things.

Coincidentally, as our husband arrived from an unknown journey, the government decided to divert our attention. The handlers of Tinubu are experts in perfidy and diversionary tactics. They know some stubborn wives in the federation might want to ask how President Tinubu ended up shaking hands with King Charles III of England when we all held corporate prayers for his safe trip to China. They threw something new at us all.

The media became culpable this time around. Everywhere we turned, we were assailed by the news of NNPCL sending hundreds of trucks to load fuel from the Dangote Refinery. An incurable Tinubu apologist who had the temerity to send the video of the trucks loading the products at the Dangote Refinery to me has since not picked up my calls. His shame, I can understand. Hardly had he sent the video, in a celebratory mood, with the did-we-not-tell-you victory signature, than the show of shame between the NNPCL and Dangote began.

Nothing has been done in a transparent manner in this 16-month-old government of Tinubu. Since the day Dangote announced the readiness of its refinery, there has been one tale of mistrust, denial, and inefficiency between the refinery and the NNPCL. Nobody can say exactly the volume of crude oil the NNPCL has ‘sold’ to the Dangote Refinery. Nobody knows how much the nation has made from the transaction. We cannot say if we are running at a loss, or if we have made any gain. At a time, we were all about to shout, Eureka, the price of fuel went rooftop. Now, the controversy is how much Dangote Refinery sold the lifted products to the NNPCL. The confusion is so great that nobody remembered to ask Tinubu what he went to the UK to do or what he brought us from the trip when the president sneaked into the country like the proverbial Òrò.

The NNPC, through its spokesman, Olufemi Soneye, said it bought a litre of fuel from the Dangote Refinery at N898. The implication is that the corporation will not sell below the cost price. If we all go by that calculation, the NNPCL retail outlets will sell a litre at about N1,100, or more. The independent marketers and other fellow shylocks in the industry, who had before the N898/litre lifting price, been selling between N1,200 to N1,400/litre, will increase the price to between N1,500 to N1,600, depending on the location. The singular implication is more pain for the masses who will have to bear the brunt of the inefficiency of those we elected, or who elected themselves, to be rulers and ruiners over us.

The way and manner NNPCL announced the new cost price from the Dangote Refinery shows only one thing: shamelessness! How on earth did we get to this level that nobody in government has any modicum of decency? Should there be any controversy over a matter of this nature when the NNPCL has four refineries: two in Port Harcourt, one in Warri and another one in Kaduna? Who should be talking about buying from the other? Yet Soneye and the Corporation he speaks for are gloating over the fact that the Dangote Refinery is not being truthful about its selling price when the refinery put a lie to the NNPCL claim of N898/litre cost price.

The Dangote Refinery’s communications man, Anthony Chiejina, hours after the NNPCL announced the N898/litre cost price slammed the Corporation, describing the claim as “both misleading and mischievous, deliberately aimed at undermining the milestone achievement recorded today, September 15, 2024, towards addressing energy insufficiency and insecurity, which has bedevilled the economy in the past 50 years.” The refinery went ahead to ask Nigerians “to disregard this malicious statement and await a formal announcement on the pricing, by the Technical Sub-Committee on Naira-based crude sales to local refineries, appointed by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, which will commence on October 1, 2024, bearing in mind that our current stock of crude was procured in dollars.” It reminded the hapless people that the refinery “sold the products to NNPCL in dollars with a lot of savings against what they are currently importing. With this action, there will be petrol in every local government area of the country, regardless of their remote nature.” So, Chiejina and his Dangote Refinery expected us to clap for them with this statement?

Why is a simple matter of documentation becoming like the proverbial Akara which turns to bones in the mouth of the toothless man? If Dangote Refinery knew that it did not sell the products to the NNPCL at the claimed price of N898/litre, why can’t the company disclose how much it sold the products? Why should we wait for October 1, the almighty day of President Tinubu before Nigerians will know how much it costs the government to lift the much-desired products from the Dangote Refinery?  Dangote Refinery said in its rebuttal that the NNPCL made “a lot of savings against what they are currently importing”, and we ask: how much, precisely? What is the Dangote Refinery hiding, such that it cannot put the controversy to rest by coming out clean with the actual cost price? If the notorious Adajoowu (unjust judge) were to adjudicate over this controversy, who would he pronounce as truthful? The NNPCL has said and reiterated that it had documents to back its claim that it bought the products at N898/litre. Where are the documents? All the Dangote Refinery is expected to do is to say, “No, we sold to you at XYZ naira”, end of story!

But should we blame Dangote and his refinery? When has the Dangote Group ever acted in the interest of the Nigerian masses? From its forays in the consumable/edible markets to cement and now to petroleum, Dangote has only thrived whenever a monopoly is involved! The man has no capacity to play where other stakeholders can also hold their ground. That is why since the commencement of this latest venture, the Dangote Refinery, there has only been one controversy or the other. The endpoint is for Dangote to be the only fish in the ocean for fuel sales and distribution in the country. Our support for the refinery is just to ensure that the huge investment does not die off for the sake of those who earn their living from it. We knew long ago that no matter how one decorates the hog, its natural place is the mud.

I recall that on this page, on July 30, 2024, under the title: “Dangote Refinery: Blind man and his yam scrapers”, I wrote extensively about this Dangote-NNPCL shame. The Nigerian Tribune, in its Editorial of July 29, 2024, titled: “Dangote Refinery Issue”, also cautioned both the government and the refinery. But it appears that like the incorrigible Monkeys of the Pampas of Argentina, neither party has learnt nor forgotten anything. But that is not shocking to some of us. The truth about what is happening between the Dangote Refinery and the NNPCL is yet to be revealed. My inner mind tells me that it is deeper than what we are reading in the media, or we see happening. I believe so much that something messy is going on given that against all wise counsel, the NNPCL decided to sell our crude oil to the refinery in Naira when everything it put in place to get the crude oil is paid for in Dollars!

More intriguing is that amid all the issues confronting us, President Tinubu still finds it difficult to stay in the country and face the job he elected to do. This attitude of the president to our common calamity is what the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, said in his last week’s open letter to Tinubu, “is becoming indifferent, insensitive and unresponsive to the plights of millions of Nigerians who can no longer meet their daily needs.” The Yoruba generalissimo said of the NNPCL debacle on fuel price and the untold hardship it has visited on Nigerians as the handiwork of “the perverted, opaque, unintelligible, wicked, and corrupt handling of the petroleum sector.” He warned the president that the situation would not continue without a reaction from the people, as “using propaganda, power of coercion, and rough tactics to oppress Nigerians” would not last long.

I cannot agree less with the Aare Ona Kakanfo. The thrust of the open letter, in my understanding, is that Tinubu has not represented those who believed in him, and he should redeem his image. If the Aare Ona Kakanfo did not tell the President, it is not from my mouth that you will hear that the nation, under the watch of President Tinubu, has been taken over by blood-sucking demons, the worst of vampires, who have sucked us so badly that we have become anaemic. Just as Iba Gani Adams asked if President Tinubu thinks his foreign “counterparts treat their citizens the way you are treating Nigerians?” I wish that now that the president is back, and before he embarks on the next foreign trip, he should look at the issues that will make life seemingly comfortable for Nigerians and avoid a situation where all his “campaign promises have suddenly become failed promises,” like the Yoruba generalissimo pointed out.

This is my passionate appeal to the President. President Tinubu must save Nigerians from the Dangote Refinery and the NNPCL. The president must save us, especially our brothers and sisters in the North from bandits.  While away, thousands of our compatriots in Maiduguri, Borno State, were rendered homeless by a collapsed dam. Many other dams are in the same condition as the Alau Dam which wreaked untold havoc in Borno State. Now that the President is back, he must save us from collapsing dams; they are all over the place. What about the unending construction of bad roads in the hinterland such as the Ibadan-Ife Road; and Sagamu-Benin Roads? He should complete the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and many others in the same terrible state across the country.

And most importantly, now that the President is back, he should amend the Minimum Wage Act and get the National Assembly to pass it immediately – the NA has the reputation of passing bills in under 20 minutes and he should sign the new Minimum Wage Act to the law immediately and pay immediately. The old rate of N70,000 was based on the old price of N700/litre. Now that the falcon can no longer hear the falconer, before things fall apart for everybody, the president should act and save the masses.

Awomolo & Associates mourn colleague, Kelvin Osasere Ugiagbe

Notice of Death

It is with heavy hearts that the law firm of AWOMOLO & ASSOCIATES in total submission to the will of the most High God announce the passage to glory of our colleague Kelvin Osasere Ugiagbe Esq.

Kelvin, who was born on the 6th of November 1995, is a 2017 graduate of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, and was called to the Nigerian Bar on the 27th day of November 2018.

He observed his compulsory National Youth service between 2018 and 2019 in the law firm of Adegboyega Awomolo and Associates and due to his hard work and diligence, he was absorbed in the service of the law firm immediately after his National service.

He worked in the firm till his last day on earth, bubbly and cheerfully.

He died on the 11th of September 2024, at about 10pm.

Kelvin got married on the 4th of November 2023 and is survived by his wife, Susan, an aged mother and siblings.

May his soul rest in peace.
AMEN
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