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A Federal High Court in Lagos has adjourned till July 27 the fundamental rights suit against Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris filed by kidnap kingpin Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, more popularly known as Evans. Justice Chuka Obiozor adjourned the case on Thursday due to the failure of Evans’ lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, to pay the punitive sum of N20,000, which the court ordered on July 13. The defense lawyer for the police, Effiong Asuquo, explained to the judge that Mr. Ogungbeje gave him a post-dated check for N20,000, which he rejected on the grounds that it violated the court’s order.  Justice Obiozor agreed and ruled that the court would not hear Evans’ case until the lawyer pays the fine to the police. He further ordered Evans’ counsel to ensure service of the application on the Inspector-General of Police in Abuja. He then adjourned the matter to Thursday, July 27.

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The Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, has written to the House of Representatives requesting approval for “virement’’ of N135.6 billion to fund some critical projects in the 2017 budget. The request was made in a letter dated July 18, 2017, which was read to members of the House by its Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, at plenary on Thursday in Abuja. The acting president drew the attention of the House to discussions and agreements between the executive and legislature before the 2017 Appropriation Bill was signed into law. Part of the agreement was that the executive should submit a “virement proposal’’ to move some funds from within the budget to other critical items in the budget. Some of the ministries affected by the request are Power, Works and Housing; Transportation; and Agriculture and Rural Development. They also include Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Education, Federal Capital Territory Administration and Ministry of Health. ...

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, on Wednesday proposed a five-year timeline for Nigeria to prepare to transform its local resource and economic base to actively play in the globally arena. Also, the minister said Nigeria must begin “a conscious effort to identify key areas of the economy it has the most competitive advantage and strengthen them to withstand the challenge of global competition.” Mr. Kachikwu spoke at the 6th Sustainability in the Extractive Industries, SITEI, conference in Abuja, on the theme: “Establishing the framework for globalising our local economy.” He said the government must seriously look at Nigeria first, by implementing policies to encourage Nigerian companies to give them the competitive edge against their counterparts in Africa and around the world. “Free trade and free world are no new concepts. Every country always strives to protect its own. We must begin to seriously look at Nigeria first. We must chang...

The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress and the party’s governors, on Wednesday, fixed July 29, 2017, for the party’s ward congresses, marking the beginning of the APC’s national convention. They also set a committee, headed by Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, to come up with the ruling party’s definition of restructuring. Others in the 10-member committee include the governors of Osun State, Rauf Arebegsola; Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), and Simon Lalong (Plateau). Other members are Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun; a former governor of Edo State, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor; the APC National Organising Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso; the National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi; and Hajia Fatima Bala. Senator Olubunmi Adetumbi will serve as the committee’s secretary. These were part of the decisions reached after a three-hour closed-door meeting between the APC’s NWC and the governors elected on t...

The Nigerian Senate has asked the Federal Government to “as matter of urgency” make dollar available to Nigerians embarking on pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia or Israel at N200, lower than what was approved in the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and the Appropriations Act. The Senate’s call, on Thursday, followed the adoption of the report on “Extortion of Pilgrims By National Hajj Commission” by its committee on foreign affairs presented by Monsurat Sunmonu, APC-Oyo. “The Government should as matter of urgency extend concession on the Naira – Dollar exchange to NAHCON and NCPC, once in every year, for the pilgrimages to the two Holy Lands,” read the report. “Therefore, the committee strongly recommends the concession of N200 to $1 for 2017 Hajj to bring down cost to the bearable level,” it added. Adamu Aliero, APC-Kebbi, said the the Central Bank of Nigeria had been offering dollar at N200 to some unnamed businesses, while seeking the support of the Senat...

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Thursday asked the Federal High Court, Abuja, to set aside an earlier order of the court, suspending the recall of Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi) from the Senate. INEC commenced Mr. Melaye’s recall following the receipt of a petition from members of his constituency demanding that he be recalled. Mr. Melaye, however, approached the court, seeking an order stopping INEC from going ahead with the process, pending the determination of a suit he filed challenging his recall. Mr. Melaye had in the suit alleged irregularities and fraud in the petition. In the application which was argued by his lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, he submitted that the signatories in the petition were fake, fictitious and concocted. He added some of the signatures were of dead members of his constituency. In his ruling, Justice John Tsoho, ordered parties to maintain status quo, pending the determination of the matter. He adjourn...

Court documents filed in Houston by the US Justice Department in the assets forfeiture proceedings filed against former peyroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, and her business cronies, Kola Aluko and Jide Omokore, have revealed the third man in the $1.7 billion swindle of Nigeria. He is Igho Sanomi, one of Nigeria’s young billionaires, who owns the Taleveras Oil Group. Taleveras, along with oil traders Arcadia and Glencore, were found to have paid $1.2 billion into Kola Aluko’s account in Switzerland, proceeds from crude oil lifted from Aluko and Omokore’s company. This money, the US Justice Department contends, was used to fund Mrs. Alison-Madueke’s luxury lifestyle. But in a statement Wednesday, Taleveras said its involvement in the alleged dubious transactions followed best international practices, as a third party. “This legal case is not against Taleveras or Igho Sanomi. “As it relates to the US department case against Atlantic Drilling, please note t...

Justice Chuka Obiozor of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos has ordered the temporary forfeiture of a $37.5m property at Banana Island, Ikoyi bought by former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, in 2013.  Counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Anselem Ozioko told the court that the property has 24 apartments, 18 flats and six penthouses and is located at Building 3, Block B, Bella Vista Plot 1, Zone N, Federal Government Layout, Banana Island Foreshore Estate and that she paid for the building in cash. Apart from the property, the court also ordered the temporary forfeiture of the sums of $2,740,197.96 and N84,537,840.70, said to be part of the rent collected on the property. The funds were said to have been found in a Zenith Bank account number 1013612486. Anselem Ozioko also informed the judge that investigations by the agency indicates that the former Minister might have acquired the property using pr...

THE leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Wednesday, disclosed that the Nigerian Government offered him Biafra Republic while in Prison with only the five South East States as the components parts but he rejected it. According to him, he rejected because that did not constitute the complete Biafra, saying that he told them that he wanted a Biafra with Rivers and Benue States inclusive. The IPOB leader also claimed that he was offered an oil block and mansion in Dubai aimed at making him to abandon the cause but that he rejected them and insisted on the actualization of Biafra. Kanu said those things were Greek gifts to buy him over and maintained that he has no price other than to actualize the restoration of Biafra Republic and liberate the Igbos. “They gave me Biafra in Prison with only the five Igbo states; I said no, I want Benue and Rivers”, Kanu said, pointing out that “Biafra is coming, there is nothing to stop it”....

THE leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Wednesday, disclosed that the Nigerian Government offered him Biafra Republic while in Prison with only the five South East States as the components parts but he rejected it. According to him, he rejected because that did not constitute the complete Biafra, saying that he told them that he wanted a Biafra with Rivers and Benue States inclusive. The IPOB leader also claimed that he was offered an oil block and mansion in Dubai aimed at making him to abandon the cause but that he rejected them and insisted on the actualization of Biafra. Kanu said those things were Greek gifts to buy him over and maintained that he has no price other than to actualize the restoration of Biafra Republic and liberate the Igbos. “They gave me Biafra in Prison with only the five Igbo states; I said no, I want Benue and Rivers”, Kanu said, pointing out that “Biafra is coming, there is nothing to stop it...

THE leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, yesterday, disclosed that the Federal Government offered him Biafra Republic while in Prison with only the five South East States as the component parts but he rejected it. According to him, he rejected it because that did not constitute the complete Biafra, saying that he told them that he wanted a Biafra with Rivers and Benue States inclusive. The IPOB leader also claimed that he was offered an oil block and mansion in Dubai aimed at making him to abandon the cause but that he rejected them and insisted on the actualization of Biafra. Kanu said those things were Greek gifts to buy him over and maintained that he has no price other than to actualize the restoration of Biafra Republic and liberate the Igbo. “They gave me Biafra in prison with only the five Igbo states; I said no, I want Benue and Rivers”, Kanu said, pointing out that “Biafra is coming, there is nothing to stop it”. Also yes...