US, UK And EU To Blame For Entrenchment Of Boko Haram In Nigeria - Centre

The Centre for International and Strategy Studies (CISS) has blamed the United States of America, United Kingdom and the European Union for the entrenchment of the nefarious activities of Boko Haram in Nigeria. 

CISS said the failure of the western powers to come to the aid of the country in arresting sponsors and promoters of the group is responsible for the elongation of the crisis in the northeast. 

In a statement signed by Secretary, Dr Ifure Ataifure, on Thursday, the centre said that the radical Islamist sect have continued to receive external support from foreign countries at the detriment of Nigeria.

According to CISS, instead of joining forces with Nigeria, the US, UK and EU have failed to embargo the sale of arms to the terrorists

The Centre added that these powerhouses' decision to turn a blind eye on the sensitive area is a deliberate plot to begin the process of recolonizing Africa.  

CISS further revealed that French authorities are the most culpable in this regards through the flagrant violations of all known international protocols.

The Centre for International and Strategy Studies, however, warned countries covertly fueling Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists in Nigeria and other African countries to desist.

It added that the war against terrorism should be a collective one  and foreign nations must block the sale of arms to the terrorists. 

Read full statement below:

The Centre for International and Strategy Studies wishes to state that the entrenchment of the nefarious activities of the Boko Haram terrorist group in Nigeria is as a result of the lackadaisical attitude of some of the western powers in coming to the aid of Nigeria.  

The United States of America, the United Kingdom and the European Union have all failed to come to the aid of Nigeria despite repeated overtures from the Nigerian government and other critical stakeholders. 

We wish to state that this attitude is responsible for the prolongation of the Boko Haram crisis in Nigeria because the terrorist group has been receiving external support from some European countries that are hell-bent on the disintegration of Nigeria.

These countries have been nothing but uncooperative with the Nigerian authorities by its refusal to sell arms to Nigeria for the prosecution of the Boko Haram war. The United States of America for inexplicable reasons have also refused to activate the necessary machinery for the sale of arms and ammunition to Nigeria in the prosecution of the Boko Haram war. 

The United States of America, the United Kingdom and the European Union for inexplicable reasons have also refused to block the sale of arms to terrorist organizations in Nigeria and the African continent. This fact has indeed bolstered the activities of terrorism in Nigeria and other African countries.

The Centre for International and Strategy Studies views this action as against the provisions of the global war on terror, which had as its goal to prevent another 9/11 terrorist attack by increasing international security worldwide. 

The Centre for International and Strategy Studies wishes to state that global commitment has not been extended to Nigeria since the Boko Haram group began its violent campaign in Nigeria in 2009. 

The activities of the Boko Haram group has continued with tactic support from some EU countries that have been engaged in unwholesome trade in arms and ammunition with the Boko Haram/ISWAP group and other terrorist groups operating in the African continent. 

We are tempted to state that this stance of turning a blind eye to the atrocities committed by terrorist organizations in the African continent might be a deliberate plot by these western countries to begin the process of recolonizing Africa so that it can have unhindered access to its natural and economic resources.  

The French authorities are the most culpable in this regards through the flagrant violations of all known international protocols by paying ransoms in huge amounts to terrorist organizations in Africa, which subsequently helps these organizations to sustain their terror activities. 

The Centre for International and Strategy Studies is alarmed to state that despite the efforts of the Nigerian Military, the Boko Haram group continues to have an unhindered supply of arms and ammunitions whose origin has been traced to some European countries.

The Centre for International and Strategy Studies wishes to use this medium to warn those countries that have been covertly fueling the activities of the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group in Nigeria and other African countries to desist from their nefarious acts in the interest of peace and tranquillity.

This is the time for the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and the European Union to come to the rescue of Nigeria by blocking the sale of illegal weapons to the Boko Haram terrorist group. 

They must see the war against terrorism in Nigeria as a collective one due to the strategic importance of Nigeria in the African continent. The time to act is now to bring to an end the activities of the Boko Haram terrorist group and other terrorist groups in Africa.

N-Power Batch C And Matters Arising

By Dan Ochonu 

There seems to be an uprising concerning the decision of the Honorable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to introduce new beneficiaries into the N-Power scheme under a revised and robust template that would be of utmost benefit to the teeming youthful population in the country. 

I am sure it should be surprising to discerning minds that some people would elect to view things only from the prism of their selfish interest. If this is not the case, I wonder on what basis the beneficiaries under the Batch A and B programme are protesting even with the fact that they have stayed in the programme for over 40 months.  

As a first, I think it is essential to understand that the N-Power is a job creation and empowerment programme instituted by the Federal Government of Nigeria through its National Social Investment Programmes. In other words, it's a skill acquisition programme where youths from various parts of the country are trained in various skills under four broad categories such as N-Power Agro, where volunteers will provide advisory services to farmers across the country disseminate the knowledge that has been aggregated by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in the area of extension services. They will also gather data on Nigeria's agriculture assets.

Another category is the N-Power Teach volunteers that are deployed as teachers assistants in primary schools to help improve essential education delivery in Nigeria, and where possible, they will also assist in taking basic education to children in marginalized communities. 

The N-Power Health Volunteers help improve and promote preventive healthcare in their communities to vulnerable members of the society, including pregnant women and children and families and individuals. 

N-Power Build, Tech and Creative volunteers have received extensive training to help develop and expand their respective skillset, which would help foster innovation and creativity among the youths, while ensuring that they can turn their skills into marketable products. The above explains the N-Power initiative of the Federal Government. 

It is therefore pertinent to state that since inception in 2018, the N-Power scheme has catered for over 500,000 youths in the country with 200,000 from Batch A which started in September 2016 and 300,000 from Batch B which kicked off in August 2018. These participants have been trained in various skills as mentioned above that they can deploy to their advantage in future. But ironically, this is not the case as the advocates that have been acting on behalf of these participants wants the programmes to be a permanent and salaried job. 

This, in my opinion, is anti-progressive in the sense that they want others to be denied the same opportunity that they had when they enrolled. This is a sad episode if you ask me given the fact that the Batch A and B beneficiaries have elected to let hell loose because the federal government revised the programme to allow room for new beneficiaries under the proposed Batch C programme. 

Welcome to Nigeria where patriotism is never the watchword if you decide to stand on the side of truth and to do the right thing, you are regarded as a villain. In my view, the actions of those that have launched an attack on the honorable minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development are nothing but greedy, selfish and against the interest of the country. 

If this is not the case, how could one explain a situation where doing the right and putting the interest of the country has become a crime as propagated by the earlier beneficiaries on the N-Power programme. This is a sad tale, and I am glad that someone has decided to change the narrative, not minding the series of coordinated attacks on her. 

It must be stated and expressly so that the N-Power initiative is for the generality of Nigerians and not for a few, so seeing it as a birthright is phenomenally wrong in all ramification. This much these set of greedy fellows must come to terms with. It is also unimaginable considering the fact that Nigeria boasts of one of the highest youthful populations in the world.  

I think rejigging the N-Power scheme to bring in new people on board is not only a welcome development; it is also an act of purposefulness in a bid to address some of the challenges facing the country.  

If only Nigerians would understand that the revised N-Power scheme would run for six months – one year depending on the category. According to available information on the N-Power Scheme website, N-Agro, N-Build, N-Creative and N-Tech will run for six months (with two batches a year), the N-Teach and N-Health part of the programme will run for one year. For the six month programmes, three months will be used for training beneficiaries, while the other three months will be used for mentorship and attachment to partners and stakeholders.

This is indeed brilliant in the sense that more youths would have the opportunity to be enrolled in the scheme in the bid to better their lives, unlike in times past where the programme ran for a duration of 2 years, thereby depriving other qualified candidates the opportunity to benefit from this laudable initiative. 

If not for anything, the honorable minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster management and Social Development has indeed justified the confidence reposed in her by Mr. President to ensure rapid and meaningful implementation of the various social intervention programmes of the federal government.

The proposed introduction of the Batch C under the scheme must go as planned because it is not only laudable; it is in the overall interest of the country that would be of immense benefit to the teeming youths in the country because over 400,000 new beneficiaries would be admitted into the programme in the following order: 200,000 beneficiaries into the N-Power Agro programme, 80,000 into the N-Power Teach Programme, 40,000 into the N-Health Programme, and 80,000 into the N-Power Build, Creative and Tech categories. 

I commend the minister in this regard and encourage her not to relent in her valuable service to the country. And those that think that they have a birthright to stay put for life in the N-Power scheme should have a rethink and retrace their steps. It is expected that the knowledge and experience garnered over 40 months should be put to use for the benefit of the country. 

The N-Power C project must go ahead as planned. The minister must not back down despite the avalanche of attack on her person so long the overarching objective is ensuring that more youths are accommodated in the scheme. This is what Nigeria needs, and our support for the likes of Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq should be unflinching.

Ochonu is an unemployed youth and wrote this piece from MAKURDI, Benue State.

VVIP Guest House, Asaba; Contract Done Through Selective Tendering Process - NCSD.

The Nigeria Civil Society Desk has lashed out at a correspondent with the National Mirror Newspapers, Mr. Idemude Amour, for reporting  of financial impropriety leveled against the Permanent Secretary, Directorate of Government House and Protocol, Asaba, Delta State, Mr. Eddy Ogidi-Gbegbaje.

In a press release jointly signed by N National Coordinator, Comrade Emeh Friday and National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Peter Nwokolo, they said that the renovation of the VVIP Guest House, Asaba, comprising of 8(nos) Duplexes, which is the subject of the allegation, was carried out in 2017 by contract through the selective tendering process.

Excerpt is the full text of the press release

The report of financial impropriety leveled against Mr. Eddy Ogidi-Gbegbaje, Permanent Secretary, Directorate of Government House and Protocol, Asaba, Delta State, by Mr. Idemude Amour, a correspondent with the National Mirror Newspapers and reported by Sahara Reporters, came to us in the Nigeria Civil Society Desk, as an attempt to smear his reputation, thereby causing distraction.

Though the motive is still sketchy, we thought it necessary to put the records straight and discourage prospective faceless alarmists from creating confusion with the intention of derailing the activities of Government. 

Having resolved to know the facts, we visited the Office of the Directorate of Government House and Protocol, Asaba, the Ministry of Housing, the Ministry of Energy and the State Fire Service. Our findings revealed, among others:

* That the renovation of the VVIP Guest House, Asaba, comprising of 8(nos) Duplexes, which is the subject of the allegation, was carried out in 2017, by contract through the selective tendering process;

* That the renovation works is the only major works so far carried out on the buildings within the premises since 2015;

* That two separate fire incidents had earlier occurred at House 1 and House 5 of the 8 (eight) Duplexes at the VVIP Guest House, prior to the incident of Tuesday, 21st February, 2017. This necessitated the extensive renovation and electrical maintenance works;

* That the State Fire Service was always on hand to put out the fire on each occasion, while the Minis.try of Energy was duly notified of the fire incidents; and

* That the Contractor is yet to be paid for the job it executed.

The Nigeria Civil Society Desk has also verified this claim with the Ministry of Housing which supervised and issued Certificate of Job Completion. 

As the Accounting Officer of the Directorate of Government House and Protocol, Asaba, one of the responsibilities of the Permanent Secretary is to author memos to His Excellency, the Governor, on matters as considered necessary. In this case, the Permanent Secretary forwarded a memo for the renovation works based on a Bill of Quantities (BOQ) received from the Ministry of Housing..

As an investigative journalist, Mr. Idemude Amour should have exhausted all means of exhuming his facts before they are reported, bearing in mind the implications of his false reportage on the person of Mr. Ogidi-Gbegbaje.

We are therefore constrained to ask Mr. Idemude Amour to visit the Ministry of Housing which supervised the renovation works in 2017 to find out the extent of works at the VVIP Guest House. He should also visit the Ministry of Energy, possibly to confirm if reports of fire incidents at the VVIP Guest House were made by the Directorate. Mr. Idemude Amour can also corroborate the report he would get from the Ministry of Energy, by visiting the State Fire Service. 

Having said these, will it be appropriate to state that the buildings which were destroyed by fire were only painted, and could possibly be ideal to accommodate personalities like the Commander, 63 Brigade, the State Commissioner of Police and other top Government Functionaries?

Mr. Idemude Amour, you know too well that we must be guided by conscience in all we do, as whatever we give so also we shall receive. Conscience is like an open wound, it is only truth that can heal it. You owe all men a duty of care.

Our advice to Mr. Idemude Amour would be that he should carry out due diligence of his claims and let the world know his findings.

NBET: Foreign Account And Companies Used For Siphoning Government Funds Linked To Marilyn Amobi, MD/CEO Of NBET

New evidence has surfaced showing that the embattled MD/CEO of Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc. (NBET), Dr. Marilyn Amobi, has continued to enrich herself in flagrant disregard for public service rules and in defiance of President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption stance.

Documents exclusively obtained from UK showed that Dr. Amobi is the current Director and Major Shareholder in ESL Economics and Management Associates Ltd registered in both Nigeria and London with RC Number 1025108 (751030) and 06413894 respectively.

Her business partner is Prof. Eric Reiner Larsen, a lecturer at Aarhus University and Amobi’s former project supervisor. Marilyn Amobi approved the accounts and signed for the financial years ended 31st October 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016 for ESL Economics and Management Associates Ltd, London.

The last one was signed by her on the 5th of November 2019 which explained the capital flight rationale where she transferred 90,000 British Pounds (approx. N49 million naira) from her account number ODA 0003652593 with Stanbic IBTC Bank to her British Pound Sterling’s account in London in 2018.

Dr. Amobi, in collusion with her business partner Prof. Larsen, looted monies allotted for capacity building in the power sector through a private arrangement with Dr Amobi and channeled it through Aarhus University Denmark (where Larsen holds other appointments).

The contract was executed by Jacob Kjaer Eskildsen and Dr Amobi in November 2017. Using her position as MD/CEO of NBET, Dr. Amobi commandeered the resources and pushed her staff on a futile learning expedition to Denmark in more than four batches, with the first batch costing $50,747.66 (USD) which is approximately N22 million naira for a batch without a formal procurement process and in total disregard to the embargo on foreign training.

Dr. Amobi is on a fast track to empty the treasury of the power sector fund. Her insatiable taste for ill-gotten wealth is bewildering. Most shocking is the audacity of impunity and brigandage brazenly she perpetrates at NBET.

A neophyte in the Nigerian Power Sector, the appointment of Dr. Amobi as MD/CEO in the Buhari Administration is a huge mistake that could have been avoided if her academic, leadership and mental state were properly scrutinized. Dr. Amobi has no record of performance in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) prior to her appointment in NBET.

Infact her patronage of the sector was through the peddling of classroom courses for her private consulting business (ESL Economics and Management Associates Ltd). A copy of her resume made available to us shows that she had a one-year stint with BC Hydro & Power Authority Vancouver in 2009, and another one-year stint with Hydro One Networks Toronto in 2006; all her years from 1999 till her appointment in NBET was either schooling or selling courses for ESL private consulting firm.

With just two years of functional experience, she clearly lacks leadership and teamwork skills. It’s no surprise that she turns the office premises to a battle ground with her staff, thus creating a system where alternate views are squashed, while flattery and servility are rewarded. Dr. Amobi has created a monstrous culture at NBET, where staff speak in hush tones because they are being recorded at work and a possibility that their private lines are tapped.

In a case against her staff, when Dr. Amobi arrived at the DSS (Department of State Security) Office, she tendered a USB of private conversations of her staff. Interestingly, the DSS failed to inquire from Dr. Amobi the source of her recordings, thus letting her off so easily without a charge for breaching staff privacy and abuse of power.

The mental health of Marilyn Amobi is also a huge concern to all. In recent times she has continued to display fits of aggression and excessive shouting during meetings with staff and other stakeholders. Recently, she was petitioned for threatening physical bodily harm to one of her management staff, but for the timely intervention of those present, it would have been a different story or maybe a possible homicide.

Dr. Amobi is cognitively wired to understand only the language of subservience, where no staff or appointee can express an alternate view. She only sees across two divides where her staff are either acolytes or enemies, thus running an oppressive administration where she clamps down on perceived enemies, rendering her staff redundant and firing them for standing and speaking the truth.

Dr. Marilyn Amobi has looted and wasted public funds to hold on to power at all costs including plunging the Nigerian Power Sector into more crises, debts and darkness. Her highest investment costs aside the illegal procurement of cars (which is distributed as gifts to allies) is her media and legal representation costs where she attempts to push forward her claim to integrity.

Dr. Amobi is dangerously power-hungry and is ready to trample on anything on her path for a renewed season of thievery at NBET.She has issued threats to various media organizations and civil society organizations, threatening them with litigations for libel and defamation of character.

Dr. Amobi is as unfortunately intriguing as she is laughable. She threatens in the morning but comes around at night to beg for forgiveness. It is important to note that the embattled MD/CEO has either lost all her cases or have them thrown out for lack of merit despite her public bravado.

The entire value chain in the power sector has severally raised their voices on the atrocities and high-handedness being perpetrated by Dr Amobi, but the administration of President Buhari has no immediate solution because of the powers who shared the loot with her. Now is the time for this administration whose mantra is war against corruption to suspend and prosecute Dr. Amobi.

NIRSAL: Aliyu Abdulhameed Deserves Award, Commendation Not Sack - CCAC

Aliyu Abdulhameed

......Says is a great Asset to President Buhari’s administration Agricultural Policy.

A CSO known as the Citizens Communication and Advocacy Centre (CCAC) has thrown her support behind Mr. Aliyu Abdulhameed, Managing Director of Nigerian Incentive -based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending and condemned in strong term the negative narrative publications in various National Newspapers and some online news platforms by some vested interests who are very bitter for losing out in their criminal franchise of fleecing the country of Billions of Naira in Foreign Exchange, in the name of Food and other Agricultural Products importation due the Revolutionary Agricultural Policy of Government, ably Facilitated by NIRSAL under the able Leadership of Mr.Aliyu Abdulhameed with oversight from CBN.

CCAC has equally condemned the desperation of this entities, in their despicable attempt to using disgruntled Workers of NIRSAL to spread Falsehood and compromised vital official Secrets and information.

This is unacceptable and no decent Corporate organizations worth it name, with sound Corporate Governance would allowed such shenanigans.

In a press release on Sunday, 8th June, 2020 signed by its Executive Director, Lord Charles Ibiang, he said that the mountains of allegations of corruption to the tune of 75 billion; the 5.4 billion Wheat Project in Jigawa; 4.2 billion Personnel Cost including various sundry allegations like running a nepotistic and clannish enterprise are not only wicked, but preposterous, baseless and reinforced Ignorance taken too Far, because the way NIRSAL structured it's operation is difficult for such monumental and bogus amount to be stolen by an Individual no matter his position and Authority.

It will be recalled that NIRSAL was launched in 2011 and Incorporated 2013 by CBN and set up as a Rubust, Innovative and holistic USD 500 millions dollars Public-Private Initiative to catalyse the Flows of Finance and Investments in Fixed Agricultural Value Chain.

Infact it was given impetus and properly establish by President Muhammadu Buhari 2015.

Acording to its establishing Laws, the CBN is the Head of the Board of NIRSAL and Quarterly Board Meeting is structured for it effective Operational and Administrative Management.

How can an individual steal 75 billion in such a very structured Organizations with all the enabling Corporate Governance mechanism? The CSO wondered.

The CCAC Executive Director said the NIRSAL, under Mr.Aliyu, has grown from a small organization of less than 7 people to now one of the best corporate entity in Nigeria, that has given real time interpretation of President Buhari Agricultural Policy by Faciliting a 100billion in Finance and Investments in the Agricultural Value Chain from it inception.

This is unprecedented in Nigeria history and deserved Commendation from Every Nigerias instead of spurious allegations. NIRSAL has performed credibly well.

Lord Charles Ibiang used the opportunity to call on CBN not to be blackmailed into eemoval of Mr.Aliyu, exposing NIRSAL to Political scheming of instability and Leadership turnover.

He also admonish and call on Media & Civil Society Organizations that serve as Citizen's Protectors to always carry out extensive study of issues concerning a State of affairs before commenting, so as not to misinform the Citizens by destroying the Reputation of Professionals who want to help by serving as Public Officers.

“Let us join hands and support an achiever to succeed and reformed the Nigerian Agricultural Sector value Chain characterizes by its primitive and opaque nature, the statement concluded.

Akeredolu Oppressing, Neglecting Minority Arogbo Ijaws Of Ondo State – Group

...Says Gov has spent N310 billion on capital projects in four years with nothing in Arogbo Ijaw

The Arogbo Ijaw Patriots has accused the Governor of Ondo State, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu of deliberate nepotistic conduct in project execution against the minority Ijaws of the state.

The group in a statement signed by the Coordinator, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei and Secretary, Barr. Bibisa Kekemeke, on Sunday said that Akeredolu has failed to protect the interest of the disadvantaged Ijaw minority in the state.

The group said that it was rather distressing that Akeredolu only focused attention on the development of Ijaw Apoi, his maternal O home to the exclusion of the Arogbo Ijaws.

According to the group, the Arogbo Ijaw community has not been so terribly marginalized and treated as an enemy territory by any Governor before Akeredolu.

The duo appealed to the Governor to display the compassion expected of a leader to recognize the fact that Ondo State has two ethnicities: the dominant Yoruba and the minority Arogbo Ijaws.

Soriwei and Kekemeke stressed further that since Akeredolu took over governance in Ondo State, he has executed four budgets totaling N734 billion out of which N310 billion was approved for capital projects.

They expressed shock and disappointment that not even N10 million worth of project was sited in the more populated Arogbo Ijaw part of Ese Odo while the Governor and his deputy moved all the projects to Apoi.

The group challenged Akeredolu and his government to counter the claim if it is untrue by pointing to any such project in the area after almost four years of his administration.

“Ondo State has 18 Local Government Areas and Ese-Odo, the Ijaw Local Government happens to be one of the two oil producing councils in the state. The Arogbo Ijaws are the more populated out of the two Ijaw clans making up the local government area but Akeredolu and his deputy, Hon Agboola only opted to site all road and other projects in Apoi land in a brazen display of unparalleled nepotism.

“Between 2017 and 2020, Akeredolu has had the opportunity to preside over a cumulative budgetary figure of about N734 billion. Out of this figure the Governor allocated about N310 billion for capital projects for four years! We hereby challenge the Ondo Government to contradict this statement of fact and make itself an objective of public mockery.

“We can only plead with the Governor to show compassion as a leader to listen to the cries of the mistreated Ijaws for a likeness of developmental attention.

The group lamented further that Akeredolu’s maternal country people were given 188 job slots out of a total of 200 that were given to Ese-Odo Local Government areas

They added further that out of seven contracts of about N100 million awarded by the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Authorities, four were given to the Ilajes òf Ilaje Local Government Area and three to Ese-Odo, which Akeredolu gave to his mother’s people to the exclusion of Arogbo Ijaws.

The group said that all entreaties of the Ijaw people to the state Government for a bridge across the tiny River Oluwa to link the headquarters of the Ijaw community, Arogbo, with the outside world have been ignored by Akeredolu who is doing bridges on land in other parts of the state.

The recalled that the Governor constituted five state committees including the one on COVID 19 without the inclusion of any Arogbo Ijaw person in the committees.

Global Centre for Conscious Living Against Corruption Says Alleged Stolen 7.6 Billion At Work For Kalu

The Global Centre for Conscious Living against Corruption has questioned the Supreme Court judgement on the nullification of the trial of former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu.

While addressing a joint press briefing on Tuesday, 12^th May, 2020 in Abuja, The Director General of Global Centre for Conscious Living against Corruption Dr. Nwambu Gabriel wondered why Uzor Kalu who has allegedly stolen even more money (N7.65 Billion Naira) be different from that of Jolly Nyame, Joshua Dariye.

He further said that, "could we rightly assert that there are some sacred cows close to the corridors of power in Nigeria who are above the law or are our corruption trials selective?

Excerpt is the full text of the press briefing:

Recall that our coalition addressed you on the 28th of April, 2020 warning Nigerians to watch out on the serial antics perpetrated by some jailed politicians and ex-Governors who leverages on all possible windows to evade justice thereby bringing to disrepute the genuine efforts of President Mohammadu Buhari  and indeed the EFCC in bringing corrupt politicians to book irrespective of their political affiliation and amount of money stolen.

On the 7th of April 2020, the Supreme Court as the Apex Court in Nigeria nullified the trial of former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, his firm, SLOK Nigeria Limited and Jones Udeogu (an accomplice), a former Director of Finance and Accounts of Abia State Government and ordering their fresh trial at the lower court.

The apex court based its verdict on the grounds that Justice Mohammed Idris, who convicted Kalu and others had been elevated to the Court of Appeal before the judgment and returned to the lower court to deliver the judgment which it considered as illegal.

Although the EFCC had responded to this judgment in a letter signed by Dele Oyewale, Head, Media and Publicity on the 8th of May, 2020, stating that the anti graft agency considers the judgment of the apex court as 'quite unfortunate'. He stated that it was a 'technical ambush' against the trial of the former Governor. He further stated "The commission is prepared for a fresh and immediate trial of the case because its evidences against Kalu and others are overwhelming. The entire prosecutorial machinery of the EFCC would be launched in a fresh trial where justice is bound to be served in due course".

Now, for us as coalition against corruption, the Centre had notified Nigerians on how in 2019, Mr. Orji Kalu lied to the court that he was admitted in a German hospital for a knee surgery, only for him to appear in a political campaign a few days later jumping up and down. This trial has been on for 13 years and yet the process has been reassigned for fresh trial. Some questions waiting for answers includes:

1. Could anything  be wrong with our Criminal Justice System?

2. Could it be that Kalu had perfected on some windows to evade justice especially referring to a letter written by his counsel Gordy Uche (SAN) & Co. to the President, Court of Appeal on the 26th day of June, 2018 requesting  for Hon. Justice M.B. Idris DCA, to conclude the part- heard trial?

3. Some other ex-Governors are in jail, why is that of Kalu who has allegedly stolen even more money (N7.65 Billion Naira) be different from that of Jolly Nyame, Joshua Dariye, etc?

4. Could we rightly assert that there are some sacred cows close to the corridors of power in Nigeria who are above the law or are our corruption trials selective?

This is a trial that would again test the strength of our Judiciary. Nigerians expect a more expedient and expeditious trial in line with the Criminal Justice Act of a matter of this magnitude which has taken 13 years depleting tax payers money in an economy that is already hemorrhaging.

We wish to state clearly that any judgment that would acquit Mr. Orji Uzor Kalu or any ex- Governor or corrupt politician who has allegedly stolen or misappropriated  public funds on technical grounds will not be accepted by our coalition and Nigerians in general.

We urge the people of Abia state and indeed Nigerian citizens who are yearning for justice to remain calm while we follow events as it unfolds. Updates on this note would be relayed to Nigerians accordingly.

Thank You.

Signed:

Dr. Nwambu Gabriel                                                        Mallam Sadiq Malik

For the Coalition.