Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi signed six agreements to enhance bilateral relations between them.
President Buhari
According to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the signing of the agreements on trade, finance and judicial matters was witnessed by President Muhammadu Buhari and the Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Adesina said Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun; and the UAE Minister of State for Financial Affairs, Obaid Attayar signed the Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement, while the Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Okechukwu Enelamah signed the Agreement on Trade Promotion and Protection with the UAE Minister of State for Financial Affairs.
He added that the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; and his counterpart in the United Arab Emirates, Sultan Bin Saeed Albadi signed the Judicial Agreements on Extradition, Transfer of Sentenced Persons, Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters, and Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal and Commercial Matters, which includes the recovery and repatriation of stolen wealth.
The presidential spokesman also said that at a reception after the signing of the agreements, Buhari reiterated his commitment to fighting corruption and restoring Nigeria’s dignity in the comity of nations.
The President also urged all Islamic countries to support the fight against terrorism in Nigeria and denounce the atrocities of Boko Haram as un-Islamic and against the teachings of the Holy Prophet.
In his remarks, Crown Prince Zayed Al Nahyan said that the relationship between Nigeria and the UAE will be strengthened by President Buhari’s visit and the signing of the agreements.
Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has accused the Federal Government of giving preferential treatment to the death of a son of a former Bayelsa State Governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.
Festus Keyamo
The former governor’s son, Oyamuyefa, was reportedly killed in Dubai on Saturday.
Keyamo, who described the death “under questionable circumstances” as “particularly painful”, however, said that similar incidents involving other Nigerian citizens had not enjoyed government’s swift response.
He said in the case of a Nigerian, Toba Falode, who was also said to have died under “hazy circumstances” in February 2014, was totally ignored by the government, leaving the deceased’s family “to grieve alone”.
The lawyer’s statement issued on Tuesday read in part, “However, we note the swiftness with which the Federal Government responded to this sad and painful news, with a call on the United Arab Emirates authorities to fish out the killers of Mr. Oyamuyefa Alamieyeseigha.
“However, whilst this action of the Federal Government is commendable, it smacks of double standards.
“Recall that on the 15th of February, 2014, Toba (Tyler) Falode was also murdered in hazy circumstances in Dubai; recall also that the mother, Aisha Falode, took it upon herself to carry out some discreet investigation into those circumstances and has since been crying out for justice for her son.
“Up till this minute, the Federal Government has not issued a single statement calling on the U.A.E. authorities to fish out the killers of Toba Falode.
“The Federal Government has played the ostrich in the case of Toba, leaving the mother and family grieving alone. “
The lawyer lamented the Federal Government’s scanty attention to the murder of Nigerians abroad; an attitude which he said had emboldened foreigners to snuffle lives out of more Nigerians in the foreign lands.
He maintained that Oyamuyefa’s death might have been averted if similar incidents had been given due attention by the government in the past.
He stated, “If the Federal Government has shown more interest in the case of Toba, perhaps the precious life of Mr. Oyamuyefa Alamieyeseigha would have been saved.
“It is important to note that we have written statements of witnesses who confirmed that the killer of Toba Falode confessed to the crime, and these statements have since been forwarded to the UAE Government, but it is such a shame that nothing has been heard or done, eight months after.
“We hope this is a bitter lesson to the Federal Government and we hereby re-iterate our call on the Federal Government to show more interest in the quest to find the killers of Toba Falode and bring them to justice.”
Oyamuyefa, son of a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, has been killed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha Photo credit: Punch
The deceased, popularly known as Oyoms, was killed on Saturday in the Middle East country.
The deceased’s father, who confirmed this to one of our correspondents, said, “He was killed in Dubai.”
The reason for Oyoms’ killing has yet to be established, but family sources alleged on Monday that the deceased was assassinated.
Two different versions have been given concerning where the former governor’s son was killed.
The first version, one of our correspondents learnt, was that Oyoms was found dead by the staircase of his father’s house in Dubai.
However, the second version alleged that the deceased’s body was found in his hotel room in Dubai, giving the impression that he might have been assassinated.
It could not be established whether Oyom’s father had travelled to Dubai to take possession of his son’s remains.
Indication that he might not have travelled out of the country emerged when he responded to a text message sent to his mobile phone on Monday by 12noon by one of our correspondents.
It was later learnt at about 2pm that the bereaved father had left for Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, in company with one of his sons to probably board a flight to Dubai.
However, as of the time of filing this report, the circumstances leading to Oyom’s death remained sketchy.
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday said he received with shock and sadness the news of the death of Alamieyeseigha’s son.
He said he and his wife, Patience, shared in the grief of the deceased’s family.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President pledged the support of the Federal Government as the family strive to unravel the circumstances surrounding their son’s death.
The statement read, “On behalf of his family and the Federal Government, President Jonathan extends heartfelt condolences to Oyamuyefa’s father, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and his entire family on the untimely loss of a very dear son in the prime of his life.
“The President and the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, share their pain and grief over the death of Oyamuyefa in circumstances that are still unclear.
“President Jonathan assures Chief Alamieyeseigha and his family of the full support of the Federal Government as they strive to unravel the true circumstances of the young man’s death.
“He prays that God Almighty will receive Oyamuyefa’s soul and comfort his grieving parents and siblings.”
The call for the intervention of the Federal Government is needed to correct the alleged miscarriage of justice by the Dubai police.
Ace sports broadcaster, Aisha Falode, has appealed to the Federal Government to intervene in the case of alleged murder of her 19-year-old son, Toba Falode, who died in Dubai, United Arab Emirate, UAE, in February.
In a press conference held in Lagos, Tuesday, Ms. Falode called on the government to put pressure on the UAE authorities to compel the Dubai police to reopen investigation into the circumstances that led to the death of Mr. Falode whom she said was murdered in cold blood by a Saudi national, Faisal Aldakmary Al-Nasser, and his British girlfriend, Olivia Richards.
According to her, the call for the intervention of the Federal Government is needed to correct the alleged miscarriage of justice by the Dubai police, who have ruled the death was accidental and have closed investigation into the matter.
Late Mr. Falode, who was studying Audio Production in Dubai, was said to have fallen off from the balcony of the 17th floor of the Manchester Towers, Dubai Marine, where he resided; but his mom said unimpeachable signs and eyewitness accounts shows that her son was pushed to his death.
“In the early hours of the 15th of February 2014, I received a call from the security guard at my son’s apartment block informing me that something serious had just happened to my son, Toba. I then immediately called his close friend, Nick Allison, a South African, who then informed me that my Toba had passed on from falling from the balcony of his 17th floor apartment,” said Ms. Falode.
According to her, family members who went to retrieve the body of Mr. Falode were told by the police that he had fallen off from the railings of the balcony of his 17th floor apartment. However, she said the police report mysteriously excluded some vital information that points to the fact that Mr. Al-Nasser allegedly pushed her son to his death.
She said the police decided to put a lid on the case without doing an autopsy, arguing that their findings suggest nothing else could be blamed as the cause of his death.
“However, because of the various inconsistencies in the police report given to my family, and because I know the apartment layout very well and my motherly intuition I knew something was not right. So I decided to investigate further by myself accompanied by a family member and my family lawyer Mr. Festus Keyamo.”
She said when spoke to Mr. Falode’s friends in Dubai, their accounts of what happened on the day of he died was completely different from the account in the police report.
Jealous rage
Ms. Falode said her son’s friends told her that Mr. Al-Nasser had stormed into the apartment sometime in December 2013 and ordered Ms. Richards out of Mr. Falode’s apartment while accusing him of having an affair with her.
“A fight was to have ensued from this confrontation, but for the intervention of other mutual friends. Since then, there was no love lost between Toba and Faisal Aldakmary Al-Nasser,” she said.
“In the evening of the 14th of February, 2014, Toba, together with his friends, namely, Ebele Oladeji Onwugbufor, Nick Allison and Joachim Santene went to a club in Dubai known as M Deck, Media 1 Hotel, Media City
“That at the club, they met the said Faisal Aldakmary Al-Nasser and Olivia Melanie Richard Evans who were also at the club.
“Again an argument started at the club concerning Olivia, and shortly after this, Faisal and Olivia left the club”
The mother said when Mr. Falode and his friends returned to their apartment from the club, they were surprised to find Mr. Al-Nasser and Ms. Richards waiting outside the door; with Ms. Richards “crying hysterically and appeared frightened” while Mr. Al-Nasser appeared “calm with a determined look on his face.”
The three entered the apartment “to sort things out.”
After the trio moved outside to the balcony, a heated argument later ensued accompanied by “raised voices and flaying hands” that was visible through the glass door to those inside the apartment.
She said about 20 seconds later, Mr. Al-Nasser and Ms. Richards came back into the room and announced that Mr. Falode had fallen off the railings.
“However, Faisal had blood spattered all over his shirt and he had bloody knuckles. There was also a noticeable cut on his finger,” Ms. Falode said.
“At this point they all rushed downstairs to see Toba’s dead body lying meters away from the building (approximately 12 to 15 meters).
“The position of my Toba’s body (which can still be verified today) was not consistent with someone falling from the balcony (in which case the body would be much closer to the building) but was consistent with someone that was violently pushed from the balcony.
“The police arrived thereafter and arrested all of them to the station. Before and during the journey to the station, Faisal kept repeating to the hearing of everyone that the maximum punishment for him would be 25 years in jail and that other boys should not worry. Meanwhile, Olivia remained hysterical.”
She said at the station, she was told that Mr. Al-Nasser and Ms. Richards were kept away from the other boys and interviewed separately. Mr. Al-Nasser was released and allowed to go away with the blood stained T-shirt he had on.
According to her, all those present agreed to the above account of the events leading to the death of her son.
Ms. Falode said that the police report made no mention of Mr. Al-Nasser is a clear indication of a cover-up.
“I am appealing to my government that I have done much more than I should do as a grieving mother who was left with no option but to start investigating my own son’s murder by myself,” she said trying unsuccessfully to hold back the tears that well in her eyes.
“I implore the Nigerian Government to prevail on the authorities in Dubai to re-open the investigation into the murder of my son Toba Falode and to bring to book Mr. Faisal Aldakmary Al-Nasser and Miss Olivia Melanie Richards both of whom murdered him in cold blood.”
No response from government
Mr. Falode said she called the press conference to inform the world of the quest for justice and to appeal to government to take up the case not just for her sake but for other Nigerian parents who have lost their children in foreign countries under similar circumstances.
According to Mr. Keyamo, a petition was sent to the government two weeks ago but nothing has been heard so far.
The President of Women Arise, Joe Okei-Odumakin, who was also at the briefing, read out content of a petition to the Nigerian Ambassador to UAE, Ibrahim Auwalu, asking that embassy should look into the case in order to secure justice for the grieving mother. She said President Goodluck Jonathan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, as well as the Senate were also sent copies of the petition.
“The Nigerian Embassy has shown weakness in this matter,” she said.
“We are of the belief that the embassy in a country has, as one of its prime duties, to collate happening to citizens in the country of call and make recommendations as to observations, opportunities, threat and other potential dangers inherent or surfacing there.
“The death or unfortunate incidents that involve Nigerians from their ignorance of dangers as they pursue better lives, since the government failed to produce opportunities back home can be blamed on the Nigerian government, particularly its embassies at various countries, for failure to live up to this task.”
In a press conference held in Lagos, Tuesday, Ms. Falode called on the government to put pressure on the UAE authorities to compel the Dubai police to reopen investigation into the circumstances that led to the death of Mr. Falode whom she said was murdered in cold blood by a Saudi national, Faisal Aldakmary Al-Nasser, and his British girlfriend, Olivia Richards.