TSA: We realised N2.2trn in 3 months – Buhari

PRESIDENT Mu-hammadu Buhari has revealed that his administration has within three months saved N2.2 trillion for the nation through the enforcement of the Treasury Single Account, TSA.

The president made the revelation in London during a meeting with Nigerians resident in the city on Thursday night.

General Buhari

President Buhari who was in the United Kingdom for the Supporting Syria and the Region Conference in London, British capital was speaking of the problems bedevilling the oil and gas sector of the economy which he said were part of the challenges he inherited upon an assumption of office.

Cooperation, NNPC had over 45 accounts scattered in different banks. The same situation, the president said, was also pervasive across the branches of the military. He said: “We are really in trouble. What we discovered was that we tried to enforce what we called treasury single account, TSA. And the reason was simple. This government did not initiate it. It was the previous government. But it was so unpopular to the bureaucracy and the previous government for its own reasons couldn’t enforce it.  But when we came and found that we were broke, we said this is the way to do it. And I will just tell you two examples to convince you.

“First, NNPC, the cow that was giving the milk had more than 45 accounts, ministry of defense, that is the military Army, Navy and air force had over 70 accounts. Tell me which account we can trace in these several accounts. So we enforce TSA. We said there must be TSA. “By the end of December, coming to January this year, that is last month, we mopped up more than N2.2trn which we have used through the bureaucracy system to raise vouchers and sign cheques so that they don’t go into the next budget.”

Speaking further on the state of the economy, the president revealed that some Nigerians were behind the crisis. The president stated that most directors of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN owned and operated some of the Bureau De Change outfits through which they raked in the foreign exchanges. He said he was determined to stop the ill development and make every Nigerian accountable.

“We found out, when I say we, I mean present federal government, that some of the directors in the central bank own the bureau de change businesses. So when the foreign exchange comes, they take it and give government the change. So we stopped the Federal Government giving bureau de change foreign exchange. “Fellow country men and women, I am giving you a tip of the iceberg of the problem we inherited and we are getting so hard because we have no other way of running the country unless we make everybody accountable”, he said.

While underscoring the importance of education, president Buhari asked the audience to support his administration by educating their children for a better future. On giving diaspora Nigerians a chance to participate in elections, president Buhari said  his government was studying the scenario, stressing that what was utmost was to make the process more credible. “We are critically looking at the system itself. We must make sure that the election process itself is credible”, he said.

TSA: We realised N2.2trn in 3 months – Buhari

EastEnders: Police arrest Ghananian who killed two kids, wife in London

The partner of a former EastEnders actress who was murdered alongside her two young sons has been arrested in Ghana.

Arthur Simpson-Ken

Arthur Simpson-Kent, 48, was detained earlier, two days after the Ghanaian police began their hunt for him.

The bodies of Sian Blake, 43, Zachary, eight, and Amon, four, were discovered in the garden of their London home on Tuesday.

The family had been reported missing on 16 December.

The Met Police said it had been “made aware of an arrest in Ghana” and was “working alongside the Ghanaian authorities but is not in a position to discuss further at this time”.

BBC correspondent Alastair Leithead, who is in Ghana, said Mr Simpson-Kent was arrested in a coastal area popular with tourists.

“Around 10 police officers went down to the beach where he was spotted hiding amongst some rocks and the police, who were all armed, called out to him,” he said.

“He gave himself up and they found that he had a knife on him, but he didn’t use it in a threatening way.

“He was then taken to a nearby village where police thanked the people who had informed them he was in this area.”

Mr Leithead said the arrest involved Met and Ghanaian Police as well as officers from Interpol.

Mr Simpson-Kent, the children’s father, arrived in Ghana on 19 December, with the country’s police force becoming involved in the hunt for him on Thursday.

Ghanaian Police had initially been sent to the Cape Coast in the south of the country – where the extended Simpson family is from – as well as to other parts of the Atlantic shoreline.

Ms Blake and the couple’s sons had not been seen at their south-east London home since 13 December and a missing persons inquiry launched on 16 December, after the NSPCC had raised concerns about their welfare.

Three days later, police spoke to her partner, the children’s father Arthur Simpson-Kent, 48, at the family’s home in Erith, Kent, and he has since disappeared. Police have refused to clarify why they spoke to Mr Simpson-Kent.

A murder investigation was launched after the bodies were discovered and forensic teams were seen searching the property. Neighbours said police had been at the house for several days.

Questions are being asked as to why officers missed three bodies during their 20-day search for the mother-of-two.

 

EastEnders: Police arrest Ghananian who killed two kids, wife in London

Alison-Madueke"s breaks silence, says she was never arrested

The family of the embattled former minister of petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke who was reportedly arrested in London by the National Crime Agency (NCA) last Friday has broken silence.

Diezani-Alison Madueke

The family revealed that Alison has been receiving treatment in London because of her cancer ailment.

 

The former minister was arrested in London alongside four others whose identies where not revealed to the press, and was later released on bail.

In a statement released by a lawyer, Oscar Onwudiwe on behalf of the family, said Alison-Madueke started treatment recently but the cancer started while she was in the office.

Onwudiwe said “She completed months of chemotherapy just last week and is scheduled to undergo surgery next week in London,” the statement read..

“The family has been bearing this challenge with prayers and as much grace and fortitude as possible; and would plead with all reasonable Nigerians to pray for her recovery so that she can face this allegation and give account of her stewardship. Yes, she can- and very well, too.”

The statement revealed that Alison-Madueke was neither arrested nor her passport seized in London as speculated in some part of the media, she merely honoured an invitation by NCA

 

NAIJA CENTER NEWS has reported last week that Diezani arrest is related to an allegation on money embezzled on Oil Swap Deal.

The family also denied the reports that she was being investigated for trying to buy a property in posh Hyde Park Street, London.

“As though to outdo the sensational allegations in the online publication, the mainstream media in Nigeria has been alleging that Mrs. Diezani attempted to purchase a property on Hyde Park Street in London for a whooping amount which embarrassingly ranges from 12.5 million sterling pounds to 13 billion sterling pounds. This claim is utterly false and laughable, for the amounts mentioned are only in the imagination of the reporters.

“This property is quite popular. It belongs to a well-known eminently successful Nigerian entrepreneur who would also find this allegation embarrassing as the intention to sell the property has neither been contemplated nor disclosed to any person.”

The family denied reports that the former minister’s mother, Mrs Agama, as well as her stepson, Ogonna Madueke, owns houses in the UK and the United States.

The statement said the family would deal appropriately with those it claimed are bent on tarnishing its name.

“The Madueke family has taken a decision on how to appropriately deal with those who are on a mission to soil their hard earned family name.”

Alison-Madueke"s breaks silence, says she was never arrested

UK has legal right to request Alamieyeseigha"s extradition

The Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay, says the United Kingdom has every legal right to demand for the extradition of a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, to London.

Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha
Photo credit: Punch

The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Andrew Pocock, had said Alamieyeseigha, who was pardoned by former President Goodlcuk Jonathan, has an outstanding case of money laundering to answer in the UK and that the UK government will not give up until Alamieyeseigha is brought to justice.

Pocock had said, “The former governor skipped bail in the UK on a charge of money laundering and returned to Nigeria. So, he has an outstanding charge in the UK, which is there for him to answer.

“We have already discussed it and the Nigerian government knows our views. But we would like to see him return and answer the charge in the UK.”

However, former President Jonathan’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Doyin Okupe, had said there was no need for Nigeria to send Alamieyeseigha to the UK since he had been punished and pardoned by the President.

Okupe argued that the offence was committed against the people of Nigeria and the UK had no business with Alamieyeseigha.

However, Sagay told our correspondent on Sunday that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government would do well by extraditing the former governor to the UK.

He said, “Alamieyeseigha allegedly committed a separate crime by laundering money in Britain and that is not a crime in Nigeria but a crime against British Criminal Law and so, Goodluck Jonathan cannot pardon him for that.”

When asked if the absence of an Attorney General could stall the case of extradition of Alamieyeseigha, Sagay said there was no rush as the country’s new ministers would soon emerge.

He said, “Certainly, the case can be stalled but there is a pact between Britain and Nigeria which obliges us to extradite offenders who they are looking for. There is a process. A judge will give consent once there is evidence that there is a prima facie case against him in England.”

When asked if the case would not be seen as political prosecution or a witch-hunt, Sagay dismissed such claims as balderdash.

He said, “This is the new defence for criminal prosecution which is being drummed up in Nigeria. It does not exist in law. Witch-hunt has never been a defence in court. The plea is guilty or not guilty. You are a real witch if you are guilty and should be hunted.”

UK has legal right to request Alamieyeseigha"s extradition

EXCLUSIVE - Oil Swap Deal: The Real Reason Alison-Madueke Was Arrested

By Ehi Ekhator, Naija Center News

A former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke  was arrested based on Oil Swap Deal, NAIJA CENTER NEWS can authoritatively report.

Alison Madueke

The former minister who was arrested in London on Thursday by UK’s National Crime Agency, signed a contract on behalf of the Federal government during President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s administration.

The $50bn Crude Oil Swaps Deal refer to an arrangement whereby about fifty percent 50 percent of the nation’s daily quota of crude oil meant for domestic refining and consumption are given to some local companies in the oil and gas sector which then sell the products in the international market and thereafter import petroleum products, including derivatives or byproducts on behalf of the NNPC and PPMC for sale and distribution in the country.

Nigerian daily quota of crude oil for local consumption is about 445,000 barrels. This arrangement was necessitated by the inability of the local refineries to operate at their fully installed capacities which would have been able to refine all the daily domestic quota of crude oil.

The Offshore Processing Agreements (OPAs) involved the allocation of the daily domestic quota of crude oil to some local companies in the oil and gas sector. The companies then take the crude oil to refineries outside the country, refine them into petroleum products, including derivatives or byproducts, and import them into the country on behalf of the PPMC.

Alison-Madueke was accused of masterminding the development that led to less quantity of petroleum products, byproducts and derivatives being imported into the country by the local companies in exchange for the crude oil allocated to them by the NNPC.

 

A source at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) who spoke with NAIJA CENTER NEWS in anonymity said ” An investigation was carried out and a lot of shitty deals was found to be done by Alison-Madueke. The file was passed on to the London Police who passed it on to the International Corruption Unit of the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), and when they were able to establish that the allegations were true, they picked her up.

“Some of the issue that raised high attention is the Oil Swap Deals. She signed the Oil swap deal on behalf of the Federal Government running into billions of dollars, and it seems to be some dusts under the surface and the Presidency is trying to get to the bottom of it. This is the main issue, there are a lot of other minor issues but Oil Swap Deal is the major issue.

“She is going to be tried in the UK for fraud and money laundering. Every evidences, information in the commission will be transferred to the London Met Police. For the oil Swap Deal Alone, she is being charged up to the sum of $16bn dollars”

Responding to why the former minister is not tried in Nigeria, the source said “The major problem  we have in Nigeria judiciary system is the burden of truth. This is a life factor even herself must prove beyond reasonable doubt. But in UK, if i see you driving a new car, i can launch a case against you in court and you will come and prove how you got fund to acquire the car. But in Nigeria, it is different, how will someone who launch a case against you to provide evidence to the court that you bought a car using criminal proceeds. So burden of truth is our basic problem in Nigeria, but they are trying to reverse it.”

In September, a civil society group focused on transparency in the oil and gas sector criticized the interim Offshore Processing Agreement, OPA, between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and three multinational trading companies to boost the supply of refined petroleum products in the country.

The Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice said the process of engaging the companies fell short of the provisions of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) Act 2007.

 

 

 

EXCLUSIVE - Oil Swap Deal: The Real Reason Alison-Madueke Was Arrested

Human breast milk on sale via website: the hazards involved

British experts, on Thursday in London, warned that the growing online craze of buying and drinking human breast milk, among some fitness communities, fetishists and chronic disease sufferers, poses serious health implications. The human breast milk was being traded via websites in a lucrative market for adult buyers.

A Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, said there was little evidence to support claims, that the milk has any kind of super food that can boost health, fitness and ward off disease. Experts said the claims that it assisted with erectile dysfunction and cancer, have no clinical basis.

They warned that such raw and unpasteurised human breast milk can expose consumers to many serious infectious diseases, including hepatitis, HIV and syphilis. Sarah Steele, a Specialist at the Global Health and Policy Unit, Queen Mary University of London, said it was also potentially very hazardous, if used to replace a healthy balanced diet.

She said nutritionally, there was less protein in human breast milk than other milks like cow’s milk. “Potential buyers should be made aware that no scientific study evidences that direct adult consumption of human milk for medicinal properties offers anything more than a placebo effect.

“Failure of women to sanitise properly when producing milk, failure to sterilize equipment properly, and improper or prolonged storage and transportation of milk can also expose consumers to bacterial food-borne illnesses. “While many online mums claim they have been tested for viruses during pregnancy, many do not realise that such screening needs to be undertaken regularly,” she said.

Steele warned that sexual and other activities may expose the women to viruses that they may unwittingly pass on to consumers.

 

Human breast milk on sale via website: the hazards involved

London judge adjourns Ibori’s case to June 6, 2016

Judge Anthony Pitts of the Southwark Crown Court, UK, yesterday, adjourned the confiscation hearing of Chief James Ibori, former Delta State Governor, till June 6 next year.

Judge Pitts granted the adjournment to allow him time attend to a case of attempt to pervert the course of justice brought against Ibori’s co-defendant, Mr. Bradresh Gohil.

Gohil’s counsel alleged in court, at the hearing yesterday, that a British Police Officer, Mcdonald, who is a lead investigating officer in the case involving Gohil and Ibori, had been involved in collecting money for information involving Gohil and Risk Management company.

While pressing home his demand, Gohil’s counsel said: “There are new evidence indicating that DC Macdonald exchanged 22 telephone calls, which have been traced with Risk Management at key stages of the investigation of Ibori.

“They coincided with unexplained payment into DC Macdonald’s account.”

Judge Pitts, while granting the request of Gohil’s counsel in the trial, said: “Justice must not only be done, but must be seen to have been done.”

This is a second abrupt ending in the Ibori confiscation case.

The first ended last year, after it abruptly ended James Ibori’s confiscation hearing late last year on the grounds that the judge lacked enough evidence to arrive at a decision in the confiscation hearing.

Asking that the case be adjourned again on two grounds, Mr. Gohil’s counsel, Kamlish, a Queen’s Counsel, said: “Your Honour, I seek to have this case adjourned on two grounds:

“Gohil is not being represented at the hearing as the former counsel and solicitor have withdrawn and the second ground being that it will be improper to have a confiscation hearing before Mr. Gohil’s trial.”

The judge, in accepting his request, adjourned Mr. Gohil’s trial till January 16, 2016.

This adjournment of Gohil’s trial affected Ibori’s confiscation hearing as the prosecution sought an application to join Ibori’s and Gohil’s cases together.

Ibori’s case should have lasted for just six weeks, but will now be linked to Gohil’s case, which will begin January next year.

 

London judge adjourns Ibori’s case to June 6, 2016

Buhari meets former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, in London

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Muhammadu Buhari, on Saturday held a meeting with a former Prime Minister of Britain, Tony Blair, in London.

Buhari and Tony Blair

Mr. Buhari met Mr. Blair in company with Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, and a former Governor of Kwara, Bukola Saraki, who tweeted a group photograph of participants at the meeting.

“Just finished a meeting with @Govsia @ThisIsBuhari and @tonyblairoffice,” Mr. Saraki, an incumbent senator, wrote.

It is not clear what Mr. Buhari discussed with Mr. Blair at the meeting.

Mr. Saraki apparently tweeted the picture to challenge tales being spread by supporters of President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party that Mr. Buhari is in the United Kingdom for medical reason.

Mr. Buhari’s campaign had on Friday announced that Mr. Buhari had departed for the U.K. on a short working visit.

The statement said in the course of the visit, Mr. Buhari would hold meetings with key members of the British political establishment and interact with some global institutions with interest in the affairs of Nigeria.

“General Buhari will hopefully give a talk at the prestigious foreign policy hub, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House in London, the spokesperson for his campaign, Garba Shehu, said.

But shortly afterwards, the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, issued a statement, accusing the APC of lying about Mr. Buhari’s itinerary in the U.K. and alleging that the candidate was in London for medical treatment.

Mr. Fayose, a core loyalist of President Jonathan, has continued to spread tales that Mr. Buhari is sick and incapable of governing.

Mr. Buhari has however continued to insist that he is well and fit to govern and that the health and death of everyone is in the hands of God.

The APC presidential candidate had on January 23 cancelled a visit to the United States, which would have seen him speak at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, CSIS, which invited him.

The organisation’s Director of African Programme, Jennifer Cooke, told PREMIUM TIMES at the time that Mr. Buhari cancelled the trip because of a change in his schedule.

Messrs. Buhari and Jonathan, both frontrunners in the coming presidential election, were invited by the organisation to speak on Nigeria’s future.

Buhari meets former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, in London

Man stabs daughter-in-law in eyes for allegedly having an affair

Jageer Mirgind was left blind and scarred for life after 51-year-old Manjit Mirgind slashed her wrists and stabbed her in the eyes screaming “I am going to kill you.”

Mrs Mirgind’s children, just three and six years old, watched the horrific attack at their mother’s home in Kensington Gardens, Ilford, East London and pleaded with their grandfather to stop.

The mother has been left partially-sighted in both eyes while the children can no longer sleep alone and have recurring nightmares

The crazed attacker wrongly believed his daughter-in-law was ‘sleeping with a Paki’ and that she had ‘ruined his family’, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.

Tragically, Mirgind misunderstood the situation when his daughter was the victim of a series of prank calls.

After punching her in the face he dragged her into the kitchen where he savagely kicked her before grabbing a knife.

He eventually left and went home as his wife called an ambulance for Mrs Mirgind. He later turned himself in at the police station and told them exactly what had happened.

Judge Nigel Peters QC said: “You have accepted that you have caused the most serious injuries to your daughter in law.

“You set about her having taken umbrage because you felt she was having affairs when it turned out she had been receiving prank calls.

“You set out with great hostility and vengeance you punched her, forced to the ground and kicked her and took knives to her face and wrist to gouge her eyes.

“She has since lost a lot of sight in both eyes and there is major scarring to her face.”

“She has a stutter as well, most likely caused by the loss of confidence and lack of sleep and general work.

“So distressing was that her children, your grandchildren, witnessed it from start to finish and pleaded with you to stop but you did not stop.’

Crown lawyer Jonathan Turner said Mrs Mirgind’s children had suffered, having begged the defendant to stop and they saw the blood everywhere.

“Their life has changed and they cannot sleep alone while the marriage of their parents has disintegrated.’

Mrs Mirgind has since moved to Nottingham with her two children.

The court heard the defendant Mirgind had been a leading member of the Sikh community and often drove young worshippers to the temple.

In a statement read by his lawyer Edward Boateng-Addo, he said: ‘I am a hard-working family man who left his job to care for his ill mother seven years ago.

‘I was stressed out at the time and nothing can excuse what I did.

‘I was trying to protect her – I am a peaceful and honest man and I know I will not have the chance to apologise but I do look to the court to say how sorry I am.

He had initially been charged with attempted murder but prosecutors later accepted a plea of causing grievous bodily harm with intent in order to avoid having to go to trial.

Mirgind, of Mayfair Avenue, Ilford, admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

A single count of attempted murder has been left to lie on the court file.

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Man stabs daughter-in-law in eyes for allegedly having an affair

PHOTO : Emmanuel Adebayo Hangs Out With Wizkid & Iyanya in London

Iyanya is away in London shooting the video for his latest single “Away”. while wizkid on the hand is in UK taking time out. Togolese and Tottenham striker, Emmanuel Adebayor took time to hang out with them like he did with Davido earlier in the year. Looked like they had a good time

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PHOTO : Emmanuel Adebayo Hangs Out With Wizkid & Iyanya in London