Metro

Nigeria to resume trial of suspected terrorists in two weeks— Attorney-General

Published

5 months ago

November 17, 2023

The Nigerian government says it will resume the prosecution of some alleged suspected terrorists and their financiers in the next two weeks after a painstaking investigation.

Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who disclosed this at the opening of the 40th technical commission and plenary meeting of the inter-governmental action group against money laundering in West Africa in Abuja on Thursday, said the trial of the alleged suspects was very much alive as against insinuations from certain quarters that the cases had been swept under the carpet. He added that the government was finalising efforts to ensure a smooth and successful trial.

“Efforts are on to resume the trial of those categories of people. And I think, in the next two weeks, it will be a different story. We are conscious of that issue,” the AGF said.

“Facilities are being put in place. Apart from the regular physical mode of trial, we are working on ways to ensure that virtual trials can also be conducted.”

According to Fagbemi, the adoption of virtual trials is aimed at preventing delay, insisting that the government was not shying away from its responsibility of providing funds for this purpose.

“The adoption of virtual trial is aimed at preventing delay. The government is not shying away from its responsibility of providing funds for this purpose”.

The AGF also emphasized the importance of regional and international cooperation in order to effectively combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

“Our ability to tackle the most complex criminal activity, money laundering, and violent terrorist attacks is predicated on the capabilities of our supervisory, law enforcement, and prosecutorial authorities, and the outcomes that we are achieving point to the need for greater investment in human and technical resources and improved training and capacity development.”

The AGF also stated that the Nigerian government was able to secure about 500 convictions which resulted in the recovery of over N45 billion in the last two years.

“In 2022, we increased the budgets for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency by almost 95%. We now have over 1,500 officers dedicated to investigating and prosecuting money laundering across these three agencies alone.

“These sustained investment has seen increased numbers of investigations, prosecutions, and convictions consistently since 2021 with 5,118 investigations, 1,509 prosecutions, and almost 500 convictions secured resulting in over N45 billion of illicit proceeds seized.

“We have also made progress in tackling the financing of terrorism and in particular, I am pleased that we have identified and designated a number of individuals and entities linked to terrorist activity and seized funds linked to them”, he stated.

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Metro

Nigerian troops neutralise 216 terrorists, arrest 332 in one week— Official

Published

19 hours ago

April 28, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

The Nigerian Army Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says troops from different operation theaters across the country neutralised 216 terrorists and arrested 332 persons in the past one week.

A report released on Sunday morning by the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, disclosed that troops also succeeded in arresting 24 “perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 161 kidnapped hostages across the country” in the week under review.

Buba noted that troops in the Niger Delta region denied oil thieves crude estimated to be worth the sum of Four Hundred and Forty Eight Million Five Hundred Fifty Seven Thousand Five Hundred and Ninety Naira.

According to the Army spokesman, troops in the oil rich region also discovered and destroyed 97 dugout pits, six boats, 20 storage tanks, two receivers, 16 drums and seven vehicles used in oil bunkering activities.

“Other items recovered incl 174 cooking ovens, one pumping machine and 8 illegal refining sites,” the report noted.

“Troops recovered 533,127 litres of stolen crude oil and 24,520 litres of illegally refined AGO,” he said.

Gen. Buba said that in other operation theatres, troops recovered 234 assorted weapons and 5,994 assorted ammunition.

“A breakdown of the discoveries include 131 AK47 rifles, 3 PKT guns, one M16 rifle, 43 locally fabricated gun, 21 dane guns, one 105mm gun, 2 automatic pump action guns, 18 locally fabricated pistols, 8 single barrel guns, 2 automatic pump action guns, one LG4 bomb, one MG skeleton, 3 explosive IED case, one MOWAG APC, one 81mm mortar tripod stand

“Others are; 3,120 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 2,195 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 211 rounds of 9mm ammo, 99 rounds of 7.62 x 25mm ammo, 467 live cartridges, one rifle butt, 15 magazines, 2 baofeng radios, 10 vehicles, 38 motorcycles, 43 mobile phones and the sum of N871,500.00 amongst other items.”

He reiterated that the military is going to continue to be very kinetic and strong against terrorists in ongoing counter terrorism and counter insurgency operations across the country.

“Indeed, we will banish and defeat terrorism from the nation rather than bow to it.

“Troops are maintaining the momentum in neutralizing the terrorist leaders and commanders. Indeed, we remain focused in fighting for the basic safety and security of citizens of this country,” he added.

Metro

Mapanza traditional council shares positive outlook on media rights, freedom of expression

Published

2 days ago

April 27, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Jonathan Muchindu, a representative of the Traditional Council of Mapanza Chiefdom in Choma District, Southern Province, Zambia, asserts that the media in Zambia currently enjoys “total” freedom of expression.

Muchindu attributed this position to the advancement of civilization, which he identified as a significant factor in ensuring media freedom.

He emphasized the role of the media in providing citizens with the necessary information to make informed decisions.

In an exclusive interview with Zambia Monitor in Choma, Muchindu, who also serves as the Director of the Zambia Corruption Prevention Watchdog, described the media and its content as essential elements akin to “food on the table.”

“We are truly privileged to witness the advancements in civilization. Previously, the media was confined to the hands of a few individuals, and its reach was limited.

“However, with the advent of technology, accessing news through various platforms such as radio and television has become commonplace.

“The media has evolved into an indispensable source of information, and its participation is now integral to our daily lives,” he remarked.

When questioned about the operational landscape of the media, Muchindu expressed confidence that no media entity currently faces undue interference or censorship.

“From our perspective, both in rural villages and urban centers, we have not encountered instances where journalists or media outlets have been subjected to harassment or undue influence.

“This collaborative effort had ushered in a sense of enlightenment among the populace, allowing for open discourse on governance matters, particularly in the realm of politics.

“The media enjoyed the same freedoms as ordinary citizens, and there is unequivocal liberty in its expression,” Muchindu concluded.

The declaration by the Traditional Council of Mapanza Chiefdom underscored a positive outlook on media freedom in Zambia and reaffirmed the critical role of the media in fostering informed public discourse.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.