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Nigeria’s anti-graft agency uncovers N37bn fraud in ministry created by ex-President Buhari, indicts minister

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Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has uncovered fraud totalling N37 billion in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs which was created by former President Muhammadu Buhari and led by Sadiya Umar-Farouk.

According the commission, the money was allegedly laundered, transferred from the Federal Government’s coffers and stashed in 38 different bank accounts domiciled in five leading commercial banks belonging to or connected with a contractor with the ministry identified as James Okwete.

Okwete, on receiving the funds, allegedly transferred N6.7 billion to Bureau De Change Operators, withdrew N540 million in cash, purchased luxury cars with N288 million, and bought luxury houses in Abuja and Enugu State with N2.5 billion.

The EFCC report further stated that 53 companies were traced to Okwete who was also said to have used 47 of the companies to lift Federal Government contracts amounting to N27.6 billion, as well as being linked with 143 bank accounts in 12 commercial banks in which 134 accounts are corporate accounts linked to different companies.

It was also revealed that Okwete, who had a chummy relationship with Umar-Farouq during her time as minister, is a director in only 11 of the 53 companies, while the remaining 42 companies’ accounts are only linked to his Bank Verification Number (BVN) as a signatory to the accounts.

The comprehensive report also indicted Umar-Farouq who was the pioneer Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development for the eight years Buhari was President.

Despite a plethora of allegations against her during the administration, including her admission of using the sum of N80 million to feed school children during the COVID-19 lockdown, and the clamour by Nigerians for her to be probed, she saw out her tenure.

Metro

Zambia’s ruling party UPND warns against personal attacks on President Hichilema

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Zambia’s ruling party, the UPND, has warned opposition politicians and critics against personal attacks on President Hakainde Hichilema as his meekness should not be mistaken for weakness.

Secretary-General of the UPND, Batuke Imenda, who gave the warning in a statement in Lusaka on Monday, urged political opponents to always engage in mature and issue-based discourse.

Zambia Monitor reports that Imenda’s warning, was directed at the leader of Zambia Must Prosper (ZMP) party, Kelvin Bwalya Fube, whose recent remarks Imenda described as “provocative” and a “feeble attempt to mislead citizens.”

“Provocative words uttered by Kelvin Bwalya against our party and President Hichilema are a clear demonstration of naivety,” Imenda said in the statement.

He further advised Bwalya to abandon personal attacks and focus on substantial political issues.

The UPND Secretary suggested that Bwalya’s attacks stemmed from a desire for relevance amid declining political fortunes, hinting at a possible alignment with former President Edgar Lungu.

“It appears KBF is hoping that Edgar Lungu might support his embattled political career by unjustly attacking President Hichilema,” he said.

Imenda defended the President’s record, highlighting that under Hichilema’s leadership, Zambia’s democratic space had expanded compared to the previous PF administration, which he accused of stifling freedoms.

He noted that while criticism was welcome, it should not devolve into baseless attacks, warning that opposition figures should not misinterpret Hichilema’s restraint as weakness.

Imenda also criticized Bwalya for overlooking the gains in transparency and justice since the change in government, claiming that past regimes were marked by resource mismanagement and corruption.

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Following backlash, Nigerian govt withdraws treason charges against minors

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The Nigerian government has officially withdrawn the treason charges it entered against some minors who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protest that spread across the country from August 1 to the 10th.

The nation was thrown into shock on Friday when the Nigeria Police presented 76 protesters at the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges bordering on treason. Among the suspects were four minors who slumped before they could be arraigned before the court.

This caused serious uproar in the country with Nigerians condemning the government and calling for the unconditional release of the kids and the dismissal of the charges against them.

The decision to withdraw the charges against the underage accused came following a directive by President Bola Tinubu who ordered the immediate withdrawal of the charges and an in-depth investigation into what led to the arrest and detention of the minors.

Tinubu had also ordered the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, (SAN) to officially take over the case file as well as review the cases following public outcry that came with the arraignment of the minors.

The charges were finally withdrawn on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja through an application for discontinuance filled by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Abubakar, on behalf of the AGF.

According to Abubakar, the discontinuance application was based on provisions of sections 174(1), (b) and (c) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015.

The DPPF also applied for further proceedings to be conducted without the presence of the minors in the courtroom, in line with provisions of Section 266(b) of the ACJA, 2015, and Section 1 of the Childs’ Rights Act.

In response, human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Fanala (SAN), who stood in for the accused as well as other defence lawyers in the matter, did not oppose the applications which promoted the judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, to strike out the charges, while the four affected minors were also delisted from the charge sheet.

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