TheNewsGuru

Tag: Properties

  • Gunmen strike again in Abia, attack Police Divisional Headquarters, burn properties

    Gunmen strike again in Abia, attack Police Divisional Headquarters, burn properties

    Gunmen have attacked a police divisional headquarters in Abia State in the south-east region of the country.

    According to reports, the attack on the police facility located at the Trademore Estate in Umuahia, the state capital was carried out at about 9:45am today (Sunday).

    While no life was lost in the incident, one of the police personnel on duty sustained an injury and has been taken to a hospital for treatment.

    The Police Public Relation Officer in the state, Geoffrey Ogbonna, confirmed the attack on the station.

    “Yes, there was an attack on Mike Okiro Divisional Police Headquarters. We are investigating and the outcome will be made public,” he stated.

    Ogbonna added that police authorities in the state were making effort to ascertain the level of damage at the facility and arrest the perpetrators.

    According to him, the hoodlums arrived in four vehicles – a hummer bus and three Toyota Sienna van, as well as two motorcycles.

    The command’s spokesman noted that the attackers set ablaze documents in the offices and destroyed police vehicles and motorcycles, among other valuables.

    He, however, appealed to residents, especially those in the area to support the police with useful information that would assist the apprehending the suspects.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the attack on the police station is one of the latest in the series of attacks on security facilities in the southern part of the country.

    Recently, five operatives attached to the Akwa Ibom State Police Command, and the wife of a police officer, were killed by hoodlums.

    The sad incident was a result of an attack on the police divisional headquarters in Odoro Ikpe in Ini Local Government Area of the state.

    Odiko MacDon, the Police Public Relations Officer in Akwa Ibom, confirmed that police patrol vans and other valuables were destroyed by the hoodlums.

  • ‘Nigerian politicians own 800 properties worth $400m in London, Dubai’

    ‘Nigerian politicians own 800 properties worth $400m in London, Dubai’

    Mathew Page, an associate fellow of Chatham House, London, has advised Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) investigators to focus on real estate and education sectors, when tracking illicit financial flows and money laundering.

    He gave the advise in a paper he presented entitled “IFFs through the Real Estate and Education Sectors: Implications for Investigators” at a capacity building forum for ICPC investigators on investigating Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs), on Tuesday, in Abuja.

    Page stressed that focusing on the two sectors had become necessary as IFFs had provided opportunities for politically exposed persons (PEPs) in Nigeria to launder money through real estate and education sectors.

    “Most of the property held by Nigerian politicians in London and Dubai are held by proxies, family and shell companies.

    “Over 800 property worth over $400 million have been linked to Nigerian PEPs,” Page said.

    Speaking earlier, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, the ICPC Chairman, said that the capacity building programme would help investigators to track illicit financial flows, money laundering and other areas the government was losing revenue and recover such funds.

    “The loss of revenue is a major challenge to developing countries, particularly Nigeria.

    “The meeting is therefore designed to build the capacity of our investigators to enable them trace the areas in which the government is losing money.

    “One of the takeaways from here is the kind of question an investigator needs to ask in tracking IFFs and money laundering,” Owasanoye explained.

    “Also, to look for the likely places people hide money, stop the illicit financial flows, and recover the funds.

    “We are already working with the FIRS and getting a lot of tax evaders and defaulters into the nation’s tax net”, he added.

    He stressed the need to widen the revenue base, improve tax collection, combat tax evasion and illicit financial flows, as well as asset recovery to improve the country’s finances.

    Fielding questions from journalists at the end of the forum, Owasanoye said that the commission had dragged about 2000 corporate entities into the country’s tax net, following investigations it conducted and that the names of the entities had since been forwarded to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) for profiling.

    “Some of these entities are not registered and do not pay tax, while others are registered but still do not pay tax.

    “The ICPC has been able to recover significant amounts in taxes for the government,” he said.

    The Chairman of the Inter-Agency Committee on stopping IFFs from Nigeria, Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu, assured that the committee was working assiduously to curb the menace from the country.

    “We know the challenge and negative impact of IFFs in Nigeria and Africa. The Federal Government established the committee towards promoting financial transparency and accountability.

    “It was in line with the recommendations of the findings of a high level Africa Union Panel on Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) led by former South African President, Thabo Mbeki.

    “The findings also include coordinating and tracking progress in stemming illicit financial flows from Nigeria.

    “The Committee is establishing cooperation amongst relevant agencies in order to substantially reduce and eventually eliminate illicit financial flows from Nigeria.

    “And to make recommendations to the Federal Government on required improvements in legislation, rules and processes for the purposes of tackling illicit financial flows from Nigeria amongst others.”

    He advised African countries to build the capacity of their investigators in tracking illicit financial flows in order to curb annual revenue losses.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that besides Page, two other resource persons, Prof. Melvin Ayogu of Emory University, and Matthew Gbonjubola of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, presented papers at the forum.

  • What is the fuss about next-of-kin? Ozioma Onyenweaku

    What is the fuss about next-of-kin? Ozioma Onyenweaku

    By Ozioma Onyenweaku

    She sounded quite desperate on phone. She is a quiet cool lovingly lady enjoying a good relationship with her husband even as the husband is battling with terminal disease. What could be the problem? She insisted it was urgent that I came to the office.

    “Would you rather come to the house”, I suggested. She was like “this is not a social visit; it is a serious business.” So I headed straight to the office. Few steps up the staircase, my client/friend was already panting.

    She was about to start speaking, when I stopped her and asked her to calm down and settle down first. I had earlier, over the phone, asked her if anybody died, and she said “No”. I parted her back and reminded her that nobody had died, and we still have our lives. More particularly, whatever thing it was, we were in it together; and together we shall overcome. She managed a smile.

    Generally, the next-of-kin is someone who, by his appointment as the next-of-kin, has been positioned to make some immediate medical decisions in the event of incapacitation; at the demise, to ensure steps are taken for proper burial and so on.
    When I had seen that she was more settled, I requested to know what was trying to drain colour out of this beautiful God’s handwork sitting right with me. Her smile this time was broader.

    “Can you believe what I just discovered?” She went on without waiting for an answer.
    “Would you believe that my husband did not use me as his next-of-kin; rather he used one of his relations, not me, as next-of-kin?”
    “I never believed he could do this! Kenneth!! And I have him all over my affairs as the next-of-kin!” She started real cry.

    I offered her a new handkerchief, while watching her.

    I allowed her to pour out her heart without me interrupting. Then, she stopped talking and looked at me and I was there just quiet.
    Then, I asked if she had more to say as I was all ears. She said that was it. I mean was that all that was bothering her at the moment?
    She shot at me, “Did you just say ‘Is that all’?” My husband using one of his relations as next-of-kin is not enough to hurt me?”
    “Have you forgotten that I started this family with him from the scratch? Can’t you try and imagine what it means that after all your toil, someone else is positioned to inherit your sweat?”

    I made her understand that I was not belittling her hurt; that I would feel the same way if I were in her shoes (of ignorance of course; I did not say that out)

    “But he has not said his relation should inherit his property”, I chipped in.
    “He made him the next-of-kin! Don’t you get it?”

    “Don’t forget that we are in it together.” I got up, tapped her on her back, “Cheer up! You have nothing to worry about”, I said.
    “Really? How do you mean?”

    “You are married to Ken under the statutes, isn’t it?” “Yes! So?”
    Many people have this misconception, as my friend here, that a next-of-kin is automatically someone who would inherit the deceased estate. A next-of-kin is simply explained as the first contact point in case of any misfortune. Definitions, though, vary as per jurisdictions. The next-of-kin is not entitled by law to inherit just for the mere reason of being the next-of-kin.

    Generally, the next-of-kin is someone who, by his appointment as the next-of-kin, has been positioned to make some immediate medical decisions in the event of incapacitation; at the demise, to ensure steps are taken for proper burial and so on.

    A next-of-kin can only inherit if he is entitled to inherit by law; such as when the spouse or child is the next-of-kin or he is named in the Will as a beneficiary.
    Where there is a Will, Next-of-kin becomes useless because the estate of the deceased would be shared according to the Will. If there is no Will, sharing of the estate of the deceased will then be according to the Administration of Estate Laws.

    As I pointed out last time, no matter the custom and tradition of the spouses, once they are married under the Statutes (popularly called Court wedding), if any one of them dies without a Will, the applicable law in sharing the estate of the deceased will be the Administration of Estate Laws.

    My friend is married under the Statute. They have four children. The husband has written no Will. He used his relation as next-of-kin before getting married. So in the event of intestate, his estate remains for his wife and children to the exclusion of every other person.

    All these I explained to my friend, and gave her a print out of the section of the applicable Administration of Estate Law.
    The hug from my friend was breath-taking!

  • Alleged proceeds of crime: Court refuses to forfeit Saraki’s Lagos properties to FG

    Alleged proceeds of crime: Court refuses to forfeit Saraki’s Lagos properties to FG

    The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has set aside its order of interim forfeiture made against two properties of former Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki.

    Justice Mohammed Liman also dismissed an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission seeking final forfeiture of the properties to the Federal Government.

    The properties are located at 17 and 17A MacDonald Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State.

    In his judgment, Justice Liman held that the essence of an interim order of forfeiture is to preserve the property from being dissipated by the suspect and the burden is on the applicant, that is the EFCC, to satisfy the Court that the property is a proceed of unlawful or illegal activity under the corruption laws.

    The Court however found that the EFCC had in its affidavit in support of its application for final forfeiture stated that the properties sought to be forfeited were purchased with a personal loan Senator Saraki obtained from Guaranty Trust Bank.

    The Court agreed with the counsel to the former senate president, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN) that the burden of proof for final forfeiture is on the preponderance of evidence and that the EFCC had failed to show that the monies used to purchase the property were from the Kwara State government house account.

    The court was also not satisfied that Senator Saraki had paid off the loan used to purchase the property.

    “The evidence of the transactions presented by the Applicant was in respect of transactions made after he had purchased the property and the proceeds used for the purchase were legal, that is loans”.

    In the final analysis, the Court held that the EFCC failed to prove that it was entitled to the relief of final forfeiture of the properties. Justice Liman accordingly dismissed the application and vacated the interim forfeiture order it made on 21st October 2019.

    This judgment comes after counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mr. Nnaemeka Omewa, Esq. and counsel to Senator Saraki, Mr. Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN had adopted their respective written addresses for and against the making of the final forfeiture order sought by the EFCC against Senator Saraki’s properties.

    In moving the application for the final forfeiture of the properties, counsel to the applicant, Nnaemeka Omewa, told Justice Mohammed Liman, that the properties were acquired with a loan obtained from Guaranty Trust Bank and paid back by money suspected to have been diverted from the coffers of the Kwara State government.

    The counsel specifically said that “There are written statements from some officials of the Kwara State government on how the money was taken from the coffers of the state government and used to pay back the loan,”.

    The EFCC, therefore, asked the court to look at the merit of its case, all the exhibits attached, and make an order permanently forfeiting the properties to the Federal Government.

    The Former Senate President through his counsel Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN, however, asked the court to reject the application by the EFCC.

    The counsel argued that the EFCC has not been able to prove that the money used to pay back the loan was acquired by any illegal activity.

    He also told the court that the EFCC had litigated on the same properties before the Code of Conduct Tribunal all the way to the Supreme Court and had lost.

    The counsel then asked the court to dismiss the EFFC’s suit seeking the final forfeiture of the properties and to instead rule in favour of the Former Senate President.

  • Court orders forfeiture of all Okorocha’s ‘illegally acquired properties’ as Imo governor

    Court orders forfeiture of all Okorocha’s ‘illegally acquired properties’ as Imo governor

    The Imo State High Court in Owerri on Thursday ordered an interim forfeiture of all properties said to be illegally acquired by a former governor of the state, Rochas Okorocha, while he was in office from 2011 to 2019.

    Justice Fred Njemanze gave the order following an application brought by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Louis Alozie on behalf of the state government.

    Some of the properties listed in the suit include the Eastern Palm University, Ogboko; the controversial Royal Spring Palm Hotels and Apartments; IBC staff quarters said to have been illegally acquired for the purpose of Rochas Foundation College, Owerri; Magistrate Quarters among others.

    The suit had Senator Okorocha’s wife, Nkechi, incorporated trustees of Rochas Foundation and Senator Okorocha himself as the first, second and third respondents against the attorney-general of the state.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that Okorocha and some officials of the incumbent government led by Hope Uzodinma were recently engaged in a free for all fight when Okorocha stormed the state over the weekend to unseal some of the sized properties.

     

  • Court throws out EFCC’s suit to forfeit Saraki’s properties to FG

    Court throws out EFCC’s suit to forfeit Saraki’s properties to FG

    The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Monday declined an application seeking the final forfeiture of two properties belonging to a former Senate President Bukola Saraki.

    Justice Mohammed Liman held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) provided insufficient and conflicting affidavit evidence in support of its prayer.

    The judge further held that the EFCC’s documents did not establish any link that Kwara State government’s funds were used to repay Saraki’s loan.

    Justice Liman noted, however, that the commission made “a strong showing of strange transactions” through Saraki’s statement of bank account exhibited in court.

    The judge said the anti-graft agency needed to call witnesses to prove that the funds were proceeds of fraud.

    He directed the commission to call its witnesses at the next adjourned date, to give oral evidence to resolve the matter.

    Saraki’s lawyer would also be permitted to cross-examine the witnesses.

    Earlier, the judge had dismissed Saraki’s preliminary objection that the fresh suit was an abuse of court processes on the grounds that it contained the same facts on which he was prosecuted before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) and was discharged and acquitted up to the Supreme Court.

    Justice Liman adjourned till September 29 for the EFCC to bring more evidence.

    In the suit, the EFCC asked the court to order the final forfeiture to the Federal Government Saraki’s properties at 17 & * 17A, McDonald Road in the Ikoyi area of Lagos.

    The anti-graft agency claimed that the houses were acquired with funds allegedly diverted by Saraki from the coffers of Kwara State while he was governor.

    The EFCC alleged that between 2003 and 2011, Saraki “withdrew over N12bn cash from the account of the Kwara State Government and paid same into his accounts domiciled in Access and Zenith banks through one of his personal assistants, Abdul Adama, at different intervals”.

    It said the ex-governor obtained a bank loan of N1.6 billion to buy the houses and later repaid the loan with money diverted from the state treasury.

  • Court orders ICPC to take over properties of ex-JAMB Registrar, Dibu Ojerinde

    Court orders ICPC to take over properties of ex-JAMB Registrar, Dibu Ojerinde

    [4:00 PM, 4/25/2020] Emma TNG: A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the interim forfeiture of Gravity FM, Igboho and some other properties belonging to Ex-Registrar of the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Dibu Ojerinde.

    Ojerinde, was also pioneer Registrar of the National Examination Council, NECO, had joined the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the build up to the 2019 general elections. His son, Hon.Olumide Ojerinde, subsequently got the party’s ticket to contest the Oorelope/Irepo/Olorunsogo federal constituency seat. He won.

    Recalled that former Governor Oyo State Abiola Ajimobi had, immediately after his announcement as APC Deputy National Chairman (South) announced Professor Ojerinde, who is Nigeria’s first professor of test and measurement, as a member of the party’s Reconciliation Committee in Oyo State.

    In the forfeiture order, which was published in the PUNCH Newspaper on Friday, Justice Ijeoma L. Ojukwu ruled that each of the said properties was acquired with public funds which represents proceeds of unlawful corrupt activities.

    In the order, the Justice stressed further that any person interested in the said properties should appear before the court to show cause within fourteen days of the publication why a final forfeiture order should not be made in favor of the Federal Government.

    The properties of the Igboho-born politician, who recently joined the All Progressives Congress, will be managed and controlled by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Mr David Igbodo, an AIG (Rtd) has been appointed as the Interim Administrator pending further directives from the court. The Court order stated;

    “An order of this Honourable court is hereby made for
    the interim forfeiture to the Federal Republic of Nigeria
    of all the immovable properties listed in A attached to
    the affidavit in support and marked by the Independent
    Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) upon reasonable suspicion that each of the said properties was acquired with public funds and/or
    represents the proceeds of unlawful corrupt activities.

    “An interim order of this Honourable Court is hereby
    made that the properties attached/forfeited in the
    interim and be managed and controlled by the
    Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related
    Offences Commission,” the order read.

    Some of the properties are;

    (1) Oke Afin Hostels located opposite Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

    (2) Sapati International School Buildings and Premises located at Ajase Ipo Road, Ilorin, Kwara State.

    (3) Doyin Filling Station along Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, Ibadan, Oyo State

    (4) Doyin Gas, Ibadan, Oyo State

    (5) Soka Filling Station, along Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, Ibadan, Oyo State.

    (6) Gravity FM Radio Station, Igboho, Oyo State.

    (7) Tejumola House, Ikeja, Lagos State.

    (8) A mansion at No 14 Yobe Close, Maitama, Abuja

    (9) and Properties in South Africa.

    (10) Shares in banks, fixed deposits and money in bank accounts were also part of the properties listed to be
    forfeited by the same order of the Court.

  • Police foil attempt to cart away seized properties in Okorocha’s warehouse

    Police foil attempt to cart away seized properties in Okorocha’s warehouse

    The police in Imo State on Monday foiled an attempt by some people to cart away the property stocked in one of the warehouses seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Owerri, the state capital.

    The police also impounded two trailers allegedly deployed to evacuate the property stocked in the warehouse and arrested 12 suspects in connection with the crime.

    The warehouse, owned by Mrs. Nkechi Okorocha, wife of the immediate past governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, is situated along Aba Road, Owerri.

    According to one of the police officers at the facility, the police acted on tip-off, adding that 12 persons were arrested in the act.

    “Following a tip-off last night (Sunday), after two trailers had moved into the warehouse late in the night, a police team was dispatched to the premises”, said the officer, who spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity.

    He added, “Those inside the premises, however, refused to open the gate. The police team, therefore, cordoned off the building till this morning (Monday, 30/9/19) when we stormed the premises. The two trailers were impounded and 12 persons arrested.”

    The spokesman of the state police command, ASP Orlando Ikokwu confirmed the incident, adding that two trailers were impounded and taken to the premises of the command headquarters, Owerri.

    It could be recalled that EFCC had last two months ago sealed some properties traced to the former Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, as well as those of his family members and cronies.

    The properties include: Dews of Hope Hospital traced to Dr. Paschal Obi, former Principal Secretary to Okorocha and current member of the House of Representatives; Market Square Super Market; All in One Shop; and premises belonging to Imo State Broadcasting Corporation now housing Rochas Foundation College owned by Senator Okoroacha.

    Other properties seized by the EFCC include: East High Academy and East High College, owned by Okorocha’s daughter, Uloma Okorocha-Nwosu and Royal Spring Palm Hotel and Apartment, a 16 block cum 96 flats and eight bungalow multi-million naira estate traced to Okorocha’s wife.

  • Don’t sell properties under interim order, Court tells Okorocha

    Don’t sell properties under interim order, Court tells Okorocha

    A Federal High sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has ordered a former governor of Imo State, Chief Rochas Okorocha and his family not to sell or alienate any of the properties that are subject of an interim order of the court pending the conclusion of investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Justice K Omotosho gave the consequential order on Friday while vacating the July 25, 2019 interim order of forfeiture of five properties owned by Okorocha and his family to the Federal Government.

    The affected properties are: Rochas Foundation College, Owerri; All in One Shopping Mall, East High Academy; East High College and Royal Spring Palm Hotel & Apartments.

    The court vacated the earlier order following five separate motions on notice filled by the Registered Trustees of Rochas Foundation College, All-in One Limited, Royal Spring Palm Apartments Limited, Registered Trustees of Women of Divine Destiny Initiative and Uluoma Okorocha Nwosu to challenge the order on August 8.

    The applicants, through the motions, urged the court to vacate the interim forfeiture order.

    According to a statement made available to newsmen by EFCC’s Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, the commission, in response, filed counter-affidavits to the motions of the applicants on 19 August, 2019.

    The statement added that on August 21, when the case came up for hearing, the applicants informed the court that they were served with the commission’s counter-affidavits and asked for an adjournment which was granted by court.

    When the case came up on September 9 for hearing of the motions, the applicants filed further affidavits and in reply to these further affidavits, the EFCC filed counter-affidavits and served the same day.

  • Court orders forfeiture of Senator Nwaoboshi's 14 properties, 22 bank accounts

    The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has approved an interim forfeiture of Senator Peter Nwaoboshi‘s properties to the Federal Government.
    Recall that the court made an initial order for the confiscation of 14 properties and 22 bank accounts linked to the embattled senator on Tuesday. The bank accounts were traced to Zenith Bank, UBA, Access Bank and Sterling Bank, and they were all joined in the suit, according to the court papers.
    The Delta North senator was given 30 days to justify how he acquired the properties and convince the court not to grant a permanent forfeiture of the assets to the Nigerian government.
    The order came amidst a deepening probe of Nwaoboshi’s wealth, which federal authorities argued was ill-gotten and should be forfeited.
    The senator was arraigned previously on allegations of false assets filings, but the tribunal that had powers to hear the case in Abuja threw it out, citing prosecutors’ failure to follow procedures for filing such a case.
    Nwaoboshi, who was declared the winner of a second Senate run in February, has also been locked in a tough battle for the seat with Ned Nwoko, a business lawyer based in Abuja.
    The Supreme Court had granted an accelerated hearing in an appeal filed by Nwoko against the victory of Nwaoboshi at the Court of Appeal, with final judgement expected in the next few days.