Nation
Criminal Charge: FG Drops Case Against Director
Federal Government,yesterday, withdrew the two-count criminal charge it filed against the Director of Finance and Account in the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Ibrahim Tumsah over his alleged failure to declare his ownership of 86 exotic cars recovered by EFCC from ex-Customs boss. Tumsah was docked before the Federal High Court in Abuja alongside his brother Mr. Tijani who was a member of the Presidential Committee on North East Initiative and a former Interim National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The duo had pleaded not guilty to the charge that was prepared by the Chief Okoi Obono-Obla-led Special Presidential Investigation Panel on the Recovery of Public Property. Meanwhile, before hearing could commence in the matter, FG, through its lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, applied to withdraw the charge. The defendants had at the last sitting, persuaded the court to grant them a short adjournment to enable parties to explore an out-of-court-settlement of the matter.
Following Federal Government’s application to withdraw the case, trial Justice Nnamdi Dimgba struck out the charge. A lawyer in the prosecution team told The Tide that the Federal Government would re-file the charge after “proper and thorough investigation” is conducted in the case. FG had earlier disclosed that out of the 86 vehicles that were seized from the defendants, 23 of them were amoured and brand new.
Equally seized from the defedants were four houses and a quarry plant in Abuja. Justice Dimgba had granted bail to the defendants to the tune of N20million with two sureties. The court said the sureties must either be a business man or a public civil servant not below the rank of grade level 15, and must own landed properties anywhere in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Besides, the court ordered the defendants to surrender their international passports, stressing that they should not travel out of the country without permission.
It will be recalled that Justice Muawiyah Idris of an Abuja High Court at Apo had on December 6, 2017, ordered that the 86 luxurious vehicles, as well as the four houses and quarry plant in Kuje, Abuja, should in the interim, be forfeited to the government.
The forfeiture order equally affected four houses, two of which were located in Wuse II, one in Wuse Zone 7, and the other in Jabi, all in Abuja. Eight containers with household items also seized by the panel from the 2nd defendant were also affected by the court order.
The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has called on the Management of Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC to embark on the water projects in Buguma city in Asari Toru Local Government Area, Rivers state
The Group called on the Rivers state government to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
On the water project in Buguma, MOSIEND said the population of Buguma has increased tremendously as the residents need more water projects to enhance the daily livelihood of the people
The Group also appealed to the Chairman of the council to assist in making the project a reality and attracts more developmental projects to the city
This call was on Rhythm 93.7 FM Port Harcourt, Radio program, Talk of the Town, by MOSIEND Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn alongside Mark Ojuka,Chairman of Buguma and Hon Sandra Owunari JP Chairman Obuama and monitored by our correspondent
Comrade Ojuka also called on the Management of Liquidifed Natural Gas NLG to embark on a free medical outreach in all Kala bari communities to improve their health status
He appealed to LNG to award scholarship to indigens of Kalabari communities in tertiary institutions to better their education, noting the company is doing same in Bonny, abandoning Kalabari communities
“We need contracts, free medical, scholarships and employment including skill acquisition programs for our teeming youths in Kalabari extractions ”
On Security, Mark Ojuka said security in Buguma is at zero level with the help of the Ama Ma soldiers the city is more peaceful and investors friendly as the youths of area have cordial relationship with the security agencies in the area
“Security is very secured in Buguma clan”
He called on the Rivers state to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
“The youths are asking for human capacity building in the area to reduce unemployment”
“The revamping of the Buguma fish farm will also reduce youth violence”
Also Speaking, Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn called for more improve in infrastructures in Kalabari community, especially in electricity
There is little improvement in terms of electricity in Buguma city
He decried the deplorable condition
of Buguma Health Centre, saying that the hospital is near functional
“Our sisters that are pregnant and our sick parents can not access the health centre for a better treatment ”
Describing the Health Centre as an eye saw, he called on Rivers state government and Buguma Local Government chairman Hon William to improve on facilities in the centre and make it more medically accessible to the sick persons in the area
Buguma, Tammy Bruce said is the spiritual headquarter of Kalabari people as such deserve more modern facilities from the government to improve lives
The Coordinator called on government, stakeholders and oil companies to assist and improve the poor infrastructural facilities in area
“We need first class hospitals, qualified medical doctors and nurses in the health centres and hospitals”
On the oil spilled in Obuoma Chairman MOSIEND Obuoma, Hon Sandra Owunari said the spill destroyed their crops and Rivers even polluted their only source of drinking water
She expressed displeasure that Rivers state government did not send any relief materials to the people in the affected community
On Chieftaincy title to women in Obuama, Hon Sandra Owunari said the community do not install Chieftaincy title to women, saying that Chieftaincy title is only reserved for men only in the community
CHINEDU WOSU
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