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ICPC Recovers $919,207 From High Court Staff
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), yesterday, said it has secured the final forfeiture of $919,202.07 fraudulently kept in an interest yielding bank account by some staff of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt.
The commission, in a statement signed by its Spokesperson, Mrs. Azuka Ogugua, said it recovered the money from three Respondents that included the Chief Registrar and Deputy Registrar of the High Court, as well as from a branch of a bank (name withheld) in Port Harcourt.
“In the course of investigating a petition written against some officials of the court for alleged violation of ICPC Act 2000, the commission’s special investigation team uncovered the money, being the sum of confiscated, value and sold vessel hidden in a bank account.
“To allow any interested persons show cause why the money should not be forfeited finally to the Federal Government, ICPC immediately filed an ex-parte motion for an Interim Order of Forfeiture in November, 2020.
“While ruling on the Interim Order of Forfeiture, Justice Mohammed Sani of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, granted the commission’s prayers for interim forfeiture of the sum pending the final hearing of the case.
“In his ruling on the Motion on Notice for the final forfeiture of the money, Justice Sani held that he was satisfied that ICPC had placed sufficient evidence before the court to justify a final forfeiture of the contentious money.
“He, therefore, ordered the bank in Port Harcourt to immediately pay the money into the Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account as the money in question rightly belonged to the Federal Government of Nigeria”, the statement added.
In another development, the ICPC has arraigned a former Executive Director of National Horticultural Research Institute, Ibadan, Dr. Ademola Adeseye Idowu, and three others for allegedly conferring undue advantage upon themselves.
Other Defendants in the eight-count charge are Mr. Isaiah Kayode Ajisafe, Mr. David Tersange Ikyobo and a company, Sterling Designs & Associates.
The ICPC alleged that the Defendants received the sum of N1,800,000 as benefit for appointing Sterling Designs & Associates Limited as consultant to the institute, contrary to and punishable under Sections 9, 19 and 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Ajisafe, a former head of Accounts Department of the institute was also accused of receiving N1,200,000 to appoint the company as a consultant to the institute.
The ICPC alleged that the 3rd Defendant, Mr. Ikyobo, who is a director at the company, bribed the other Defendants to the tune of N3million.
Meanwhile, the Defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge, even as their counsel persuaded the court to release them on bail pending the determination of the case against them.
In his ruling, trial Justice Muktar Abimbola of the Oyo State High Court, granted the Defendants bail in the sum of N10million each with one surety in like sum.
The court held that the surety must swear to an affidavit of means and ensure that the bail conditions were met within 10 days.
The case was subsequently adjourned to March 22 for hearing.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.