Connect with us

News

Alleged terrorism financing, others: Ajaero reschedules appointment with police

Published

on

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Joe Ajaero did not honour an invitation the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) extended to him over alleged terrorism financing, among others.

The labour leader said he had already scheduled other engagements for the day, promising to honour the police invitation next Wednesday, August 29.

On Monday, the police summoned Ajaero for questioning over an alleged link to terrorism financing, cybercrime and other allegations.

A letter from the Office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Intelligence Response Team) in the Department of Force Intelligence named the allegations.

Advertisement

The letter, which was signed by Adamu S. Muazu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), threatened that should Ajaero fail to honour the invitation, the police would arrest him.

Responding through a letter he wrote to the police through his lawyer, Femi Falana Chambers, Ajaero expressed his readiness to answer all questions the police may want to ask him over the allegations.

The Nation reports that Ajaero’s response letter, which was signed by Samuel Ogala for the principal partner of the law chamber, said the NLC president was asking for the details of the allegations levelled against him.

It reads: “We are solicitors to the Nigeria Labour Congress and its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, on whose behalf we write this letter in respect of the above subject matter.

Advertisement

“We have the instructions of Comrade Joe Ajaero to inform you that he is unable to honour your invitation on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, in view of the fact that your invitation letter was received by him yesterday (Monday).

“He has an engagement that had been fixed before the receipt of the invitation letter. Therefore, Comrade Ajaero is prepared for your interview on Wednesday, August 29, 2024.

“Furthermore, in accordance with the provisions of Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as altered, Comrade Ajaero requests the details and nature of the allegations of criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion and cybercrime levelled against him.

“While awaiting your positive response to this letter, please accept the assurances of our highest esteem.”

Advertisement

Our correspondent, who visited the headquarters of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) at Guzape junction in Abuja yesterday, confirmed that the letter had been delivered.

A senior police officer, who did not want to be named, said: “The interview has been cancelled. NLC officials came and they left. I think they only came to submit a document.”

Efforts to get an official reaction of the police on their next line of action were futile last night, as no one was willing to talk.

Also, the leadership of the NLC yesterday threatened to begin mass protests and strike should anything happen to Ajaero.

Advertisement

The umbrella labour union said the invitation of its leader was premised on a “clearly unfounded and politically motivated investigation by the police”.

NLC’s National Executive Council (NEC) resolved that Ajaero would honour the police invitation but sought more time for him to appear before the police authorities.

In a communiqué issued at the end of its meeting yesterday, the NLC urged its state councils and affiliates to remain on standby for further directives, should the police act contrary to their expectation.

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

Change Negative Narrative About EFCC Being Used For Settling Political Scores- Reps

Published

on

………Ask Anti Graft Agency To Fight Financial Crimes Within Established Laws

.
……My Staff Are Poorly Paid, EFCC

…., States Why Fight Against Yahoo Boys Fierce

 

Advertisement

The House of Representatives has tasked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to purge itself from the negative impression that its being used to settle political scores and concentrate fighting financial and economic crimes within established laws.

The House handed the advise on Tuesday through the Chairman House Committee on Financial Crimes Honorable Ginger Onwusibe who led members of the committee on the 2024 oversight exercise on the commission.

The oversight covered extensive facility tour of departments and critical operational units of the antigraft agency.

In his terse remarks, Hon. Onwusibe challenged the agency to improve its operational activities in combating economic and financial crimes by complying with its 2004 Establishment Act and other relevant applicable laws like the Money Laundering ( Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022: Terrorism ( Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022: The Proceeds of Crime Act. 2022, as well as other statutes, that compels it to carry out these roles transparently with accountability and show that the negative maxim being peddled in some quarters that the agency is often being used for settling political scores is incorrect .

Advertisement

The committee assured that it will collaborate with the commission to actualize its mandate by enacting new laws or amending old ones and as well providing budgetary interventions, if it must strive tirelessly to be on top of its challenges

The House urged the agency to collaborate with sister agencies and desist from keeping suspects as- awaiting ‘trial in correctional centres nationwide

“At this point let me add that a recent visit to the Maximun and Minimun Correctional centres in Kirikiri Lagos State, numerous suspects have been awaiting trial for over one year and yet we are all acquainted with the saying that justice delayed is justice denied”

” It is on this note that we call on the EFCC, Attorney General of the Federation and the Judiciary to improve and ensure the administration of justice works and is efficiently delivered to the victims”

Advertisement

The House warned the agency to purge itself of rotten eggs in order to fight economic and financial crimes frontally, thereby stimulating the Nigerian economy

It also urged EFCC to focus properly on its mandate.

” The issue of appropriate and proper focusing on the mandate of the EFCC must relentlessly be on the front burner:

“Orders from competent courts , arrest and debt recovery must be pursued religiously” the House cautioned

Advertisement

But on its side, the antigraft agency said it has not deviated from its focus but rather working hard and fighting financial and economic crimes as enunciated in its mandate.

Chairman of the agency , Ola Olukeyede told his guest in his remarks during the oversight visit that the commission was doing much to fight financial and economic crimes and stimulate the Nigerian economy

He said so far that the agency has recovered over N250bn cash, tens of million of Dollars and other foreign currencies, with over 3000 convictions: 17000 petitions while also investigating over 20000,with about 4000 fresh cases , all being handled by a misery number of staff strenght

He noted that its priority is to improve the country’s image and stimulate its economy, such that there could be improvement in foregin direct investments and stimulation of the local economy.
Olukeyede however, argued that the agency needed more staff strenght, funding , better renumeration for staff because they were poorly paid. He also emphasised on modern day technology to fight the ever dynamic cyber criminals

Advertisement

According to the EFCC boss, it was important to give more salary to EFCC staff and deploy modern technology to fight emerging cyber crime dynamism . He expalined that the agency has increased efforts to fight Yahoo, yahhoo, boys because of their ability to crumble any economy within a twinkle of an eye

According to him, the agency was expanding its drag net to focus on ministries, departments and agencies infrastructural projects. ” “Go to MDAs and see their budget implementstion. It is not up to 20%”

“We want to ensure 50% infrastructural development” the anti graft boss announced, insisting that it would henceforth encourage monitoring of project implementation which was an aspect of preventing financial crimes

He said the agency has dismissed lots of erring staff, and will continue to dismiss and even prosecute them going forward.

Advertisement

Olukeyede disclosed that it had designed a template on staff integrity, using the Gift- Policy model

.” It is not every thankful gift we should collect” the EFCC boss warned

” I am advocating for more welfare improvement, better welfare, he said.

“We will do more recoveries, more convictions, but we need more resources to do our work, maintaining that, that was his stand on ethics and integrity .

Advertisement

Olokeyede’s demand for more salary wage for staff of the commission, is seen as an incentive to boost welfare and morale to fight financial crimes to standstill.

He stated that there was the utmost need to increase salaries of staff of the commission

The EFCC boss who spoke on his stewardship in the last one year, further added that it increased the war against Yahoo- Yahoo boys because of the consequences of their nefarious acts which could crumble a nation’s economy in a jiffy.

He argued that more technology was required to fight financial crimes.

Advertisement

For instance he explained that it was a common scenario then for thieves and armed robbers to attack and break into banks with guns and Dynamites

” But it is the same common and more easier scenario and task now to have Yahoo-Yahoo boys and bank thieves attack banks with technology in the comfort of their homes or hideouts”

“So we need technology and we also need to increase our fight against these Yahoo boys who can dismantle any economy within a twinkle of an eye

He called on the national Assembly to improve and increase its finances because fighting Financial crimes was a herculean task that requires adequate funding

Advertisement

Olokeyede who apparently was responding to criticisms of the commission’s over concentration on Cyber crimes/ thieves, perpetrated by Yahoo boys, said he has made tremendous impact in enforcement, investigation and conviction with an outstanding record convictions between October 2023 when he was appointed till date

Continue Reading

News

Trouble looming for Obaseki as Gov Okpebholo orders probe of his admin

Published

on

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has ordered the setting up of a committee to probe the immediate-past administration of Godwin Obaseki for its failure to inaugurate 14 Edo Assembly lawmakers-elect into the 7th Assembly.

Okpebholo disclosed this while giving his inaugural speech as the new governor of the state.

Governor Okpebholo also ordered the State Chief Judge to immediately investigate the initial delay of former Governor Obaseki to inaugurate duly-cleared judges by the National Judicial Council (NJC) last year

Advertisement
Continue Reading

News

Naira may depreciate to N1,993 against dollar – Report

Published

on

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Nigeria’s naira has been projected to depreciate further to N1,993 per dollar in the coming days.

This is according to BMI, a Fitch Solutions subsidiary report title, ‘Weak Naira and Structural Challenges to Constrain Nigeria’s Medical Devices Market Growth’.

The report said the forecasted depreciation will be predicated on the 95 percent dependence on imports for pharmaceuticals in Nigeria.

Advertisement

According to the report, the development would erode both the health system and patient purchasing power.

“We expect that the naira will end 2028 at N1,993/$ from N306/$ in 2018.

“As the naira weakens, the cost of importing medical devices will continually increase, eroding both the health system and patient purchasing power, especially to invest in essential medical technologies given the underfunding of the public health sector,” the report stated.

This comes as Naira fell to N1681.42 and N1735 at the official and parallel foreign exchange markets on Monday.

Advertisement

This comes as FMDQ FX transaction turnover dropped significantly from $1.4 billion on Friday to $471.5 million on Monday.

Last Thursday, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, said the country’s external reserves rose to $40 billion.

Despite Central Bank of Nigeria’s interventions and external reserves rise in the last months, the naira has continued to experience fluctuations in the FX market.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2024 Naija Blitz News