News
Again, Chinese investors impound another Nigerian jet in Canada
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Chinese firm on a confiscation blitz of Nigerian assets has finalised repossession of a luxury jet owned by the West African country in Canada.
Zhongshang Fucheng Industrial Investment Ltd recently received a change of custodian paperwork for the Bombardier 6000 type BD-700-1A10 aircraft from Canadian authorities in Montreal, The Gazette heard from sources familiar, months after a Canadian court issued a judgement that empowered Zhongchang to seize the jet from Nigeria.
“The court granted orders for Zhongshang to seize the plane earlier this year, but the change of custody from Nigeria to Zhongshang was only recently concluded,” a person familiar with Zhongshang’s activities said anonymously to discuss the matter. “Zhongshang will not stop seizing Nigeria’s assets worldwide until the last cent of the arbitration awards has been paid.”
Judge David Collier of the Superior Court of Quebec had on March 21, 2024, quashed Nigeria’s arguments to keep ownership of the aircraft, which records showed was purchased for $57 million by fugitive Dan Etete as part of his spending binge shortly after netting over $350 million windfall from the lucrative but corrupt sale of OPL 245 oil field in 2010.
Nigeria first seized the aircraft, with tail number M-MYNA and serial number 9471, from Mr Etete in 2016 and trapped it in Dubai. Flight tracking websites showed it was then flown suddenly to Canada on May 29, 2020, where Nigeria quickly obtained a court order for seizure and held it at the main airport in Montreal. A Canadian firm, Tibit, sought to claim ownership, but Canadian courts allowed Nigeria to remain in charge of the aircraft.
In 2023, Zhongshang moved to seize the jet, which could accommodate up to 19 people, while pursuing enforcement of its arbitration awards of over $70 million against Nigeria.
Judge Collier said Nigeria failed to enter a dispute against the aircraft’s seizure by Zhongshang, declaring the country’s argument that it could not respond to the lawsuit for nine months over the February-March 2023 general elections was frivolous and unacceptable.
The judge also rejected Nigeria’s sovereign immunity claim along the lines already itemised by the arbitration panel and courts in the United Kingdom. An appellate court in the United States also recently ruled that Nigeria cannot claim sovereign immunity from Zhongshang’s recovery of its arbitration judgment.
With the Bombardier luxury aircraft now in its possession, Zhongshang has successfully seized Nigeria’s assets in the UK, France and Canada, where the country’s guest houses, presidential jets and the Etete jet have been confiscated, respectively – with potentially more seizures expected in Belgium and the U.S. in the coming weeks.
Although Nigeria has lost all its challenges against the Chinese investors in at least five countries, it has nonetheless maintained no wrongdoing in the lawsuits, which stemmed from a botched free trade zone contract in Ogun State.
Nigeria and Ogun State have disclosed ongoing efforts to resolve the matter with Zhongshang, although no headway has been recorded since the parties first met in London from September 27-29, 2023. A spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu did not immediately return a request seeking comments on the latest development. (Text, excluding headline: Peoples Gazette)
News
Mahama’s inauguration: Ghanaian police IG controls traffic
Being a typically busy day in Accra, due to the inauguration of the President-Elect, John Dramani Mahama, and his vice, Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, the traffic situation especially around the Independence Square is expected to be challenging.
And, although he had already deployed many police personnel to the grounds of the inauguration to ensure security, law, and order, the Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, was forced at a point to help in the work itself.
In images shared by Daily Graphic on Facebook, the IGP was captured directing traffic at a certain part of the city.
This is believed to have happened as he headed to the Black Star Square to join other invited guests and dignitaries for the inauguration of John Mahama as the president of Ghana.
“The IGP stepped out of his car en route to the inauguration grounds to direct traffic,” the caption of the post on Facebook said.
The momentous and historic occasion has drawn significant attention both domestically and internationally.
It is expected to be attended by 21 Heads of State, alongside three vice presidents, four ministers, and 24 envoys.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Information, the swearing-in ceremony will also feature a number of dignitaries from across the world, including 21 Heads of State from Africa and beyond.
Other dignitaries from across all sectors of the economy, including foreign leaders and security service personnel are also in attendance.
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
News
ICPC drags El-rufai’s ex-Chief of Staff to court over alleged money laundering
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has charged former Chief of Staff, to former Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Saidu, to the Federal High Court.
Saidu who was also a one-time Commissioner of Finance in Kaduna State during the El Rufai’s administration, was charged along with one Ibrahim Muktar, ‘’a public officer in the employment of Ministry of Finance,’’ on Tuesday.
According to charge No FHC/KD/IC/2025, the defendants are being accused of a two-count charges of Money Laundering, contrary to earlier claim that Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Saidu had been exonerated of all charges after 10 months of investigation.
The court document stated that sometime in March 2022 or thereabouts, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Saidu, who at that time Commissioner of Finance, ‘’did accept cash payment of the sum of N155,000,000.00 from one Ibrahim Muktar exceeding the amount authorised by law, which sum you received in cash through proxy to wit: Muazu Abdu, your Special Assistant and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section2(a) and punishable under the Section 19(d) of the Money Laundering(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.’’
The ICPC also alleged that in the same March 2022 or thereabouts, Bashir Saidu ‘’indirectly took control of the sum of N155, 000,000.00 received in cash for and on behalf of you by one Muazu Abdul from Ibrahim Muktar, which fund you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity to wit: corruption and you hereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.’’
Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 states that ‘’any person who contravenes the provisions of subsection(2) is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than four years but not more than fourteen years or a fine not less than five times the value of the proceeds of the crime or both.’’
The charge which was signed by the Assistant Chief Legal Officer of ICPC, Dr Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, was filed on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Holden in Kaduna.
News
Enugu State Government System Hacked, Over N1 Billion Stolen — Police reveals
Police authorities on Tuesday, revealed how a cyber criminal hacked into the system of the Enugu State Government and stole the whooping sum of N1,097,700,300 from its coffers.
The police said it took the swift intervention of the operatives of its departments, National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC), to trace the hacker and recover the stolen money.
The spokesman of the Force, Mr. Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who disclosed this to newsmen in Abuja during a press briefing, gave the name of the suspected hacker as Onuma Osita.
The police image maker told newsmen that the hacker had already been taken into custody while the funds estimated to be $754,977 had been recovered and returned to the state government purse.
Adejobi said, “NPF-NCCC investigated a report by the Enugu State Government against one Onuma Osita who defrauded the Enugu State Government of over N1bn in a procurement fraud.
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