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Stop Persecuting Our People, PANDEF To EFCC
The Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), has condemned, in strong terms, the alleged recurring persecution and harassment of persons from the South-South geopolitical zone by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over alleged cases of corruption.
PANDEF, in a statement, by its National Publicity Secretary, Ken Robinson, noted that the continued “media trial” and persecution of former public office holders, particularly from the South-South zone and other parts of Southern Nigeria, by the anti-graft agency, “is not only unethical but despicable and irksome.”
It urged the anti-graft body to stop the egregious practice, stressing, “according to our laws, an accused is ‘innocent until proven guilty’ by a competent court of law.”
The statement reads “PANDEF as a responsible organisation would not condone corruption in any way but it is the flagrancy and snobbery with which the EFCC carries out its operations that is upsetting. The EFCC has continued to conduct its operations in a manner that depicts complete disrespect for the rule of law and fundamental human rights of citizens, as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“More disturbing is the selectiveness of its operations; from 2016 to date, under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, not less than 30 high profile persons from the South-South geopolitical zone have been harassed, persecuted and prosecuted, mostly, in the ‘court of public opinion’, rather than procedural prosecution in competent courts of law.
“Our people have continued to be maligned and denigrated by the EFCC and other state agencies; some have been hassled to death. These issues are well documented in the public sphere. Let EFCC stop persecuting our people!
“The case of retired Lieutenant General Kenneth Minimah, a former Chief of Army Staff, is one of the most preposterous. The periodic resurgence of so-called charges against Minimah and two other serving senior Army officers, in the media, since 2016, further substantiates concerns in the region that there is a determined schedule by antagonists of the South-South geopolitical zone, and indeed, the Niger Delta region; to humiliate and discredit prominent persons from the region, to erode the zone of credible leadership.
“It appears to us that the nation’s anti-graft agencies, the EFCC, in particular, have an established protocol whereby persons from certain parts of the country and certain religions are saints, while any person from the south-south zone and the Niger Delta is culpable.
“Just as the unfathomable manner in which former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, was forced out of office remains an indelible signpost of the biases and injustice against the people of the South-South geopolitical zone.
“These situations are unacceptable and must stop forthwith. This country belongs to all of us. No section owns Nigeria more than the others.
“PANDEF is mindful of the fact that the General Minimah matter is before the courts, therefore, will not comment on its specifics and substance, but the reckless and gross misconduct of the EFCC requires censure.
“It is necessary to note that General Minimah and the other Army officers had earlier gone to a Federal High Court to challenge the said suit, mainly the procedure, and seeking whether the court was competent to entertain the matter. The Federal High Court had fixed the hearing of the suit by Minimah & Co on December 9, 2021.
“But, in its usual disregard for due process and the rule of law, the EFCC defied the suit and on December 8, 2021, the eve of the suit released a statement to the media that it had charged Minimah and the other senior officers to court over an alleged diversion of N13billion meant for procurement of arms.
“Not minding that there was already a subsisting court judgment barring it from arraigning the retired General and the two others.
“It bears recalling that Justice I. E. Ekwo of Federal High Court had on December 6, 2020, ruled in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1595/2020 between Lt.-Gen K.T.J. Minimah (rtd), Maj-Gen A. O. Adetayo and Brig.-Gen R. I. Odi as plaintiffs/applicants and Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as defendants/respondents, that all parties in the suit maintain status-quo antebellum, pending the hearing and final determination of the Motion on Notice.
“The EFCC action again demonstrated the propensity of the anti-graft agency for engaging in malicious and unjust blighting of people’s reputation, more than fighting corruption.
“Accordingly, it may be necessary to re-echo some questions piquing the minds of well-meaning and patriotic Nigerians; why would the EFCC not obey court judgments? Is the EFCC above the law? Is the anti-graft agency dancing to tunes of persons afraid of General Minimah; bent on smearing the name and image of the retired gallant general and the nation’s former Chief of Army Staff?
“Is this the way to reward a man who had dedicated his life and service to the protection of the territorial integrity and unity of the Nigerian State? Or is it because of where he comes from? Let the truth be said, if General Minimah were a “Fulani” would EFCC or any other state agency be allowed to disparage his reputation?
“PANDEF readily notes that General Minimah, during his meritorious career in the Army, spanning over three decades; served at different levels in the Nigerian Army before he was appointed Chief of Army Staff (COAS) in January, 2014. He served as the General Officer Commanding 81 Division; Commanding Officer of the 149 Infantry Battalion; Commanding Officer of the Nigerian Battalion 2, Commandant Officer of the Nigerian Army School of Infantry and was also the Director of Standards and Combat Readiness of the Nigerian Army, at different times.
“He also served with the 72 Para-Battalion in Liberia. He was the Commanding Officer of Nigerian Battalion II with the United Nations Mission in Serra Leone.
“Perhaps, more importantly, during his period as Chief of Army Staff, it is established that the Nigerian Army turned the tide against the Boko Haram terrorists; leading to their defeat and recapture of all Nigerian territories that were hitherto under the control of the insurgents and holding of elections in those LGAs.
“PANDEF, emphatically, demand the immediate stop to these shenanigans by the EFCC against General Minimah, and indeed, any other son or daughter of the South-South Geopolitical Zone and the Niger Delta region.
“It is also pertinent to ask why a federal agency like the EFCC will be dominated by only Northern Muslims and Fulanis – to the extent that Hausa is reportedly the Lingua Franca at the agency – in a multi-ethnic nation like Nigeria.
“PANDEF, therefore, further calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to order an immediate re-organization of personnel of the agency to reflect federal character, and erase the tint that it is a tribal/religious investigation agency, out to persecute persons from other sections of the country.
“Is it not worrisome that only former governors from the South, besides Jolly Nyame and Joshua Dariye, both Christians, have been jailed by the EFCC; former Governor David Jonah Jang is also being tried, while other Northerner ex-governors, even those with established cases of corruption, are let off the hook?
“PANDEF, meanwhile, applauds and commends the Nigerian Judiciary for its courage and steadfastness in upholding justice, and for not capitulating to the apparent acts of intimidation by state agents. It is necessary to note that without the firmness of the Judiciary, the country would have been in the worst state than we are witnessing now, in terms of the violation of citizens’ fundamental human rights.”
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.
