"Illegal Miners Will Be Prosecuted According to Illegal Miners Act"

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc Olamilekan Adegbite, has declared categorically he plans of the Ministry  to prosecute 19 illegal Chinese miners recently arrested by the Nigerian Police Force and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Osun and Zamfara States according to the Mining Act 2007.

Adegbite made this known while briefing the media over the efforts of the Ministry to curb the spate of illegal mining operations in the country. Two Chinese were arrested for illegal mining in Zamfara, despite a subsisting ban on mining activities in the state by the Federal Government. The ban followed the alleged links between illegal mining and banditry, which has led to the loss of hundreds of lives and destruction of property in the state. Adegbite described the illegal gold mining in the country by the Chinese nationals as economic sabotage which will be addressed legally and diplomatically.

According to him the two states where the Chinese illegal miners were apprehended are states where gold deposit abounds in large amounts, because in Osun State a foreign company, a Canadian company is already operating there. As a result of this development, illegal miners are attracted to go to states with gold reserves to perpetrate their criminal activities in connivance with Nigerians who invite them for such activities.

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He said: “In Osun, 17 foreigners have been apprehended while in Zamfara, there were two of them. We are taking them to the Federal High Court, the case is being compiled. The people caught in Zamfara have been transferred to the headquarters as the body empowered to prosecute these people under the Mining Act for what they have done.

“Their files are being compiled and we sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions so that we can arraign them in court so that it serves as deterrence because in the past it is assumed that we can only bark and not bite.

Adegbite further revealed that the government discovered that most of the Chinese and other foreigners involved in illegal mining had been living in Nigeria illegally. 

“The foreigners engaged in mining are here illegally. Some only have visiting visas that had expired about two, three years ago.

He said, “We want the Ministry of Interior to monitor these people and we are taking it up with their embassies in Nigeria.” Adegbite revealed the ministry’s plans to register artisan miners and collaborate with  Nigeria  Immigration Service to check expatriate quota abuse, another factor he said had contributed to illegal mining.

“We found out that there are a lot of miners especially the foreigners, they are also here illegally, so some of the measures that we would want to take is with Ministry of Interior because what is the status of these people when they come in, some of them have only visiting visa and some of them have visas that have expired.

“The foreign nationals they identified are the Chinese, Burkinabes, Senegalese, and others, but particularly the Chinese.

“How do we make sure that the Minister of Interior keeps track of all these villains who come into Nigeria and ensures they go back when due. These are some of the measures to checkmate this.

“Also, go to some international diplomacy, we will be interacting with some Embassies especially the Chinese Embassy because they are the main culprits in this. We have to interact with the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria so that it would not be as if we are unfair to their people. We will present the facts to them so that they also keep these people in check.”

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Meanwhile, the Minister said registration of legal miners operating in the sector will commence as a way of also sanitizing the industry and getting rid of illegalities.

He also stated that in conjunction with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dubai authorities in United Arab Emirates, UAE, will ascertain any gold that is coming into Dubai has an export certificate issued by the Nigerian authorities, and possibly the two countries will have to sign a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, because UAE is the first destination of gold.

“We are looking at identifying and registering all the miners in Nigeria both local and foreign ones with their biometrics so that we will identify who and who is operating legally and illegally.

“In conjunction with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs we may need to work to get the Dubai authorities to ascertain that any gold that is coming into Dubai must have an export certificate from Nigeria, we sign that agreement because the United Arab Emirates is the first destination of the gold.

“We will ensure that the certificate is transmitted electronically such that anywhere you go, the customs check their database to ascertain the gold you are exporting and also send an electronic certificate to the Dubai government to check and ask for an export certificate.”

READ ALSO, Beware of Fraudsters- FG to Potential Nigerian Evacuees

Meanwhile, the Minister has commended the Governors of Osun and Zamfara States including the Nigerian Police Force and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps for the successful arrest of the 19 illegal Chinese miners.

He also called for further cooperation from State Governors, “So the recent development is a welcome development because the State Governors are the Chief Security Officers of their states and if the governor decides to move the Commissioner of Police has no choice and head of Civil Defence in that state will move.

“That is why you saw in the case of Zafamra, it was the Commission of Police himself and head of the Civil Defence that led the operation that apprehended these people.

“Similarly in Osun, the Commissioner of Police was involved and he gathered his men and they were able to apprehend this large number of people. So what we are doing is because the states have helped us, but this is just the first badge.

“We welcome further cooperation from State Governors so that in future when we sight or heard of any illegality anywhere, the kind of force that the Governors of Osun and Zamfara put up to avail us, we will be able to catch these people without escape.”

However, he lamented the quantum of gold that is taken out the country and described it as daylight robbery on Nigeria. He therefore urged the Nigeria Customs Service to boost security checks on the nation’s borders to track down illegal movements of gold and other minerals out of the country.

“Our customs need to check our borders. We need to educate our people now that the oil revenue is down, we need to make sure that our wealth is not taken out, it is economic sabotage to allow these people to pass through the borders.

“These and more we will be implementing gradually as soon as the pandemic is controlled and lockdown is lifted because now when Nigeria oil and gas revenue is dwindling, Nigeria has to focus on agriculture essentially to feed ourselves but the minerals to earn revenue”, he said.

Furthermore, according to the Minister, some influential Nigerians he refused to name have been mounting pressure on the government to free the illegal miners. The minister said some state government officials,  heads of security agencies, and traditional rulers, were involved in illegal mining. 

“There is a particular situation where soldiers in a particular cantonment are aiding illegal miners,” he said. However, the Federal Government has refused to bow to pressure to free the Chinese and others arrested for illegal mining in Zamfara and Osun states last month, vowing to prosecute the suspects.

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The minister, who claimed the illegal miners were working for “Nigerians in high positions of authority”, said they had decided to adopt diplomatic and legal measures towards addressing the illegal mining by foreigners in the country.

Adegbite said the ministry had finalised plans to take over the prosecution of all persons arrested for illegal mining. He also said the government was not worried about any moves by the illegal miners’ backers to scuttle the planned prosecution. He said, “These godfathers were operating with impunity before, but they are now scared because the arrested illegal miners are naming names but they (godfathers) are denying.

“The law is on our side and we must prosecute these people to serve as a deterrent.”

The minister said the Chief Justice of Nigeria had advised that state chief judges should designate special courts for the prosecution of offences relating to illegal mining.

However, he said the illegal miners arrested in Zamfara and Osun would be tried at the Federal High Court.

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No Godfathers Will Prevent The Prosecution of Illegal Chinese Miners — Adegbite

﻿There Cannot Be Two Governors in This State"

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has accused the Deputy Commissioner of Police in the state, Adamu Abubakar, of sabotaging the lockdown of the state.

Speaking in Port Harcourt on Thursday after monitoring the compliance level of the lockdown in the state, the governor said, “It is unfortunate to see the level of sabotage that we get from the police, particularly the Deputy Commissioner of police, Operations, Rivers State Police Command.

“The deputy commissioner of police will sign approvals for companies because he wants to collect money. I am the governor of this state and there cannot be two governors.”

He described as illegal approvals issued by the police or any other authorities, outside the Office of the Rivers State Governor.

“The deputy commissioner of police has no powers to issue approvals when the state government has locked down the state.  After the State Security Council met and agreed on the lockdown, the DCP went ahead to issue illegal letters to companies to operate. I have never seen that in my life.”

The governor said those arrested for violating the lockdown would be prosecuted by the state government.

He said, “All these violators must be prosecuted at the mobile court set for this purpose. What we are doing is not for any particular individual, it is for the interest of the state.”

The Governor said the State Security Council would hold an emergency meeting on the illegal activities of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations.

“I have called for an emergency Security Council meeting by 3pm today. This is a complete sabotage by the deputy commissioner of police (operations), Rivers State Police Command. We will deal with that accordingly. I, however, thank the Army, the Navy and others on what they are doing to enforce the lockdown.

“For the deputy commissioner of police (operations) to sabotage us, that will not be accepted. I arrested those people and he (the DCP) had the guts to tell them to release those I arrested on the road because he is collecting money from companies. That is unacceptable.”

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Wike insisted that the impounded vehicles would be auctioned, adding, “The defaulters will be tried by mobile courts and I have told the attorney general, all the impounded vehicles must be auctioned. By tomorrow, the honourable attorney-general would have advertised those vehicles and we will auction them.

“Some people don’t believe that coronavirus is in existence. Until you make them understand that we are serious, they will not believe it. We will auction the impounded vehicles. Those arrested will face the wrath of the law. Nobody is above the law. We will not allow anyone to sabotage our efforts to protect our people,” he added.

Wike Accuses Police of Sabotaging Lockdown, Orders Auction of Impounded Vehicles 

"Do Not Make Payments Into Any Private Account"

The Federal Government has warned Nigerians abroad intending to be repatriated into the country not to make any remittance to private accounts and warned them to beware of fraudsters who might want to take advantage of their situation.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, made this known on Thursday evening during a briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja.

READ ALSO, Supreme Court Nullifies Ex-Gov Kalu’s Conviction, 12-year Jail Term

He said intending evacuees would pay flight fares directly to the accounts of airlines designated for the evacuation process. The minister also refuted reports that Nigerians in India were asked to pay their airfares to certain private accounts.

Onyeama, however, said passengers on the flight expected from the UK on Friday paid to an agency in London because the flight was arranged with the assistance of the British Government and it wanted the High Commissioner to be directly responsible.

He said, “We directed every Embassy and Missions to invite Nigerians in those countries to indicate an interest, if they have any, to be evacuated back home and informing them that they will have to pay to the airline that is eventually chosen for the evacuation process.

“So, our High Commissioner in India is in the process of negotiating with the number of airlines and I will like to inform the members of the National Assembly who raised the issue that Nigerian airlines have been invited too.

“They will select the airline and Nigerians interested will pay directly to the airline at the time indicated. Nigerians should not pay to any account. It will always be made to an airline.

“An exception was made to the flight coming in tomorrow (Friday) and that was because it was organised with other government. So, our High Commissioner in London had to outsource the collection of the monies to be paid to the airline because they wanted the High Commissioner himself to be responsible. That was an exception. But in all the other cases, people will be asked to pay directly to accounts of the airlines directly.”

Beware of Fraudsters- FG to Potential Nigerian Evacuees

The Supreme Court has nullified the judgement that convicted and sentenced the former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor-Kalu, to 12 years imprisonment.

The former governor had, on December 5, 2019, been sentenced  to 12 years’ imprisonment for N7.2 billion fraud and money laundering by a Federal High Court in Lagos. The court convicted Kalu, who is now a senator, on all the 39 counts preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission charge.

READ ALSO, NCDC Officials Leave Kogi After Gov Bello Orders Isolation, Test

The apex court, in a unanimous decision by a seven-man panel of Justices led by Justice Amina Augie, held that the Federal High Court in Lagos acted without jurisdiction when it convicted Kalu, his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited and former Director of Finance in Abia State, Jones Udeogu.

It held that trial Justice Mohammed Liman was no longer a judge of the Federal High Court as at the time he sat and delivered the judgement that convicted the defendants for allegedly stealing about N7.1billion from Abia state treasury.

According to the Supreme Court, Justice Liman, having been elevated to the Court of Appeal before then, lacked the powers to return to sit as a High Court Judge.

It also added  that the Fiat that was issued to him by the Court of Appeal President pursuant to section 396(7) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act was unconstitutional.

Consequently, the apex court vacated the judgement that convicted the defendants and ordered a fresh trial of the defendants.

Supreme Court Nullifies Ex-Gov Kalu’s Conviction, 12-year Jail Term

"We Are Under Pressure to Announce False COVID-19 Cases"

There was drama in Kogi as officials of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reportedly left Kogi State after allegedly refusing to be tested for COVID-19. 

The delegation was sent to the State on Thursday to boost the State’s capacity in the fight against the pandemic. However, they returned to Abuja, after Governor Yahaya Bello asked them to go into isolation and prepare to be tested.

In a statement, Kogi Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, wondered if NCDC was hiding anything.

“So NCDC will have a lot to explain as to why its officials refused to test for COVID-19. How can we be sure of their status? What are their fears? Why did NCDC send people who are afraid of tests to our State? What was their intention?

“The officials that came have done an integrity blow to the works of the NCDC. Is there something they are hiding? It is high time NCDC opened up and apologized to the good people of Kogi State. How will they encourage people to test when their own officials are afraid of test? This is sad,” part of the statement read.

Kogi and Cross River States are the only two Nigerian States without confirmed cases of coronavirus.  Kogi state had been under scrutiny for consistently declaring zero infection by the virus, despite its proximity to Abuja, which also has a high number of infections.

This prompted the Kogi State Commissioner for Health, Dr Saka Haruna, to declare that the state is under pressure to declare that it has COVID-19 cases where there is none. The commissioner made the claims in a statement on Thursday. He, however, said the state would not succumb to the pressure.

The statement followed a report, which claimed that four persons suspected to be COVID-19 patients had died at the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja in the last one week. He said that as the state commissioner for health, a member of the Governing Board of the FMC Lokoja, and also the incident manager for COVID-19 in the state, he had yet to be informed of any claimed cases.

“There is also a representative of the FMC Lokoja in the state’s squadron against COVID-19 /Lassa fever and never for once was any such case raised in our meetings.

The commissioner alleged that the aim of those putting pressure on the state was to politicise the situation as they are not happy that the current administration has been scored high by local and international observers on health care.

He added, “First and foremost, it is imperative that the public realise that there is no state government that can deliberately put her people in harm’s way for whatever political reason and the current administration has been scored high by local and international observers on health. We have and will continue to put the health of our people as first priority.

“We have been in an annual fight against Lassa fever as the state is located in the Lassa fever belt, recording several cases with regrettable losses. We were first to establish a Biosafety Laboratory for Lassa fever in Nigeria and this year alone we have confirmed 30 cases of Lassa fever that was duly announced. To accuse the state of a cover-up of COVID-19 cases is mischievous and at best politically inclined.”

NCDC Officials Leave Kogi After Gov Bello Orders Isolation, Test

"We Are Ready to Confront Anyone Who Opposes Us"

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State on Wednesday has declared that the 19 Northern governors in the country have collectively agreed to put an end to the Almajiri system in the country. He added that they are ready to face anyone who dares to stand on their path in realising this objective.

El-Rufai made this known while speaking on Channels Television programme ‘Politics Today’ saying the Almajiri culture system is archaic and has not led to any positive result both for the Northern region and Nigeria as a whole.

READ ALSO, 10-year-old Boy Flees After Testing Positive for COVID-19 in Oyo

According to him, though the northern governors have been looking for a way to end the menace, and the COVID-19 pandemic has given them the golden opportunity to make it a reality. He said that the system has become a scourge which is capable of mortgaging the future of youths and creating problems for modern generation.

“What the Northern Governors’ Forum has determined is to end this (Almajiri) system once and for all because it has not worked for our part of the country and it has been a source of problem for the rest of the country and we are determined to end it once and for all.

“We have discussed this and we are ready to face anyone on this subject. There is nowhere in the world where children go through this kind of system which does not give life skills, does not prepare them for modern education and creates future problems for generations.

“We are ready to face anyone that wants to confront us on this matter. All the 19 northern governors, we took a decision collectively and we are going to implement it to the letter.

“We are ready for any backlash but we will not mortgage the future of our children and put our region at risk as well as Nigeria at risk with the continuation of this system. It is archaic, it is out-of-date. It has not led to any positive result for our region and for our country and so, we must end it”.

Northern Governors Are Determined to End Almajiri Culture- El-Rufai

The Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde has disclosed that a 10-year-old boy reportedly absconded to the northern part of Nigeria after testing positive in Oyo.

Makinde, who made the disclosure via his Twitter handle in the early hours of Thursday, confirmed eight new COVID-19 positive cases in the state bringing the number of infections in the state to 52.

READ ALSO, Security Agents Are Allowing The Violation of Interstate Lockdown-NGF

He said, “We also have a further update on the two absconded cases reported earlier today. They absconded before being admitted to any of our isolation centres. After intensive contact tracing, one of them has been found and admitted to the Infectious Diseases Centre, Olodo, Ibadan.

“The other is a 10-year-old boy who, eyewitnesses claimed, boarded a north-bound vehicle. His details had been sent to the Sokoto State PHEOC. Contact tracing is still ongoing.”

The governor also said two COVID-19 patients undergoing treatment in the state facility have been discharged.

Makinde wrote, “The COVID-19 confirmation tests of eight new cases just came back positive from the laboratory. This increases the number of confirmed cases in Oyo State to 52.

“Two confirmed COVID-19 patients were discharged from the Infectious Disease Centre, Olodo after receiving their second negative test results. This brings the number of discharged cases in Oyo State to 13.”

The governor urged members of the public to call the Emergency Operations Centre on any of the designated telephone numbers if they find travellers from other states arriving in their communities.

10-year-old Boy Flees After Testing Positive for COVID-19 in Oyo

Passengers Are Hidden in Food Trucks And Smuggled Across Borders- PTF

The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Wednesday decried the non-compliance of Nigerians with guidelines on the gradual reopening of the economy.

The task force Chairman, Boss Mustapha, who stated this at the PTF  press conference in Abuja, said disregard for the ban on interstate movements and other guidelines was an indication of the danger ahead.

Buttressing this, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum said that security agencies must live up to their responsibilities by stopping violation of the ban on interstate movements. The NGF stated this as the Arewa Consultative Forum hit northern governors on the shoddy implementation of the evacuation of Almajiris to their states of origin.

READ ALSO, It's Wrong to Open Markets And Close Churches - Bishop Oyedepo

The President Buhari (retd.), had, in his broadcast on April 27, banned interstate movements. The PTF a few days later issued guidelines on social distancing and the ban on any gathering of more than 20 people. But despite the ban on interstate movements, trucks carrying youths from the northern parts of the country have been finding their way into the south.

Assessing compliance with guidelines, the PTF chairman,  Mustapha, said an early assessment of the ease of lockdown indicated that Nigerians had yet to come to terms with the deadliness and the virulent nature of the COVID-19.

According to him, if Nigerians continue to disregard social distancing and other guidelines released by the PTF, there is danger ahead. Mustapha said some of the PTF worries included non-compliance with social/physical distancing guidelines evidenced by higher-than-advised congregation of people in banks, traffic gridlocks, especially at entry points to metropolitan areas and disregard for guidelines on carrying capacity of vehicles.

He lamented that there was an increased level of interstate movements worsened by the dubious concealment of people in vehicles carrying foods, and unhygienic and ill-advised use and sharing of masks especially multiple fittings before buying from vendors.

He said, “The overall assessment of compliance with the measures and the outcome of modelling we have developed, point in the direction of danger ahead. We therefore need personal discipline, increased awareness and enforcement.”

The PTF chairman also recognised the challenges encountered at banks. He stated,  “I wish to repeat my call to the banks to also quickly address issues related to difficulty with using their online platforms, especially revalidating expired ATM cards, among others.”

He also urged transportation unions to educate their members on the ban imposed on interstate travels. “In view of the fact that public transportation is a major clustering area through which the virus can easily be transmitted, we call on the leadership of various transport unions to properly enlighten their members on the danger associated with non-adherence to the COVID-19 containment guidelines.

“Once again, we appeal to the governors to please align their plan for the movement of almajiris with the ban imposed by the President. We shall intensify our dialogue on this matter.”

However, the NGF challenged security agencies to ensure that the ban on inter-state movements was not violated. In spite of the ban, trucks carrying hundreds of youths from the northern part of the country have been finding their ways into southern states such as Ondo, Lagos and Delta.

The Head of Media and Public Affairs of the NGF, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, said security agencies had the responsibility of enforcing the ban on interstate movements.

Security Agents Are Allowing The Violation of Interstate Lockdown-NGF 

"The Devil Is Against The Growth of The Church"

 The Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide, aka Winners’ Chapel International, David Oyedepo, has decried the continuous closure of churches over the COVID-19 pandemic, saying he suspects ulterior motives.

Bishop Oyedepo, who spoke during the Covenant Hour of Prayer Programme on Wednesday, said if markets could be opened for six hours, there was no reason churches should not be opened for two hours.

The revered cleric said he believed there was a gang up against the growth of the church in the country.

He said, “There is something wrong. For people to be allowed to be in the market for six hours and can’t be in church for two hours, it is an upside-down way of looking at things. Which one is more orderly? The market or the church?

“I can smell a rat. The Lord spoke to me on it so strong yesterday. I can smell a rat. Behind all this, how do we stop the church from exploding? The people involved don’t know it.

“The voice of darkness is influencing people at various levels, targeting the church because the growth and expansion of the church is the greatest headache of the devil. But the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The devil and all his agents shall surely pay for this.

“I don’t know what hospital that records the kind of healings that the church of God records. And now hospitals, where people die every day, are open, but the church is closed because the oppression of the devil has no medical cure.”

Earlier, the President of the LoveWorld Incorporated, aka Christ Embassy, Chris Oyakhilome, had slammed church leaders who agreed to the lockdown of churches without praying and consulting with other pastors.

It's Wrong to Open Markets And Close Churches - Bishop Oyedepo

A suspected leader of a cult group that has been terrorizing communities in Ikorodu area of Lagos during the lockdown that was recently eased, has been arrested.

His identity was given simply as Mukaila. But he is popularly known as Actor. He was arrested alongside a suspected member of his group by operatives of the Tactical Unit of the zone 2 commands, Onikan, Lagos, in his hideout, Monday.

One Pump Action gun, 55 live cartridges, one locally made axe, and assorted charms were reportedly recovered from them. 

READ ALSO, Presidency Discloses How $311m Abacha Loot Will Be Spent

Confirming the arrest, the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Hauwa Idris-Adamu, said, “  upon the presidential order to lockdown Lagos, Ogun and the FCT; some criminal elements took the advantage to carry out criminal activities, thereby terrorizing, robbing, and molesting members of the public.

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“Based on these; the AIG ordered some tactical units of the Zone to gather intelligence and information that could lead to the apprehension of the cult leaders and their members involved. Hence, information on one Mukaila a.k.a. ACTOR, a suspected cult leader terrorizing Maya, Itele, Igode, and Adamo areas of Ikorodu, Lagos, was received. “ A team of operatives attached to Zonal Monitoring Unit stormed the hideout, where the said Mukaila and one of his boys were arrested, with arms, ammunition and assorted charms.

“Investigation is in progress and actions being expedited to arrest fleeing suspects. Suspects will be charged to court upon completion of investigation”, she said.

Police Arrests Suspected Leader of Cult Group Terrorizing Ikorodu Communities 

The Presidency has announced that the $311m which was part of the funds allegedly looted by the late former Head of State, Gen. Sanni Abacha has been allocated for infrastructure development in the country.

The Presidency also said that part of the returned loot in 2019 was being used for grain grants and free school feeding programs, adding that without the returned Abacha funds, the fight against Covid-19 would be even tougher.

The Presidency specifically said that the recently returned finds have already been allocated for vital and decades-overdue infrastructure development like the second Niger Bridge, the Lagos-Ibadan and Abuja-Kaduna-Kano expressways and in the Mambilla Power Project.

READ ALSO, Man Sentenced to Death for Killing Employer's Mother

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu in Abuja.

The statement titled, “The return of the Abacha stole millions from the United States and Jersey ” noted that the latest returned the money and the ones before it was a testament to the growing and deepening relationship between the government of Nigeria and the government of the United States.

It read in part,” On Monday, May 4, 2020, some $311 million US Dollars – stolen from the citizens of Nigeria during the Abacha regime – were safely returned to our country from the United States.

These funds have already been allocated, and will be used in full, for vital and decades-overdue infrastructure development: The second Niger Bridge, the Lagos-Ibadan and Abuja-Kaduna-Kano expressways – creating tens of thousands of Nigerian construction jobs and local skills, which can then be useful in future projects.

“Part of the funds will also be invested in the Mambilla Power Project which, when completed, will provide electricity to some three million homes – over ten million citizens – in our country.

” The receipt of these stolen monies – and the hundreds of millions more that have already been returned from the United Kingdom and Switzerland – are an opportunity for the development of our nation, made far harder for those decades the country was robbed of these funds.

“Indeed, previous monies returned last year from Switzerland – some $320 million US dollars – are already being used for the government’s free school feeding scheme, a stipend for millions of disadvantaged citizens, and grain grants for those in severe food hardship.”

Continuing, the statement read, “Without these funds, the fight against Covid-19 would be even tougher.

“The latest return is a testament to the growing and deepening relationship between the government of Nigeria and the government of the United States.

“Without cooperation both from the UK Government, the US Executive branch and US Congress, we would not have achieved the return of these funds at all.”

The Presidency said that for years many countries deemed successive Nigerian administrations as too corrupt, too venal and too likely to squander and re-steal the stolen monies – so they did not return the funds.

It, however, said,” Today, US, UK and other jurisdictions have found the partnership with the nation of Nigeria they can finally trust.

”The Buhari Administration is committed to – and is enacting – total and zero tolerance to corruption in politics and public administration.

“The days when the government was seen and used by the political class as their personal ATM to empty are over. The time of better governance and clean hands in the affairs of state is here to stay.”

Presidency Discloses How $311m Abacha Loot Will Be Spent 

A man, Olalekan Hameed, has been sentenced to death by Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos State Special Offences Court, on Monday, for killing his employer’s 76-year-old mother, Jolasun Okunsanya.

Justice Dada delivered the judgment in a virtual court session approved by the state Chief Judge, Justice Kazeem Alogba, in line with the Lagos State Judiciary remote hearing of cases during COVID-19 pandemic period practice direction. The court session, which was held via a video app, Zoom, began around 11am and had all the relevant parties in attendance.

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The 34-year-old Hameed was arraigned on two counts of stealing the sums of $117 and N950,000 from his employer’s room on December 1, 2018, and strangling the deceased after she caught him in the act of stealing.

According to the prosecution, the convict committed the offences around 12.30pm on Plot 83 Owukori Crescent, Alaka Estate, in the Surulere area of the state.

During the trial, the prosecution called several witnesses and tendered exhibits, including the coroner’s report, the recovered money and the convict’s statement to the police. However, Hameed told the court that he only stole N1,000 and had nothing to do with the victim’s death.

Justice Dada held that the witnesses’ claim that Hameed was the only one with the deceased at the time of death and that he was also seen scaling the fence of his employer’s house were not disproved.

She added, “It is also a fact that although the defendant went to the house of the employer to steal, the surprise of the deceased stumbling upon him led him to not just push the deceased, but strangle her in a bid to keep her from crying out.

“The case is clear. I have not found any contradiction with the evidence of the prosecution witness that can be deemed material or weighty enough to cast any doubt on the case of the prosecution against the defendant in this case. The facts of the case are incompatible with the innocence of the defendant, but rather, his guilt on the two counts.

“The defendant is hereby found guilty of the count two of murder and is hereby convicted as charged and accordingly sentenced to death.

“The sentence of this court upon you, Olalekan Hameed, is that you be hanged by the neck until you are pronounced dead; may the Lord have mercy upon your soul. This is the virtual judgment of the court.”

Man Sentenced to Death for Killing Employer's Mother

Nigerian newspapers,on one page.