Welcome to Geophilworld's blog: 03/10/16

Thursday 10 March 2016

Man lost head to BRT on Ikorodu Road, Lagos

Man lost head to BRT on Ikorodu Road, Lagos

The young man was on his way to search for daily bread having told his family and loved ones 'bye...have a nice at work' was smatched on the head and his brain was completely scattered beyond recognition. Hmm! God, you know best...

Ohakim's daughter shares throwback photos from her Maternity shoot

Ex Imo State governor Ikedi Ohakim's daughter Adanna, who was recently delivered of a baby boy shared throwback photos of herself with her husband David Steinacker taken during a shoot while pregnant.

Metuh Loses Bid to Quash Charges, Ordered to Pay Costs to EFCC

Metuh Loses Bid to Quash Charges, Ordered to Pay Costs to EFCC

Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, March 9, 2016 dismissed the “no-case” submission brought by the embattled National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olisa Metuh, who is standing trial on a 7-count charge bordering on illegal diversion of funds meant for the procurement of arms preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

He allegedly received the sum of N400 million (four hundred million naira) from the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) who is being tried for laundering $2.1 billion.
Metuh had on Thursday, February 25, 2016 through his counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, filed a “no-case” submission on the grounds that, the prosecution did not establish the essential elements of the offences charged, a situation he said rendered the case against him manifestly unreliable.

The EFCC however urged the court to dismiss the submission of the defence.
The anti graft agency insisted that, it had through oral and documentary evidence that were presented by eight witnesses it brought before the court, established a prima-facie criminal case to warrant Metuh to enter his defence.

Ruling on the matter today, Justice Abang, held that, he was satisfied that there was a prima-facie nexus linking the defendant and his company, Destra Investment Limited, to the N400million that was transferred from an account the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, operated with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, on the order of the erstwhile NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki,( retd).

“I have heard from the prosecution and I am satisfied that a ‎prima-facie case has been made out against the defendant. Metuh had in a statement he made before the EFCC admitted that he was the sole signatory to the account where the fund was lodged in. It is my view that only when the 1st defendant enters his defence, that it will be clear if he knew that the transfer of the N400m formed part of illegal proceeds of crime by the former NSA”, Justice Abang held.

“The no-case submission lacks merit and same is accordingly dismissed. The defendant is to enter his defence today”, the court ruled.
However, Metuh’s counsel, Ikpeazu, SAN, prayed the court for an adjournment to enable the defence apply for a subpoena to be issued on persons he intends to call to testify for him.

The application was opposed by the prosecution counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, who argued that the request of the defence is unnecessary as the defendant ( Metuh) is in court as a credible witness and can testify.

He urged the court to compel him to immediately mount the witness box to explain all he knew about the alleged illicit transactions.
Earlier, in a separate judgment, Justice Abang refused to declare the 10 days Metuh spent in EFCC custody illegal and unconstitutional.

Metuh had earlier through his counsel , Ikpeazu sought for fundamental right enforcement claiming that he was unlawfully detained by the EFCC.
The court held that, the anti-graft agency acted within its powers, having obtained a remand order from an Abuja Chief Magistrate Court.

‎It stressed that Sections 6, 7, and 41 of the EFCC Establishment Act, and Section 31(1) (c) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, empowered the agency to arrest the applicant upon reasonable suspicion that he committed a criminal offence.

Consequently, Justice Abang dismissed the case and ordered the applicant, Metuh, to pay the sum of N15,000 (fifteen thousand naira) as costs to EFCC.
The case has been adjourned to ‎March 17, 2016 for Metuh to open his defence.

Newsdiaryonline

$2.1billion arms deal: Former Jonathan should face justice - Senator Ndume

Senate leader, Ali Ndume, says former President Jonathan should also be made to face justice in the ongoing $ 2.1 billion arms deal scandal. Ndume said this while speaking to newsmen in Abuja today March 10, 2016.

"I do not want to dabble into that being one of the victims of the insurgency. My house was taken over by insurgents and my town was declared a caliphate of the insurgents. My Emir was killed while these people were smiling to the banks with the money that was meant to buy arms and ammunition.
It was for lack of ammunition that the Nigerian Armed Forces had to run away.‎ As far as I am concerned, these people are living on blood money, the blood of so money innocent citizens of this country particularly from the North East. No justice is too much for them, nobody is supposed to be spared. Because the case is judicial and I am not a lawyer to determine who should be brought to book, what I am saying is that justice should be served. Over 10,000 people have lost their lives, at one time you could see my people were slaughtered like chickens and the reason why this happened was because our army was not equipped and not well kitted. And somebody made away with the money meant for the procurement of arms and ammunition. I am not defending President Jonathan but he approved that this money be used for procurement of arms. So if the law says he should be part of those that should be part of the accountability or those that should face justice, I think nobody should be spared. I really don’t want to make comment on that but anybody that is involved in that blood money should be held responsible. If the President approved that money in the name of buying arms while giving a directive that it should be shared among his cronies, then he should face the law. If anybody is supposed to buy arms and you gave them money to buy arms, as the president, after some time you should ask `where are the arms anyway. Let me add and clearly that is my position, if because of this or any other criminality Jonathan should face the law, he should, I did, I am facing the law. Nobody is supposed to be above the law, if Jonathan is a culprit he should face the law: if there is evidence that the former president should face the law then he should. After all, he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.”‎he said

What do you think?

Tinubu's daughter accuses President Buhari of abandoning Market men and women who cast vote for him

The Iyaloja-General and daughter of APC National Leader, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Mrs Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, has accused President Buhari and his government of abandoning Market men and women who cast their vote for him into office. The Iyaloja-General said this while speaking at a meeting between APC leaders and some market women in Abuja today March 10.

“I am here this afternoon to represent the market women and men of Nigeria. There have been agitation. The people believe that the government of the day is not carrying them along as it should be; that they worked round the clock for the party during the campaign, but after the inauguration most of us are not carried along.
We only hear in the news that the first lady is doing a programme, this and that. And we just see it in the news, and they wouldn’t allow me be; all the complaints come to my table morning and night. And I say okay, enough is enough… We even heard that another FCT woman leader is organising another market association named Association of Organised Market People in Abuja, and most of these people are PDP members; they were nowhere to be found when we were working for the party day and night. So, now our people are not happy because they need to benefit from where they believe they have the right to, and all we need, all we are crying for, is for the government to give them a sense of belonging and carry them along properly”‎she said‎

"Because I am the daughter of the national leader of APC doesn’t mean that I must not represent my people well. I have to represent my people’s opinion. I am a leader, and as a leader my people are crying foul, and I won’t fold my hands and keep quiet because my father is a national leader, it is wrong. I am not mobilising against the party, no. I am solidly behind the party, I have worked for the party before and I will still work for the party tomorrow, but that does not stop me from saying the truth.”

James Ocholi: Late Minister’s Driver May Face Prosecution

The driver of the Lexus SUV in which Minister of State (Labour and Employment) James Ocholi died may face prosecution, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir David Lawal, said yesterday. Ocholi, his wife and son died in an accident on Sunday on the Kaduna-Abuja road.

An interim report of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) claims that the driver, James Elegbede, was over speeding and had no license.
Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, the SGF said the final report on the accident will determine if Elegbede will be prosecuted.

He said: “As to the issue of whether we would prosecute the driver, yes, Nigeria is not short of laws; the problem is that Nigerians find it very difficult to obey the laws.
“There is a speed limit in place and so if anybody chooses not to obey the traffic laws, of course, it is subject to prosecution by the agencies concerned. But as to this particular incident, I think we will leave it until the final report of the investigation comes out.

“But, of course, as we say, accident is accident and nobody goes out deliberately to summersault and die, but as to allegations you claimed from the family, we are not aware and anybody who has anything to the contrary – that they didn’t die in an accident – is free to report to the law enforcement agencies who will appropriately take it up.”
Lawal said the Federal Government did not extend automatic employment and scholarship benefits to the driver’s relatives and other surviving victims because they are alive and still on the government’s payroll.

He said: “The government decided to give employment to the children of the late minister because he was the breadwinner and the children are now orphans. On the other hand, the driver survived and the government is taking care of their medical bills at the National Hospital and they are also government workers as some of them are policemen, SSS operatives and
others.

“So they are on salary and are treated free, but God forbids that had any of them suffered the same fate as those who died, the President would have willingly included them on the list of beneficiaries.”

Pastor Remanded For Having Carnal Knowledge of His 7-year-Old Daughter

A 41-year-old Pastor named Benjamin Bernard,resident in Benin was on Wednesday ordered to be remanded in prison custody by an Ogbeson Magistrates’ Court, Benin, for allegedly having a carnal knowledge of his seven-year-old daughter.

The suspect, a Presiding Pastor of Destiny Explosion Ministry, located at Constain Road, New Benin, Benin City, was said to have committed the act on 26 January, 2016.
Barr. Kenneth Ugiagbe, a counsel from the state Ministry of Justice, led the victim in evidence.

The victim while narrating her ordeal, told the court that after committing the act, her father used a white handkerchief to clean her private and sternly warned her not to mention it to anyone, else, he would kill her.

The Presiding Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Taye Omoruyi, who ordered the suspect who pleaded not guilty to the crime, to be remanded in prison custody, adjourned the case till 16 March for further hearing.