AGF Explains Why Nnamdi Kanu’s Case Still In Court – AGF …says FG convicted 250 terrorism, criminal cases

Attorney General of the Federation(AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, Friday, maintained the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case is very difficult, requested it is left to court. Also, the Federal Government, revealed that it prosecuted and convicted 250 terrorism and criminal offenses in various courts across the country. The AGF made this revelation, Friday, at the Sectoral Ministerial briefing to mark President Bola Tinubu’s one year in office. Fielding questions from the press, the minister explained that there is a remarkable difference between Kanu’s case and that of the convener of #RevolutionNow protest, Omoyele Sowore. He said, “Sowore and Kanu are not the same. When it comes to the first one, I didn’t have difficulty to say go, but I have difficulty with the second one. “The matter is still in court, let’s wait for the court”. Sowore was arrested in 2019 and prosecuted for allegedly calling for the forceful take over of the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. However, the federal government through the office of the AGF in February this year filed a notice of discontinuation of the case. Breaking down the achievements of justice ministry in the year under review, Fagbemi said the FG has secured 160 convictions for criminal offences, 87 convictions for terrorism cases, 3 novel convictions in the last one year for extremist terrorism actors involved in the radicalization of children and violence against women. He hinted on enhanced interagency synergy for prosecution of Maritime Cases, Electricity offences, collaboration with public and private sector stakeholders on cybersecurity protection and cybercrime prosecution. Following the Ministry’s intervention for the upgrade of facilities designated for trial of terrorism cases, Fagbemi said the Ministry has resumed trials of terrorism cases in conjunction with the Legal Aid Council, National Human Rights Commission and other stakeholders. “The percentages of terrorism cases initiated and corruption cases concluded within the reporting period has been significant,” the Justice Minister said. Speaking on the development of the proceeds of Crime Recovery and Management Regulation, 2024, by the Ministry, the AGF said the objective of the regulation which is being developed with relevant agencies is to ensure transparency, accountability and standardization in the management of recovered assets, in line with global best practices. “This document is being finalized for validation, the AGF said. On terrorism financing and other transnational crimes, the AGF stated that the Tinubu administration has facilitated international cooperation and secured conviction of 13 terrorism financing cases, and have also concluded 150 mutual legal assistance requests and 12 extradition requests from law enforcement agencies and foreign countries. “The Ministry places priority on enhancing the prosecutorial and litigation capacity of its staff, to this end it organized capacity building programmes to improve knowledge on various aspects of the law including Darknet and Cryptocurrencies applied to terrorism financing, investigation and prosecution of financial and wildlife crimes in Nigeria. “The coordination of the effective implementation of the National Anti-Money Laundering/Combating Proliferation Financing (AML/CPF) Strategy 2023 – 2027 is also a top priority for the Ministry, the AGF said. On the fight against corruption, the Minister submitted that the present administration has achieved successes under its international asset recovery and management efforts. The asset sharing agreement between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Bailiwick of Jersey was signed in February 2024, for the return of £2,125,944 (Two Million, One Hundred and Twenty-Five Thousand, Nine Hundred and Forty-Four GBP) proceeds of corruption, the AGF revealed. “This has been approved by the President to be utilized, for continuation of works on the Abuja-Kano Road project” Fagbemi said. On the Glencore settlement, the Justice Minister said the Ministry on behalf of Nigeria on April 25, 2024, concluded negotiation of a settlement agreement with Glencore International A.G. wherein the firm is expected to pay the sum of $50 million USD as penalty and compensation for certain activities in Nigeria.

Emefiele Not Owner Of Firm That Awarded N1.2bn Contract – Witness 

The first prosecution witness, Samsideen Romanus, in the trial of the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, exonerated him of wrong doings in the Award of N1.2bn vehicle supply contracts by CBN under him. In his testimonial, an official of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) gave evidence on how the company, April1616 Investment Limited, was incorporated on August 1, 2016 and tendered several documents on how the company was floated. Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Emefiele on six counts charge bordering on alleged breach of procurement procedure in the award of the contract to April1616 Investment Limited. According to the witness, the shareholders of the Company are Aminu Idris Yaro, Maryam Aliyu Abdullahi and Saadatu Ramalan Yaro as joint owners of the entity. Led in evidence by the counsel to the Anti-graft agency, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, the witness said that Emefiele’s name was not in anyway connected with the company. The second witness, Remigious Ugwu, a Compliance Officer with Zenith Bank told the on how various sums of money in millions of naira were paid by the CBN into the April1616 Investment Limited. Specifically, he told Justice Hamza Missing how on October 19, 2020, a sum of N39, 060, 465. another N421, 953, 488 on November 6, 2020 and and the third one N304, 883, 720 was paid on November 23, 2020 to the same company by CBN. Similarly, he said that N304, 883, 720 was paid on January 1, 2021 and another N304, 883, 720 paid the same company on March 23, 2021 by the Central Bank of Nigeria. He admitted that non of the payments has any link Emefiele’s name while also that he did not know the purpose of the payments. The witness who tendered various documents on behalf of the bank said that the former CBN governor was not a signatory to the bank account of the company. The third witness, Oluwole Owoeye, a Deputy Director, Banking Services with CBN and former Secretary to Major Contract Tendering Committee MCTC of the CBN said that his body was responsible for ensuring of compliance with Procurement Act told the court by CBN in the award of contracts. Owoeye however informed the court that his committee was not involved in the vetting of bidding for the award of contracts that led to prosecution of Emefiele. The witness explained that another committee handled the bidding because it was above the thresholds of his own Committee “My Lord, all I know is through our records is that contracts for award of vehicle supplies were awarded to April1616 but I cannot say whether the contracts were executed or paid for because my Committee played no role”. He admitted that MCTC and Procurement Department were fully functional while Emefiele held sway as CBN governor.  Meanwhile, further trial has been adjourned till January 18 and 19 next year. The former CBN Chief was accused of conferring corrupt advantages on a staff of CBN, Mrs Saadat Ramallan Yaro through awards of vehicle supply contracts worth over N1.2 bn contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act 2000. He had denied the six count criminal charges.

Assets Declaration: Court grants Abba Kyari N50m bail 

Justice James Omotoso of the Federal High Court Abuja on Thursday granted suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari bail to the tune of N50 million, with two sureties in like sum. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is prosecuting the embattled DCP alongside his two siblings, Mohammed Baba Kyari and Ali Kyari on a 24-count charge of failing to declare assets.  Ruling on the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/408/2022  Justice Omotoso, who had earlier granted bail to the other defendants in the case held that there was no evidence that Kyari was a flight risk and that he will not attend the trial. The judge held that the offences with which Abba Kyari and his co-defendants were charged are bailable. Justice Omotosho noted that the NDLEA did not deny Abba Kyari’s claim that he was in Kuje prison during the last prison break, but chose to stay put instead of escaping. He said: “On the possibility of the 1st defendant attending his trial, it is pertinent to state that, according to the affidavits in support of the application, the applicant stated that he was in detention at the Kuje prisons when the jail break of 5th July, 2022 occurred and he stayed put, even though he had the opportunity of escaping.  “This deposition was not challenged by the complainant/respondent which means it is admitted. This shows that the applicant is unwilling to run away from his trial and has shown willingness to attend court when required.  “This piece of fact will work in favour of the applicant, in that, it is proof to the court that the applicant would not jump bail if grated same. I note that there have been rulings denying the 1st defendant/applicant bail.  “I am, however, minded to grant him bail as he was been in detention for a long time and also based on his constitutional right to bail according to section 36(5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).  “He has not committed a capital offence neither has it been proved that he is a flight risk. I therefore exercise my discretion in favour of the defendant/applicant.” Justice Omotosho added that the sureties must have property worth N25m within jurisdiction, among other conditions, including that Abba kyari and his sureties are to deposit their international passport, their statement of accounts, the title deed of the sureties’ property and recent passport photographs with the Registrar of the court. The judge held that, even when Abba Kyari meets the bail conditions, the endorsement of his release warrant is subject to developments in a sister case in which he is being tried with four others on drug related offences. Justice Omotosho held that his release warrant in respect of the case before him, will only be signed if the other pending criminal cases are concluded or that he is granted bail in those cases  He has been denied bail twice in the other case pending before Justice Emeka Nwite, also of the Federal High Court, Abuja. Further hearing in the case before Justice Omotosho has been adjourned till October 18. Some of the counts read:  That you, DCP. Abba Kyari, male, adult, on or about the 14th day of February 2022 at the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Headquarters at No. 6, Port Harcourt Crescent, off Gimbiya Street, Area 11, Garki, Abuja, knowingly failed to make full disclosure of your Asset at Plot No. 1927 Blue Fountain Estate, Karsana, Abuja and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 35(3) (a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement  Agency Act, CAP N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.  That you, DCP. Abba Kyari, male, adult, on or about the 14th day of February 2022 at the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Headquarters at No. 6, Port Harcourt Crescent, off Gimbiya Street, Area 11, Garki, Abuja, knowingly failed to make full disclosure of your Asset, an Estate at Linda Chaulker Road, Asokoro Extension, Abuja, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 35(3)(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, CAP N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria,  That you, DCP. Abba Kyari, male, adult, on or about the 14th day of February 2022 at w. National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Headquarters at No. 6, port Harcourt Crescent, off Gimbiya Street, Area 11, Garki, Abuja knowingly failed to make full disclosure of your asset, a Plaza under construction adjacent to No. 13 Balin Suleiman Street, behind NNPC Petro! Station, Guzape Abuja. That you, DCP. Abba Kyari, male, adult, and you, Mohammed Baba Kyari male, adult, on or about the 14th day of February 2022 in Nigeria, in order to disguise the true Ownership of the property situated at Plot No, 33, Bama Road GRA Extension Maiduguri, Borno State Covered by Certificate No: 80/4319 issued by Borno State Government by deposing to false Affidavit at the Federal High Court Maiduguri in suit Number FHC/NG/CS/9/2022 and thereby Committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (As Amended) and punishable under Section 15(3)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended).  That you, DCP. Abba Kyari Male, Adult, and you Mohammed Baba Kyari, male, adult, on or about the 14th day of February 2022 in Nigeria in order to disguise the true ownership of the property situated at Plot of land covered by Certificate of Occupancy No: 000271 issued by Maiduguri Metropolitan council Borno State by deposing to false Affidavit at the Federal High Court Maiduguri in suit Number FHC/NG/CS/9/2022 and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (As Amended) and punishable under Section 15(3)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (As Amended).