Load mobile navigation
Home » News

News

CORRUPTION GANG!! MEET EX-GOVERNORS WHO ARE FACING CORRUPTION CHARGES AS SENATORS At least seven of the senators who were inaugurated on Tuesday are standing trial for corruption. Five of them are former governors. Although members of the national assembly had once pushed for immunity against prosecution of lawmakers, the legislative houses power and privileges act only shield them from litigation in respect of word spoken or written at plenary. In 2018, Joshua Dariye, a former governor of Plateau state who at the time was a serving senator, was sentenced to jail over diversion of funds, and even Bukola Saraki, then the senate president was put in the dock over alleged false assets declaration. Here, we take a look at these former governors, now senators whose days at the court could make them miss plenary. DANJUMA GOJE The former governor of Gombe state, who aspired to lead the current senate, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged N25 billion money laundering. He pulled out of the race of the senate presidency few days to the national assembly elections and the case was subsequently handed over to the office of the attorney-general of the federation. Goje was reelected senator representing Gombe central under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). ORJI UZOR KALU The former governor of Abia has been standing trial for at least 12 years. The EFCC filed a N7.65 billion fraud charge against him. In April, a court of appeal had upheld the dismissal of the no-case submission filed by the senator now representing Abia north. In 2016, Kalu who served his two terms as governor under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), defected to the ruling APC. IBRAHIM SHEKARAU Shekarau was arraigned by the EFCC on six counts bordering on conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N950 million. A former governor of Kano, he contested the presidential election in 2011. He was elected under the platform of the APC to represent Kano central in 2019. Shekarau was governor of Kano between 2003 and 2011. ABDULLAHI ADAMU In 2010, the former governor of Nasarawa state was arrested by the EFCC over alleged fraudulent award of contracts and stealing of public funds estimated at N15 billion. He has been standing trial since then. Adamu, however, had argued that the court had struck out his case in 2016. Elected under the platform of the APC, Adamu is senator representing Nasarawa west. He governed Nasarawa between 1999 and 2007 GABRIEL SUSWAM The former governor of Benue state is standing trial over alleged N3.1billion fraud. In 2018, a federal high court admitted evidence against him. He was elected senator representing Benue north-east under the platform of the PDP.

CORRUPTION GANG!! MEET EX-GOVERNORS WHO ARE FACING CORRUPTION CHARGES AS SENATORS At least seven of the senators who were inaugurated on Tuesday are standing trial for corruption. Five of them are former governors. Although members of the national assembly had once pushed for immunity against prosecution of lawmakers, the legislative houses power and privileges act only shield them from litigation in respect of word spoken or written at plenary. In 2018, Joshua Dariye, a former governor of Plateau state who at the time was a serving senator, was sentenced to jail over diversion of funds, and even Bukola Saraki, then the senate president was put in the dock over alleged false assets declaration. Here, we take a look at these former governors, now senators whose days at the court could make them miss plenary. DANJUMA GOJE The former governor of Gombe state, who aspired to lead the current senate, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged N25 billion money laundering. He pulled out of the race of the senate presidency few days to the national assembly elections and the case was subsequently handed over to the office of the attorney-general of the federation. Goje was reelected senator representing Gombe central under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). ORJI UZOR KALU The former governor of Abia has been standing trial for at least 12 years. The EFCC filed a N7.65 billion fraud charge against him. In April, a court of appeal had upheld the dismissal of the no-case submission filed by the senator now representing Abia north. In 2016, Kalu who served his two terms as governor under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), defected to the ruling APC. IBRAHIM SHEKARAU Shekarau was arraigned by the EFCC on six counts bordering on conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N950 million. A former governor of Kano, he contested the presidential election in 2011. He was elected under the platform of the APC to represent Kano central in 2019. Shekarau was governor of Kano between 2003 and 2011. ABDULLAHI ADAMU In 2010, the former governor of Nasarawa state was arrested by the EFCC over alleged fraudulent award of contracts and stealing of public funds estimated at N15 billion. He has been standing trial since then. Adamu, however, had argued that the court had struck out his case in 2016. Elected under the platform of the APC, Adamu is senator representing Nasarawa west. He governed Nasarawa between 1999 and 2007 GABRIEL SUSWAM The former governor of Benue state is standing trial over alleged N3.1billion fraud. In 2018, a federal high court admitted evidence against him. He was elected senator representing Benue north-east under the platform of the PDP.

CORRUPTION GANG!! MEET EX-GOVERNORS WHO ARE FACING CORRUPTION CHARGES AS SENATORS             At least seven…

NIGERIAN ARMY COURT-MARTIAL MAJOR, 13 SOLDIERS FOR KIDNAPPING, MURDER The Nigerian Army on Saturday began the trial, by a Court Martial, of an army major, two captains and 11 other soldiers accused of kidnapping, murder and desertion, among other offences. Among the 11 soldiers docked were two staff sergeants and one sergeant. Inaugurating the court in Port Harcourt, General Officer Commanding (GOC) Army 6 Division, Port Harcourt, Maj.-Gen. Jamil Sarham, said the suspects were officers and soldiers of the division. Sarham said the General Court Martial was convened in compliance to Section 131 of the Armed Forces Act guiding professional conduct of the nation’s military. “The offences for which the accused persons are being tried range from murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, desertion. “Others are offences in relation to public and service property, disobedience to standing orders and conducts to the prejudice to service discipline. “All the offences are punishable under the Armed Forces Act CAP A20 Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004,” he said. “The Nigerian Army is a creation of the Nigerian Constitution to carry out specific tasks to support the government’s efforts in providing security for the Nigerian nation. To achieve this, a disciplined and professional Armed Force is imperative and this in line with the vision of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, which is to have a professionally-responsive Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles. There is no gainsaying that unless such a body of professionals is disciplined, achieving victory in battle and other specified assignments would not be easy”. The GOC said the army has zero tolerance to indiscipline, adding that it would never shield any personnel, no matter how highly placed from the law. He said the armed forces holds personnel in high esteem, and as such, would not put personnel on trial unless the matter was thoroughly investigated. According to him, the trial was not only aimed at prosecuting the suspects but to discourage others from indulging in criminality. “To this end, each accused person was thoroughly investigated to ensure that an innocent person is not wrongly tried and punished. “The headquarters 6 division has painstakingly selected credible officers with in-depth knowledge and outstanding experience of military law and duties as members of the court martial to ensure fair hearing and justice.” Sarham urged the seven-man court martial panel led by its President, Brig.-Gen. Bassey Etuk, to ensure that the accused persons are given fair trail. Family members of the accused soldiers and lawyers were allowed at the Python Officers’ Mess of 6 Division to witness the inauguration of the seven-man panel, headed by Brig.-Gen. Bassey Etuk, and the brief inaugural sitting, before the sitting was adjourned till June 24 this year. The court martial is the second of its kind in the history of 6 division, while the accused, besides the major and two captains, also had eleven men, made up of two staff sergeants, one sergeant and others. President of the general court martial, Brig.-Gen. Bassey Etuk, in his remarks, assured that he and six other members of the panel would do justice and they would not betray the confidence reposed in them.

NIGERIAN ARMY COURT-MARTIAL MAJOR, 13 SOLDIERS FOR KIDNAPPING, MURDER The Nigerian Army on Saturday began the trial, by a Court Martial, of an army major, two captains and 11 other soldiers accused of kidnapping, murder and desertion, among other offences. Among the 11 soldiers docked were two staff sergeants and one sergeant. Inaugurating the court in Port Harcourt, General Officer Commanding (GOC) Army 6 Division, Port Harcourt, Maj.-Gen. Jamil Sarham, said the suspects were officers and soldiers of the division. Sarham said the General Court Martial was convened in compliance to Section 131 of the Armed Forces Act guiding professional conduct of the nation’s military. “The offences for which the accused persons are being tried range from murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, desertion. “Others are offences in relation to public and service property, disobedience to standing orders and conducts to the prejudice to service discipline. “All the offences are punishable under the Armed Forces Act CAP A20 Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004,” he said. “The Nigerian Army is a creation of the Nigerian Constitution to carry out specific tasks to support the government’s efforts in providing security for the Nigerian nation. To achieve this, a disciplined and professional Armed Force is imperative and this in line with the vision of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, which is to have a professionally-responsive Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles. There is no gainsaying that unless such a body of professionals is disciplined, achieving victory in battle and other specified assignments would not be easy”. The GOC said the army has zero tolerance to indiscipline, adding that it would never shield any personnel, no matter how highly placed from the law. He said the armed forces holds personnel in high esteem, and as such, would not put personnel on trial unless the matter was thoroughly investigated. According to him, the trial was not only aimed at prosecuting the suspects but to discourage others from indulging in criminality. “To this end, each accused person was thoroughly investigated to ensure that an innocent person is not wrongly tried and punished. “The headquarters 6 division has painstakingly selected credible officers with in-depth knowledge and outstanding experience of military law and duties as members of the court martial to ensure fair hearing and justice.” Sarham urged the seven-man court martial panel led by its President, Brig.-Gen. Bassey Etuk, to ensure that the accused persons are given fair trail. Family members of the accused soldiers and lawyers were allowed at the Python Officers’ Mess of 6 Division to witness the inauguration of the seven-man panel, headed by Brig.-Gen. Bassey Etuk, and the brief inaugural sitting, before the sitting was adjourned till June 24 this year. The court martial is the second of its kind in the history of 6 division, while the accused, besides the major and two captains, also had eleven men, made up of two staff sergeants, one sergeant and others. President of the general court martial, Brig.-Gen. Bassey Etuk, in his remarks, assured that he and six other members of the panel would do justice and they would not betray the confidence reposed in them.

NIGERIAN ARMY COURT-MARTIAL MAJOR, 13 SOLDIERS FOR KIDNAPPING, MURDER         The Nigerian Army on Saturday began the…