P&ID Fraud: Resorts Express Concept Failed To File Currency Transaction Report

The trial of Resorts Express Concept Nigeria Limited before Justice D. U. Okorowo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, continued today, Tuesday, January 10, 2023, with the prosecution counsel Bala Sanga, presenting the first witness.

Resorts Express Concept Nigeria Limited is facing trial alongside Directors of the Company, Giovanna Beccarelli and Corrado Fantoli, (both currently at large) on an eight count-charge bordering on money laundering and failure to comply with the money laundering requirements

At today’s trial, prosecution counsel, Bala Sanga, informed the court that the prosecution was ready to commence examination in chief with the first witness, Ibinabo Mary Amachree, a staff of the EFCC and deputy director, Special Control Unit against Money Laundering, SCUML

The witness informed the court that on October 25, 2021, they received a letter from the EFCC requesting to know the compliance status of the defendant.

The witness informed the court that on October 28, 2021, they responded to the EFCC request. “The defendant failed to submit a business activity report to SCUML. The defendant also failed to appoint a compliance officer at management level and did not also train its employee on anti-money laundering.

“The defendant also failed to file a currency transaction report of an amount of Five Million Five Hundred and Twenty Four Thousand Naira (N5, 524, 000.00), which was paid to one Wan Jar. That payment was made on March 7, 2015 from the defendant Guaranty Trust Bank Account Number 0123849453,” she said.

Explaining further, the PW1 also informed the court that the defendant has a relationship with P&ID Ltd, which is currently making claims of $9.6b on the Nigerian Government. “The relationship is such that the Director of Resorts is also one of the Directors of P&ID and also shares a common address with P&ID.”

The witness further informed the court that the defendant also exceeded the currency transaction threshold. “On March 7, 2013, the defendant received the cash deposit of Seven Million, Four Hundred and Ninety seven Thousand Naira (N7, 497, 000) only from one Gwanmna. On March 5, 2013, the defendant received Six Million Naira (N6, 000, 000.00) only from Giovanna Veccarelli, and on March 7, 2018, the defendant, Resorts Express made a payment of Five Million, Five Hundred and Forty four Thousand Naira (N5, 544, 000) only to Wan Jafars”,the witness said.

Justice Okorowo adjourned the matter to Wednesday, January 11, 2023, for cross-examination of the witness.

I’ve Delivered My Promises To Ogbomosoland - Makinde

Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has stated that if he is re-elected as governor, the state will experience more positive developments under the Omituntun 2.0 mantra.

The governor, who stated this while addressing party faithful in Ogbomosoland maintained that he has delivered on his promises to the people of Ogbomoso, adding that he will consolidate on the achievements so far recorded when re-elected on March 11, 2023.

The governor, who spoke at Oja-Igbo in Ogbomoso, Ahorodada, Tewure , Olokoto and Ikoyi-Ile in Oriire local government areas, on Monday and Tuesday, urged the residents of Ogbomoso North,Ogbomoso South and Oriire local councils to vote for him and the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogbomosoland in the National Assembly and state Assembly elections.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted the governor as saying that he would do more if re-elected on March 11, 2023. 

The governor, while addressing a massive crowd of supporters at Oja’gbo, Ogbomoso, venue of the campaign for Ogbomoso main councils, stated that if he is re-elected, he will continue to take the people of the state from poverty to prosperity under Omituntun 2.0.

The governor told PDP faithful that while campaigning in 2019, he promised to ensure that LAUTECH is solely owned by Oyo State and the administration has achieved that.

He equally explained how the government’s infrastructure development drive has touched Ogbomosoland, with the rehabilitation of LAUTECH-Under G Road and the ongoing construction of 76 kilometres Ogbomoso-Fapote-Iseyin Road, among many other achievements.

He said: “When I came here to flag off our campaign in 2019, I promised you that we would work on ending the crisis in LAUTECH by ensuring that it is solely owned by Oyo State. Have we not achieved that?

“We promised to build infrastructure that target our economy. You can see that LAUTECH-Under G Road that we constructed and the Ogbomoso-Fapote-Iseyin Road. 

“In the education sector, we promised to improve the standard of education and the first thing we did was to scrap the N3,000 education levy imposed by the previous government.

“You can also see the evidence of our infrastructure building in the education sector, as we have built model schools, classrooms and other facilities as part of our agenda to improve the sector.”

Also speaking during campaign stops at Ahoro Dada, Olokoto, Tewure and Ikoyi-Ile communities of Oriire Local Government, Makinde assured that his new government under Omituntun 2.0 will bring more good governance.

The governor declared that all the positive developments recorded so far were only the tip of the iceberg and that he would go on to do more under Omituntun 2.0.

In his speech at Ahoro Dada, Olokoto, Tewure and Ikoyi-Ile, the governor said: “In 2019, I made some promises to you, among which I said I would take our people from poverty to prosperity under Omituntun 1.0. 

"From Ogbomoso, it took us 20 minutes to get to Ahoro Dada and this is due to the Ogbomoso-Fapote-Iseyin Road, which this administration is constructing. Now, our farmers can take our farm produce to the markets in urban centres. 

 “I also promised there would be one PHC in each ward and we have done this. I vowed to secure life and properties and you can all see what the Amotekun is doing. We have put in place a communication network for our security agencies. 

“All of these have been achieved under Omituntun 1.0. So, we want to upgrade to Omituntun 2.0. 

“The other candidates who are also contesting are with me here. I don't want you to be bothered about the 'white horse' here. In 2015, I rode on the same horse and the legs broke. So, the senatorial candidate you must vote for is that of the PDP, Hon. Akinwale Akinwole Wolekanle. You will also vote for Hon. Onireti, who is our House of Representatives candidate on February 25 and on March 11, you will vote for me and Hon. Ogundele Johnson, who our candidate for the House of Assembly."

Trinity Biotech Trial: EFCC Accuses Defence Of Delay Tactics

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, 10 January, 2023, expressed displeasure with  the antics of counsel to Trinity Biotech Nigeria Limited, Michael Ajara, accusing him of attempting to delay trial.

Trinity Biotech Nigeria Limited, one of the over thirty companies associated with $9.6b Process and Industrial Development, P&ID, fraud, is facing a six count amended charge bordering on money laundering and failure to comply with the money laundering requirements alongside directors of the company: James Nolan(at large), Adam Quinn(at large) and Gerrard Nash(also at large) , before Justice D.U. Okorowo of the Federal High Court Abuja.

At the resumed hearing today, defence counsel, Michael Ajara approached the court to order the prosecution counsel to avail the defence with the processes of the trial and adjourned the matter to enable them to get acquainted with the case.

But prosecuting counsel, Bala Sanga prayed the court to discountenance the submission of the defense, claiming it was a ploy to delay the trial. “Most respectfully, this is a strange procedure, my lord; the proceedings are with the registry of the court. If the defence counsel wants any process of the court, the proper thing is to apply to the court and not to rely on me.

 “The defendant is in Ireland; he is prepared to testify against Nigeria next week, which they are aware of. Somebody on the run, briefing them and instructing them to stall the trial ahead of his testifying against Nigeria. We humbly pray that this trial should not be stalled as a result of the failure of the counsel to do the proper thing which is applying to the court for the record,” he said.

Justice Okorowo consequently overruled the defense counsel and ordered prosecution to commence examination in chief.

The witness, Temitokpe Erinomo, a Principal Compliance Officer with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment on secondment to the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering Department, SCUML, o informed the court that on October 8, 2011, they received a letter from the EFCC. “The letter sought to know the compliance status of Trinity Biotech Nigeria Limited.

“Our findings from the review revealed that Trinity Biotech Nigeria Limited has not made a declaration of its business activities to the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment. Our findings also showed that Trinity Biotech Nigeria Limited has not appointed a compliance officer among its management staff. We also found that Trinity Biotech Nigeria Limited has not established an internal audit nor filed its business activities in report as at the date of receipt of the letter from the EFCC”.

The witness further informed the court that upon review, they discovered that the company is associated with the Process & Industrial Development, P&ID Ltd”, a company that is claiming a $9.6bn arbitral award from the Nigerian Government.”

“Our review showed that Trinity Biotech Nigeria Limited received massive inflows of funds from Trinity Biotech Joint Ventures in Cyprus and also P&ID Ltd, based in the British Virgin Island. We also found that Mr. Adam Quinn and Brendan Cahill who are owners of the defendant are also owners of P&ID Ltd. Notably, we found that Mr. James Nolan, a fugitive from justice and commercial manager of P&ID Ltd is also the man behind the defendant,” he added.

Justice Okorowo thereafter adjourned the matter to Wednesday, January 11, 2023, for cross-examination of the witness.

How Terrorism Will Threaten Conduct Of 2023 Polls In Northeast, Except - CORNWEST Africa

The Conflict Research Network, West Africa (CORN West Africa) on Tuesday alerted the federal government and security agencies that terrorism will threaten the conduct of 2023 elections in northeast Nigeria except proactive context specific security plan is designed for the zone.

This was part of the recommendations given at the Conflict Research Network (CORN) West Africa Research Colloquium webinar themed “Nigeria Decides 2023: Conducting Elections in Context of Political Violence and State Fragility”.  

Conflict Research Network West Africa (CORN West Africa) is a knowledge platform and academic community for scholars based in institutions in West Africa who are working in the field of peace, security, and political violence with a growing network of more than 150 members across 35 institutions in West Africa.  

Speaking on the topic, “Election amid Terror: Terrorism and the 2023 Elections in Nigeria’s North East”, Dr Babayo Sule of the Department of International Relations, Federal University of Kashere, Gombe state and member Conflict Research Network, West Africa stated that improved security of lives and properties before the elections in northeast will encourage people to come out to vote.

According to him, terrorism remains a major threat to the conduct of 2023 elections in the northeast, arguing that elections may not hold in areas under the control of terror groups in the northeast except counter-terrorism capmpaign is stepped up to clear the way.

Government he said must "significantly reduce the areas that are under the control and influence of Boko Haram before the 2023 general elections. Extra security personnel should be deployed to ensure the safety of lives, properties, INEC officials and electoral materials."

According to him, many areas in the northeast remains inaccessible while several people have been internally displaced which will impact on their participation in the elections.

“On Election Day, in 2015, the Boko Haram terrorists coordinated multiple attacks on polling units in in Gombe, Bauchi, Yobe, Borno and Adamawa killing election officials while destroying electoral materials. Voters were killed while the electorates dispersed and never returned to cast their votes in the affected areas. Because of the activities of the insurgents, several remote areas could not be accessed and transporting election materials proved impossible. Elections did not take place in the 16 LGs under the control of Boko Haram. The Islamic State in the West Africa Province and the Boko Haram insurgency keeps growing in the North-east. There are several flashpoints that could be difficult to reach with electoral materials because Boko Haram/ISWAP may attack or destroy the materials there. The process may disenfranchise many voters in Northeast even though, the turnout in the 2015 and 2019 General Elections in the Northeast appears encouraging compared to other geo-political zones, especially, in the South. Counter Terrorist Military Operations against Boko Haram have reduced the areas controlled by the terrorist group, but it is far from being curtailed. The evidence we have gathered so far shows Boko Haram still has the capacity to block the distribution of election materials in some flashpoint areas, ostracising voters for fear of attacks, and killings and destruction of properties during the forthcoming 2023 Election”

While speaking, the Director of CORN WEST Africa, Dr. Tarila Marclint Ebiede, stated that “Nigeria is struggling with different forms of insecurity and violent conflicts that may affect the credibility of the elections in some regions such as the North East, and North West where there are ongoing conflicts”.

“Regions such as the South East also struggle with issues of insecurity associated with secessionists agitations. In the Niger Delta, armed groups still operate in rural communities. We cannot go into an election as important as the 2023 general elections without reflecting on these issues and how to limit their impact on our democratic process. Hence, the colloquium series provides this opportunity for scholars to use their research on these different forms of conflicts to inform policy makers and advocacy groups on why it is important to pay attention to these issues, what to do to overcome these issues and provide policy recommendations on how to improve Nigeria's democracy.”

In his opening remarks Dr. Ukoha Ukiwo who is the Technical Lead of Managing Conflict in Nigeria Program stated that political actors in Nigeria pay lip-service to pacts of non-violence thereby staining the electoral process with conflict, violence and implications for the credibility of the 2023 elections.

“The problem, however, is that political actors still pay lip-service to pacts of non-violence, there has been breakdown in consociationalism and power sharing arrangements, non-completion of institutional reforms and challenges of implementation, state fragility and capacity issues on the part of electoral institutions and security agencies.”

Court Summons Abuja-based Bizwoman, Halimat Tejuosho Over N436m Fraud

The Gwagwalada Division of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has ordered court processes to be served on Olori Halimat Tejuosho and her company, Haleems Nigeria Limited, for allegedly defrauding her financier of N436.3m earmarked for the execution of a building contract awarded by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

Upon securing a contract for construction of 500 units of houses at Karshi FCT, Abuja, in May 2021, Ms Tejuosho approached Emmanuel Suku to partner with her as a financier and asked him for an initial advance fee of N300m and another N136.3m paid in tranches to her personal and company accounts.

According to Suku, he was entitled to 30 per cent of the contract deal valued at N4.47 billion per the agreement of his partnership contained in a police investigation report.

He was aghast when he eventually discovered the project had been at a standstill through a WhatsApp video call he had with his brothers at the site.

"That no work has been done on the project site since the groundbreaking ceremony. An uncompleted gatehouse structure and two (2) shipping containers were seen on the site. There were, however, no workers, equipment and building supplies seen on the site," a police investigation report signed by a police commissioner, Mohammed Yakubu, said.

He later learnt the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry had withdrawn the project from Ms Tejuosho and her company for breaching the terms of the contract.

When confronted with the findings, Ms Tejuosho "could not give a satisfactory account of how she spent the money" and began making moves to flee the country to evade accountability to her financier

A further investigation into her financial accounts, however, showed how the businesswoman had lavished the project's funds on four exotic cars worth N150m luxury shoes and bags, designer watches, a soundproof generator for her house and other electronic items worth millions purchased from Cash 'N' Carry store.

From the project funds, Ms Tejuosho also doled out scholarships to 30 students attending Espam Formation University in Cotonou, Benin Republic, where she serves as a chancellor.

Her statements of account also showed that she wired several millions of naira to one Ifeoma Vivienne Obilor, an interior decorator to pimp her residence in Peace Garden Estate, Sangotedo, Lagos with tasteful furniture worth a fortune.

A chunk of Ms Tejuosho financier's funds was traced to one Royal Apparel, said to be her staff, with Heritage Bank account number 5100351905 which had received N200 million in tranches.

The police commissioner recommended Ms Tejuosho's prosecution after establishing a case of advance fee fraud, criminal diversion of funds, criminal breach of trust and cheating against her.

The matter with suit no FCT/HC/CV/589/2022 has been adjourned till January 25, 2023, for further hearing.

Kidnappers of Edo Train Passengers Demand N620 million Ransom

Hoodlums who claimed to be masterminds for the kidnap of 31 Edo train passengers on Saturday have allegedly demanded N620m ransom for their release.

Benson Odia, an activist and Executive Director, Esan Youth for Good Governance and Social Justice, said the kidnappers made their demands on Monday and that they want N20 million for each victim.

“I can tell you that the kidnappers have demanded N20m, totalling N620m. This is absurd and I don’t know where poor people will be able to raise that amount of money,” he told PUNCH.

But the spokesman of Edo State Police Command, Chidi Nwabuzor, could not confirm it.

Odia’s claim came before the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, disclosed that six victims had been rescued out of 31.

The commissioner said in a statement, “Following the directive from Governor Godwin Obaseki that the kidnappers that attacked the train in Igueben on Saturday be smoked out of their hiding and the persons abducted be rescued, we are happy to announce that six persons have been rescued.

We commend the efforts of the rescue team in the bushes and their support staff that have been working tirelessly since the incident occurred to ensure the kidnapped passengers are rescued and reunited with their families.

“We are confident that the other victims will be rescued soon as the highly motivated security personnel are in high spirits and have doubled down on the hot chase of the kidnappers.’’

“As events unfold in the bushes, be assured that we will keep you posted and we crave the support of all stakeholders, particularly the media, to stay with the facts and avoid sensational reports that could further inflict emotional pain on the families and friends of the victims who are already in distress. Operation Bush Combing continues,” Nehikhare added.

On Monday, the Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, and the Managing Director, Nigeria Railway Corporation, Fidel Okhiria, visited the Igueben train station to assess the situation.

Tinubu Condemns Edo Train Station Attack, Says Nigeria Will Prevail Over Forces Of Darkness

All Progressives Congress Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has strongly condemned Saturday's abduction of train passengers in Edo State. 

Tinubu, in a press statement through his Media Office, described the abduction of  31 passengers who were waiting to board train at Igueben Station to Warri as another sad episode in the security challenges facing the country, Tinubu said Nigeria would prevail against the agents of darkness.

The APC Presidential candidate sympathised with the victims who are still held captive by the attackers and urged the Federal Government, Edo State Government and Local authorities to work with the security agencies on quick action to secure the release of all the victims.

"I condemn the mindless attack and abduction of innocent train passengers in Edo State by terrorists on Saturday. From available information, the security agencies are working hard to rescue the victims. I urge more collaborative efforts by the Federal Government, Edo State Government and other local authorities on quick rescue of all the victims. 

"This occurrence is a sad reminder that we have not completely won the war against insecurity and that there are still some agents of darkness lurking around the corner. But I want to assure Nigerians we will win this war.  Evil will not prevail over our country because of our strong determination to exterminate the dark forces everywhere they manifest. 

"One of the reasons I am running for the presidency is to improve on security situation and tackle every form of insecurity in our country. We have a clear plan to end violent crimes and terrorism through our Anti-Terrorism Battalion Forces, investment in more security hardware and surveillance technology that will make our streets, neighbourhood and forests saver for socio-economic activities to thrive and bloom. 

"I commend the rescue efforts of the security agencies that have led to the arrest of some of the terrorists. Nigeria shall overcome."

AMAA Founder, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe Dies

Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, founder of African Movie Academy Awards, AMAA, is dead.

According to reports, she passed away at St. Nicolas Hospital in Lagos after falling into a coma on Saturday.

A popular filmmaker Zik Zulu broke the news. Few of other colleagues of the deceased who visited her in the hospital couldn't believe the sad news. They maintained she was merely in the ICU.

“Our President, Peace, has passed. As at Saturday, she was reported to be in coma at Saint Nicholas. But now her family has confirmed her transition. May the memory of her life be a blessing. Rest in peace, dear Peace, Zik Zulu writes on a Nollywood platform.

Award-winning producer, Obi Emelonye also confirmed her passing-on on his social media handles even though the family was trying to be courteous with releasing the information.

Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, in her lifetime, wasn't only the founder of AMAA Awards, she was also president of the Association of Movie Producers (AMP).

Her contributions to the industry cannot be overemphasized. She will be remembered as one of those who helped create the new Nollywood.