Court Orders Final Forfeiture Of Hospital Facility Owned By Sitting Senator

A Federal High Court sitting in Owerri, the Imo State capital has ordered the final forfeiture of a multi-million-naira hospital facility allegedly belonging to the senator representing Ideato North and South Federal constituency, Pascal Obi.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on August 22, 2019, secured the interim forfeiture of the property from a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, following evidence that the multi-million naira facility may have been acquired through fraudulent and corrupt activities.

According to the anti-graft agency, funds belonging to the Imo State Government were traced to the hospital after it was established that Mr Obi was a signatory to the government house account under the Rochas Okorocha administration.

Obi who was a Principal Secretary to the former governor, however, denied ownership of the facility.

The agency further stated in a statement, that the managing director of the hospital on invitation, could not give a clear account of how the hospital was funded.

Consequently, this prompted it to file for the forfeiture of the property on July 25, 2019, under Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud, and Other Related Offences Act 2006.

In granting the request for the interim forfeiture of the property, the court ordered the anti-graft agency to publish the order in a national newspaper, which was accordingly complied, asking interested parties to show cause why the property should not be forfeited to the federal government within fourteen days from the dates of the publications.

Upon the expiration of the 14-day notice and with no one showing interest in the hospital, the commission filed for the final forfeiture of the facility which was finally granted by the federal high court in Owerri.

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Joshua, Ruiz Ready For ‘Clash On The Dunes’

Anthony Joshua faces the biggest test of his boxing career on Saturday as he attempts to reclaim his world heavyweight crown from Andy Ruiz in a controversial rematch in Saudi Arabia.

Six months after suffering a shock knockout defeat to Ruiz at Madison Square Garden, Joshua will climb back into the ring with Ruiz seeking to win back the IBF, WBA, and WBO titles.

A leaner, meaner Joshua told reporters this week he is “hungry, determined and focused” for a bout that is expected to get under way at around midnight local time (2100 GMT Saturday).

The stakes could not be higher for Joshua, who would face a long road back to the pinnacle of the heavyweight division if he loses a fight being hyped as “Clash on the Dunes.”

Victory, by contrast, would re-establish his credentials in the division, opening the door to money-spinning fights against WBC champion Deontay Wilder or fellow Briton Tyson Fury.

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DSS Rearrest Sowore

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) on Friday morning re-arrested the convener of #RevolutionNow, Omoyele Sowore and his co-defendant Olawale Bakare on fresh charges.

He is currently being detained at the DSS office in Abuja.

The DSS is yet to disclose the reason for the re-arrest.

Sowore was re-arrested following an earlier attempt by DSS operatives to arrest him inside the courtroom of a Federal High Court in Abuja.

More to follow…

BREAKING: DSS attempts to rearrest Sowore in court

Operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, on Friday, attempted to re-arrest, Omoyele Sowore, convener of RevolutionNow Movement at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

However, at the time of the attempt to re-arrest him, police, journalists and others present in court threw themselves on Sowore, thereby preventing the heavily armed security personnel from picking him up.

“Sowore could be seen on the floor inside the courtroom saying, “They have surrounded the place. We will sleep here today.”

This is coming less than a day after he was released by the DSS after an Abuja Federal High Court ordered for his release within 24 hours.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu also ordered the DSS to pay the sum of N100,000 to Sowore, for refusing to release him on bail despite two court orders to that effect.

The judge consequently adjourned the trial of the case brought against them by the Nigerian Government until December 6 for continuation.

Sowore has been in custody of the DSS after he was arrested for allegedly calling for a revolution.

More to come.

MAPOLY student screaming 'my money’s inside the well', dies after jumping into a well

A Moshood Abiola Polytechnic student who died after jumping into a well on Wednesday December 4 at Fagba, Lagos has been buried. 

Samson aka Asese Lee said to be an ND 2 student of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) Abeokuta, reportedly woke on Wednesday shouting “my money is inside the well.”

Eyewitnesses said the deceased jumped into the 180ft well before they could get a hold what he was saying. He reportedly died before he could get help. 

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DSS pays N100k fine after releasing Sowore

The Department of State Services (DSS) has paid the N100k fine issued by the Federal High Court which ordered the release of #RevolutionNow Convener, Omoyele Sowore within 24 hours. 

Sowore’s lawyer, Femi Falana who confirmed that his client has been released also disclosed that the SSS has paid the N100,000 fine to the #RevolutionNow convener as ordered by the judge.

Sowore who was in DSS custody for 125 days, first met his bail condition on November 6. He was however continously kept in the secret police's custody before the court order was issued this morning by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu. 

Senate passes 2020 budget of N10.594 trillion

Nigerian Senate on Thursday passed the 2020 budget of N10.594 trillion into law. This is against the proposed budget of N10.33 trillion presented to the joint National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari in October, 2019.

The passage of the budget, however, represents  record breaking and a deviation from what was obtained in the 8th National Assembly in which budget were passed almost eight months after it was presented.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Barau Jibrin, said the increase of N264 billion into the budget allowed for interventions in critical areas such as national security, road infrastructure mines and steel development, health among others.

According to him, statutory transfer stood at N560.5 billion, Recurrent Expenditure at N4.8 billion, Capital Expenditure at N2.5 billion, Debt Servicing at N2.7 billion, Fiscal Deficit at N2.3 trillion and Deficit to GDP of 1.52 per cent.

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