Thursday, March 28, 2024
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OUR LATEST POSTS

FG to arraign Binance, Gambaryan, Anjarwalla for alleged tax evasion...

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The Federal Government will, on April 4, arraign Binance Holdings Limited and its two top officials - Tigran Gambaryan and fleeing Nadeem Anjarwalla - on allegations bordering on tax evasion. Binance, Mr Gambaryan and Mr Anjarwalla, listed as 1st to 3rd defendants respectively, are expected to be arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja on four-count charge. While Anjarwalla is Binance’s Africa Regional Manager, Gambaryan, is a U.S. citizen overseeing financial crime compliance at the crypto exchange platform. However, Anjarwalla, who had been in detention alongside Gambaryan, was said to have escaped from lawful custody. Anjarwalla escaped on Friday from the Abuja guest house where he and his colleague were detained after guards on duty led him to a nearby mosque for prayers in the spirit of the ongoing Ramadan fast. The Briton, who also has Kenyan citizenship, is believed to have flown out of Abuja using a Middle East airliner. Though the FHC’s Easter vacation, which began on March 22, will come to an end on April 8, the Chief Judge of FHC, Justice John Tsoho, directed the transfer of Binance case file to Justice Nwite. Although Justice Nwite is not a vacation judge, it was gathered that the chief judge granted the fiat for the judge to handle the case during vacation being a matter that concerns dire national interest. Hearing notices had been related to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the prosecuting agency, and counsel to other parties for the defendants to take their plea. In the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/115/2024 dated and filed March 22 by the FIRS’ team of lawyers, led by Moses Ideho, the defendants were alleged to have committed the offence on or about Feb. 1. Count one alleged that while involved in carrying and offering services to subscribers on their platform, known as Binance, failed to...

Six LP members defect to PDP

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Six Labour Party (LP) members of the Enugu State House of Assembly have officially defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). They made their defection known on Thursday in Enugu in a letter read by the Speaker, Chief Uche Ugwu, during plenary. The defectors include the Majority Leader, Mr Johnson Ani (Enugu North); the Chief Whip, Mr Ejike Eze, (Igbo-Eze North 1); and the Deputy Chief Whip, Ms Princess Ugwu (Enugu South Rural). Others are Mr Pius Ezugwu (Nsukka East); Mr Williams Amuka (Igbo-Etiti West); and Mr Osita Eze (Oji River). The defectors, in the letters, said their defection was as a result of the existence of irreconcilable division, incessant crisis within the Labour Party at the national level and across all the state chapters. They regretted that the party had evolved into perpetual discord with various factions embroiled in legal battles, which undermine its ability to effectively serve the interest of the people. According to them, the Labour Party, once considered a beacon of hope for progressive ideas, have regrettably become synonymous with internal squabbles, thereby reducing its capacity to fulfil the aspirations of electorates. They cited the cases of Mr Julius Abure and Mr Limido Apapa factions as well as the national treasurer as some of the divisions within the party. They expressed the hope that the PDP would give them the platform to continue to serve the interests of their people and thanked the leaderships of Labour Party for their supports. The defectors also acknowledged that the letters were sent to the office of the Speaker by themselves, adding that they would work wholeheartedly for the progress of their new party in Enugu State. In his remark, the Speaker welcomed the defectors into the PDP and promised that they would be carried along in the legislative activities of the House. With the defection, the PDP now had...

Discrimination: FAAN shuts down KFC outlet at Lagos Airport

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The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), on Thursday, shut down a KFC facility in the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos over alleged discriminatory treatment of a passenger. This is contained in a statement signed by Mrs Obiageli Orah, Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection and made available to newsmen in Lagos. Orah said that the shut down would be effective March 28 in line with the Lagos State law on people with Special Needs, Part C,Section 55 of the General Provisions on Discrimination. She stated that the law stipulated thus: “A person shall not deprive another person of access to any place, vehicle or facility that members of the public are entitled to enter or use on the basis of the disabilityof that person.” Orah said that the shut down was as a result of a social media report by a Passenger with Reduced Mobility (PRM), alleging discriminatory treatment he received at the MMIA, Lagos According to the statement, the Managing Director/Chief Executive of FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, intervened. It stated that Kuku had swiftly deployed a management team comprising Orah, the Regional Manager South-West, Mr Sunday Ayodele, Ag. General Manager Public Affairs, Mrs Ijeoma Nwosu-Igbo, and the Internstional Terminal Manager, Mr Kerri, to investigate the allegation. Orah said that it was based on the findings of the team that FAAN had shut down the facility where the incident occurred. She said that the Authority had instructed the KFC Management to tender an unreserved apology, in writing, to the affected PRM. Also, a policy statement of non-discrimination be written and pasted conspicuously at the door post of their facility at MMIA before it resumes operation. “FAAN uses this medium to express our unreserved apology to the affected PRM and assures all airport users that we shall continue to work tirelessly to ensure that the rights...

Binance executive, Gambaryan, sues NSA, EFCC as lawyer withdraws appearance for...

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The detained Binance executive, Tigran Gambaryan, has sued the National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, and the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged violation of his fundamental rights. Gambaryan, in the originating motion dated and filed March 18 by his lawyer, Olujoke Aliyu, from Aluko and Oyebode Law Firm, sought five reliefs before Justice Inyang Ekwo. Also, Nadeem Anjarwalla, the Binance’s Africa regional manager who escaped from lawful custody March 22, filed a separate right enforcement suit before Justice Ekwo. Gambaryan and Anjarwalla, in the suits marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/356/24 and FHC/ABJ/CS/355/24, had sued the Office of NSA (ONSA) and EFCC as 1st and 2nd respondents. They  sought same reliefs. Gambaryan, a U.S. citizen overseeing financial crime compliance at the crypto exchange platform, in his application, sought a declaration that his detention and seizure of his international travel passport, contravened Section 35 (1) and (4) of 1999 Constitution (As Amended). He said the act amounted to a violation of his fundamental right to personal liberty as guaranteed by the constitution. He also sought an order directing the respondents to release him from their custody and! return his international travel passport with immediate effect. Gambaryan equally sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents and agents from further detaining him in relation to any investigation into or demands from Binance. The official, who sought an order for the respondents to issue a public apology to him, also prayed for the cost of thie action on a full indemnity basis. In a statement in support of the suit, he said he is an American citizen who visited Nigeria on February 26 February, along with fleeing Nadeem Anjarwalla, as a representative of Binance, to honour the invitation of the ONSA and EFCC to discuss issues relating to Binance in Nigeria. Giving 11-ground argument why his application should be granted, he said that...

Why 313 terror suspects were released to Borno Govt – DHQ

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The Defence Headquarters says the release of 313 terrorism suspects to Borno State Government was on the orders of the Federal High Court sitting in Maiduguri. The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, who made the clarification on Thursday in Abuja, said the suspects were detained on suspicion, but no evidence was found against them at the conclusion of investigation. According to him, the cases were prosecuted by the Federal Ministry of Justice, wherein the court ordered for their release. “Accordingly, they were handed over to the Borno State Government for further action,’’ he said. Meanwhile, troops of Operation Hadin Kai have recorded massive successes against Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists, killing scores and arresting their collaborators during the week. Buba said that terrorists’ commanders and combatants also surrendered to troops in Jere, Chibok, Monguno, Gwoza and Bama Local Government Areas of Borno, and in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa. According to him, the air component of Operation Hadin Kai conducted multiple air interdiction on terrorists in Arina Woje and Tumbum Shitu near Lake Chad on March 22 and March 24, respectively. “The locations were observed to be active with terrorists’ activities and logistics. “Consequently, the location was acquired and attacked with rockets and bombs and Battle Damage Assessment revealed that several terrorists were neutralised and their logistics destroyed. “Overall, troops neutralised 52 terrorists, arrested 137 and rescued 78 kidnapped hostages in the Northeast during the week under review. “Troops recovered three M56 rifles, 40 AK47 rifles, three PKT guns, 13 fabricated rifles, two hand grenades, one locally made explosive, 889 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo and 310 rounds of 7.62mm NATO. “Others are 60 rounds of 7.62 x 25mm ammo, 99 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm ammo, six AK47 rifles magazines, two M56 rifle magazines, two magazine carriers, one motorcycle, six mobile phones, one HH radio, three...

Reps vow to recover two helicopters sold to private individuals

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The House of Representatives has vowed that it will recover two Bell Helicopters, Bell 206L4 BZB and Bell M2061- L4, belonging to the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, sold to private individuals. Rep. Ademorin Kuye, the Chairman, House of Reps Committee on Public Assets, said this at the investigative hearing on the sale of the two helicopters in Abuja on Thursday. Kuye expressed concern over the sale of the two helicopters to private individuals, when the college was left with no helicopter for training. The committee also questioned the process leading to the sale of the helicopters as security agencies, including Nigerian Air Force, Navy and the Police, indicated interest to purchase them. The security agencies were, however, denied by the management of the NCAT. The three security agencies, according to various submissions, did not only indicate interest to purchase the helicopters by writing but also visited the college but were denied the opportunity to purchase them. Mr Shaka Imalighwe, Acting Rector, NCAT, said though he was the Deputy Rector of the college at the time the helicopters were sold, he was not part of the team/committee that facilitated the sales. Imalighwe said that he took over the management of the college in an acting capacity in January 2024. The Committee said in spite of initial appeals to NCAT to provide certain documents regarding the process that led to the sale of the helicopters in May 2023, they had not been able to provide it. This, according to him, was in respect of approval of Federal Executive Council (FEC) and the Ministry of Aviation as well as newspaper publication advertising the intention to sell the helicopters. Imalighwe told the committee that the helicopters were in service and being maintained by relevant aviation bodies when they were sold. The acting Rector of the college also confirmed to the lawmakers...