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CACOL COMMENDS EFCC ON EX-AGF ADOKE OVER N1.2B MALABU OIL SCAM; SEEKS DILIGENT PROSECUTION

The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL has said through its Executive Chairman, Mr. Debo Adeniran that it would not repose until justice prevails over all the corruption cases of the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN), in relation to the infamous $1.2bn Malabu oil scam, Halliburton and Siemens scandal bordering on bribery and money laundering money.
Adeniran commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC under the leadership of Mr. Ibrahim Magus for not relenting in the Commission’s efforts at ensuring that justice is not circumvented in the judicial processes involving Mr. Adoke and others. “We are all witnesses to the ‘hide and seek’ and the slipperiness that has been
displayed by the ex-AGF since 1999 when the case of Halliburton and Siemens scandal began.” He said “It is evident that finally the EFCC is now actively and boldly prosecuting the fight against corruption with the vigour and momentum that is required, and the Commission, is to a very large extent doing this without caring whose ox is gored. It is gladdening that the agency is not sparing any corrupt leader whether formerly or presently serving elected or appointed public officials. It is a signal that gradually the era where corrupt leaders will perpetrate corrupt practices with reckless abandon is getting over.”
“As far as CACOL is concerned, what is presently unfolding has been long overdue. We therefore urge the EFCC that, in the fresh judicial processes, diligence and tact would be deployed to finally clear the air on the culpability or otherwise of the ex-AGF and his suspected accomplices’ their corruption cases.”
Adeniran said “Adoke has made his trial a very burdensome one over the years, he devised many means to avert and dodge justice.  The former Minister coordinated bribery scandals where spurious ‘legal fees’ involving up to about $26 million USD were paid to prosecution counsels even though the accused were never prosecuted in any court, the same with the Halliburton and Siemens bribery scandals, the case ended without any punitive for his offence. This must not be allowed to happen this time.”
“As an organization, CACOL have played and will continue to play the role expected of an anti corruption formation That is why we were one of civil society organizations that embarked of exposing the Adoke’s dealings by blowing the whistle on him through protest marches backed with petitions to the EFCC and ICPC submitted on 26th July, 2011 at their Head Offices in Abuja.”
“We remain committed to the cause to ensure that justice prevails in the ex-AGF’s case all other corruption cases to put an end to reign of impunity.
In concluding, he said “Adoke feels he is smart enough to escape prosecution because he has always successfully done so due to lack of
diligence in prosecution and the influence of the ‘powers that be’.”

Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL
08141121208
 
 
 
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CACOL URGES DSS TO INTENSIFY INVESTIGATIONS OF EX-GOVERNOR SUSWAM OVER DISCOVERED CACHE OF ARMS

The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL has called on the Department of State Service, DSS to intensify its investigation of a former governor of Benue State, Mr. Gabriel Suswam over the cache of arms and Certificates of Occupancy discovered at his company located at 44 Aguiyi Ironsi Way, Maitama, Abuja.
 
The Executive Chairman CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran said in response to the alarming discovery made by the DSS, “Suswam definitely has a lot of explanations to give over the cache of arms reported to have been found in 2 vehicles within the premises of a company belonging to the ex-governor.”
 
“In a country like Nigeria, where the government and people have had to contend almost on daily basis with senseless killings provoked by bigotry of varied sorts; there is every reason for Suswan and all that linked to arms cache to be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted if found wanting in extremely scary development where the ex-governor seem to be the epicenter.”
 
“From what the DSS has disclosed, a total of 85 rounds of ammunition, one Glock pistol; one mini-uzi, a Submachine Gun, and one AK-47 rifle were recovered following the search conducted by operatives of the Service. These are weapons we can only get to see or use in a war situation, pointing to the reality all those linked to the arms has bloodletting plans. The government must ensure that the diabolic plans of these forces of mindless violence does not manifest. This can be achieved when government and security agencies pounce on a development like this with utmost rapidity in order have the opportunity to nip the menaces of potential violent crimes, wanton destruction of life and property in the bud.”
 
Continuing, Adeniran further said “this discovery is akin to the recent 611 pump action rifles seized by men of the Nigerian Custom Service, NCS, in Lagos. Incidences like this, explains the widespread of illegal arms and ammunitions in the country. Happening at this particular time when violence is being preached and promoted in the country makes the whole scenario scary and dangerous. However, the fundamental issue is what we as a people have to do to halt this kind of negative progression in our country for very obvious reasons.”
 
“Sadly, operatives of our enforcement agencies and services who constitutionally are backed to bear arms cannot access the kind of ‘weapons of mass destruction’ discovered on Suswan’s property when they have to carry out their duties on different terrains where they are often exposed to superior fire-power leading to avoidable loss of personnel and frequent desertions.”
 
“The FG and the DSS must leave no stone unturned in ensuring that case of these dangerous weapons is pursued to logical conclusions with the goal of establishing the criminal culpable of all those involved in the episode and the application of judicial punitive regardless of how highly placed those found guilty are in the society.” Adeniran concluded
 
 
Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL
08141121208
 
 
 
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CBN’S PROPOSED CHARGES ON CASH DEPOSITS AND WITHDRAWALS IS BURDENSOME AND UNTIMELY – CACOL

The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL has condemned the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN to reintroduce charges on all cash deposits and withdrawals in bank transactions, describing it as exorbitant, exploitative and anti-poor.The CBN’s reintroduction of the policy will translate to charging 1.5% to 2% for deposits and withdrawals between 500, 000 and N1 million,beginning from April 1, 2017. It will also mean that for amounts above N5million, banks will charge individuals 3% for deposits while withdrawals will attract a 7.5% charge.  The Executive Chairman of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran, speaking on the development said there is nothing logical about people losing their hard-earnedmoney because they want to access bank
services. “It is also unethical toimpose charges on customers as frequently as being done in Nigeria’s bankingsector. At the end, these
are just private-interest institutions that does business with customers’ money and astronomical profits as regularly declared in
most of their books. Agreed that they also offer services that are commendable and very important, but this move is rather inconsiderate of the reality of majority of Nigerians’ socio-economic existence; a background that is no doubts very challenging.” He said“In essence, the CBN is saying that people will lose N 7,500 for depositing N 500,000 and N10, 000 while withdrawing the same amount in the face of the prevailing harsh economic environment added with the seemingly undying recession and austerity in the country.”“We call on the CBN and the Federal government to do a rethink/review of the proposed charges which will certainly exacerbate charges the sufferings of hapless Nigerians on the altar of further enriching some few private interests.
The government must be told that as a people, Nigerians arealready over-taxed, over-billed and over-exploited!”  “The intention to
increase bank charges in face of the country’ssocial economic reality stands condemnable and unacceptable.” He concluded

Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL
08141121208
 
 
 
For more press releases and statements, please visit our website at
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NCS’s INVASION OF SANGO MARKET, SEIZURE 4,550 BAGS OF RICE; BARBARIC AND CONDEMNABLE – CACOL

The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL through its executive Chairman, Mr. Debo Adeniran has described the actions of the officials from the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS who went to Sango area of Ogun State, broke into shops at midnight to seize bags of rice as barbaric and totally condemnable.”
The CACOL Chairman said “the modus operandi displayed in the Sango raid by the FOU and the circumstances is replica of the last seizure of pump action rifles at Mile 2 Expressway, Lagos where illegal items are discovered at several kilometers from their entry points. Now, assuming without conceding that items seized from Sango, (a town that’s about 50 kilometers from the Nigerian borders manned by the NCS with several check posts on the highways at different intervals) are banned items, the questions to ask will be – how did the items pass through the nets of NCS check posts before getting to Sango? How can a potential buyer, identify whether food items such rice and vegetable oil is smuggled or not?”
“It is irresponsible of the NCS that have to continued sustain ineffective methods of tackling smuggling to turn round to abuse innocent and law abiding Nigerians with the ‘armed robbery-like’ manner the operatives of the Service were reported to have invaded the Sango rice market.”
Adeniran futher added “the truth is that occurrences like the Sango episode has always been rampant across the country to such a ridiculous levels that men of NCS harass Nigerians in Abuja for instance over vehicles allegedly illegally imported through the Benin – Nigeria border! This crude and failed mode of manning our borders is at the very heart of the incessant and unnecessary clashes over banned items with the seeming undying nature of illegality called smuggling.”
 
“The borders of most countries with security consciousness are very well monitored to control and nip in the bud incidences like this. The porosity of any country’s border determines what can get in or out of such country. It is time that the corrupt elements in the State agencies, establishments, Services etc are weeded out because they abet and even help contrive the illegalities that takes place at our borders to a very large extent.”
“On occasions where smugglers that beat the NCS operatives at the border, there are more intelligent and non-violent ways that could be deployed by the NCS operatives based on their training as Custom officers to apprehend and prosecute the criminal elements behind smuggling of illegal items into the country.”
“To achieve this FG and NCS must be pro-active in working to genuinely kick corruption out of the rank and file of the Customs services. The NCS must also reprimand the men who carried out Sango rice market invasion as a failure to do this would only encourage the festering of the ineffective ways that had been repeatedly deployed by the Service.”
Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL
08141121208
 
 
 
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OBANIKORO, YAKUBU; A SHAMELESS DUO – CACOL

The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL has described the action of suing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC by Former Minister for Defense, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro, as impudent and reprehensible.
 
In a reaction to a recent suit filed by Obanikoro demanding N100m as general damages for the forfeiture of some of his assets over the infamous arms deal scam, the Executive Chairman of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran, said “the spate of the bare-face impunity being displayed by some corruption suspects in the country as the anti-corruption drive is waxing on stronger is becoming highly annoying and disrespectful of the collective intelligence of Nigerians as a people.”
 
He said “It is this roguish attitude that is emboldening Obanikoro who initially ran away from the country when the lid on the ‘can of worms’ of the arms deal scandal was lifted; who admitted to receiving funds and have gone ahead to return some, to sue the EFCC for damages and breach of his ‘fundamental ‘human rights’.”
 
“This is someone who benefitted from the conspiracy against the very country he was supposed to be protecting as Minister of Defence for State to divert and loot the funds meant for purchasing fire arms to combat the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East. Knowing that this is an insurgency which has led to the loss of countless lives and property; yet these elements dare to demonstrate this level of effrontery, to say the least, makes Obanikoro’s move like Andrew Yakubu’s indeed appalling and insulting.”
 
Further expressing disgust at the level of hypocrisy shown by some corruption suspects recently, he said “that people commit crimes that had and continue to damage the socio-political and economic essence of the country can dare to abuse the intellect of the people so blatantly is both nauseating and provocative.”
 
“Because of elements like Andrew Yakubu, former NNPC GMD of the famed N3 billion stashed cash fame and Obanikoro, the FG must intensify the fight against corruption as some looters are obviously incurable, shameless and recalcitrant. In fact they are beginning to feel that they can always get away with whatever they do. As we have always suggested, even though we can relate with ‘plea bargaining’ to some point, we insist that anyone who has stolen money from the Public or Private Purse should be thrown behind bars after such stolen funds have been retrieved from them particularly the recalcitrant ones.”
 
Lastly, Adeniran encouraged the EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies saying that the cunning moves by the purloiners should not dampen their morale nor deter them from hunting down everyone who has taken part in pillaging of the National Treasury. The FG and EFCC must deploy diligence and thorough vigilance in handling the judicial processes of corruption suspects like the shameless duo in order for the suspects not to escape justice via legal gymnastics.
 
Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL
08141121208
 
 
 
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FG MUST TACKLE INCESSANT KIDNAPPINGS ACROSS THE COUNTRY URGENTLY – CACOL, ATACK

The Action Team Against Conscription and Kidnapping, ATACK, an affiliate of the Centre for Anti-corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL has called on the Federal Government to urgently look deeply into the incessant kidnap incidences happening across the country with a view to proffering solution to the menace.  
 
ATACK and CACOL, speaking through its National Coordinator, Mr. Debo Adeniran, dissects that in recent times, kidnapping has been so frequent that almost every day, there had been at least a report of Kidnap incident or the other in media reports.
Adeniran speaking on the frequency of kidnapping cited some recent cases of kidnapping. He said “recently, a former Director of the Department of Security Services, DSS, Mike Ejiofor was kidnapped along Obajana junction in Kogi State together with his driver. Also in November, 2016, a diabetic septuagenarian who was also critically ill was abducted by a four-man gang at his residence in Bomo, the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of  Bayelsa state, while a Ghanaian, Enyolam Believe, was arrested for allegedly kidnapping her niece in the Ikotun area of Lagos State for N30, 000.”
 
“The seeming inaction on the part of government has in fact emboldened the kidnapers to the extent that they operate and act with impunity. Their victims could just be anybody; from women to children, clergy to traditional rulers etc. They invade schools; abduct children like we witnessed in the Nigerian-Turkish International College episode that happened in Ogun state and Ikorodu School invasion of 2016 in Lagos state. And in Delta state, the treasurer of the State branch of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Mr. Titus Okotie on February 18, 2017 was abduction of just like a Roman Catholic Priest of Ikot Ekpene Diocese, in Akwa Ibom State, Rev. Father Felix Akpan who was kidnapped on 16th February 2016. The list of these incidences keeps increasing by the day and beginning to look endless.”
 
Continuing, he said “the problem caused by these kidnappings is very traumatic and exposes the lives of law abiding Nigerians to untold dangers. As a result of this, we recommend that the punishment for crime of kidnapping should by commensurate with the trauma they cause the victims and their families. We believe life sentences should be awarded in cases where kidnappers are apprehended, tried and found guilty.”
 
“This is because, despite the time-to-time arrest of these kidnappers, the crime seems not to be coming to an end. There is need for the constitution to be amended in such a way that it gives room for harsher punitive measures for kidnapping to serve as deterrents to others.”
 
“We however recognize the socio-political and economic background to the increasing spate of kidnapping particularly the economic situation. True, nothing justifies crime, but the Federal Government must create the enabling and suitable socio-economic conditions that will detract people from heinous crimes like kidnapping. Government needs to facilitate the capacity of people to have no reason to lose their humanness by getting involved in crimes that leads them to dehumanizing fellow humans. This is the ultimate solution to ending crimes of all kinds.” He concluded
 
Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL, ATACK
08141121208
wale@thehumanitycentre.org
cacolc@yahoo.com,cacol@ thehumanitycentre.org
 
 
 
For more press releases and statements, please visit our website at
www.corruptionwatchng.com, www.cwatch.thehumanitycentre. org
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FORMER NNPC GMD’S ‘GUTSY’ SUIT TO RECLAIM HIS 3 BILLION NAIRA STASH IS SHAMELESS AND PROVOCATIVE – CACOL

The Executive Chairman of the Centre for Anti-corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran has lambasted a former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Andrew Yakubu, who has asked the Federal High Court in Kano to quash the ex parte order of interim forfeiture on the  $9,772,000  and  £74,000 recovered from him for daring to insult the sensibilities of Nigerians by his action.

“This attempt represents how profoundly immoral and shameless Yakubu is; like many others n position of authority in our public offices who to continue to perpetrate and perpetuate corruption. One would have expected him to bury his head in shame rather than resorting to finding ways of maneuvering the judicial processes over his case so he could ‘eat his cake and have it’. The level of moral decadence this attempt typifies definitely ranks extremely high in the every known book or records. Examples to like him damages grievously the image of this country and people”

“The FG and the EFCC must thus ensure diligence in the prosecution of Yakubu; his attempt to scuttle the judicial processes on the case against must fail. And he must be served with well deserved punitive measures in accordance with any criminality established against him.”

“It must be demonstrated to elements like Yakubu that the days when corrupt and sharp practices are perpetrated with impunity are over. They deserve to be put behind bars for their insane lust for lucre and their level of incurable greed.”

“Our Centre appreciates and acknowledges the operations and efforts of the EFCC, and we request that the case of the former GMD be clinically investigated and diligently prosecuted to ensure that not only Yakubu, but all those involved in the mysterious 3 billion naira stash are made to answer for their crimes. Shameless Senior Advocates Nigerian, SAN, like Ahmed Raji who most times are apparently linked to the sharing of loots should also be investigated and should grounds be established that confirm their culpability, they must be punished accordingly.”

“We know some lawyers wait for opportunities like the present to pounce on the scenario to abet corruption clearly because of the fatness of the briefs. Therefore, the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA should also on its own investigate Raji to find out if he has committed any professional act of misconduct with this his watering brief given by Andrew Yakubu.” Adeniran concluded

Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL
08141121208
wale@thehumanitycentre.org
cacolc@yahoo.com,cacol@ thehumanitycentre.org 

 

For more press releases and statements, please visit our website at

www.corruptionwatchng.com, www.cwatch.thehumanitycentre.org

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CACOL MEMBERSHIP FORM

NOTICE TO CACOL MEMBERS, UNITS AND CHAPTERS

This is to notify and direct all members, Units, Chapters and Affiliates of CACOL to immediately renew their membership of the organization. This is in line with and following the rebranding of the organization which necessitates the upgrade of membership and systematization of the Centre’s activities.

Each member, Unit, Chapter and Affiliate is therefore required to fill a membership renewal form which is available on the Centre’s website and at the National HQs added with the payment of 500 naira as registration fee (members opting to fill the form online would pay at the point of submission or to Centre’s bank account).

Members are also required to pay the backlog of their monthly dues. The dues remain unchanged at 500 naira per month for individuals and 10, 000 naira for affiliates.

Signed:

Debo Adeniran

Executive Chairman, CACOL

For more Information contact

The Humanity Centre, 610, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Ijaye Bus Stop, Ijaye-jokoro,P.O. Box 1592, Agege, Lagos, Nigeria.  Tel: 01-4736534, 08141121208, 07082147742, E-mail: cacolc@yahoo.com, cacol@thehumanitycentre.org, www.cacol.thehumanitycentre.org, www.cwatch.thehumanitycentre.org, www.corruptionwatchng.com

Click here to download CACOL  Form

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Dear Media colleagues, APPRECIATION OF  YOUR SUPPORT AND SOLIDARITY   

We salute you in the name of the collective efforts and strive for the betterment of Lagos state, our country Nigeria, Africa and the World in general through the promotion of corruption-free, open and good governance. We are thoroughly convinced; it is only through collective efforts that we can deepen our fledgling democracy to the extent of full democratization which will guarantee the social well-being of all and sundry and societal harmony.
 
We at Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL use this medium to appreciate you for your relentless effort in joining hands with us at the Centre in the fight against corruption especially in the areas of time to usage of our Press Releases, statements and attendance at our events. We state explicitly here that we acknowledge your support just we appreciate it.
 
However, it is important and needful that we mention that some of our dear colleagues and media outfits have neither been using our press releases, press statements nor attending our events. We therefore solicit your reportage through this medium as this would go along way helping our organization in achieving our goal of ridding the country of corruption and promotion of good governance.
 
Equally, the Centre would also appreciate if you can we get feedbacks and updates of any of our story that is being published by your media house by informing us via email or calls. We will grateful appreciate if the mail/call/sms carries the name of the paper and date or link for online and electronic media so as to facilitate our patronage of your newspapers and traffic on your website for the media houses that you represent.
 
We also require with some of your personal information such as; the media house you currently work and your active phone numbers to enable us upgrade our media list.
 
Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL
08141121208
wale@thehumanitycentre.org
cacolc@yahoo.com,cacol@ thehumanitycentre.org 
 
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CACOL COMMENDS FG AS IT CLOSES 20, 000 BANK ACCOUNTS; MOVES N5.24 TRILLION TO THE TREASURY SINGLE ACCOUNT, TSA

The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL has once again commended the effort of the Federal Government for having come up with a policy such as Treasury Single Account, TSA that has successfully helped save the Federal purse from unnecessary debts.

This commendation was made by the Executive Chairman of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran in reaction to media reports that after the 2015 activation of the TSA policy, over 20,000 accounts with Deposit Money Banks belonging to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) had been closed. The closures according the reports have enabled the movement of about N5.24tn into the TSA recovered from several fake accounts.

“We are impressed with this achievement and admit that this policy is indeed a powerful tool in the fight against corruption. It has exposed a lot of looters of the National treasury and it has made it easy to trace some accounts operating under fake names.”

“We are proud to have been one of the very active supporters and promoters of the idea of the TSA with the results we are witnessing. We had insisted back then when some out of their corrupt selfish interests wanted to kill the TSA that the move will have injurious effect on the anti-corruption drive.”

“We were convinced that tampering with Treasury Single Account (TSA) initiative will be tantamount to unplugging the holes of corruption that had already been plugged by the very effective strategy which had helped the country to check fraud and promote accountability. We stand vindicated given the holes the TSA have been able to plug thus far and the funds saved.”

Continuing, Adeniran said “prior to this time, there had been several bank accounts where corrupt elements in power and appointed offices indiscriminately kept state funds meant for public usage to yield interests for them leading to deprivations in the country.”

“We once again call on the Senate to shelve its ploy to frustrate the operations of TSA; the policy should be embraced by all right-thinking Nigerians who want corruption to be booted out of the country. The Senate should enact enabling laws for the hitch-free operation the TSA and the bills on whistle-blowing, money laundering, witness protection etc. should be passed expeditiously in order to strengthen the anti-corruption drive.”

“The truth is that the without the TSA, the N5.24trillion moved to the account would likely have ended up in private pockets without traces. We call on all the state governments to create their own TSAs in order block leakages in the financing and accounting systems.” He concluded

Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL
08141121208
wale@thehumanitycentre.org
cacolc@yahoo.com,cacol@ thehumanitycentre.org
 
 
 
For more press releases and statements, please visit our website at
www.corruptionwatchng.com, www.cwatch.thehumanitycentre. org