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Businessman plotting to frame up investigator says EFCC
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said Monday it has uncovered alleged plot by a businessman, Abdulhamid Mahmud Zari, to frame up one of its key investigators, Mr. Abubakar Madaki.
The commission said the businessman, who has been under probe, was peddling rumours that Madaki allegedly extorted N4 million from him to secure bail.
The EFCC said Madaki was never part of its investigating team looking into allegations against the businessman.
It claimed that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who is being investigated by the EFCC, was suspected to be behind the smear campaign against its key investigator.
It clarified that contrary to insinuations, Madaki is not a Personal Assistant to the Acting Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu.
The EFCC made the clarifications in a statement in Abuja by its Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren.
“The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC has been drawn to a report entitled, “Businessman accuses Magu’s aide of N4m extortion”, which appeared in a newspaper of June 9, 2018 and syndicated in various online platforms.
The report purports that Madaki, an operative of the commission whom they referred to as personal assistant to the acting chairman, obtained N4 million from a certain Abdulhamid Mahmud Zari, a suspect under investigation for alleged money laundering by the commission, to grant him bail.
“The commission wishes to state that there is no truth to this allegation, which is contrived to malign and impugn the reputation of Madaki, an operative who has handled several high profile investigations without blemish.
“What is currently playing out in select media outlets is the unraveling of a vengeful script by Zari and his cohorts to impugn the integrity of Madaki and bring him to public ridicule.
“It will interest members of the public, who may have been misled by the mischievous story, to know that Zari has been crossed with Madaki over suspicion that he instigated the investigation leading to his arrest and detention by the commission.
“Soon after he was released on bail, Zari launched a media offensive against Madaki, accusing him of buying half of the land in his home town, Keffi for N10 billion. He also claimed that the officer owns two palatial mansions in choice areas of Abuja worth N250million.
“In line with the commission’s stance on professional responsibility by officers and men, the phantom allegations were duly investigated by the commission and found to be baseless.
“That the ludicrous charge failed to hurt the career of Madaki has not deterred Zari. He engineered the arrest of the officer after he wrote a petition to the Police at Nasarawa Command, alleging that Madaki and his brother had conspired to kill him during the Ramadan of 2017. Madaki was detained for a day in Lafia.
“ The case was eventually transferred to the Nigeria Force Headquarters for proper investigation. The police have already concluded investigation and the case file sent to the Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice.
“Once Zari discovered that Force Headquarters had stepped into the matter, he proceeded to Lafia and again got four members of Madaki’s family arrested, including a 76-year-old man Hashimu Sale, who later died in prison while on remand.
“He also got his lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, to sue the commission and Madaki for continuously inviting him. Other relief he sought was an order of court stopping the commission from further investigating him. This was rejected by the court. He proceeded on appeal to the appellate court.”
The anti-graft agency said Madaki was never at any point a member of investigating team on the allegations against Zari.
It also explained that Madaki did not demand bribe from the affected businessman.
The statement added: “Zari has now changed gear by bringing up fresh allegations against the officer. Now, he would have the world believe that he was extorted N4m to be granted bail in an agency that is not known for collecting money to admit suspects on bail.
“ What makes the allegation more ridiculous is the fact that Madaki is not the officer handling Zari’s investigation. He is not even a member of the team. It, therefore, beats the imagination how an officer that is not involved in a case would be the one demanding money for the bail of a suspect.
“If Zari is persuaded that he paid bribes to secure bail from the EFCC, he is obliged to take the additional step of stating the time, place and circumstances in which the money was collected from him and by who, together with witnesses to the transaction.”
The EFCC implicated a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who is currently being investigated by Madaki, as one of those behind the smear campaign against the commission.
It said: “Zari, unfortunately is not acting alone. Intelligence available to the commission indicates that the invidious publications are sponsored and promoted by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who is currently being investigated by the same officer.
“The objective is clear, to intimidate Madaki and the EFCC, and prepare the grounds for claims of malice or vindictiveness by the time charges are filed against the suspects in court.” Source: The Nation
The Enugu State government has inaugurated a steering committee to eliminate Gender-Based Violence, GBV, in the state, declaring zero tolerance for the social malaise.
The inauguration took place at the Government House Enugu.
The panel, which is chaired by the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, draws its membership from the Nigeria Police Force, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro Industrialisation, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ministry of Human Development and Poverty Reduction, Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education as well as the Civil Society.
Inaugurating the panel known as the Steering Committee for Strengthening Institutional and Community Responses to End Gender-Based Violence/Domestication of Enugu State Gender Policy using the Oputa Panel approach, Governor Peter Mbah restated his administration’s commitment to not bringing perpetrators of GBV to book, but also putting in place proactive measures – activities, infrastructure, and systems in place to prevent them.
Mbah, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said, “We take gender-based violence seriously. We have zero tolerance for it, and in Enugu State, we are ready to go the extra mile to deal with it.
“If you notice, the government has selected people that are very committed to this goal. This is not an activity where we just want to check-off the list. We will track this. We will monitor this, and we will have quarterly engagements on the successes that this particular committee has achieved in terms of reference that we are going to send.
“We will tighten those terms of reference indicators, so that we monitor what we are doing both in terms of cost input and the value added. It’s very important to us. Many people will be involved – civil society, the police and various ministries.”
He however, said that the effort was to protect everyone, men and women alike, as GBV was not restricted to any gender.
“The whole idea is to hold people responsible that are involved in matters relating to gender violence and deter people that by culture or by association get involved in that, protect women, protect our children, and in the case of violence against men, protect our men because most times we misconstrue gender violence to mean women, but it can also be men too.
“We encourage our men to speak out and to make sure they understand that the policy that Enugu State is soon going to domesticate is for everyone, and not only for the female gender,” he stated.
In her remark, Mrs. Enih, explained that the Oputa Panel approach was inspired by the need to cover all local peculiarities in domesticating the policy on GBV, restarting government’s confidence in the members of the panel.
“The approach we are going to use is the Oputa Panel approach, and in the Oputa Panel approach, we are going to tour the 17 Local Government Areas to get firsthand information about what our people are going through because policy is meant for the people, and a policy should suit the people.
“Again, every community has its peculiar problems, so that’s why the government decided that if we have to domesticate the gender policy, we have to hear from the people who own the policy and know the changes that they desire to see. That is the reason we are using this approach.
“The committee members are to also serve as judges. As we gather this information from our people, we will come back to tailor it in a way to suit the people of Enugu State, and then our policy is ready.
“We want the people to know that there is a gender policy for them. I can assure you that when the people are aware that there is such a policy, they will seek for the enforcement of that policy. So, this is not going to be one of those policies that will just lie on the shelf,” she said.
Digital solutions provider, Globacom, has congratulated Christians in Nigeria on this year’s Easter celebration, and urged them to emulate the noble qualities of Jesus Christ.
The company, in a goodwill message to the Christian faithful in the country, lauded their perseverance through the Lenten period which preceded Easter. It enjoined them to always promote the ideals of selflessness, love and peace among all as a way of demonstrating the virtues of the exemplary life of Jesus Christ.
“Peace, love and sacrifice are the central message of Easter. Christ offered himself in atonement for the sins of the world and he lived a life which made Him an eternal symbol of peace and goodwill for mankind”, Globacom added.
The company enjoined all Nigerians to share in the lessons of promoting selflessness, a necessary ingredient in the growth and development of every society. It also enjoined all Nigerians to join hands to make Nigeria a better place for all.
Easter is celebrated yearly at the end of the Lenten season of fasting and prayer considered as a ritual of purification for the Christian faithful. It also precedes the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday and His eventual resurrection on Easter Sunday.
The company assured its customers of seamless voice, data and Short Messaging Service (SMS) during and after the Easter celebrations, while urging them to avail themselves of the various data and voice offerings on the network.
The Guild of Private Broadcast Managers has extended its heartfelt congratulations to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as it celebrates its 70th Anniversary.
In a congratulatory message signed by the Guild’s National President, Ambassador Patrick Uzoyi-Peters, JP MNGRM, the guild described the milestone as a testament to the NUJ’s unwavering commitment to upholding press freedom, journalistic integrity, and the advancement of democracy in Nigeria.
“For seven decades, the NUJ has played a pivotal role in shaping the media landscape, advocating for the rights and welfare of journalists, and ensuring that the voice of the people remains strong and unyielding. Your resilience, professionalism, and dedication to ethical journalism have been instrumental in fostering transparency, accountability, and national development”.
Celebrating this historic achievement, the Guild’s President, Uzoyi-Peters recognized the sacrifices and contributions of journalists across the nation who work tirelessly to inform, educate, and empower society.
The Guild reiterated it commitment towards collaborating with the NUJ in promoting responsible journalism and strengthening the media industry for the greater good.
While wishing the NUJ continued success, growth, and greater impact in the years ahead, President Uzoyi-Peters prayed that the anniversary serve as a renewed call to uphold the principles of truth, fairness, and press freedom in our collective pursuit of a more informed and just society.
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