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Nigeria’s ex-minister, Kabiru Turaki in paternity scandal……

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The baby’s mother says ex-Minister Kabiru Turaki paid for antenatal, delivery and post natal services of the baby girl at Nizamiyye Hospital.

 

An Upper Area Court sitting in Kado, Abuja, has restrained the police from investigating a paternity dispute against former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Kabiru Turaki, pending the hearing and determination of the case.

 

The presiding judge, Shehu Ahmadu, in a ruling, ordered the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police and his officers not to accept any complaint from Musa Baffa, Uwani Arabi and their daughter, Hadiza Baffa, in relation to the ex-minister as the matter is already before the court.

 

The judge gave the order following an ex-parte motion moved by Mr Turaki’s counsel on Sept. 2 and a certified true copy of the order made available to newsmen on Friday in Abuja.

 

The judge said: “Respondents are hereby restrained, especially 4th to 10th respondents from accepting any complaint from the 1st to 3rd respondents (parents and daughter) especially the 2nd respondent (Hadiza) or carrying any investigation relating to the applicant as the matter is already before a competent court of law, the Upper Area Court Kado FCT, in CV/35/2024 until the determination of the motion on notice before this court.

“This order Is given under the hand and seal of the honourable judge.”

 

 

Mr Turaki had, in the motion number: M/26/2024, sued Musa Baffa (father), Hadiza Baffa (daughter), Uwani Arabi (mother) and Nigeria Police Force as 1st to 4th respondents respectively.

 

 

Others listed in the application include the I-G, DIG Sylvester Alabi (DIG Force CID), AIG Muhammad Dan Kwara (Force CID), CP Musbahu Ajani (CP Admin, Force CID), CSP Mohammed Gashua and SP Ibrahim Shugaba as 5th to 10th respondents.

In the substantive suit marked: CV/35/2024 filed before the court, Turaki sued Musa, Hadiza and Uwani as 1st to 3rd defendants.

 

The ex-minister denied being responsible for Hadiza’s pregnancy which resulted in a baby girl.

 

He alleged that Hadiza had a boyfriend who he said was responsible for the pregnancy.

 

 

The ex-minister alleged that sometimes in 2016, Uwani, who was a person known to him in Kano before her marriage to Musa, called him on phone and sought his advice on her plans to relocate her daughter, Hadiza, “who was then schooling, according to her, at University of Maiduguri, because of the activities of Boko Haram.”

 

 

He said he advised Uwani to secure admission for her daughter at Bayero University, Kano; Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, or University of Ilorin.

 

Mr Turaki said after some weeks of the previous discussion, Uwani called and told him that she was coming to Abuja together with Hadiza and begged him to arrange an accommodation for them.

 

He said he obliged by securing an accommodation at Ideal Guest House, Garki which Is a furnished apartment that are let out for short or long stay.

 

 

He said Uwani secured admission for Hadiza at Baze University in Abuja and he supported her with N1 million out of the N3 million for registration fees.

 

He alleged that Uwani pleaded with him to serve as guardian for her daughter, Hadiza.

 

The ex-minister, who averred that he took responsibility of Hadiza’s upkeep, said he was surprised to discover that Hadiza connived with her mother to change her surname to Turaki without his knowledge and consent.

 

He alleged that when Hadiza’s criminal acts became so intense, he drove her away and directed his staff not to allow her close to his office anymore.

 

He alleged that after walking out on the daughter and the mother for a month or thereabout, Uwani called him on phone and requested to see him.

 

 

He said during the meeting, Uwani told him that her daughter was pregnant and she said he was responsible.

 

Mr Turaki averred that he outrightly denied the allegation describing it as a blackmail.

 

He alleged that Musa, Hadiza’s father, who he said had abandoned the daughter for 28 years, called him around May regarding the issue.

 

But in a statement of defence jointly filed by the parents and daughter, they denied Mr Turaki’s allegations.

 

Hadiza and Uwani averred that it was the ex-minister who reached out to the third defendant (Uwani) and offered to help her daughter “by enrolling her into Baze University in Abuja, bear the cost of her education and accommodation; and serve as her guardian.

 

 

According to them, the plaintiff (Turaki) committed to doing everything for the 2nd defendant because according to him, he considers her as his daughter.

 

They alleged that it was Mr Turaki who suggested the university contrary to his claim.

 

They said Hadiza’s registration fees when she gained admission in 2014 was N950, 000 and that the ex-minister gave her $2000 dollars for the fees.

 

Uwani said contrary to Turaki’s claim, the former minister offered to serve as Hadiza’s guardian.

 

Uwani, who said she never requested or prompted for such decision, said as at that time she did not suspect that Turaki had sinister motives towards her daughter.

 

 

Hadiza averred that she never suspected that Mr Turaki’s benevolence towards her was to take advantage of her.

 

 

Uwani said contrary to Mr Turaki’s claim that she begged him to give her daughter a car, the woman said she never had any of such discussion with the former minister.

 

According to her, it was the plaintiff who called her to pick up the Toyota Almera from his office at T.Y. Danjuma Street, Asokoro and she was surprise to see that the car particulars carried her name as “Hadiza Turaki.”

 

On her part, Hadiza alleged that it was Turaki who had changed her name to “Hadiza Turaki” by putting same on the vehicle papers he bought for her and persuaded her to use the same name on her Guarantee Trust Bank account number through which he sent monies to her severally through his account officer.

 

Hadiza alleged that she had challenges with her education, faced physical and emotional trauma when the ex-minister “exploited her under the guise of being her guardian.

 

 

She alleged that he frequently visited her in the apartments and several times lured her into having illicit sexual relationship with him.

 

She further averred that the plaintiff severally threatened her not to let her parents know that he was taking advantage of her thus, she was scared and traumatised, and the trauma affected her and her studies.

 

According to her, when the plaintiff realised that she was passing through psychological and physical trauma, he kept promising to marry her and began to exchange romantic phone and WhatsApp conversations with her.

 

Hadiza alleged that when she discovered that she was pregnant for Mr Turaki, she informed him and he took several steps, including phone calls made to her trying to compel and pushing her to abort the pregnancy.

 

 

She said she decided to keep the pregnancy against all odds when she was advised against terminating it and the risk involved.

 

She alleged that Mr Turaki became wild against her when she refused to listen to him.

 

Hadiza said she delivered the baby girl on April 3, 2023.

 

“And when the plaintiff later saw the baby, he acknowledged that she was his daughter as a result of the striking resemblance with him,” she alleged.

 

She further alleged that the ex-minister even paid monies for the antenatal, delivery and post natal services of the baby girl at Nizamiyye Hospital.

 

The matter was adjourned until Sept. 24 for continuation of hearing.

 

(NAN)

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EFCC Appeals Acquittal of Former Lagos Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji Over Money Laundering Charges….

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October 10, 2024

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has, again, appealed the acquittal of a former Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, of money laundering charges.

 

EFCC had arraigned Ikuforiji alongside his former aide, Oyebode Atoyebi, on a 54-count charge bordering on alleged N338.8 million money laundering.

 

However, Justice Mohammed Liman, on June 24, 2024, acquitted Ikuforiji of the charges.

 

Dissatisfied with the judgment, EFCC has filed a notice of appeal challenging the judgment.

 

The prosecutor, Mr Ekene Ihenacho (SAN), filed the appeal on behalf of EFCC.

 

 

Ihenacho argued that the trial court erred in law when it held that the charge under count one did not present a potential legal issue.

 

He argued that the trial judge erred in law by holding that prosecution’s case hinged on transactions that purportedly exceeded the thresholds of N500,000/N5 million for individuals, and N2 million/10 million for corporate entities under Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act of 2004 and 2011.

 

Ihenacho argued that the lower court ignored the evidence presented by the prosecutor which showed that the respondents made and accepted cash payments above the prescribed thresholds.

 

 

He further argued that oral and documentary evidences adduced during trial showed that Ikuforiji and Atoyebi made and accepted cash payments without passing through financial institutions, in contravention of Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act of 2004 and 2011.

 

He argued that the lower court did not obey the decision of appellate courts in the case of FRN versus Ikuforiji (2016), Ikuforiji versus FRN (2018) and Atoyebi versus FRN (2018).

 

He averred that in those cases, the ingredients of the offences as charged, were laid down by appellate courts.

 

The prosecution said that the lower court failed to appreciate both the case of the appellant and ingredients of the offences under which the respondents failed trial.

 

 

Besides, the prosecutor averred that the aforementioned case had been adjudicated upon by both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Courts which held that the appellant made out a prima facie case against Ikuforiji and Atoyebi.

 

However, no date has been fixed for hearing of the appeal.

 

Recall that Ikuforiji and Atoyebi were first arraigned on March 1, 2012, before Justice Okechukwu Okeke of a Federal High Court in Lagos.

 

They were arraigned on a 20-count charge bordering on financial misappropriation and money laundering.

 

 

They had each pleaded not guilty to the charges and were both granted bail

 

They were, however, subsequently re-arraigned before Justice Ibrahim Buba following re-assignment of the case.

 

Buba had granted them bail in the sum of N500 million each with sureties in like sum.

 

However, on Sept. 26, 2014, Buba discharged Ikuforiji and his aide of the charges, after upholding their no-case submissions.

 

Buba held that the EFCC failed to establish a prima-facie case against them.

 

 

Dissatisfied with the ruling, the EFCC through its counsel, Mr Godwin Obla (SAN), filed a notice of appeal dated Sept. 30, 2014, challenging Buba’s decision.

 

Obla had argued that the trial court erred in law when it held that the counts were incompetent because they were filed under Section 1(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 which was repealed by an Act of 2011.

 

He also argued that the lower court erred in law when it held that provisions of Section 1 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 and 2011 only applied to natural persons and corporate bodies other than the government.

 

 

Obla also submitted that the trial judge erred in law when he held and concluded that the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses supported the innocence of the respondents.

 

EFCC’s appeal succeeded when the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal, in November 2016, agreed with its submission, and ordered a fresh trial of the respondents before another judge.

 

Following the decision of the Court of Appeal, the respondents headed for the Supreme Court, seeking to upturn the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

 

In its verdict, the apex court also upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal and ordered that the case should be sent back to the chief judge of the Federal High Court for re-assignment to another judge.

 

 

The case was consequently re-assigned to Liman, who conducted fresh trial and delivered judgement, acquitting the respondents on June 24.

 

According to the charge, Ikuforiji and Atoyebi accepted cash payments above the threshold set by the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act without going through a financial institution.

 

The commission accused them of conspiring to accept cash payments in the aggregate sum of N338.8 million from Lagos State House of Assembly without going through a financial institution.

 

Ikuforiji was also accused of using his position to misappropriate funds belonging to the assembly.

 

 

The EFCC said that the respondents committed the offences from April 2010 to July 2011.

 

According to the EFCC, the offences contravene the provisions of Sections 15 (1d), 16(1d) and 18 of Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 and 2011.

 

 

NPO REPORT.

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How Emefiele Bypassed Established Protocol In Naira Redesign, Ex-Nigerian Central Bank Deputy Governor Testifies

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11 hours ago

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October 10, 2024

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Edward Adamu, the fourth prosecution witness in the trial of the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, on Wednesday, told the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, that Emefiele did not have the approval of the CBN Board for the 2023 redesign of naira notes as required by the rules.

 

Adamu is a former Deputy Governor of the CBN.

 

 

The witness said the design also deviated from what Emefiele claimed was approved by then President Muhammadu Buhari.

 

Led in evidence by prosecution counsel Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, Adamu disclosed that the usual process for currency redesign begins with the Director of Currency Operations submitting a proposal to the Committee of Governors (COG).

 

The COG then transmits the proposal to CBN Board for approval, with the final stage being the seeking of presidential endorsement.

 

 

He said Emefiele bypassed these procedures by simply calling for a COG meeting and presented what he claimed was a presidential approval and proceeded with the redesign, straightaway, a statement by the EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said on Wednesday.

 

Adamu was quoted as saying, “I became aware of it in October 2022 when the governor informed us, the deputy governors, that he had gotten an express approval to redesign the currency.

 

“Then on the 26th October, 2022, we were formally informed of the presidential approval of the redesign, so that is what happened in October, then there was a formal announcement of the currency redesign.

 

 

At the meeting, the governor showed us the approval of the president, by showing us the page where the approval of the president is. “Subsequently, there was a board meeting of the board of directors, where we were also informed of the presidential approval of the currency redesign.”

 

He further disclosed that the current designs of the notes fundamentally differ from what was originally approved, stating that Emefiele unilaterally made the changes. The redesign affected N200, N500, and N1000 notes.

 

When the defence counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, sought to know if there had been instances where a presidential approval was gotten for an action before the CBN Board was informed, the witness stated that such was not the practice during his time at the apex bank.

 

 

Justice Maryanne Anenih discharged the witness from the dock at the end of the cross-examination and adjourned the matter till October 17, 2024 for continuation of trial.

 

 

 

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You Lack Power To Suspend Me – Alimosho Council Chairman Fires Back At Lagos Assembly Speaker, Obasa.

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11 hours ago

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October 10, 2024

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The erstwhile chairman of Alimosho Local Government in Lagos State, Jelili Sulaimon, has said that the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, lacks the constitutional right to suspend him from office.

 

Society Reporters reported on Monday that the Lagos State House of Assembly indefinitely suspended Mr Sulaimon as the Chairman of Alimosho LGA.

 

It was reported that the House took the decision during Monday’s plenary session, after lawmakers voted unanimously to remove Sulaimon over allegations of misconduct and defiance of the legislative House.

 

The House in a statement published on its website titled “Breaking: Lagos Assembly Suspends Alimosho Council Chairman,” directed the Vice Chairman, Mr. Akinpelu Johnson, to assume control of the council’s affairs.

 

 

The Chairman of the House Committee on Local Government Administration and Chieftaincy Affairs, Sanni Okanlawon, who moved the motion for suspension, reportedly said, “It is evident that Jelili Sulaimon has continuously disregarded this House’s authority and failed to comply with directives, showing blatant misconduct. We cannot stand by and allow such chaos to persist.”

 

Okanlawon also highlighted the unrest that occurred in the Iyana-Ipaja axis in April 2024, which led to the death of a civilian.

 

 

Following our investigation into the unfortunate pandemonium that broke out, it was clear that Sulaimon masterminded the incident. He has since refused to cooperate with this House’s inquiries,” he added.

 

However, in a statement made available on Wednesday, titled: “You Lack The Power To Suspend Me, Jelili Fires Back At Lagos Speaker,” Sulaimon described his purported suspension as an abuse of due process.

 

According to the statement, the embattled chairman stated this at the council Secretariat during a public address of the electorates and residents of the council area on October 8, 2024.

 

The statement quoted Hon Jelili as had said, “Just as the National Assembly cannot suspend a State Governor, the State Assembly lacks the right to suspend a local government Chairman.

 

 

Only the Legislative arm of the council can suspend the Executive Chairman of a local Government following due process.”

 

He added that there was no time the Lagos State House of Assembly wrote the Council that it was not responded to duly.

 

“So, he wonders why such step should be taken simply because the Speaker, Rt Hon Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa allegedly wants to force the council to contract the market levy collection to Abiodun Ejigbadero who is in the middle of the crisis that took place at Iyana-Ipaja market in April 2024 and which led to the death of Micheal Ajayi.

 

 

He therefore encouraged Alimosho residents to go about their lawful businesses without fear and favour. As well as encouraged the House of Assembly to retrace her steps as something cannot be built on nothing.”

 

 

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