EX-PENSION BOSS MAINA ARRESTED IN NIGER REPUBLIC – THISDAY BREAKING

Operatives of intelligence service in collaboration with men of anti-corruption agency in Nigeria on Monday evening arrested Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, in a town in Niger Republic.

A top intelligence officer said the arrest was made possible due to an existing mutual relationship and security agreement between the two neighbouring countries. Maina, a former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), is facing a 12-count money laundering charge levelled against him and a firm by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

ICPC UNCOVERS N450M HIDDEN IN BANK ACCOUNT BY COURT OFFICIALS – NATION PG.10

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Monday said it had seized $919,202.07 (about N450 million) hidden in a bank account by some court officials. It said the cash was kept in an interest-yielding account by some officials of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, in 2014.

EFCC RE-ARRAIGNS AIRLINE CHIEF FOR ALLEGED N1.7B FRAUD – NATION PG.10, THISDAY PG.36

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday re-arraigned the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of First Nation Airways Limited, Kayode Odukoya, before an Ikeja Special Offences Court. He was re-arraigned over allegations of forged memorandum of loss of Lagos State certificate of occupancy (C of O) and N1.7 billion frauds before Justice Mojisola Dada.

ZULUM: LET’S BATTLE BOKO HARAM WITH MERCENARIES – NATION PG.1&5, SUN PG.8&28

Drastic measures are needed in the fight against insurgency, including the use of mercenaries, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum said on Monday. The governor, renowned for his radical ideas, listed other ways to stop the killings and ravaging of the Northeast by Boko Haram insurgents.He spoke when a Federal Government delegation led by Senate President Ahmad Lawan, paid him a condolence visit.

FG LAMENTS FOREIGN POWERS’ REFUSAL TO SELL ARMS TO NIGERIA – THISDAY PG.1&8

The federal government yesterday attributed the delay in effectively routing Boko Haram, which it said it had technically defeated, to global powers that are blocking Nigeria’s moves to acquire weapons to fight terrorism and win the insurgency war. Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, told reporters in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, that the action of the world powers was frustrating Nigeria’s resolve to end the insurgency war.

N69.4B DEBT: JIMOH IBRAHIM ASKS COURT TO REVERSE ASSETS SEIZURE – NATION PG.10, THISDAY PG.36

A Federal High Court in Lagos will on Tuesday resume hearing on an application filed by businessman Jimoh Ibrahim for the lifting of an interim order that authorised the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to take over his properties over an alleged N69.4 billion debt. Justice Rilwan Aikawa fixed the date on Monday after taking arguments from Ibrahim’s counsel, Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN).

UMAHI AFTER MY LIFE, SAYS ANYIM – NATION PG.38, THISDAY PG.34, SUN PG.4,5

Former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim on Monday petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari, Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu and the Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged plot to kill him for not defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).He alleged that Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi was behind the plot. Anyim said Umahi was in his house on November 20 to advise him to defect from the PDP to the APC, adding that he had declined.

ESCAPEE PRISONERS FROM EDO RE-ARRESTED IN KADUNA – NATION PG.4, THISDAY PG.37

Four convicts who escaped from the Oko Prison in Edo State during the #EndSARS protest have been rearrested. The suspects, including a death row convict and an ex-soldier, were arrested in Kaduna State where they had resorted to robbery and car snatching.

CJN URGES LAWYERS TO RESIST TYRANNY, ASSIST JUDGES TO EXPAND FRONTIERS OF JURISPRUDENCE – NATION PG.22

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice, Justice Tanko Muhammad, has said there is a need for more cerebral legal practitioners in order to resist tyranny and expand what he describes as the country’s frontiers of jurisprudence. According to him, with more good lawyers, the fundamental issues of the rule of law and the basic human rights would be promoted and defended at all levels of society.

APPEAL COURT TO ESTABLISH PANELS TO DECONGEST BACKLOG OF CASES – NATION PG.22

The Court of Appeal has disclosed plans to establish special panels that would facilitate decongestion of backlog of appeals in the various divisions of the court. Its President, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, stated this during the maiden edition of a meeting with presiding justices of the 20 divisions of the court titled: ‘Working Conference of the Presiding Justices of the Court of Appeal’.

MILITARY COURT CONVICTS GENERAL ADENIYI, DEMOTES HIM OVER LEAKED VIDEO – THISDAY PG.34

Former Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Olusegun Adeniyi, was Monday convicted by a military court martial sitting in Abuja. The tribunal found Adeniyi guilty of violating military social media guidelines and ordered his demotion by at least three years. Adeniyi’s aide, Private Tokunbo Obanla, who was prosecuted alongside the general, was also found guilty and sentenced to 28 days in jail with hard labour.Both convictions are subject to confirmation by the military authorities.

EX-PENSION BOSS MAINA ARRESTED IN NIGER REPUBLIC – THISDAY BREAKING:

Operatives of intelligence service in collaboration with men of anti-corruption agency in Nigeria on Monday evening arrested Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, in a town in Niger Republic. A top intelligence officer said the arrest was made possible due to an existing mutual relationship and security agreement between the two neighbouring countries. Maina, a former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), is facing a 12-count money laundering charge levelled against him and a firm by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

ALLEGED CBN LOOTING: ADEBANJO, CLARK, NWODO BACK GOWON – THISDAY PG.9

The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has risen in strong defence of the former Head of State, General Yakubu (rtd), who was accused by a British parliamentarian of looting the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) while in office from 1967 to 1975. Gowon was accused of looting half of the CBN by a United Kingdom member of parliament, Tom Tugendhat, during the hearing of a petition against the Nigerian government at a committee meeting of the parliament.

COURT REJECTS EFCC’S DOCUMENT IN EX-NNPC GMD, YAKUBU’S TRIAL – THISDAY PG.9

The Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday refused to admit as exhibit a document tendered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the ongoing trial of a former Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Andrew Yakubu. Yakubu is being prosecuted by the EFCC on charges bordering on the cash sums of $9,772, 800 and £74,000 recovered from him by the operatives of the commission.

N544M GRASS-CUTTING CONTRACT: EX-SGF, BABACHIR LAWAL, OTHERS RE-ARRAIGNED – SUN PG.5, THISDAY PG.34

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, was yesterday re-arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged fraudulent N544m grass cutting contract. Lawal, who was docked alongside six others, however, pleaded not guilty when the amended 10-counts of fraud were read to them.

LEKKI SHOOTINGS: LAGOS PANEL LACKS POWER TO SANCTION MILITARY, SAYS LEGAL TEAM – THISDAY PG.38, SUN PG.5

Nigerian Army’s legal team has declared that the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution for Victims of SARS and Related Abuses, lack the powers to impose sanctions or punish any soldier found guilty for shooting #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Toll Plaza on October 20. Leader of the team and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Kehinde Akinlolu made the assertion yesterday, while presenting a seven-page report to the Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, at the Nigerian Army Headquarters in Abuja.