DAILY NEWSPAPERS REVIEW TUESDAY MARCH 30, 2021

MARWA, NDLEA TOP OFFICIALS UNDERGO DRUG INTEGRITY TEST – SUN PG.4, NATION PG.6, PUNCH PG.7

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA),

Brig. General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), along with directors, men and officers at the national headquarters of the agency, in Abuja, yesterday, submitted themselves for a surprise drug integrity test. Officials were taken unawares when upon resumption, the gates to the headquarters office were ordered to be shut and everyone asked to gather in batches at the conference hall, where a team of medical doctors, led by the Medical Director, Synapse Services, Dr. Vincent Udenze, a consultant, were already assembled with their equipment for urine drug test.

IPOB TO NAVY: NO AMOUNT OF THREAT CAN MAKE US DISBAND ESN – SUN PG.6, PUNCH PG.8

Following the threat by the Nigeria Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, to go after the security oufit of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Eastern Security Network (ESN), whom he alleged has been responsible for various attacks on security agents in the southeast and south-south, the group in its reaction has affirmed that no amount of threat by the navy that will make it disband the outfit. In a statement by the media and publicity secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful to newsmen in Owerri yesterday, it also denied the involvement of the ESN in the killings as alleged by the naval chief.

ANTI-CRIME AGENCIES AS PROSECUTOR, WITNESS, JUDGE – SUN B/P

When news of the arrest of Dibu Ojerinde, former registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), was reported 12 days ago, everyone was shocked. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that announced the detention alleged that the man was questioned in connection with a N900 million fraud. Other allegations the ICPC made against Ojerinde included the use of multiple identities, abuse of office, money laundering, tax evasion and giving false statements to public officials

IS EFCC LEGALLY EMPOWERED TO ASSESS PERSONS’ DECLARATION OF ASSETS? (PART 1) – THISDAY PG./12/

The question has gained currency as to whether or not the EFCC possesses the mandate to investigate assets of Nigerians; including Bankers. A mandate, is the authority to do something. It is also the authorisation to direct or require someone, to act in a certain manner. The mandate of statutory bodies can be deciphered, by examining the Acts or Laws establishing them. Sometimes, case law provides the scope of the powers of these statutory bodies. Most times, the mandates of statutory bodies are couched as “functions” or “special powers”. For example, under Section 5(c) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act, 2004, “the EFCC “(Act)”, the Commission (“EFCC”, “Commission”) has several functions, ranging from adopting of measures to eradicate the commission of economic and financial crimes, to the coordination and enforcement of all economic and financial crime laws, and enforcement functions conferred on any other person or authority.

ONE FEARED DEAD AS POLICE DISPERSE PROTESTING SHI’ITES IN ABUJA – THISDAY PG.30, DAILY TRUST PG.10

One person identified as Muhsin Abdallah was feared killed yesterday when the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command dispersed protesting members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria at Maitama, Abuja. FCT police command was however silent over the incident even as the sect alleged that the deceased was killed by stray bullets fired by the police operatives while many others sustained injuries.

COURT ORDERS PROMPT HEARING OF SUIT AGAINST APPEAL COURT JUSTICES’ APPOINTMENT – NATION PG.8

The Federal High Court has ordered accelerated hearing of a suit seeking to stop the National Judicial Council (NJC) and others from appointing more Justices for the Court of Appeal. In a ruling on Monday, Justice Inyang Ekwo ordered the service of all court documents on the suit on the NJC, the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), who were not represented in court.