Yuki Gambaryan, wife of Tigran, the Binance executive detained in Nigeria, has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) to drop the charges against her husband.

On June 14, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) dropped the tax charges against Gambaryan who is also Binance’s head of financial crime compliance.

However, the EFCC is yet to drop its charges.

The anti-graft body had arraigned Binance Holdings Limited, a cryptocurrency firm, and Gambaryan, over allegations of money laundering.

The company and its executive were arraigned on a five-count charge before Emeka Nwite, judge of a federal high court in Abuja, on April 8.

Expressing her disappointment with the ongoing legal proceedings in a statement on Thursday, Yuki called on the government of the United States to secure her husband’s release.

“Since the FIRS charges were dropped last week and they agreed to serve those charges solely on Binance, I do not see why the EFCC cannot do the same,” the statement reads.

“It is time for the Nigerian authorities to do the right thing and let my innocent husband go.

“I am also once again calling on the US government to intervene more forcefully. Tigran’s and my own tax dollars get sent to Nigeria in aid every year. Nigeria is supposed to be an ally.

“I refuse to believe that our state department cannot do more to have an innocent American citizen released.”

Yuki’s statement followed the start of the cross-examination of the witness from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) at the court in Abuja today. The cross-examination is expected to continue tomorrow.

A federal high court in Abuja has dismissed a suit seeking the sack of Ola Olukoyede as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Obiora Egwuatu, presiding judge, dismissed the suit on the grounds that the applicant lacked the locus standi to institute the case.

Victor Opatola, the plaintiff who is an Abuja-based legal practitioner, instituted the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1403/2023 against President Bola Tinubu for appointing Olukoyede as EFCC chairman.

Besides the president, the national assembly, attorney-general of the federation (AGF) and Olukoyede were joined as 2nd to 4th respondents respectively.

Opatola submitted that Olukoyede did not meet the years of service required by law for the office of chairman of the anti-graft agency.

He prayed the court to determine “whether by the true construction and interpretation of Section 2 (1) (a) of the EFCC Act 2004, Olukoyede, who has not fulfilled the conditions of the Act, can be validly appointed as EFCC chairman”.

“Whether by the true construction and interpretation of Section 2(1)(a) (iii) of the EFCC Act 2004, the interpretation of subsection (iii) should be read disjunctively of subsection (ii) of the act in a manner that Olukoyede, who was appointed to the office of the chairman of EFCC, can be said to have 15 years of cognate experience in any field outside the government security or law enforcement agency,” the suit reads.

However, the respondents prayed the court to dismiss the suit for lacking in merit.

Olukoyede through Olumide Fusika, his counsel, challenged the plaintiff’s authority to institute the suit.

He also claimed that he met all the requirements for the position of EFCC chairman.

…Decries Poor Salary For Lecturers, Threatens Strike

A Nigerian Professor earns a ‘miserly’ $400 monthly compared to the $6000 received by his counterpart in the United Kingdom, the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU), says.

The coordinator, Benin Zone of ASUU, Prof. Monday Igbafen, who disclosed this during a press conference in Benin, decried the unjust treatment of the lecturers by the Federal Government, stating that they have been on the same salary regime since 2009.

Igbafen said the government at all levels have been reviewing other workers’ salaries except that of the university lecturers.

“University teachers in Nigeria have been on the same salary regime since 2009 when the value of naira to a dollar was N120, and salaries in other sectors have been reviewed twice or more.

“It is better imagined that what a Professor earns in today’s Nigeria is about $400 per month which is a scandalous undervaluation of scholars.

“To continue to remain on the same salary regime for 15 years without review is not only wicked and inhuman but also an invitation to resistance/industrial disharmony,” Igbafen said.

Igbafen stated that the Federal Government has refused to meet their demands, adding that they have been pushed to the wall, and may likely embark on industrial action if the government did not respond.

“Having been irked by the obvious lack of sincerity on the part of federal and state governments to address the issues which have worsened the living and working conditions of academic staff in the public universities, it is sad to note that barely a month after we engage with the press in DELSU, there is refusal and/or total neglect of our union’s demands and ultimatum by the government.

“This disposition of government is certainly not a good recipe for the impending paralysis in Nigeria’s public universities.

“It is imperative to point out that the nagging issues between the government and our union in reference revolve around the abysmal failure by the government to satisfactorily implement the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement,” he said.

The Union lamented that the government was not moved by the several clarion calls and efforts by the university lecturers to get it to attend to their demands.

“By its action to ignore the union on these contending issues, the government is begging our union to proceed on strike,” he said.

Spain have qualified for the second round of the ongoing 2024 UEFA European Championship.

The Luis de la Fuente side became the second team to book the competition knockout ticket after defeating Italy 1-0 at the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on Thursday.

A second-half own goal conceded by Riccardo Carlafiori was the sole difference, sending Spain top of Group B with six points.

Italy, the defending champions, cut a timid apparition of themselves throughout the game, and the scoreline was kept respectable by Gianluigi Donnarumma’s saves.

But even the goalkeeper was helpless in the 55th minute after he had gone down to save a header from Alvaro Morata, and the ball ricocheted off the shin of Carlafiori and into the net.

In the other games of the day, England were dealt a reality check and held to a 1-1 draw against Denmark.

The Three Lions had taken the lead after Harry Kane stroked the ball home from the six-yard area.

Shortly, the Danes responded with a sublime strike from Marten Hjulmand from 30 yards out. The shot flew beyond the stretched limb of Jordan Pickford into the net.

Slovenia and Serbia also played out a one-all draw earlier in the day.

The federal government has unveiled mobile courts and new guidelines for hotels and schools to ensure speedy access to justice for cases of gender-based violence, sexual assault, and bullying.

NAN reports that Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, the women affairs minister, was at an Abuja partnership meeting with the stakeholders involved.

The stakeholders include representatives from the ministries of health and education, medical facilities, hotel owners, NGOs, and CSOs.

Mobile courts are easily moved from one place to another to adjudicate disputes and administer justice.

Kennedy-Ohanenye noted the alarming cases of sexual and gender-based violence, child abuse, child labour, harmful practices, and prison congestion in Nigeria.

She decried cases of exposure to alcohol and even death in hotels and bullying/sexual molestation in schools.

The minister also condemned cases where hospitals refuse to treat gunshot patients without police reports.

She said the enactment of legislation ushering in mobile courts would curtail such menace.

Kennedy-Ohanenye said the courts will usher in guidelines for new operational methods in hotels, hospitals, schools, and NGOs.

Among the guidelines, she said, is the mounting of signposts prohibiting actions that encourage gender-based violence.

The minister said toll-free numbers will also be posted for people to report violations.

Kennedy-Ohanenye said the objective of the mobile courts includes increasing the speed of deployment and dispensation of justice.

The minister said the courts will also enhance the efficiency of case trials and eliminate harmful practices.

She said they would reduce cases of child labour, out-of-school children, and the employment of underage as house help.

The minister added that they will also tackle the practice of using babies to beg for alms.

The Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration has borrowed N6.53tn between December 2023 and March 2024 including the securitasation of Ways and Means, according to data from the Debt Management Office (DMO).

The additional borrowing pushed the country’s total public debt to N121.67tn as of March 2024. This is asides the impact of the exchange rate difference resulting from naira devaluation.

Nigeria’s total public debt, comprises of the total domestic and external debts of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), the thirty-six (36) state governments, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

A breakdown shows that the debt rose from N121.67tn ($91.46bn) as of March 31, 2024, from the N97tn ($108.23bn) which it was on December 31, 2024.

Total domestic debt was N65.65tn ($46.29bn), while total external debt was N56.02tn ($42.12bn).

DMO said, “Excluding Naira exchange rate movements in Q1 2024, only the Domestic Debt component of Total Public Debt grew from N59.12 trillion on December 31, 2023, to N65.65 trillion on March 31, 2024.

“The increase was from new bon-owing to pan-finance the 2024 Budget deficit and securitization of a portion of the N7.3tn Ways and Means Advances at the Central Bank of Nigeria.”

Analysis showed that the new debt and ways and means securitization rose N6.53tn in the first quarter of 2024.

The DMO warned, “Whilst borrowing, as provided in the 2024 Appropriation Act, will continue, we expect improvements in the Government’s Revenue to enhance debt sustainability.”

A desk officer in the office of the Secretary to the State Government, (SSG) of Gombe State, Usman Mallam has been arraigned by the Gombe Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Mallam who is in charge of responding to official correspondences in the SSG’s office, was arraigned on 11th June 2024, before Justice TG Ringim of the Federal High Court sitting in Gombe, following allegations by EFCC that he tore its official Investigation Activities’ letters.

According to a press statement by the EFCC spokesman on Thursday evening, Mallam tore the documents when an official of the Commission approached him to carry out an investigation involving some financial crimes.

The spokesman noted that this act by the accused led to obstruction of the Commission’s investigation.
Mallam was therefore arraigned on a one – count charge of willful obstruction of investigation activities and tearing of EFCC official documents.

The lone charge against Mallam reads: “That you, Usman Mallam on or about 26th day of February 2024 at Gombe, Gombe State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court while the officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC were carrying out an investigation activity involving an alleged economic and financial crime, did willfully obstruct the said investigation by tearing the EFCC formal letters of investigation activities dated January 1, 2024 and February 21, 2024 respectively” and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 38 (1) and punishable under Section 38 (2) (a) and (b) of the Economic and financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act”.

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the one count charge, prompting the prosecution counsel AM Labaran to say, “My Lord, the defendant has put himself to trial hence we shall be asking for a date for trial.”

Meanwhile, counsel to the defendant, SS Usman said, “My Lord, we have a bail application dated July 11, 2024 , we are asking the court to exercise its discretion and grant the defendant bail.”

The judge then granted the defendant bail in the sum of N10m and one surety in like sum.

The judge also ordered that the surety must be a director in a government establishment or a private company with a capital worth of not less than N10m.

In addition to the conditions, the Registrar of the court should verify the identity of the surety, adding that both the surety and the defendant shall submit two passport photographs to the court.

Mallam was remanded at the Gombe State Correctional Service pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions and the matter was adjourned to 9th July 2024 for trial.

South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa visited Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu in a private meeting on Thursday in Johannesburg to discuss enhancing bilateral relations between both countries.

The private meeting at the Radisson Blu Hotel underscored the need for a stronger partnership between Nigeria and South Africa.

According to a press release from Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), President Ramaphosa expressed his gratitude to President Tinubu for attending his second-term inauguration.

“Thank you so much for coming for the inauguration. I was very happy to see my brother at the ceremony,” said Ramaphosa.

President Tinubu praised Ramaphosa’s inaugural speech, noting its relevance to the challenges faced by African countries and the necessity for increased collaboration.

“I enjoyed your speech at the ceremony. I was delighted listening to you. We have lots of issues in common, and we need to work more closely together. It was a good celebration,” Tinubu stated.

Ramaphosa was re-elected on June 14, 2024, after the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance formed a Government of National Unity.

A chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), Kenneth Okonkwo has hinted on plans to return to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Okonkwo, who served as presidential campaign spokesperson for the party in the 2023 election, he is not impressed by recent developments in the party.

The Nollywood actor, who joined the Labour Party after dumping the APC in 2022, described it as “a secret society led by a group of clowns”.

He added that the party lacks the integrity to take advantage of the internal crisis in other parties.

In a recent interview on Symfoni, Okonkwo said he will not rule out rejoining another party if the LP continues on a “trajectory where they cannot even hold an acceptable national convention”.

“Any party that is not visibly committed to the welfare of Nigerians will most likely not see me there. I don’t rule out going back to anything because change is constant,” he said.

“My own labour party is not impressing me. Assuming they continue on this trajectory where they cannot even hold an acceptable national convention, then you’d tell me I’d be there?

“I was a spokesperson at the presidential level and I did not know that the Labour Party was having a convention. When I saw it on social media, I thought it was fake. They were rejected in Umuahia because it was a leprous convention.

“Those people are clowns. It is the greatest joke I have ever seen in a political party and then you want to position yourself as a party of integrity. You cannot give what you don’t have.

“Aburi and his cohorts, their tenure is over. Let Aburi and his cohorts get behind me. They are workers of iniquity. I don’t rate them. That executive is in charge of the secret society. They should be apprehended.”

A Federal High Court in Kano on Thursday has set aside all steps taken by Kano state government to repeal the Kano Emirates Council Law.

In his ruling on Thursday, Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman ordered parties to maintain status quo.”

By implications, Bayero, 4 other Emirs dethroned by the emirate law are back to the throne.

Details soon.