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Tinubu Demands ECOWAS Declare Resource Theft And Illegal Mining International Crimes.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to classify resource theft, particularly illegal mining and mineral smuggling, as international crimes, stressing that such acts threaten peace, stability, and economic growth across the subregion.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
According to Nivo News, Tinubu made the appeal on Tuesday in Abuja through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, while declaring open the 7th Annual General Meeting of the Network of National Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa (NACIWA). The event, themed “A United ECOWAS Against Corruption: Strengthening Regional Collaboration for Asset Recovery and Exchange of Information,” gathered anti-corruption agency heads, ECOWAS officials, development partners, and civil society groups.
Tinubu lamented that despite years of reforms, illicit financial flows and resource looting have continued to cripple development efforts in the region. He warned that these illegal activities have fueled insecurity through the proliferation of arms, banditry, and kidnapping, worsening the socio-economic outlook of West Africa.
He urged ECOWAS to urgently recognize resource theft and illegal mining as international crimes that endanger regional stability and to mobilize global action against the trade in stolen minerals from the subregion. “No country can single-handedly win this battle,” Tinubu said, emphasizing the need for collaborative action through NACIWA’s multi-state and multi-stakeholder framework.
The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to asset tracing, recovery, and proper management through a new legal framework. He disclosed that anti-corruption agencies, particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), under its Chairman and NACIWA President, Ola Olukoyede, have recorded significant recoveries of stolen funds. Tinubu revealed that part of these recovered assets, totaling ₦100 billion, had been injected into the Students Loan Scheme and the Consumer Credit Scheme to promote social inclusion and economic empowerment.
EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, in his remarks, reaffirmed NACIWA’s role as a platform for regional cooperation against corruption. He noted that under his leadership since 2022, the network had become more dynamic and credible, despite political and security challenges across member states. He urged delegates to renew their commitment to fighting corruption, which he described as a key obstacle to the region’s stability and progress.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), commended Olukoyede’s leadership, describing it as distinguished and transparent. Similarly, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, Senator Emmanuel Udende, lauded the conference’s theme, stressing that corruption’s cross-border nature demands stronger regional cooperation, intelligence sharing, and joint asset recovery efforts. He also assured that the National Assembly would continue to provide the necessary legal backing to enhance international collaboration in the anti-corruption fight.
The Interim National Chairperson of the Labour Party (LP), Nenadi Usman, has stated that it may no longer be possible for the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to return to the party.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Usman made this known on Wednesday during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme.
She explained that, in line with the Electoral Act, the party would close its membership register 21 days before its primaries, stressing that once that process is concluded, no fresh entries would be allowed.
According to her, Obi played a major role in elevating the party’s profile during the 2023 general elections, noting that his influence and political momentum remain unmatched.
“It will be too late for Peter Obi to come back to the Labour Party because once the register is closed, no one can come in through the back door,” she said.
“Obi actually took the party to greater heights in 2023. There is nobody who can match the momentum he generated. He convinced me and many others to join the Labour Party because we believe in equity and fairness.”
Meanwhile, the factional National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, has blamed Obi and the Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, for the ongoing crisis within the party.
Abure made the allegation during an appearance on Arise Television on Wednesday, claiming that the internal dispute began after Obi and Otti reportedly established a caretaker committee in Umuahia.
Nineteen people have been confirmed dead while several others sustained injuries in two separate road crashes recorded in Edo and Taraba States.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
In Edo State, 12 persons lost their lives and 14 others were injured in a fatal crash that occurred over the weekend at Egono community along the Auchi–Ewu–Benin expressway.
The accident happened when a speeding truck conveying passengers and goods attempted a dangerous overtaking manoeuvre, lost control, and overturned.
The spokesperson of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Edo State, Patricia Onwochei, confirmed the incident, attributing it to wrongful overtaking.
She added that one of the victims had been buried, while 11 bodies were deposited at the St. Lazarus Hospital mortuary.
In a separate incident in Taraba State, seven persons, including two children and two women, died in a crash that occurred at about 4:40 pm on Tuesday in the Garbabi area of Gashaka Local Government Area.
The accident involved a commercial vehicle carrying 11 passengers from Bali to Serti, the headquarters of Gashaka LGA.
An official of the Nigeria Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Bali branch, Haruna Lukman, said the vehicle collided head-on with an oncoming trailer while negotiating a sharp bend near Kabarin Baturi village along the Bali–Serti road.
He stated that all occupants died on the spot, adding that officials of NARTO, police officers, and bystanders evacuated the bodies and injured victims to Bali General Hospital.
Lukman further noted that the vehicle, which was meant to carry six passengers, was often overloaded due to rising fuel costs and alleged extortion by security operatives.
The Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday arraigned former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, before the Federal High Court in Abuja on a revised five-count charge bordering on alleged unlawful interception of communications and breach of national security.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The former governor, who appeared before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
During the resumed hearing, DSS counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Oluwole Aladedoye, informed the court that an amended five-count charge was filed on April 13, requesting that it replace the earlier three-count charge.
Defence counsel, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), confirmed receipt of the amended charge and did not oppose its substitution. Consequently, the court struck out the earlier charge and proceeded to read the amended counts to the defendant, who again maintained his not-guilty plea.
One of the counts alleged that El-Rufai “intentionally and without authorization intercepted the communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.”
Another count accused him of deploying technical systems that allegedly compromised public safety and national security while also creating “reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians.”
The prosecution also requested that the identities of two witnesses be protected, seeking to replace their names with pseudonyms due to security concerns. However, the defence objected, arguing that such a request violates the defendant’s constitutional right to know his accusers.
The defence further opposed the prosecution’s request for consecutive hearing dates, citing concerns that El-Rufai’s access to legal counsel could be hindered due to his custody under the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
Counsel also informed the court of a pending bail application, noting that a missing affidavit had been located.
Although the defence sought to quash the amended charge and demanded disclosure of proof of evidence for proper preparation, the prosecution urged the court to dismiss the applications, describing them as unmeritorious.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter to May 18, 19, and 20 for further hearing.
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