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Release Ekweremadu and his wife from detention, Concerned Nigerians ask UK

Published

2 years ago

October 28, 2022

Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice

Some concerned Nigerians, have asked the Government of the United Kingdom to release former deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu and wife, Nwanneka on bail.

The group, in a letter submitted to the British High Commission, Abuja entitled ‘The Travail of Senator Ike Ekweremadu: Protest Against Continued Detention Without Trial,’ described Ekweremadu as a law-abiding citizen, perfect gentleman, and philanthropist, who has used his resources to touch lives of the less privileged.

They said they were grieved in their hearts that Ekweremadu continued to languish in prison without trial over a clearly bail able, alleged offence.

The group led by Paul Sawa said while they had no doubt that Ekweremadu would ultimately be vindicated, discharged, and acquitted, it is trite that justice delayed is justice denied.

It said a fair application of the justice system presupposed justice for all parties, including the accused and presupposed innocence until proven guilty.

The group appealed to the UK to grant Ekweremadu bail.

Part of the letter read: “We are a body of Nigerians, who have keenly followed and are concerned about the travail of Senator Ike Ekweremadu and family, and the continued detention of a Nigerian citizen, a distinguished and serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who has been held behind bars by the British authorities since he was arrested alongside his wife upon arrival in the United Kingdom on 21st June 2022.

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“We have always known Senator Ike Ekweremadu as a law-abiding citizen, a perfect gentleman, and philanthropist, who has used his resources to touch the lives of the less privileged constituents and others, but as believers in the rule of law, we have held our peace since his arrest in the hope that the law would vindicate him and his wife in no distant time. Unfortunately, the nightmare has continued with a protracted trial and his continued detention.

“A fair application of the justice system presupposes justice for all the parties, including the accused. It presupposes innocence until proven guilty. These fine principles of the law guarantee the fundamental human rights of every accused.

“While we have no doubt that Senator Ike Ekweremadu will ultimately be vindicated, discharged, and acquitted. It is trite that justice delayed is justice denied. Therefore, it grieves our hearts that Senator Ekweremadu continues to languish in British prison without trial and over a clearly bailable, alleged offence.

“We recall with concern that the Senator last appeared in court on 4th August 2022. He is billed to appear in court again on 31st October 2022, about three months after, for pre-trial hearing. But the real trial to determine his innocence or otherwise is scheduled to commence in May 2023, seven months after by which time Senator Ekweremadu would have spent about one year behind bars.

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“Worse still, we gather that the British authorities are also poised to charge Senator Ekweremadu’s ailing daughter to court on the same matter. This is most disturbing, especially as we had expected the UK authorities to be more humane and concerned with the treatment and recovery of the poor lady, who has evidently been through a lot already and whose condition must have been worsened by the travails of her parents in their bid to save her life.

“We are then moved to ask: Where is the humanity in all of this? Where is human right in all of this? Where is the presumption of innocence for the accused? Would Nigerian government subject a UK Member of Parliament to the same shabby treatments and protracted detention on a clearly bail able offence under similar circumstance? More so, if such a UK parliamentarian had written to the Nigerian High Commission, fully disclosing the purpose of the organ donor’s trip, including the particular hospital where the case would be handled?” The group asked.

The Concerned Nigerians, however, appealed to the UK to grant Ekweremadu bail.

“The claim by his prosecutors that he is a flight risk is far from the truth, as the Ekweremadu we know, being a legislator of international acclaim, will be more interested in the recovery of his daughter, establishing his innocence, and reclaiming his reputation.

Related Topics:detention Ike Ekweremadu UK wife

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BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

Published

11 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Trends Admin

BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

The federal government has unveiled a proposed budget of N47.9 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year.

Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, disclosed this to journalists on Thursday following the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.

Bagudu revealed that the council had approved the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for 2025-2027.

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According to the minister, the government has pegged the crude oil benchmark at $75 per barrel, with an oil production target of 2.06 million barrels per day (bpd).

The budget also sets the exchange rate at N1,400 per dollar and aims for a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 6.4%.

BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

metro

EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

Published

11 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Trends Admin

EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told FIJ that they have arrested Timber Wabote, the former executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCMB), on the grounds of a failed $35 million Bayelsa refinery project fraud.

Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s spokesperson, confirmed this to FIJ on Thursday.

“It is true,” Oyewale responded to FIJ’s inquiries.

Wabote is accused of misappropriating public funds for a refinery project that should have improved local energy production.

Vanguard reported that the NCDMB under Wabote paid $35 million to support the development of energy infrastructure in the Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa, yet there was nothing to show for it.

The EFCC picked Wabote up following the arrest of Akintoye Adeoye Akindele, the Managing Director of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, for alleged misappropriation, money laundering and diversion of $35 million in public funds.

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“NCDMB under the watch of Wabote allegedly paid the $35 million to Akindele to build a 2,000 barrel per day (BPD), refinery, jetty, gas plant, power plant, data centre and tank farm at Brass free trade zone (FTZ), Okpoama Community in Brass LGA of Bayelsa State,” a source with the EFCC had explained.

Since December 2020 when the payments were made, Akindele abandoned the project with little or nothing to show for the huge sum he received.

Preliminary investigations showed that Wabote’s NCDMB financed 17 different projects, including the 2,000 BPD refinery in Brass LGA.

There has been a series of public fund misappropriation cases in the energy sector in recent times.

FIJ earlier reported that members of the House of Representatives summoned three ministers to defend how over $2 billion was spent on renewable energy with not much to show for it.

A recent FIJ report also recently detailed how residents of Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa, have not had power in their homes since July due to the vandalisation of the Ahoada-Yenagoa transmission towers caused by unidentified persons.

The Bayelsa state government told FIJ it was the federal government’s responsibility to provide electricity for residents. The state has no renewable energy options reliable enough to power its capital despite the multi-million-dollar NCMB energy project.

Transparency in the energy sector has become necessary at a time when Nigerians have suffered power instability due to frequent grid collapses.

EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

metro

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

Published

12 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Trends Admin

Yahaya Bello

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has requested an adjournment in the new case against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, stating that the 30-day window for the previously issued summons is still active.

The commission has granted administrative bail to his co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, and asked the court for an extension of time for Bello to appear.

At the resumed hearing before Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, EFCC Counsel Jamiu Agoro noted that the court’s order from October 3rd had not yet expired.

“In that wise, we feel it will not be appropriate for us to take proceedings while that 30 days is still running. So we have discussed and agreed to come back on the 27th day of November, 2024, my lord,” he told the court.

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He also mentioned that the previously set date of November 20th was not convenient for the prosecution counsels.

Counsel to the second defendant, Aliyu Saiki, SAN, confirmed that his client had been granted administrative bail by the prosecution and had no objection to the adjournment request. The third defendant’s counsel, ZE Abass, concurred.

The prosecution counsel also requested the court to allow the notice of hearing to be pasted on the last known address of the first defendant.

After hearing from all counsels, the judge granted the EFCC’s application for adjournment and the issuance of the hearing notice.

“I have considered the application for adjournment by the complainant and issuance of hearing notice and the submission by the second and third defendants. The application is granted,” she said.

Justice Anenih then adjourned the case to November 27th for arraignment.

The former governor, alongside Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are being prosecuted as 1st to 3rd defendants, respectively, in a fresh 16-count charge instituted against them by the EFCC.