metro
Court turns down ex-power minister’s request for overseas medical trip
Court turns down ex-power minister’s request for overseas medical trip
A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on Wednesday refused to grant an application filed by Dr Olu Agunloye, a former minister of power and steel, seeking to travel abroad for medical treatment.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting him over certain infractions regarding the $ 6 billion Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Station in Taraba.
Agunloye, who served as a minister in the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, is being prosecuted by EFCC, on behalf of the Federal Government, before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie.
He was charged in the suit, marked FCT/HC/CR/617/22, with a seven-count charge bordering on forgery, disobedience of presidential order and corruption.
He was alleged to have , among others, on May 22, 2003 awarded a contract titled “Construction of 3,960 megawatt Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Station on build, operate and transfer basis to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited without any budgetary provision, approval and cash backing.
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The prosecution also alleged that it traced some suspicious payments made by Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited to the former minister’s accounts.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Delivering a ruling, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, held that the defendant failed to adduce sufficient evidence to show that his ailment could not be treated by a hospital in Nigeria.
He therefore dismissed his application to travel abroad for medical treatment.
The judge subsequently, adjourned until Sept 23 for continuation of trial.
On January 11, Agunloye was arraigned on a seven-count charge bordering on fraudulent award of contract and official corruption.
The court admitted him to bail in the sum of N50 million.
The court also seized his passport as one of the bail conditions.
Agunloye, through his counsel, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, had applied for the release of his passport to enable him travel.
At the last adjourned date, Adedipe said his client needed urgent medical attention abroad.
Some of the documents tendered by the defence lawyer included medical reports from University College Hospital, Ibadan and the NISA Premier Hospital, Abuja.
The defendant also included a letter from the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and an invitation from a foreign medical analyst requesting him to travel abroad for an urgent medical evaluation.
However, the application was opposed by the EFCC which claimed the former minister was a flight risk, having amply demonstrated unwillingness to present himself for trial until he was declared wanted.
Court turns down ex-power minister’s request for overseas medical trip
metro
200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS
200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has disclosed that about 200,000 repentant terrorists have so far dropped their arms and surrendered to troops in the North East, noting that the twin strategy of kinetic and non-kinetic operations was responsible for this achievement.
The CDS made this known at the Security and Justice Symposium organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in collaboration with the British High Commission, which began at the National Counterterrorism Centre in Abuja on Tuesday.
He disclosed that the theme of the symposium, ”Securing Peace, Ensuring Justice, Protection, Conduct, and Accountability,” speaks volumes about the deluge of security challenges the armed forces and security agencies are facing.
His words, “All the challenges we are facing today have to do with fairness, equity, justice, and accountability.
“There will not be peace without justice, equity, fairness, and accountability. In our operations, we are conducting both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies, which have to a large extent yielded significant successes, and we want to particularly thank the National Security Adviser for his great support in this regard.
“Nigeria is going through so many challenges, and we feel we’re able to address this, and everybody has a sense of belonging. A lot of the security challenges we are having, we are sure, will go down. I want to thank the National Security Advisor for all the support he’s given us, both the kinetic and the non-kinetic.
“We have said it; the kinetic aspect is just less than 30%. The non-kinetic has a lot to play. The non-kinetic, because when you have democracy, people must have the evidence of democracy. As long as it tells people to sleep well and be peaceful, and they are hungry, their children cannot eat, and all this creates more problems.
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“The issue of informants. We have to look at how we tackle this issue of informants. Because these are the people who have created the issue.
200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS
metro
Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police
Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police
The spokesperson for the police in Delta State, SP Bright Edafe, has confirmed the death of two robbery suspects in the state.
Mr Edafe, who disclosed this to journalists on Tuesday in Warri, said that the deceased were killed from the bullets shot by their gang members.
According to him, the incident occurred on Wednesday at Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of the state.
Mr Edafe explained that the deceased were leading the police surveillance team attached to the Ekpan Division to their hideout when they were caught during a shoot-out.
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“The suspects were arrested at Effurun roundabout with a bag containing 57 live cartridges and other items. They were leading the surveillance team to their hideout at Warri/Sapele road when their gang members, on sighting the vehicle of the police team, engaged them in a shootout.During the gun duel, the arrested suspects that were leading the police team were fatally wounded by the gun shot of their colleagues. The two injured suspects were taken to the hospital and later died while receiving treatment,” he said.
Mr Edafe said that items recovered from the hoodlums hideout included: one English pump action gun, one locally made cut-to-size gun and eight live cartridges.
Others were: six iPhones, Smart phones and a Rolex wrist watch.
He said that the command had intensified manhunt on the fleeing members of the gang.
Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police
(NAN)
metro
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