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Opinion: Ibom Air And The Need For Continuity In Akwa Ibom Come 2023

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By Michael Effiong

Early this week, I got a call from a respected senior colleague and this dovetailed into a conversation about the future of Akwa Ibom State. The call went thus: ” Hello, Miccolo Jay, how you?. I replied “bros, good morning sir”. He continued: “Guess What? I just landed in Abuja aboard your Ibom Air”? My heart skipped.

My heart skipped a beat because this senior colleague who spent many years living abroad is an incurable critic. He almost always wears the toga of that fierce-looking teacher, who is stingy with marks and you have to perform extraordinarily well to score good grades. He never sees anything good about Nigeria especially about our poor service delivery culture.

Having consistently preached and waxed lyrical to him about Ibom Air, I was brazing up for him to reel out his 1001 reasons the airline has not met his very high expectations. But he shocked me.

 He told me how he was well attended to at the check-in counter, how the boarding formality was smooth, how clean and fresh the aircraft was and how courteous the flight attendants treated passengers. He even mentioned the multilingual translation of the onboard safety instructions “Trust me, the airline was worth your hype. I was really impressed”. He rounded off.

Governor Udom Emmanuel with PDP Gubernatorial candidate, Pastor Umo Eno

Of course, I heaved a sigh of relief and wanted to go on to say a few more good things and he cut me short. ” Don’t get carried away, are you sure this is not initial gra gra, do you think this will last and they will not be affected by the usual Nigerian factor?

These last words really touched me but it was an opportunity to inform him that I was sure that Ibom Air will not lower its standards. I went out to explain that the airline has been in business for over three years and I was so sure of its continued existence because of Pastor Umo Eno, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate.

His next words were: “what do you mean? I took time to explain to him that the airline was the brain child of Governor Udom Emmanuel who has told everyone that Pastor Umo Eno is his worthy successor, which is the reason any lover of Akwa Ibom State should back and vote for continuity.

I explained that Pastor Umo Eno, unlike other candidates in the race, is not a dye-in-the-wool politician, he is a man of integrity, a thoroughbred businessman who has been in the hospitality and tourism industry for over two decades. Therefore, Ibom Air will be a familiar turf for him.

Pastor Umo Eno with his Deputy Governorship Candidate, Senator Akon Eyakenyi

 Indeed, he is a seasoned entrepreneur who began his business with a 5-room facility, and nurtured it into a behemoth, a group of companies, that employed over 2,500 people and was at one time the second largest employer of labour after the state government.

Having caught his attention and knowing full well his penchant for soaking in information, I then went on to reel out more facts about Pastor Umo Eno and his vision for the state.

Born on April 24, 1964, Pastor Umo Eno attended Local Government Authority Primary School, Ikeja, had a stint at St. Francis Secondary School, Ikot Ataku, Eket and finished as Senior Prefect at Victory High School, Ikeja.

The ordained Apostle and Undershepherd of All Nation’s Christian Ministry International likes to refer to himself as a Barrack Boy because his father was a police officer and he lived within the barracks in Enugu, Lagos and Kaduna.

Being the first child, he was very close to his father, a thorough disciplinarian. His father was very clean, strict and paid attention to the minutest of details. He was so much influenced by his father, that he imbibed some of these traits too as he was growing up and looking forward to a bright future.

The tragic death of his father changed all his lofty plans. He had to re-engineer his life and priorities and this decision to brave the odds, and work harder to support the family, is reason there are some gaps in his educational history.

He however never let go of the thirst and quest for knowledge. Years later, being a very cerebral person, he got admission to the University of Uyo and graduated with a B.Sc. in Political Science and Public Administration. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Public Science and Public Administration.

There is no doubt that his life is divinely engineered. A fact that becomes more and more apparent as you weave your way through his story. How this unassuming gentleman moved from zero to hero, shows that the virtues of hard work, courage, diligence, dedication when imbibed and applied with the grace of God will ultimately lead to success.

 It shows how his awe-inspiring doggedness, tenacity, sense of purpose and never-say-die spirit which were not acquired from any ivy league school but from the university of life have combined to catapult him from grass to grace.

A common thread that runs through the course of his entire life is his ability to prove people who never give him a chance wrong, by turning his challenges to opportunities and his tests to testimonies. 

A Rotarian, 3-star Paul Harris Fellow and philanthropist, Umo Eno began his working life at Union Bank Plc, then he  was convinced by Mr Albert Inyang, Chairman, Bertola Machine Tools Ltd, Lagos to leave banking. From here, he went on to Norman Holdings were he rose to Group General Manager (Commercial Services) which was his last paid employment before he started his company, Royalty Hotels now Royalty Group, where his title from the get go was Executive Governor.

His stint in public service of Akwa Ibom State began in 2004 when he was invited and appointed by H.E. Obong Victor Attah as Chairman, Akwa Ibom Hotels and Tourism Management Board.

Like any other assignment he has been involved in, Umo Eno is always very committed and ensures that he makes a mark, blaze a trail and leave legacies that people will talk about for years to come. He seems to have God’s grace to be a start-up person and a change agent everywhere he goes.

He held the appointment for three years, during that period, his achievements included conducting the first-ever state-wide hotel inspection for categorization and classification. He also developed and printed the first Akwa Ibom Hotels Directory which has served as a veritable source of information for the sector and guide to external and internal tourists. 

His next port of call was an appointment in September, 2019 by Governor Udom Emmanuel as the Executive Director, Agricultural Investment at Akwa Ibom State Investment Corporation (AKICORP). 

The corporation is a Special Purpose Vehicle, established by an act of the Akwa State Legislature to facilitate accelerated industrial development and investment promotion in the state.

Pastor Umo Eno and his team, began by ensuring that for the first time, there was documentation for farms and farmers in the state. So an enumeration exercise was activated and today, at the touch of a button, sitting anywhere in the world, one can know the number of cassava, corn or animal farmers there are in the state. In addition, because of this innovation, government can easily target its intervention projects or loan schemes to the sector.

Furthermore, to help realise the governor’s vision of ensuring that 70-80 per cent of the food eaten in Akwa Ibom are processed locally and also to be involved in the value chain, cassava warehouses were built as well as Off-taking Centres. That was not all, his team also began the process of revamping or privatizing moribund government Agribusinesses. 

The state-owned Hatchery was brought back to life and Akwa Palm which was rechristened Dakkada Oil Palm Limited also got a new lease of life when its encroached land was reclaimed, the facility was fenced, new site office built, 100,000 seedlings purchased and funds disbursed for the purchase of a new mill.

In addition, plans had reached an advanced stage with Globus Bank to process funding from the CBN Oil Palm Financing Initiative to be injected into the company before he left.

On January 4, 2021, he was appointed by Governor Emmanuel into the state Executive Council as the Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources. The Ministry under his leadership, recorded remarkable strides and tangible achievements such as: Establishment of the Akwa Ibom State Geographical Information System (AKWAGIS), payment of compensation to the Lagos Fishing Settlement in Eastern Obolo for the area designated for the establishment of Sterling Petrochemical and Fertilizer Limited, began the process of acquisition of a 630.21 Hectare of land at Ntaikong, Ibeno LGA for the siting of Bua Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, Establishment of Dakkada Luxury Estate, compulsory acquisition of former Timber Market on Uruan Street for building of primary school,  Establishment of The Emily Haven Estate and much more.

His penchant for taking and executing tough tasks must have really impressed Governor Udom Emmanuel because also in 2021, he was appointed as Chairman, Ibom FADAMA Microfinance Bank, a financial institution for famers and SMEs. 

Though others had worked on the project before, in typical Umo Eno style, he hit the ground running from day one and ensured that all hands were on deck.

Within a very short time, the proposed Directors of the bank including himself, all passed the very rigorous security screening clearances, scaled through the tough CBN approval process and Ibom FADAMA got its licence in record time and commenced full operation.

Even before he won the party primaries, a sure-footed Umo Eno like every good leader had already outlined his vision for the state. He christened his ideas and ideals the ARISE Agenda.

This blueprint for economic consolidation and expansion aimed at growing the economy and developing the people has been applauded for its depth.

ARISE is acronym for Agricultural Revolution, Tourism, Sports/Social Development & Environmental Management, Rural Development, Women & Youth Empowerment, Infrastructural Maintenance/Advancement and ICT Development, Security Management, Sound Educational & Health Sector Management, Economic/Industrial Advancement & Wealth Creation.

Pastor Umo Eno believes that building upon the legacies of past administrations will engender faster and sustained development. And that is why many believe that continuity should be the way for Akwa Ibom indigenes come 2023.

There is no need to break this chain of development and experimenting with another person. It is too much a risk to take for a state that is on the upward swing.

In his campaign stumps so far, it is obvious that Pastor Uno has spent time conducting a thorough needs assessment across the state.

He showed capacity, character and competence at Uyo Senatorial District Campaign flag-off where he promised to turn the capital city, Uyo, into a centre of commerce as well as centre of innovation and technology. He promised to revamp the science park too.

It was that occasion that he also stated thus “Your Excellency, you saw the future that was why you gave us Ibom Air. We will not only expand but use it as a foundation to turn our state to a tourists’ haven. We have 21 tourists’ sites and we will explore all of them”

In Eket, he promised to build a sports academy to compliment the recently built Eket Stadium, for the riverine communities, he noted that the 129 kilometres of shoreline from Mbo to Ikot Abasi will be developed for tourism purposes. He noted that there are many parts of the world were their main economic stay is tourism and Akwa Ibom is ready to do well in that area if he becomes governor.

That was not all, he also spoke about revamping the blue economy. Noting that one-third of the wealth of the state is in the deep sea, his government will encourage young people, farmers and fishing communities to engage in industrial fishing complete with trawlers and freezer and ensure that the coastlines are effectively secured, protected and preserved for commercial viability.

In Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, he promised to give the people an international market and help them upgrade their raffia production to meet international standards. He promised production hubs for different trades adding that he will prioritize big-time agricultural production.

The key goals of his plan will be poverty reduction, job creation, sustainable economic growth, improved standard of living, environmental sustainability, highly educated, healthy and skilled populace, safety and security.

He intends to motivate the civil service and public sector workers, take care of their pensions and gratuities and inspire them to deliver services comparable to the private sector.

His blueprint also mentions skills acquisition initiatives for women and youths,  promote and encourage creativity, and innovation as well as develop sports and the creative sector, fast track tourism development and launch a deliberate destination marketing campaign. He also mentioned the Ibom Film Village and grants for the creative industry.

In addition, he plans to set up Senior Citizens homes, revive and upgrade existing primary healthcare centres, establish a Medical City and incorporate wellness and health spas, leveraging on the serene and scenic environment, wonderful cuisines and natural remedies, start a state-run health insurance scheme, reassess the free maternal, newborn and child healthcare services.

In education his plans include: building state of the art primary and secondary schools, prioritize training and retraining of teachers, extensive renovation of dilapidated school buildings and related infrastructure, establish and expand vocational and technical training, promote scholarship schemes for Akwa Ibom Students, reassess the free compulsory education policy with a view to make it functional and provision of free school uniforms and shoes (which will be produced in Akwa Ibom) to primary students.

He also intends to promote use of Made in Akwa Ibom products and services, encourage the formation of co-operatives amongst SMEs, promote and support the establishment of industrial layouts and clusters.

For Oil & Gas, he plans to domesticate the Nigerian Local Content Law, facilitate the creation of job opportunities through collaborative efforts with operating and oil servicing companies in the state, promote and support citizens to engage in Oil & Gas activities, promote long-term investments in the education and training of indigenous highly-skinned manpower in the Oil & Gas sector and ensure the use of sustainable and environmentally-friendly practices in the Oil & Gas value chain.

 In all, Pastor Umo Eno’s ultimate vision is to take Akwa Ibom from a land of promise to a land of achievements. Therefore, for Akwa Ibom people to take their rightful position economically and socially, there is need to return to the basics and take a firm hold on those micro- economic enablers that would see the people driving the economic vehicles of the state and live comfortably from the work of their hands, instead of relying on government, public institutions and personalities.

Without any shadow of doubt, Pastor Umo Eno is the candidate for stability, cohesion and consistency and he is the best man for the job of Governor and I added jocularly:  the only candidate that will ensure Ibom Air continues to soar excellently.

 My senior colleague seemed to have heard enough “He just blurted:”Enough, enough. For your own good, I pray he wins and performs, so I will not have the opportunity to do my usual and prove you wrong” he laughed heartily and hung up the phone.

Effiong: A journalist is Editor of Ovation International Magazine

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Okuama Massacre: Military Declares Eight Persons Wanted

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The Defence Headquarters has declared eight persons wanted over their roles in the recent killing of 17 military personnel in Delta State.

The military released the list on Thursday at a briefing in Abuja.

Those declared wanted are Prof. Ekpekpo Arthur, Andaowei Dennis Bakriri, Akevwru Daniel Omotegbo (Aka Amagben), Akata Malawa David, Sinclear Oliki, Clement Ikolo Oghenerukeywe, Reuben Baru, and Igoli Ebi.

During the briefing, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, called on Nigerians especially residents of Delta and adjoining states to assist the military with credible information that would lead to the arrest of eight persons allegedly responsible for the killing of seventeen soldiers in Okuama community in Delta State.

General Buba says the military remains determined to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous act in Delta State, reaffirming its commitment to rescue all kidnapped and abducted victims in Nigeria.

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How CJMR Has Championed Restoration of Justice to Unjustly Incarcerated, Condemned – Founder, Olujobi

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By Eric Elezuo

“At CJMR, we stand firm on our scriptural foundation: ‘Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice…,” Pastor Olujobi 

Most citizens of the world are endowed with milk of human kindness, and are ever ready to lend a helping hand to folks in need, either for cash or kind. One of these citizens is a Nigerian of special breed, filled with compassion and zeal to assist wrongfully detained persons to regain their freedom. He is Mr. Hezekiah Olujobi, who is leading the fight against wrongful detention and elongated detention without trial with his Non-Governmental Organization, the Centre for Justice, Mercy and Reconciliation (CJMR).

The CJMR as stated, is NGO dedicated to promoting human rights and advocacy within the Nigeria Correctional Service and strengthening the rule of law in Nigeria Criminal Justice System, according to the Founder, Mr. Olujobi.

“Our area of focus are Advocacy, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Investigation, Cases review, Rehabilitation of individual upon freedom and Restorative Justice in Criminal Matter,” he added.

The CJMR as an organization, was established in 1999, and was officially registered in 2009. It has since then accumulated an enviable and proven track record of facilitating the release of individuals from death row, some of whom had been unjustly incarcerated for 18 to 28 years.

“Additionally, over 600 inmates have been freed from illegal detention after 4 to 12 years without trial. The organization has also established a Halfway Home that has benefited over 300 individuals.

“Our activities cut across the Correctional service in South West: Oyo, Odun , Ogun and Lagos States. We still have over 100 cases for intervention including 10 people on death row whom we strongly believed they are victims of wrongful conviction,” Olujobi stressed.

Hezekiah Olujobi, also known as a Pastor, for his vocation as a preacher of the gospel, who is the founder of CJMR, is currently working on two books to project the work of the organization so far.

The first, “Their Stories Behind Bars,” is a collection of narratives from individuals wrongfully sentenced to death and how the organization helped secure their rrlease, while the second book, “Their Hurts and Unforgettable Memories,” delves into the stories of victims and offenders, exploring their deep hurts and the healing process through restorative justice.

The following stories below as told by Pastor Olujobi, carefully epitomizes how far the NGO has gone to put smiles on the faces of individuals, who have otherwise lost hope of ever living their lives among free people again

Olaniyi Emiola’s Wrongful Conviction: My Belief in His Innocence

Olaniyi Emiola was sentenced to death based on witness testimony that was a case of mistaken identity. The armed robber apprehended at the crime scene insisted he was not the person being referred to and claimed he did not know Emiola at all. However, one of the victims, who recognized Emiola by the name “Abija,” insisted that he was the culprit. Emiola was known in the streets as “Abija,” not “Niyi,” yet the robber mentioned a “Femi Niyi,” not “Abija.” The man in question is Olaniyi Emiola, not Femi Niyi. During the trial, it was claimed that the robber identified the house of their leader to them, who is known as Abija,

In this controversial case, the conclusion of judgment of my noble lord, Hon Justice Jimoh of the Tribunal Court, was as follows:

“It is our considered judgment that the discovery of the second accused in the house pointed out by the first accused to the prosecution, and the discovery of the stolen items in the house shown to the police by the first accused, are admissible and well taken. Referencing R. v. Garbett (1847) 2 C & K 474 and R. v. Treacy (1945) 30 CAR 93, with these authorities in view, the second accused has been properly identified and linked with the commission of the crime charged.

Since the prosecution has adduced sufficient evidence to place the second accused at the scene at the material time, his alibi defense is logically and physically demolished.

This was established by the Supreme Court in the cases of Patrick Njovens vs. The State (1973) 5 SC 17 at 65 and Christian Nwosisi v. The State (1976) 6 SC 109 at 112.

It is my considered judgment that since the defense of the second accused has failed and, by the acceptable evidence of the prosecution witnesses, the accused has fallen into the warm embrace of the law, and I so hold.

SENTENCE: OLANIYI EMIOLA – The sentence of the Tribunal upon you is that you be hanged by the neck until you are dead or suffer death by firing squad, as the Administrator of this State may direct. May the Lord have mercy on your soul.”

This was the judgment that sent a man to darkness and anguish, leaving him to await execution in a solitary cell for 11 years without the right to appeal, luckily for him, the abolition of execution was announced in Nigeria.

Reprieve came when we visited Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison in 2007. We investigated the matter by analyzing the entire judgment and all the contents of the case file. We took up his case, amplified his voice of innocence, and refuted all the arguments in light of the existing facts recorded in the judgement.

Olaniyi Emiola was finally set free in January 2011, after 17 years had been wrongfully taken from his life.

One can only imagine what would have happened if execution had not been abolished in Nigeria.

CJMR’s Advocacy visit to the Oyo State Attorney General

The organisation has also taken its advocacy to the Attorney General’s office in Oyo State, and achieved certain parameters as represented in the narrative below:

“On Wednesday, March 20, 2024, the Committee for Centre for Justice Mercy and Reconciliation (CJMR) conducted an advocacy visit to the office of the Oyo State Attorney General. The purpose of the visit was to highlight the plight of numerous inmates who have been denied justice and are enduring the prolonged anguish of indefinite trials for capital offenses.

The primary goal of the visit was to bring to the Attorney General’s attention specific cases of individuals who appear to have been wrongfully accused of capital offenses and have been languishing in detention since 2015 without legal advice. Additionally, there are those who have been repeatedly taken to the High Court since 2017 without the prosecution presenting a single witness.

In a recent development on March 18 and 19, 2024, the Oyo State Chief Judge, Honorable Justice Iyabo Yerima, visited the custodial centers in Ibadan and Oyo. She firmly resolved not to address any capital offense cases, maintaining her stance throughout the jail delivery exercise. Consequently, 32 inmates were released from Agodi and 38 from Oyo, totaling 70 releases from facilities that house 1,250 and 827 inmates, respectively. The data clearly indicates that a significant proportion of detainees charged with capital offenses remain unaddressed.

Pastor Olujobi further noted that “During the CJMR’s visit, seven recommendations were proposed to enhance the efficiency of justice delivery by the Attorney General’s office, and a list of 32 individuals awaiting legal advice was submitted.”

The Attorney General, known for his humility and activism, pledged to collaborate with the CJMR.

He further acknowledged that “It is a profound injustice for individuals, even those apprehended with substantial evidence, to be detained indefinitely, risking the degradation of evidence and waning interest or resolve of witnesses. The slow turn of the justice system’s wheels can erode its very foundation.

“Similarly, it is an injustice for an innocent person to endure punishment due to procedural delays or inefficiencies.

The presumption of innocence until proven guilty is a fundamental principle of democratic societies, yet it is undermined when the process to establish innocence is plagued by excessive delays. The time for change is now.

Olujobi is also of the view that “The judiciary must move beyond a confessionary-based approach to prison decongestion and focus on those unjustly detained for capital offenses.”

From Darkness to Light: The Unraveling of Injustice and the Triumph of Freedom for Olusola Adepetu after 26 years behind bar

In this scenario, the police conducted a comprehensive investigation, and the defense attorney performed admirably. However, despite these efforts, the judge appeared to succumb to public pressure, reminiscent of Pontius Pilate’s historical decision, resulting in Olusola Adepetu being wrongfully sentenced to death.

Tragically, this miscarriage of justice led to the loss of 26 years of Adepetu’s life.

The appellant, a native of Ondo state was 34 years old at the time of his arrest, a father of 4 children with a broken home.

He was the owner of Olusola Naturalist Hospital. He was a Guru in herbal traditional-medicine, very popular with radio and television advertisements.

He cures all manner of ailment, he was a highlife socialite, he was a member of special marshal of Federal Road Safety Commission, due to the nature of his work as herbal traditional medicine healer he was highly connected with people in high places who always patronized him and in the world ravaged with deceases people always throng his office to seek healing for their ailments.

He is not a medical doctor but always referred to as Doctor Olusola.

All of a sudden, the light of his fame and popularity went off, he was enveloped with thick darkness. For a good 26 years he never walks under the moon nor is beaten by rain.

What happened?

His girlfriend was murdered in a mysterious way, three days later, her dead body was recovered by the police at the Express way, Sanyo, Ibadan and deposited at mortuary in Adeoyo state Hospital. Who must have done this?

Nobody knows till today. The relations who were in the shop of the father of his girlfriend who saw him when he came to pick the deceased and the bar man who saw him the previous day with the deceased pointed touch light on him.

Upon his arrest, rumors went round the whole city like wildfire and consumed the heart of men, same Radio and Television stations where his advertisements were being jingled, announced his arrest, all kinds of rumors went round the city, his case became a celebrated case.

He was consumed by the public adverse opinion.

With all kinds of rumors, the death of the lady was attributed to ritual killing, some said he cut the breast of the lady, some said he cut her private part for the ritual purpose.

At every court adjournment the whole court room and the premises will always be filled up with people. The case attracted the public interest. Like Pontius Pilate, the judge has no choice than to deliver the innocent man as a sacrificial lamb not for the world but for his likely hidden sin.

Light shines on his path again, when we unravel the case file documents with the dissenting judgement and the man regains his freedom after 26 years.

The critical question is: Who will advocate for the poor and helpless? It is us;
The Chief Judge, Attorney General, Commissioner of Police, and all stakeholders must be involved. And this where CJMR comes in, and the organization are doing it.

“We therefore call for wholesome assistance from all and sundry to sustain the tempo, and help our people, who graciously need the assistance,” Olujobi concluded.

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Binance Executive Detained in Nigeria Escapes from Custody

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One of the two Binance executives detained in Nigeria for alleged tax evasion and other offences, Nadeem Anjarwalla, has escaped from lawful custody, according to PREMIUM TIMES report.

Our sources said Mr Anjarwalla, 38, escaped on Friday, 22 March, from the Abuja guest house where he and his colleague were detained after guards on duty led him to a nearby mosque for prayers in the spirit of the ongoing Ramadan fast.

The Briton, who also has Kenyan citizenship, is believed to have flown out of Abuja using a Middle East airliner.

It remains unclear how Mr Anjarwalla got on an international flight despite his British passport, with which he entered Nigeria, remaining in the custody of the Nigerian authorities.

Authorities are also said to be working to unravel his intended destination in a bid to get him back into custody.

An Immigration official said the Binance executive fled Nigeria on a Kenyan passport. He, however, said authorities were trying to determine how he obtained the passport, given that he had no other travel document (apart from the British passport) on him when he was taken into custody.

Another source said the two officials were held at a “comfortable guest house” and allowed many rights, including the use of telephones, a privilege Mr Anjarwalla is believed to have exploited to plot an escape.

When contacted Sunday night on the escape of the Binance executive from detention, the Head of Strategic Communication at the Office of the National Security Adviser, Zakari Mijinyawa, said he would enquire and revert. He has yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.

Mr Anjarwalla, Binance’s Africa regional manager, and Tigran Gambaryan, a US citizen overseeing financial crime compliance at the crypto exchange platform, were detained upon their arrival in Nigeria on 26 February 2024.

A criminal charge was filed against the two executives before a Magistrate Court in Abuja. On 28 February 2024, the court granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) an order to remand the duo for 14 days. The court also ordered Binance to provide the Nigerian government with the data/information of Nigerians trading on its platform.

Following Binance’s refusal to comply with the order, the court extended the remand of the officials for an additional 14 days to prevent them from tampering with evidence. The court then adjourned the case till 4 April 2024.

Also on 22 March, the Nigerian government approached the Federal High Court in Abuja and slammed another four-count charge on Binance Holdings Limited, Mr Anjarwalla and Mr Gambaryan, accusing them of offering services to subscribers on their platform while failing to register with the Federal Inland Revenue Service to pay all relevant taxes administered by the Service and in so doing, committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 8 of the Value Added Tax Act of 1993 (as Amended).

The defendants were also accused of offering taxable services to subscribers on their trading platform while failing to issue invoices to those subscribers to determine and pay their value-added taxes and, in so doing, committed an offence contrary to and punishable under S.29 of the Value Added Tax Act of 1993 (as amended).

Count Three of the charges accused the three defendants of offering services to subscribers on their Binance trading platform for the buying and selling of cryptocurrencies and the remittance and transfer of those assets while failing to deduct the necessary Value Added Taxes arising from their operations and thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 40 of the Federal Inland Revenue Service Establishment Act 2007 (as amended).

The last count of the charges wants the defendants punished for allegedly aiding and abetting subscribers on their Binance trading platform to unlawfully refuse to pay taxes or neglect to pay those taxes and, in so doing, committing an offence contrary to and punishable under the provisions of S.94 of the Companies Income Tax Act (as amended).

The Nigerian government had, in the past three months, been cracking down on suspected money launderers and terrorism financiers, some of whom it alleged are using the Binance platform for criminal activities

The Nigerian government said over $21.6 billion was traded by Nigerians whose identities were concealed by Binance.

Source: Premium Times

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