Jamani nimeona ni cut and paste archive ya mambo ya Sagem huko Nigeria angalao uone jamaa na rushwa ili wapate upendeleo. Sasa kazi ipo, je Masha alishapokea au bado??? Leteni details vijana.
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NigeriaFirst
ICPC detains minister over fraud
Dec 4, 2003, 16:48
A serving minister, two former ministers, a former state governor and two senior government officials were arrested on 3 December for involvement in an alleged National Identity Card Project scam.
Nabbed on the instruction of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) were current Minister of Labour and Productivity, Alhaji Hussaini Zannuwa Akwanga, former Internal Affairs Minister, Chief Sunday Michael Afolabi, a former Minister of State in that ministry, Dr Mohammed Shata and former Enugu State governor, Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo who is also a former national secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Also arrested were Ms R. O. Akerele, present permanent secretary in the ministry of internal affairs, Christopher Orumgre Agidi, former director, Department of National Civic Registration and Niyi Adelagun, business representative of SAGEM S.A., the major contracting firm in the ID card project.
The ICPC in a statement signed by its Chief Information Officer, Mike Sowe, said the Commission had commenced investigations as the officials were "alleged to have collected colossal sums of money in local and foreign currencies" through a bribery scheme organised by SAGEM's agents in Nigeria including the Regional Area Manager, Identification Systems, Mr Jean Pierre Delarue, and Niyi Adelagun.
Mr Sowe said all the arrested officials have made useful statements to the Commission, while their accounts in the United Kingdom are being investigated, adding that the suspects would appear in court soon.
He also disclosed that Christopher Agidi has been arrested in the United Kingdom and efforts are being made to repatriate him to Nigeria to assist in the investigations.
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NigeriaFirst
Obasanjo sacks labour minister over corruption
Dec 4, 2003, 17:56
President Olusegun Obasanjo on 4 December approved the termination of the appointment of Alhaji Hussaini Akwanga as minister of Labour and Productivity over his alleged involvement in fraud in the National ID card scheme while he was a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
In a letter to the minister, the President stated that the ongoing investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission into the National Identity Card project in which Alhaji Akwanga's role as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of International Affairs has been called to question, is disheartening at a time efforts were being made to stamp out corruption in the public service.
The president said that as a member of the Federal Executive Council, the report of the former minister's involvement in the ID card scam constitutes a serious embarrassment to government, and a dent on his image as minister. He added that in line with this administration's commitment to transparency and to protect the integrity of the Federal Executive Council, it became imperative to terminate his appointment with immediate effect.
Alhaji Akwanga is to hand over the affairs of the Ministry of Labour and Productivity to the Permanent Secretary
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NigeriaFirst
Former Minister, others charged with ID Card fraud
Dec 30, 2003, 14:47
The former Minister of Internal Affairs, Chief Sunday Afolabi, and five others will each face a 16-count charge in connection with the National Identity Card scam estimated at $214 million.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) brought the indictment against the suspects who were arrested and detained by the State Security Service on 1 December.
Counsel to the ICPC, Mr. Sanussi Kado, filed the charges at the Abuja High Court on 29 December.
Justice Ibrahim Bukar, who granted the application, directed that all the suspects should be arraigned in his court today, 30 December.
Those charged along with Afolabi are:
The immediate past Minister of Labour and Productivity, Alhaji Husein Akwanga
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ms. Turi Akerele
The former National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo
The former Minister of State for Internal Affairs, Dr. Mohammed Shatta
SAGEM S.A. Representative in Nigeria, Mr. Niyi Adelagun
A breakdown of the charges shows that Afolabi is accused of receiving $330,000, while Akwanga is accused of allowing his daughters to collect $30,000 on his behalf. Adelagun, on the other hand, is the man identified as distributing the bribes while Nwodo is said to have conspired with him and facilitated the distribution. Meanwhile, Akerele is alleged to have collected $500,000.
Some of the lawyers working in defence of the accused are:
Chief Joseph Bodurin Daodu (SAN) for Afolabi
Chief Chris Uche (SAN) for Nwodo
Ricky Tafa (SAN) for Mohammed Shatta
Mr. Joe Kyari Gadzama (SAN) for Akwanga
Mr. Rotimi Jacobs for Akerele.
The National Identity Card scandal came into the limelight last September when President Olusegun Obasanjo summoned top officials of SAGEM. S.A. and the DNCR to a meeting over complaints of non-payment by some contractors.
Following investigations, the ICPC, by 3 December, subsequently alleged that the accused had received gratification worth $214 million from SAGEM of South Africa, which executed the National Identity Card project.
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Vanguard
$214m ideNtity card scam:Afolabi, Akwanga, others' trial begins in Abuja today
By Lemmy Ughegbe
Tuesday, December 30, 2003
ABUJA- FORMER Internal Affairs Minister, Chief Sunday Afolabi, and others currently in detention over the alleged $214 million National Identity Card scam are to face a 16-count charge when they are arraigned in court in Abuja today. The others are immediate past Internal Affairs Minister, Dr. Mohammed Shata; Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Ms. Turie Akerele; immediate past Labour Minister, Alhaji Hussain Akwanga; former National Secretary of the ruling PDP, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, and Mr. Niyi Adelagun, partner of SAGEM S. A., the contractor for the National ID card project.
An Abuja High Court, presided over by Justice Ibrahim Bukar, yesterday, granted the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) leave to slam the 16-count charge against the suspects.
Of the six, only Dr. Nwodo was not specifically cited as having received or given part of the money, but he was said to have facilitated the link between Adelagun and other suspects.
Chief Afolabi is facing a two-count charge of receiving a $330,000 bribe, while Alhaji Akwanga is accused of allowing his daughter to receive his own share of $300,000. Dr. Shata's alleged offence is receiving $415,000 while Akerele allegedly got $500,000. Adelagun is facing a four-count charge of distributing the bribes.
Granting ICPC leave to arraign the suspects, Justice Bukar held that: "on the face of the documents before this honourable court, I am convinced that the complainant has sufficient evidence for the arraignment of the accused persons. Accordingly, the motion for leave is hereby granted."
Earlier, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Chief Akinlolu Olujimi (SAN), had told newsmen that the suspects would be arraigned very soon.
Speaking with newsmen after waiting for almost two hours for the judge to commence hearing of the motion for the enforcement of the fundamental human rights filed by counsel to Nwodo, Chief Olujimi explained that the Federal Government was investigating further the scam, hence the delay in their being charged to court.
The ICPC had on December 3, this year announced the arrest of the suspects over their alleged complicity in receiving a colossal amount of money as bribe to influence the award of the ID card project to SAGEM.
However, on December 17, the commission, in reply to a letter written by Dr (Mrs) Dorothy Nwodo, wife to one of the accused persons (Nwodo) wrote her, denied custody of her husband.
The letter with serial no: ICPC/HC/003/11/110 entitled: "RE: REQUEST TO SEE MY HUSBAND, DR OKWESILIEZE NWODO" signed by one Popoola on behalf of the commission's Chairman, Justice Mustapha Akanbi read thus:
"I am directed to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of your letter dated 16th December, 2003 relating to the above subject matter. I am also to inform you that your husband is not in the custody of the ICPC and has in fact not reported at any time in the office of the commission. I am to add that at no time did any officer from the Investigation Department of the commission, visit your house on 1st December, 2003, let alone refusing him to take anything with him. You may, therefore, wish to look elsewhere for your husband."
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Nigeria withdraws corruption charges against former Ministers
Abuja - 02/06/2004
Abuja, Nigeria (PANA) - The Nigerian government
Wednesday withdrew corruption charges against three
former Ministers and others in connection with the 214
million-dollar national Identity Card scheme.
Counsel to the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission
(ICPC), Makanjuola Esan, asked for the withdrawal of the
charges at the resumed hearing of the case before an
Abuja High Court.
He told the Court the ICPC was willing to stand down the
case and that the anti-graft Commission might likely file
fresh charges against the accused persons.
Presiding Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi struck out the case
and ordered that the seized international passports of
the accused persons be returned to them.
The Judge, however, rejected a motion by the defence
counsel to acquit the accused persons from subsequent
arrest and arraignment.
Shortly after the proceedings, the anti-graft panel
summoned the accused persons to its headquarters for
interrogation.
The Commission last December announced the arrest and
detention of two former Internal Affairs Ministers,
Sunday Afolabi and Mohammed Shata, and former Labour
Minister Hussaini Akwanga for allegedly collecting
various sums of money as bribe to influence the award
of the Identity Card project to French company SAGEM.
Also arrested were a former official of the ruling Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), Okwesilieze Nwodo, and the Permanent
Secretary in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Turie Akerele.
The accused, who all pleaded not guilty, were granted bail
following their arraignment 30 December 2003 at the Abuja
High Court.
Afolabi, however, died in a London hospital last month.