News
UK Court Acquits Alison-Madueke, Ayinde and Agama of Bribery Charges
Prosecutors had alleged that Alison-Madueke received benefits from oil and gas industry figures seeking favourable treatment in the award of contracts in Nigeria during her tenure.
Photo: Diezani Alison-Madueke
Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been acquitted of all six bribery charges brought against her in the United Kingdom.
A jury at the Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday cleared the former minister after a 12-week trial in which she faced five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.
Alison-Madueke, 65, who served as petroleum minister under former President Goodluck Jonathan between 2010 and 2015, had denied all the allegations.
The jury returned its verdict after 46 hours of deliberations.
Prosecutors had alleged that Alison-Madueke received benefits from oil and gas industry figures seeking favourable treatment in the award of contracts in Nigeria during her tenure.
The prosecution told the court that she lived a luxurious lifestyle in London and allegedly benefited from cash payments, private jet travel, chauffeur-driven vehicles, luxury shopping expenses and high-value properties.
The alleged benefits included £100,000 in cash, more than £2 million spent on luxury shopping at Harrods, £4.6 million for property refurbishments and payments for household staff at luxury homes in London and Buckinghamshire.
In her defence, Alison-Madueke maintained that she neither requested nor accepted bribes and did not abuse her office.
Her legal team argued that the allegations were politically motivated and that investigators had misrepresented payments and benefits linked to her.The trial, presided over by Justice Justine Thornton, focused on allegations said to have occurred between 2011 and 2015.
Alison’s faced up to 10 years in prison and an unlimited fine if convicted under UK anti-bribery laws.
She was tried alongside oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde and her brother, Doye Agama.
Ayinde faced one count of bribery relating to Alison-Madueke and another count involving the bribery of a foreign public official, while Agama was charged with conspiracy to commit bribery over alleged payments linked to his church.Both men denied the allegations and were also acquitted by the jury.
News
Bamanga Tukur, former Adamawa gov, ex-PDP Chair dies at 90
Tukur, who died three days before his 91st birthday, was one of the prominent political figures whose career cut across Nigeria’s military and civilian administrations, the private sector and continental business circles.
BAMANGA Tukur, former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and former governor of Gongola (now Adamawa)State, is dead, aged 90.
Family’s sources confirmed his death on Saturday, although details surrounding his passing were not immediately made public.
Tukur, who died three days before his 91st birthday, was one of the prominent political figures whose career cut across Nigeria’s military and civilian administrations, the private sector and continental business circles.
Born on September 15, 1935, he began his public service career at the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, where he served as General Manager from 1975 to 1982.
He moved into elective politics and won the Gongola State governorship election in 1983, but his tenure was cut short by the military coup in December of the same year.After leaving office, Tukur turned to business and founded BHI Holdings, popularly known as the DADDO Group of Companies.
He later returned to government as Minister of Industries between 1993 and 1995 under the military administration of General Sani Abacha.Tukur also played prominent roles in African business and economic affairs, serving as Executive President of the African Business Roundtable and Chairman of the NEPAD Business Group.
He held advisory positions with several international trade organisations.
In March 2012, he returned to partisan politics when he was elected National Chairman of the PDP with the backing of then-President Goodluck Jonathan.
His tenure, however, was overshadowed by prolonged internal disagreements within the party, culminating in his resignation as national chairman in January 2014.
News
Albert Horsfall, Ex-SSS Director-General dies
“Details of funeral arrangements and other related activities will be communicated in due course.”
A former Director-General of the State Security Service and pioneer Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Albert Horsfall, has passed on.
Horsfall’s death was announced in a statement released on Friday, signed by his son, Donald Horsfall, and obtained by our correspondent.
According to the statement, the transition of the elder statesman and great son of Rivers State occurred peacefully, describing him as a “beloved patriarch.”
While the family mourns his death, the statement said they would be comforted by the extraordinary life he lived and the indelible mark he left on the sands of time.
“Details of funeral arrangements and other related activities will be communicated in due course,” it added.
News
US delivers military equipment to Nigeria
The US Africa Command (AFRICOM), in a statement on its website on Thursday, said the equipment was delivered in September through a US Air Force C-17 aircraft.
The United States has delivered military equipment to the Nigerian Air Force in Lagos and Kainji, Niger State, to support counterterrorism operations.
The US Africa Command (AFRICOM), in a statement on its website on Thursday, said the equipment was delivered in September through a US Air Force C-17 aircraft.
According to the command, the delivery was part of a foreign military sales agreement between the United States and Nigerian militaries.
“The delivery furthers the strategic partnership between the two nations in order to enhance Nigerian-led efforts to counter terrorism in the region.
U.S. military support to the Armed Forces of Nigeria is by its invitation and rooted in respect for Nigerian sovereignty,” AFRICOM said.
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