EFCC arraigns 2 British Nationals – TheNigerialawyer

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today
October 21, 2019, arraigned two British nationals, James Richard
Nolan and Adam Quinn (at large), before Justice Okon Abang of the
Federal High Court, Abuja for their alleged complicity in the
controversial $9.6bn arbitral award to Process and Industrial
Development Limited by a United Kingdom commercial court.

The defendants, both directors of Goidel Resources Limited, a
Designated Non-Financial Institution (DNFI) and ICIL Limited, were
docked on a 16 count- charge bordering on money laundering.

Count one of the charges read: “That you James Richard Nolan and
Adam Quinn(at large), sometime in December 2013 in Abuja, within
the jurisdiction of this honorable court, being Directors of Goidel
Resources Limited, a Designated Non-Financial Institution(“DNFI”)
aided the said Company in failing to comply in the requirement of
submitting to the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and
Investments a declaration of the activities as specified under
Section 5 (1)(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as
amended and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section
18(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and
punishable under Section 16 (2b) of the same Act”.

Another count reads: “That you Goidel Resources Limited,
sometime in February 2014, at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this
Federal High Court being a Designated Non-Financial Institution
(“DNFI”) failed to report in writing to the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission a single lodgment of the sum of $125,000 ( One
Hundred and Twenty Five Thousand, Dollar only), in your account
number 0154696732 domiciled in Guaranty Trust Bank Plc as specified
under Section 10(1b) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011
as amended and you thereby committed an offence punishable under
Section 16(2b) of the same Act.”

After the charges were read to them, the defendants pleaded ‘not
guilty’ to the charges, while Justice Abang struck out count nine
of the charge on the grounds that “a court of law has no
jurisdiction to entertain a charge against a non-registered
person”.

The prosecuting counsel, Bala Sanga asked the court for a trial
date and an order to remand the defendants in prison custody.

However, defence counsel, Okwudili Anozie moved an oral
application for the bail of his clients. Sanga objected to the oral
bail application.

“We object to the oral application of the defendant. We would be
requesting an affidavit showing cause, why the bail should be
granted”, he said.

After hearing argument of counsel, Justice Abang refused the
oral application for the bail of the defendants and adjourned to
November 20 and 21, 2019, for commencement of trial.

He ordered the remand of the defendants in prison custody,
pending the consideration of their bail applications.

Gov Zulum Hosts Commissioners to a Retreat in Damasak,
the Reclaimed Boko Haram ‘Caliphate’

Borno’s Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum is currently
chairing his administration’s first retreat for commissioners,
special advisers and more senior government officials like the
secretary to the state government, head of service and chief of
staff in Damasak, headquarters of Mobbar local government area in
northern Borno, which has remained a shadow of Itself since it was
occupied by boko haram as a caliphate.

Damasak, hitherto a major agricultural community in the fringes
of the Lake Chad that is less than 10 kilometres away from Diffa in
Niger Republic, was occupied and administered by boko haram from
November, 2014 to 2016 before it was recovered by multinational
forces. Damasak had come under repeated attacks including early
this year. Thousands of citizens who live there mostly depend on
food aide and skeletal businesses.

Zulum, told commissioners in opening remarks on Saturday
evening, that the choice of Damasak, was to bring top government
officials “face to face with the realities” on ground and to remind
them their appointments were not opportunities for luxury but for
the serious task ahead of them.

“By tradition, retreats are held in the most serene and
oftentimes, luxurious environments‎. However, holding retreats
under serene atmosphere is reserved for those who live and operate
under normal circumstances. Fellow members of the state executive
council, I will like to remind us very strongly that our
circumstances in Borno State are not normal. If we decide to hold
our retreat in Maiduguri, Abuja or perhaps at Obudu Cattle ranch in
Cross Rivers state, we may not totally true to ourselves and
sensitive to the plight of our people. The wisdom of convening this
retreat in Damasak, headquarters of Mobbar local government area in
the most troubled northern part of Borno State, is to bring all of
us, face to face with the realities of our challenges in Borno.
Driving from Maiduguri to this place, we have passed major towns
like Gubio and Kareto which have become near ghosts of what they
used to be. We have seen villages that are without human
occupation. We have seen on the road, soldiers at different points,
clearly indicating that all is not normal with Borno”

“Damasak, where we are today, used to be one of Borno’s
agro-economic centres. Damasak used to be a large scale producer
and exporter of farm produce like tomatoes, pepper and other
vegetables. Thousands of wealthy farmers and transporters, other
fellow citizens have been killed, displaced to Niger Republic and
forced to become beggars. We are here to remind ourselves that the
oath of offices we differently took in May, June, August and
September, 2019 is not for luxury. Borno has serious challenges and
we have individually sworn with the Holy Qur’an and the Holy Bible
to do whatever we can in trying to address the challenges facing
Borno State” the Governor said.

Zulum also tasked the commissioners, advisers and other
participants to see Damasak as an example that tells the realities
of the 27 local government areas in the state. He also said
time-lines were going to be created for the attainment of goals
determined at the retreat.

“At this retreat, ladies and gentlemen, we shall not only come
up with ideas that are achievable but insha’Allah, we shall be
setting for ourselves time-lines within which we are to achieve
every goal we aim.We are here to spend only few days in Damasak but
there are thousands of our fellow brothers and sisters, fathers and
mothers, who live here on permanent basis. We are here to feel
their stay and to remind us of their needs for continued safety;
their needs for shelter; their needs for medical care; their needs
for water; their needs for schools; their needs for means of
livelihoods. When we drove into this lodge, we saw hundreds of our
young sons and daughters welcoming us happily. We saw wives,
sisters, mothers and fathers joining they welcome us. Whereas they
all wore happy faces, we know that majority of them are in
distress. We should therefore regard Damasak as an example of the
realities facing all of our 27 local government areas, particularly
those in northern Borno.” the Governor charged.

Before the Governor’s remarks, secretary to the state
government, ‎Usman Jidda Shuwa said the retreat for which he
commended the Governor’s ingenious choice of location, was meant
for top government officials to cross fertilize ideas towards
better service delivery in line with Governor Zulum’s vision and
approach to governance. The retreat had resource persons who
discussed topics peculiar to the challenges facing the state and
suggestions on ways to solving them.

By PRNigeria^[1]