Ex-Convict DSP Alamieyeseigha Forfeits Maryland Mansion To US Gov't-PM News, Lagos

The Rockville, Maryland home of former Bayelsa state governor, Diepreye Alamaieyeseigha has been forfeited to the US government following the approval by a federal judge of the Justice Department's forfeiture order.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the forfeiture on the $700,000 Rockville, Maryland house was executed Friday after U.S District Judge Roger W. Titus granted the Justice Department's motion for default judgment against the property. The Justice Department said the house belonged to Diepreye Peter Solomon Alamieyeseigha, who was Bayelsa governor between 1999 and 2005.

According to prosecutors, Alamieyeseigha's assets were the proceeds of corruption. Alamieyeseigha has previously denied the allegations in court filings. A lawyer for Alamieyeseigha could not be immediately reached for comment. The forfeiture is part of a fledgling Justice Department initiative dedicated to seeking out assets in the U.S. linked to high-level foreign corruption. Last year, a federal district judge in Massachusetts granted a motion for default judgment and civil forfeiture on a $401,931 Massachusetts brokerage fund that allegedly belonged to Alamieyeseigha.

"Foreign officials who think they can use the United States as a stash-house are sorely mistaken," Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman said in a news release. "Through the Kleptocracy Initiative, we stand with the victims of foreign official corruption as we seek to forfeit the proceeds of corrupt leaders' illegal activities."

A Nigerian court sentenced Alamieyeseigha to two years in prison in 2007 for failing to declare assets in Nigeria, South Africa and the U.S. Prosecutors said he bought more than $8 million in properties with bribes he received from contractors while serving as governor. Alamieyeseigha pleaded guilty to money laundering on behalf of two companies he controlled-Solomon & Peters Ltd. and Alamieyeseigha and Santolina Investment Corp.

Nigerian President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and Alamieyeseigha successor in the state, granted an unconditional pardon to Alamieyeseigha in March, sparking outrage among local media and Jonathan's political opponents. The pardon didn't appear to effect the U.S. Justice Department's efforts. Alamieyeseigha has been the focus of legal scrutiny in the U.K.

In 2006, the High Court of Justice in London found three of Alamieyeseigha's properties there, as well as accounts held by Santolina, represented bribe money or were traceable to bribes Alamieyeseigha took from contractors in Nigeria. After he was arrested at Heathrow Airport in 2005, police found about $1.6 million in cash in his house.

The home in Rockville, a suburb of Washington, D.C., is owned by Solomon & Peters Ltd., a shell company controlled by Alamieyeseigha, according to court papers. The Justice Department and Alamieyeseigha offered drastically different accounts of how the house came to be in his possession. In previous court filings, Alamieyeseigha had choice words for the U.S. efforts and Nigeria's political culture.

"I am not unaware of the monkey politics that is played in third world countries like Nigeria with the active connivance of over zealous individuals, agencies and government parastals (sic) touting themselves as global ethics compliance monitors," he wrote in a 2011 affidavit. "The civil forfeiture action which was brought against the defendant property in a quest to score cheap points as the global watchdog should be dismissed."

The Justice Department didn't say where the forfeited funds would be directed. According to the news release, "where possible and appropriate [the Justice Department will] return those corruption proceeds for the benefit of the people of the nations harmed by the corruption." A Justice Department spokesman didn't immediately respond to an inquiry about whether or not the funds would be returned to Nigeria



sahara reporters

Cynthia Osokogu’s Murderer Offered Me N15mn Bribe- Festac Police Chief

The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Area E, Festac Town (Lagos), Damien Okoro, was one of the police officers conferred with meritorious award and certificate of bravery by President Goodluck Jonathan at the recent event to mark the Police Week in Abuja.



The award was in recognition of his groundbreaking investigation into the gruesome murder of Cynthia Osokogu, a postgraduate student murdered by her Facebook friends in Lagos.

Four people are currently being prosecuted for Ms. Osokogu's murder. Ms. Osokogu, 24, was allegedly drugged and murdered in a hotel room last July in Lagos.

Okwumo Nwabufor and Olisaeloka Ezike are charged, for Ms. Osokogu's death, with conspiracy to commit murder, murder, and felony. Osita Orji, a Pharmacist who sold the Rophynol drug to the alleged murderers, is accused of reckless and negligent act; while Nonso Ezike, who pawned the deceased's Blackberry phone, is charged with possession of stolen property.

Mr. Okoro in an interview after he received his award stated that Ms. Osokogu's killers offered him N15million to compromise the case. He spoke about the pressure from high place o limit the investigations. He also spoke about his love for unraveling crime and the need for police officers to improve themselves on the job.

Tell us briefly about the investigation into Ms. Osokogu's murder

The investigations into the murder of Ms. Osukogu was not an easy one as she was killed in such a manner that it would take a very intelligent officer to arrest her killers. There was no complainant, no means to locate her family as her phones were stolen by her killers . We also could not Identify her or say this was where she was coming from. Investigation into the killing took my officers and I to Cotonou in Benin Republic where we went undercover and broke the barrier of the Interpol which would have slowed down the case. We also went to Anambra State University.

When we got the call log, it was about 300- 400 pages. We did a deep study of the call log which involved forensic analysis. It was tasking analyzing all the activities on social media- Facebook, Twitter. I took a great risk putting my life and that of my officers on the line to go after the killers. Not minding the grave danger, we made arrests at about midnight; until 3.15am we were in operation. It was the painstaking forensic investigation we did that showed the suspect was economical with the truth about his location. He was in Lagos State but claimed he was in Abuja.

Did you think that you will be celebrated for arresting Cynthia's killers?

My mind was not on any award. I was just doing what a police officer is expected to do in such a situation to find the killers. I am very glad and I feel elated at the awards and certificates I have received and the President's award is a great fete that is not common. I am fulfilled and I thank God that I was honored; (the honour) is much more than the N15million I was offered as bribe. Today, I'm being celebrated and that is all I wanted. I received the National Orientation Agency, Security Watch Africa awards, the best Area Commander in Nigeria award in 2012 also, the IGP award and the President's meritorious award. If we had collected money, there would be no celebrations today.

The suspects offered me money for us to kill the case. We were pressured from everywhere not to arrest other suspects. I got furious when Eche, the killer was bold enough to say that I should remove the handcuff from his hands; that he wants to go home and his people are coming to "see" me. He asked me why I was bothering myself with "that prostitute." I replied that he was not going anywhere. He thought I was being tough so he offered N10million. I just stared at him and told him- "you cannot go anywhere." He thought I was looking for more money so he increased his bribe to N15million. At this point, I became very furious with him that he had no remorse after killing a human being in that manner. I stood my ground and told him that he cannot go after committing such a heinous crime. He thought I was joking but got the message when my men took him away and locked him up.

If I had collected that N15million, we would not be talking about this award. The N15million is nothing compared to the lifetime award I received from the president. This award is not a mean fete. I will cherish the award all my life. It shows that if one works hard and is dedicated, the person would be recognized and honoured.

How did you achieve so much despite the challenges of your job?

The technology involving forensic investigation has been digitalised. Using computers and the social media to crack cases requires tech knowledge. What this entails is updating one's knowledge and expertise. I had to enroll in a technology school where I acquired knowledge in forensic investigation. Also, there is the challenge of human, political and economic pressure trying to make you compromise. When highly placed individuals call you and want the case compromised it makes the job difficult but an astute policeman must stand his ground and say no.

There are a lot of training programme for officers as the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Abubakar is one person that believes in training and retraining; there courses available to make officers excel on the job. Like I said, success on the job is a personal aspiration and desire. An officer should have that high innate passion to achieve more - to become an achiever of international repute. This kind of mindset will make you go far in life.

Would you have preferred another profession?

It has always been on my mind to join the police force even while I was in school. I am from a family of policemen and I got attracted to the profession I loved so much and I don't regret it . If I am reincarnated, I would still become a policeman. My experience in the Police Force has been awesome. I advise other officers to train and retain themselves especially in modern policing and the use of the web and social media. It is left to them to become achievers on the job.

What is the lesson here for other police officers?

Every officer should strive to make a name for his or herself and put themselves in the echelon of crime busting which is fundamental in police work. The aspiring officer should look for a mentor. I own all the achievement so far to the IGP Mohammed Abubakar . He is my mentor and I adore him. I have known my boss for over a decade and I have worked with him and learnt from his wisdom and knowledge. He was the one who encouraged me to read law. The Lagos State commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, is also a policeman I adore. He gave me the enabling environment and the necessary support to carry out investigations. If he had said that Cynthia's case should be transferred, then we would not be saying anything about awards and being celebrated.

Damiem Okoro's crime busting portfolio

Aside from playing a leading role in resolving the Cynthia Osokogu murder trial, Mr. Okoro has also led various other high-profile criminal investigations. These include:

- The robbery at NAHCO in Lagos State where a bank was broken into and a huge amount of local and foreign currencies was carted away. He and his team arrested the robbers and recovered all the cash.

- He was also the brain behind the arrest of Sierra-Leonean rebel leader, Faondi Sanko, whom he handed over to the army in Abuja.

- In 1997, ACP Okoro and his team recovered the spare engine of Boeing 747 GASS cargo, stolen from the tarmac . He was given N1million to compromise the case but he arrested the suspects and charged them to court.




Premium times

Pains on Ayobo-Ipaja Road to end in November’

The slow pace of work on the reconstruction of Ayobo-Ipaja Road project, awarded by Lagos State to Plycon Construction Company, an indigenous construction firm, has become a source of worry to road users and residents of Ayobo and Igbo-Ilogbo, in Ipaja-Ayobo Local Council Development Area, LCDA. The road links over 10 communities in the area in Alimosho Local Government Area.

However,  respite is on the way for road users in the area as government gave its commitment to deliver the project in November.


…Ayobo-Ipaja road
Lagos State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr Femi Hamzat, assured residents of  government commitment to delivering a standard road at the end of the day “as the situation has attracted the attention of Governor Babatunde Fashola who is interested in early completion of the project”.

Fashola, actually, paid an unscheduled inspection visit to the project site and gave an ultimatum to the contractor to deliver.

Last weekend, the contractor mobilised more personnel and equipment to the site in apparent response to the executive order even amid the rains.

The Project Manager, Mr. Leke Adeniji, while speaking to Sunday Vanguard, and assuring the project would be completed by the new deadline, explained some of the challenges of the road construction project thus: “This month represents the 18 months of construction of the road project. We have completed 60 percent of the median, 90 percent of the drains and 65 percent of the walkways. From this section of the road, Ipaja Road, what we will be doing next is the paving work”.

According to him, the major challenge they had on the project was the terrain of the community. “Most incredibly is the amount of rainfall experienced yearly in the community.  The rain posed a serious challenge for road construction.. From Baruwa to Megida Bus stop, we have completed 90 percent of the drains which represent the most challenging aspect of the project.

“What we are doing now is to raise the carriage way up to the required level before we commence the grading of the surface. We have been able to more or less complete that. And we have opened the section of the road, from Ayobo to Megida Bus stop. However, from this section of the road-Oluwaga, to Megida Bus stop, this is where we have a Herculean task. It required utmost concentration”, he stated.

Adeniji was optimistic that by November, the project would be completed.  “By then, we would have had six months over run of the project which was earlier scheduled to finish within 18 months. But given the challenges we have faced on this project, we do not think that it is an extra-ordinary amount of additional time to take on the project.

“We believe that by the end of July, we would have covered substantial percent of the paving work but between July and November, we will be tiding up certain things. For instance, on the Moshalasi end, there is no any drainage work for us to do on this portion of the road. But we have to resurface the area and we are certainly not going to do that when it is raining. We will wait till September to do the milling down and resurfacing of that area.



Vanguard

Security beefed up following seizure of illegal arms in Kano

Checkpoints dismantled two weeks ago by the Police in Kano, have returned
following discovery of arms caches by the Joint Task Force in the city on Monday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the checkpoints in Sabongari and Fagge Police stations as well as that of Audu Bako Road returned on Thursday afternoon.

ASP Magaji Majiya, the Police spokesman in the state, told
the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the lifting of the
check-points was the initiative of the Commissioner to
relieve residents of the hardship encountered during their
daily commuting.




Punch

2015: Atiku Threatens To Challenge Planned Award Of PDP Automatic Ticket To Jonathan

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar might mount a legal challenge against his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, should the party goes ahead to award automatic second term tickets to President Goodluck Jonathan and state governors.

In a statement by his media office Saturday, Atiku said he remained opposed to the PDP's policy of "consensus arrangement" and "adoption" rather than transparent elections to produce candidates for all elective offices, including the presidency.

He was responding to the proposal by the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Tony Anenih, that the party should give automatic tickets to President Jonathan and state governors in 2015.

The former vice president recalled that he was repeatedly in courts to challenge this undemocratic arrangement and that the courts ruled that the policy is alien to the PDP and Nigerian constitutions.

He said the principle for which he opposes this unjust policy, which he described as a "travesty of democracy" has not changed since then. "My position remains that as far as PDP Constitution is concerned, any attempt to change the party's rule to favour the President as a sole candidate in the event of his willingness to re-contest is unconstitutional.

The contest should be open to all desiring to pursue an ambition on the platform of the PDP," Atiku said. While acknowledging that President Jonathan is entitled to seek the party ticket in 2015, the former vice president, however, insisted that Mr. Jonathan should submit himself to a transparent and fair process just like any other party member.

By foreclosing free and fair process of selecting its presidential candidate, Atiku said the PDP might be sending the wrong message to Nigerians about its commitment to conduct free and fair elections for the entire country.*


Premium times

Boko Haram paid us N5,000 each to burn schools - Kid suspects

Some kid suspects released by military authorities in Maiduguri on Friday said the Boko Haram sect paid them N5,000 each to burn primary schools and spy on soldiers.

They were among 23 women and 35 children released to the governors of Borno and Yobe states by the Commander, 21 Armoured Brigade, Maiduguri, Brig-Gen. R.O Bamigboye, on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Sa'ad Ibrahim.

The children, whose ages range between nine and 15 years, said they were given kegs of petrol by Boko Haram leaders and sent to burn schools in both states.

Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, government officials and journalists listened in bewilderment as the children narrated how they were used by the extremist sect to burn schools and spy on soldiers.

One of them said they were taken to the Yobe State capital, Damaturu, and told to spy on soldiers attached to the Joint Task Force and report back to the Boko Haram commanders.

He said, "We were taken to Damaturu. We watched out for the soldiers at their unit and reported back to them. We were reporting either when soldiers were at ease or enjoying themselves and when they were off guard and we were paid for doing that."

Another child suspect said, "I usually helped Boko Haram to leak information on military activities so that they could attack them (soldiers). My last job was to travel from Maiduguri to Gashua to spy on soldiers before I was caught."

Yet another said, "We usually help Boko Haram to carry stolen items each time and sometimes help them to give information about people they want to attack and sometimes even help to hide their guns after attacks. They pay us N5000 after every operation. I regret what I did, I want to go home and ask for forgiveness from my father and mother for what I did; I also want to go to school."

One of the boys said he was arrested last year after he was overheard talking about the people who burnt a school in Maiduguri and failed to inform the military.

"I was arrested because I know those who burnt the school without telling the soldiers. Some people heard me discussing about the people who burnt the school and reported me to the soldiers who arrested me," he said.

One of the teenagers said they were paid N5,000 and provided with fuel in kegs to set schools ablaze in Maiduguri.

The release of the suspects was done in line with the Federal Government's amnesty deal.

In Borno State, 20 detainees, comprising six women and 14 children arrested between 2012 and 2013 were set free and handed over to Shettima for rehabilitation and reintegration.

The 20 detainees were mostly arrested in Maiduguri, Bama in Borno and Damaturu in Yobe State.

Bamigboye, who supervised the handing over, said he was acting on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Sa'ad Ibrahim.

This, he said, was in line with the directive of President Goodluck Jonathan to the army.

He explained that the detainees were arrested in connection with the roles they played in the insurgency.

The six freed women were Hajia Zainab Mohammed, 40; Hajia Karagama Mohammed, 55; Hajia Zari Mohammed, 40; Aishatu Mohammed Aji, 62; Hadiza Ahmad, 40; and Yakaka Goni Habib, 16.

The 14 children released were Abba Modu Aji,10; Mohammed Musa, 12; Ibrahim Mohammed, 15; Umar Bukar, 15; Mustapha Umaru, 14; Bashir Ali, 12; Musa Grema, 13; Abba Mohammed, 14; Baba Alhaji, 13; AbdulAziz Umar, 14; Ari Masa'a, 14; Bayi Mustapha, 14; Mohammed Ibrahim, 14 and Alhaji Goni, 14.




Punch

Motorola's password in a pill and electronic tattoo

Always forgetting your password? Tech company Motorola is working on some rather unusual solutions!

They've unveiled an electronic 'tattoo' that sticks to your skin. It has a circuit so gadgets can identify you.

Another experimental idea is a password pill you swallow - that transmits a signal to devices outside the body.

The pill doesn't need batteries because it's powered by stomach acid - but Motorola bosses say it won't be on sale any time soon.

So you'll have to keep remembering those passwords for now!



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