The newspaper review for Monday, October 23, report on a court order requiring the forfeiture of all monies in bank accounts without bank verification number and the uproar generated by the return of wanted ex-chairman of the defunct presidential task force on pension reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina among other stories.
The banking sector has been thrown into a state of disquiet following an order by the Federal High Court in Abuja which ordered the forfeiture of all monies in bank accounts owned by corporate organisations, government agencies or individuals that are without bank verification number (BVN).
READ ALSO: EFCC convenes emergency meting, begins search for Maina
This Day reports that the order requires the owners of the accounts to within 14 days, claim ownership of accounts and show cause why the proceeds in the accounts should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.
This Day newspaper for Monday, October 23, 2017, photo credit: Snapshot from NAIJ.com
The forfeiture order which was issued by Justice Dimgba Igwe when ruling on an exparte application filed by the federal government through the office of the attorney general of the federation, is not final yet.
In other news, two senior lawyers, Itse Sagay (SAN), and Femi Falana have called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to immediately arrest the wanted ex-chairman of the defunct presidential task force on pension reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina, who has returned to Nigeria.
The Punch reports that Maina who has been on the run since 2015 after being indicted for allegedly perpetrating fraud to the tune of N2bn, returned to the country and was posted to the ministry of interior based on the recommendation of the head of service and was given double promotion.
The Punch newspaper for Monday, October 23, 2017, photo credit: Snapshot from NAIJ.com
Reacting to Maina’s return, the chairman of the presidential advisory committee against corruption, Itse Sagay on Sunday, October 22 said the gravity of the alleged offence committed by the civil servant should move the government to take a decisive action.
He said: “This man was accused of embezzling billions of naira meant for pensioners who had spent all their lives serving this country. One man took the money they should rely on in their declining years, subjecting them to misery and hopelessness.
“This is a moral and criminal issue. So, to hear that the man is in the country and somebody employed him means he is not the only criminal in the system. It means there is an accessory.
“Whoever was involved in employing him and then giving him promotion is an accessory after the fact to the crimes committed by this man if it is established that he is culpable. I don’t see why he escaped if he was not guilty.”
Similarly, human rights lawyer, Falana urged the EFCC to immediately charge Maina with the alleged N100bn pension fraud for which he was declared wanted for.
He also called for the immediate prosecution of the minister of interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, and the head of service of the federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, for allegedly shielding the suspect from prosecution.
Meanwhile, the Nation reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) claimed AbdulRasheed Maina bought a $2 million house in Abuja.
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The anti-graft agency said the mansion was allegedly acquired by Maina when he was the chairman of the controversial presidential task force team on pension reforms.
The Nation newspaper for Monday, October 23, 2017, photo credit: Snapshot from NAIJ.com
The embattled civil servant also has a 24-charge case pending before a Federal High Court.
In other news, President Muhammadu Buhari’s meeting with his Turkish counterpart, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara has opened 1000 Turks to the risk of extradition from Nigeria on the request of the Turkish government.
Vanguard reports that the 1,000 Turks facing extradition were suspected by the Turkish government of belonging to Fethullah Movement (FETO) which had been declared a terrorist organisation by the Turkish government.
Vanguard newspaper for Monday, October 23, 2017, photo credit: Snapshot from NAIJ.com
Nigeria’s relations with Turkey had been strained after the Buhari government turned down the request to extradite the Turks as demanded by his Turkish counterpart.
But the federal government might have changed its position to concede to the request, following Buhari’s meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the D-8 Summit.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has projected to register over 80 million voters for the 2019 general elections and promised to ensure that the 2019 general elections are better than those of 2015.
The Guardian reports that the commission said it has so far registered 73.2 million voters for the elections while the exercise continues.
Guardian newspaper for Monday, October 23, 2017, photo credit: Snapshot from NAIJ.com
Chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, made the disclosure when addressing a delegation of European Union Electoral Follow-up Mission to Nigeria, civil society organisations and other stakeholders during a roundtable organised by the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and West Africa.
The EFCC stage a walk against corruption on NAIJ.com TV
Source: Naij.com
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