Court orders CBN to pay N8bn over Benue communities’ invasion by soldiers

The Federal High Court on Monday ordered the Central Bank of
Nigeria to immediately pay the sum of N8bn awarded in favour of
some Tiv communities in Logo, Ukum, Kwande and Katsina-Ala Local
Government Areas of Benue State for the losses of lives and
property they suffered during the invasions by soldiers of the
Nigerian Army in 2001.

Justice Nyang Ekwo made this order following the garnishee
application by the communities.

The application was for the enforcement of the consent judgment
delivered by the Court of Appeal in Enugu on February 2, 2015.

The judge, who had earlier granted the preliminary “garnishee
nisi”, made the garnishee order “absolute” on Monday, by ordering
the CBN to pay the sum of N8bn into an interest-yielding account to
be opened and maintained in First Bank of Nigeria Plc by the Chief
Registrar of the court.

The judge added that he would subsequently make an order for the
disbursement of the money after the CBN complies with the order for
the payment.

‎The judge said terms of disbursement would have to be signed by
first class chiefs of Jukun, Logo, Kwande, Katsina-Ala Local
Government Areas on behalf of the Tiv Traditional Council.

He ruled, “The garnishee (CBN) is hereby ordered to pay the
garnishee sum into an interest-yielding account to be opened and
maintained by the Chief Registrar of this court in First Bank of
Nigeria Plc.

“The order authorising the disbursement of the money shall be
made upon being satisfied with the terms of disbursement including
the legal fees jointly singed by Ocha Ulegede, Esq, and J.K
Gadzama, SAN, for the ganishors and endorsed by first-class chiefs
of Jukun, Logo, Kwande, Katsina-Ala local government areas on
behalf of the Tiv Traditional Council.”

The plaintiffs in the suit are 14 persons from the Benue
communities, who were said to have suffered various degrees of
losses during the military invasion around March 2001, about 18
years ago.

They are, Dr. Alexander Gaadi, Peter Orngu, Terfa Akaagba,
Anongo Unishigh, Ngunengen Adula, Demelu Adula, Zaki Mazan,
Mbakesen Ayatse, Mbayemen Maswuan, Anande Agashia, Azenda Igo,
Elizabeth Aoughakaa, and Andrew Juntu.

They instituted two separate suits which were later
consolidated, against the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed
Forces (then President Olusegun Obasanjo), the then Minister of
Defence, Chief of Army Staff and the Attorney-General of the
Federation.

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Dasuki’s ONSA: EFCC Arraigns Woman, Oshodin over
Security Vote

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday,
August 19, 2019 arraigned Mrs. Isabella Oshodin and Bob Oshodin
Organisation Ltd before Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High
Court, Abuja on a 25-count charge bordering on money laundering to
the tune of N22,964,228,414 (Twenty-two Billion, Nine Hundred and
Sixty-four Million, Two Hundred and Twenty-eight Thousand Four
Hundred and Fourteen Naira).

Oshodin is alleged to have on 16 occasions, received the sums of
N500,000,000; N750,000,000; N125,000,000; N350,000,000;
N170,000,000; N85,000,000; N60,000,000; N50,000,000 and others
which totalled N2,366,000,000 (Two Billion, Three Hundred and Sixty
Six Million Naira) from the Office of the National Security
Adviser, ONSA under then NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd).

Investigations further revealed that the defendant on eight
occasions received from Dasuki’s ONSA sums totalling $57,217,301.15
(Fifty-seven Million, Two Hundred and Seventeen Thousand, Three
Hundred and One US Dollars, Fifteen Cents) into the Escrow accounts
of Bob Oshodin Organisation Ltd.

Count two of the charges reads: “That you, Mrs. Isabela Mimie
Oshodin, Bob Oshodin Organisation Ltd and Mr. Robert (Bob) Oshodin
(still at large) on or about 22nd June, 2014 in Abuja within the
jurisdiction of this honourable Court directly transferred the sum
of $7,712,598 (Seven Million, Seven Hundred and Twelve Thousand,
Five Hundred and Ninety-eight Dollars) to one Portfolio Escrow
Company with account number 3102004330 domiciled in California
Republic Bank, United States of America which sum you reasonably
ought to have known to be proceed of an unlawful act of Sambo
Dasuki (rtd), the then National Security Adviser to wit: criminal
breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to
Section 15 (2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Provision) Act, 2011as
amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same
Act.”

The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when read to
her.

In view of her plea, prosecuting counsel, Aisha Tahar Habib
prayed the court to fix a date for the commencement of trial.

“I have noticed my lord the second defendant is not represented,
notwithstanding, in view of the first defendant’s plea of not
guilty, I will like to ask for a date for trial,” she said.

However, counsel for the defendant, Osahor Odemodia, informed
the court of the bail application for his client, and urged the
court to grant her bail on liberal terms, pending the commencement
of trial.

But Habib opposed the application for bail, informing the court
of a counter-affidavit filed on July 10, 2019, and so urged the
court to refuse her bail, and instead, give the case accelerated
hearing.

The trial judge, thereafter, adjourned to August 21, 2019 and
ordered the defendant to be remanded in EFCC custody pending the
ruling on the bail application.

Tony Orilade
Ag. Head, Media & Publicity
August 19, 2019