China closed their border for 40 years and today they’re great —Customs boss

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Hameed
Ali, has reiterated the significance of closing the country’s
borders, saying that even the Peoples Republic of China had to
close its borders for 40 years to emerge world economic power.

Mr Ali, who stated this via a viral video trending across
various social media platforms, said, “This is the government that
has insisted that we must grow Nigeria, eat Nigeria.

“China that we go there to buy almost everything we use, closed
their bothers for how many years?

“They closed it for 40 years to the whole world and today they
are great China. Don’t you want to be great Nigeria?”

The CG also described as unfounded the notion that the closure
had thrown many Nigerians into suffering, saying that “before now,
we have people who could not afford three square meals”.

He said, “The notion that this border closure is what has
created pressure on the suffering of the Nigerian citizens is
unfounded. Before now, we have poor people. Before now, we have
people who could not afford three square meals.

“Before now we have people who do not have jobs, so for anybody
to come up with the idea that because we have closed border, all of
these vices are being visited on us is completely unfounded. There
are no statistics to support that claim.

“Two, the border closure is a win-win for Nigeria. I will tell
you why. You are not a farmer. Go to Abakaliki and talk to farmers.
Go to Kebbi, ask the farmers today. Go to every part of
Nigeria.

“There is a farmer who told me that before the closure of the
border, he could hardly sell a truck of milled rice in two
months.

“Since we closed the borders, he has not only been able to sell
what he has, he has also been going after farmers to get paddy rice
and they have put money down for him to deliver.

“Why do we begin to think that we must be fed by foreign
countries? At what point do we think that we are independent?

“Any nation that cannot feed itself cannot claim to be
independent. When you have a diplomatic row with the country you
are getting your rice from, they will close the tap. What now
happens?”

Forgery: EFCC Arraigns Lawyer, Fraudster, Other to
Courts

A legal practitioner, Barrister Ezidi Fabulous and Mercy Atata(
a.k.a Homa Odum) were on Monday, November 4, 2019 arraigned by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Port Harcourt Zonal
Office, before Justice A.T. Mohammed of the Federal High Court
sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on three- count charges
bordering on conspiracy, forgery and utteration contrary to Section
3 (6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act CAP M17 of the Revised
Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) Act, 2007 and
punishable under the same Section.

Specifically, they were docked for allegedly presenting a forged
deed of conveyance to secure the bail of a defendant at the Federal
High Court, Port Harcourt.

One of the charges read: “That you Mercy Atata (a.k.a Homa
Odum), Barr. Ezidi Fabulous and one Barr. King Gabriel (now at
large), Mr. Bob Manuel (now at large), on or about the 14th day of
February, 2019, at the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt within the
jurisdiction of the Honorable Court did conspire amongst yourselves
to forge a document titled: DEED OF CONVEYANCE between one SIR.
CHIEF J.B ORJI and MISS. HOMA ODUM, in order to perfect the bail
conditions of one NZE NAT CORNELIUS NWOGA a defendant in charge no.
FHC/PH/75C/2018 between THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA v ANGELA
CHARLES & ORS. knowing same to be false and thereby committed
an offence contrary to Section 3 (6) of the Miscellaneous Offences
Act CAP M 17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of
Nigeria) Act 2007 and punishable under the same Section.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to charges when read to
them.

In view of their pleas, prosecuting counsel, C. Okorie, prayed
the court for a date of commencement of trial.

Defence counsel, C.C. Uchegbu and A.D Odili for the 1st and 2nd
defendants, prayed the court for an adjournment to be able to
formally file bail applications of their clients.

Justice Mohammed adjourned the matter to November 13, 2019 for
commencement of trial.

The two defendants ran into trouble when the Federal High Court,
Port Harcourt petitioned the EFCC alleging that they conspired to
forge and utter a deed of conveyance, which they tendered to secure
the bail of a defendant before the court.

Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
………
EFCC Docks Suspected Internet Fraudster in Makurdi

The Makurdi Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC), on Monday, November 4, 2019, arraigned
26-year-old suspected internet fraudster, James Kuve Sughter in
Federal High Court, Makurdi, Benue State, presided over by Justice
Mobolaji Olajuwon.

Sughter was docked on two-count charges, bordering on fraud and
possession of documents containing false pretences.

One of the charges reads: “That you James Kuve Sughter, between
January and October 2018, in Makurdi within the jurisdiction of
this honourable court, did dishonesty make use of an electronic
unique identification of another person to obtain the sum of
N534,971 (Five Hundred and Thirty Four Thousand, Nine Hundred and
Seventy-one Naira) only, from one Asiwaju Dada and thereby
committed an offence contrary to Section 22(2)(a) of the Cybercrime
(Prohibition Prevention Etc) Act 2015 and punishable under Section
22(2)(b)(iv) of the same Act.”

He pleaded not guilty to the charges, setting the stage for
prosecution counsel, G. G.Chia-Yakua to ask the court for a trial
date and for the defendant to be remanded in prison custody. The
defence counsel, however, moved an application for his bail on
liberal terms.

Justice Olajuwon granted bail to the defendant in the sum of
N500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) with one surety in like sum,
who must be a public servant or civil servant on grade level 12 and
above, and must reside in Makurdi, own a landed property, and must
also present a letter of identification to the court, show evidence
of tax clearance and submit two recent passport photographs of
his.

The judge adjourned the case till December 9, 2019 for
commencement of trial, and ordered that the defendant be remanded
in a correctional center, pending the perfection of his bail
condition.

Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity