asked Stanbic IBTC Bank and Zenith Bank to unfreeze accounts linked to
Partience, wife of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.
Members of the panel took turns to condemn the EFCC for the continued
freezing of the accounts by the banks when there was a court order
vacating the freezing order.
The lawmakers faulted the EFCC for notifying banks on court judgments
freezing accounts domiciled in the financial institutions but allegedly
refusing to write the banks when the freezing order had been vacated,
but later served them with notice of appeal.
Patience had petitioned the Senate through her lawyer, Mr. Charles
Ogboli (SAN), protesting against the freezing of her accounts in seven
banks without court orders.
Several members of the committee queried the powers of the EFCC to serve
court orders on banks, when the anti-graft agency was not part of the
judiciary.
According to them, the banks were “afraid” of the EFCC, which was the
reason they kept flagging the accounts based on letters from the
commission.
“The EFCC cannot take someone to court, and then be the one to serve the
bank. The EFCC is not the judiciary, the judiciary is separate. That is
why there are people engaged as court bailiffs,” a member of the panel,
Senator Obinna Ogba, said.
He added, “Mr. Chairman, I think you need to give a definite instruction
for them to open that account now because this bank has no business
freezing that account.”
Senator Ogba also accused the banks of taking advantage of such orders to trade with customers’ cash.
Also criticising the banks, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, said, “Why you
responded to that instruction (to freeze the accounts) was because there
was a court order. And now you have an evidence to show that the order
has been vacated. Then, somebody (EFCC) is now writing you a letter
(notice of appeal). On what basis are you basing your actions?”
The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Sam Anyanwu, also faulted the
process, saying, “The court bailiff should be the one to serve the court
order and the bank should sign for it. It looks as if they (banks) are
taking the advantage. The money is available to you (banks) and you are
trading with it.”
Officials of the bank stated that though the two accounts had been
linked, the second account was only frozen because it had not fully
complied with the “Know Your Customer” requirements of the Central Bank
of Nigeria, and not by any court order obtained by the EFCC.
Senator Anyanwu said, “We will like to have the statement of the
accounts and the mandate cards of the accounts. Then, of course, you
said there was a KYC issue on it; the committee will decide on what to
do about that.”
signed a bill establishing a University of Petroleum
– The president vowed to develop the region
– He called on the people to embrace peace and dialogue
President Muhammadu Buhari has promised that his administration will see
to the development of the Niger Delta region as he signed a bill for
the establishment of a University of Petroleum.
In a statement signed by Garba Shehu who is the senior special assistant
to the president on media and publicity on Tuesday, October 17, the
president was quoted as saying he was committed to the development of
the region.
READ ALSO: Fani-Kayode’s attire to court, a gift from Nnamdi Kanu
(photos)
He also called on the people of the region to sue for peace and embrace
dialogue.
BREAKING: President Buhari signs bill establishing university of
petroleum
President Buhari signing the bill for the establishment of a university
of petroleum. Credit: Facebook, Garba Shehu
Read the statement below:
President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday in Abuja pledged continued support
for the socio-economic development of the Niger Delta region.
Giving the assurance at a brief ceremony in the State House to sign the
bill establishing the University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta
State, into law, the President said “this administration is fully
committed to supporting the Niger Delta in its endeavours to achieve
socio-economic development.”
He appealed to all communities in the region to strive for peace through
dialogue in resolving all conflicts not only among them, but also with
business entities and the authorities.
PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigeria’s #1 news app
With the signing of the bill into law, the path has been cleared for the
establishment of the specialised university in the Niger Delta, charged
with training and research in petroleum technologies.
NAIJ.com reported earlier that in reaction to comment from Jim Yong Kim,
president of the World Bank Group, that President Buhari allegedly
requested the bank should concentrate its effort on the north, a
coalition of agitators in the Niger Delta threatened to stop further
exploration and exportation of oil from the region.
The groups, Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders, NDRC and 21st Century
Youths of Niger Delta, said it has set off programmed attack troop to
halt further oil exploration and exportation from the Niger Delta
region. Read more: https://www.naij.com/1130789-breaking-president-buhari-signs-bill-establishing-university-petroleum.html#1130789
signed a bill establishing a University of Petroleum
– The president vowed to develop the region
– He called on the people to embrace peace and dialogue
President Muhammadu Buhari has promised that his administration will see
to the development of the Niger Delta region as he signed a bill for
the establishment of a University of Petroleum.
In a statement signed by Garba Shehu who is the senior special assistant
to the president on media and publicity on Tuesday, October 17, the
president was quoted as saying he was committed to the development of
the region.
READ ALSO: Fani-Kayode’s attire to court, a gift from Nnamdi Kanu
(photos)
He also called on the people of the region to sue for peace and embrace
dialogue.
BREAKING: President Buhari signs bill establishing university of
petroleum
President Buhari signing the bill for the establishment of a university
of petroleum. Credit: Facebook, Garba Shehu
Read the statement below:
President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday in Abuja pledged continued support
for the socio-economic development of the Niger Delta region.
Giving the assurance at a brief ceremony in the State House to sign the
bill establishing the University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta
State, into law, the President said “this administration is fully
committed to supporting the Niger Delta in its endeavours to achieve
socio-economic development.”
He appealed to all communities in the region to strive for peace through
dialogue in resolving all conflicts not only among them, but also with
business entities and the authorities.
PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigeria’s #1 news app
With the signing of the bill into law, the path has been cleared for the
establishment of the specialised university in the Niger Delta, charged
with training and research in petroleum technologies.
NAIJ.com reported earlier that in reaction to comment from Jim Yong Kim,
president of the World Bank Group, that President Buhari allegedly
requested the bank should concentrate its effort on the north, a
coalition of agitators in the Niger Delta threatened to stop further
exploration and exportation of oil from the region.
The groups, Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders, NDRC and 21st Century
Youths of Niger Delta, said it has set off programmed attack troop to
halt further oil exploration and exportation from the Niger Delta
region. Read more: https://www.naij.com/1130789-breaking-president-buhari-signs-bill-establishing-university-petroleum.html#1130789
