General
SERAP Asks Buhari to Genuinely Combat Grand Corruption
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to end the deteriorating state of rule of law in the country and also defeat corruption as he marks six years in office.
The body made the call on Sunday via a statement issued by its Deputy Director, Mr Kolawole Oluwadare.
The organisation urged the President to, “Use the sixth anniversary of his government in power as an opportunity to halt Nigeria’s backsliding from constitutional and international obligations, reverse a steady deterioration of the rule of law and persistent breach of human rights, including the rights to a corruption-free society, and to life and security of Nigerians.”
“We urge you to publicly give an assurance that you and your government would end the worsening rule of law crisis, obey court judgments, genuinely combat grand corruption, and address the systematic and egregious violations of Nigerians’ right to life and security in several parts of the country,” it added
In 2015, Mr Buhari was elected as the president of Nigeria and when he took the oath of office, he promised to tackle insecurity, fix the economy and fight corruption.
On Friday, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, said Nigerians would appreciate this administration better at its expiration in 2023.
However, SERAP expressed serious concern over what it described as continuous attacks on the rule of law.
“We are gravely concerned about persistent attacks on the rule of law. Millions of people are falling into preventable poverty and live in a state of insecurity,” SERAP said.
“This government’s effort to use anniversary celebrations to deflect attention from its record of assault on the rule of law isn’t going to work. Instead, it should use the occasion to create a rule of law-friendly environment that would make Nigerians safer,” it added.
According to SERAP: “Systematically breaching the rule of law is not a sign of strength. Your administration should urgently comply with Nigeria’s constitutional and international obligations to respect the rule of law if it is not to leave behind a legacy of impunity and attacks on the rule of law, and ultimately, on the system of protection of human rights after your tenure in 2023.”
“Should your government fail and/or refuse to urgently implement the recommended measures, SERAP would approach the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union to invoke their charters and treaties to restore the rule of law and human rights in Nigeria.
“Attacks on the rule of law have made it harder for your administration to fulfil your oft-repeated promises to combat corruption, and to protect Nigerians’ right to life and security.
“SERAP is seriously concerned that a culture of attacks on the rule of law has adversely affected the functioning of the country’s judiciary, undermined the integrity and authority of our courts, and reduced their ability to function effectively as the fundamental safeguard of rule of law in the country.
“SERAP believes that respect for the rule of law and human rights is vital if your administration is to be able to effectively and satisfactorily address the growing poverty, inequality, and insecurity across the country.
“SERAP hopes that the next two years will show your administration’s commitment to consistently uphold democracy, the rule of law, human rights, including the right to a corruption-free society, and the right to life and security.
“The rule of law crisis in the past six years is illustrated by your government’s persistent failure to obey decisions of Nigerian courts; failure to consistently combat corruption and push for transparency in asset declarations by high-ranking government officials, and the failure to protect Nigerians’ right to life and security.
“Persistent disobedience of court judgments by your administration represents a systemic threat to the rule of law, as this has infringed upon judicial independence and undermined legal certainty, as well as exacerbated the “chilling effect” on victims’ access to justice and effective remedies.
“Nigeria’s rule of law breakdown, the systematic breaching of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international obligations have also seriously undermined Nigeria’s leadership role within the ECOWAS, the African Union, and generally in the comity of nations.
“Ensuring full and effective respect for the rule of law and human rights would send a strong signal of your commitment to uphold the country’s constitutional guarantees and international obligations, and that you are ready to do what is needed to halt the backsliding from these guarantees and obligations.
“The judgments your government is yet to obey include at least seven judgments obtained by SERAP. The first is the judgment by Justice Hadiza Rabiu Shagari ordering your government to tell Nigerians about the stolen asset it allegedly recovered to date, with details of the amounts recovered.
“The second judgment, by Justice Mohammed Idris [as he then was], ordered your government to publish details on the spending of stolen funds recovered since the return of democracy in 1999, while the third judgment, by Justice Chuka Austine Obiozor, ordered your government to publish details of payments of billions of naira to allegedly corrupt electricity contractors and companies since 1999.
“The fourth judgment, by Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo, ordered your government to challenge the legality of states’ life pension laws and to recover pensions already collected by ex-governors now serving as ministers and members of the National Assembly.
“The fifth judgment, by Justice Mohammed Idris ordered your government to prosecute principal officials and lawmakers suspected of padding and stealing N481bn from the 2016 budget. The court also ordered publication of the report on the alleged 2016 budget padding.
“The sixth judgment, by the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja, ordered the Nigerian authorities to provide free and quality education to all Nigerian children without discrimination. The seventh judgment, also by the ECOWAS Court, ordered the Federal Government to hold all oil companies operating in the Niger Delta to account for oil pollution and associated human rights violations and to pay compensation.
“Another court order that is yet to be complied with is the order for the release of Islamic Movement of Nigeria leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenah, from unlawful detention, obtained by human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana.
“Nigeria’s democracy ought to have as its foundation respect for human rights and the rule of law. Treating the decisions of Nigerian courts as not binding is antithetical to any contemporary notion of the rule of law and democracy, and clearly counter-productive to the fight against corruption.
“Democracy is an inherent element of the rule of law, and obeying decisions of the courts, combating corruption, and ending growing insecurity in the country are closely connected with the existence and consolidation of democracy, good governance and development.
“SERAP also urges you to immediately instruct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN to enforce all outstanding court judgments against your government since May 2015, including those highlighted above,” the statement read.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Army has arrested 18 suspected illegal miners at a mining site in Izom, Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State, recovering equipment and N2.47 million in cash from the operation.
The suspects were arrested by troops of the 102 Guard Battalion during a routine operation in the area, where the soldiers reportedly discovered unauthorised mining activities.
Following the arrests, the army handed over the suspects and recovered items to the headquarters of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps Mining Marshals in Sauka, Abuja, in line with established inter-agency procedures.
The operation is part of intensified efforts by security and regulatory agencies to curb illegal mining, which has been linked to revenue losses, environmental degradation and the unlawful exploitation of Nigeria’s mineral resources.
Reacting to the development, the Commander of the NSCDC Mining Marshals, Assistant Commandant of Corps John Onoja Attah, commended the Nigerian Army for what he described as a strong demonstration of professionalism and commitment to protecting the country’s mineral wealth.
“The Nigerian Army has once again distinguished itself through professionalism, discipline and patriotism. The swift arrest of the suspects and their prompt handover to the Mining Marshals reflect a commendable commitment to the rule of law and the protection of Nigeria’s solid mineral resources,” he said.
Preliminary investigations by the Mining Marshals indicated that the suspects allegedly operated without licences, permits or any affiliation with a registered mining company. Investigators also said they could not produce evidence of valid mineral titles or authorisation from the relevant regulatory authorities.
Items recovered from the mining site included motorcycles, pumping machines, crusher engines, communication devices and cash totalling N2,468,750.
Mr Attah said the Mining Marshals would continue to pursue individuals involved in illegal mining and strengthen intelligence-led operations against activities that undermine the formal mining industry and deprive government of legitimate revenue.
He added that the Corps, under its Commandant-General, Mr Ahmed Audi, remained committed to enforcing the provisions of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act and protecting Nigeria’s mineral resources from unlawful exploitation.
The Mining Marshals said the investigation had been concluded and that the 18 suspects were being processed for prosecution under the relevant provisions of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has sealed a suspected illegal maternity facility in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and arrested three people over an alleged N13.5 million baby sale involving a Liberian national residing in Belgium.
The agency said the suspects included the owner of the facility, an alleged facilitator of the baby sale and a member of staff.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by NAPTIP’s Head of Press and Public Relations Unit, Mr Vincent Adekoye, the facility, located in the Elelenwo area of Port Harcourt, was allegedly operating from a residential apartment.
The operation was carried out jointly by NAPTIP operatives from Abuja and Rivers State, in collaboration with officials of the Rivers State Ministry of Health, following intelligence about a suspected child-trafficking syndicate involved in the procurement, sale and unlawful transfer of children.
NAPTIP said preliminary investigations indicated that the Liberian national arrived in Nigeria without evidence of pregnancy but allegedly took custody of three children within about one month.
The agency said intelligence available to it suggested that approximately ₦13.5 million changed hands in connection with the transfer of the three children.
Investigators are now working to establish the identities, whereabouts and welfare of the children, as well as determine their biological and legal parentage.
The investigation will also trace the financial transactions linked to the alleged transfers and establish the roles played by medical personnel and other individuals who may have facilitated the suspected criminal activity.
NAPTIP said the facility was sealed to preserve potential evidence while investigations continue.
The agency said the operation formed part of its nationwide crackdown on fraudulent maternity and healthcare facilities allegedly operating as so-called baby factories.
NAPTIP Director-General, Mrs Binta Bello, expressed concern over the alleged activities of some maternity and health facilities, particularly their suspected involvement in illegal adoption, child sales and trafficking.
She said, “I am particularly disturbed that foreign nationals now come to Nigeria to patronise these suspected criminal elements and procure children like a common object of trade across the border. This is sad and totally unacceptable.
“We have spread our dragnet to fish out all those involved in this case, and they shall be made to face the full wrath of the law,” she said.
She further said the investigation remained active and that anyone found culpable would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
“I wish to reaffirm that the matter remains under active investigation and that all persons found connected to it will be subjected to due process under the law. The Agency will ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice, while the safety and welfare of the affected children remain its foremost priority,” she added.
The NAPTIP chief urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspected cases of child trafficking, illegal adoption, baby-selling and other forms of exploitation to the agency through its nearest zonal or state command.
NAPTIP said the latest operation followed an earlier directive by Bello to intensify surveillance of suspected maternity facilities across the country after intelligence suggested that some had become centres for fertility scams, child sales and trafficking.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The chief executive of Oando Plc, Mr Wale Tinubu, says the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is now the largest financier of oil and gas projects on the African continent.
Mr Tinubu said the bank has committed over $25 billion in Africa’s oil and gas sector while speaking at the Royal African Society’s conference in London on the next 125 years of mining, oil and gas in Africa, according to a social media post on Wednesday.
“Afreximbank is now the largest financier of oil and gas on this continent, with more than twenty-five billion dollars committed,” he wrote on X.
Mr Tinubu said 20 years ago, when Oando wanted to list on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, “we were told what would be required of us”.
He said the company was directed to adopt International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), while the board was also asked to appoint independent directors who could tell the founder “no”.
“Get on a plane and explain ourselves, quarter after quarter, to people who had never set foot in Lagos. It was uncomfortable. It was also the most valuable thing we ever did to ourselves,” he said.
“I returned to that experience in London at the Royal African Society’s (@royafrisoc) discussion on the next 125 years of mining, oil and gas in Africa, where I was asked what African companies need in order to scale.
“The answer begins at home. Much of African enterprise started out fractured; family-held, informally governed, structurally invisible to anyone underwriting a twenty-year risk. Global capital hesitates over what it cannot examine.”
The Oando CEO said governance is more than a compliance exercise, describing it as an instrument that makes a company legible to the world.
“The second half of the answer sits with the world. When European lenders withdrew from African hydrocarbons in pursuit of their own net zero commitments, they did not end demand for African energy,” he said.
“They ended their participation in it. African institutions stepped into that space.”
Mr Tinubu said African firms have done the harder work “of making ourselves investable”, noting that what does not get financed does not get built, and “there is still much to build in Africa for those willing to build it with African companies”.
In Nigeria, the bank has been a major financier of the 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Petroleum Refinery, including a $1.35 billion facility in 2025 to refinance construction costs and a further $2.5 billion underwriting commitment in 2026.
The bank has also supported the development of the 200,000 barrels-per-day Lobito Refinery in Angola, the 60,000 barrels-per-day Cabinda Refinery, and the refurbishment of Nigeria’s 210,000 barrels-per-day Port Harcourt Refinery. It has additionally approved financing for the BUA and Azikel refineries in Nigeria and supported Société Ivoirienne de Raffinage in Côte d’Ivoire.
Beyond refining, Afreximbank committed up to $400 million in guarantees and direct lending to Mozambique’s Area 1 LNG project, one of Africa’s largest LNG developments, to support the extraction, processing and liquefaction of offshore gas.
In Angola, the bank helped arrange a $1.75 billion syndicated facility for Sonangol to support the national oil company’s operating and capital expenditure requirements. It has also been mandated to advise on raising capital for Equatorial Guinea’s $4.5 billion EG-27 LNG project, which is expected to produce about 2.4 million tonnes of LNG annually. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the lender is supporting preparations for a 200MW reservoir-based hydropower project along the Lufira River, designed to provide electricity to mining operations.
