Skip to main content

Looters in trouble as AGF takes over high profile cases

Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.

Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.

The Attorney -General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), has directed agencies with prosecutorial powers to compile pending cases they are currently handling in various courts.

This, he said, was with a view to determine which of them falls within the category of high profile cases to be taken over by the National Prosecution Coordination Committee (NPCC).

A statement issued by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Salisu Isah, said Malami gave the directive when he met with the various agencies in his office on Monday.

Malami, the Minister of Justice, briefed them on the exigency and existence of the committee, adding that the meeting was to fashion out a synergy between the committee and the agencies.

Isah who is the NPCC Head of Communication and Public Affairs, said

Malami’s message was read by Mr Sylvester Imhanobe, the Special Assistant to the President on Research and Special Project.

Imhanobe, who is also the Secretary of the committee used the occasion to inform the agencies of the objectives for setting up the prosecution committee.

The AGF explained that for a case to be tagged high profile, it must have overriding public interest elements, but that ultimately, he determined what case was tagged a high profile case.

He added that sometimes, the quantum of value of a case and its sensitivity also influenced whether a case was a high profile case or not.

According to him, members of the committee are mainly his aides as well as eight external members selected on the basis of experience and expertise.

He stressed that Heads of agencies were not part of the NPCC due to their busy schedules.

Malami also hinted that the intention was not to distract the heads of these agencies, but rather to engender smooth synergy between the committee and the agencies.

The Special Assistant to the President on Coordination and International Affairs under the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Pius Oteh, chaired the meeting.

Oteh emphasized that the AGF in his wisdom saw the need for coordination and cooperation between the NPCC and these agencies with prosecutorial and investigative powers.

He said that it was important for cooperation and synergy between the committee and the agencies to be consistent with the mandate of President Muhammadu Buhari in the anti-graft war.

The agencies present at the meeting were Nigerian Police Force, Department of State Services, and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices & other related offences Commission and the Federal Inland Revenue Service.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Court grants Fani-Kayode N50m bail

Fani-kayode sandwiched by EFCC officials Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court Abuja on Thursday granted a N50m bail to former spokesman of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode. Fani-Kayode was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a five-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N26m. Fani-Kayode is the sole defendant in the fresh charges numbered, FHC/ABJ/CR/140/2016. The EFCC accused the defendant of diverting 26 million Naira allegedly received from the ONSA while Sambo Dasuki was in office. The anti-graft agency also accused him of handling the said N26 million without going through financial institution as required under the Money Laundering Act. The embattled former minister is already facing 17-count charge of money laundering before the Lagos Division of the court, along with a former Finance Minister; Nenadi Usman, Danjuma Yusuf and a firm; Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited. They were charg
Post a Comment
Read more

FG berates US congressman over comment

Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture Photo: Femi Ipaye/PM News The Federal Government has described as sadly out of tune with reality the published letter from US Congressman Tom Marino to Secretary of State John Kerry, asking the US to withhold security assistance to Nigeria on the strength of some imaginary infraction by the Buhari Administration. In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said Congressman Marino was poorly informed about the issues he commented on, wondering why he did not take the pains to get first hand information from the US Embassy in Nigeria or any other credible source before engaging in what is nothing but a ‘propaganda of his own imagination’. The Minister said by asking the US to refrain from selling warplanes and other military equipment to Nigeria based on a faulty premise, the Congressman has demonstrated a poor understanding of global security issues. ”Insecurity anywhere i
Post a Comment
Read more

Aubameyang leads Gabon to Nations Cup

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leads the cast for Gabon as the hosts became the first team to name their final 2017 Africa Cup of Nations squad. The team captain and Borussia Dortmund star will lead the home players out for the opening game of the tournament against debutants Guinea-Bissau on 14 January in Libreville. Gabon have also named Sunderland midfielder Didier Ndong despite the player being left out of November’s World Cup qualifier in Mali. Ndong was in the capital city Libreville but failed to turn up for international duty ahead of the Mali game last month, forcing the Gabonese Football Federation [Fegafoot] to send him back to England. But a remorseful Ndong, who held clear-the-air talks with Fegafoot has been included in a 23-man Panthers squad. Other names to make the final party include Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina, Bruno Ecuélé Manga of Cardiff City and China-based striker Malick Evouna. Gabon coach José Antonio Camacho included three do
Post a Comment
Read more